During the ongoing international signing period, Dominican infielder Kendry Martinez has secured a lucrative $2.5 million deal with the Seattle Mariners, marking one of the 17 additional players who have agreed to seven-figure bonuses. The signing period, which commenced on Wednesday and extends until December 15, has seen a total of 32 players clinch bonuses of $1 million or more.
While several teams have been actively finalizing contracts, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, along with three other teams, have yet to solidify any deals and have maintained their entire signing bonus pool allotment. Notably, the San Diego Padres have managed to secure a deal for $10,000, the highest amount that does not impact a team's bonus pool, as they pursue Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki.
Roki Sasaki is classified as an international amateur by Major League Baseball due to his age and limited experience in Nippon Professional Baseball. As per the MLB-NPB posting agreement, Sasaki has until January 23 to formalize a deal with an MLB team.
Some of the notable agreements include Dominican shortstop Wilfri De La Cruz signing with the Chicago Cubs for $2.3 million, Venezuelan outfielder Yorger Bautista joining Seattle for $2.1 million, and Dominican outfielder Kevin Alvarez inking a $2 million deal with Houston. Other signings involve players from various countries such as Venezuela, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic, with bonuses ranging from $1.1 million to $2.5 million.
Players born between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008, are eligible to participate in this year's signing period, which concludes on December 15. Teams entered the period with signing bonus pools ranging from approximately $5.1 million to $7.6 million, showcasing the competitive nature of international player acquisitions in Major League Baseball.
For more updates on international signings and MLB news, visit the official MLB website.
