Explaining Free Agency for International Prospects

Coming into the 2019 season, the top three prospects in all of baseball were international prospects signed through the complicated free agent process. How does international free agency work and why is it important for teams to use this process to stock their farm system?

On July 2, 2019, the free agency period for international prospects will begin for the 2019 season. This means that players who meet the criteria of being an international free agent and who have been deemed eligible by the MLB can sign with teams across the league.

Now even though the 2019 season has begun, the international free agency period from 2018 is officially not over until June of 2019. While most teams have used quite a significant amount of their money from last year, international prospects who entered last year still have a chance to be signed before June 15, 2019.

If you were to look at your favorite MLB team, some of the best players in the organization may have originated from the international waters. Players such as Ronald Acuna, Willy Adames, and Luis Severino all came to the MLB through this process, and this is only just the tip of the iceberg. While the amateur draft for collegiate and high school pitchers does gain the most scouting and attention, the international market can produce high level, talented players for any team willing to take the time scout and draft outside the States.

With the international bonus, pools have been allotted to teams across the MLB for 2019, here is an in-depth look at how this process works and how teams gain and lose their bonus money.