International Free Agency Thread 2018-2019

[davell]

 

This is really getting fun.

[davell]

 

 

Seriously, what the horsefeathers did they do that's worse than the federal crime the Cards committed?

[davell]

 

Boom. You're allowed to dip into your 2017-2018 budget to sign these guys, if you want.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I had been posting a bunch in the Braves thread. Whoops.

 

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[davell]

There's still plenty of unanswered questions in my mind, in regards to how to acquire these players....We can dip into our 2018-2019 budget and/or use what we've got left over currently......I wonder if you can mix and match? Use 300k from the 2017-2018 budget(since that's still our max and I'm unsure how much we even have as a total) and then use the rest off your 2018-2019 budget?

 

Just trying to find a way to give us the biggest impact we can get out of this......I know Maitan showed up fat, but he's a year removed from being compared to Miggy. I'd love to take a gamble on him. Even if its a multi million dollar gamble at this stage. Gutierrez has some nice upside. Contreras and Rosario are both very projectable arms......

 

At any rate, add some of these guys now. Then trade back for more pool money to still get an impact class next year too.

[davell]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The players will have restrictions on their free agency. They will be eligible to sign with another club for another signing bonus beginning on Dec. 5 up until Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, the player is still allowed to sign but cannot receive an additional signing bonus. Only the amount of the signing bonus beyond $200,000 will count toward a team’s signing bonus pool. Players are allowed to re-sign with the Braves, but if they choose to do so, they must wait until May 1 to sign with them and can’t receive an additional signing bonus.

- BA

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA ranked the top 8 ex-Brave free agents:

 

1. Kevin Maitan, SS

2. Yunior Severino, 2B

3. Livan Soto, SS

4. Yefri Del Rosario, RHP

5. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS

6. Abrahan Gutierrez, C

7. Juan Contreras, RHP

8. Yenci Peña, SS

 

The blurbs for Contreras (10 BB/9 in GCL) and Peña (.655 OPS in the DSL) did not look that great.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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[davell]

The players will have restrictions on their free agency. They will be eligible to sign with another club for another signing bonus beginning on Dec. 5 up until Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, the player is still allowed to sign but cannot receive an additional signing bonus. Only the amount of the signing bonus beyond $200,000 will count toward a team’s signing bonus pool. Players are allowed to re-sign with the Braves, but if they choose to do so, they must wait until May 1 to sign with them and can’t receive an additional signing bonus.

- BA

 

 

I'm really hopeful we've kept our money free. No idea if we've spent big in Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico or wherever, but it definitely seems we've not done it in the DR.....

 

This seems like more recruiting than normal. We've got multiple looks at these guys in game action at this point. May take less for them to sign now? No idea. But, it seems very possible to me, since they've already received a bonus and there's a finite amount of money to be spent on the entirety of the class by MLB and in reality, most of that money has been committed already.

 

I'd love to get Maitan. Gutierrez would be my second choice, then the two pitchers, Rosario and Contreras. It'd be ridiculously nice if we could fit ANY (not thinking those 4)of the released prospects into our 2017-2018 poolfor 300,000 or under.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Maitan was a top 10 prospect in the Braves organization, Severino, Soto, Del Rosario would rank in the 20-30 range. Gutierrez could have cracked the very back of the 30 as well. Contreras wouldn't have missed by too much.

 

Maitan would be the Cubs top prospect. I'd guess the rest in that quote would at least be top 20 prospects, Severino possibly in the top 10.

[CubsWin]

Wow. This off-season just got a lot more interesting. With the deadlines to sign before January 15th in order to get a signing bonus on top of what the Braves gave you, it looks like we won't have to wait too long before we find out if the Cubs get any of these guys.

 

I wonder if having only the money beyond the first $200,000 counting against the team's IFA bonus pool means the Cubs (who are still restricted to spending $300,000 or less on any given player until July 2nd) can spend up to $500,000 on these guys?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Wow. This off-season just got a lot more interesting. With the deadlines to sign before January 15th in order to get a signing bonus on top of what the Braves gave you, it looks like we won't have to wait too long before we find out if the Cubs get any of these guys.

 

I wonder if having only the money beyond the first $200,000 counting against the team's IFA bonus pool means the Cubs (who are still restricted to spending $300,000 or less on any given player until July 2nd) can spend up to $500,000 on these guys?

 

The Cubs can choose to use their 2018-19 allotment on any of these players. They don't have to be limited to the $300k in 2016-17.

[CubsWin]

Wow. This off-season just got a lot more interesting. With the deadlines to sign before January 15th in order to get a signing bonus on top of what the Braves gave you, it looks like we won't have to wait too long before we find out if the Cubs get any of these guys.

 

I wonder if having only the money beyond the first $200,000 counting against the team's IFA bonus pool means the Cubs (who are still restricted to spending $300,000 or less on any given player until July 2nd) can spend up to $500,000 on these guys?

 

The Cubs can choose to use their 2018-19 allotment on any of these players. They don't have to be limited to the $300k in 2016-17.

Cool! I read it as they can dip into their 2018-19 pool money but that their restrictions would still be in place until July 2nd. But you're saying that with these specific players released from the Braves, their current restrictions don't apply, is that accurate?

[davell]

Wow. This off-season just got a lot more interesting. With the deadlines to sign before January 15th in order to get a signing bonus on top of what the Braves gave you, it looks like we won't have to wait too long before we find out if the Cubs get any of these guys.

 

I wonder if having only the money beyond the first $200,000 counting against the team's IFA bonus pool means the Cubs (who are still restricted to spending $300,000 or less on any given player until July 2nd) can spend up to $500,000 on these guys?

 

The Cubs can choose to use their 2018-19 allotment on any of these players. They don't have to be limited to the $300k in 2016-17.

Cool! I read it as they can dip into their 2018-19 pool money but that their restrictions would still be in place until July 2nd. But you're saying that with these specific players released from the Braves, their current restrictions don't apply, is that accurate?

 

Yeah, from everything that's out there, if we wanted to drop 3 mill on Maitan, we can do it.

[Cubswin11]

 

The Cubs can choose to use their 2018-19 allotment on any of these players. They don't have to be limited to the $300k in 2016-17.

Cool! I read it as they can dip into their 2018-19 pool money but that their restrictions would still be in place until July 2nd. But you're saying that with these specific players released from the Braves, their current restrictions don't apply, is that accurate?

 

Yeah, from everything that's out there, if we wanted to drop 3 mill on Maitan, we can do it.

We should do this

[Cubswin11]

Isn’t Maitan fat now?

For a 17/18 year old he's certainly bigger and filled out but I wouldn't say he's fat. He's kinda built like Starlin in that he certainly looks like he could lose 10-15 lbs and isn't in the greatest shape/ripped but isn't overweight, imo, from a quick google image search (and they are in game/BP/fielding practice in Braves gear so I assume they are only maybe 10 months old at most and probably more like 4-6 months).

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Longenhagen with present-day scouting reports on the ex-Braves: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-braves-punishment-is-in-and-its-harsh/

 

He suggests Yefri del Rosario (RHP) might be the most sought-after of the talents and Maitan is now viewed more as a talented reclamation project.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

According to BA, 2B Yunior Severino was the 16th ranked prospect in the GCL this year and RHP Yefri del Rosario was 17th. Kevin Maitan was #1 in the Appalachian League top 20.

[Hrubes20]

According to BA, 2B Yunior Severino was the 16th ranked prospect in the GCL this year and RHP Yefri del Rosario was 17th. Kevin Maitan was #1 in the Appalachian League top 20.

 

BA seems to be the one that has Maitan the highest ranked still. I'm not sure if I've seen a recent report from anybody else that would put Maitan in their top 100. I could see the Cubs still being interested though, if they bought the bat. We all know a bad body didn't stop them from falling in love with Schwarber.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

According to BA, 2B Yunior Severino was the 16th ranked prospect in the GCL this year and RHP Yefri del Rosario was 17th. Kevin Maitan was #1 in the Appalachian League top 20.

 

BA seems to be the one that has Maitan the highest ranked still. I'm not sure if I've seen a recent report from anybody else that would put Maitan in their top 100. I could see the Cubs still being interested though, if they bought the bat. We all know a bad body didn't stop them from falling in love with Schwarber.

 

Agreed that BA clearly thinks higher if Maitan than everyone else. They seem to think even though he's destined for third, a lot of his body issues this year are more of him being out of shape this year and aren't long term concerns if he actually commits himself.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Julio Pablo Martinez was granted his free agency. The top 3 teams interested in him are the Marlins, Yankees and Rangers.

 

MLB's annual international showcase is this week in Santo Domingo. Ben Badler had a piece on some of the top prospects in the showcase. None are linked to the Cubs, though he doesn't mention teams for some of the prospects. The two most intriguing names are Cuban defectors Osiel Rodriguez and Sandy Gaston - both are hard throwing 16-year old RHPs. Rodriguez hasn't been linked to a team and Badler only mentions the Marlins as showing some interest in Gaston. The blurb on Rodriguez makes him sound like he should be the top international prospect for 2018-19 and a top 100 prospect in baseball the moment he signs.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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Haven't seen any of these three linked to teams by Ben Badler thus far.

[davell]

Badler just linked us to Gallardo.

[Regular Show]

Badler just linked us to Gallardo.

 

I feel like the Cubs have a good network of scouts in Venezuela. Our academy there is closed down, but I think going forward with the hard cap on signing bonuses we'll be doing really well in Venezuela.

 

It does suck that these prospects won't be getting as much since the economy and situation in Venezuela is so dire.

 

Sidenote: I really hope the Cubs start spending/signing prospects from Brazil. I really liked Eric Pardinho during the last signing period even if he is undersized.