Dreams come true on January 15th.
The International Signing Period begins and is one of the most important dates on the baseball calendar.
This period gives 30 teams the opportunity to sign top talents from around the world and add those promising prospects to their squads.
For these prospects, this is their first foray into professional baseball and the first step toward their lifelong dreams.
The international signing period will end on December 15, 2024.
No. 1: Leo de Vries, SS (Dominican Republic)
With advanced hitting ability with opportunity to add power to both sides, De Vries has a natural loose rhythm to his swing, leading evaluators to believe he will have the power to hit 20 home runs a year . Advanced for his age in terms of plate discipline, De Vries negotiates walks and excels at recognizing pitches.
De Vries is an agile defender in short stops and has intangibles that allow him to remain in position for long periods of time. His 6-foot-2 frame, with an above-average glove and arm, supports the idea that he can play any infield position as his physical development continues. With record times of 4.2 seconds from home plate to first base and 6.7 seconds in the 60-yard dash, his excellent speed should allow him to impact the game at both base and glove.
No. 2: Paulino Santana, OF (Dominican Republic)
Scouts praise Santana’s baseball skills and athletic ability, as well as his mature attitude and the fact that he is fully bilingual. Santana has been compared to compatriot Julio Rodríguez on and off the field and trains with Charlie Nova in his hometown of Santo Domingo.
Known as a natural hitter with excellent power ability, Santana, a right-handed hitter, has a solid understanding of the strike zone. Testers are impressed by his ability to remember pitches and make adjustments, especially during game action. His 6-foot-2 frame shows quick reactions that lead many to think that as he develops, he can hit consistently for both average and extra-base hits.
No. 3: Jose Perdomo, SS (Venezuela)
Perdomo’s contact ability is above average, making him one of the best hitters in the prospect class. He has a good handle on the strike zone and his swing is continuously improving. With the ability to be an above average runner, Perdomo could be a threat on the basepaths in the future. On defense, he is good at shortstop, with good range and arm strength that will allow him to maintain his position through the minors.
No. 4: Fernando Cruz, SS (Dominican Republic)
Known for his ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field, due to the strength of his hands and forearms, Cruz’s swing strength allows him to hit his opposite side as if he were a left-handed hitter. . Along with good bat speed, his aggressive style could make him a 20-25 home run hitter as he continues to develop. Despite being seen as an aggressive hitter, he has good hitting ability.
Defensively he has a quick first step and an above average arm. Cruz has the tools to continue being a shortstop long term. He has strength but low body fat, which allows him to be an above average runner, and he can impact the game with both the glove and the bases.
No. 5: Adolfo Sanchez, OF (Dominican Republic)
The powerful outfielder uses solid swing mechanics to hit the ball with authority across the field. They have an upward swing motion which they use to get the ball into the gap. He is a little skinny now, but hopefully will develop strength as he continues to develop his body.
Defensively, scouts have noted that Sanchez has great reflexes and he makes intelligent routes with fly balls. Given his reach, ability to field the ball well, and above average arm ability, Sanchez can stick in center field, though he should have no problems if he needs to move to right field. .
Breakdown
Thirty-eight players on the roster are from the Dominican Republic. There are 10 possibilities from Venezuela, one from Curaçao and one from Spain. As far as positions are concerned, there are 26 infielders, 18 outfielders, three catchers, two pitchers and one infielder/outfielder.
How much money can teams spend during the 2024 international signing period
The D-backs, Guardians, Orioles, Pirates, Rockies and Royals received a competitive balance pick in Round B of the 2023 draft and earned $7,114,800 in expendable money. The teams with competitive balance picks in Round A (Athletics, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers and Twins) each received US$6.52 million.
Eight teams (Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Mets, Nationals, Red Sox and White Sox) have US$5.284 million in base money to spend. The Angels, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Cubs gave up $500,000 of their money to sign players who rejected qualifying offers last winter – such as Tyler Anderson, Chris Bassitt, Willson Contreras and Dansby Swanson, respectively. So each has an amount of US$5,152 million.
The Rangers, Padres, Phillies and Yankees lost $1 million to coach the following players who declined qualifying offers: Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom (Texas), Xander Bogaerts (San Diego), Trea Turner (Philadelphia). and Carlos Rodon (Yankees). The base signing amount for each of those four teams is US$4,652,200.
The lost funds are redistributed among the other teams.
Teams will be allowed to trade slots for international signings from Monday.
An international player is eligible to sign a contract with a Major League team between January 15 and December 15. Players must be 16 years of age before signing and 17 years of age before 1 September of the following year – in practical terms, this means that players born between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007 are eligible to sign in this next period. Will be. Players must already be registered with Major League Baseball to be eligible to sign.
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