Comments on: Minor League Transactions: July 24-Aug. 1

By: dave

dave — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:45:53 +0000

Just for accuracy's sake, Lopez was committed to LSU Eunice, a junior college.

By: Elizabeth Cage

Elizabeth Cage — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:12:07 +0000

In reference to the Royals signing of Ryan Dale out of the MLB Australian Academy – the 7th signing out of the Academy this year. There have been six Academy products to reach the Major Leagues: Rich Thompson (with LAA, now AAA OAK), Luke Hughes (with MIN, now AAA TOR), Shane Lindsay (CWS, now AAA), Liam Hendriks (MIN, now AAA), Josh Spence (SD, now AAA) and Brad Harman (PHI, now retired).

There have been 16 players from the state of Victoria , including Dale, who have signed out of the MLB Australian Academy and are still active: Shane Lindsay, Josh Spence, Andrew Russell (ATL AAA), Darryl George (TB A-Short Season), Kable Hogben (ARI Low A), Joshua Hendricks (MIN R+), Liam Bedford (PHI R), James Brooks (WSH R), Sam Gibbons (MIN R), and the six in addition to Dale presently at the MLB Australian Academy: Ben Leslie (SFG), Aarons Sayers (DET), Adam Silva (NYY), Matt Wilson (BAL), Lewis Thorpe (MIN) and Dan McGrath (BOS).

By: Matt Eddy

Matt Eddy — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:49:14 +0000

@ RyanK.

MLB views passed-over NDFAs—whether from the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico—as the equivalent of 11th- to 40th-round draft picks. Accordingly, clubs can sign as many of them as they want for $100,000 each without penalty—but any excess counts against the club's 2012 draft signing budget.

Jim Callis adds that NDFAs may sign until they attend classes in the fall, and if they don't head to school, they can sign up until a week before the next year's draft.

By: RyanK.

RyanK. — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 05:03:10 +0000

I never realized that was the case. So if a NDFA signs a bonus with his contract, would that be deducted from the International Free Agent Pool?

By: Matt Eddy

Matt Eddy — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 21:05:50 +0000

@ RyanK.

Any draft-eligible player who gets passed over in the draft may sign as a free agent with any club, whether he comes from college, junior college or high school.

A few examples of high school NDFAs: Elliot Johnson of the Rays, Jamie Hoffman of the Orioles and R.J. Alaniz of the Astros.

I'll keep an eye out for Lopez.

By: RyanK.

RyanK. — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 19:37:06 +0000

It isn't in this update of the Minor League Transactions, but I saw that the Diamondbacks signed a NDFA by the name of Ernesto BJ Lopez, and he made his debut in the AZL last night according to the box. How is it possible for them to sign a player who is just out of high school (and upon some quick research LSU bound)??