International Signings: 7/23/16

Here are the latest notable signings of players within the July 2 international signing market…

• The Astros are close to finalizing a deal with 22-year-old Cuban shortstop Anibal Sierra for a $1.5MM bonus, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports.  Houston has been linked to Sierra for months, though past reports suggested that Sierra would get a much larger bonus of $3.5MM.  Since the Astros are already in excess of their $2.197MM international pool limit, Sierra’s deal essentially costs Houston $3MM (the actual bonus and a 100% tax on the overage).  The Astros were widely expected to blow past its bonus limit in the 2016-17 international market anyway in order to stock up on young talent, though this splurge will limit them to signings of $300K or less in the next two international signing periods.  Sanchez describes Sierra as possessing “an aggressive line-drive approach at the plate and good hands on defense,” and “scouts like his bat and his raw power.”  Sierra is capable of playing second and third base as well as shortstop.