On Monday, January 15, the International Free Agents signing period officially opens. These are generally 16 year olds signing, but who have agreements in place with their prospective teams since they were 13-14. Typically, once a player in the Dominican Republic or Venezuela commits to sign with a team, he stops doing showcases and is no longer scouted much in a competitive environment by other clubs.
Ben Badler is the International Amateur guru writing for Baseball America, and has been evaluating international talent for over a decade. Baseball America publishes an annual Top 50 IFA with Scouting Reports. These are published in the expected bonus amount order, not necessarily how they stack up against one another. The Dodgers were originally slotted with a $5.925MM bonus pool, but lose $1MM due to signing Shohei Ohtani (a player who rejected a QO).
While the international signing period opens on January 15, international prospects often have agreements to sign in place going back three or more years to when they were 13 or 14. They are just now making it official.
Of the top 50 published by BA, each MLB team had at least one. Toronto will be signing 4 of the top 50. Oakland and Milwaukee will be signing 3 each. Cincinnati, Washington, Minnesota, Texas, Seattle, NYM, KC, Pittsburgh, Arizona, NYY, San Francisco, and Baltimore will be signing 2 of the top 50 each. The remainder of teams have one each.
After signing Dominican SS, Joendry Vargas in 2023, the Dodgers went back to the Dominican and will be signing Emil Morales. Per Baseball America:
- Emil Morales, SS, Dominican Republic
Born: Sept. 22, 2006. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 185.
Team: Dodgers
Morales consistently strings together quality at-bats. He has a mature offensive approach, recognizes pitches well and has performed well against live pitching. It’s a sound swing for his age with power that has trended up as he has added strength to his lower half and should spike more in the coming years. Morales is an offensive-oriented shortstop who is built more like a third baseman, with many scouts believing he will slide over to third base in the near future. He’s a below-average runner who is a steady defender on the balls he gets to at shortstop with a solid-average arm, though his actions and mobility likely fit best at third base.
The Dodgers have not consistently signed elite international free agents during the AF era. AF inherited an international scouting team that was the impetus for signing the 2015-2016 IFA class and Cuban infielder, Hector Olivera. Olivera was a bust with a 6-year $62.5MM contract.
The 2015-2016 IFA Class?
From the list above:
Yadier Álvarez – Not affiliated with any MLB team. Elected FA after 2022, and has not signed with another team.
Yusniel Diaz – Traded to Baltimore in the Manny Machado trade (2018). Diaz spent all of 2023 back with the Dodgers at AA. He is currently affiliated with SF.
Omar Estévez – Out of affiliated baseball. Last played in the 2022-2023 Mexico and Puerto Rico Winter Leagues.
Starling Heredia – Out of Baseball. Last played 2019.
Yordan Álvarez – Traded to Houston for Josh Fields. On the Houston ML roster. Won AL ROY 2019.
Ronny Brito – Currently not assigned to any ML affiliate. Last played 2021.
Oneil Cruz – Traded to Pittsburgh in the Tony Watson trade.
Christopher Arias – Out of Baseball. Last played 2017.
Carlos Rincón – Signed by NYM as a FA. Currently a FA. Last played 2022 in AAA with NYM.
Damaso Marte Jr. – Out of Baseball. Released by LAD February 2017.
Luis Rodriguez – The first Luis Rodriguez is out of baseball. Released November 17, 2019.
Ramon Rasso – Released by LAD 07-15-16. Signed with Philadelphia (2016-2021). Signed with Detroit (2022). Released by Detroit, May 27, 2022.
Aldo Espinoza – Out of Baseball. Released by Dodgers July 1, 2020.
After that signing period debacle, the Dodgers fired the international scouting director and most (if not all the scouts), and hired Ismael Cruz from Toronto (11-09-2015) to restructure the international scouting department for the Dodgers. He had to not only build the infrastructure of a vast department, but had to sign players with a very limited bonus pool. For the next two signing periods, the Dodgers had their max contract amount limited to $300K.
In 2016-2017, the Dodgers signed Dominican SS Alberto Suarez for a bonus of $300,000. They later signed former Top 30 prospect LHP Robinson Ortiz in that same period.
The team’s bonus pool for the 2016-2017 period was $2,118,900. Rather than sign a bevy of questionable international free agents, these bonus slots could be traded, which the Dodgers did, and received pitchers Caleb Dirks and Chase De Jong, outfielder Jordan Paroubeck and infielder Tim Locastro in trades with Atlanta and Toronto.
The Dodgers also signed in 2016, RHP, Yaisel Sierra for $30MM for 6 years, He was released after 5.
Per Bluto and his reference from Twitter:
Ismael Cruz’s 1st real IFA group (2017-2018), max bonus was still 300k:
- Miguel Vargas – Still with LAD – 40 man
- Andy Pages – Still with LAD – 40 man – #6 LAD Prospect
- Jorbit Vivas – Traded to NYY in Trey Sweeney trade
- Eddys Leonard – Sold to Detroit at the 2023 trade deadline
- Guillermo Zuniga – Elected FA after 2022 and signed with St. Louis – Made MLB debut in 2023 – Went on IL with right forearm strain
- Darien Núñez – LAD Released after 2022. Was signed by SF. Elected FA after 2023. Has not signed.
- Carlos Duran – Still with LAD. Had TJ surgery in 2022.
The Dodgers returned with zero limitation for the 2018-2019 international free agent signing period. They started out with who is now the LAD #3 prospect, Venezuelan catcher Diego Cartaya. That was followed by current #19 prospect, José Ramos (Tulsa – AA). Also in that class is 3B Alex De Jesus, and RHPs Hyun-il Choi (Great Lakes – A+), Jerming Rosario (Great Lakes – A+), Edgardo Henriquez (rehabbing from TJ in 2023).
Alex DeJesus was traded to Toronto with Mitch White. The Dodgers received RHSP Nick Frasso (current #4 prospect on 40 man) and LHP Moises Brito (ACL).
The 2019-2020 international free agent class was highlighted by Venezuelan LHH OF Luis Rodriguez. In a year when NYY OF prospect Jasson Dominguez was the overwhelming clear star, the Dodgers signing was considered an elite prospect on his own. That has not translated into success on the baseball diamond, but he is still only 21, and played full-season A ball at Rancho.
Also selected in this signing period is Venezuelan catcher Yeiner Fernandez (#26 in LAD Top 30). He is 21 years old and played with Great Lakes (A+) Typically with the Dodgers, he is now playing some back at his original position, 2B, and played some SS in AFL. It seemed to work for Craig Biggio. Who knows? Yeiner remains a favorite of mine that I will continue to follow closely. His path may be easier in the infield than behind the dish.
2021 — Wilman Diaz (IFA #2), Jesus Galiz (IFA #7) – Both have been included in Top 30, and both have been removed from the top prospect list
2022 — Samuel Muñoz (IFA #7), Accimias Morales (IFA #37) – Muñoz is LAD Prospect #22. Josue De Paula was not included in IFA Top 30, and is currently #7 LAD prospect.
2023 — Joendry Vargas (IFA #3), Arnaldo Lantigua (IFA #23) – Vargas is LAD Prospect #12. Eduardo Quintero was not included in the Top 50 IFA, and is not yet in the LAD Top 30 prospect list.
Let’s hope that Emil Morales lines up more with Muñoz, De Paula, Vargas, and Quintero than Wilman Diaz or Luis Rodriguez. The last two years have provided multiple potential top prospects and perhaps will become top MLB players.
The Dodgers will have many more selections, and we can provide an update after January 15.
Great information on kids I have no clue about. Hopefully they get better than they were in the beginning at this. Rumor on Yahoo Sports that the Yankees are going to extend Soto and he is going to get 500 mil.
Yeiner Fernandez intrigues me. I think he will wind up replacing Taylor when the latter’s contract expires. Hopefully he will keep getting innings at catcher and give them a third string catcher while playing just about everywhere else.
I think Joendry Vargas has a very good chance to be the Dodgers third baseman down the road with Josue De Paula in left field. Maybe Pages in right field.
Hopefully Lux will be a long term shortstop and gets a 6 year extension this year.
If all that were to work out the Dodgers would fill at least 4 positions that help keep them close to the CBT threshold.
Phil?
International Free Agents is still, to me, the most chaotic part of MLB.
there is a good mix of corruption, unfairness from the CBA, and total randomness, because the kids are so young.
NYM to sign Harrison Bader to a one year $10MM or $10.5MM deal, depending as to who is reporting. Do they keep Nimmo in CF? Or Bader?
Braves extend Chris Sale to 2-years $38MM with an $18MM club option for a 3rd year. With the $17MM Boston is paying, that would make Sale’s cost to the Braves at 2 years and $21MM (total). I cannot remember who first posted it here, but they are right. Sale is LH and a star. Vaughn Grissom is a very good talent, but a bar that AF/BG could have easily matched an d surpassed. 2 years and $21MM is well within their comfort zone financially. The Braves do not have the depth the Dodgers have, but their rotation can be special.
Strider/Fried/Morton/Sale/Elder. Two LHSP that could neutralize LAD a bit in a possible NLCS.
Does that push LAD to find that RH bat, or do they just roll the dice with Miguel Vargas and CT3?
Shōta Imanaga’s deadline is now one week away. NYY seems to be out on Imanaga. Boston, Chicago Cubs, and SF are still seen as the only teams that are still in on the negotiations. Those three teams (with NYY) were always the favored teams. Imanaga to LAD never seemed to catch.
The Dodgers could just bite the bullet and put Miguel Vargas in LF and leave him there. However, with the amount of contractual payroll committed to this year, the Dodgers seem bent on getting to and winning the WS in 2024. Never a guarantee, but IMO AF/BG will leave as little to chance as they can.
The Dodgers prefer veterans to rookies anyway. If they believe they need an upgrade in LF, they could do a lot worse than having Tommy Pham as the everyday LF. Why I like him is because he comes to play in October. In 120 post season PA, Pham is hitting .313/.333/.513/.846. Don’t blame Pham for the D-backs loss in the WS. In 21 PA, he slashed .421/.429/.737/1.165. He is an average defender, but probably better than Vargas or Busch. He wants to be a Dodger. He will probably cost less than $8MM for 1 year. Give him $6MM with a $6MM option and $2MM buyout. He would sign to play with the Dodgers.
For me this year comes down to putting the best team together for October. Do I think Vargas will falter in the playoffs? I have no idea. But we know that Pham does not, and has a proven track record in the playoffs to support that position. Maybe they wait to see what Vargas can do and then pivot at the trade deadline.
Teoscar Hernandez and Jorge Soler are DH, not OF.
2015-2016 draft class – Yordan Alvarez pretty much makes up for the lack of other successes all by himself.
And then there is Oneil Cruz who may yet prove to be an All Star. Still only 25.
I wouldn’t hate it if we signed Pham but I’d rather give LF to Vargas and if he can’t cut it, AF can always go fishing for someone at the deadline. Give him 1/2 a season, hopefully free from injury.
Time to cut Busch loose for what I hope would be a decent return and let him thrive somewhere that has room on the roster for him.
Here’s a thought from out of left field (both literally and figuratively). See if we can get Nolan Jones from the Rockies. He’s young, controllable, good fielder and hits both lefties and righties well.
Trade Simulator says the following would work:
1) Busch, Knack, Wrobleski, Liranzo
2) Busch, Pages
3) Pages, Stone
4) Cartaya, Grove, Margot (or sub River Ryan for Grove)
or any number of other combinations.
I realize the Rockies have no need or desire to trade him, but I’ll get Bums involved and they will certainly listen.
Seems the big question with Pham is his attitude and whether or not he would fit the Dodger clubhouse. He could potentially solidify LF for the Dodgers. And he won’t cost much. Is it worth it. Would be bad news for Busch and Vargas playing for the Dodgers and really makes them trade bait for pitching.
They’re going to hold back a lot to put it all on Roki Sasaki next December.