Hi there!
First of all, I found it really helpful to have local players to be regular starters or even key players on your team in order to boost the merch.
For instance, Americans!
Espeically when you're in lower levels, is always good to train draftees up for few seasons in order to hide their gradually improving skill sets with lower salaries and also in the process of making them corner stones of your team.
Hope this helps!