It’s the start of the international signing period and one of the most important dates on the baseball calendar.
The period provides all 30 clubs the opportunity to sign top-notch talent from around the globe and put those emerging prospects into their systems.
For the prospects, it’s the first step toward professional baseball and fulfilling their lifelong goals.
The international signing period runs through Dec. 15, 2024.
No. 1: Leo De Vries, SS (Dominican Republic)
Boasting an advanced hitting ability with the chance to hit for power from both sides, De Vries has a loose natural rhythm to his swing, leading evaluators to believe he’ll deliver 20-homer power. Advanced for his age when it comes to plate discipline, De Vries takes walks and displays plus pitch recognition.
De Vries is a smooth defender at short and has the intangibles to stick at the position long term. With an above-average glove and arm, his 6-foot-2 frame lends credence to the thought that he could man any infield position as he continues to develop physically. With recorded times of 4.2 seconds from home to first base and 6.7 seconds in a 60-yard dash, his plus running grade should enable him to impact the game both on the basepaths and with the glove. More »
No. 2: Paulino Santana, OF (Dominican Republic)
Scouts laud Santana’s baseball acumen and aptitude for the game, as well as his mature approach and the fact that he is fully bilingual. Santana has received Julio Rodríguez comps both on and off the field and trains with Charlie Nova in his hometown of Santo Domingo.
Known as a natural hitter with plus power potential, the right-handed-hitting Santana has a strong feel for the strike zone. Evaluators are impressed by his ability to recall pitches and adjust, most evident during in-game action. His 6-foot-2 frame sports the fast-twitch reactions that have many believing he could consistently hit for both average and extra bases as he develops further. More »
No. 3: Jose Perdomo, SS (Venezuela)
Perdomo’s bat-to-ball skills are above-average, and he ranks among the best hitting prospects in the class. He has a good feel for the strike zone and his swing continues to improve. With plus runner potential, Perdomo could be a threat on the basepaths in the future. On defense, he is a fundamentally sound shortstop with enough range and arm strength to remain at the position as he makes his way through the Minor Leagues. More »
No. 4: Fernando Cruz, SS (Dominican Republic)
Known as a hitter capable of spraying the ball to all fields due to his tremendously strong hands and forearms, the strength in Cruz’s swing enables him to hit to the opposite field as though he were a left-handed batter. With an easy load and bat speed to burn, his sound offensive approach should lend itself to 20-to-25 home run power as he matures. Despite being known as an aggressive swinger, he has an advanced feel for the barrel.
An alert defender with a quick first step and an above-average arm, Cruz has the look and tools to hold down the shortstop position in the long term. His 6-foot, 180-pound frame is muscular and lean with little body fat, aiding in him already grading out as a plus runner who can impact the game both with the glove and on the basepaths. More »
No. 5: Adolfo Sanchez, OF (Dominican Republic)
The hard-hitting outfielder uses a mechanically sound swing to drive the ball with authority to all fields. He features a slightly upward swinging motion and uses it to spray the ball into the gaps. He is a bit wiry right now, but his power is expected to grow as he matures and fills into his body.
Defensively, scouts have noted that Sanchez has good reaction times and takes good routes to fly balls. Given his range, ability to get a good jump and plus arm strength potential, Sanchez could stick in center field, though a transfer to right should prove seamless if he’s moved there. More »
Breakdown
Thirty-eight of the players on the list are from the Dominican Republic. There are 10 prospects from Venezuela, one from Curaçao and one from Spain. Position-wise, there are 26 infielders, 18 outfielders, three catchers, two pitchers and one infielder/outfielder.
International signing rules, spending
The pool breakdown is as follows:
The D-backs, Guardians, Orioles, Pirates, Rockies and Royals received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the 2023 Draft and received a $7,114,800 signing pool. Teams with a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A (Athletics, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers and Twins) each received $6.52 million.
Eight teams (Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Mets, Nationals, Red Sox and White Sox) have a $5.284 million base signing pool. The Angels, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Cubs each forfeited $500,000 from their pools for signing players who had rejected qualifying offers — Tyler Anderson, Chris Bassitt, Willson Contreras, and Dansby Swanson respectively — last offseason, so each has a pool of $5.152 million.
The Rangers, Padres, Phillies and Yankees each lost $1 million for signing the following players who rejected qualifying offers — Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom (TEX), Xander Bogaerts (SD), Trea Turner (PHI) and Carlos Rodón (NYY). The base signing pool for each of those four teams is $4,652,200.
The forfeited monies are redistributed to the other clubs.
Teams will be allowed to trade international bonus slots during this signing period starting Monday.
Who is eligible?
There are guidelines for signing prospects. An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year — in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2006, and Aug. 31, 2007, will be eligible in the current signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible to sign.
