June 2nd starts a very exciting time for prospect nerds like myself, and it marks the beginning of the International Signing period. Teams can use their International Pool money to sign prospects.

These players must be at least 16 and can't reside in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. However, this year we had to wait a little longer for this window to open, but the fun will begin on January 15th.

Since 2017, each Major League Baseball team starts with 4.75 million dollars to spend on international players per year. Each team's money is based on various factors, such as if a team is over the luxury tax, acquires pool money in trades, or picks in a competitive balance round in the yearly MLB Amateur Draft.

For the 2021 season, the Nationals have $5,348,100 to spend on international signings, according to Baseball America. They have made this money count in the past, and if reports are correct, they look to make another big splash in this international signing period.

Before we look at who the Nats are reportedly going to add during this signing period, let's look at the players they have acquired this way before.

The Nationals History of International Signings

The Nationals International Signings can be looked at in two eras, pre Smiley Gonzalez and post Smiley Gonzalez. Smiley Gonzalez was a prospect for the Nationals who signed in 2006. Three years later, he was the focus of a federal investigation because he had lied about his age; this would cause the Nationals to rebuild their entire international signing process.

After 2009 the Nationals began a whole new process for signing international players, and Nationals fans have Johnny DiPuglia to thank for turning the system around. Once DiPuglia started to make changes, the signings began to roll in again. Players like Wilmer Difo, Raudy Read, and Reynaldo Lopez would join the team in the years to follow.

These signings all led up to 2013 where things would begin to change. The Nationals signed the 29th ranked international prospect that year in Anderson Franco for $900,000 and a guy named Victor Robles for just over $200,000. After signing Robles, the number of signings began to increase.

In 2014 the Nationals would use their $2,188,000 to sign five prospects, who unfortunately did not turn into much. In 2015 the Nationals international signing team would produce their biggest signing ever in Juan Soto (note: they almost snagged Acuna too).

The Nationals would continue to add guys like Yasel Antuna, Luis Garcia, Israel Pineda, Eddy Yean, Daniel Marte, Jeremy De La Rosa, Roismar Quintana, and Andry Lara in the years that followed.

These players can make impacts for this club, and Garcia has shown some flashes in the big leagues, while Yean was just the center of a trade package that brought us Josh Bell. Not every international signing will be successful, but since DiPuglia rebuilt the Nationals system, the Nationals are now a force to be reckoned with in the International Market.

The new reputation certainly has to have helped land us a top-level guy in this international signing period.

2020/21 International Signings for the Nationals

According to reports, this year, the Nationals will sign Armando Cruz, a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic. According to MLB Pipeline, Cruz is the 5th ranked international prospect and will receive a rumored 4 million dollar signing bonus from the Nationals. Cruz was recently the 4th ranked prospect, but Oscar Colas, also known as "The Cuban Ohtani," has a few years of professional ball under his belt in Japan, and Cuba was recently added to the pool.

At 4th or 5th best, Cruz will receive the most significant bonus the Nationals have ever given to an international signing.

The amount that Cruz is signing for is a significant number for an international signing, and according to Baseball America, it will be the 2nd biggest one given out by any team during this signing period. That is a lot of money for a 16-year-old, but all signs point to him worth it. You may or may not have seen the video of this kid's glove, but WOW.

Oscar Cruz's skills are well beyond his years, and I'm not sure I have seen someone as smooth as him at shortstop in a long time. Yes, the video is a total of a minute and 17 seconds long, but scouts rave about his defense as well. MLB Pipeline says he might be the best defender at any position in this class.

Additionally, Cruz's defensive skills are also awe-inspiring, which makes the defense is there, and while that is undoubtedly his main attribute, he still grades at a 55 hit tool on the 20-80 scale, which is above average. According to MLB Pipeline, Cruz consistently barrels the baseball and is a solid line-drive hitter. His glove will play for sure, that is known, but if he can grow into the above-average hitter's scouts think that he will become, then he will be a star for the Nationals.

According to Baseball America, the Nationals are also linked to Ramiro Altagracia and Genderson Zapata. Interestingly Baseball America has taken Altagracia out of their Nationals International Signing Preview, but we will know for sure once January 15th gets here.

Once Cruz's signing is confirmed, he will immediately be in the National's top 10 prospects and might even go all the way up to the top 5. He is that kind of prospect, and if everything works out Nationals, fans are in for a treat.