2023 International Class

[jon abbey]

Based on the sox prospects’ list, we’ve spent $2.8m out of $4.6m. That’s still a big chunk unspent with most of the top prospects signed. It’s obviously early to judge but not spending the allotted amount feels like a missed opportunity.

You can also trade unused money to another team as part of a deal. That option was suspended for a few years but is back now, although not sure any team has done it yet.

 

[TimScribble]

I assume you don’t get to rollover funds not used right ?

 

[jon abbey]

I assume you don’t get to rollover funds not used right ?

You don't, but the slots are good for almost a full year and sometimes players become available later in the period (not often, but occasionally).

 

[nighthob]

I believe this 100% and I've seen it referenced elsewhere but I still haven't seen a good explanation for why people believe the international draft would be worse.

I've kinda just taken it at face value because I know the current system is so corrupt, but why do people believe the draft would lead to more corruption?

Is it as simple as the corruption is so endemic to the system that it is functionally impossible to eradicate at this point?

A draft, in theory would create a fairer system, but is the fear that more rules and restrictions would just drive the unscrupulous ones further into the black market?

(I don't feel great about using that phrase to describe teenage baseball players, but its the best I can come up with to make my point)

The biggest issue is that it would reduce MLB investment in the Dominican. At the present pretty much everyone maintains baseball academies there which is a part of the reason that the island produces so much talent. Puerto Rico used to be in a similar spot, but in 1990 or so players from Puerto Rico became subject to the draft and the number of baseball academies went down. As did the number of good players from the island. So part of the fear is that an international draft will reduce opportunities in places like Venezuela and the DR by reducing MLB investment..

 

[Sin Duda]

You don't, but the slots are good for almost a full year and sometimes players become available later in the period (not often, but occasionally).

Would that mean that prospects who haven't turned 16 yet but will do so before the end of the signing period could theoretically be snagged by the Sox?

 

[jon abbey]

Would that mean that prospects who haven't turned 16 yet but will do so before the end of the signing period could theoretically be snagged by the Sox?

I think so? But also I think any high-profile guys in that category tend to wait for the next full signing period.

 

[TimScribble]

If the numbers are right, does that mean Boston potentially is going to lose ~$1.5M that they didn’t spend? Assuming no one else comes available?

 

[KingChre]

The biggest issue is that it would reduce MLB investment in the Dominican. At the present pretty much everyone maintains baseball academies there which is a part of the reason that the island produces so much talent. Puerto Rico used to be in a similar spot, but in 1990 or so players from Puerto Rico became subject to the draft and the number of baseball academies went down. As did the number of good players from the island. So part of the fear is that an international draft will reduce opportunities in places like Venezuela and the DR by reducing MLB investment..

Thank you for this! That makes complete sense. Maybe the compromise is that MLB agrees to fund these academies after a draft? Some sort of guaranteed funding that they obviously can afford might alleviate some of those concerns.

I don't even know how that would work but if the fear is the academies would close, there has to be some sort of way to keep them open.

 

[simplicio]

I'm not clear how the Puerto Rico example informs us about a potential international draft though. The article made it sound like the big problem there was adding the PR kids to the domestic draft, where they were suddenly in competition with high schoolers and college players in programs with far greater resources.

 

[nighthob]

I’m not sure about the article, I just recall that once they were in the draft pool there were far more limited opportunities for Puerto Rican players and less overall investment by MLB in the island.

 

[gehrig]

We don't know how much they've spent. The Sox Prospect list only includes the handful of bonus figures that have been reported somewhere. There's a few guys with unreported bonuses that they've hyped up in the press, which would seem to indicate they got more than peanuts.

 

[jbupstate]

The Sox for a number of years have been pursuing more of a “spread it around” approach. Their top signing is usually in the $1.5 ish range and then they fill in with lots of players in the $10k to $200k range. Most of the bigger signees agreed to their deals a couple of years ago, so they get announced quickly. There‘s plenty of time for the Sox to continue signing IFAs they like at the lower end of the market, and there’s very little chance they don’t spend every nickel available to them.

Bello and Rafaela signed for a combined $38k. Spread that money around on smaller bets.