International Free Agency Thread 2018-2019

[Hrubes20]

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1010031979734097920?s=19

Damn, that pipeline busted. At least for now. I REALLY wish we knew what happened with Serrano now.

Wow. That's pretty big.

[davell]

https://www.thecubreporter.com/06222018 ... can-league

Hmm. I applaud our ingenuity, I hope we're not about to get busted for some shenanigans.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Regular Show]

https://www.thecubreporter.com/06222018/manfred-cracks-down-mexican-league

Hmm. I applaud our ingenuity, I hope we're not about to get busted for some shenanigans.

I don't think we're getting busted for doing anything shady. We purposely targeted these Mexican prospects because of the rules/cap on large signing bonuses and as long as we didn't offer any money "under-the-table" we should be fine. We definitely have a good pipeline going right now so this affects us perhaps the most of any MLB team.

I think this is more about how unfair the current system is for Mexican players/prospects and how their clubs get to keep the majority of the bonuses. It sucks that some kids might be unable to sign this July, but the new system should be better and more fair to the players.

[davell]

Navin, looks like Badler ranked the top 50, anyone in it that doesn't have a signing slot yet? And where do our guys fall in his list?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Navin, looks like Badler ranked the top 50, anyone in it that doesn't have a signing slot yet? And where do our guys fall in his list?

Our guys are:

6. Richard Gallardo
27. José Lopez
46. Rafael Morel
47. Joel Machado

Guys not linked to any teams:

1. Victor Mesa
30. Ryson Polonius
31. Rainer Polonius (twins from Curaçao)

Mexican C Fernando Villalobos was supposed to sign with Milwaukee but obviously can’t now.

Also:

In general, scouts seemed more enthusiastic about last year’s strong 2017 class and another talented group ahead in 2019. That made it a challenge to line up the top prospects in the 2018 class, particularly with the reality that players have had commitments in place to sign with clubs for more than a year in some cases.

This year’s list also includes Cuban players who are subject to the international bonus pools. While 21-year-old outfielder Victor Mesa is an exception, most of the top Cuban players out now are in the same age group as the top 16-year-old players from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. However, due to the circumstances of how Cuban players are scouted and become eligible to sign, there are Cuban players who might belong on the list but have been omitted until more information on them becomes available.

When I get a moment, I’ll tally up how much the Yankees are tied to but it’s a lot and it must be well over their cap.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Victor Mesa:

[Regular Show]

Victor Mesa:

Wow. That's a beautiful swing and he definitely has good (maybe elite) bat speed.

[profisme]

Victor Mesa:

Please trade for max international pool space and give it to him.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The Fangraphs International Free Agency Board:

6. Richard Gallardo - projected bonus: $800,000
27. José Lopez - projected bonus: $1,500,000
35. Joel Machado - projected bonus: $400,000

Badler said Rafael Morel should get around $800k like his older brother Christopher did. That would mean the Cubs are tied to $3.5 million for their top 4 signings and have $1.483 million remaining.

Victor Mesa is #1.

Some interesting stuff here: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-in ... ect-board/

The last dominoes to fall during this international period will probably be the most interesting. Cubans enter into eligibility at varied, odd times because of the United States’ political relationship with Cuba and when they eventually do, a lot of the now finite money is already spoken for, some of it for over a year. This year, the top player on our board, Victor Victor Mesa, is in that very situation. We’re not even sure what country he’s in right now, what day his open workout will be (probably within a month or two) or any idea when he’ll be cleared to sign. Once early signings are done and some early accounting dust has settled, we’ll be able to see who has money left to make a conceivable run at Mesa and monitor trades for pool space.

This applies to Victor Victor, as well as his brother Victor Mesa Jr. and fellow Cuban Alex Vargas. Vargas is a talented shortstop whose skills befit a $2.0-$2.5 million dollar player, but he might have to wait until the 2019 period to get that kind of money because teams had already committed money to other players before he became eligible. Chatter amongst scouts is he just struck a deal for that amount or more, but for a deal in the 2019 signing year, for which he would wait 12 months to sign.

2019 Dominican SS Robert Puason is now linked to the A's and might get $5 million next year. He was a guy the Braves had an illegal deal with last year itself, part of the reason they got busted. (I'm sure Braves fans will rationally handle the fact that another team is linked to him over a year in advance.)

[davell]

According to FG, we're giving Gallardo 800k and Machado 400k, to go with Lopez at 1.5 if Morel gets 800k, that's 3.5 of our close to 5 mill spent. I'm sure the rest is accounted for, but the low numbers on Gallardo and Machado could have us getting some more interesting guys too, without trading for money.

I'd love to get Mesa for next year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

According to FG, we're giving Gallardo 800k and Machado 400k, to go with Lopez at 1.5 if Morel gets 800k, that's 3.5 of our close to 5 mill spent. I'm sure the rest is accounted for, but the low numbers on Gallardo and Machado could have us getting some more interesting guys too, without trading for money.

I'd love to get Mesa for next year.

Interestingly, the 2019 SS is Cuban Alex Vargas. The Reds are projected to sign 16-year old Cuban SS Alexander Vargas for $3 million this year. I'm guessing since they made that note about 2019, they're two different Cuban SS.

The Cubs can trade to increase their pool all the way to $8,721,125. We know they have $3.5 million tied up already so that's an additional $5.2 million if they trade for the full 75% cap space. But as you said, they've probably earmarked some of the remaining funds they already have.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA ranked Osiel Rodriguez 5th, Richard Gallardo 6th.

FG ranked Gallardo 6th, Rodriguez 7th.

[TomtheBombadil]

Today's the big day. Cubs are tied to three top 30 guys in RHP Gallardo, OF Jose Lopez, and LHP Joe Machado.

[davell]

[davell]

[Tim]

What I want to hear about today is the trade we've worked out with Baltimore for their cap space.

[davell]

What I want to hear about today is the trade we've worked out with Baltimore for their cap space.

Well, that ain't happening today. At least not for an amount to get Mesa. He's middle-aged yet, he's not worked out for anyone yet, and it's not even known where he's at.

That money will get dealt once he's available.

It'd be nice to add a bit of money though, add an extra flier or two, that we don't already know about.

[davell]

[davell]

Confirmation on Morel signing.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Oh, a new name:



José Lopez - $1.5 million
Richard Gallardo - $1 million
Joel Machado - $850,000
Rafael Morel - $850,000
Yohendrick Pinango - $400,000

Total of $4.6 million

[davell]

Wow, that's awesome. And now we've got 4.6M of our 4.9ish committed. Maybe we will see a small deal for some money, because you know we've got at least another 10 guys coming in and I doubt they'd fall under our current cap.

[Hrubes20]

I hate that we have to wait until Instructs to get eyes on these players.

[Hrubes20]

https://www.mlb.com/news/cubs-to-sign-no-5-prospect-richard-gallardo/c-283427222?tid=151437456

Sanchez gives a little blurb about the other guys.

"Pinango, who stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 195 pounds, is a physical prospect who can hit and run. He's also athletic enough to stay in center field. The lean and muscular Morel impressed scouts with his bat and is a plus runner. His older brother Christian is a shortstop who signed with the Cubs in 2015."

[CaliforniaRaisin]