Toronto Blue Jays ($4.75 million)
To sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for $3.9 million in 2015, the Blue Jays went over their bonus pool by a tick under 15 percent, putting them in the 10-15 percent pool overage window to trigger a one-year penalty of being unable to sign anyone for more than $300,000 during the most recent 2016-17 signing period. I doubt the Blue Jays regret that decision, as Vladdy Jr. has become one of the game’s elite prospects.
With the Blue Jays facing restrictions last year, they had an early, aggressive eye on the top talent in the 2017 class and looked prepared to blow through their bonus pool this year, but the CBA put hard caps on spending. They still scoured the 2017 class thoroughly and are tied to five players ranked among the Top 50 prospects, including the top pitcher, Brazilian righthander Eric Pardinho (No. 14). Teams for the most part had extremely consistent scouting reports on Pardinho, whose combination of stuff, feel for pitching and easy delivery are excellent, but differed on how much they were willing to pay for that skill set from a 16-year-old righthander who’s 5-foot-9. If there’s a team that won’t shy away from a pitcher who is 5-foot-9, it makes sense that it’s the Blue Jays, who drafted and developed Marcus Stroman.
Dominican shortstop Miguel Hiraldo (No. 23), Venezuelan righthander Alejandro Melean (No. 32), Panamanian shortstop Leonardo Jimenez (No. 36) and Dominican outfielder Alberto Rodriguez (No. 38) are all linked to the Blue Jays as well. So are shortstops Jostin Chirinos and Jose Rivas, catcher Geiver Gimenez, outfielder Carlos Canache and Ronald Govea, all from Venezuela.
lol.