Originally Posted by
redsmetz
It's really not just Alonso and in many ways, MLB has brought this on themselves. Attempting to put a brake on escalating signing bonuses, they implement this system that is voluntary and yet leaves teams hanging try to stay within its constraints. And drafted players and their agents, I think, have decided they won't buy that system. There are a lot of drafted 1st rounders who haven't signed (from what I could find, just ten out of 30 picks - only one third).
If ultimately a significant number of draftees remain unsigned, MLB will have to go back to the drawing board. I imagine that making a slotting system mandatory would have to be addressed in the Basic Agreement, but I could be wrong on that.
But at this point, I don't think this is solely, or even mostly, a Reds failure.