International signing period moved from July ’20 to January ’21

TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 07: Yoelkis Cespedes #16 of Cuba hits a double in the third inning of the World Baseball Classic Pool B Game One between Cuba and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 07: Yoelkis Cespedes #16 of Cuba hits a double in the third inning of the World Baseball Classic Pool B Game One between Cuba and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

The international signing period is officially delayed. So, who benefits most?

The traditional MLB international signing period usually starts July 2, but it has now been moved to January of 2021 as per Ben Badler of Baseball America.

The postponement of the season has also affected other scheduled events such as the draft and now international free agency.

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In a season which has been full of surprises, we have another in the long line of COVID-19 related delays.

The new exact date for free agency is January 15 and it will end the 15 of December as per J.J. Cooper and Baseball America. This timetable will also be the same for 2022.

Of the Cubans that already have agreements in place, Norge Carlos Vera, Yiddi Cappe , and Pedro León look to be the most affected by this postponement.

While Oscar Luis Colás is the one who benefits the most from these changes, this will give him a chance to come to an agreement with SoftBank for his release from his contract and removal from the restricted list. Colás and his representatives are in the middle of tense negotiations with the Japanese ball club.

The Yoelkis Céspedes situation on the other hand looks to be indifferent by the situation because although he is a free agent there is no agreement in place with the player and any ball club.

For the 2021 international signing period, Dyan Yamel Jorge who has an agreement in place with the Colorado Rockies can’t officially sign with the team until January of 2022.

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Below is every team’s available money to spend in international free agency and which Cuban has an agreement in place with an MLB team.

  • $ 6,431,000 –Brewers, Reds, Marlins (Yiddi Cappe, $3.5M), Rays, Tigers, and Twins
  • $5,899,600 – Cardinals, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies, Indians, Royals, and Orioles
  • $5,348,100 – Astros (Pedro Leon, $4M), Athletics, Mariners, Rangers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, White Sox (Norge Carlos Vera, $1.5M), Mets, Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers, and Giants
  • $4,372,700 – Angels and Phillies
  • $4,22,700 – Yankees
  • $1,572,700 – Braves