Landmark international class has first 7-figure bonus

With 17 international free agents signed Friday, including two signed to the first seven-figure bonuses in club history, Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias heralded it a “landmark day” in the team’s rebuilding efforts.

“Being really good in this market is essential to any team,” Elias said. “We still have some catch-up to do, but this class is a gigantic step. [Senior director of international scouting Koby Perez] started with us in January of 2019 and because of how this market works, that’s a pretty late start on what really was going to be a 2020 July 2 signing class that obviously got shifted because of the coronavirus to this January.

“To get two of the premiere guys in the class, starting that late, is difficult. Koby was opportunistic, and we’re excited about these players and the rest of the class.”

Elias, who had international scouting experience when he was hired in late 2018, brought Pérez and his staff on quickly to help jump-start a facet of the organization that was dormant for much of the previous decade. The most promising Latin American players often require seven-figure bonuses and are recruited years in advance. Perez said Elias made visits to the Dominican Republic to aid that effort, a show of how committed the Orioles are in that market.

“I think that the importance of the Latin American, July 2-style international scouting has been fueled by the changes we’ve seen in the game of baseball the last 20 years,” Elias said. “The younger players being able to come up and impact the game so immediately because of the quality of player development that has improved across the game, and also the quality of player development in these countries. Now, they comprise about a third of the overall talent in Major League Baseball, and it’s arguably more of the star talent right now.”

The two largest bonuses of the newly signed group belong to catcher Samuel Basallo, whose $1.3 million bonus is the largest the club has given out to a Latin American amateur player, and Venezuelan shortstop Maikol Hernández.

The Orioles described Basallo as having above-average raw power and an above-average arm behind the plate, while they said Hernandez has “five-tool potential” and good ability at shortstop.

While they represent nearly half the $5.25 million the Orioles are permitted to spend in the international market this signing period, the rest is spread around on six-figure bonuses. Outfielder William Feliciano of the Dominican Republic signed for $400,000, with shortstop Victor Celedonio signing for $360,000. Dominican outfielder Teudis Cortorreal and shortstops Euribiel Castillo and Anderson de los Santos signed for $350,000 apiece.

Perez said earlier this week that the high-profile signings were ones that have taken years to develop, dating back to before he and Elias joined the Orioles organization in the 2018 offseason.

He said Friday that this signing period shows the Orioles are “ready to go” as major players in the market going forward.

“We’ve already put our feet in the fire down here, and we’re seeing all the top guys,” Perez said. “We’re in a good situation.”

Dominican Republic; C

Dominican Republic; SS Dominican Republic; OF

Dominican Republic; LHP Dominican Republic; SS Dominican Republic; OF Dominican Republic; SS Maikol Venezuela; OF Dominican Republic; OF Dominican Republic; C Dominican Republic; OF Dominican Republic; LHP Dominican Republic; C Venezuela; OF Venezuela; Dominican Republic