Sports

Grand Street’s Jerez signs with Red Sox, Monroe’s Guerrero to Indians

The next step in Williams Jerez’s journey to the major leagues has begun.

The Grand Street Campus star center fielder, a first team All-City selection by The Post, signed for slot money – believed to be around $443,700 – with the Boston Red Sox and made his professional debut with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox on Saturday.

Jerez, taken by the Red Sox in the second round (81st overall) in the First-Year Player Draft, has spent the week down in For Myers, Fla., preparing for pro ball. Red Sox area scout Ray Fagnant said then plan was to give Jerez as many at bats as possible and start him in center field every day with the GCL Red Sox.

“I saw him 17 times, so you know I liked him,” Fagnant said. “He’s a got a lot of ability. I know that it’s an old-used cliché, but he’s a good kid. Even though my Spanish isn’t good and his English isn’t great, we were able to communicate well.”

Jerez came to New York City from the Dominican Republic two years ago and enjoyed two sensational years at Grand Street. As a senior, he led the Wolves to the Brooklyn A East crown and a berth in the PSAL Class A semifinals by hitting .692 with six home runs, 38 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

“From here on out, it’s up to him and our organization to make him a big leaguer,” Fagnant said. “Like any other 19-year-old, he won’t be rushed, but we won’t hold him back. He’ll have time to develop at his own pace.”

Guerrero signs with Cleveland: Abel Guerrero, the former Monroe ace who only turned to pitching three years ago, inked a pro deal with the Cleveland Indians on Thursday. The hard-throwing southpaw leaves for Phoenix, Ariz., on Sunday morning, but he isn’t nervous.

“I’m actually excited,” he told The Post. “I’m ready to go.”

The 19-year-old Bronx product received $35,000 plus school to sign and will join the Indians rookie ball team, the Arizona League Indians, in Goodyear, Ariz., site of the team’s minor league complex. Guerrero said he was happy with the deal, though not overwhelmed.

“It’s a pretty good deal, they’re covering my school – that’s always a plus,” he said. “It made me want to go for it. I just want to play ball. I had some doubts, but I was pretty confident I was gonna sign.”

Guerrero shined his last two years at Monroe after transitioning to pitcher when the coaching staff felt his powerful left arm would be better utilized on the mound rather than in the outfield. He followed that up with two standout years of college at SUNY Old Westbury and Galveston (Texas) and was taken in the 36th round (1,088 overall) by the Indians in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft. Last year, he went 2-5 with a 4.71 ERA, struck out 52 and walked 24 for Galveston.

“I’m a little nervous because I don’t know who’s gonna be out there, but I’m excited for the competition and the atmosphere,” he said. “It’s gonna be great, being with all those great players. It’s gonna make me want to push forward even more.”

The 29th player to get drafted coming out of Monroe, coach Mike Turo has high hope for Guerrero.

“It’s a credit to him,” Turo said. “He’s a real student of the game. Everything we tried to teach him he picked up on right away.”

zbraziller@nypost.com