After more than a year of rumors, outfield prospect Pedro Pineda is officially part of the Oakland A’s organization.
Friday brought the beginning of this year’s international signing period, during which time teams may begin inking contracts with amateur prospects from abroad. It’s not a bidding war, as each club has a modest maximum amount they’re allowed to spend, so everyone gets a fair chance to recruit the top names. These signing periods usually begin in July, but this one was pushed back from last summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While deals couldn’t become official until today, many of the best prospects often have their destinations figured out ahead of time. For example, Pineda has been linked to Oakland since August 2019, with that rumor reaffirmed last April. So, it’s not news that he’s coming to the A’s, but rather that pen was finally put to paper.