Rangers can offer most money to Otani
NEW YORK Texas, the New York Yankees and Minnesota can pay the most to a young international amateur free agent as highly touted pitcher-outfielder Shohei Otani prepares to enter the market.
The Rangers can agree to a maximum US$3,535,000 signing bonus from their pool that covers July 2 through next June 15, according to figures compiled by Major League Baseball. New York can pay $3.25 million and the Twins $3,245,000.
Three other teams can give him a seven-figure signing bonus: Pittsburgh ($2,266,750), Miami ($1.74 million) and Seattle ($1,570,500).
After that comes Philadelphia ($900,000), Milwaukee ($765,000), Arizona ($731,250), Baltimore ($660,000), Boston ($462,000) and Tampa Bay ($440,500).
Twelve teams are capped at $300,000 as penalties for exceeding their signing bonus pool under baseball’s previous collective bargaining agreement, which did not have a cap: Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas City, the L.A. Dodgers, Oakland, St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington.
Other clubs have even less available: Detroit ($159,500), the Los Angeles Angels ($150,000), the New York Mets ($105,000), Toronto ($50,000), and Cleveland and Colorado ($10,000 apiece).
Each team started with a pool of $4.75 million, $5.25 million or $5.75 million, and amounts could be traded. Most of the money was spent on Latin American prospects.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the 23-yearold Otani can only agree to a minor-league contract subject to signing bonus pools. If added to a big-league roster, he would have a salary for about the minimum $545,000 next season and not be eligible for salary arbitration until 2020. If he waits until he is 25 to enter Major League Baseball, there would be no restrictions and he likely would get a deal for more than $100 million. MLB has warned of severe penalties if a team attempts to sign Otani to a secret long-term contract, then announce it in future years.