While the 2016-17 international signing period begun Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are forced to abide by limitations handed to them after going well beyond their bonus pool during last year’s signing period.
Those limitations prevent the Dodgers from signing pool-eligible international players for more than a $300,000 bonus over the next two signing periods. On top of the spending limitations, Los Angeles also was forced to pay a 100-percent tax for every dollar they spent above their given pool from last year’s signing period.
However, the Dodgers are still permitted to spend freely on international players who are exempt from spending limitations.
One player who is eligible for Los Angeles to pursue is Cuban infielder Yuliesky Gurriel. He’s made the rounds recently, and reportedly participated in a private workout for the Dodgers last month.
Gurriel, who is regarded as a widely talented player with professional behavior, has also drawn interest from the Miami Marlins, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, among others.
Being one of the top talents in the international market, Gurriel reportedly is seeking at least a four-year contract, according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball:
Gurriel is said by a couple interested executives to be seeking a deal for four-plus years (meaning this year plus four more) for something along the lines of the going rate for the top Cubans, which is in the $10 million to $12 million range. One exec of a team not tied to Gurriel estimated he’d get a deal of “three to four years” for “$40 million to $50 million.”
Gurriel is naturally a third baseman, but has also time at second base and is believed to be capable of playing a corner outfield spot. In parts of 15 seasons in Japan and Cuba, Gurriel hit .335/.417/.580 with 250 home runs and 1,018 RBIs.
Gurriel’s time in Japan was only a stretch of 62 games in 2014, when he hit 305/.349/.536 with 22 doubles, 11 home runs and 30 RBIs.
If the Dodgers are able to sign Gurriel, he would join Yadier Alvarez, Yusniel Diaz, Yasiel Puig, Yasiel Sierra, and Yordan Alvarez as Cuban players to join the organization. Other Cubans signed by the Dodgers but no longer with the club include Alex Guerrero and Hector Olivera.
