2016 International Signing Thread

[Jenkins5]

Think it is time to shift an eye towards 2016 international signing period. This is the best possible year for the Brewers to go all out with nearly half the teams unable to participate. Sadly, the Braves have already made the biggest signing (hand shake agreement) with SS Kevin Maitan who since 14 years old has been considered the next Miguel Cabrera and best player since Sano. They landed him for 4.5 million. Not many list that I can find but C Abraham Gutierrez is 2nd most common name you will see come up for non-Cuban players outside of Maitan. It actually sounds as though Gutierrez has closed the gap between him and Maitan. A top notch game changing catching prospect would look nice in our system.

 

More over Brewers should really compete for Lazarito Armenteros! Kid is a freak for a 16 year old and has played against top notch talent.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/01/cuban-lazarito-armenteros-free-agent-mlb.html

 

This is from summer describing signing pools for 2016-2017

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/2016-year-break-international-bonus-pool/

 

Outside of Lara Brewers have done a terrible job using international market to make this a deeper organization. Lara today is the only Brewer prospect to ever sign for over a million dollars. Only a handful have ever even received over $500k. You need to buy those lottery tickets! We have hit on some real bargains like Escobar & Arcia but you need to go after top notch talent. More lottery tickets you buy, the better the chance you win.

[ZBTMP]

This is the best possible year for the Brewers to go all out with nearly half the teams unable to participate.

 

I've seen this advocated, but not sure this actually the case. I was under the impression that a international draft is likely in the new CBA and signing penalties are likely to carry forward. Speculating on draft order, it seems possible the Brewers would be potentially forfeiting high, cost controlled pick(s) in future drafts by blowing through their slot bonuses.

 

I haven't seen much on this recently and I'd expect the Brewers to have a better handle on what the new CBA will include, but I'd be excited if the Brewers found a 7-figure talent within their allotment.

 

Also, did we give some of our slot bonus money for this signing period to Houston in the Gomez trade or was that last years?

[And That]

Also, did we give some of our slot bonus money for this signing period to Houston in the Gomez trade or was that last years?

The $287,500 was from the current year's bonus pool (July 2015-June 2016).

[Jenkins5]

I'd assume there would be a grace period. You can not punish a team in a new format based off the old system. If x is the punishment for going over, you can't change the punishment after it is broken. You are grandfathered in (you'd think. Plus while there is talk of the international draft coming, there has been that talk for a long time now. I am not going to plan my spending on something that may never happen.

 

Setting up an international draft is very difficult, however it is the best way to go. The signing pools have been an absolute failure. Luxury tax penalties were not enough. Teams like Dodgers can easily spend the Brewers payroll for entire season on 16-17 year old kids in bonuses and taxes without blinking. Really should have included draft penatlies as well. Dodgers would think twice if the option was go over, get taxed, and lose a top pick for every player you go over. Signed 3 players after your reached your pool, must give up 1,2, and 3 round pick. Just because you have money doesn't mean you should be let break rules. In the next CBA, if once again the international draft is a bust, I really hope they use draft picks to deter teams.

 

I honestly don't know what a fair way to do an international draft is. You can not simply go by record. Otherwise that is a lot of incentive to lose. If Brewers get competitive again they will never have a pick in top 20 in either draft....how we going to bring in top notch talent. You could go based on how much pool money the team spent the year before, lowest to highest. Then again if there are signing pools, that is a little more difficult. Can do a rotating draft position system like NBA has talked about doing. A lottery system. I really don't know what is the best way to go about which has been one of the main reasons it has been difficult to establish one.

[ZBTMP]

And for the teams that go over next year, there almost certainly will be sanctions via lost high picks in the likely int’l draft for 2017.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kiley-mcdaniel-prospects-chat-63015/

 

Ultimately, I would think a system where teams could bid their amateur draft picks for draft slots in the international draft could work, but MLB has a lot of issues to work out even beyond draft order for it to succeed. It'd be hard not improve the current system with whatever comes out of the CBA for ensuring competive balance.

[Jenkins5]

I wish I knew what it was like to be a fan of a team who cared about the international market.... At least Braves know how to rebuild. Trade top MLB players for top prospects, draft well, and aggressively pursue to international players..... We have been drafting good....sorta trading for prospects, but not spending a dime on international prospects.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/three-teams-will-break-international-bonus-pools-2016/#.VqliB434W4E.mailto

[logan82]

I wish I knew what it was like to be a fan of a team who cared about the international market.... At least Braves know how to rebuild. Trade top MLB players for top prospects, draft well, and aggressively pursue to international players..... We have been drafting good....sorta trading for prospects, but not spending a dime on international prospects.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/three-teams-will-break-international-bonus-pools-2016/#.VqliB434W4E.mailto

Ummm, what? Lara.

[Jenkins5]

I wish I knew what it was like to be a fan of a team who cared about the international market.... At least Braves know how to rebuild. Trade top MLB players for top prospects, draft well, and aggressively pursue to international players..... We have been drafting good....sorta trading for prospects, but not spending on international prospects.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/three-teams-will-break-international-bonus-pools-2016/#.VqliB434W4E.mailto

Ummm, what? Lara.

 

Lara yes.....how many other Top 30 international prospects have we signed over the past decade? Mallen & Pierre where steps forward, then he got Lara but very little else. Most of our DSL team was 21-23 year old cast offs from other teams. He got a few steals in there Otano, Luna, Sibrian (was 29th before all the Cubans kicked him off.), Atencio, Segovia, Y. Martinez and Valderrey & Hernandez show promise.

 

Still we cannot rely solely on draft, trades, and hope on finding some cheap diamond in the roughs, While all our top competitors are battling and being aggressive for top notch international prospects. But we can someday sit back years from now and say at least we signed Lara that one year.... Simply we need to do more internationally. Many teams have multiple DSL teams, we struggle to even field one. I know our old facility/Academy was pretty bad there but didn't we get a new one?

[Jenkins5]

Catcher Jose Sibrian 550k and outfielder Jesus Lujano 350k in 2015. I completely forgot about Lujano. Considering what we use to spend this is still a good amount of money. My complaints are that we have only signed 1 international player in our history for over 1 million dollars (Lara).

[nate82]

The Brewers were also in on Moncada and Abreu. Its not like they haven't tried.

[logan82]

I wish I knew what it was like to be a fan of a team who cared about the international market.... At least Braves know how to rebuild. Trade top MLB players for top prospects, draft well, and aggressively pursue to international players..... We have been drafting good....sorta trading for prospects, but not spending on international prospects.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/three-teams-will-break-international-bonus-pools-2016/#.VqliB434W4E.mailto

Ummm, what? Lara.

 

Lara yes.....how many other Top 30 international prospects have we signed over the past decade? Mallen & Pierre where steps forward, then he got Lara but very little else. Most of our DSL team was 21-23 year old cast offs from other teams. He got a few steals in there Otano, Luna, Sibrian (was 29th before all the Cubans kicked him off.), Atencio, Segovia, Y. Martinez and Valderrey & Hernandez show promise.

 

Still we cannot rely solely on draft, trades, and hope on finding some cheap diamond in the roughs, While all our top competitors are battling and being aggressive for top notch international prospects. But we can someday sit back years from now and say at least we signed Lara that one year.... Simply we need to do more internationally. Many teams have multiple DSL teams, we struggle to even field one. I know our old facility/Academy was pretty bad there but didn't we get a new one?

You said not spending on international free agents. They have been.

[brewcrewdue80]

It's kinda hard to bid on worthy players when teams are paying through the roof for them with taxes. Lara's signing alone was more than the Brewers team allocation of money. Only 10 players of MLB's top 30 rankings signed for less than 1.5mil last year. 3 under 1mil.

 

Brewers had 2,389,000 to spend before taxes incurred. They traded one of their slots I know of away noted above at 287,500. Many teams blew through their limit. If the club keeps reducing payroll...Braun somehow being traded. Maybe this is a year they go out and spend themselves. Team is currently lowest payroll estimated in all of baseball. Maybe you go out and put 25mil towards players and taxes. But even at 25mil that's pretty much 14mil. If you're targeting the top of the rankings group that's 4-5 players on average.

 

I'm happy if the team signs just 1 Gilbert Lara type in a year. And pickup that Orlando Arcia unknown on the cheaper spectrum.

[Jenkins5]

Ben Badler twitted me saying he expects Brewers to take similar approach as last year on July 2. So we can expect at least 1 500-600k signing, then a 300-400k, fill out with a couple around 100k then a few more.

[Noche]

Ben Badler twitted me saying he expects Brewers to take similar approach as last year on July 2. So we can expect at least 1 500-600k signing, then a 300-400k, fill out with a couple around 100k then a few more.

 

That's fine with me as long as we end up with a top 3 International Draft Pick next year

[And That]

MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez:

 

The Padres, Braves and Nationals have been very aggressive on the international market, and each team expects to have a solid class of prospects for the next international signing period that starts July 2. Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Texas have also been very busy and expect to sign a good crop of teenagers.

So, the Brewers are one of the seven most aggressive teams. That's good, or not bad at least.

[brewmann04]

it does sound positive for the brewers.

[Jenkins5]

Can't complain about that at all.

[CheezWizHed]

BCB is also projectingus to be very active next signing period.

[brewmann04]

I am very pleased to hear this hope it true can always use prospects from there can use pitching and maybe a 3rd base prospect.

[And That]

The Brewers' international bonus pool will be a bit over $4 million.

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO Wed. 2/16 via WTMJ's Sports Central: Brewers staying 'busy' in International prospect market, says MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez

[CheezWizHed]

The Brewers' international bonus pool will be a bit over $4 million.

 

The Cubs' total pool (draft + international) is just barely above the Brewer's international allotment. In a year where they are contending and we are floundering, you look for the silver linings.

 

I am very pleased to hear this hope it true can always use prospects from there can use pitching and maybe a 3rd base prospect.

 

Nope. These guys are so far away from MLB ready that our current needs to have less than zero impact on who we sign. The draft should be BPA. But these guys are normally even farther away than the draft-able guys (normally 18yo+).

[pacopete4]

It's what we do with this money will be the key. Hopefully we strike gold on a few of these signings.

[Madhawk23]

I see that mlb.com just updated their Top 30 International prospects for 2016 today, along with predictions on where each will sign:

 

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016?list=int

 

Can anyone give a quick run-down on how this whole system works? I understand that their is a spending limit each year, right? And, if a team goes over that limit one year, do they lose the opportunity to sign guys the following year?

 

I guess my big question is: why wouldn't the Brewers just go all-in this year or next year on the international market since we are saving money with our big league payroll being down as much as it is, and our investment in the future right now? I know Mark A is still trying to run a profitable business, but it just seems like the Brewers should try to capitalize on this international system and over-sign for a year?

 

What am I missing here? I admit that I do not have a full grasp of the system, so perhaps I'm way off base.

[And That]

I see that mlb.com just updated their Top 30 International prospects for 2016 today, along with predictions on where each will sign:

 

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016?list=int

Thanks for finding that. FWIW, the Brewers are expected to sign the #29 and #30 ranked guys, Pablo Abreu (OF) and Jean Carlos Carmona (3B). I skimmed through and didn't see any other Brewers mentions.