International prospects can start signing with Major League Baseball teams today.
Reminder: prospects who are not from Canada, the United States or Puerto Rico are not drafted. MLB wanted, during the last labor dispute, to establish an international draft, but the players did not agree to go ahead with such an idea.
Each team has a budget to sign international hopefuls and announcements are raining down at the moment. Here is a link to follow the activities of that day.
I’ve already talked about the fact that the son of Vladimir Guerrero (Pablo, who is therefore Vladdy Jr.’s brother) signed with the Rangers.
However, he is not the only player who has blood ties with a star who has signed.
Elian Soto had been tipped to sign in Washington for a year and that’s what he has just done. And this, even if his brother Juan was traded to San Diego last summer.
Among other notable signings, receiver Ethan Salas got a $5.6 million signing bonus from the Padres.
He is said to be one of the most complete receivers in recent years. We will see in a few years what the 16-year-old will be able to do.
At the Blue Jays, it is interesting to note that the club managed to get their hands on the seventh best hope of the vintage. We are talking about outfielder Emmanuel Bonilla.
We’re talking about a guy who has power and who should be called up to play on the left or on the right in the Majors.
He was offered a signing bonus of $4.1M. This is the largest amount ever offered by the Blue Jays to an international prospect.
He is ahead of Adeiny Hechavarria, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Orelvis Martinez.
Note that the Blue Jays are called upon to perform some other minor signingsbut with Bonilla taking about 80% of the Jays’ pool in 2023, there won’t be anything major.
Nice catch, then.
