Article: MLB Announces 2024 Draft, 2025 International Signing Period Bonus Pools

[Jamie Cameron]

MLB today announced the 2024 MLB Draft and 2025 international signing period bonus pools. Read to find out where the Brewers rank financially against other MLB organizations.

Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp

Today, MLB released bonus pool allocations and pick values for the 2024 MLB Draft. Additionally, MLB released international signing bonus pools for the 2025 signing period.

Despite making the playoffs and only picking 17th in the first round, the Brewers find themselves in a favorable position for the 2024 draft. They have the 9th largest bonus pool overall, at $12,984,400. This is primarily a function of the compensation pick they landed in the Corbin Burnes trade with the Orioles, which landed them an extra $2.7 million in draft capital.

The Brewers top 100 picks and slot values are as follows:
Slot value for pick 17: $4,534,100 (first round)
Slot value for pick 34: $2,698,300 (Competitive Balance Round A - acquired in Corbin Burnes trade)
Slot value for pick 57: $1,562,100 (second round)
Slot value for pick 67: $1,226,800 (Competitive Balance Round B)
Slot value for pick 93: $788,700 (third round)

This combination of financial and pick flexibility puts the Brewers in a strong position ahead of a draft class shaping up to be much weaker than 2023, but with a strong and deep crop of college players.

Reminders on Draft Financials
Organizations are allowed to spend up to 5% more than their total pool without incurring a penalty, a choice many teams take advantage of. The Twins and the Rockies are the only MLB teams who have never spent any overage on their bonus pool. Any amount up to 5% over the pool is met with a 75% tax on the overage. If a team spends between 5-10% more than their pool, the penalty is 75% tax on the overage and loss of a future first rounder. Any team who exceeds their bonus pool by more than 10% up to 15% pays 100% tax on the overage and will lose a first and second round future pick. Any team who exceeds their bonus pool by more than 15% loses two future first round picks in addition to paying 100% tax on the overage.

Rounds 11-20 work differently to the first half of the draft. These picks do not come with an assigned slot value. Teams can spend up to $150,000 per pick without that spending coming out of their bonus pool. If they spend over that amount, any overage will be deducted from their bonus pool. For example, an 11th round pick signing for $250,000 will result in $100,000 being subtracted from that teams’ bonus pool. 

MLB Announces 2025 International Bonus Pools
MLB announced bonus pools for the 2025 international signing period today. The 2025 signing window opens on January 15th, 2025 and runs through December 15th, 2025. The Brewers are in a group of eight teams (which also includes the Reds) who have the joint largest bonus pools. The Brewers can spend $7,555,500 in the 2025 international signing window.

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[old hickory]

Thanks for the updates!  Looks like the Brewers are in a good position to pad the farm!

[SF70]

$2M more than last years pool, so a good opportunity for Johnson & co. to continue to put together good to great draft-classes like he has the last 4 years and 5 of the last 6.

Then next year we get comp A, a high likelihood of a mid 30’s pick for Adames, with maybe another mid 30’s pick with Hoskins. 

$15M-$17M next year in pool money could potentially make next years class incredible.

Then in ‘26 with the possibility of more extra draft-capital from Woodruff-Williams or another opt-out.

This team could have a strong farm system all the way thru the rest of this decade. Amazing to think how that translates to the big-league club.

[snoogans8056]

5 hours ago, SF70 said:

$2M more than last years pool, so a good opportunity for Johnson & co. to continue to put together good to great draft-classes like he has the last 4 years and 5 of the last 6.

Then next year we get comp A, a high likelihood of a mid 30’s pick for Adames, with maybe another mid 30’s pick with Hoskins. 

$15M-$17M next year in pool money could potentially make next years class incredible.

Then in ‘26 with the possibility of more extra draft-capital from Woodruff-Williams or another opt-out.

This team could have a strong farm system all the way thru the rest of this decade. Amazing to think how that translates to the big-league club.

And that’s in addition to the seemingly constant flow of stud 18 year old internationals going straight to A-ball.