Orioles Sign Teenagers From Mexico, Dominican

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Orioles have signed a pair of teenagers they hope will be able to produce big offensive numbers.

Baltimore said Thursday it had purchased the contract of left-handed hitting first baseman Carlos Diaz from the Mexico City Reds and signed third baseman Jomar Reyes from the Dominican Republic.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Diaz is 17. The 6-4, 225-pound Reyes hits right-handed and is 16 years old,

Both will start in the Gulf Coast League, according to Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette.

Duquette says the team has "two potential everyday major league players that can hit in the middle of the lineup."

He says both are "very gifted hitters" and were sought by other major league clubs.