Major League Baseball’s international signing period began Monday, but the Reds won’t have an opportunity to make a big splash in the second year of a two-year penalty phase.
Penalized for exceeding their bonus pool money from 2016-17, the Reds are unable to sign a prospect to a contract above $300,000.
According to Baseball America, the Reds signed six international free agents Monday including five players from the Dominican Republic. None were ranked on Baseball America’s Top 50 players list.
"It obviously limits the pool of players that are feasibly available to us," said Eric Lee, the Reds' senior director of international operations.