International affairs
The Marlins organization features a bevy of top international talent, but several of those players arrived at a steep price
The Athletic published a piece this winter in which it chose each major league club’s best international signee over the last 10 years.
#1 prospect Eury Perez was selected as the Marlins’ representative on the list. The Dominican-born righthander finished 2022 and began 2023 at Double-A Pensacola even though he just turned 20 last month.
Interestingly, however, 4 other current Marlins organization players were among those selected as other teams’ best international singings in the past decade, which is encouraging news for an organization that—over its 31 seasons—has a shockingly poor record of signing and developing international talent.
Sandy Alcantara was the Cardinals’ pick as best international signing over the last decade. Jazz Chisholm represented the D-Backs. Luis Arraez was picked for the Twins. And Sixto Sanchez was chosen for the Phillies.
Why is it so critical to sign and develop elite international talent, particularly for a low-revenue, low-payroll team like the Marlins?
Look at it this way:
The cost of acquiring international standouts Alcantara, Chisholm, Arraez and Sanchez via trade for the Marlins was Marcell Ozuna, Zac Gallen, Pablo Lopez, Jose Salas, Byron Chourio and J.T. Realmuto. That’s a lot of past, present and potentially future major league star power.
Contrast that outlay of talent with what it originally cost the Cardinals, D-Backs, Twins and Phillies to sign those 4 players:
A combined total of $400,000.
The major league minimum salary in 2023 is $720,000. Alcantara ($125,000), Chisholm ($200,000), Arraez ($40,000) and Sanchez ($35,000)—all 4 combined—were originally signed for less than 56 percent of the price of one season of a minimum-salary big leaguer.
Miami signed current #1 prospect Eury Perez in 2019 for only $200,000, a small fraction of the acquisition cost of the other international talents who arrived in the organization via trade.
The Marlins hope they’re on the verge of some major international breakthroughs to reverse 3 decades of struggles in the global market. They currently have 12 international signees ranked among their Top 30 Prospects by either Baseball America, MLB Pipeline or both.
That list includes the righthander Perez (the organization’s consensus #1 prospect), shortstop Yiddi Cappe, second baseman Ian Lewis, outfielder Antony Peguero, second baseman Marco Vargas, outfielder Jose Gerardo, outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (who had his first taste of the big leagues in 2022), righthander George Soriano (up briefly in April), righthander Walin Castillo, righthander Franklin Sanchez, catcher Ronald Hernandez and outfielder Victor Mesa Jr.
When international signees become impact major leaguers, they’re generally the best bargain in Baseball when compared to high draft picks and players acquired via trade or free agency.
The Marlins desperately need to hit on some of the international prospects they currently have climbing the minor league ladder.
Here’s a look at how much 20 of the top international stars in the majors today signed for originally. Clubs listed are those that initially signed each player.
Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL $100,000 in 2014
Sandy Alcantara, STL $125,000 in 2013
Jose Altuve, HOU $15,000 in 2007
Yordan Alvarez, LAD $2,000,000 in 2016
Luis Arraez, MIN $40,000 in 2013
Xander Bogaerts, BOS $410,000 in 2009
Rafael Devers, BOS $1,500,000 in 2013
Andres Gimenez, NYM $1,200,000 in 2015
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR $3,900,000 in 2015
Pablo Lopez, SEA $280,000 in 2012
Starling Marte, PIT $85,000 in 2007
Martin Perez, TEX $580,000 in 2007
Jose Quintana, NYM $50,000 in 2006
Jose Ramirez, CLE $50,000 in 2009
Julio Rodriguez, SEA $1,750,000 in 2017
Juan Soto, WAS $1,500,000 in 2015
Fernando Tatis Jr., CWS $700,000 in 2015
Julio Urias, LAD $1,800,000 in 2012
Jose Urquidy, HOU $100,000 in 2015
Framber Valdez, HOU $10,000 in 2015
Again, to illustrate how cost effective international signings can be, every single player on this list originally signed for less—and in most cases significantly less—than the $6 million bonus received by Marlins 2022 first-round pick Jacob Berry. Each of the last 5 Marlins top draft picks signed for more than any player on the above list of 20 international stars.
In fact, you could combine the signing bonuses of 15 of the 20 players on the list—Acuña, Alcantara, Altuve, Arraez, Bogaerts, Gimenez, Lopez, Marte, Perez, Quintana, Ramirez, Tatis, Urias, Urquidy and Valdez—and still be $554,900 short of Berry’s 2022 signing bonus and more than $1 million shy of what JJ Bleday signed for in 2019 and what Max Meyer received to sign in 2020.
In the 5 drafts since the current ownership assumed control, Marlins #1 picks Connor Scott, JJ Bleday, Max Meyer, Kahlil Watson and Jacob Berry signed for a combined $27,948,990 in bonuses. The total combined signing bonuses of the 20 international stars listed above is $16,180,015.
Scott and Bleday are no longer in the organization. Meyer underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022. Watson and Berry are both currently playing for high-A Beloit.
Some might argue that international signings can be very hit-or-miss, and, yes, that is the case. But so is the draft, even the top of the draft.
Major League Baseball instituted its draft in 1965. Of the 58 players who have been drafted first overall, only 3 have plaques hanging in the Baseball Hall of Fame: Harold Baines, Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones.
Among international players who signed since the draft was instituted in 1965, 7 have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame: Roberto Alomar, Pedro Martinez, Ivan Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez, Mariano Rivera and David Ortiz, with all taking their place among the Game’s immortals since 2011 and more on deck.
Finally, to illustrate the Marlins’ historic struggles in the international market referenced above, they have made only 6 international signings all-time (4 position players and 2 pitchers) who went on to compile a total career WAR of 2.0 or better as members of the Marlins.
For context, a WAR of 2.0 can routinely be put up in 2 months by an above-average major leaguer. Toronto’s Matt Chapman already has a 2.1 WAR in 2023. Luis Arraez had a 1.6 WAR through the end of April, and is likely to have a WAR above 2.0 by the middle of May in this, his first season with Miami.
But only 6 of the club’s international signees all-time have ever reached that level during their entire careers with the Marlins.
And while there’s a future first-ballot Hall of Famer on the list, Miguel Cabrera’s Cooperstown resume was largely written in Detroit.
Luis Castillo, DR…22.4 WAR with the Marlins
Miguel Cabrera, VZ…18.3 WAR with the Marlins
Marcell Ozuna, DR…13.8 WAR with the Marlins
Edgar Renteria, COL…5.0 WAR with the Marlins
Livan Hernandez, CUBA…3.3 WAR with the Marlins
Jose Ureña, DR…2.4 WAR with the Marlins