Crew nears deals with 3 Top 30 int'l prospects

The Brewers signed more than 35 international prospects during the 2017-2018 signing period, and the total is close to 50 prospects from nine different countries when the previous period is included.
:: 2018 International Signing Period ::
Expect the club to be busy unearthing talent again.
According to industry sources, the Brewers agreed to deals with outfielder Eduarqui Fernandez, who ranked No. 18 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list and shortstop Branylan Jaraba, No. 26, for $1.1 million each.
The Brewers are also the favorite to land No. 20 Eduardo Garcia, who is not eligible to sign until he turns 16 on July 10, for a bonus amount similar to Jaraba and Fernandez. There's also a deal for $500,000 with outfielder Erys Bautista of the Dominican Republic.
The club did not confirm the deals.
Fernandez, who is from the Dominican Republic, is an aggressive hitter with some pop and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He profiles as a center fielder, but could end up in one of the corner outfield positions because of his size and overall skill set. He has been compared to a young version of former big leaguer Alex Rios.
Garcia, who is from Venezuela, is one of the top defenders in this year's class. The teenager could hit 10-12 home runs in the big leagues one day, but it will be his glove more than his bat that will propel him through the Minor Leagues and make him an everyday player.
As for Jaraba, the teenager from Colombia is a big-bodied athlete with a plus bat, plus power and plus arm potential. He's a decent shortstop now and projects to be an above-average defender at third base in the future.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs -- like the Brewers -- that received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the MLB Draft received a pool of $6,025,400, while clubs that received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A of the Draft received $5,504,500. All other clubs received $4,983,500.
Teams are allowed to trade as much of their international pool money as they would like, but can only acquire 75 percent of a team's initial pool amount. Additionally, signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count toward a club's bonus pool, and foreign professional players who are at least 25 and have played in a foreign league for at least six seasons are also exempt.