Top Cuban prospect Luis Robert has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. He’ll now be eligible to sign with any team as soon as May 20th, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez tweets, though there are some constraints at play.
Because he’s eligible to sign in the current international free agent signing period, Robert will have an opportunity to ink a deal that isn’t limited by the new caps that will enter effect on July 2nd. But the youngster will be subject to the existing international rules, meaning certain clubs can’t offer him more than a $300K bonus while others would need to pay a 100% tax on any bonus money. (We covered the details on those clubs when it was reported Robert was heading stateside.)
Robert, a 19-year-old outfielder, has reportedly drawn wide interest from around the league. Last we checked in, a variety of organizations were planning to take closer scouting looks. If there’s a favorite at this point, it could be the White Sox, though they’d be entering the penalty box by striking a deal with Robert. Numerous other organizations have already blown past their bonus pools, so going on to sign Robert would mean ponying up double his bonus but wouldn’t change their future international spending eligibility.
The chief reason for the keen interest in Robert is his advanced power bat, as Ben Badler of Baseball America explained in a recent profile. He’s also currently athletic enough to play in center field, though there are questions as to whether he’ll stay there in the long run. Teams are now getting a chance to see more of Robert in person, and he’s currently planning another showcase in May, per Sanchez (via Twitter).
Really hope the White Sox sign this guy, we need him!
In Hahn we trust!
I hope he’s not another Rusney Castillo
Come on, Rick
Aren’t they penalized from going over last year? No way they can sign him.
whoops, wrong comment. This was meant for Dodgers.
Los Doyers 1-2-3
Hope the dodgers dont waste more money on cubans. Over a hundred million spent and Puig/ yadier alverez is all they have to show for it.
Although he’s not Cuban, the Dodgers did discover and sign Urias on the same scouting trip they signed Puig… I think you could argue that those 3 are well worth the $100mil+ they’ve spent so far in those markets.
That being said, I don’t think they’re able to make a serious run at Robert.
I dont think the dodgers would make a serious run. Theyve been burned enough times that I think if bidding starts going over $30, tax included, they may just bail out.
They can only offer $300k, no?
Yeah
Preller. Preller. Preller.
If a team goes over their bonus pool this period, what does that mean for the next signing period with the new rules (such as the hard cap)? Would there still be a 2 year ban from signing someone for more than $300k like in the past?
Yes they would still be banned which is why I find it amusing when people talk about Otani like he is for sure going to a team like the Cubs, a team penalized and will only be able to spend up to $300k on one player.
Won’t the Cubs penalty be over after this season?
Nope. Eddy Julio Martinez signed fall of 2015 and they went over in the 15-16 class, penalized in the 16-17 class and the second year would be the 17-18 class, the class that Otani falls in unless he waits to sign in July 2018, which I imagine he won’t.
The dude is forefitting 100+ million dollars if he comes over before he’s 26. Do you really think the difference between 300k and whatever a team can get their pool up to under the new cba (I think its like 6.5 or so) is going to make a big difference to him?
I think the most a team could sign him for is actually closer to $10 mill and they are able to acquire more spending slots to actually spend more than that.
Looking at some data, Otani made about $1.8 mill in US dollars last year so it would seem still worth it for him to come over sooner and take the most he can get considering he likely wouldn’t get as much over there the next 3 years if he waited.
That’s not totally accurate. He’s not forfeiting 100M. There is going to be an “expected extension” agreement upon his signing with a team. He’s saying all the right things to the media, but his agents will have his best interest in mind. Not only that, yes 300K and let’s say the base 5 is a huge deal especially considering it’ll be a MiLB contract to begin with. So you’re assuming major league teams aren’t willing to use loopholes and that Ottani won’t be a huge commodity.
There is no way MLB would allow a team to circumvent the signing bonus like that. The Commisioner wold immediately forfeit the contract and probably fine the signing team a substantial amount.
I do agree with that. You see players come up in systems and sign extensions with very little service time (Tim Anderson for example) but idk, it just wouldn’t feel right if it happened with a player like this. I’m sure other teams that lose out on him would complain right after an extension were to happen.
Are you sure as I heard the Reds are highly interested in Roberts but they did go over their pool bonus last year and is paying a penalty for it but they do have the second largest international bonus pool to spend this year behind the Twins who has the largest bonus pool!
I can see the Padres giving a big push, they are basically stockpiling everyone they can now and already demonstrated the tax won’t stop them.
Seattle needs to build up the farm.
Lets go Padre ownership!!! If Preller and Co. feel he is worth the contract plus the overage tax, make it happen! If the Padres could acquire Robert, this group of International signings would be unprecedented and would never be able to be matched with the new rules in place. Now they/us Padre fans, have to hope that some/most of them realize their potential.
Padres make sense if a bunch of ways
1. They’ve blown past their pool already, so they can’t sign any big name J2’s for a few years
2. They already have several Cuban J2’s that probably know Robert pretty well and he can settle in a bit easier with some friendly faces. ie. Ona
3. They are several years away from being a contender and continually seem to be adding international talent and with a top 5 draft pick probably the next 2-3 years, their farm system is only going to get better
4. Preller Im sure has had this guy scouted darn well, including a cavity search (don’t rule it out!)
go get him hahn!!!!
Lets get him As!
Padres- $30-$40 mill.
you think they’re gonna drop 60-80m on him?
It’s possible
But it won’t be 30-40 that would be with taxes included
it’s possible, but it wont be that? Aren’t those kind of contradictory statements?
Meaning the bonus offer could be 15 mil. In reality it makes a lot of sense for them to sign him… given the huge Cuban influence now in the minors. A lot of this guys friends are playing for the padres and it wouldn’t make him feel out of place. But, at the same time. They have so many outfielders in their system were would this guy play?
I’ve watched you pick apart anything anyone says.
So… like I said…it’s possible that this is one of the highest likely landing spots for him, the padres ownership is willing to spend for the future, but where would he play if it came to be?
Kind of, but not really. I think he’s saying that the Padres could possibly be willing to drop 60-80m on him, but he doesn’t think the bidding will go that high. He thinks it’ll be $15-20m, which would make the total $30-40m for the Padres. That’s the way I took his comment at least.
^ he beat me to it.
I admittedly do not know much about the padres’ ownership, is spending 80m on a 20 year old IFA really something they would do? Especially after they’ve already spent like what, 70m this offseason on players/taxes? Do the padres have 150m to spend like that?
I could see him getting 15. But that original comment I replied to said “Padres- $30-$40 mill.”, which I assumed meant the padres would pay him 30-40m.
With tax included they dropped 11 before taxes to take it to 22 mil
7 on another player etc etc
Correct
No one will go higher than that. A lot of these Cuban players need work
Yes, I did mean total $30-$40. While Preller has signed a lot of good young cubans. I don’t see him dropping moncada money on roberts. Id say max padres would go is $30-$40 mill including tax
Get it done Phillies. Move him to one of the corner outfiield positions. We know ownership wants to win, this is possibly one step closer to winning.
Pretty please Ron Fowler let Prellar go after him
I’ve got a question in regards to the 100% tax – Does that only apply to teams that have already gone over on previous signings (like the Padres)? Obviously singing this guy will put whoever does it above the limit. But if they aren’t already in the penalty, would that amount they go over the limit not matter until the next person they sign? That might not be the best way to word it, but I think it gets the point across.
For example, if the Padres are willing to go up to $40mil including taxes (of which only $20mil will go to Robert), don’t you think that someone else who isn’t penalized yet would be willing to go higher? Couldn’t the White Sox, or someone else that isn’t penalized yet, come in and offer $40mil and have a significantly more tempting offer, since it’d all go to Robert? Heck, they could offer only $25mil, and it’d still be better for Robert, plus the team will save $15mil compared to the Padres or anyone else that has overspent already.
That’s the way I *think* I understand it… Hopefully that makes sense…
From what I understand the tax applies as soon as they go over the limit. So yeah, if the WS offered 25 million they’d owe the difference between 25 million minus whatever money is left in their bonus pool, and then double that result.
I think David is correct and from the article Ben Bader wrote on the White Sox, they are right at or very close to their limit for 2016/17, so whatever they offer Robert, the final spendature would be double that offer.
Let’s go Cardinals! Get him, Mo!
Why not st.louis. Already passed their pool so why not keep going and go after the best player that has been available so far this period. They have the money for the tax and they have lost their top draft picks so going after Robert makes a lot of sense for St. Louis
A’s can pair him with Lazarito in the OF when they open their new stadium, such a perfect fit.
White Sox getting this boy
white sox definately need to sign this guy, he would fit right in. I think Abreu and Moncada can lure him to the south side.
is going to drive the conversation for Robert. Highest bidder will win this race. Not many 19 yr olds have this kinda chance to leverage the bidding in their favor.
The Reds have much younger Cuban defectors playing for them, who may still be with the org when this kid is ready.
Padres or Reds.
It’s nice to dream that Robert will give ur team a cheaper deal because he wants to play with other Cuban players in this franchise or that.. but fact is money talks… Just like any 19 yr old who can set himself & family up for life.
The Pirates should have their entire pool available. Have they signed an international free agent since Polanco?
Let the bidding begin! Imo, the single most important signing for a rebuilding White Sox organization that has a particular need for more outfield prospects who possess high hit tools.
The Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, and Cincinnati Reds are among the teams with strong interest in Robert, Sanchez notes.