Orioles IFA Signings Thread

[weams]

7 minutes ago, Hallas said:

An open question would be why he was IFA eligible.  If he was born in USVI, this would make him a US citizen, and you generally can't renounce your citizenship unless you're over 18.

I assume residence is the determinant. Not citizenship. It may make travel super easy though!

[mdbdotcom]

Elrod Hendricks was from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

[Chavez Ravine]

1 hour ago, weams said:

I assume residence is the determinant. Not citizenship. It may make travel super easy though!

I suspect if you are a promising 14 year old, and you live in a U.S. territory, there is incentive to make your residence in a place like the DR.  You need the means, of course,....or at least a cousin who lives in Santo Domingo. It is like getting sent off to a British boarding school.

[Aristotelian]

4 hours ago, weams said:

 

Are we sure he's 16? He actually looks younger!

[TGO]

 

Was just searching for these guys, not many hits, but it looks like Isenia signed last week. Believe that is Calvin Maduro on the left.

[jcarm]

4 hours ago, Hallas said:

An open question would be why he was IFA eligible.  If he was born in USVI, this would make him a US citizen, and you generally can't renounce your citizenship unless you're over 18.

It is fairly common for someone born in America but with connections in the DR to move to the DR and be declared an international free agent. Top prospect of the Cardinals Alex Reyes was born in New Jersey and lived most of his life in the US, but moved to the DR and signed as an international free agent with the Cardinals at age 18. It has nothing to do with citizenship.

[sevastras]

4 hours ago, Hallas said:

An open question would be why he was IFA eligible.  If he was born in USVI, this would make him a US citizen, and you generally can't renounce your citizenship unless you're over 18.

Residency, just like a Cuban born player can gain residency in the DR to become eligible. I don’t know his specifics but I spend time in the BVIs and there is some island hopping going on. If your mom is from an island and your dad happens to meet her somewhere it isn’t uncommon for them to birth on one island and transfer to another to be closer to the more supportive family. 

Encouraging signings, I really like the Moises Ramirez signing. Great natural hitter, reminds me of Manny at the plate. Clunky and heavy footed at defense. Probably end up at 3rd,  but may be at an ackward growth stage. Even so, no way he stays at short, imho. 

[sportsfan8703]

6 hours ago, jcarm said:

It is fairly common for someone born in America but with connections in the DR to move to the DR and be declared an international free agent. Top prospect of the Cardinals Alex Reyes was born in New Jersey and lived most of his life in the US, but moved to the DR and signed as an international free agent with the Cardinals at age 18. It has nothing to do with citizenship.

Not a bad move. It makes it seem like the U.S. kids are prisoners of the system. 

[Luke-OH]

32 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Not a bad move. It makes it seem like the U.S. kids are prisoners of the system. 

With his family unable to afford sending him to showcases and tryouts, he had to move to get more attention from scouts, and he explained Sunday it made more sense to live with a grandma in the Dominican, where scouts swarmed.

From this article https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cards-prospect-reyes-sizzles-in-futures-game/article_dfca0c98-fb67-58ea-a5b3-3e3145babc6d.html

It seems he didn't move to avoid the draft, but to get attention of scouts.

[VaBird1]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Not a bad move. It makes it seem like the U.S. kids are prisoners of the system. 

That is the complaint that a lot of Americans have voiced.

[jcarm]

3 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

With his family unable to afford sending him to showcases and tryouts, he had to move to get more attention from scouts, and he explained Sunday it made more sense to live with a grandma in the Dominican, where scouts swarmed.

From this article https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cards-prospect-reyes-sizzles-in-futures-game/article_dfca0c98-fb67-58ea-a5b3-3e3145babc6d.html

It seems he didn't move to avoid the draft, but to get attention of scouts.

This is mostly why players move (to get more attention from scouts). This will continue to happen. It was at least part of the reason why Reyes moved. With the new International bonus allotment restrictions fewer players will have incentive to move to avoid the draft. 

[Ohfan67]

Thinking out loud: I think there's a high probability that the Orioles will not use all of their pool money. The explosion on the board will be enormous as everyone re-assesses the bonus slot money that was thrown into the summer trades, possibly just to make the trades look better. Hmmm. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Ohfan67 said:

Thinking out loud: I think there's a high probability that the Orioles will not use all of their pool money. The explosion on the board will be enormous as everyone re-assesses the bonus slot money that was thrown into the summer trades, possibly just to make the trades look better. Hmmm. 

If they sign VVM and still have 2.5M left I won't be upset.  They traded for slot money that they ended up not needing.  I don't want them to pay him more just to use up the money.

Now if they don't land VVM...

[Hallas]

8 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Not a bad move. It makes it seem like the U.S. kids are prisoners of the system. 

With the hard limits on spending, I believe there is more money in the rule 4 (domestic) draft system now.  So under current rules, that should be an American kid's first option.  It seems to make the most sense for talented kids whose families can't afford the showcase schedule but have connections abroad.  It's also possible that people that aren't going to command 3rd round money or better are better off going.

[TGO]

No recent news on Sandy Gaston (since the Marlins pulled their offer/denied ever making one)?