Passan is a prominent baseball columnist for ESPN and was the recipient of last year’s National Sportswriter of the Year award from the National Sports Media Association. In his article for ESPN, he discusses the legal case former Los Angeles Angels prospects Willy Fañas and Keiderson Pavon have against the organization that revoked verbal agreements that were made with the prospects while underage – Fañas was 14 when he entered a verbal agreement with the Angels while Pavon was 15. The case’s handling in the Dominican legal system has huge implications for players rights in the academy system going forward. It encourages accountability from MLB teams who are in the Dominican breaking national laws.
Underage signings through verbal agreement are one issue that circumvents MLB standards and Dominican law, where the meetings serve as agreements that will be made valid as players reach the age of 16 where those signings are legal. Following the case is important for the future of players rights and could create more tension between the Dominican Republic and Major League Baseball. Passan also notes that the MLB approached the most recent collective bargaining agreement reached with a consideration for an international draft that it had previously disregarded.
At an Aug. 31 hearing, lawyers continued to argue the cases of Willy Fañas and Keiderson Pavon, who alleged in court filings that they agreed to deals with the Angels — Fañas for $1.8 million when he was 14 years old and Pavon for $425,000 as a 15-year-old — but that they were not honored following a change in the organization’s front office. Players from outside the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada are not officially allowed to sign until they are 16 years old, but those from hotbeds such as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela regularly reach handshake deals with teams when they are as young as 12.
Passan, Jeff. “Prospects Willy Fañas, Keiderson Pavon suing Los Angeles Angels, alleging agreements pulled back by team.” ESPN. September 8, 2022.
Passan, Jeff. n.d. “Prospects Willy Fañas, Keiderson Pavon Suing Los Angeles Angels, Alleging Agreements Pulled Back by Team.” ESPN. Accessed December 13, 2022. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34549387/prospects-willy-fanas-keiderson-pavon-suing-los-angeles-angels-alleging-agreements-pulled-back-team.