Jim Callis has posted the bonus pool amounts for the 2014 amateur draft and international signings. Due to their finish in the standings, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in the bottom 1/3 of each list.
For the draft pool, the Pirates will have $5,606,100 to spend on their picks in the first ten rounds combined. That ranks them 21st overall. The Pirates pick 24th overall and they also have a competitive balance pick after the second round. They select 65th and 74th overall. As Callis explains, these numbers could change slightly if Stephen Drew and/or Kendrys Morales sign with a team before the draft starts.
As for the international signing period, which begins on July 2nd, the Pirates rank 26th overall. They will have $1,930,400 to spend. That shouldn’t be a problem for the Pirates, as they have had success finding hidden gems like Starling Marte($85,000) and Gregory Polanco for $150k. They tend to shy away from the higher priced players, sticking to mid-range six figure bonuses, while making occasional exceptions in the cases of Luis Heredia and Harold Ramirez.
One of the downfalls of the new draft system is that it rewards failure, so when a team like the Pirates finish well like they did last year, they get penalized twice in the amateur ranks the following season. There will be extra pressure on the scouts this year to stretch the limited funds they are allotted.
