MLB international contract terms: top players, bonus pools and what else you need to know as the Padres score 1st prospect

Sunday marks the start of the 2023 international contract period, one of two ways MLB teams can acquire amateur talent each year. The draft seen each summer includes players from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. All others are classified as international free agencies.

About 30% of current MLB players were originally signed as international free agents, including stars like Ronald Acuna Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto and Julio Urias. Longtime contenders like the Dodgers and Yankees are teams that are usually picked late in the draft, using international free agency to add high-end prospects to their farm system.

The future All-Star will be signed when international free agency begins on Sunday. Heck, those who signed on Sunday may find themselves in Coopertown one day.

current format

International free agency remains free agency because MLB and the MLB Players Association failed to agree on last year’s international draft. MLB has been pushing the International Draft for years (decades, actually), but unions have opposed it. League offered to scrap qualifying offer system in exchange for international draft, but the MLBPA said no. International free agency will exist until at least he 2026 when collective bargaining agreements expire.

The international signature period was from 2 July to 25 June each year, but the start of the 2020-21 signature period was postponed to 15 January due to the pandemic, and that change was made under the current agreement. It’s permanent. The signing period is now neatly limited to one calendar year and runs from January 15th to December 15th. To be eligible to sign, a player must be at least 16 years old and he must be 17 years old by September 1st of the following year. This year’s new eligible players are players born between September 1, 2005 and him August 31, 2006.

bonus pool

The international bonus pool that a team can spend on a player is related to revenue and market size, with small market teams getting the largest bonus pools and big market teams getting the smallest bonus pools. There is a bonus pool penalty for signing a major league free agent with a qualifying offer attached, allowing teams to redeem an additional 60% of their original bonus pool this year as well.During the pandemic , bonus pool trading has been on hold for several years.

According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, the bonus pool for the 2023 international contract term is as follows:

• $6,366,900: Athletics, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers, Twins
• $5,825,500: Diamondbacks, Guardians, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rockies.royals
• $5,284,000: Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Mets, Nationals, White Sox, Yankees
• $4,644,000: Angels, Phillies, Red Sox
• $4,144,000: Dodgers, Rangers

The Dodgers have forfeited $1 million in bonus pool money for signing Freddie Freeman for paying a competitive balance tax in 2021. Angels (Noah Syndergaard), Phillies (Nick Castellanos), Red Sox (Trevor Story), Rangers (Corey Seager, Marcus Semien) each forfeited $500,000 and made free agents with offers qualifying as non-CBT payers signed (Texas forfeited $500,000 each). Seeger and Semien).

International players under the age of 25 may only sign minor league contracts. Teams cannot entice players by offering to put them on his 40-man roster. When Shohei Ohtani first came to his MLB, he had to sign his minor league contract with the Angels because he was only 23 years old. Not published until 2025 and beyondwhen he turns 25 and is no longer eligible for the international bonus pool.At that point, he can sign contracts of any size.

top prospect

The top contender for international class consensus this year is Venezuelan catcher Ethan Salas. As is often the case with international prospects, Salas is only 16, but he has been scouted for quite some time. He’s signing with the Padres for his $5.6 million, according to MLB.com. Below is an excerpt from his MLB.com scout report for Salas.

Athletic Saras has a good feel in the strike zone and demonstrates hitting power to all fields. He has shown good raw power and is expected to increase as he grows. He is good at swinging loosely and demonstrates his ability to hit home runs in batting practice and games. Defensively, he shows positive potential with his soft hands, blocking ability and receiving skills. He shows good throwing skills and strong arms. He’s already demonstrated his leadership skills and has been a successful catcher as well.

Salas has a baseball pedigree. His older brother, Jose Salas, is a highly regarded infielder for the Marlins. baseball america recently ranked Elder Salas the fourth-best prospect in Miami’s system, stating that his “offensive skills will make him a valuable player.” The young Salas has all the tools to become an impactful player in the game’s most demanding positions.

Accurate information for international players can be difficult to find, but bonus size is generally a good indicator of a prospect’s status. The bigger the bonus, the more the team trusts the player. That said, bonuses under $10,000 do not count towards the bonus pool, but that does not mean that players receiving these checks should not be noted. The Astros originally acquired Cristian Javier and Flamber Valdez in 2015 with his $10,000 bonus.

Below is an alphabetical list of other prospective players for the 2023 international signing period.

Dominican SS Fernin Celesten: Celestine, 17, has the best tools ever seen in international free agency since Wonder Franco. He is a switch hitter with his chops of contact ability, power and strong defense. MLB.com adds that he “plays with talent and is dedicated to improving.” The Mariners are expected to sign Celestine.

Brandon Meir’s Cuban: One evaluator called the 17-year-old Mayea a “mini Gary Sheffield” for his explosive bat speed, according to MLB.com. Maya is currently taking a good approach at bat and mans center field, but he could end up in the corner of the road. He is rumored to be signing a contract with the Yankees.

Cuban RHP Luis Morales: “One of the most interesting and dynamic prospects in its class,” according to MLB.com, Morales was already sitting in the mid-’90s, demonstrating promising secondary pitches, including both curveball and slider. increase. The 20-year-old is considered a future rotation starter. Morales is most closely associated with athletics.

South Korea’s RHP Jun-Seok Shim: Sim, 18, was expected to be the No. 1 pick in the Korean professional baseball amateur draft a few weeks ago, but withdrew his name to pursue an opportunity with an MLB team. According to MLB.com, he hits 100 mph and makes a variety of secondary pitches, and has been praised for his composure and make-up. Korean Baseball Reporter Daniel Kim Sim says he’s on the verge of signing with the Pirates.

Dominican Guard Johndry Vargas: 17-year-old Vargas is one of the best pure hitters in the international class, with a high degree of strike zone knowledge and a rare sweet right-handed swing. MLB.com wrote, “Overall, there’s plenty of offensive upside, which is especially valuable in a premium position like this.” Vargas is expected to sign with the Dodgers.