Beltway Notes: Nationals, Orioles, Mesas
The Nationals may not have as much financial flexibility as it seems this offseason, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post observes. The Nationals have $112MM committed to 23 players for next season, Janes estimates, adding that MLBTR’s projected salaries for their seven arbitration-eligible players push the number to $152MM. However, for competitive balance tax purposes, that figure would be closer to $140MM, per Janes, who writes that Washington does “not want to come close” to the CBT in 2019. In the end, Janes expects the Nationals to spend around $180MM, which could include their top free agent – superstar outfielder Bryce Harper – whom they want to re-sign. Regardless of whether Harper stays in D.C., the club will still need help in several other areas, Janes points out. However, thanks to the money that’s already on the Nats’ books, Janes cautions that it’s going to be difficult for them to spend freely this winter.
Now the latest from Baltimore:
- Even though the Orioles don’t have a true general manager at the moment, they “remain open to moving anyone in the right trade,” Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com writes. Front office questions aside, it’s unclear how many valuable trade chips Baltimore even has, given that it’s wrapping up a 47-win season in which it dealt a slew of established veterans. Reliever Mychal Givens would likely be in demand, and Kubatko cited him as a possible trade piece earlier this week. Speculatively, middle infielder Jonathan Villar and right-hander Dylan Bundy are also among O’s who may find themselves in trade rumors this offseason.
- The Orioles, who have more international money available than any other team, are known to be battling with the Marlins for Cuban prospects Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr. and Sandy Gaston. While it has been suggested that the Mesa brothers will sign with the same team, they’re not necessarily a package deal, Kubatko reports, writing that the two “aren’t joined at the hip.”
- The Orioles made an eyebrow-raising move in August when they traded $750K in international money to the Phillies for minor league first baseman Jack Zoellner. It turns out the Phillies may have released Zoellner had they not found a taker for him, according to Kubatko. Per Kubatko, Philly was “far less enthusiastic about Zoellner” than Baltimore’s front office, which was then led by since-fired GM Dan Duquette. Zoellner doesn’t rank among Baltimore’s top 30 prospects at MLB.com, and, as Kubatko notes, didn’t stand out in Rookie ball from 2017-18 despite being old for the level.
Orioles Acquire Jack Zoellner From Phillies For International Bonus Pool Space
10:49pm: Zoellner cost the O’s a fairly hefty $750K in pool money, per Dan Connolly of The Athletic (Twitter link).
3:42pm: The Orioles have acquired minor league first baseman Jack Zoellner from the Phillies in exchange for international bonus pool space, according to an announcement from both clubs. Zoellner was the Phillies’ ninth-round selection in the 2017 draft.
It’s at least a somewhat surprising move for the Orioles, who have a long history of trading away international bonus allotments in exchange for marginal prospects but recently announced their intentions to invest more heavily in the international market. It’s not known how much they’re sending to the Phillies in this deal just yet, though the CBA stipulates that international allotments must be moved in at least $250K increments.
The Orioles entered the day with more international money to spend than any team in baseball, and there have been rumors that they’re planning to make a serious run at top Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa once he’s formally declared a free agent. Today’s swap certainly doesn’t prevent them from doing so, though they’ll now have a bit less money to entice Mesa, who is also said to be a target of the Marlins (the team with the second-most international money remaining).
Zoellner, 24 next month, has yet to advance beyond Rookie ball in parts of two seasons with the Phillies organization. He was hitting .236/.364/.422 with seven homers, five doubles, two triples and nearly as many walks (32) as strikeouts (42) through 195 plate appearances this season. Those numbers have come in a league where the average player is more than three years younger than Zoellner, so presumably the Orioles will want to move him up the ladder sooner rather than later to begin to test him against more advanced competition.
Orioles general manager said in a statement to reporters that the organization believes Zoellner to be “a capable left-handed hitter with good on-base skills and power” (Twitter link via MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko).