Two baseball prospects from the Dominican Republic are suing the Los Angeles Angels, claiming the team did not honor verbal contract agreements by backing out of deals

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A pair of baseball prospects in the Dominican Republic have filed suit against the Los Angeles Angels for not honoring verbal contract agreements, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday.

According to the report, arguments were made Aug. 31 in a Dominican court after the Angels were alleged to have backed out of deals with Willy Fañas and Kiederson Pavon just weeks before the official Jan. 15, 2021, signing date. The lawsuits were filed in May.

The deal for Fañas, age 14 at the time, was reported to be for $1.8 million, while Pavon alleged a $425,000 deal as a 15-year-old. According to the report, there is video of the Angels expressing their intent to sign Pavon.

While both players went on to sign with major league teams - Fañas with the New York Mets and Pavon with the Texas Rangers - both are seeking millions of dollars in damages.

The Angels are being sued for failing to carry out verbal agreements with 2 foreign prospects

The Dominican Republic treats verbal contracts as more binding than they are in the United States.

The Angels reportedly backed out of the deals after they made a change in their front office at the end of the 2020 season.

After firing general manager Billy Eppler, new GM Perry Minasian and his scouting department chose not to honor the contracts.

Jose Alfredo 'Felo' Sanchez, a longtime trainer in the Dominican Republic, who worked with Fañas says the Angels informed them of their decision in a call.

'They just called to tell us they wouldn't honor the agreement. They didn't come see him, didn't do anything. They just said they wouldn't honor the agreement and that was it. No explanation, no anything.'

Scouts under the Angels then-general manager Billy Eppler made the agreements

According to Passan, players from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, 'regularly reach handshake deals with teams when they are as young as 12.' 

That's a different process for players in the United States and Canada - including Puerto Rico - where they're not officially able to sign until age 16. 

The league attempted to include the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in upcoming drafts, but the plan was not added to the collective bargaining agreement that was agreed to in April which ended the owners' lockout.

'If these players don't present this claim to a judge, it will be repeated,' said Jose Jerez, a lawyer representing Fañas and Pavon. 

'It's a matter of conscience. It's important. People need to know this kind of agreement exists. If this does not have consequences, it will continue happening in the future.

After Eppler was fire in 2020, Perry Minasian took over as the Angels general manager

'If Major League Baseball doesn't force the teams to honor their agreements, this judgment won't necessarily stop the practice, but it'll be a precedent. That's what we're pursuing: a precedent.

'We understand that the law is on our side. Our clients didn't make any violations of their obligation, and they have completed all their obligations. Anaheim, they changed their position unilaterally without our consent. 

'This change of position without justification, we think this is the most important thing here that we will debate in the court.'

Angels owner Arte Moreno expressed last month that he is exploring a sale of the team in a deal that has the potential to reach $2 billion. Moreno purchased the team in 2003 for approximately $184 million.

Angels owner Arte Moreno is exploring options to sell the team, which could reach $2 billion