Most Players Skipped MLB’s Workout For Former Braves Prospects

Major League Baseball held a showcase today in the Dominican Republic for the 12 former Braves prospects whose contracts the league voided, but most of the players did not show up.

Of the 12 players, just three—outfielders Antonio Sucre and Brandol Mezquita and shortstop Angel Rojas—were at the workout, which was at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo. According to multiple sources, several players did not show up to the workout because they are in the middle of their offseason and felt that MLB did not give them sufficient time to prepare themselves to be showcased for clubs.

Players are eligible to sign with any of the other 29 teams beginning on Dec. 5. The players are allowed to keep their original signing bonuses they received from the Braves and are allowed to receive a second signing bonus from another club as long as they sign by Jan. 15. Only the amount of the signing bonus above $200,000 will count toward a team’s international bonus pool, and the signing club can inform MLB whether it wants the player’s bonus to count toward either its current 2017-18 bonus pool or its upcoming 2018-19 bonus pool.

After Jan. 15, a player can still sign with another club, but he can’t receive a second signing bonus. A player can still re-sign with the Braves, but must wait until May 1 to do so and will not be allowed to receive a second bonus from them.