The 2024 international signing window is still open until December 15, but the 30 MLB teams have long been making their plans for the next int’l signing period that begins on January 15 of next year. According to Baseball America’s Ben Badler, the league gave each team its allotted bonus pool figures for next year’s international signing class.
Smaller-revenue teams get more money in their international bonus pools, as the two largest pool groupings match the 13 teams who are also part of the Competitive Balance Rounds in the North American amateur draft. As it relates to the 2025 international market, the teams with the largest bonus pools are the eight teams who were slotted into the second CBR in the 2024 draft order — the six teams with the second-largest int’l pool are the teams slotted into CBR-A in this July’s amateur draft. Though CBR picks can be traded, that doesn’t impact the international bonus pools. For example, even though the Brewers acquired the Orioles’ CBR-A pick as part of the Corbin Burnes trade, that doesn’t alter the amount of int’l bonus money allotted to Milwaukee or Baltimore.
It should be noted that teams are allowed to trade money from their international bonus pools. If a club is looking for extra money to make another signing (perhaps to bid on a player who unexpectedly joined the market), it can obtain up to $250K in international bonus funds from another team. This rival team could perhaps simply be done with its int’l spending for the year, or is willing to give up money either as part of a trade package, or perhaps to land a minor leaguer who is closer to the Show than a teenage international prospect who might be years away. Such deals to acquire more pool space are sometimes necessary because club aren’t allowed to exceed their pool limit.
All international signings greater than $10K count against the pool total. Here is what each team will have to spend in the 2025 signing period…
$7,555,500: Athletics, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers, Twins…..The original slate of teams with picks in Competitive Balance Round-B of the 2024 amateur draft.
$6,908,600: Diamondbacks, Guardians, Orioles, Pirates, Rockies, Royals…..The original slate of teams with picks in Competitive Balance Round-A of the 2024 amateur draft.
$6,261,600: Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Cubs, Mets, Nationals, Padres, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, White Sox, Yankees
$5,646,200: Astros, Cardinals…..These teams each gave up $500K of their pool money by signing a free agent (Houston and Josh Hader, St. Louis and Sonny Gray) who rejected a qualifying offer.
$5,146,200: Dodgers, Giants…..For both exceeding the luxury tax in 2023 and for signing the qualifying offer-rejecting Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers had to give up $1MM in pool money. The Giants had to give up $1MM in pool funds for signing Matt Chapman and Blake Snell, who both rejected qualifying offers.
I would like to see a list of what teams had to spend and actually spent over the past few seasons ?
Too bad all Japanese players aren’t included in this. Robby the robot made sure to add that under 25 caveat for the large markets knowing full well they never post a Japanese player that young.
Shohei Ohtani:
Different era. Long before Yamamoto got the ridiculous $325 million.
Wouldn’t happen now.
Only to people Manfred has an identity with.
Sasaki isn’t leaving before age 25 when he can get the big bucks from large markets.
I’m not sure about your Kent sitch, deGrommer- but Roki Watch 2025 is defo heating up! Should be a very fun offseason story. Not to fan any flames, and I’ll admit it really doesn’t mean anything, but he loves wearing Padre gear out and about.
😉
I can’t see him signing anywhere other than the dodgers. They can do the small deal with a handshake agreement to explode an extension on him after the first year is through. While I would love the Mets to do this, no one can really compete with the dodgers in this realm.
lol
Maybe Jackson Chourio can talk some sense into his brother and have him rethink signing with Miami
I am available for 75k only
What does each team have left for this year?
Honest question. Why do the Orioles always seem to be awarded more money to spend and/or receive Competitive Balance Picks, as opposed to Washington? Don’t they control the Nationals TV rights? I think they both were paid out 61 million, beyond the disproportionate ownership stake in the network. I know the Orioles did receive picks for winning ROY, though.
It’s based on local market size. The Os simply own most of the entity (MASN) that has Nats broadcast rights as a quid pro quo for allowing the Expos to move to DC when the Os had the entire market and could have vetoed it. All negotiated by MLB, which owned the Expos and wanted to make the politicians happy and get out of Montreal.
So…that’s like what?
A BILLION DOLLARS EVERY 5 YEARS OR SO MANFRED HAS COMMANDED BE TRANSFERED OUT THE USA?
TO WHO?
The pool money is to control how much can be spent. Without it, rich teams would out bid others and sign all the best talent. So, using your language, even more money would outside the US if these rules (bonus pool) did not exist.
Youth baseball in america can use some pool money. Dont want to lose interest in the game.