We don't know if the Phillies have committed all of their money spreading it around this year or if they are sitting on some money for either a Sasaki try or it is not the worst time to have extra money to scoop up guys who might end up in limbo or to use in trade for teams trying to stockpile enough for a Sasaki run.
A quality international guy always seems to emerge late in the process for teams with money to spend. I want the Phillies to spend more on pitching this year.
Bowden sticking to his original take
No Phillies updates here from BA. I share Matt's question of whether the Phillies are hedging their 2025 class around Sasaki (whose posting period will include the first 8 days of the 2025 international class eligibility from 1/15-1/23).
Nothing for the Phillies on this list (which is by expected bonus), and the #44 guy on Pipeline's big board. I am interested to see what kind of signing class they have going on and whether they are positioning around Sasaki even if he doesn't choose them (trading $ or signing players left behind)[image or embed]— Matt Winkelman ( @mattwinkelman.bsky.social ) December 16, 2024 at 9:28 AM
Nothing for the Phillies on this list (which is by expected bonus), and the #44 guy on Pipeline's big board. I am interested to see what kind of signing class they have going on and whether they are positioning around Sasaki even if he doesn't choose them (trading $ or signing players left behind)[image or embed]
Curiously, neither do the Rockies and they are typically not one to shy away from international bonuses. The Guardians didn't show up until #47, and they are usually all over these lists. No one listed for the Dodgers, so it's not like there is someone to peel off from their class if they sign Sasaki.
Though there easily could be some midlevel $500K signing types that are available.
I have little hopes for getting Sasaki. But the Phillies are a professional organization that maximizes their international signings and the strategy this year feels different. Derrick Chung's first full year on the job and he may very well like the midlevel strategy versus the top star getting more than half of their allocation.
But they would have had this class lined up three years ago. I don’t know how you look at a 13 year old and think “I’d rather take my chance on a bunch of kids that don’t look like the best talent”
Per Francys Romero:
Phillies to sign:
Philadelphia Phillies ($6,261,600)
INF Nieves Izaquirre (800,000) VEN
INF Elias Marrero (700,000) DR
SS Carlos Severino (200,000) DR
OF Elian Adames (75,000) DR
OF Eduardo Guillen (65,000) CUB
So we have over $4 million left for Sasaki!
We could slots to the team that looks like the leader to sign Sasaki for prospects, right?
We can trade for up to 60% of our allocation in slots (that I think have to be in $250K increments).
https://apnews.com/sports/baseball-18148d8e42726016d828a0a4832bd9f4#:~:text=Allotment%20in%20Major%20League%20Baseball's,60%25%20additional%20allotment%20in%20trades.&text=$5%2C146%2C200-,Allotment%20in%20Major%20League%20Baseball's%202025%20international%20signing%20bonus%20pools,60%25%20additional%20allotment%20in%20trades.
But Squire is saying trade away, yeah? One assumes a more cash-poor team will end up doing that.
Izaquirre is another Acuna relative. We're cornering the market.
MLB List here. Izaguirre is number 44.https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2025/international/nieves-izaguirre-827417
Why aren't we signing number 31? Seems like a more athletic version of his cousin.
Good point Andy, The phils should have an in there, unless They are unhappy with the way Marchan has been treated. Stubbsie may not have only dragged the phils catching group down, but also had hurt the phils signing better prospects.
That's not a bad idea- they might have more success letting Kilambi pick through some other teams DSL/A-Ball rosters then what's left for them to sign with the money remaining. The scenario of signing some other teams top signing class prospect in lieu of Sasaki is a double edged sword, because if the favored Dodgers sign him then the top guy to poach from their class is #50 Dominican outfielder Teilon Serrano (who looks like he has a nice left handed swing, but looks like he's on the same talent level of Izaguirre). If the Dodgers don't sign Sasaki, then they have the same money to poach a better player from someone else's class (and all things equal, the Phils likely lose a competition against the Dodger to sign someone for the same money)
We didn't even get to talk with Sasaki. We may be saving the $ for someone else.
He was definitely being sarcastic (both because Phillies aren't in the hunt and because whatever team gets him will probably still max out the int'l money).
How much international signing money is tradable in a single deal? I found information about from previous CBAs, but not the latest one. Wondering how much the Phillies could trade to a team in the running for Susaki. Since we aren't one of the 7 teams Roki has identified, it feels like the money would make for good leverage.
Being offered $9 million instead of $7 million is not going to be the thing that determines Sasaki's choice. There's no leverage that would actually lead to a truly interesting trade return. Phillies have given away international money more years than not by signing free agents, and have already done so again for next season (assuming they stay at this CBT spot). The best use of the money is likely spending it on their own signings.
