Below is a look at the top available international amateur free agents for this signing period. Though not particularly strong, this year's class looks to be better than last year. I don't have any signing bonus restrictions this year and likely will try to not exceed the limit.
I made initial offers to the top four players on the board as none of them were asking for a particularly high bonus. Much to my surprise, I ended up signing all four of them while staying under the $3 million limit. Part of this can be attributed to my scout liking all of these players more than OOTP.
SP Alberto Lira signed for $910k. He has the potential for above average pitchability, two above average pitches, and two average pitches. 3B Raul Sanchez signed for $600k. He projects to have a fairly balanced, average to above average bat. He also has a plus arm and should stay at third base. C Roberto Munoz signed for $570k. He projects to have an balanced, slightly above average bat. SP Antonio Soto signed for $910k. Currently his control is very poor, but he has a potentially great changeup and three other pitches that could be average.
While there isn't a standout prospect in this group, there is some intriguing potential. We will see in a few years what my development staff can accomplish with these guys.
Next we will look at how the Expos fared in July...