Volquez on Duran

Edinson Volquez has seen Juan Duran play. He watched the 16-year-old outfielder the Reds signed in a tournament the Dominican.

"I saw him hit two two home runs in two at-bats," Volquez said. "I saw him throw from the outfield. Unbelievable. I've never seen someone like that. He's a little skinny right now. But he's going to be really good."

Duran is 6-foot-6, 190 pounds.

Mario Soto has not seen Duran play but he heard all about him.

"In my country, they said he was asking for $5 million," Soto said.

The Reds reportedly got him for $2 million. For their sake, hopefully it will work out better than their last splurge on a Latin American player. They paid Alejandro Diaz $1.6 million in 1999. He never made it above Double-A. What's worse spending all that money on Diaz busted the budget and kept the Reds from signing a guy named Miguel Cabrera.