January 15, 2024 International Signing Period

[Matt_Winkelman]

Florentino is listed as a Pirates signing by MLB and BA. I think MLB had him briefly listed incorrectly under the Phillies.

[julio]

Thanks, Matt. I'll do cleanup...and done.

[Austinfan]

I'd do both, we put a lot of money into DR infrastructure, and I think with this strategy in mind.
Traditionally, LA kids didn't get a lot of help until they were stateside.

By putting in resources into coaching mechanics and strength training, etc. after three years they become more like college juniors at 20 (a couple years ahead of college pitchers who don't get the same training at 17-18), and you bring over the pick of the litter and start them at Clearwater or even JS. This way they don't count against your domestic roster limits unless they're bon fide prospects.

The better competition in the DR going forward will also make evaluation of their progress easier, since it should approach or exceed the FCL as teams keep players in the DR for an extra year or so. You should also scout the DR leagues more intensively, looking for players other teams may undervalue as "throw ins" when trading.

And by committing resources to player development in the DR, you can take chances on position players with strong arms who lack hit tools b/c you can devote a season to just teaching them how to pitch.

[julio]

The Phillies tweeted a list of 25 international signees, about an hour ago. I’ll update the table in the top post this evening (but we’re getting supper on the table now). Names, DOB, nationalities.

https://twitter.com/PhilsPlayerDev/status/1749554216400511478

[phillychuck]

The most surprising thing about this? The Phillies actually now how to tweet!

[allentown]

Few pitchers and most of them on the older side.

[julio]

Table is updated. Signing dates are... provisional, in a lot of cases, until the mlb.com transactions are posted.

[schillingfan]

Julio if you put a “read more” like in the draft thread it should take you to the first post showing all the signings without having to page up? I’m guessing at that, but in the draft thread, it makes it easier to go directly to the first post and the updates.

[julio]

Julio if you put a “read more” like in the draft thread it should take you to the first post showing all the signings without having to page up? I’m guessing at that, but in the draft thread, it makes it easier to go directly to the first post and the updates.

SF - I hate to say this, but I have no idea what you're talking about here.

I mean, I could embed a link to the top post, like this:

Top Post

...but to the best of my knowledge, we've never done that in the Draft thread. (I've added that link to the post above - I'll try to remember to do that if/when I reference the top post in future posts in the thread.)

If you're on a desktop, or a laptop with an extended keyboard, the Home key will take you immediately to the top post. If you're on mobile...not so much.

[andyb]

Not just 25 names, but 25 actual random faces.

Congratulations to all of our international signees. Excited for the future! pic.twitter.com/mlzGltItHK

— Phillies Player Development ( @PhilsPlayerDev ) January 23, 2024

[gmwannabe]

No snow in that picture. lookin good.
gm

[andyb]

I guess we are still stuck at 22 signings:

Just figured out the discrepancy between the reports of the Phillies signing 22 players and the Phillies press release having 25. Three players, Eligio Arias, Joshue De La Cruz, and Hanfermin Vargas all have signing dates in December making them signings in last year's class.

— Matt Winkelman ( @Matt_Winkelman ) January 24, 2024

[julio]

Good catch by Matt. I've corrected the top post to reflect this.

[andyb]

Sal did a podcast a couple of weeks ago:

Finally finished it. Not too much on new prospects though there are a couple of comments about Caba, Bergolla, and Tait. Sal does seem a bit of a relic from a previous era. Very invested in his players and clearly he has played a role in modernizing the complex down there and providing resources. I just get the impression that he resents how it has become more of a big money analytics projection game down there.

He probably would be better suited to operating in a draft based system. The first few rounds would be like the domestic draft with the best players going generally first without under the table deals. Then when you get beyond the first few rounds it is about finding the guys in the $100K-$300K range that you have a good relationship with (assuming it is still pools with some flexibility on bonuses). I am assuming the new organization with Chung on top is a nod towards taking away some of the bonus negotiations and projection/analytics from Sal. Just hope it works and they can do a better job of finding pitching.

[fish]

Finally finished it. Not too much on new prospects though there are a couple of comments about Caba, Bergolla, and Tait. Sal does seem a bit of a relic from a previous era

Did you do the proverbial eye roll and mutter "well that figures" when he said he became the international scouting director after Mike Arbuckle heard him speaking broken Spanish to guys in camp while he was an area scout? That ability to 'kind of speak Spanish' was the starting point that apparently qualified him to spend the next 20 years in charge of scouting Latin America.

[zambonir]

That sounds about right!

[andyb]

Yes the origin story of his job was a little bit of cringe.

[zambonir]

Probably not that different from being a baseball manager, sometimes people skills and a credible background in the game are enough. Half of being a GM or agent is also networking. But you better have good people above and below you with more professionalized and specific skill sets, and obviously that was never the Phillies.

Also goes to show you what an afterthought it was for the franchise, the otherwise sainted Arbuckle included, at that point.

[bigegypt0417]

Since we haven't started the 2028 thread...

https://twitter.com/Victor_Petruzzi/status/1763556435789598958?t=xPRiiDJIIkDZdu79I8TX1w&s=19

[zambonir]

So what's the legality of that?

Mets already have his younger older brother (and there may also be a third one who is older than this kid?).