potentially good news

[Ecbucs]

From MLB Trade Rumors (reporting on Baseball America article). The Bucs appear to be ready to sign one of top international free agents on July 2.





ome of the top outfield prospects in the 2020-21 international draft class are profiled by Baseball America’s Ben Badler, who also details which teams are expected to sign these players on July 2.  [highlight]The Reds, Pirates, Red Sox, and Rangers are all thought to have seven-figure bonuses lined up for four players from the Dominican Republic, [/highlight]though the Astros are reportedly ready to pay what may be the biggest bonus given to any player in the 2020-21 class — a deal in the neighborhood of $4MM to 21-year-old Cuban outfielder Pedro Leon.  Because of his age, Leon is already eligible to sign, though he will wait until the opening of the next July 2 window because most teams have exhausted most or all of their funds from their 2019-20 international signing pools.  The int’l market will take on added importance for the Astros over the next two years, as the club’s pipeline of top young talent will be limited after losing their top two picks in both the 2020 and 2021 amateur drafts as part of their punishment for the sign-stealing scandal.





Also, it seems there was a flaw in MLB's punishment of the Astros - that team shouldn't be able to spend enough to get the best Cuban (or any International free agent) player.

[fjk090852-7]

Pirates Prospects is reporting that the young outfielder is Shalin Polanco a left handed hitter. We will have to wait until the July signing period before it becomes official.

[mouse]

The Pirates seem to have shifted their focus to international signings in the last few years. They did well (according to P2) with last year's group) and seem to be doing well so far this year. I am really interested in seeing how they do in the ML draft this June. I've never understood the idea of taking signable players in rounds 2 - 10, in hopes of having the money to get someone good in round 11. I appreciate it means you have extra money to offer, but it also means you have a number of players from those early rounds with no real hope of contributing in the future.

[OrlandoMerced]

5B59434553360 wrote: The Pirates seem to have shifted their focus to international signings in the last few years. They did well (according to P2) with last year's group) and seem to be doing well so far this year. I am really interested in seeing how they do in the ML draft this June. I've never understood the idea of taking signable players in rounds 2 - 10, in hopes of having the money to get someone good in round 11. I appreciate it means you have extra money to offer, but it also means you have a number of players from those early rounds with no real hope of contributing in the future.




One thing that I think Dreker pointed out is a pretty important point. Junior Vizcaino has only been at the helm since 2017, and since these top guys usually commit years before they are eligible, they had effectively been boxed out of being players for those top of the class guys. That said, I think it's pretty clear that they have the clear intention of investing heavily on international talent, and instead of say, trying to outbid for those other top guys, they instead sought to sign lots of guys that command 6 figure bonuses, but aren't seen as million plus type talents.

[johnfluharty]

67657F796F0A0 wrote: The Pirates seem to have shifted their focus to international signings in the last few years. They did well (according to P2) with last year's group) and seem to be doing well so far this year. I am really interested in seeing how they do in the ML draft this June. I've never understood the idea of taking signable players in rounds 2 - 10, in hopes of having the money to get someone good in round 11. I appreciate it means you have extra money to offer, but it also means you have a number of players from those early rounds with no real hope of contributing in the future.


I am hoping they at least do a better job of picking those signable players if they continue that policy.

[CTBucco]

3C3E242234510 wrote: The Pirates seem to have shifted their focus to international signings in the last few years. They did well (according to P2) with last year's group) and seem to be doing well so far this year. I am really interested in seeing how they do in the ML draft this June. I've never understood the idea of taking signable players in rounds 2 - 10, in hopes of having the money to get someone good in round 11. I appreciate it means you have extra money to offer, but it also means you have a number of players from those early rounds with no real hope of contributing in the future.
I agree completely.  And, in reality, they haven't ended up saving that much on their 3-10 picks.  You also have to risk that a guy you want isn't there later in the draft.  I guess you have the advantage that you're not tied to just one guy.  So, if you take a HS guy in round 6, you have to sign him or you lose that slot's money.  If you sign a college SR to a low ball contract, then most of the money is there and isn't tied to one player giving them negotiating leverage.  But if you can sign a kid for $600k, why not just draft him with a pick that has a $600k slot value and have the deal negotiated ahead of time?