JUST IN: Trade update: The Phillies are in contract negotiations of a $1.4 million deal with 17-year-old Dominican outfielder

The Phillies have called Citizens Bank Park home since 2004. (Phillies Nation/Tim Kelly)
The international signing window opened on January 15, and the Phillies’ class of 2019 is led by a young Dominican outfielder.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB Pipeline reports that the Phillies and 17-year-old Jalvin Arias have reached a $1.4 million agreement.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey reports that the Phillies reached agreements with 21 players. As of Tuesday morning, the following names were visible on Baseball America’s international signing tracker:

Venezuelan catcher Cesar Mujica
Pitcher Julio Polanco Jr., who is right-handed, Republic of the Dominican
Venezuelan catcher Anderson Nava
Dominican Republic outfielder Winifer Castillo
Yadimir Fuentes, Cuban catcher
Mexican left-handed pitcher Jorge Guzman
Dominican Republic shortstop Mailerson Casanova
Venezuelan outfielder Ibrahim Ruiz
Venezuelan outfielder Josueth Quiñonez
Shortstop Jose Familia Republic of the Dominican
Bena, Cristobal, shortstop, Republic of the Dominican Republic
Venezuelan outfielder David Freitas
Rene Yrish, a Dominican Republic-born right-handed pitcher
The deadline for international signings is December 15. During the signing period, players who are not residents of the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico and who are at least 16 at the time of signing but will be 17 or older by September 1st of the following year may sign with teams.

It’s not always the case that the player who signs for the highest salary is the best in the class. Shortstop Luis Garcia led the Phillies’ 2017–18 international signing class, earning a $2.5 million contract in July of 2017. Johan Rojas signed a $10,000 contract with the Phillies a few months later. Rojas is expected to start at centre field for the squad on Opening Day, while Garcia was designated for assignment by the Phillies in September 2022.

With $4,652,200, the Phillies, Yankees, Rangers, and Padres have the smallest international bonus pool to work with this season. In the summer, the team signed qualifying free agent Trea Turner, for which they forfeited one million dollars from this year’s pool.

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