Going, going gone: Braves' lost prospects' new teams

[rico43]

All departures (and returns) catalogued here. December 5th was first day they were able to sign elsewhere.

RE-SIGNED
Yefri del Rosario (Royals): $650 K ($1 million Braves bonus)
Kevin Maitan (Angels) $2.2 M ($4.3 million Braves bonus)
Abrahan Gutierrez (Phillies) $550 K ($3.53 million Braves bonus)
Yenci Pena (Rangers) $675 K ($1.05 million Braves bonus)
Livan Soto (Angels) $850 K ($1 million Braves bonus)
Yunior Severino (Twins) $2.5 M ($1.9 million Braves bonus)
Juan-Carlos Negret (Royals) TBA ($1 million Braves bonus)
Guillermo Zuniga (Dodgers) $205 K ($350 K Braves bonus)

AVAILABLE

Juan Contreras, rhp (Braves bonus: $1.2 million)
Brandol Mezquita, of (Braves bonus: $300,000)
Angel Rojas, ss (Braves bonus: $300,000)
Antonio Sucre of (Braves bonus: $300,000)

[rico43]

Former Braves prospect Yefri del Rosario has found a new team. The RHP agreed to a $650K deal with the Royals. The pitcher was one of 12 prospects granted free agency after an MLB investigation determined Atlanta circumvented the international signing guidelines. @MLBPipeline's Jesse Sanchez tweeted the news.

[Chico]

I'd assume Severino will be next. Those are the two I think we'll regret losing the most.

[AerchAngel]

I am late to the party, can we resign any of the players we lost?

[bravesfanforlife88]

I am late to the party, can we resign any of the players we lost?

Not until May 1st

[striker42]

How this kind of thing should be done is that the prospects contracts aren't terminated, instead they become property of MLB. MLB then lets teams bid on the prospects. The money paid for the contracts goes to the team that had the prospects taken (up to the full value of the contract).

A system like this prevents prospects from enjoying the benefits of illegal signings and then getting a second signing bonus. It also keeps the loss of prospects from turning into a ridiculous fine.

[Enscheff]

I want to keep a running total of how much less they sign for now. It will be interesting to see just how badly the Braves overpaid for these guys while costing themselves access to the international market for the rest of this decade.

[biggentleben]

I want to keep a running total of how much less they sign for now. It will be interesting to see just how badly the Braves overpaid for these guys while costing themselves access to the international market for the rest of this decade.

The exact dollar amount means nothing. Many guys will get paid significantly less because there's no money left for a lot of teams or they're holding out for another guy right at the moment. The one guy you'll see that was a good sign of an overpay was Gutierrez, but everyone knew that when he was signed.

[Southcack77]

I want to keep a running total of how much less they sign for now. It will be interesting to see just how badly the Braves overpaid for these guys while costing themselves access to the international market for the rest of this decade.

Totally different system though.

[bravesfanforlife88]

Totally different system though.

True. These guys will more than likely sign for less now, having the money already paid by the Braves.

[mfree80]

True. These guys will more than likely sign for less now, having the money already paid by the Braves.

This is correct. What they sign for now will in no way be a true indicator of their value.

[JxnMissFan]

Wasn't Maitan signed for 4 million originally?

[Southcack77]

How this kind of thing should be done is that the prospects contracts aren't terminated, instead they become property of MLB. MLB then lets teams bid on the prospects. The money paid for the contracts goes to the team that had the prospects taken (up to the full value of the contract).

A system like this prevents prospects from enjoying the benefits of illegal signings and then getting a second signing bonus. It also keeps the loss of prospects from turning into a ridiculous fine.

So you want to make it harder on 16 years olds with no bargaining power and easier in organizations caught deliberately circumventing the rules.

[striker42]

So you want to make it harder on 16 years olds with no bargaining power and easier in organizations caught deliberately circumventing the rules.

I want the organizations caught circumventing the rules to be punished in proportion to their crime. Voiding these contracts is tantamount to millions of dollars in fines as the Braves are out the money and the prospects.

Also, I don't think it's right at all that a player can be a party to circumventing the rules, keep his signing bonus, and then go get a second one. I understand a lot of these players are young and have no power. I'm not saying take their original bonus away. On the contrary, make these guys live up to the contracts they signed. Those contracts are just assigned to a different team.

[mqt]

I want the organizations caught circumventing the rules to be punished in proportion to their crime. Voiding these contracts is tantamount to millions of dollars in fines as the Braves are out the money and the prospects.

Also, I don't think it's right at all that a player can be a party to circumventing the rules, keep his signing bonus, and then go get a second one. I understand a lot of these players are young and have no power. I'm not saying take their original bonus away. On the contrary, make these guys live up to the contracts they signed. Those contracts are just assigned to a different team.

But again, the theory behind the penalty was that we bundled players in 2015 in order to be able to sign the kids in 2016. The players never circumvented the rule that we're being punished for, at least as far as we know.

[striker42]

But again, the theory behind the penalty was that we bundled players in 2015 in order to be able to sign the kids in 2016. The players never circumvented the rule that we're being punished for, at least as far as we know.

And assigning the players contracts to another team wouldn't punish them. It just prevents them from getting a second signing bonus. Right now, players have a huge incentive to induce teams to break the rules, roll on them, get declared a free agent, and then get a second signing bonus.

I don't think declaring these guys free agents was smart. Baseball should be assigning their contracts to the highest bidder.

Personally, I think baseball should decide an amount to fine an organization, take the prospects, sell their contracts, and if there's anything in excess of the fine, it's returned to the offending organization.

[Enscheff]

And assigning the players contracts to another team wouldn't punish them. It just prevents them from getting a second signing bonus. Right now, players have a huge incentive to induce teams to break the rules, roll on them, get declared a free agent, and then get a second signing bonus.

I don't think declaring these guys free agents was smart. Baseball should be assigning their contracts to the highest bidder.

Personally, I think baseball should decide an amount to fine an organization, take the prospects, sell their contracts, and if there's anything in excess of the fine, it's returned to the offending organization.

I really, really, really, hope we see a bunch of prospects leak info of their illegal signings.

I know it's purely out of spite, but I want to see it more than I want to see anything happen this offseason.

[Southcack77]

And assigning the players contracts to another team wouldn't punish them. It just prevents them from getting a second signing bonus. Right now, players have a huge incentive to induce teams to break the rules, roll on them, get declared a free agent, and then get a second signing bonus.

I don't think declaring these guys free agents was smart. Baseball should be assigning their contracts to the highest bidder.

Personally, I think baseball should decide an amount to fine an organization, take the prospects, sell their contracts, and if there's anything in excess of the fine, it's returned to the offending organization.

To be clear, you think it is a bad idea that players are incentivized to report wrong doing.

[mqt]

And assigning the players contracts to another team wouldn't punish them. It just prevents them from getting a second signing bonus. Right now, players have a huge incentive to induce teams to break the rules, roll on them, get declared a free agent, and then get a second signing bonus.

I don't think declaring these guys free agents was smart. Baseball should be assigning their contracts to the highest bidder.

Personally, I think baseball should decide an amount to fine an organization, take the prospects, sell their contracts, and if there's anything in excess of the fine, it's returned to the offending organization.

I think the idea is that it incentivizes the cooperating with the league in investigations.

[Southcack77]

I want the organizations caught circumventing the rules to be punished in proportion to their crime. Voiding these contracts is tantamount to millions of dollars in fines as the Braves are out the money and the prospects.

Also, I don't think it's right at all that a player can be a party to circumventing the rules, keep his signing bonus, and then go get a second one. I understand a lot of these players are young and have no power. I'm not saying take their original bonus away. On the contrary, make these guys live up to the contracts they signed. Those contracts are just assigned to a different team.

It's not a fine. The braves already paid the money some time ago. Those bonuses have nothing to do with their finances going forward because they are off the books. A fine would impact their ability to spend or profit.

You are essentially arguing that they should get the money they spent illegally back as a windfall. That's remarkably stupid.