July 2, 2019 International Signing Period

julio 2019-07-03 19:09:48 UTC #41

There is one discrepancy between the 17 signees Salisbury listed, and the 17 kids identified by Jim Peyton this morning. Salisbury lists a Jose Leanez; Peyton lists a Diego Linares. For now, I've included both in the table in the top post, and I've added the nationalities and bonuses reported by Salisbury. I'll populate birth dates when available.

andyb 2019-07-17 20:42:58 UTC #42

MLB is floating their latest international draft proposal for next year. 20 rounds, hard slots, tradeable picks.

Protection for top 3 rounds if a player does not sign. $25,000 max for players not drafted (which seems blatantly ridiculous to me given teams can sign players for up to $125K if not drafted in the regular draft). Few players undrafted would command $125K, but they should have the chance to get it.

The worst proposed feature might be draft order. They would not do it by inverse record. They would rotate the divisions with each division getting the top 5 every 5 years. I am fine with a draft. Just don't overthink it. Inverse order by record is good for competitive balance and the ability to trade picks would sort out the money issues. I fear they are doing this not to provide order to the process, but to save money on bonuses and to save face publicly. Kind of like how they can't just admit the ball is livelier and strive to deaden the ball for next year to put it back to where it was.

Patchmk88 2019-07-17 21:05:48 UTC #43

I really think having a draft is a great idea compared to the current system (probably would eliminate the corruption but would at least deter it). However, their draft order idea is utterly ridiculous. I also agree with you on the 25,000 I drafted limit.

Austinfan 2019-07-17 21:20:44 UTC #44

The $25,000 limit is probably to discourage games where agents "hide" players to keep them out of the later rounds for a bigger payoff in bonus money (which they take a large cut). By the time you get to the 11-20th rounds, doubt teams will be paying anything close to $100K. So a low limit removes the incentive to withhold talent and try to make deals outside the draft.

andyb 2019-09-08 13:16:31 UTC #45

He would be a traditional free agent (over age 25 so Japanese posting system), but Kodai Senga might be the next Japanese pitcher to come over to the US this season. Pitched a no-hitter a few days ago and does a pretty good job of missing bats and keeping the ball in the park. Average fastball (93-94). Great splitter.

http://npb.jp/bis/eng/players/01005133.html

allentown 2019-09-08 18:58:29 UTC #46

Baseball is locked in a battle between the big teams and the cheap teams and the commissioner trots out ideas like charity draft picks, which somehow includes the Cardinals, and now this -- which will guarantee one of top picks to Yankees and Dodgers every 6 (how do they get 5) years?

andyb 2019-09-30 19:17:12 UTC #47

The Phillies have one of the larger international pools available after losing the guy they had committed much of their money too (though we also traded a slot at the deadline).

A Fangraphs article on this Cuban prospect mentioned the Phillies as one of the teams that could come up with an offer:

while also mentioning that we are targeting this Taiwanese pitcher apparently:

No idea how good these prospects are, but at least we are still trying apparently.

andyb 2019-10-30 21:31:47 UTC #48

We can leave these here for the moment, but two older Japanese OF intend to be posted this year:

Tsutsugo is the better player. 27 years old corner OF with some power. Akiyama is potentially a better fit though is older at age 31. Can play CF defense and a patient LH bat. He'd be the hedge on Haseley and/or Quinn not being ready.

Edit - flipped them

zambonir 2019-10-30 21:56:23 UTC #49

Akiyama is the 31 year-old who can still play CF. He's also a total free agent, no posting. Tsutsugo is the 27 year-old corner OF, and he would have a posting fee.

andyb 2019-11-21 20:30:33 UTC #50

This article does not reveal much we don't already know, but there is one disturbing nugget:

"Minniti said he is encouraged by ownership to spend the full amount of the Phillies’ bonus pool. The Phillies have not done that yet this year, but that’s because they still plan to sign Yoshwar Garcia, a Venezuelan outfielder who was suspended for lying about his age. Garcia will likely sign for $2 million in March and be the most expensive player in the Phillies’ 2019-20 international class."

fish 2019-11-22 15:31:44 UTC #51

What they still haven't said (and I guess they can't until he signs) is how old he actually is. Have to imagine they wouldn't still pay the same sticker price on a older kid (though i guess the original bonus was going to be 2.5 million).

bigegypt0417 2019-11-22 19:50:46 UTC #52

it's a pretty weird situation...there is no information on what his actual age is that I can find.

andyb 2019-11-22 20:19:53 UTC #53

Without knowing more I am still OK signing him. Just thought we'd get something like a 75% discount.

bigegypt0417 2019-11-22 21:14:27 UTC #54

the only way I can imagine he's getting that much is he's younger?

that seems to be the only thing that makes sense.

andyb 2019-11-22 21:48:43 UTC #55

If it is only a year and he has legit tools he could still be a very valuable signing. MLB probably would not care if he was younger. There is just such a premium associated with age and a history or players lying to get a higher bonus that one has to assume he is older. Tools are tools though. If he has legit speed or power or defensive ability then he can be a good prospect. Power is probably hardest to judge as a tool because an older player would have an advantage there.

bigegypt0417 2019-11-22 22:15:55 UTC #56

I think they would very much care if he was younger...if he was indeed older I'm having trouble understanding how the money will stay the same unless the tools make him elite even at 17 or 18.

allentown 2019-11-23 21:00:48 UTC #57

Could be possible, although a 20% discount is piddling. Given how the Phillies have done a less than great job of identifying international position players, how stubborn they tend to be, and how they evaluated his tools, based upon thinking he's younger than he actually is, I have doubts about signing him for $2 mill. As I recall, we were the only team interested in him, although that could be because we locked him up early, or the other teams realized he fudged his age. Either way, you know you aren't signing a high character guy and knowing the Phillies disciplinary approach to LA players that just provides more doubt about giving him $2 million.

This whole situation is extremely confusing. I'm surprised that MLB's penalty for whatever the kid and his buscadero did leaves him available to sign in the same international class. That is a very mild slap on the wrist for something MLB had seemed utterly determined to correct. So, basically the kid takes a 20% bonus haircut and can't play in GCL, DSL, or FIL in what would have been his rookie season. What am I missing here?

andyb 2019-11-24 00:01:52 UTC #58

Let's see if it is actually only a 20% cut. I have my doubts since all the reporting on this is so sketchy. If he were too young the Phillies will be penalized (remember Adrian Beltre). So he has to be too old. That usually means a more dramatic cut. If it is only 20% then I am guessing he did not lie much. If it is a year or more we probably should be talking a 50%-80% cut in bonus.

BTW if he signs in March there is no reason he could not play GCL or DSL next year like the rest of the class unless there is a further MLB penalty.

fish 2019-11-24 00:15:04 UTC #59

While I feel a bit creepy about Facebook stalking anyone, Yhoswar’s got one. The take away from his profile are that 1) he’s ripped 2) the photos don’t make him look older than 17 (but who knows when they were taken), 3) given the gear and fancy car he poses with, it doesn’t seem he’s from poverty, and 4) you can probably assume he isn’t modest.

andyb 2019-11-26 22:51:31 UTC #60

Still pretty quiet on the international front. Brief Phillies mention here as one of the two teams heard the most inquiring about Po-Yu Chen. Right-handed starting pitcher, modest velocity (90-92), average curve and change according to the scouting report. Bonus rumored up to $1 million (22nd on the Fangraphs board now though I am not sure that is complete enough to be a top 40 international ranking).