Tatsuya Imai, RHP 

BA Grade: 60 | Risk: Low | Adjusted: 60

Born: May 9, 1998 | B-T: R-R | HT: 5-11 | WT: 154

Track Record: After winning the 2016 Summer Koshien tournament with Sakushin Gakuin, Imai made the jump directly from high school to Japanese professional baseball. He was drafted by the Seibu Lions with their first pick and spent his debut season with their Eastern League affiliate, the equivalent of Japan’s minor leagues. He broke in with Seibu’s first team in 2018 and saw mixed results over his first three seasons. He established himself as one of the top pitchers in the NPB in 2021, earning his first all-star nod. Imai was an all-star twice more in 2024 and 2025 and finished in the top 10 among starters in ERA each of his final two seasons with Seibu. Imai helped combine for a Lions no-hitter on April 18, 2025, throwing the first eight innings. On Nov. 18, 2025, Seibu posted Imai to MLB teams. 

Scouting Report: Imai is an undersized righthander who’s explosive and mobile on the mound. His low three-quarters slot borders on sidearm and creates a unique approach angle to the plate that creates deception and keeps hitters off balance. Imai throws four pitches, but his primary mix consists of a four-seam fastball, slider and splitter. His four-seamer sits at 95-97 and touches 98-99 at peak with a flat plane of approach and heavy armside run. The fastball is particularly effective when located in the upper third and has been adept at generating swings and misses. Imai’s slider is his best pitch and his primary swing-and-miss weapon. It has a gyro shape, sits 85-87 and touches 88-89 with late downshift that creates unique armside movement. The combination of Imai’s low arm slot, above-average velocity and late armside break make his slider a unique offering. The splitter is Imai’s third pitch, and it features good vertical separation off his fastball and heavy armside run to work as a swing-and-miss pitch in opposite-handed matchups. Imai threw a curveball around 2% of the time in 2025, and it featured spin rates in the 2500-2600 rpm range along with around 8-9 inches of sweep. There’s a real possibility a team adds a sweeper to his arsenal. Imai struggled to throw strikes early in his career, but he has seen consistent gains in that department in each of the last four seasons. He now projects for average control. 

The Future: Imai is a ready-made No. 3 MLB starter who should make an impact immediately. 

Scouting Grades: FB: 55 | CB: 40 | SL: 60 | CH: 55 | CTL: 50

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Munetaka Murakami, 3B

BA Grade: 55 | Risk: Mild | Adjusted: 50

Born: February 2, 2000 | B-T: L-R | HT: 6-2 | WT: 213

Track Record: Nicknamed “Murakami-Sama” as a play on the Japanese word for god (Kami-sama), Murakami is one of the most famous players in Japan. A prodigious power hitter, Murakami was a first-round pick signed by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows for 80 million yen in 2017. He became the youngest Opening Day starter in Swallows team history in 2019 at just 19 years old. Murakami won the Central League MVP award in 2021 en route to helping Yakult to their first Japan Series championship in 20 years. In 2022, Murakami set the NPB home run record for a Japanese-born player, topping Sadaharu Oh’s single-season mark of 55 on the final day of the season. In the three seasons since Murakami set the home run record, he’s struggled to replicate his 2022 production. 

Scouting Report: Murakami is a true slugger. His overall profile is driven by his top-of-the-scale raw power, which he’s shown an ability to get to in games. Murakami’s overall hitting identity falls into the “three true outcomes” bucket, as he comes with significant swing-and-miss paired with premium on-base skills. Murakami shows below-average contact rates against nearly every pitch type, but he does a majority of his damage against fastballs. His sample size against premium velocity is limited, but with plus bat speed, he should be able to catch up to top-end MLB fastballs once acclimated. Murakami struggles with offspeed and spin, as evidenced by running whiff rates over 40% against splitters, changeups, curveballs and sliders during his final season in NPB. Splitters, in particular, give Murakami fits, and he’s done very little damage against them. Despite some of the worst contact rates in NPB, Murakami has been one of its most noteworthy sluggers historically. He pairs plus-plus exit velocity data with premium launch angles, hitting majestic home runs and fly balls to all parts of the park. Murakami shows enough contact to get to his power while mitigating some of the risk of his natural swing-and-miss with selective swing decisions. The ability to translate his power into 30-plus home runs annually will be paramount to Murakami’s success in MLB. Defensively, he’s limited to the infield corners and is a below-average defender at third base and first base. He lacks the speed for the corner outfield, making his most likely path to at-bats at a mix of first base, third and designated hitter.   

The Future: It will likely take some time for Murakami to adjust to MLB pitching, but when he does, he has the ability to provide middle-of-the-order power with on-base skills.

Scouting Grades: HIT: 40 | POW: 70 | RUN: 30 | FLD: 40 | ARM: 50

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Kazuma Okamoto, 1B/3B

BA Grade: 55 | Risk: Mild | Adjusted: 50

Born: June 30, 1996 | B-T: R-R | HT: 6-0 | WT: 212

Track Record: Known as the “Young General,” Okamoto is a six-time NPB all-star who has led the league in home runs three times. He made the Yomiuri Giants’ first team in 2018 after three years in the Eastern League, the equivalent of the Japanese minor leagues. Once breaking in, Okamoto established himself quickly, producing seven-consecutive seasons of 25 or more home runs leading up to 2025. He was a key part of Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic team, hitting .333/.556/.722 over seven games in the tournament. His home run off of Kyle Freeland in the fourth inning of the WBC final against the United States proved to be the deciding run. Okamoto was limited to 69 games in 2025 after an elbow injury in the first half, but he returned to hit .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs.  

Scouting Report: One of the most well-rounded players in Japan over the last decade, Okamoto is a highly-skilled player both at the plate and in the field. He combines the ability to hit for power while limiting swing-and-miss, which he shows a little of but while displaying good bat-to-ball skills compared to other sluggers. Okamoto does particular damage against fastballs, against which he whiffed less than 10% of the time in 2025. He has shown strong on-base skills, limiting chase swings and remaining aggressive on pitches inside the zone. His game power is above-average, as he combines 55-grade raw power with the ability to launch the ball to all fields. Okamoto falls into the category of hitters who make consistent hard contact at good angles but with a lack of high-end exit velocity numbers. He will likely settle into the 20-25 home run range with a good supporting batting average and on-base percentage. In the field, he’s an above-average defender at third base, and he’s won multiple equivalents of the NPB Gold Glove. He’s a plus-plus defender at first base and offers his signing team defensive versatility. 

The Future: Okamoto should immediately make an impact in MLB thanks to a combination of polished hitting, game power and above-average infield corner defense. 

Scouting Grades: HIT: 50 | POW: 55 | RUN: 40 | FLD: 55 | ARM: 55

Million-Dollar Signings Who Delivered

Josuar Gonzalez, SS, Giants

For some evaluators, Gonzalez was the best Latin American prospect in the 2025 class when the Giants signed him out of the Dominican Republic for $2,997,500. Since then, he has looked as advertised— if not better—and has already become a Top 100 Prospect. He’s a bouncy, quick-twitch athlete with explosiveness to his tools at the plate and in the field.

At 6 feet, 170 pounds, Gonzalez is a switch-hitter with fast hands and big bat speed from both sides of the plate, and he produces hard contact for his age with what projects to be average-or-better raw power. The maturity of Gonzalez’s at-bats have been impressive, with the 17-year-old showing a good sense of the strike zone and an accurate barrel. He hit .288/.404/.455 with four home runs, 37 walks and 36 strikeouts, with another level of power he could unlock if he’s able to drive the ball in the air with more frequency.

He’s a plus-plus runner who stole 33 bases in 38 attempts and has the quickness, hands, range and above-average arm strength to stick at shortstop. 

Elian Peña, SS, Mets

Peña signed out of the Dominican Republic for $5 million—the largest bonus for any Latin American prospect this year—but his season started horribly. Through his first nine games, Peña hit .000/.182/.000 in 34 plate appearances. It was a small sample but still a worrisome sign for a player of Peña’s pedigree to be hitless that deep into the season.

After that, Peña rebounded to finish at .292/.421/.528 with 36 walks, 36 strikeouts and nine home runs in 242 plate appearances, looking more like the hitter the Mets were projecting him to be.

Peña has an impressive mix of hitting ability and power. It’s a compact lefthanded swing, and he has been a high-contact hitter. hHs swing can get steep at times, though, which is something that could cut into his bat-to-ball skills at higher levels.

Peña is an offensive-minded shortstop who could continue to get a chance to develop at the position but much more likely is a third baseman in the majors.

Kevin Alvarez, OF, Astros

The Astros paid $2 million to sign Alvarez, a lefthanded outfielder from Cuba who drew praise as an amateur for his offensive polish. His advanced skill set in the batter’s box showed in the DSL, where he hit .301/.419/.455 in 192 plate appearances with more walks (23) than strikeouts (19).

At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Alvarez has strong bat-to-ball skills and, while it’s a hit-over-power game right now, there’s lots of room left to fill out to project bigger power to come.

Gabriel Davalillo, C, Angels

Davalillo’s $2 million bonus was the highest among international catchers in 2025, and he looks like the top catcher in the 2025 class after he hit .302/.408/.518 with seven homers, 23 walks and 21 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances in the DSL.

Davalillo is an aggressive hitter with plenty of strength and righthanded bat speed coming out of his 5-foot-11, 210-pound build. He has the hand-eye coordination to deliver both high contact and high impact and grow into being a 20-plus home run threat.

Davalillo has the arm strength, hands and game awareness to catch, but he will need to clean up his blocking and improve his mobility to stay behind the plate. 

Juan Sanchez, SS, Blue Jays

While technically not a seven-figure signing—Sanchez signed for $997,500—we’re going to cheat and count him in this group. Sanchez sticks out right away for his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame at shortstop. As an amateur, he drew praise for his raw power and defensive skill set—especially for a bigger player—though it came with questions about how much contact he would make against live pitching.

The early returns with the bat have been excellent, however, as Sanchez hit .341/.439/.565 in 253 plate appearances with eight home runs, 26 walks and 41 strikeouts. While Sanchez will expand the zone at times, he doesn’t miss much when he’s swinging at strikes, and he drives the ball with impact, showing the potential to be a 20-25 home run hitter. 

Diego Tornes, OF, Braves

The headliner of the Braves’ international signing class, Tornes signed for $2,497,500—the highest bonus of the year for a Cuban player. On the surface, Tornes’ numbers don’t look like a top tier prospect in the DSL. He hit .279/.395/.402 in 147 plate appearances and didn’t hit any home runs.

From a scouting perspective in projecting Tornes long term, though, he was one of the league’s most talented prospects. He turned 17 on July 3, so he was one of the younger players in the DSL, and despite not hitting any home runs, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 105.4 mph ranked fourth in the league among 2025 signings.

Between his bat speed, youth and room left to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame, the switch-hitting Tornes could grow into plus-plus raw power. There’s some risk his swing-and-miss rate could elevate against better pitching, but he does recognize spin and has a solid sense of the strike zone for his age.

He’s an above-average runner with an average arm who played exclusively in center field this year, showing improvements from early in his amateur days when he looked more like a left fielder. 

Up-Arrow Signings 

Luis Arana, SS, Marlins

We tabbed Arana as a sleeper of Miami’s signing class coming into the season, and his stock has continued to climb after he hit .297/.419/.476 in 227 plate appearances with 30 walks, 18 strikeouts and stole 28 bases in 37 attempts.

Signed from Venezuela for just $30,000, Arana is a switch-hitter who packs a lot of tools and explosive athleticism into his 5-foot-10 frame with plus speed and a plus-plus arm. He showed some sneaky power with five home runs, though his offensive game is more about his high-end contact skills. 

Hector Ramos, SS, Red Sox

Ramos does a lot of things well. A switch-hitter, he batted .254/.384/.441 in 151 trips to the plate after signing out of the Dominican Republic for $500,000. He’s 6-foot-1, 175-pound with a knack for being on time at the plate to make contact at a high clip and shows a sound sense of the strike zone for his age. He hit four home runs in his pro debut and could grow into average power.

Ramos has the actions, body control and above-average arm strength that give him a good chance to stick at shortstop. 

Angel De Los Santos, SS, Tigers

De Los Santos, signed out of the Dominican Republic for $387,500, checks a lot of boxes teams look for in a young shortstop. He has the tools to stick at the position with his athleticism, range and arm strength. He was also one of the strongest offensive performers among 2025 signings in the DSL, hitting .370/.465/.543 in 99 plate appearances.

De Los Santos has a promising foundation of strike-zone judgment and bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate. He generates good bat speed from his wiry 6-foot-1 frame, and while he’s not a huge slugger right now, he drives the ball with surprising authority with a chance for bigger power to come once he layers on more strength. 

Miguel Hernandez, SS, Cardinals

In 2024, the Cardinals signed Yairo Padilla, who quickly became one of the top prospects in their system and one of the better shortstops they had signed out of Latin America in several years. Hernandez might end up a better prospect.

Signed out of Venezuela for $500,000, Hernandez is young for the 2025 class—he turned 17 on June 2—and hit .281/.408/.444 with five home runs, 25 walks and 35 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances. He’s an athletic shortstop with plus speed, good footwork and soft hands at shortstop, projecting to stick in the middle infield. Arm strength is the biggest question when it comes to whether that will be at shortstop or second base.

A wiry 6-foot righthanded hitter, Hernandez showed some sneaky pop in the DSL but will need to get stronger. That said, he already has a strong offensive foundation between his swing, plate discipline and plate coverage. 

Teilon Serrano, OF, Twins

After signing for $847,500 out of the Dominican Republic, Serrano looks like a player who would fit comfortably with the seven-figure signings of the 2025 class. Serrano generates whippy, explosive bat speed from the left side of the plate. It’s a strong, athletic 6-foot, 200-pound build that should continue to get bulkier, giving him the look of a future 25-plus home run threat.

There’s swing-and-miss to Serrano’s game—he ran a 25% strikeout rate while hitting .258/.386/.426 in 189 plate appearances—but he’s not a free swinger. He’s a plus runner who mostly played center field but could ultimately slide to a corner. 

Prospects To Watch

Elorky Rodriguez, CF/2B, Rangers

The Rangers’ top bonus ($1,097,500) for a Latin American signing this year went to Rodriguez, who hit .337/.473/.506 with six home runs, 39 walks and 38 strikeouts in 226 plate appearances.

Rodriguez has a medium build (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) and a short lefthanded stroke. His ability to recognize pitches, make good swing decisions and maneuver the barrel to make frequent contact are all advanced for his age. While he doesn’t project to be a big home run threat, he showed surprising juice in the DSL and could end up a 15-plus home run hitter.

He’s an average runner to a tick better underway. While he doesn’t have typical speed for center field, the Rangers also got him exposure at second base, so he could move between second and multiple outfield spots at higher levels. 

Cris Rodriguez, OF, Tigers

Rodriguez has massive strengths that come with significant holes he will have to address.

The recipient of a $3,197,500 bonus—third-highest among Latin American signings this year—Rodriguez is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds with electric bat speed and raw power that stack up with any hitter in the DSL, including a 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph that was higher than any 17-year-old in the league. It translated in games, with Rodriguez hitting .308/.340/.564 in 188 plate appearances with 10 home runs, the most among 2025 signings. Rodriguez can annihilate fastballs and he didn’t strike out excessively, but he is a free-swinger who walked at just a 6% clip and will need to improve his pitch recognition and strike-zone discipline to continue his success at higher levels.

He’s a center fielder who has plus speed and an average arm, good enough to stay in the middle of the field for now but with a chance he could slide to a corner given how big he projects to get. 

Harold Rivas, OF, Red Sox

The Red Sox signed Rivas for $950,000 and got one of the best defensive center fielders in Venezuela. He’s a lean, lively 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with plus speed, a plus arm and the mix of first-step quickness, instincts and range that make him a potentially plus to plus-plus defender.

Rivas had a solid offensive campaign in the DSL, hitting .258/.393/.384 with 35 walks and 35 strikeouts in 196 plate appearances. While his slash line doesn’t jump out as much as some other players listed here, he registered consistent quality at-bats without much swing-and-miss and has the space on his frame to grow into more power. 

Ramcell Medina, SS, Royals

While righthander Kendry Chourio was the star of Kansas City’s 2025 class on the mound, Medina led the way for their position players, signing out of the Dominican Republic for $947,500 and showing an advanced offensive foundation in his pro debut.

Medina hit .260/.398/.404 with 31 walks and 26 strikeouts in 186 plate appearances, consistently stringing together quality at-bats with good swing decisions and a knack for finding the sweet spot. Medina didn’t show much power this year, but his lean 6-foot-2 frame has lots of space left to fill out. 

Marconi German, SS, Nationals

Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic, German had the most exciting debut of any Nationals signing this year. He batted .283/.479/.513 with 43 walks and 42 strikeouts in 213 plate appearances, along with 16 hit by pitches that helped bolster his OBP.

From the same program (El Niche) where the Nationals signed Juan Soto, Marconi is a 5-foot-10, 170-pound switch-hitter. He doesn’t have one standout carrying tool but shows advanced instincts and a high baseball IQ on both sides of the ball. It’s solid, though not elite contact skills from both sides of the plate with a line-drive approach and mostly gap power. He did, however, show sneaky pop with eight home runs and exit velocities up to 107 mph.

German is an above-average runner with an above-average arm who split time between shortstop and second base.

Liberts Aponte, SS, Reds

Aponte signed for $1.9 million after impressing scouts in Venezuela for his quick-twitch, fluid actions at shortstop and ability to make acrobatic, highlight-reel plays. Aponte projects as a true shortstop who is light on his feet with soft hands, a quick release—albeit without elite arm strength—and a good internal clock.

Aponte’s potentially plus defense was his calling card as an amateur, but there were concerns about his bat coming into the season. He helped answer some of those questions after batting .247/.368/.461 in 193 plate appearances without excessive swing-and-miss and hitting a surprising seven home runs for a player with a slender 6-foot frame.

Juan Cabada, 2B/3B, Cubs

The Cubs signed Cabada out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million because of their belief in his bat. He showed a knack for barreling balls to all fields in his pro debut, batting .287/.429/.426 with 20 walks and 31 strikeouts in 170 trips to the plate, including 14 hit by pitches that helped boost his OBP.

A thicker 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Cabada doesn’t have a plus tool or anything that jumps out defensively—he’s an offensive-minded player who split time between second and third base—but his bat control and ability to produce consistent quality contact is advanced for his age. 

Darell Morel, SS, Pirates

Morel is easy to dream on at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds. He’s an ultra-long, lean shortstop with broad shoulders, plus speed underway and the potential to grow into 60 or 70 raw power from the left side once he’s physically mature. His pro debut was more solid than spectacular, as he hit .287/.425/.414 in 202 plate appearances with 37 walks, 45 strikeouts and only one home run. He showed a good sense of the strike zone for his age, but he can be susceptible to spin that led to swing-and-miss—something that will probably always be part of his game given his length.

Morel spent all of his time at shortstop. While some scouts look at a player his size and think he’s destined for either third base or the outfield, his athleticism and body control give him a chance to continue at shortstop. 

Dorian Soto, SS, Red Sox

Soto’s $1.4 million bonus was the highest for a Red Sox international signing this year. He hit .307/.362/.428 in 186 plate appearances in the DSL, drawing 16 walks with 28 strikeouts and two home runs.

Soto has significant physical upside at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, and he can whistle the barrel through the zone with impressive bat speed, giving him a chance to grow into big power. He is a switch-hitter who uses his hands well and is able to keep his long limbs under control to limit his swing-and-miss, though he is also an aggressive hitter who will have to reign his approach and make better swing decisions.

Soto mostly played shortstop this season, but third base or an outfield corner seem more likely landing spots as he gets closer to the majors. 

Wilfri De La Cruz, SS, Orioles

The Cubs signed De La Cruz out of the Dominican Republic for $2.3 million—their biggest bonus of 2025—then sent him to the Orioles at the trade deadline for righthander Andrew Kittredge. He hit a combined .258/.465/.400 with more walks (46) than strikeouts (36) in 170 plate appearances.

At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, De La Cruz stands out for his broad-shouldered frame with lots of room left to add good weight. While he didn’t hit any home runs in his pro debut, there’s obvious projection to grow into big power to complement his already-sharp eye for recognizing spin and patient approach, which allows him to draw walks and work himself into favorable counts. A switch-hitter who is more advanced from the left side, De La Cruz also swung and missed less than some scouts had expected for a young, long-limbed hitter.

He’s an above-average runner with a plus arm who mostly played shortstop, though third base could be a landing spot for him higher up. 

Maykel Coret, OF, Rays

Coret has standout athleticism, tools and physical upside that drew the Rays to sign him out of the Dominican Republic for $1.6 million. He hit .273/.394/.370 in 188 plate appearances with 24 walks, 42 strikeouts and two home runs. It was a debut that wasn’t as loud as some of the other players listed here, but there’s still big potential if everything clicks.

Coret is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with plus speed and strong defensive instincts for his age in center field. His reads, routes and range all give him a good chance to stay in center field, where his plus arm is another weapon.

He’s a potential power/speed threat who makes hard contact—his exit velocities have already been up to 111 mph—and he could end up with plus or plus-plus raw power. Coret did a better job of managing the strike zone than some scouts were expecting, but he’s still a long-levered hitter who can still get fooled by breaking stuff. He struck out in 22% of his trips to the plate—an elevated but not egregious rate. 

Jostin Ogando, 1B/OF, Red Sox

Ogando was a late addition to Boston’s class a couple weeks before the DSL season opened. He ended up one of the more impressive power bats in the league, producing exit velocities up to 114 mph as a 17-year-old.

Ogando is a hulking physical presence at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and while he doesn’t swing and miss much for a player with his power, the lack of loft in his swing limits his game power. When he does get off his “A” swing, he can obliterate baseballs, finishing at .283/.433/.427 with four home runs, 25 walks and 26 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances.

Ogando mostly played first base with some exposure to the outfield corners, so it’s his offensive game that will have to carry him. 

Sami Manzueta, INF, Astros

Manzueta was a later addition to Houston’s 2025 class when they signed him for $847,500 in April. One of the youngest players in the league—he turned 17 on Aug. 21—Manzueta hit .224/.405/.392 in 195 plate appearances. The slash line doesn’t leap out, but he walked (42) more than he struck out (36), hit five home runs and put together quality at-bats throughout the season even when hits weren’t always falling.

Manzueta isn’t that big (5-foot-10, 165 pounds), but he makes good swing decisions and is consistently on the barrel from a simple, balanced righthanded swing. His offensive game will likely lean more on his on-base skills than his power, but he showed some surprising juice in his pro debut, especially for a player who was 16 all season.

Manzueta is a below-average runner with an above-average arm. He played a little bit of shortstop but got most of his reps at second and third base, which are the positions he’s most likely to play at higher levels. 

Kenly Hunter, OF, Cardinals

Hunter was the top prospect out of Nicaragua this year when the Cardinals signed him for $700,000. A former shortstop, he moved to center field before signing and has the tools to stick there with plus speed, a plus arm and good range.

While Hunter didn’t face the same level of pitching in Nicaragua prior to signing compared to his peers in the Dominican Republic, he looked comfortable at the plate in the DSL, where he hit .314/.442/.400 in 173 plate appearances with 24 walks and 20 strikeouts.

A lean 6-foot, 175-pound righthanded hitter, Hunter is the best pure contact hitter among the team’s 2025 signings with little swing-and-miss to his game and a good sense of the strike zone. He will need to add significant strength to start driving the ball with any impact after delivering just nine extra-base hits without any home runs this season.

Anthony Millan, OF, Astros

When the Astros signed Millan out of Venezuela for $472,500, he had hit well in games and shown strong defensive attributes. He’s an athletic center fielder who gets quick reads off the bat, moves around with ease, good range and an above-average arm.

Millan hit .279/.409/.419 in 167 plate appearances with 26 walks and 34 strikeouts, using a quick righthanded stroke and typically staying within the strike zone to get on base at a high clip. At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Millan isn’t that big. However, while he hit just two home runs, he made consistent hard, quality contact with the highest average exit velocity among Houston’s 2025 signings. 

Breyson Guedez, OF, Athletics

Guedez, signed out of Venezuela for $1.5 million, has a bit of a tweener profile, but he had a strong track record of being able to put the ball in play as an amateur and that continued in the DSL.

Guedez hit .359/.395/.490 in 210 plate appearances with 14 walks and 20 strikeouts. He struck out in just 9.5% of his plate appearances thanks to his compact lefthanded swing and excellent hand-eye coordination. He showed the ability to make contact at pitches both in and out of the zone, a skill that’s both an asset and a potential liability at higher levels because of how often he will swing at pitches off the plate.

Guedez walked in just 6.7% of his trips to the plate, and for a 5-foot-11, 170-pound hitter who doesn’t have huge power and is an average runner who spent all of his time in the outfield corners this year, making better swing decisions will be key for his development. 

Jhon Simon, 3B/OF, Rangers

At 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Simon has a blocky, physically-mature frame without much projection remaining. He is getting a chance to develop at third base, though he also played left field this season and could end up a left fielder long term. That’s not typically the most exciting profile for a 17-year-old righthanded hitter, but Simon’s combination of hitting ability and power make him a prospect.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $497,500, Simon packs a lot of strength and bat speed into a short swing. That mix produced some of the better raw power of any hitter in the DSL. It came without much swing-and-miss, though because of Simon’s swing path, he hit just one home run in 105 plate appearances while slashing .315/.419/.427 with 14 walks and 18 strikeouts.

There’s another level of game power in there for Simon to unlock if he can add more loft to his swing. 

Sebastian Dos Santos, SS, Cardinals

We labeled Dos Santos as the sleeper of the Cardinals’ 2025 class coming into the year after he signed for $75,000. He ended up leading their DSL team in OPS by hitting .313/.452/.570 with four home runs, 30 walks and 29 strikeouts in 166 plate appearances.

Part of what made Dos Santos stand out coming into the season was his glove—he’s not fast, but he’s quick and instinctive with good hands and a knack for playing under control. His offensive game proved to be advanced, as well, with Dos Santos showing excellent plate discipline, recognizing spin well and showing good bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate.

There isn’t much weight yet on his skinny 6-foot frame, so packing on more strength will be key for his development. 

Warel Solano, 3B, Rays

There are a wide range of outcomes for Solano, who got $1.05 million out of the Dominican Republic. He’s 6-foot-2, 165 pounds with a lean, high-waist build and wide shoulders. He works with good bat speed to drive the ball with raw power that rivals Maykel Coret for the best among the team’s 2025 signing class.

Solano hit .319/.391/.418 in 207 plate appearances, and while he logged just one home run, he has more present power than the surface-level numbers suggest because he’s still learning to maintain his balance and make consistent quality contact. Solano doesn’t swing and miss that much—he had a 16.4% strikeout rate—and given how much room he has left to fill out, he could grow into plus raw power.

Solano signed as a shortstop but moved to third base this season. While his offense is ahead of his defense, he has the tools to potentially stick either there or at second base. 

Haritzon Castillo, SS, Twins

Castillo was a big signing ($947,500) for the Twins out of Venezuela, and he showed excellent barrel accuracy from both sides of the plate in his pro debut. He slashed .283/.395/.428 in 167 plate appearances with 24 walks, 22 strikeouts and had a minute 5.4% swinging strike rate on pitches in the zone—one of the lowest marks in the league.

Castillo is 5-foot-10, 175 pounds with a hit-over-power profile and an offensive game that will lean more on his on-base skills. He spent most of his time at shortstop at second base, with a chance he could move all around the infield at higher levels. 

Nauris De La Cruz, OF, Nationals

De La Cruz, a $500,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic, batted .294/.448/.450 with nearly twice as many walks (30) as strikeouts (17) in 143 plate appearances.

As an amateur, De La Cruz stood out for his quick-twitch actions in the batter’s box and ability to drive the ball well from his 6-foot, 160-pound frame thanks to his bat speed. But in his pro debut, it was his discerning approach and contact skills that stood out more than his power.

He’s an average runner who spent most of his time in center field but likely gravitates to a corner at higher levels. 

Angel Salio, 3B/SS, Reds

Salio netted a $500,000 bonus from the Reds out of the Dominican Republic and led his team in OPS, hitting .331/.402/.507 in 169 plate appearances with 19 walks and 17 strikeouts.

A lean 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Salio has a fluid lefthanded swing, an aggressive approach and power that ticked up this year. He has more strength projection left for the potential to start driving the ball with more authority once he fills out.

Salio did get some time at shortstop but mostly played third base, which could end up his long-term home, though he could move around the infield and outfield down the road. 

Skills & Instincts… But Will Power Come?

Elaineiker Coronado, INF, Blue Jays

Coronado impressed scouts more with his game savvy than his raw tools when the Blue Jays signed him out of Venezuela for $797,500. He regularly registered quality at-bats in the DSL, batting .346/.504/.383 with 57 walks and 27 strikeouts in 248 plate appearances.

Coronado is 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with excellent strike-zone discipline and an accurate barrel from the left side, albeit with minimal power. He’s an instinctive defender who primarily played second base but got time at shortstop and third base too. Second or a utility role are his most likely fits at higher levels. 

Emmanuel Cedeño, INF, Rays

Cedeño drew four times as many walks (48) as strikeouts (12) in the DSL, hitting .304/.466/.361 in 212 plate appearances after signing for $500,000 out of the Dominican Republic.

At 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, Cedeño has a small strike zone, and he uses it to his advantage by rarely swinging at pitches off the plate. He has a patient approach and a high-contact bat from both sides of the plate, though he will have to get stronger to start to deliver any extra-base impact.

He spent most of his time at second base with a bit of exposure to shortstop and third base long term, likely fitting best at second base, where he has easy actions, good hands and a quick first step. 

Brayan Cortesia, SS, Nationals

Cortesia isn’t a sleeper—the Nationals paid him $1.92 million, their highest bonus of the year—but he fits into this group of high-contact, skillful players who haven’t shown the ability to drive the ball with any impact yet.

A righthanded hitter from Venezuela, Cortesia is 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with a short, quick, simple swing and the ability to manipulate the barrel to get to pitches throughout the strike zone. He hit .317/.440/.358 with 25 walks and 25 strikeouts in 150 plate appearances.

Cortesia is a plus runner with the hands, feet and arm strength to handle shortstop, but he will need to get stronger to develop enough power to play at higher levels. 

Sebastian Blanco, SS, Rockies

Signed out of Venezuela for $600,000, Blanco doesn’t have one plus tool, but his instincts both offensively and defensively are advanced for a 17-year-old shortstop. He’s 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a short righthanded stroke that produced an in-zone swinging strike rate of 6.9% that ranked among the best in the league. Overall, Blanco hit .345/.449/.453 in 248 plate appearances with 33 walks, 34 strikeouts and three home runs.

An average runner and a good athlete, Blanco got nearly all of his playing time at shortstop, where he has a chance to stick, though he could fit at either middle infield spot. 

Dayber Cruceta, OF, Phillies

At 6-foot-1, 150 pounds, Cruceta has a skinny frame without much power, but he controls the strike zone and makes frequent contact with good bat-to-ball skills from a handsy lefthanded stroke. Cruceta routinely registers quality at-bats, though he lacks the strength to drive the ball with much impact, finishing the DSL with a .291/.438/.373 line with 30 walks and 32 strikeouts.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $300,000, Cruceta is an above-average runner who spent most of his time in center field but got exposure to right field, as well. 

Eybert Sanchez, SS, Diamondbacks

Sanchez showed a high baseball IQ with instincts and savvy both at the plate and in the field when the D-backs signed him out of Venezuela for $300,000. He’s a fundamentally-sound defender at shortstop—he made just six errors in 54 games—and combines impressive athleticism and quickness with a good internal clock, along with above-average speed and arm strength.

Sanchez is 6 foot, 160 pounds without much strength—he delivered just four extra-base hits all season—but his hand-eye coordination leads to a low swing-and-miss rate from the left side of the plate. He finished at .287/.432/.316 in 221 plate appearances with 43 walks and 27 strikeouts. 

Ricardo Romero, INF, Guardians

Is there a more fun player in the league than Romero?

At 5-foot-5, 160 pounds, he’s a Ronald Torreyes-type player as a smaller Venezuelan infielder who raked in the DSL, batting .312/.415/.476 with more walks (28) than strikeouts (21) in 205 plate appearances after signing for $110,000.

Romero has a sound lefthanded swing with a knack for barreling balls for consistent quality contact in games. He doesn’t project to ever hit for big power, but his pitch recognition and contact skills are both advanced for his age.

Romero mostly played second and third base this season with a bit of exposure to left field and shortstop, as well, to get him into the lineup every day. Second is likely his best defensive fit.

Best Of The Best

Kendry Chourio, RHP, Royals

Chourio came into the season with big expectations. He signed out of Venezuela for $247,500 in January, though by that time, he already looked like one of the best pitchers in the 2025 class. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Chourio wasn’t that big, but he had long stood out for his control and pitchability. As his signing date approached, he started to throw harder, reaching 96 mph.

Now, Chourio combines power stuff with feel to manipulate his secondary stuff and outstanding polish for a 17-year-old. It led the Royals to promote him from the DSL to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to the Low-A Carolina League in one year. He posted a combined 3.51 ERA in 51.1 innings with 63 strikeouts and five walks for a minuscule 2.3% walk rate.

Chourio sits at 93-96 mph and touches 98. He also has a high-spin curveball at 2,600-2,800 rpm and feel for a changeup. Beyond prototype size, Chourio has everything else that would make him fit with the high-end high school pitchers in the 2026 draft who are his peers, except that Chourio next summer could finish his year in High-A or Double-A.

Kevin Defrank, RHP, Marlins

Defrank pitched nearly the entire season as a 16-year-old, but he looked like a man among boys at 6-foot-5 with a strong, physically-mature build and a fastball he ran up to 100 mph.

Defrank signed out of the Dominican Republic for $560,000—the third-highest bonus for a Latin American pitcher in 2025—and he looked the part of an elite pitching prospect between his stuff and performance, which saw him post a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings with 34 strikeouts and 10 walks.

After topping out at 95 mph coming into his signing, Defrank sat in the mid-to-upper 90s this season. He threw his fastball for strikes at a high clip, too, showing he’s more than just a raw thrower. He throws a hard mid-80s slider with short break along with a firm changeup at 88-90 mph that has good fade and could be his best secondary pitch long term.

Some scouts had durability questions with Defrank when he was an amateur, but he has the potential to be a high-end starter if he can handle the workload.  

Santiago Castellanos, RHP, Twins

Castellanos signed with the Twins for $247,500, though by the time he signed, his stuff was already trending up to where he looked like one of the better pitchers this year from Venezuela. He has a medium 5-foot-11 frame that limited some of the attention he got as an amateur, but he’s a good athlete with excellent arm speed.

Castellanos pitches at 92-94 mph and can touch 97 with good carry. He shows feel to spin a breaking ball that projects to be an above-average or better pitch. He will mix in a changeup he has some feel for, but it is behind his breaking stuff.

Castellanos only turned 17 on July 17, so he was one of the youngest pitchers in the DSL, where he posted a  2.79 ERA with a 36-9 K-BB mark in 29 innings. 

Pitchers Trending Up

Freddy Contreras, RHP, Royals

Coming into the year, we had big expectations for Royals righthander Kendry Chourio to be one of the best pitchers in the DSL. While Chourio flourished, Contreras ended up being a pleasant surprise, too.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $147,500, Contreras is physically unassuming at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, and he came into the year with a fastball that would top out in the low 90s. It was a different story in the DSL, where he parked in the mid 90s and reached 98 mph with good carry, averaging 20 inches of induced vertical break.

Contreras did that all as one of the youngest 2025 signings—he turned 17 on Aug. 10—and got lots of swinging strikes on both his curveball and changeup. He finished with a 3.30 ERA in 30 innings and a 37-13 K-BB mark. 

Carlos De La Rosa, LHP, Giants

The Yankees signed De La Rosa for $400,000—their biggest bonus for a pitcher this year—then moved him to the Giants in the trade deadline deal that brought righthander Camilo Doval to New York. De La Rosa, 17, finished the DSL season with a 51-10 K-BB mark in 32.1 innings and a 4.73 ERA.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound lefty was up to 93 mph coming into the season, but during the year, his velocity jumped to sit 91-94 mph and reach 96. The pitch has excellent carry, averaging 20 inches of induced vertical break. De La Rosa filled the zone with his fastball and a low-80s slider that he shows feel to spin with good lateral break. 

Pedro Montero, RHP, Marlins

Montero signed for just $35,000 this year and quickly looked like a bargain. He was a previously-eligible player in 2024, so he turned 18 in July, but it’s high-end stuff for his age from the wiry 6-foot-1 righthander who finished the DSL season with a 3.00 ERA and a 44-14 K-BB mark in 36 innings. 

That stuff has only gotten better over the past year, as Montero threw 94 mph when he signed and is now reaching 97 with 19 inches of induced vertical break. He has good feel to spin a sweeper (his best secondary pitch) that will get above 15 inches of horizontal break at times. While his changeup isn’t as advanced, it’s a pitch he shows feel for, as well.

Adriano Marrero, RHP, Marlins

Marrero was one of several prominent pitchers the Marlins signed in their 2025 class, with Marrero getting a $350,000 bonus. The Cuban righthander pitched well in his first season with a 3.82 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 12 walks in 33 innings.

Marrero is listed at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and has a fastball that inched up to touch 94 mph with more likely in the tank. His lively stuff breaks wide to both sides of the plate, with lots of armside run on his two-seamer and lively fade on his changeup going the same way. His sweeper spins above 3,000 rpm and breaks 23 inches the other way. 

Geremy Villoria, RHP, Twins

Villoria emerged as one of the top pitchers in Venezuela by the time he signed with the Phillies for $425,000. Traded to the Twins along with outfielder Hendry Mendez in the deadline deal for outfielder Harrison Bader, Villoria had a cumulative 3.68 ERA, 24 strikeouts and seven walks in 22 innings.

Villoria was one of the youngest pitchers in the DSL—he didn’t turn 17 until Aug. 14—but he showed advanced stuff and feel for pitching with a starter look. He’s 6-foot-3, 180 pounds—a projectable frame to add more velocity to a fastball up to 94 mph that he controls well. He has feel to spin a curveball around 2,600 rpm that’s a potential above-average pitch and ahead of his nascent changeup. 

Kevin Martinez, RHP, Rockies

Martinez, 17, signed with the Rockies for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic after standing out for his pitchability. He came as advertised in his pro debut, maintaining a 2.15 ERA with 40 strikeouts and just seven walks in 46 innings. Among 17-year-old pitchers signed in 2025 with at least 20 innings, Martinez ranked third in the league with 1.4 BB/9 thanks to his ability to repeat a sound delivery and throw all three of his pitches for strikes at a high clip.

At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Martinez doesn’t have the raw stuff of some of the other top pitchers in the DSL. His fastball sits at 87-91 mph and tops out at 92, though it has good riding life. His low-80s changeup is an advanced pitch for his age and helps him disrupt hitters’ timing, while his curveball is a pitch he has some feel for but is more notable for his ability to control it than its raw movement. 

Wilner Berroteran, RHP, Angels

The Angels signed Berroteran out of Venezuela for $220,000 and the 17-year-old pitched effectively in his pro debut with a 1.64 ERA, 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 22 innings

At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he sports a frame with room for growth that should allow him to add velocity to a fastball that sits at 89-92 mph and touches 93. He’s a good athlete who repeats his mechanics to throw strikes and shows feel to spin a slider. 

Stuff & Projection, But Control Needs Work

Kelvin Zapata, LHP, Orioles

When teams were scouting Zapata as an amateur, he was a wiry 6-foot-1 lefty with a fastball that scraped 89 mph. The Orioles signed him for $287,500, and his velocity has spiked since signing.

Zapata, 17, now sits in the low 90s and reaches 96 mph from a low release height with the look of a pitcher who should be able to squeeze out a few more ticks to reach the upper 90s. He has good feel for a mid-80s slider that spins in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range and misses a lot of bats. His upper-80s changeup comes in firm off his fastball, but its sink and fade make it an effective pitch.

Zapata has bat-missing stuff—he struck out 48 in 39 innings—but he will need to improve his control after walking 39 with a 4.62 ERA. 

Anderson Diaz, LHP, Tigers

The highest bonus for a Venezuelan lefthander this year was the $447,500 the Tigers paid Diaz, who had a 9.00 ERA in 24 innings with 30 strikeouts and 25 walks. Despite the bloated ERA and high walks, there were still plenty of promising traits evident with Diaz this year.

Diaz stands in at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, giving him a projectable frame to grow a fastball that’s already up to 94 mph as a 17-year-old and features good extension that helps it play up. His ability to manipulate multiple bat-missing secondary weapons also stands out, led by a high-spin curveball (2,500-2,800 rpm) with huge depth and a lively changeup.

If he improves his control, the other pieces are there for Diaz to be a starter, but the strike-throwing is still raw. 

Carlos Alvarez, LHP, Padres

There’s a lot to dream on with Alvarez—a 17-year-old whose $1 million bonus was the highest of any lefthander this year—even though the results weren’t good.

Alvarez touched 93 mph before signing, then in the DSL sat in the low 90s and reached 95 with a mix of four- and two-seam fastballs. He’s 6-foot-5, 200 pounds—a huge frame that screams projection for a pitcher who should eventually get into the upper 90s to go with long limbs that help him generate good extension.

Alvarez’s breaking ball was his most effective offspeed pitch as an amateur, but in his pro debut he leaned more on the changeup, which got better results with lively fade. There’s more upside for his changeup to improve once he mirrors his fastball release point more consistently.

The stuff and projection with Alvarez stand out, but he had more walks (31) than strikeouts (23) in 23 innings and a 9.78 ERA, so there’s still a long way to go in terms of touch and control. 

Omar Damian, RHP, Astros

Damian had a 5.17 ERA in 38.1 innings with 24 walks, six hit batsmen and threw 19 wild pitches. He will need to dial in his control, but there were a lot of things still to like with what Damian showed this year.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $397,500, Damian is on the younger end of the class—he turned 17 in July—and has lots of space left to fill out his wiry 6-foot-2 frame. He already has seen his fastball rise from tickling 90 mph coming into the year to now sitting in the low 90s and reaching 95. There’s another gear that should be in there with his fastball, which already plays well thanks to 20-plus inches of induced vertical break. His changeup is a potential plus pitch that’s ahead of his curveball. 

Raudy Reyes, RHP, Braves

Reyes emerged later in the scouting process throwing north of 100 mph as a 16-year-old with a physically mature 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. With a huge fastball and shaky control, he drew a $1,797,500 bonus from the Braves, making him by far the highest-paid Latin American pitcher this year.

Reyes looked about as expected in the DSL, where he pitched at 94-98 mph and touched 100 with good carry on his fastball. Some scouts had concerns about Reyes’ secondary stuff as an amateur, but the progress of his mid-80s slider, which spins around 2,600 rpm, has been encouraging.

Reyes pitches with a lot of effort and is figuring out how to repeat his release point to throw more strikes. He had a 3.67 ERA and struck out 35 in 27 innings, but he also walked 29 and uncorked 11 wild pitches. There’s a high probability he ends up a bullpen arm. 

Diego Perez, RHP, White Sox

On the surface, Perez didn’t have a standout year, as he logged a 5.12 ERA and 33-22 K-BB mark in 31.2 innings. But he was one of the younger signings this year—he turned 17 on July 3—and threw one of the better curveballs in the DSL.

A later addition to the White Sox class and signed for $80,000, Perez is a wiry 6-foot righthander who pitches off a riding fastball that’s up to 93 mph. The separator for Perez is a big-breaking curveball that has tight rotation, good depth and misses a lot of bats. He also throws a changeup that’s still in its infancy.

Small-Sample Arms

Adrian Torres, LHP, Dodgers

For some scouts, Torres was the best lefthander available in the 2025 international class when the Dodgers signed him out of Panama for $362,500.

After pitching in the upper 80s for much of the scouting process as an amateur, he coming into his signing date reaching 96 mph, and in the DSL, he hit 97. It’s already a huge fastball for a 17-year-old lefty and there’s room for him to add more velocity as he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame.

Torres throws a high-spin slider (above 2,800 rpm at times) with good depth and sweep to project as a potential out pitch. Control, however, plagued him in the DSL, where he had a 7.71 ERA with more walks (15) than strikeouts (9) in 9.1 innings over five outings. 

Adrian Peña, RHP, Marlins

Do you like 6-foot-7 righthanders who throw 99 mph at 17? Peña should be throwing north of 100 soon with lots of space left to fill out his lanky frame and add to an already-electric fastball that shows good carry from his high arm slot.

Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Peña is still developing feel for his secondary stuff and will need to throw a lot more strikes—understandable for a pitcher his age with extremely long limbs he’s still learning to coordinate—after he walked 13 batters in 8.2 innings. 

Sadbiel Delzine, RHP, Red Sox

Delzine made just three starts in the DSL, but there was a lot to like in his brief look.

Signed for $500,000—the top bonus for a Venezuelan pitcher this year—Delzine is 6-foot-6, 200 pounds with a fastball that sat 93-95 mph, touched 96 and should have upper-90s or better velocity in his future. It’s a good combination of size, athleticism and power stuff with feel to spin a curveball in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range along with a shorter slider and a changeup to give him a starter look. 

Yordan Rodriguez, RHP, Athletics

In Cuba in 2023, Rodriguez led the country’s 15U national league with 58 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. Signed this year for $400,000, Rodriguez has good physical projection remaining in his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame and starter traits, but the A’s used him judiciously in a relief role. The 17-year-old posted a 2.93 ERA with 20 strikeouts and eight walks in 15.1 innings, pitching off a fastball that had reached 92 mph coming into the year but was up to 96 in the DSL.

Rodriguez has a low-effort delivery with good extension and tight rotation on a slider he spins at 2,500-2,800 rpm to miss a lot of bats when he’s able to corral the pitch.

Kansas City Royals

Coming into 2025, we expected righthander Kendry Chourio to be one of the elite pitching prospects in the Dominican Summer League. That proved true—at least until the Royals promoted him to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, then to Low-A Columbia, an incredible acceleration for a 17-year-old who signed for $247,500 in January. The Venezuelan righthander has long been an elite strike-thrower, but his stuff spiked before signing and has continued to get better since. His arsenal is led by a fastball that touches 98 mph, a high-spin curveball and an advanced changeup to give him a starter look.

Chourio and Dominican righthander Freddy Contreras (signed for $147,500) make for one of the most exciting pitching prospect duos any team signed this year. Contreras, who is 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, doesn’t jump out physically, but he just turned 17 on Aug. 10, so he pitched nearly the entire DSL season as a 16-year-old. He’s also another pitcher whose stuff has trended up over the past year. Signed as a pitchability righthander whose fastball would touch the low 90s coming into the year, Contreras now sits in the mid 90s and touches 98 mph with a fastball that has good carry. He’s also shown a curveball and changeup that both got a high dose of swing-and-miss this season.

Among position players, 17-year-old shortstop Ramcell Medina showed a good mix of hitting ability, athleticism and physical upside. Signed for $947,500 out of the Dominican Republic, Medina hit .260/.398/.404 in 186 plate appearances, showing a mature approach for his age to control the strike zone and the barrel maneuverability that helped him make frequent contact. He will need to grow into more power, but his lean 6-foot-2 frame offers significant physical projection.

Kansas City’s biggest international bonus went to Dominican shortstop Warren Calcaño, who signed for $1,847,500. Calcaño stood out as an amateur for his defensive actions, instincts and arm strength. He was off to a strong start in the DSL but had his season cut short by injury after hitting .346/.514/.538 in 35 plate appearances. 

Venezuelan catcher Moises Marchan is another name to know. An athletic catcher who projects to stick behind the plate, Marchan hit .296/.369/.388 in 31 games, though he will need to get stronger to do more damage.

Boston Red Sox

Center fielder Harold Rivas signed for $950,000 and showed why he was one of the top prospects this year out of Venezuela. Rivas is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with quick-twitch athleticism, plus speed, a plus arm and excellent defensive instincts to project as a plus-or-better defender at a premium position. He hit .258/.393/.384 in 196 plate appearances, drawing as many walks (35) as strikeouts. He made consistent quality contact and could grow into a 20-plus home run hitter once he learns to drive the ball in the air to his pull side more often. 

Dominican shortstop Hector Ramos ($500,000) was one of the more well-rounded prospects in the DSL. He hit .254/.384/.443 in 151 plate appearances, showing good hand-eye coordination at the plate and in the field, where he has good actions and above-average arm strength. He’s a 6-foot-1, 175-pound switch-hitter who put together consistent quality at-bats, made frequent contact and has the physical projection to grow into a 15-20 home run hitter.

Dorian Soto drew Boston’s biggest bonus ($1.4 million) this year, and the 17-year-old Dominican shortstop hit .307/.362/.428 in 186 plate appearances. There’s explosiveness to his bat speed and a big frame (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) with room to get even more physical and grow into plus-or-better raw power. He played shortstop this season but probably ends up at third base or an outfield corner at higher levels. 

Two lower-dollar signings—Jostin Ogando from the Dominican Republic and Jhorman Bravo from Venezuela—emerged as intriguing sleepers. Ogando is a physical righthanded hitter (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) who has the most raw power of any hitter the Red Sox signed this year and some of the best power of any hitter in the DSL, as his exit velos were up to 114 mph as a 17-year-old. But he’s limited defensively, with most of his time coming at first base and occasional action in the outfield corners. Bravo didn’t light it up with his slash line—he hit .241/.328/.336—but he struck out in just 6.7% of his 134 plate appearances, a testament to his bat control, albeit with limited power. 

Venezuelan righthander Sadbiel Delzine made just three starts, but showed high-end stuff for a 17-year-old. He has a fastball up to 96 mph and feel to spin multiple breaking pitches, with the look of a pitcher who could end up throwing 100 mph once he fills out his huge 6-foot-6 build. 

Miami Marlins

The Marlins signed shortstop Andrew Salas for $3.7 million and moved him extremely aggressively, skipping him over not just the Dominican Summer League but also the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. Instead, Salas went to Low-A Jupiter, where as a 17-year-old who would be a high school junior in the United States, he understandably struggled. He hit .186/.319/.245 in 453 plate appearances. A lack of strength limited his offensive output, though his selective approach led to 72 walks, which tied for fourth in the Florida State League. 

Even setting Salas aside, the Marlins have a promising class. Miami spent more heavily on pitching relative to other teams in 2025 and came away with an outstanding group of young arms.

It starts with Dominican righthander Kevin Defrank, who got $560,000—the No. 3 bonus for any Latin American pitcher signed this year. Defrank didn’t turn 17 until Aug. 11, so he pitched nearly the full DSL season as a 16-year-old. Even so, he stood out for his physicality (6-foot-5, 205 pounds), stuff and results, posting a 3.19 ERA with a 34-10 K-BB mark in 31 innings. His fastball sits at 95-98 mph and touches 100. He throws a firm changeup around 88-90 mph for which he shows advanced feel with good fading action. He also throws a short-breaking slider in the mid 80s.

Righthander Pedro Montero, signed out of the Dominican Republic for $35,000, had a 3.00 ERA, 44 strikeouts and 14 walks in 36 innings as an 18-year-old. He’s a quick-twitch athlete with a wiry 6-foot-1 frame and a fast arm from a low-effort delivery. He came into the year with a fastball touching 94 mph but now reaches 97 with good carry. He complements it with a sweeper that has tight rotation and typically gets 14-15 inches of horizontal break. He also throws a changeup that’s a third pitch, but he shows feel for it, as well.

The Marlins paid $350,000 to sign 17-year-old Cuban righthander Adriano Marrero, who held down a 3.82 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 12 walks in 33 innings. Marrero is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and saw a slight uptick in his velocity this summer to reach 94 mph with the physical projection for more to come. It’s an east-west attack, and he generates tremendous wiggle on his sinker/sweeper combination. He throws a sinker that averages 18-19 inches of horizontal break and a 3,000+ rpm sweeper that bends 23 inches in the opposite direction. 

Righthander Adrian Peña, a $400,000 signing from the Dominican Republic, is 6-foot-7, 195 pounds at 17, touches 99 mph and has the look of a pitcher who should be throwing triple digits in the near future. He pitched three brief outings in June, then came back and made a couple of quick appearances in August, so he only threw 8.2 innings and walked 13 batters. He will have to prove his durability and improve his control, but there’s plenty of upside to dream on.

Much of the Marlins’ top talent in their 2025 international class is in their pitching, but Venezuelan switch-hitting shortstop Luis Arana looks like a bargain for $30,000. Arana hit .297/.419/.476 with five home runs and more walks (30) than strikeouts (18) in 227 plate appearances. At 5-foot-10, he isn’t that big, but he’s an explosive athlete and a contact machine with a good sense of the strike zone, plus speed and a plus-plus arm. 

Houston Astros

The Astros did well with their top signing, but their 2025 class has quality beyond Cuban outfielder Kevin Alvarez, who got $2 million. Alvarez is the headliner of the group, though, and he hit .301/.419/.455 with 23 walks and 19 strikeouts in 192 plate appearances. He’s a lefty with a polished, high-contact bat and a hit-over-power profile, though at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, there’s plenty of space left for Alvarez to fill out and grow into bigger power in his prime. 

Sami Manzueta trained in the same program as Alvarez as an amateur, though he was a later addition to Houston’s class when the Astros signed him for $847,500. Manzueta’s overall slash line doesn’t leap out—he hit .224/.405/.392 in 195 plate appearances—but he walked (42) more than he struck out (36), hit five home runs and played the entire season as a 16-year-old. He has a medium build (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) and consistently took quality at-bats with an advanced approach for his age to go with good plate coverage. He played a bit at shortstop but spent most of his time at second and third base, which are positions he’s more likely to play at higher levels. 

Venezuelan center fielder Anthony Millan combined sharp defense at a premium position and a promising foundation for a 17-year-old hitter. Millan hit .279/.407/.419 in 167 plate appearances, making consistent contact with a quick righthanded swing. His flatter bat path lends itself more toward line drives than big loft power, but there’s sneaky raw power in there that he could unlock more in games with adjustments. 

On the mound, Dominican righthander Omar Damian had a 5.17 ERA and 5.6 walks per nine innings, but he struck out 48 in 38.1 innings, showing the mix of stuff and projection that helped him draw a $397,500 bonus. His fastball has jumped from touching 90 mph when he signed to now sitting in the low 90s and reaching 95. There’s more strength projection remaining in his lean 6-foot-2 frame for him to add even more velocity, especially for a pitcher who just turned 17 in July. He’s also adept at changing speeds, especially with a changeup that flashes plus potential. 

A 19-year-old from Mexico, righthander Juan Fraide didn’t miss a ton of bats, but he drew a promotion to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and showed promising raw stuff. At 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, he isn’t that big, either, but his fastball touches 97 mph. He has feel to spin multiple breaking balls above 3,000 rpm, including a curveball and two versions of a slider, one of which has wider sweeping action.

Los Angeles Angels

Venezuelan catcher Gabriel Davalillo showed one of the best combinations of contact and impact of any hitter in the DSL. Signed for $2 million—the highest bonus for any catcher in 2025—Davalillo hit .302/.408/.518 in 169 plate appearances with 23 walks, 21 strikeouts and seven home runs. He takes an aggressive righthanded swing looking to do damage and has the hand-eye coordination to make contact at a high clip. There’s potential plus raw power, as well, with a chance to be a 20-25 home run hitter. Listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Davalillo has a heavy frame he will have to work on to improve his mobility. With 10 passed balls in just 16 games behind the plate, he will also need to bring along his blocking. But Davalillo’s high baseball IQ, hands and above-average arm strength are all assets behind the plate. 

A switch-hitting shortstop signed out of the Dominican Republic for $900,000, Yilver De Paula only played in 10 games, but he impressed while on the field, hitting .387/.525/.484. He’s an athletic, quick-twitch shortstop with above-average speed and arm strength who defends his position well. He also boasts a mature offensive approach for his age with a high-contact bat and mostly gap power. 

Yojancel Cabrera signed out of the Dominican Republic for $400,000 after training as a shortstop, but he moved to right field in the DSL. The Angels signed him because of his offensive ability and that was on display in 2025, as he hit .339/.445/.472 in 219 plate appearances. He turned 17 in June, so he’s on the younger end of the class. There is significant projection left in his 6-foot-2 frame and the bat speed to drive the ball with potentially average-or-better power from the left side. 

On the mound, 17-year-old Venezuelan righthander Wilner Berroteran maintained a 1.64 ERA with a 23-8 K-BB mark in 22 innings. He mixed four- and two-seamers in the low 90s up to 93 mph with more velocity that should come given his projectable 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. He also mixes a low-80s slider for which he shows feel to spin as his best swing-and-miss pitch. 

Minnesota Twins

Dominican outfielder Teilon Serrano was a late addition to Minnesota’s class for $847,500 and became one of the more dangerous power hitters in the DSL. He hit .258/.386/.426 in 189 plate appearances. And while he did strike out at a 25% clip, if he can keep his contact to a manageable rate, there’s plenty of explosiveness behind his lefthanded swing to grow into a 25-plus home run hitter. At 6 feet, 200 pounds, Terrano is strong, athletic and shows a solid sense of the strike zone for a 17-year-old. He’s a plus runner who spent most of his time in center field, though with the way he’s built, he could slow down and fit in a corner.

Venezuelan righthander Santiago Castellanos was one of the best pitchers signed in 2025. The recipient of a $247,500 bonus, Castellanos, who’s on the younger end of the class having turned 17 in July, is 5-foot-11 with big stuff, pitching off a fastball that has good carry that he dials up to 97 mph. He throws an upper-70s curveball that spins in the 2,400-2,500 rpm range and generates an abundance of empty swings. Castellanos held down a 2.79 ERA over 29 innings with 36 strikeouts and nine walks. 

Venezuelan shortstop Haritzon Castillo, signed for $947,500 and lived up to his reputation as a hitter who rarely swings and misses. A 17-year-old switch-hitter, Castillo batted .283/.395/.428 in 167 plate appearances with 24 walks and 22 strikeouts, stringing together consistent quality at-bats and outstanding barrel accuracy, especially when swinging at strikes. He’s 5-foot-10, 175 pounds and doesn’t project to be a huge power threat, though he showed more impact than Santiago Leon, another high-contact Venezuelan shortstop and big Twins signing this year. 

Outfielder Joyner Perez is an intriguing mid-range signing ($397,500). He has limited defensive value—he mostly played left field with some time at first base—but he continued building upon what was a strong offensive track record as an amateur. Perez, a righthanded hitter who is 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, batted .313/.457/.494 in 105 plate appearances.

San Francisco Giants

There are some classes that look like their outcome will depend heavily on one player. That’s the case with the Giants, who signed Dominican shortstop Josuar Gonzalez—a player many scouts considered the best Latin American prospect in the 2025 class—for $2,997,500.

Gonzalez is athletic, explosive and a plus-plus runner with a quick first step and acrobatic defense at shortstop. His explosiveness is evident in the batter’s box with his hand speed, and it translated in games with a .288/.404/.455 line in 228 plate appearances to go with four home runs, 37 walks and 36 strikeouts. A lean, 5-foot-11 switch-hitter, Gonzalez’s tools were easy to see as an amateur, but the boxes he checks as a hitter with his swing, contact skills from both sides, ability to stay within the strike zone and power—including exit velocities up to 110 mph—have already vaulted him into becoming a Top 100 Prospect in the game. 

Venezuelan catcher Miguel Caraballo, who signed for $172,500, hit .264/.432/.442 with five home runs in 169 plate appearances. A switch-hitter at 6 feet, 190 pounds, Caraballo has some swing-and-miss to his game, but he also showed some of the best power of any catcher in the DSL. That’s especially intriguing given that he played all season as a 16-year-old. 

New York Mets

The Mets spent $5 million of their $6,263,767 bonus pool to sign Dominican shortstop Elian Peña. It started ugly. Through his first 31 plate appearances, Peña hit .000/.167/.000. But he flourished after that, finishing at .292/.421/.528 in 228 plate appearances with 36 walks, 36 strikeouts and nine home runs, tied for third in the league.

Peña showed why he received the largest bonus for any Latin American prospect this year and why he’s one of the elite prospects in the DSL. He’s a polished lefthanded hitter who recognizes spin and controls the strike zone. While his swing can get steep at times, he has the hand-eye coordination to help him manipulate the barrel and make contact at a high clip. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Peña makes plenty of hard contact and looks like a potential 25-plus home run hitter. He played shortstop primarily, though he’s always been an offensive-minded infielder more likely to end up at third or possibly second base. 

Most of the success for the Mets’ 2025 international class hinges on what Peña becomes. There isn’t a ton of depth beyond Peña, though 18-year-old Venezuelan righthander Jose Vielma is an intriguing sleeper for $10,000. He’s 6-foot-1 with a fastball up to 95 mph and tight rotation on a slider that generated a lot of empty swings. That said, he finished 2025 with a 6.53 ERA in 20.2 innings. 

Detroit Tigers

Dominican center fielder Cris Rodriguez signed for $3,197,500, the No. 3 bonus for a Latin American player in 2025 and the highest for any outfielder. He looked as advertised in his pro debut, showing tantalizing bat speed and power with a free-swinging approach he will have to tame.

Rodriguez hit .308/.340/.564 in 188 plate appearances with 10 home runs that ranked second in the DSL and were the most among 2025 signings. Rodriguez, 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, is an athletic righthanded hitter who has a case that he had the most raw power of any hitter in the league. It’s all-fields power with exit velocities already up to 113 mph for a chance to be a 30-plus home run hitter if everything clicks.

The approach, however, is still scary. He’s a swing-happy hitter who will expand the zone, walking in just 6% of his plate appearances with a 22% strikeout rate. That could ultimately catch up to him at higher levels if he can’t make better swing decisions, but the upside is considerable if he improves his approach. 

While Rodriguez is a player of extremes, Angel De Los Santos has a well-rounded skill set and stood out as one of the top shortstops in the DSL. Signed for $387,500, De Los Santos has a wiry 6-foot-1 frame and is an athletic defender with good range and a strong arm to stick at shortstop. He hit .370/.465/.543 in 99 plate appearances, putting together quality at-bats from the right side of the plate with a good mix of contact skills and plate discipline. It’s a hit-over-power offensive game right now, but De Los Santos showed the ability to drive the ball with surprising authority in his pro debut and could grow into bigger power once he fills out. 

The Tigers paid 17-year-old Anderson Diaz $447,500, the highest bonus for any Venezuelan lefthander this year. Diaz did not perform well, but there are still a lot of promising foundational traits in place. He had a 9.00 ERA in 24 innings and struggled with control, posting a 30-25 K-BB mark. However, he’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with significant physical projection remaining to add to a fastball that has trended up to reach 94 mph with good extension. He has feel for two secondary pitches that can be swing-and-miss weapons, including a sharp, big-breaking curveball with tight spin and good depth and a changeup with good fade.

Every year, hundreds of international prospects sign with MLB teams, chasing the dream of reaching the majors.

But most won’t make it that far.

Many never leave the complex. Others grind in the minors for years without breaking through. And when that dream ends—often abruptly—it leaves players face a harsh reality with little preparation.

Reyes, a former first baseman and pitcher in the Rockies’ system, knows this pain firsthand. He still remembers the day in 2012 he was cut. The words hit like a fastball to the chest, leaving him breathless. His stomach sank, a numbness taking over as he walked out of the office with no uniform, no team, no plan. Then came the fear. A deep, creeping fear of the unknown. Baseball had been his entire world.

In an instant, that world had vanished.

“The news was shocking, but what came after was the hardest part,” Reyes said. “I wanted to keep my dream alive, but I knew it was very hard. At the same time, I had the realization of me not being well-equipped with the resources to succeed in the United States as an immigrant.”

During his time in the Rockies’ system, Reyes attended workshops on financial literacy, English and life skills. At the time, they seemed like filler. But when baseball ended, those lessons became his lifeline.

He learned how to open a bank account, understand credit and financial budgeting. And it was this knowledge that helped him rebuild his life while working shifts at an Amazon warehouse and delivering for DoorDash while sleeping in his car.

Reyes would go on to earn a bachelor of science in sports psychology from Grand Canyon University and become a licensed real estate agent with Realty One Group. Now, when he looks at those young players with dreams so familiar to him, he sees more than hopeful athletes—he sees reflections of their possible futures, both on and off the field.

“Every time they see him, it’s like they see themselves in him,” said Leslie Flores, the Athletics’ coordinator of education and cultural programs. “Now that he is as successful as he is and is only going to continue to grow, I think it’s awesome to know that they also have him to look up to.”

Reyes’ journey reveals an important truth: Baseball is only part of the story. That’s why the A’s prioritize more than athletic training. In addition to on-field work, the organization offers a number of programs at the Lew Wolff Training Complex that prepare international prospects for life beyond baseball in areas ranging from financial literacy and English to mental health and career skills.

Many fans watch international stars like Juan Soto, Elly De La Cruz and Jackson Chourio shine on the big stage and assume their transition to the majors was seamless. But what most don’t see is the steep learning curve that begins the moment these young players set foot in the United States.

For many of these inexperienced players, arriving in the U.S. means more than just adjusting to a higher level of baseball. It’s often their first time away from home, their first time speaking English regularly and their first time navigating life in a completely different culture. Everyday tasks that seem routine to most Americans—grocery shopping, ordering an Uber or even using a dishwasher—can feel confusing and, at times, overwhelming. 

These aren’t just minor hurdles. They’re constant reminders of how far these players are from everything familiar and how much they still have to learn outside the lines of a baseball field.

The adjustment goes far beyond the game. It’s about survival, adaptation and finding a sense of belonging in a world that often feels foreign.

“I think programs like these are so important because we’re teaching them how to survive,” Flores said. “Our goal is for everybody to get to the major league stadium, but even then, their major league dreams won’t be for the rest of their life.

“We want to help them be the best humans that they can be. If they choose to get married, be the best husband they can be. Then be the best father they can be.”

Beyond Reyes’ personal story, the strides made around the league to help young players adapt to life as professional baseball players represent a growing shift in how MLB organizations approach international development. While traditional training once focused almost exclusively on athletic performance, today’s programs recognize that physical tools are only part of what determines a young player’s future.

Teams across the league—including the Rangers, Reds and Guardians— have launched similar initiatives at their complexes, providing holistic developmental programs focusing on both athletic and personal growth.

With the A’s, players attend classes covering everything from how to read a paycheck and pay taxes to lessons on consent, digital literacy, nutrition and managing mental health.

Additionally, many players arrive at the complex after leaving school early to pursue baseball full-time. To help them stay on track academically, teams around the league offer classes and tutoring that allow players to work toward completing their high school education and earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. The A’s, for example, partner with certified educators who tailor lessons to the players’ needs and schedules, often conducting sessions in both Spanish and English to ensure comprehension and comfort.

Reyes’ journey is just one of many that reflect how life after baseball can take unexpected, meaningful turns—especially when former players support one another.

One of those stories belongs to Leo Santana, a former Reds minor leaguer from the Dominican Republic who met Reyes while the two were working at Amazon. Santana was still reeling from being released and unsure of what came next. But Reyes encouraged him to go back to school, earn his GED and consider the bigger picture.

“I saw how smart he was, how much potential he had,” Reyes said. “He just needed someone to remind him that baseball wasn’t the end.”

Santana used everything he learned at the Reds’ complex to help him sharpen his real-world skills. He credits Reyes with fittingly being a true “Angel” in his life and helping him get back on track.

That support helped Santana discover a passion for mental skills coaching. As a result, he completed a mental performance internship with the Rangers in 2023 and now runs his own mental performance company called Six Tool Mindset Baseball Development.

Reyes and Santana had to learn many of life’s lessons the hard way—outside the lines, without a team and juggling warehouse jobs and school at night. But their experiences have helped shape the next generation of support systems inside MLB complexes.

Today, players like the ones sitting in that Mesa conference room don’t have to wait until their careers end to learn about financial literacy, mental health or higher education. Those lessons are now baked into the foundation of what teams like the A’s and others across the league are offering, long before a player’s first professional game or paycheck.

Reyes knows the path isn’t easy. But when he looks out at the young players in that Mesa classroom, he sees more than future baseball players—he sees young men who, with the right guidance, can thrive long after the game.

“Baseball gave us the dream,” Reyes said. “But life after baseball—that’s where the real journey begins.”