The White Sox have signed Venezuelan righthander Luis Martinez for $250,000, the organization's most expensive international signing in recent years.

Martinez, who turns 17 on Jan. 29, is 6-foot-4, 195 pounds and gets good downhill angle on an 88-91 mph fastball that has hit 92, an increase from the 84-88 mph velocity he was showing last summer around July 2. He has a projectable frame with long arms and plenty of room to fill out, so he should have at least a plus fastball in time. Martinez has a solid delivery, a high-70s curveball that is his best secondary pitch and he mixes in a changeup as well.

Martinez is from Carupano and trained with Luis Blasini, whose other notable signings from the July 2, 2011 signing class included Rangers lefthander Yohander Mendez ($1.5 million) and Rangers outfielder Eduard Pinto ($350,000).

Martinez is the first major signing for the White Sox since hiring Marco Paddy away from the Blue Jays after the 2011 season to run their Latin American scouting. The White Sox had been slow to rebuild their international program since firing former director of player personnel David Wilder and two international scouts amidst a massive bonus kickback scandal and have been one of the most frugal teams abroad. They ranked among the lowest-spending teams on international amateurs in 2010 with an estimated $345,000 and were only slightly above that mark in 2011 prior to the Martinez signing, which was agreed to in December.

While it's only one signing, adding Martinez could be an indication of the White Sox's efforts to increase their international resources in 2012.