MLB teams International Free Agent (IFA) pools were reset on Monday, January 15th, officially beginning the 2024-25 signing period. Since the league has chosen not to enforce rules preventing teams from negotiating with players prior to their eligibility, teams announced dozens of signings, many of which had been agreed to months (if not years) prior. The SF Giants announced agreements with 20 different players from throughout Latin America (11 from Venezuela, 5 from the Dominican Republic, and one player from Panama, Cuba, Brazil, and Aruba), pending physicals. The Giants have a $5.284 million signing pool, and general manager Pete Putila told The San Francisco Chronicle that the organization has retained enough space to add quality players who become available over the next year.

As expected, the class was headlined by switch-hitting shortstop Jhonny Level and right-handed hitting catcher Yohendry Sánchez, two of the top Venezuelan prospects in this year’s class. A source informed Giants Baseball Insider that no other players received a signing bonus worth $500,000 or more.

Sánchez, who received a $1.4 million bonus, has drawn comparisons to Gary Sánchez in terms of their skillset. His biggest tool is his power given his already physically mature frame. According to MLB.com, Sánchez has flashed the potential to hit home runs “in all directions”. There are swing-and-miss concerns and a tendency to expand the strike zone but there are hopes that it will improve due to his high marks in terms of makeup and work ethic. Even though he’s already a physical athlete, Sánchez has shown good mobility for his size with an above-average arm to stick at the position. He will likely receive the biggest signing bonus from the Giants in this cycle.