International Free Agency Thread, 1/15/2025 Class

[Tim]

10 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

What’s the penalty for going over? Is the contract voided? 

Right. League simply wouldn't approve the contract.

[craig]

21 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

...That's $5.429,000. Current pool is $6,261,600 so there's a balance of $832,600 but that's without knowing what Tadeo Gámez signed for. Jaims Martínez was supposed to sign for $900k so on his own, he would have put them over their allotted pool space.

Thanks much.  So, about $67K plus Games.  

Yeah, the Games factor adds an unknown, no idea.  To me Games + $67 doesn't seem like a huge shortfall.  Don't imagine you can pick that up for nothing.  But I'm guessing there probably is a team that hasn't spent out, and that it wouldn't take a major talent sacrifice to trade for what's needed. 

Or, maybe it's tough break, and Martinez just gets to choose.  Settle for $700 or $750 or whatever is left post-Games, even if it's less than the reported $900. Or, maybe keep the reported $900 arrangement, but need to wait till next January.  Or maybe Cubs/Martinez just accept that it didn't work out this year, that's business, and both sides go back into next year with a clean slate and no commitments to each other.  

[CaliforniaRaisin]

3 hours ago, craig said:

Thanks much.  So, about $67K plus Games.  

Yeah, the Games factor adds an unknown, no idea.  To me Games + $67 doesn't seem like a huge shortfall.  Don't imagine you can pick that up for nothing.  But I'm guessing there probably is a team that hasn't spent out, and that it wouldn't take a major talent sacrifice to trade for what's needed. 

Or, maybe it's tough break, and Martinez just gets to choose.  Settle for $700 or $750 or whatever is left post-Games, even if it's less than the reported $900. Or, maybe keep the reported $900 arrangement, but need to wait till next January.  Or maybe Cubs/Martinez just accept that it didn't work out this year, that's business, and both sides go back into next year with a clean slate and no commitments to each other.  

There are also a few teams that might have $900k or even more available this year itself (probably the Blue Jays who traded for a lot of additional pool space but missed out on Sasaki).

[Regular Show]

It is indeed very hard. 

That's why you shouldn't immediately judge an international draft class by the signing bonuses and/or total seven-figure IFA signings. MLB teams obviously messed up evaluating the 2015 international draft class, and the White Sox really messed up by signing and trading away Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2016.

So no one should be evaluating or making proclamations or box-score scouting these prospects early on because it takes years to fully judge an international draft class (Yes, the best prospects do rise quickly and get sent to low-A or get promoted quickly, but other prospects can take a while to matriculate and fully acclimate to pro ball, like Cristian Hernandez). All that said, I do think Roki Sasaki will end up being the best prospect in the 2025 international draft class when we look back on it in 10 years. 

[JunkyardWalrus]

Oh, Eddy Julio Martinez, I'm still waiting!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

A new signing via Ben Badler:

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Top of the class:

SS Juan Tómas - 17 years old -  $1.1 million
SS Wilfri de la Cruz - 17 years old - $2.3 million 
SS Juan Cabada - 17 years old - $1.5 million 

Names to Know:

IF Luis Santos, Dominican Republic - $135k
SS/OF Acosta, Dominican Republic - 17 years old - $125k

Sleeper Watch:

RHP Tadeo Gámez, Mexico - 16 years old - $50k
SS Elerick Gómez, Venezuela - 17 years old - $60k
RHP Jubrayker Salaya - 18 years old - $10k
RHP Christopher Aranguren - 19 years old - $10k

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

A couple more IFA signings: 

06/12/25 Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Anderson Rivera to a minor league contract.
06/12/25 Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Yusef Hanania to a minor league contract.

Rivera is 18 and Dominican (and 6'6", 250 lbs!). Hanania is 19 and Venezuelan.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

On 2/3/2025 at 12:12 PM, CaliforniaRaisin said:

He hasn't signed. His reported deal was $900k and with it, the Cubs would likely have gone over their pool based on other estimates, so this is probably the hang up on signing him.

 

On 2/1/2025 at 7:10 AM, craig said:

Jaims Martinez still not announced, correct?  

How much was his deal reported to be, $$-wise, and how much space do we think we actually have?  Like, how much pool money would they need to add, to reach the original reported deal estimate?  Like, pick up $50K in pool money in some end-of-camp trade, or something?  

Looks like Jaims is signing with the Cubs, but on 1/15/2026:

I’m guessing they will give him a bit more than the $900k he was initially offered to stick with the Cubs and wait a year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[craig]

Wow.  Nice.  Cubs rarely bonus much for pitchers, so I'm guessing he's got some possibilities.  

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

17-year old Mexican RHP José Ramón González signed with the Cubs recently. He’s been clocked as high as 94.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Some more IFA signings:from a few days ago: https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-2025-international-free-agent-class

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Bertz]

Did we ever find out what Zeglin missed all year for?

But yeah the deck is stacked against a guy who will play next year at 26 and is likely going to still open in A ball.  Even with what sounds like a pretty insane changeup.

[craig]

Interesting to add $250 with only two weeks left in signing period.  Also interesting the Houston would have left that much unspent, and with nobody targeted to spent it on. I think we'd be kinda mad if cubs wasted that much in unspent cash.  

Hopefully Cubs have their eyes on one or more interesting prospects left with the $283 now available.  

Pitchers rarely sign for more than that.  So might hypothetically land one or two pitchers with some projection upside?  

[allen6510w]

12 hours ago, Bertz said:

Did we ever find out what Zeglin missed all year for?

But yeah the deck is stacked against a guy who will play next year at 26 and is likely going to still open in A ball.  Even with what sounds like a pretty insane changeup.

Not that I'm aware of ...

To play devil's advocate, Nico was 24 when signed and will still be under Houston's control for several years. 

At one point the Cubs were hoping to sign Jaims Martinez as part of the 2025 class.  Assuming he is still unsigned, I doubt this is enough money to make that happen 

As Craig suggested a pitcher or two makes the most sense. 

[Neuby]

I think the Cubs had a run the last few months on late signings and needed some of this money from the trade to cover that . Jamis Martinez is signing in next years class with the Cubs so it's not going towards him.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

On 12/4/2025 at 6:46 PM, Bertz said:

Did we ever find out what Zeglin missed all year for?

But yeah the deck is stacked against a guy who will play next year at 26 and is likely going to still open in A ball.  Even with what sounds like a pretty insane changeup.

Tommy John

[CaliforniaRaisin]

13 hours ago, Neuby said:

I think the Cubs had a run the last few months on late signings and needed some of this money from the trade to cover that . Jamis Martinez is signing in next years class with the Cubs so it's not going towards him.

Yeah. The Cubs have $283k available for this year's class and Jaims is signing for ~$900k.

There were a few Cubans who were granted free agency a few days ago and maybe one of them signs before Dec 15.

[Bertz]

 

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Not sure the Cubs had $500k but he definitely signed with the Cubs:

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