Top international prospect Ethan Salas, a catcher, signed with the Padres on Sunday, heading the list of MLB signings announced on the first day of the 2023 international signing period. Here’s what you need to know:
- Salas signed for a $5.6 million bonus, his agency confirmedthe largest given out to an international amateur in the hard cap bonus pool era.
- Shortstop Felnin Celesten, MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 international prospect, agreed to a deal with the Mariners, per MLB Pipeline’s Jesse Sanchez.
- No. 3 prospect Joendry Vargas, also a shortstop, agreed to sign with the Dodgers, per Sanchez.
- Elian Soto (brother of Padres star Juan Soto) and Pablo Guerrero (son of Vladimir Guerrero) signed with the Nationals and Rangers, respectively.
Who is eligible to sign?
Any amateur player resident outside of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico who is at least 16 and has not attended high school in an MLB Draft-eligible country within the past calendar year (players from the US, Canada and Puerto Rico are eligible for the MLB Draft). Players must be 17 by Sept. 1, 2023 (for this current period, newly eligible players must be born between Sept. 1, 2005 and Aug. 31, 2006).
Generally, the bulk of the players signed at this time come from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba. Oftentimes, young players from Venezuela and Cuba complete their amateur training in the Dominican Republic, making the baseball trainers of the island nation arguably the most pivotal players in the international signing ecosystem. — Torres
What is the deadline to sign players during this period?
The signing period runs through Dec. 15 — or one month before the start of the next international signing period. Before the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, the annual signing period began on July 2 and ended on June 2 the following year.
Most teams have already allocated the majority of their bonus money by the time the period opens. That’s why it’s common for teams to announce almost their entire signing class on the date the period opens, or a few days into the period. — Torres
How much can teams spend?
Bonus pools for this year span from $4.14 million to $6.37 million. The Dodgers and Rangers have the least to spend while the A’s, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, RedsTigers and Twins have the most. Here are the amounts each team has at its disposal, courtesy of MLB.com:
$6,366,900: A’s, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers, Twins
$5,825,500: DiamondbacksGuardians, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rockies, Royals
$5,284,000: Astros, Blue JaysBraves, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Mets, Nationals, White Sox, Yankees
$4,644,000: Angels, Phillies, Red Sox
$4,144,000: Dodgers, Rangers
Teams can spend beyond their allotments if they sign players for $10,000 or less. Those smaller bonuses don’t count towards the overall bonus pools. — Torres
What Salas brings to the Padres
Salas is one of the most talked-about young catchers in the international space in years. He comes from a long line of pro players, including his brother Jose, a prospect in the Marlins system. According to MLB.com, Salas’ athleticism best manifests itself behind the plate, where he’s a good receiver with a strong ability to block balls.
He’s also a strong candidate to hit well as he climbs the Padres’ farm system. Teenage catchers signed as international free agents often struggle to succeed at both offense and defense, but the belief is Salas will. — Torres
What Celesten brings to the Mariners
Evaluators who spoke to Baseball America rave about Celesten’s advanced skills with the bat. A switch-hitter, his swing is fluid on both sides of the plate. He also has above-average raw power that he’s able to flaunt well for a 16-year-old. He is expected to fill out his 6-foot-1, 178-pound frame as he grows, a possible sign of more power to come.
In a system that recently churned out American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez, it isn’t hard to envision Celesten sticking at shortstop and joining the top part of Seattle’s order in the not-so-distant future. — Torres
GO DEEPER
Mariners make their biggest international splash by signing Felnin Celesten
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(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)
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