"The Marlins have acquired minor league catcher Carlos Martinez from the Giants, according to announcements from both clubs. The Giants receive international bonus pool space in return. Under the international bonus pool system, each team has a finite amount they can spend on international amateurs each year. Broadly speaking, the bigger-market teams get smaller pools and vice versa, in the name of competitive balance."
"Per Ben Badler of Baseball America, Miami started with a relatively larger pool of about $7.3571MM. The Giants began with the smallest pool of $5.44MM, tied with three other clubs. That was because they paid the competitive balance tax in 2024 and then signed Willy Adames, who had rejected a qualifying offer from the Brewers, ahead of the 2025 season."
"The Giants gave out the biggest bonus for any individual player in this class when they signed Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez for $5MM, using up the vast majority of their pool. This deal gives them a bit more wiggle room for other signings, though it's unclear exactly how much. Conversely, the Marlins don't appear to have given any one player more than $1MM, at least with the deals Badler has tracked at BA."
Marlins acquired 18-year-old minor-league catcher Carlos Martinez from the Giants in exchange for unspecified international bonus pool space. Martinez, signed last year for $47.5K, hit .143/.259/.242 in 27 Dominican Summer League games and was not on the 40-man roster, so no corresponding 40-man move was required. Under the international bonus pool system teams have finite annual budgets and may trade pool space in $250K increments, but no team can increase its initial pool by more than 60%. Miami began with about $7.3571MM; the Giants began with $5.44MM and had used most of it on a $5MM bonus for Luis Hernandez. Last year the clubs also swapped pool space for a player.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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