The Braves sign 17-year-old Venezuelan shortstop for a $5 million signing bonus.
On Monday, Jose Perdomo and the Atlanta Braves reached an agreement for a $5 million bonus, which is the greatest amount for an international amateur born in Venezuela and the largest amount on the opening day of the 2024 international signing season.
MLB.com ranked the 17-year-old shortstop as the third eligible prospect.
The San Diego Padres and Leo De Vries, who is considered the best prospect, agreed to a $4.2 million deal. De Vries was born on October 11th.
The New York Mets reached an agreement with Vladi Miguel Guerrero, an outfielder/infielder who is the half-brother of Toronto star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the son of Hall of Fame slugger Vladimir Guerrero. Yovanny Rodriguez, a catcher and the No. 6 prospect, and the Mets also worked out a $2.85 million deal.
Along with Venezuelan outfielder Victor Hurtado with Washington ($2.7 million), Dominican shortstop Joseph Dawel with Seattle ($3 million), Dominican outfielder Adolfo Sanchez with Cincinnati ($2.7 million), and Dominican shortstop Joswa Lugo with the Los Angeles Angels ($2.3 million) were among the others who received more than $2 million.
The signing period for this year runs through December 15th, and players born between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, are eligible to sign. Signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count against a team’s cap; signing bonus pools range from roughly $4.65 million to nearly $7.1 million.
MORE UPDATE:
This year, when clubs were getting ready for Spring Training, my colleague Anthony Castrovince assembled this list of the top 10 teams who had won the offseason.
The top two clubs on the list were the Padres and the Mets, two expensive teams that will miss the postseason in 2023. However, the Rangers, the winners of the World Series, came in third. Making significant offseason decisions is therefore not entirely negotiable. Still, the Braves won 104 games, which was a Major League record, even if they did not compete for the fabled offseason title.
It’s wonderful to watch supporters become enthused about the offseason activities. Fans of the Dodgers should be ecstatic. That benefits the game. Funnier still was watching D-backs owner Ken Kendrick tell reporters that superstar Shohei Ohtani is only one of nine players for the team his team defeated in the postseason this year in response to the news of his signing.
While the offseason is enjoyable, each team’s experience varies. Some teams require major improvements. All other teams need is some filler. Ultimately, October is the one month you should actually aim to win. From November through January, you can take care of yourself, but nothing is certain in the wintertime.
My mother has always advocated that how you spend your money matters more than how much you own. Splurging is enjoyable. Effective spending pays off.
As we anticipate the new season, consider these three points:
As the Mariners’ top prospect after dealing All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to the Mets, Kelenic would always have to contend with pressure in Seattle. Yes, the Braves have invested about $17 million, a substantial sum of money, in Kelenic’s future. But he should be free of the strain he had with the Mariners in Atlanta.
Sitting close to the bottom of a lineup that includes Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ronald Acuña Jr., he could blast more than 20 home runs. Working with Chipper Jones and the many other hitting instructors on the Braves should help this left-handed slugger reach his full potential.
2024 prospect to keep an eye on: Hurston Waldrep
Hurston Waldrep, the highly regarded right-hander selected by the Braves with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft from the University of Florida, will be the centre of attention. Waldrep used a strong splitter to lead the Gators to the verge of a College World Series championship. He spent a lot of time studying video clips of John Smoltz in order to perfect his swing-and-miss pitch. In 23 Waldrep pitched 29 1/3 innings at four different Minor League levels, striking out 41 batters with a 1.53 ERA. Although he’s still getting to know the professional scene, it wouldn’t be shocking if he moved to Atlanta at some time during season ’24.
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