The Angels' biggest transaction on the international scene was the signing of Japanese star Shohei Ohtani last year, but the club's overall commitment to the global market should not be overlooked.
:: 2018 International Signing Period ::
In addition to Ohtani, the club also signed 20 prospects from the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela during the 2017-2018 international signing period. Their dedication to the market continues this period.
According to industry sources, the Angels are the front-runners to land outfielder Alexander Ramirez of the Dominican Republic. Ramirez, who ranks No. 24 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, is from San Cristobal and is trained by his father, Cadri Ramirez, and Amaurys Nina.
Ramirez, who is not eligible to sign until his 16th birthday on Aug. 29, is expected to command a bonus in the $1 million range.
The club has not yet confirmed the deal.
Ramirez is a solid defender overall. He has the size and the tools that could land him in one of the corner outfield spots as his body matures. At the plate, Ramirez has shown good footwork, an advanced approach at the plate, and the ability to make hard contact to all fields. He's been praised for his raw power and has made strides on all parts of his game in recent months.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs 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 received $5,504,500. All other clubs, including the Angels, 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.