international signings

[Vic Sage]

Mets sign 2 of the top 30 international prospects:

#9: Alvarez, Francisco ©
#25: Valdez, Freddie (OF)

both are 16-year old power hitters

https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/mets-ink-no-9-international-prospect-francisco-alvarez-for-29-million/283895132

[Centerfield]

This is good news?

I'm unfamiliar with how international signings work. I know each team is alotted a pool of money. Every team uses that pool right? So it's just a matter of how well you scout?

[Ceetar]

The bonus pools are as follows: Signing Bonus Pool B ($6,025,400): Reds, Marlins, Brewers, Twins, Athletics, Rays Signing Bonus Pool A ($5,504,500): D-backs, Orioles, Indians, Rockies, Royals, Pirates, Padres Signing Bonus Pool ($5,004,500): Cardinals Signing Bonus Pool ($4,983,500): Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Tigers, Astros, Angels, Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Mariners, Giants, Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals Signing Bonus Pool ($3,949,000): Phillies The A's, Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Nationals, Padres, Reds and White Sox are in the maximum penalty and cannot sign players for more than $300,000 during the upcoming period.

[Centerfield]

I don't get it. Why do some teams have different amounts?

[Edgy MD]

You're allowed to trade your margin of cap room and several teams have.

Like all salary caps in sports, it's a disgrace.

[Ceetar]

small market teams get a bit more, and you can trade some of it, and if you're over the luxury tax, you can lose some of it.

[Frayed Knot]

Centerfield wrote: This is good news?

Well figure that with 30 teams, one team's "fair share" of the top 30 players is one player, so, yeah, two is better than one especially if one of those is considered in the top 1/3 of all players.
And it certainly beats the heck outta; 'Eh, we decided to sit this one out'

I'm unfamiliar with how international signings work. I know each team is alotted a pool of money. Every team uses that pool right? So it's just a matter of how well you scout?

Today kicks off a new period of Int'l signings so presumably everyone's budget is full for the crop of newly-turned 16 y/olds.
Strategy enters into things too as to whether you prefer to make a few big splashes or multiple smaller ones considering that these are 16 y/o kids for the most part and it's tough to predict
if the ones at the head of the class at this age are going to stay that way as they get older.

[MFS62]

WFAN (or was it WCBS ?) reported that the MFYs signed 4 of the top 30.

Later

[Lefty Specialist]

16-year-olds are an incredible crap shoot. We may not know for 5 or 6 years if these guys are going to pan out.