The Orioles begin the international signing period in 2024 with another seven-figure bonus.

Another international amateur signing period has opened for MLB teams. The Orioles are now several years into a new routine of being full participants in this process. They opened up their 2024 signing class with a group of players topped by the $1.3 million bonus given to Dominican shortstop Emilio Sánchez.

This marks the fourth straight signing period where the Orioles have handed out a bonus of at least seven figures. The 2024 class does bring an end to the streak of the Orioles setting a new record bonus each year. Last year’s top signing was shortstop Luis Almeyda at $2.3 million.

Players who are signing with teams today are amateurs outside of the US and Canada who are at least 16 years old. These are deals that have been agreed to in advance, with top players in a signing class sometimes reaching agreements two years ahead of time. That’s how teams are able to announce everything all at once.

Each team has a total bonus allotment available that it can choose to spread around as it wishes. The Orioles, at around $7.1 million, are one of six teams with the highest bonus pool. Teams that received a Competitive Balance Round B pick in last year’s amateur draft are in the top group for bonus pool this year.

Before Mike Elias took over, the Orioles did not do much in this market and largely missed out on the opportunity to sign a group of players that generally makes up about a third of the top 100 prospects at any given time. Once Elias and his staff on the ground had the opportunity to build up relationships, they’ve been able to make some quality and quantity signings each year.

A handful of teams are committing the majority of their pool to a single player. Three different prospects getting bonuses in excess of $4 million. That’s not a path that the Orioles have gone down yet. A year ago, Venezuelan catcher Ethan Salas received a colossal bonus of $5.6 million from the Padres. He’s already a top five prospect in MLB.

Not every big bonus guy becomes a star, but that’s sure a good start for the Padres. The Orioles are not doing too bad with $1.3 million catcher Samuel Basallo, signed two years ago today. The hope for everyone signed here is that they can break out in that way. These guys don’t have to turn into stars to be successful signings, though. Even a future useful roleplayer is one fewer guy the O’s have to find from elsewhere.