SF Giants add a pair of top position players on the international market

On Monday, the 2024 - 2025 international free-agent cycle began. It was reported that the SF Giants have agreed to terms with catcher prospect Yoendry Sanchez and infield prospect Jhonny Level, per Jesse Borek and Jesús Cano of MLB.Com.

SF Giants add a pair of top position players on the international market

These deals are usually agreed to well in advance of the start of the cycle. However, they can be made official once January 15 rolls around. The Giants have not confirmed the signings yet.

Both Sanchez and Level are expected to receive signing bonuses in the neighborhood of $1 million each. The Giants have a bonus pool of $5.284 million, so these signings require a large commitment of their overall bonus pool space.

In recent years, the Giants have handed out substantial signing bonuses to some of the better prospects on the market. Last year, they inked outfield prospect Rayner Arias for $2.7 million. That was a tad above Marco Luciano's $2.6 million signing bonus that was agreed to in 2018 and well below Lucius Fox's $6 million signing bonus in 2015.

According to MLB.Com's rankings, Sanchez is ranked as the No. 36 prospect in this year's class followed closely by Level at No. 44. The scouting reports suggest that power is Sanchez's best tool at the moment, but he has made some nice strides behind the plate:

Sanchez shows lots of raw power and arm strength. The young catcher moves well for his size and has made significant strides in his overall game on defense. His power is ahead of his other tools at the moment, and he has flashed the potential to leave the yard in all directions.

On the other hand, the scouting reports on Level highlight his swing mechanics from both sides of the plate while recognizing a key strength on defense:

Level is an athletic, switch-hitting infield prospect with fluid swinging mechanics and a natural feel for hitting. He has the potential to hit for both power and contact -- from both sides of the plate. Scouts have been impressed with his elite bat speed... his arm strength has been his most notable tool on defense.

The arm strength is an encouraging sign because it means he might be able to stick on the left side of the infield. However, his range could be what determines whether he plays more at shortstop or third base.

This is a moot point today. The position is usually determined down the road once they start seeing game action. It is an exciting day for Giants fans as they get to welcome some intriguing prospects into the organization.

It might take years before they rise through the minors, but signing is such an exciting moment, and hopefully, the first step in a long and fruitful career.

Editor's note: The Giants announced the rest of their 20-player class on Monday as well.