International Free Agency Thread 2018-2019

[CaliforniaRaisin]

600k? Holy horsefeathers.

 

I know Gaston has the tinge of a potential failed PED test. Wonder if Osiel does too.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Yankees acquired more pool money today by trading Adam Warren to the Mariners.

[Tim]

I know Cashman doesn't get a lot of credit because of his built-in advantages, but he is a damn fine GM.

[Hrubes20]

600k? Holy horsefeathers.

 

I know Gaston has the tinge of a potential failed PED test. Wonder if Osiel does too.

 

Yeah, it's got to be something. I know most of the IFA money was already spent when Rodriguez became available, but I'm sure some team somewhere would have been willing to give him more than $600K otherwise.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cuban Alexander Vargas was recently added to MLB.com’s top 30 IFAs at 7:

 

[Regular Show]

Cuban Alexander Vargas was recently added to MLB.com’s top 30 IFAs at 7:

 

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

lol

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ben Jamin: Do you have a comp for Victor Victor Mesa? Trying to understand what all the fuss is about

1:21

Kiley McDaniel: A couple int’l scouts have said Albert Almora and I tend to think that’s about right

[Hrubes20]

Ben Jamin: Do you have a comp for Victor Victor Mesa? Trying to understand what all the fuss is about

1:21

Kiley McDaniel: A couple int’l scouts have said Albert Almora and I tend to think that’s about right

 

That's obviously a valuable player, but not quite the "#1 overall pick type talent" that I was led to believe.

[Regular Show]

Ben Jamin: Do you have a comp for Victor Victor Mesa? Trying to understand what all the fuss is about

1:21

Kiley McDaniel: A couple int’l scouts have said Albert Almora and I tend to think that’s about right

 

That's obviously a valuable player, but not quite the "#1 overall pick type talent" that I was led to believe.

 

I've read mixed things about Victor Victor Mesa from very hyperbolic statements to basically this. If he is, in fact, Albert Almora he's really not all that valuable. I mean we're not signing him so it's not a big deal anyway.

 

Not sure what to think, but in those videos of him taking BP his bat speed seemed very impressive to me and way faster than Almora. I think his overall speed and athleticism is better than Almora as well.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ben Jamin: Do you have a comp for Victor Victor Mesa? Trying to understand what all the fuss is about

1:21

Kiley McDaniel: A couple int’l scouts have said Albert Almora and I tend to think that’s about right

 

That's obviously a valuable player, but not quite the "#1 overall pick type talent" that I was led to believe.

 

I've read mixed things about Victor Victor Mesa from very hyperbolic statements to basically this. If he is, in fact, Albert Almora he's really not all that valuable. I mean we're not signing him so it's not a big deal anyway.

 

Not sure what to think, but in those videos of him taking BP his bat speed seemed very impressive to me and way faster than Almora. I think his overall speed and athleticism is better than Almora as well.

 

Either way, I wanted him to trade him and think his name would make him a more valuable trade chip than Almora was coming up.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Major League Baseball has implemented significant rule changes for international players.

 

Among the major changes:

 

Amateur players are allowed to enter team facilities at earlier dates, beginning 18 months prior to when they become eligible to sign.

Teams can pay for travel expenses earlier in the process for international players, which in particular could have an impact on where and how clubs evaluate Venezuelan players.

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-changes-rules-for-international-signings/

 

The first major change listed above reverses a rule from 2014 that limited how much players could enter team facilities.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Cubs only have $683,500 available.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.mlb.com/news/victor-victor-mesa-now-eligible-to-sign-in-mlb/c-294590336

 

The Orioles have $6.5 million in bonus pool money to spend on international prospects, the most money in baseball. The Marlins are next, with $4.3 million, followed by the Rays at $3.6 million and the Dodgers at $2.78 million. The brothers are expected to participate in a showcase for all 30 teams, possibly this month or next.

 

Now that Victor Victor Mesa is eligible to sign, he moves to the top spot on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, primarily because of his strong track record. Victor Jr. is also considered an interesting prospect and could join his brother on the list after he is scouted and evaluated by teams and performs in a showcase setting.

[chibears55]

Something im sure Epstein interested in...

 

Both Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr have been declared FAs and are eligible to sign

[weis21]

Something im sure Epstein interested in...

 

Both Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr have been declared FAs and are eligible to sign

awesome!

[Regular Show]

Something im sure Epstein interested in...

 

Both Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr have been declared FAs and are eligible to sign

awesome!

 

Yeah, but we're not getting them unfortunately. I think Victor Victor Mesa has an agreement with Baltimore and I thought I read something about Victor Mesa Jr. having a deal in place.

 

Bummer.

[weis21]

i was just being sarcastic because raisin told us in both of the two posts before his

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Arizona Phil has a few other signings:

 

IF Ronny Simon, 18, Dominican Republic

RHP Gabriel Jaramillo, 19, Venezuela

Yonder Montero, RHP, 18, Dominican Republic

 

No bonus info.

[CubsWin]

Arizona Phil has a few other signings:

 

IF Ronny Simon, 18, Dominican Republic

RHP Gabriel Jaramillo, 19, Venezuela

Yonder Montero, RHP, 18, Dominican Republic

 

No bonus info.

Phil's announcement must have been a little late. Simon and Jaramillo we knew about. Both played in the DSL this summer, but Montero's new.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The Mesas had their workout today: https://www.mlb.com/news/mesa-brothers-hold-showcase-impress-scouts/c-297190688?tid=151437456

 

Apparently Marc Anthony was there.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

In the Victor Victor and Gaston writeups, Fangraphs also had this:

 

As for what will be left over for the clubs that don’t land these Cubans, there’s some chatter among scouts that some clubs have deals with Mexican prospects who aren’t eligible to sign at the moment, as MLB has shut down the country to clubs for an unspecified period. If it doesn’t open before next July 2nd, then those clubs would have to find somewhere else to spend their pool money. We think they’d try to spread it around across several six-figure talents and that prospects in Asia may be targets.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-the-mesa-gaston-workout/

[Regular Show]

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[Bear Cub]

Take that money away from the Cardinals for being cheaters.