Major League Baseball has informed clubs that exciting Cuban righty Yadiel Alvarez will first be eligible to sign in the upcoming July 2 period, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). That means that Alvarez’s appeal for eligibility to sign in the current period has been denied. Of course, it also indicates that he will be able to sign immediately, unlike some other Cuban players, as Baseball America’s Ben Badler notes on Twitter.
Several clubs will not be eligible to sign players for more than $300K in the signing period beginning next year (and the one that follows): the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Diamondbacks, and Angels incurred that penalty (among others) for exceeding their bonus allocations. Those clubs will be precluded from offering more than a minimal bonus to Alvarez, who is expected to command much more. Arizona, in particular, was said to have significant interest.
Ultimately, there may not be much practical effect: the current period ends on June 15. And Alvarez is said by Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs to be eyeing a $16MM bonus with the Dodgers, who strongly implied they bowed out of the Yoan Moncada sweepstakes in part so that they could take full advantage of the upcoming July 2 market.
By reaching formal eligibility for the coming market, Alvarez will be available to the Cubs and Rangers, both of which sat out the prior two periods. Chicago is reported to have at least some interest in the young righty, in addition to the aforementioned Dodgers and the Nationals, Rockies, Blue Jays, Padres, Athletics, Cardinals, Twins, and Brewers. (All those reports, also, came via Sanchez.)
All said, there figures to be no shortage of interest in Alvarez’s services. As McDaniel explained back in February, the previously unknown Alvarez showed huge tools for his age at a showcase. With Moncada and Hector Olivera off the market, he’s clearly the next major Cuban talent to watch.
Hopefully, an international draft will be in the not too distant future.. Teams like the Rays and Royals should have an opportunity to sign some of these guys.. Maybe set it up as a lottery and make the picks fully tradeable..
good luck trying to convince the other countries to go along with that.
The other countries don’t have much of a say in what goes on in MLB.. Now convincing the players union is another thing entirely..
Coincidentally, the players union represents players from those ‘other countries’, so I’m sure they will have quite a say.
Why do you upvote your own posts?
I could see a situation where we adopt an international system similar to the NBA’s version of drafting. Players aren’t forced to come over here, but their rights are owned by the teams. I think that’s the best comp for adopting a new system of drafting.
Agreed
But what happens to the money players are supposed to be getting?
If they don’t make the jump over, they would then become draft eligible again in three years in order to comply with the same rules the US players have to deal with. Just like the Astros situation with Aiken, the team would lose the money put towards that slot.
That didn’t really address what I was getting at. By making an international draft, MLB would essentially just be taking away money from these players. It’s a terrible position to leverage from. These players (and their trainers/buscones) rely on this money to take care of their families. They aren’t in a position to bargain at all. Beyond that, the signing bonuses these players get would be dramatically reduced if they’re forced to be joined with the domestic draft.
And what about JUCO players? They can re-enter the following year.
Integration into the draft killed baseball in Puerto Rico.
When did the US ever seek permission before invading another nation/state? The major difference now is that we will be Waging Peace. I’d like to see if “waging peace” wins more allies than dropping bunker-busters on their huts.
This isn’t really the thread for this conversation.
The Brewers signed Gilbert Lara, the Blue Jays have a deal with Vladimir Guerrero Jr, the Rays signed Adrian Rondon, and the Royals signed Raul Mondesi Jr. Teams of all market sizes can get good players internationally.
I don’t think the Brewers or Royals had much of a chance with Moncada and its doubtful they will have a chance with Alvarez. I don’t think any of the players that you mentioned will cross the 8 figure signing bonus threshold.
You don’t need to cross an 8 figure signing bonus threshold to have a strong presence in the international market. That’s just an arbitrary line you’re making.
The Brewers were actually the first team to submit an offer to Moncada.
They won’t get an 8 figure signing bonus because they’re 16. There’s a ton of uncertainty there. Moncada is 20, Alvarez is 19, there’s a lot less uncertainty with players at that age than at 16.
and the Pirates
Royals, Rays, and Pirates were some of the biggest offenders in going over MLB’s suggested draft and IFA signing bonuses. The Rays were the first team to blow past the IFA spending limits and I’m fairly confident they’ve done it the most. This system was largely laid out by the Pirates president while he was in the commissioner’s. Good scouting teams, regardless of size, had the advantage in the previous system.
they do have a chance to sign them. they are just unwilling to go as high as other teams. why support suppressing pay?
The Dodgers should sign this guyer before the Commish gives up on a team in London (a really bad idea) and relocate the Jags to Havana. The new Team could hold ST in Guantanamo 🙁 Put another Team in the DR or or PR and then NCL could set up a Baseball Cruise!
You’re confusing sports.
He probably meant Jays, not Jags.
Wasn’t it also the NFL who wanted a team in London eventually? I don’t remember MLB floating the idea of an MLB team in London.
I dunno. I just read it as him making a joke, especially the latter part .
Big news for the Dodgers, decision to not make a (real) run for Moncada could have backfired otherwise.
Cubs are gonna have some fun this summer.
The Cubs might want to, but I expect the Dodgers to spend very freely and use a good deal of their financial muscle. Andrew Friedman was the first GM to go over the IFA limit with the Rays and he did it again this current period with the Rays when they signed arguably the top 16 year old available. With the Dodgers, Friedman passed on Moncada because he didn’t want to jeopardize this upcoming signing period and has shown a willingness to spend millions on creative ways to buy comp picks in the rule 4 draft. I expect the Dodgers to make a serious push at every top international free agent this July and significantly outspend the competition, Cubs included.