So I see a decent international player (who I most likely can't afford) but have never seen a demand like this.  He wants $2.8 million dollar bonus (normal) but also wants a big league type contract earning $54,500 for 3 years.  What essentially does this mean?  When I see 'Big League' I assume Major League, but $54,500 is well below the minimum for that. He is also only 20 years old.  On the other hand I didn't think there could be multi year minor league contracts.  So when this guy signs, what is his new owner going to be able to do with him?

It means he's on the 40 man roster.

He can still be assigned to the minor leagues, but he will be burning his option years while on the 40 in the minors.  If whoever signs him wants to remove him from the 40, he would have to clear him through waivers, which would probably be unlikely.

Incorrect.  Designate without waivers.   He burns 1 option year. 

Good point.  I forgot about that.

So I read this a few weeks ago, filed it away... then I ended up signing an IFA just like this the other day. But I forgot about the player going on my 40. Now that I've already assigned him to a minor league team - he's only 18 - am I reading this correctly that it's now too late to use the "Designate and burn one option year" move to take him off my 40? My league is already in the recallable waiver period, if that has any effect.

you can designate without waivers then assign him back to current level.  

Just did it with one of my guys...wish I had thought about this earlier missed out an a better guy because the other team offered MLB contract...live and learn

I have an amateur draft pick I signed to a big league contract- I can designate him without waivers and assign him to the same level?  The language WIS uses make it sounds like he will be waived or released after ten days if I designate the player

@groth911 - after reading this I followed gdmetz's advice and did so with my player. I already had him at HiA, and he had already played in games... Designated without waivers, then Assigned to HiA. Also, he's still showing three options. Not sure if that will change next season, but it's not a big deal to me.

I agree with you, WiS wording doesn't fully explain how you can use Designate. There's a tendency to confuse it with auto-Release or auto-Waive, it's actually more of a way to manipulate rosters without doing those things.

A) Yes, you can designate without waivers and then assign a player assuming, of course, he has options.

B) Yes, damag, your player will have two options next year.  He burnt one this season. 

it's really a glitch.  you shouldn't be able to get someone off the 40 man roster without waiving him, but in the SIM you can even if at times it says you can't

Yes, it's a glitch.