The Boston Red Sox will not be allowed to sign any international amateur players for a year, and five of their signees were declared free agents Friday after an investigation by Major League Baseball found that signing-bonus rules were broken.
Right-handed pitcher Cesar Gonzalez, outfielders Simon Muzziotti and Albert Guaimaro, and infielders Antonio Pineiro and Eduardo Torrealba all were made free agents, according to multiple media reports. All will be free to sign with other teams beginning Saturday.
Yahoo Sports reported that the players will get to keep the bonuses they received from Boston. If the players sign with new teams, the first $300,000 of their bonuses will not count against the money they get in their new deals.
MLB found that the Red Sox exceeded the $300,000 maximum they were permitted to hand out in bonus money to international signees in the past year. The limit was established after Boston gave Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada a $62 million contract in January 2015.
According to multiple reports, the Red Sox tried to skirt the spending limit with “package” deals, funneling money through agents who were working with several players. The players with higher values would get more of the money, while others would receive a lesser amount than what was listed as their bonus.
The Boston Herald reported that the Red Sox declined comment on the sanctions.
All five of the minor-leaguers the Red Sox lost are 17 years old.
Muzziotti was hitting .317 with a .354 on-base percentage, a .383 slugging percentage, no homers and 10 RBIs in 17 games for one of the Red Sox’s two rookie-level Dominican Summer League affiliates. Gonzalez was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in five relief appearances for the same club, while Torrealba was batting .247 with no homers and 10 RBIs in 22 games.
Playing for Boston’s other Dominican affiliate, Guaimaro was batting .253 with one homer and 13 RBIs in 22 games. His teammate Pineiro was hitting .198 with no homers and six RBIs in 21 games.
According to Yahoo Sports, Guaimaro is the top prospect among the quintet.
The Red Sox will still be able to sign pro international free agents during the next year, such as those from Asian leagues.