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Rangers have deal with teen international prospect Taveras

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Texas Rangers have agreed to terms on a $2.1 million deal with switch-hitting teenager Leodys Taveras, one of the top international free agents.

Texas also announced the signing of three other international players Thursday, the first day major league teams could sign such players.

Baseball America ranked Taveras as the third-best international prospect. MLB.com listed the speedy 16-year-old center fielder from the Dominican Republic as 18th in its ranking.

Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine says Taveras is a dynamic player from a family rich in baseball tradition.

Taveras is the cousin for former major league center fielder Willy Taveras, who played 670 games for Houston, Colorado, Cincinnati and Washington from 2004-10.

Texas signed two players from Venezuela, catcher Francisco Ventura and center fielder Miguel Aparicio, and left-hander Reiver Sanmartin from Colombia.

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