January 15, 2021 International Signing Period (was 7/2/20)

Squire 2020-06-15 20:57:41 UTC #15

July 2, 2020 period start officially delayed until January 15, 2021.

andyb 2020-06-15 21:08:42 UTC #16

Are they changing the eligible birth dates? Under the old rules you had to be 16 or turn 16 prior to September 1st. If they suddenly allowed another 4.5 months of birthdays it would upset some plans and pre-existing deals.

julio 2020-06-15 21:10:35 UTC #17

Oh, dear! It would be "terrible" if plans and pre-existing deals that are borderline against the rules, and characterized by under-the-table payments to buscones, were upset by an international pandemic. Color me... not concerned!

andyb 2020-06-16 03:56:56 UTC #18

Same eligibility birthdays. Move largely about cash flow but the period will last through December 15 and the article implies it could be a permanent switch. Since 16 year olds can only play in the following season after they sign anyway, this changes little.

Current period extended to October 15 but they are in a signing freeze now anyway.

andyb 2020-06-16 13:03:40 UTC #19

And the pool amounts:

Looks like we are down about $100K from last year (after losing $500K in each year due to free agent signings).

gmwannabe 2020-06-16 16:19:21 UTC #20

Looks like the Padres cut loose 2 of their possible top signees (read on another site). They are open for bidding. Does Sal know these two kids? i hope. Article is about latching on to young kids at a very early age so they can't sign with any other team. interesting.
gm

andyb 2020-06-16 17:29:04 UTC #21

USA Today article on the Latin America. Mentions the two Padres targets that were cut loose.

allentown 2020-06-16 23:56:24 UTC #22

Even more disgusting than earlier articles had led us to believe and so much of the problem seems to stem from the Commissioner's office. I can well believe enforcement of the rules is selective. Baseball's commissioners have seemed to favor certain teams. Makes an international draft seem even more desirable. Baseball imperialism. The Phillies seem to be following the rules/guidance.

andyb 2020-06-23 16:04:09 UTC #23

BA Top 50 is up if anyone wants to list the Phillies prospects (hopefully more than the 2 we learned about). I assume they had this scheduled anyway before the period was pushed back.

In one final note they did have an article on interesting smaller country prospects and they listed two Phillies. Josh Gessner from Australia who got $850K at the end of the 2018 period. They also listed Italian signee Samuel Aldegheri as getting a $210,000 bonus last period. Not a hard thrower (up to 91), but a "strike thrower" with a good feel for his breaking ball. Just interesting that he got that mid-level bonus and was apparently at instructional league last fall.

allentown 2020-06-23 16:24:09 UTC #24

Of the 50, it's just Flores as OF at #13 and Perez at #29.

Squire 2020-06-25 15:08:36 UTC #25

BA Phillies International Preview is up:

5 Guys listed:

13 Yemal Flores, OF, D.R.

29 Ricardo Perez, C, Venezuela

Marcus Soto, SS, Venezuela
Leonardo Rondon, SS, Venezuela
Yamil Rosario, SS, D.R.

andyb 2020-06-25 15:17:44 UTC #26

All position players balances the draft class a bit, though they are of course on very different timelines.

allentown 2020-06-25 15:43:57 UTC #27

True, but recent history says our LA staff would have done a better job at identifying pitchers. I may be blanking on someone, but believe Ruiz was our last plus player out of international program and none of the LA position guys currently in the minors looks plus.

Squire 2020-07-02 12:39:25 UTC #28

Happy July 2nd of No Significance Day to Everyone

andyb 2020-12-03 21:12:02 UTC #29

Closing in on the actual international period. No real updates on the Phillies end from the guys Baseball America had in June.

Fangraphs updated their international board to include non-posted Asian players and other prospects not certain to be available. They have not listed the Phillies two top prospects yet. Not sure it means much as I was always considering them 2 of the top 50. Jung-hoo Lee looks like a really good player if he ever decides to come over in the next couple of years. Power/speed guy already very good in the KBO at age 21.

https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/international-players/summary?sort=13,1&type=0

andyb 2020-12-23 20:25:34 UTC #30

A couple of updates the last few days. Oscar Colas (the Cuban Ohtani) was released from his Japanese contract and will be eligible to be signed in the upcoming international period. His problem is he is probably worth a bonus of $2 million plus and there may not be many teams with that much room left in their international pool. Big chance he waits a year to get more money, though one could argue that starts his free agent clock a year later since he is already 22. Scouts are divided on him and might be leaning more towards him hitting (LH 1B type) though that could also be because he pitched very little in Japan. Clearly not the plus plus overall athlete that Ohtani is however.

Also, Yoelki Cespedes, the 23-year-old younger brother of Yoenis has a deal with the White Sox for $2.0-$2.2 million apparently. He was another Cuban latecomer to this signing period.

Squire 2020-12-28 18:03:34 UTC #31

Anybody with a current BA subscription that can give the skinny on the names included in the Phillies international preview. I am, of course, aware of Yemal Flores and Ricardo Perez

allentown 2020-12-28 18:26:24 UTC #32

I can't find it on the site. Has it been published yet (on-line or paper)? I don't think it has.

Squire 2021-01-14 13:19:38 UTC #33

It would seem that International Signing Day is tomorrow.

andyb 2021-01-14 14:14:49 UTC #34

Here is the BA preview page with everything behind the firewall. BA tweeted that 14 of the organizational previews were updated this week (not sure if there is anything new with the Phillies but if anyone is a subscriber....):