Revisiting International Bonuses

1/25/2007

This year has seen an unprecedented amount of coverage of the international signing market. In many ways this is a very good thing. Amateur prospects had close to zero leverage 15 years ago in negotiating with major league teams. Around that time, agents began figuring out that there was money to be made representing top talent in Latin America and Australia, and the market for international free agents went up. Now that publications like Baseball America and ESPNDeportes have began publicizing names of Latin American players before they’re signed, the market will only increase, much to the chagrin of fans who love to whine about how much money baseball players make. To me, however, anything that helps even out the huge disparity between the domestic market for amateur talent and the international market is a positive step. There are still huge problems involved in the current system of which I can’t begin to even scratch the surface at this point, but the influx of agents and media are both positive steps in the right direction.

Baseball America started keeping a list tracking who signed for what during the first few months of the signing period, but stopped updating it (which the author of this blog would NEVER do…<cough>). So, I thought I’d fill in the blanks with all the information I know.

By country:

Dominican Republic:

Angel Villona, 3B, Giants, $2,100,000

Esmailyn Gonzalez, SS, Nationals, $1,400,000

Carlos Triunfel, SS, Mariners, $1,300,000

Francisco Pena, C, Mets, $750,000

Angel Beltre, OF, Red Sox, $600,000

Oscar Tejada, SS, Red Sox, $525,000

Manuel Solis, 3B, Rangers, $525,000

Carlos Martinez Urena, OF, Yankees, $350,000

R. Rodriguez, ?, Mariners, $280,000

Damian Taveras, 2B, Yankees, $200,000

Rey Lebron, OF, Mariners, $200,000

Venezuela

Jesus Montero, C, Yankees, $1,600,000

Larry Suarez, RHP, Cubs, $850,000

Balbino Fuenmayor, 3B, Blue Jays, $725,000

Mario Martinez, OF, Mariners, $600,000

Jose Pirela, SS, New York Yankees, $300,000

Ricardo Ferrer, P, Rockies, $250,000

Pedro Viloria, LHP, Padres, $160,000

Cuba

*Juan Miranda, 1B/OF, Yankees, $2,000,000

*Yoslan Herrera, RHP, Pirates, $1,950,000

Yohannis Perez, SS, Brewers, $450,000

Sergui Linares, RHP, Pirates, $125,000

Dunieski Rodriguez, RHP, Braves, $100,000

Yunesky Sanchez, IF, Diamondbacks, $40,000

Australia

Jason Smit, SS, Indians, $350,000

Josh Wells, RHP, Blue Jays, $200,000

Korea

Young Il Jung, RHP, Angels, $1,000,000

Taiwan

Tseng-Seung Wei, RHP, Indians, $350,000

Sheng-An Kuo, RHP, Rockies, $150-200,000

The Netherlands 

Kalian Sams, OF, Mariners, $75,000

Ramon Romeijn, P, Mariners, $92,000

Anyone who knows any more bonus information is encouraged to post it.

Based on these known signings (which admittedly tell a very small percentage of the story), the Yankees and the Mariners were far and away the two biggest spenders, with the Yanks shelling out almost $4.5 million on 5 guys, and the Mariners spending about $2.38 million on 4. This was a big year for Cuban signings, and it looks like there’s another guy named Ryde Rodriguez who’s had the “5-tool” label applied to him and is looking to sign for somewhere upwards of $1 million.

With an unprecedented number of $million+ bonuses it will be interesting to see how many of these guys start in the US, and how many of them get pushed all the way to full-season ball to start their professional careers.