A year ago on July 2, the Rays signed shortstop Wander Franco, once considered the top prospect in the 2017-2018 international class, and the club went on to ink more than two dozen prospects during the period.
:: 2018 International Signing Period ::
This year, the Rays have once again targeted one of the top prospects on the international market.
According to industry sources, the Rays agreed to a $1.4 million deal with shortstop Alejandro Pie, ranked No. 22 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list. Pie is big, athletic and loaded with talent.
The Rays have not confirmed the deal.
At the plate, Pie displays above-average bat speed and projects to have above-average raw power in the future. He has shown smooth defensive actions and strong arm. He's a also solid runner -- consistently clocked in the 6.6-6.7-second range in the 60-yard run.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs -- like the Rays -- 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.