The Phillies are adding one of the top prospects in Venezuela to their farm system.
According to industry sources, the club has agreed to a $2.05 million deal with shortstop William Bergolla, the No. 4 prospect on MLB.com’s Top 50 International Prospects list.
The Phillies have a base signing pool of $5,179,700.
Bergolla already shows solid bat-to-ball skills and an advanced approach and understanding of the strike zone. He shows line-drive power, and more pop is expected to come as he develops and his body matures.
The teen shows good footwork, soft hands and a strong enough arm to keep him at the position as he makes his way through the Minor Leagues. He has solid range and good baseball instincts.
He’s been praised for his baseball IQ and awareness on both sides of the ball. He is the son of former Major League player William Bergolla Sr., an infielder who spent the majority of his career in the Reds’ system and with various teams in Venezuela’s Winter League.
Bergolla trains with veteran trainer Yasser Mendez, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association finalized a deal in March 2020 that addressed the international signing period during the pandemic. The 2022 international signing period runs through Dec. 15, 2022, the second year in a row the period, which previously began July 2, started in January.
The current rules also state that teams are not allowed to trade any of their international pool money. Signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count toward a club’s bonus pool, and foreign professional players who are at least 25 years of age and have played in a foreign league for at least six seasons are also exempt.
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