ACCORDING TO MBL PIPELINE: Why Philadelphia Phillies Agree With a Deal to sign a young outfielder and also Deal Top 20 International Prospect

The Philadelphia Phillies made the most of their $1 million less in foreign spending on Monday by reaching an agreement with a Top 20 prospect.

Jalvin Arias, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, and the Phillies have reached an agreement, according to MLB Pipeline. The 17-year-old will receive a $1.4 million bonus. The Phillies have not made the agreement public yet.

The Phillies can spend $4,652,200 in bonus money abroad. As a condition of signing Trea Turner in the previous offseason, they lost $1 million. Turner rejected the Dodgers’ qualifying offer, therefore the Phillies have to forfeit $1 million as part of the deal.

Arias, who ranks No. 19 in MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings, will be the Phillies’ top-ranked foreign prospect this cycle.

A significant portion of the Phillies’ $4.644 million bonus pool from the previous season went toward signing highly sought-after Dominican Republic shortstop Starlyn Caba to a $3 million bonus in January of last year.

During his season in the Dominican Summer League, Caba batted.301 with two doubles, two triples, and seventeen runs batted in. The Phillies of the Florida Complex League have already been assigned to him.

However, it usually takes a few years for overseas prospects to get ready for the Major Leagues. Caba is ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect by the Phillies, although MLB Pipeline indicates that he won’t likely sign with the team until at least 2027.

The Phillies are probably not done coming to an agreement on the first day of the signing period, which concludes on December 15, based on their extremely minimal spending on Arias. Arias joins a team that is home to 10 outfielders ranked in the Top 30 prospects, including Justin Crawford, the No. 3 prospect and 2022 first-round selection of the Phillies.

“Arias sports an explosive uppercut swing that plays well alongside his idea of what he wants to do at the plate,” states MLB Pipeline. As he continues to grow and fill out physically, at 210 pounds with gap-to-gap pop, there should be more in the tank in the power area.