THE IFA 20/20 CLUB

WHO IS THE HIGHEST PAID INTERNATIONAL FREE AGENT EVER?

Houston, TX (McC.com) – Who was the highest, International Free Agent (IFA) ever signed to a major league contract? Well, let us help you with that question. Listed below you’ll find McCabe Magazine’s list of the top International Free Agents that ever played in the major leagues. We named these forty-three (43) players the “Twenty, Twenty Club.” The players in the 20/20 Club received a bonus of at least $20 Million to sign with that franchise. And as always, you can click on the player's name to view his profile.  

	TOP 10 in BONUS PAID
	International Signings
Rank	Player	Season	Signing Franchise	Signing Owner	Age	Pos	Bonus	Hometown
1	Geovany Tabata	34	Chicago Cubs	rod33	18	P	$34.3M	Barahona, DO
2	Shouta Kim	35	Chicago Cubs	rod33	19	P	$33.0M	Kobe, JP
3	Bernie Estrella	17	Chicago White Sox	kgrffth	18	SS	$30.0M	La Romana, DO
4	Jose Valdes	27	Seattle Mariners	mark3313	22	LF	$29.0M	Pueblo Viejo, DO
	Mariano Elcano	19	Oakland Athletics	jefepwnzer	18	P	$29.0M	Havana, CU
6	Marino Martin	29	Richmond Virginians	spintens	18	P	$27.0M	Hato Del Rey, DO
7	Jenrry Arredondo	26	Kansas City Royals	TenaciousTYT	20	P	$25.8M	Tijuana, MX
8	Andres Padilla	25	Arizona Diamondbacks	yoker70	18	SS	$24.8M	Hatillo Palma, DO
9	Juan Benitez	25	Houston Astros	mitt0108	18	SS	$24.7M	Victoria, MX
	Ignacio Valentin	25	Oakland Athletics	jefepwnzer	18	2B	$24.7M	Jarabacoa, DO
	THE NEXT TEN
Rank	Player	Season	Signing Franchise	Signing Owner	Age	Pos	Bonus	Hometown
11	Yovani Cedeno	28	St. Louis Cardinals	slurie2001	19	SS	$24.3M	Caibarien, CU
	Tony Cortes	5	St. Louis Cardinals	rklongball	18	2B	$24.3M	Barahona, DO
13	Leyson Beltre	28	Baltimore Orioles	GuerillaZen1	18	P	$24.1M	Moncion, DO
14	Yamid Zapata	17	Atlanta Braves	bigsammich	21	P	$24.0M	El Seibo, DO
15	Luis Eovaldi	25	Richmond Virginians	spintens	21	SS	$23.9M	Dist. Nacional, DO
16	Alexei DaSilva	15	Toronto Blue Jays	dimestoregin	19	SS	$23.6M	Juarez, MX
17	Alex Javier	33	Chicago Cubs	mikemiele	18	2B	$23.5M	Mao, DO
	Juan Beltre	32	Philadelphia Phillies	sbank65	20	C	$23.5M	SF De Macoris, DO
19	Jeimer Bennett	34	Texas Rangers	goldenbaer88	18	CF	$23.0M	Telica, NI
	Julio Colome	19	San Diego Padres	jgarron	18	SS	$23.0M	Boca Chica, DO
	Norberto Martin	4	Pittsburgh Pirates	lefty32	18	P	$23.0M	Paradera, AW
	AND THE REST
Rank	Player	Season	Signing Franchise	Signing Owner	Age	Pos	Bonus	Hometown
22	Chico Callaspo	17	Chicago Cubs	optistrat	18	2B	$22.7M	B. De Haina, DO
23	Karim Espinosa	33	Philadelphia Phillies	sbank65	19	P	$22.6M	Dist. Nacional, DO
24	Junior Meng	29	Baltimore Orioles	GuerillaZen1	18	RF	$22.4M	Kobe, JP
25	Robinzon Leon	18	Chicago White Sox	kgrffth	18	P	$22.1M	Chiriqui, PA
26	Eugenio Jose	23	St. Louis Cardinals	421werd	18	RF	$22.0M	B De Haina, DO
27	Didi Alvarez	19	Chicago White Sox	kgrffth	20	2B	$21.8M	Changuinola, PA
28	Jose Lecuona	35	Philadelphia Phillies	sbank65	18	P	$21.0M	Villa Vazquez, DO
	Willie Johnson	21	Oakland Athletics	jefepwnzer	18	SS	$21.0M	Villa Gonzalez, DO
	Benito Belliard	4	Atlanta Braves	bscoresby	18	CF	$21.0M	Rio San Juan, DO
	Felipe Lopez	2	Chicago White Sox	willcatfan	18	P	$21.0M	I. Quisqueya, DO
32	Alejandro Gonzalez	21	Minnesota Twins	optistrat	18	SS	$20.9M	Jarabacoa, DO
33	Tomas Padilla	19	Toronto Blue Jays	dimestoregin	18	SS	$20.8M	Fantino, DO
34	Julio Olivares	7	Pittsburgh Pirates	lefty32	18	P	$20.7M	Ancon P
35	Willie Silva	8	Texas Rangers	madmuldoon	18	SS	$20.6M	S. FMacoris, DO
36	Pasqual Profar	18	Chicago Cubs	optistrat	18	RF	$20.5M	Rancho Viejo, DO
	Yeico Benitez	11	Kansas City Royals	TenaciousTYT	20	P	$20.5M	Maiquetia, VE
38	Victor Diaz	32	Chicago Cubs	mikemiele	18	P	$20.1M	Chitre Herrera, PA
39	Denny Satou	26	Seattle Mariners	mark3313	18	P	$20.0M	Yokosuka, JP
	Raul Escalona	23	Pittsburgh Pirates	nbaker10	18	P	$20.0M	Rio San Juan, DO
	Vasco Marquez	21	San Diego Padres	jgarron	18	P	$20.0M	Pueblo Viejo, DO
	Pedro Manuel	20	San Diego Padres	jgarron	23	P	$20.0M	Los Teques, VE
	Pedro Figureoa	8	Milwaukee Brewers	cougdawg	18	P	$20.0M	Los Llanos, DO

STAT OF THE DAY 

League Leaders
Best Pitchers vs Left Hand Batters OBP Zac Boyer Anaheim Angels Age: 25 B/T: S/R Born: Fort Atkinson, WI Position(s): P (SP5) View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Player	G	GS	BFP	OAV	OBP	SLG
Zac Boyer (LAA)	2	2	28	0.107	0.107	0.250
Andrew Campbell (MIL)	6	0	17	0.125	0.118	0.250
Jumbo Rivera (PHI)	2	2	17	0.118	0.118	0.235
Vladimir Prieto (FLA)	7	0	18	0.167	0.167	0.278
Leo Lidle (HOU)	7	0	23	0.174	0.174	0.565
Myron Webster (NY2)	3	3	17	0.125	0.176	0.125
Al Oliva (FLA)	3	3	28	0.120	0.179	0.120
Jair Ramirez (OAK)	2	2	16	0.188	0.188	0.688
Guilder Tavarez (SF)	4	0	15	0.077	0.200	0.077
Corban Grimsley (FLA)	8	0	24	0.174	0.208	0.261

Best Pitchers vs Right Hand Batters OBP Al Oliva Florida Marlins Age: 31 B/T: R/R Born: South Bend, WA Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Player	G	GS	BFP	OAV	OBP	SLG
Al Oliva (FLA)	3	3	50	0.043	0.100	0.043
Ezequiel Mendoza (TB)	2	2	26	0.080	0.115	0.240
Charlie Redmond (RIC)	3	0	16	0.125	0.125	0.125
Fausto Cedeno (STL)	3	0	16	0.125	0.125	0.125
Dayan Duran (PIT)	3	3	34	0.094	0.147	0.094
Jenrry Arredondo (KC)	3	3	32	0.129	0.156	0.355
Tommie Simmons (HOU)	3	3	38	0.135	0.158	0.189
Cody Speier (CH1)	5	0	19	0.111	0.158	0.333
Brendan Matthews (FLA)	3	3	61	0.123	0.167	0.211
Amp Valdes (OAK)	7	0	18	0.167	0.167	0.167

Best Hitters vs Left Hand Pitching OPS Flip Gibson Colorado Rockies Age: 28 B/T: R/R Born: Red Lake, MN Position(s): LF/1B/2B/RF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Player	G	AB	HR	AVG	OBP	OPS
Flip Gibson (COL)	7	19	5	0.579	0.600	1.968
Blake Henson (HOU)	7	14	3	0.500	0.611	1.825
Stevie Young (WAS)	7	19	4	0.526	0.571	1.729
Kenneth Stewart (WAS)	6	14	1	0.571	0.625	1.696
Jeff Clemens (COL)	6	17	3	0.471	0.500	1.676
Rey Shibata (TEX)	6	11	2	0.455	0.500	1.591
Damaso Mercedes (TB)	8	17	3	0.412	0.444	1.444
Harry Thayer (SEA)	9	20	3	0.350	0.480	1.380
Lyle Jordan (PHI)	10	24	3	0.417	0.462	1.378
Luke Hudson (RIC)	10	18	3	0.389	0.421	1.365

Best Hitters vs Right Hand Pitching OPS Morgan Rhodes Colorado Rockies Age: 26 B/T: R/R Born: N Ridgeville, OH Position(s): 2B/CIF/OF View Hardball Dynasty Profile
Player	G	AB	HR	AVG	OBP	OPS
Morgan Rhodes (COL)	10	12	1	0.667	0.692	1.776
Luke Hudson (RIC)	13	45	4	0.533	0.543	1.432
Rudy Choate (ATL)	11	32	3	0.500	0.568	1.349
Chick Fielder (KC)	14	40	3	0.450	0.542	1.292
Scot Swann (ROC)	12	33	3	0.455	0.486	1.274
Ronald Nimmo (TOR)	13	44	5	0.386	0.400	1.241
Kenny Chambers (TOR)	13	37	5	0.378	0.452	1.236
Darrel Davies (WAS)	12	36	5	0.333	0.442	1.220
Rusney Rosado (LAA)	10	30	2	0.433	0.485	1.218
Damaso Mercedes (TB)	12	38	4	0.395	0.452	1.216