MIAMI -- After completing two trades in less than a week, the Marlins have significantly closed the gap on the Orioles for having the most international bonus pool dollars to spend on international free agents.
And Miami isn't done exploring even more trades to have the necessary resources to sign prized Cuban prospects Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr., and Sandy Gaston.
The Marlins on Wednesday dealt right-handed reliever Kyle Barraclough to the Nationals for international bonus pool money. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
But according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez, the Marlins obtained $1 million from Washington. Sanchez also reports Miami acquired $750,000 from the Reds last Saturday for right-handed pitching prospectRyan Lillie.
The two deals push the Marlins' international bonus pool total to just over $6 million. Baltimore currently has the highest allotment at $6.7 million.
According to a source, the Marlins are not done pursuing even more trades to put themselves in position to sign the Mesa brothers and Gaston. The three worked out in front of about 75 scouts last Friday at Marlins Park.
The Mesa brothers are both outfielders, and Gaston is a right-hander with a 97-mph fastball.
Victor Victor Mesa, 22, is ranked No. 1 on MLB Pipeline's Top International prospect list. Gaston, 16, is rated 16th. Victor Jr. is a 17-year-old.
Before trading Barraclough and Lillie, the Marlins had $4.3 million of international bonus money, which was second to the Orioles.