From the moment the 2015-2016 international signing period began last July, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the aggressive spenders many expected them to be. Their early haul included Cuban right-hander Yadier Alvarez, and outfielder Starling Heredia and Ronny Brito, both out of the Dominican Republic.
Alvarez received a $16 million signing bonus, while Heredia received $2.6 million and Brito $2 million. Cubans Omar Estevez and Yusniel Diaz were then added to the organization in November.
In exceeding their allotted bonus pool by 15 percent to sign various players subject to international signing restrictions, the Dodgers faced a 100 percent tax penalty on dollars spent, plus a $300,000 bonus limit for international amateurs over the next two international signing periods.
Thus, the Dodgers naturally looked to maximize their efforts prior to the current international signing period that closed on Wednesday. They were recently linked to Lazatiro Armenteros, Jose Miguel Fernandez and Vladimir Gutierrez.
While Los Angeles was unable to add one of those three to the fold, Cuban outfielder Yordan Alvarez signed for $2 million, per Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com:
According to industry sources, the Dodgers agreed to a $2 million deal with Cuban teenage outfielder Yordan Alvarez on Wednesday afternoon.
Alvarez, who will turn 19 years old on June 27, hit .279/.342/.327 with three doubles, two triples, one home run and 26 RBIs in 74 games over two seasons with Las Tunas in Cuba’s Serie Nacional.
Although considered an outfielder, the left-handed hitting Alvarez spent the majority of his time playing first base in Cuba.
The next international period begins July 2, and the Dodgers will be hamstrung by the aforementioned bonus limit until June 15, 2018. The have a $2,118,900 bonus pool for the 2016-2017 international signing period, per Baseball America.
Including the tax penalty, the Dodgers total spent on 2015-2016 international bonuses is just north of $92 million.
