Top 35 Dominican Summer League Prospects In 2025

With the Dominican Summer League season in the books—congratulations to the Padres Gold for winning the title—it’s time to unveil our annual list of the league’s best prospects.

The choice at No. 1 was easy. Josuar Gonzalez earned rave reviews from Opening Day until the close of the season thanks to a loud, well-rounded skill set that includes top-flight defense, speed and one of the more complete offensive games in the league.

The top pitching prospect was Kendry Chourio, who moved to the ACL after just 17.2 innings in the DSL. He demolished the competition in the Arizona Complex League, too, before taking his lumps a bit as a 17-year-old in the Carolina League.

Overall, this year’s version includes some of the gems of the most recent international signing period, a few players who looked rejuvenated in a second turn in the league and more than a few low-dollar signings whose talent well exceeds their signing bonuses.

The cutoffs to make this list were set at 50 at-bats for hitters and 15 innings for pitchers. Next week, we’ll highlight some of the talented players in the league who didn’t meet the threshold for inclusion.

Now, dig in and enjoy a peek at a wave of talent just beginning to form beneath the horizon, years before it comes ashore to the big leagues.

1. Josuar Gonzalez, SS, Giants

Gonzalez was one of the top talents available during this year’s international signing period, and he quickly lived up to the billing. The 17-year-old drew raves for his slick fielding, which will make him a surefire bet to stick at shortstop and provide defense that could reach double-plus at his peak. Gonzalez also earned potential 70 grades for his speed, which helped him swipe 33 bags in 38 tries.

Gonzalez was a bit streaky at the plate in his pro debut, but at his best, he showed a sound knowledge of the strike zone and the elements of a turn-and-burn player who makes his money at the top of a lineup. The switch-hitter’s righthanded swing is handsier and more contact-oriented, while his lefthanded cut is geared for more impact.

2. Kendry Chourio, RHP, Royals

Chourio almost didn’t stick around long enough to make this list, but he was the clear-cut best pitching prospect in the league based on stuff, pitchability and polish.

The righthander—who made it to Low-A in his pro debut—brings his fastball up to 97 mph and backs it with a changeup that scouts project as a potentially above-average offering, as well as a downer curveball with plus potential. He ties his mix together with control and command that are extraordinarily advanced for his age and could be plus.

Chourio isn’t the most physical pitcher on the planet, but his combination of stuff, strikes and savvy should lead to a long big league career.

3. Kevin Defrank, RHP, Marlins

Chourio comes with less risk, but Defrank has the highest upside of any pitching prospect in this year’s DSL.

The massive righthander comes with equally impressive stuff, including a fastball that has already bumped triple-digits. He backs the fastball with a fading changeup and a slicing slider that each have the chance to be plus pitches that draw plenty of empty swings.

If he reaches his ceiling, Defrank could easily find a place toward the middle of a big league rotation for years to come.

4. Diego Tornes, OF, Braves

Tornes earned the top bonus in Atlanta’s most recent international class, and then spent the summer demonstrating exactly why he deserved that kind of outlay.

The back of his baseball card doesn’t show the loudest stats in the world, but scouts who saw Tornes this summer were excited by his combination of athleticism and remaining projection. He has solid swings from both sides of the plate and excellent bat speed, as well. If he adds strength as he ages, his power should amplify.

Tornes’ athleticism translates in the outfield, too, and evaluators give him a great shot to stick in center field thanks to standout speed and instincts.

5. Juan Sanchez, 3B, Blue Jays

Take one look at Sanchez, and it’s immediately clear that he’s a man made to do treacherous things to baseballs. The righthanded hitter used a picturesque swing to inflict plenty of damage in his first season as a pro.

Scouts who watched Sanchez this summer reported a player with a chance for average hittability and plus power and a chance to stick on the dirt. His sizable frame—he’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds—is likely to push him off shortstop in the coming years, but he should have more than enough power and arm strength to make for a classic third base masher.

6. Kevin Alvarez, OF, Astros

Alvarez earned $2 million from Houston this past January and opened his professional career with one of the better offensive performances in the DSL.

Alvarez’s best tools show up in the batter’s box, where scouts see a player with the potential to produce above-average hittability and power once he reaches the big leagues. His strong bat-to-ball skills helped him to limit strikeouts to just 19 in 192 plate appearances (9.9%), and evaluators lauded him for an advanced hitting approach.

He’ll likely stay in center field for the time being, but there’s plenty to tighten up in that regard. His body will likely push him to a corner, and if that happens, his offensive skills should be more than sufficient to profile.

7. Santiago Castellanos, RHP, Twins

Despite being one of the league’s youngest pitchers—he didn’t turn 17 until the day before his sixth start of the summer—Castellanos impressed evaluators with his combination of present stuff and pitchability.

The righthander works with a three-pitch mix headed by a fastball that sat around 93-95 mph and could get up to 97 during its best moments. He complemented the fastball with a curveball and changeup, and both pitches showed plus potential. He’ll need to add strength to a smaller frame to reach his ceiling as a midrotation starter.

8. Dorian Soto, SS, Red Sox

Soto’s summer was muted somewhat by a wrist injury that limited his ability at the plate and quieted his performance down the stretch. Before that, he showed an exciting blend of hittability, power and remaining projection.

He’s a tall, lanky player with plenty of room for strength on his frame. The added bulk might push him to third base, but he has plenty of arm strength for the position and should have the requisite power, as well.

9. Cris Rodriguez, OF, Tigers

Not only the gem of the Tigers’ most recent international class, Rodriguez was also one of the best players available in his class, period.

After a slower start, he started cooking and took a spot as one of the league’s top talents. The tall, righthanded swinger had some of the best raw power in the DSL—some scouts graded it as double-plus—which he used to swat 10 home runs in 172 at-bats. He’ll have to be a little more selective at the plate to help his power show up more often as he moves up the ladder.

Rodriguez has enough athleticism to stick in center field for the time being, but he’ll likely wind up as power-hitting right fielder.

10. Edgar Montero, SS, Athletics

Montero signed with the Athletics in 2024 and repeated the DSL this year after a lackluster pro debut. In 2025, the script flipped, and he produced one of the best seasons in the league.

In Montero, scouts saw a lithe body with room to tack on strength as he ages. Those same gains would likely push him off third base, but his solid approach and smooth swing would give him a chance to profile at a position with more offensive emphasis. Evaluators also gave Montero points for the enthusiasm he brought to the field every day.

11. Gabriel Davalillo, C, Angels

Two things are true about Davalillo, who comes from a family with deep baseball roots. First, he has the skills and tools to be an impact player at the plate. Second, he absolutely needs to watch his conditioning and work to get in better shape.

In the batter’s box, Davalillo shined. He showed plate discipline, contact and impact and was one of the league’s more diversely skilled players.

If he is to stick behind the plate, he has to lose enough weight to become more mobile. Currently, his body hinders his ability to block balls in the dirt and prolongs his throwing mechanics, which mutes his arm strength. If he can slim down over the offseason, his bat is loud enough to help him become a menace in the big leagues.

12. Haritzon Castillo, SS, Twins

Castillo was part of a loaded Minnesota group that should help fill out the lower levels of an exciting Twins system.

Castillo isn’t the toolsiest player you’ll find, but he’s got 50s and 55s all over his card and should be one of the safer players you’ll find among the DSL ranks. He’s got a sound glove and an excellent internal clock that should help him stick in the middle infield, even if he has to move to second base as he moves up the ladder.

Castillo, who boasts level strokes from both sides of the plate, is a contact-oriented player now but there could be power to come depending on the way his body progresses.

13. Ramcell Medina, SS, Royals

Medina stands out as the best position player among the Royals’ clubs thanks to a blend of athleticism, projection and potentially-plus defense at shortstop. He moves well on the dirt, makes all the plays required and has more than enough arm strength for the left side.

At the plate, Medina shows a quick, flat swing more geared for line drives than home runs, though there is a bit of sneaky pop in there that could be amplified as he matures. He projects as a hit-over-power player who provides plenty of value with his glove, as well.

14. Carlos De La Rosa, LHP, Giants

De La Rosa made waves early in the season and raised enough eyebrows to become part of the four-player package the Yankees sent to San Francisco to acquire reliever Camilo Doval. He is a smaller lefthander, but he possesses a big-time arsenal.

De La Rosa already brings his fastball up to 97 mph and backs it with a full complement of offspeed pitches that lend credence to the idea that he can remain a starter as he moves through the minors. He’ll also have to work to maintain consistency in his delivery after multiple evaluators noted that he dropped his slot and slowed his arm on his slider. In a vacuum, the pitch has above-average potential. His changeup could be an average pitch, as well, giving him the upside of a No. 4 starter.

15. Kenly Hunter, OF, Cardinals

Hunter was one of the top prospects St. Louis added this past January and was one of the most talented players to come out of Nicaragua in recent memory.

The speedy outfielder makes his money by slapping the ball around the diamond and then using his plus speed to torment opposing defenses. Hunter is both fast and intelligent on the basepaths, showing the kind of instincts usually found in much older players. His swing is quick and direct with a flat path geared toward line drives, and most of his future slugging percentages will come via his legs.

Hunter is a potentially above-average defender in center field who is plenty adept at beating balls to their landing point.

16. Alberto Laroche, RHP, Giants

The lower levels of the Giants’ system are in full bloom. In Arizona, Jhonny Level led a pack of promising prospects. Josuar Gonzalez is the top prospect in the DSL, and Laroche showed enough up-arrow traits on the mound to vault into San Francisco’s Top 30 at midseason.

The righthander starts a three-pitch mix with a lively sinking fastball that has reached as high as 97 mph. He backs it with a potentially above-average slider and a changeup that is just a touch behind but pairs nicely with his heater. Put it all together, and Laroche has a chance to fit in the back of a rotation and rack up grounders.

17. Adriano Marrero, RHP, Marlins

Marrero signed with the Marlins out of Cuba this past January and has already become a vital part of Miami’s stable of talented low-level arms.

The foundation of the righthander’s arsenal is a sinker-sweeper combo that helped him generate an absurd groundball rate of 72.6% over 33 innings. The breaking ball, in particular, drew raves from scouts, with some labeling it as high as a potential double-plus pitch. Marrero backed up his sinker and slider with a fringy changeup and below-average curveball. If either one of those pitches takes a step forward, he has a good shot at landing in a rotation as an innings-eater who relies on his infield to help him get outs.

18. Darell Morel, SS, Pirates

Morel was slated to sign with the Dodgers but switched to the Pirates while teams were anteing up to sign Roki Sasaki. The late switch has proved a boon for Pittsburgh.

In Morel, they signed a player with plenty of athleticism and ceiling but a long way to go to capitalize on his potential. He’s a potential average defender at shortstop with the above-average arm strength to play third base if his body pushes him there as he ages.

Morel makes solid contact and has the potential for plenty of impact, but he has holes to close if he is to make the most of his gifts. Specifically, he’s vulnerable to hard stuff inside. His swing mechanics keep him from unleashing the barrel on pitches in that part of the zone, and as a result, most of his damage is done up the middle or to the opposite field. There’s still plenty to dream on, however, and he has plenty of time to fix his flaws.

19. Omar Damian, RHP, Astros

Damian’s season was inconsistent and his numbers don’t jump off the page, but he was one of the bigger up-arrow pitching prospects in the league thanks to a deep array of pitches, smooth mechanics and a solid idea of how to deploy his arsenal.

The righthander complemented a lively low-90s fastball with a potentially above-average changeup, a fringe-average slider and a curveball that was a clear fourth pitch. Damian has a clean arm action and room to fill out and add a few more ticks of velocity across his arsenal. If he does, he could fit as a rotation piece in a few years.

20. Geremy Villoria, RHP, Twins

Villoria is one of two DSL prospects on this list who were traded at this year’s deadline. He moved from the Phillies to the Twins in the deal that sent Harrison Bader to Philadelphia. It’s easy to see why he was coveted in the deal.

Villoria was one of the younger players in the league and sported a combination of stuff, athleticism and projection that often leads to up-arrow reviews. He works with a three-pitch mix led by a fastball and curveball that each earned above-average grades from scouts. He also throws a changeup. Villoria threw a solid amount of strikes, issuing just seven walks over 22 innings.

Combine his repertoire, pitchability and a frame capable of adding strength, and it’s easy to envision Villoria as a No. 4 starter in a few years.

21. Kevin Martinez, RHP, Rockies

Martinez signed with Colorado this past January and impressed enough in the first half of the season to earn the starting nod for the National League in the DSL’s annual all-star game. He did so by filling up the strike zone with a three-pitch mix that could add power in the coming years depending on the way Martinez’s body develops.

Presently, he starts his repertoire with a lively fastball in the low 90s and a slurvy breaking ball with top-down action. He has feel for a changeup, as well, and the pitch garnered the highest miss rate of either of his two offspeed offerings. He also earned high marks for his ease of operation and repeatable delivery.

With a tick more power behind his stuff, he could have a ceiling as a back-end starter.

22. Pedro Montero, RHP, Marlins

The Marlins have a cache of pitchers at the lower levels, and Montero quickly established himself as a key part of that group after signing for just $75,000 last January.

The righthander works with a powerful mix headed by a fastball that has already reached 97 mph and is backed by a low-80s sweeper and a mid-80s changeup that each got miss rates between 32% and 35%. He’ll need to throw his offspeed stuff for strikes more often if they are to be effective as he moves up the ladder.

Despite a smaller frame, Montero—like many in the next wave of Marlins arms—has plenty of physicality to help him hold up to the rigors of a starter’s workload.

23. Freddy Contreras, RHP, Royals

Contreras entered the DSL season as one of its youngest players but performed well enough to earn the start for the American League in the circuit’s annual all-star game.

The righthander came by that honor by stymying hitters with a three-pitch mix led by a fastball that reached as high as 97 mph and was backed by a breaking ball scouts tab as a future above-average pitch. Contreras’ changeup is a bit further behind, but the most bullish scouts give it average potential.

Contreras is not the most physical pitcher in the world, which could lead him to a spot in the bullpen—especially if the changeup does not take the necessary steps forward. His fastball and breaker should give him a solid relief floor.

24. Elorky Rodriguez, 2B, Rangers

Before they signed Seong-Jun Kim, the Rangers’ largest contract this international period went to Rodriguez, a smaller player whose offensive skills will likely provide the bulk of his value.

At the plate, Rodriguez made sound swing decisions and plenty of contact, albeit with a slightly below-average impact. Beyond the pure knowledge of the strike zone, Rodriguez was also adept at knowing when and at which pitches to unleash his best swings. Despite not being the biggest player, evaluators believe Rodriguez has a chance to add a bit more strength and corresponding thump to his offensive game.

He’s a potentially fringe-average defender both in the outfield and at second base.

25. Elian Peña, SS, Mets

By far, Peña was the most divisive prospect in the DSL. When things were going well, he produced some of the best numbers in the league—including a pair of three-home run games that accounted for two thirds of his long balls.

Evaluators are reasonably convinced that Peña’s offense will translate to the highest level, though not anywhere near the levels he produced in the DSL. They cite a balanced swing, solid swing decisions and fair present impact as the best evidence, though there’s a bit of concern over bat speed that is only middling. His lack of barrel accuracy and inconsistent ability to make hard contact add a bit of doubt.

The biggest red flags on Peña’s card come next to his defense and athleticism. Universally, scouts were alarmed by the lack of projection and twitchiness in Peña’s body, which will ultimately push him off of shortstop. Some evaluators believe he could handle either second or third base, while the most bearish of the bunch think he could wind up at first base when it’s all said and done.

Overall, Peña projects as an ok prospect, but one without a plus tool he can ride to the big leagues.

26. Jhorman Bravo, SS, Red Sox

Bravo’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but scouts across the league raved about his skills and the foundation they set for the future. The lefty swinger struck out just nine times all year, and he has the look of a defensive-minded, contact-oriented infielder. He has the chops not only to stick at shortstop, but to excel at the position. Some scouts grade his defense as nearly double-plus thanks to strong instincts, a stellar internal clock and more than enough arm for the left side that includes a quick release and plenty of accuracy.

Bravo doesn’t show much power yet, but scouts believe he could get to at least fringe-average thump depending on the way his body develops.

27. Teilon Serrano, OF, Twins

The Twins boasted some of the most talented teams in the DSL, and Serrano was one of their better prospects.

Serrano boasts natural strength and a repeatable swing capable of producing plenty of thump that should multiply as he matures. Scouts see a player who could reach 25 homers in a year with 40-grade hittability because of a higher tendency to swing and miss. Offense will carry Serrano’s profile since he is a fringy athlete and below-average runner.

No matter where he winds up in the outfield, he’ll have to work to refine his routes and jumps.

28. Yorger Bautista, OF, Mariners

Bautista was the recipient of Seattle’s top bonus this January and stood out to evaluators as one of the league’s most talented players, even if there’s a lot of work to be done with his hittability.

There’s zero question about Bautista’s ability to impact the ball, but there are plenty of questions about whether he’ll make enough contact for it to matter. His strikeout rate came in just below 30%—a product of mechanics that leave him vulnerable to quality stuff above his belt and resulted in worrisome amounts of miss both in and out of the zone.

Bautista has the skills to be a decent enough left fielder and the raw power to profile at the position. Now, it’s about overhauling his mechanics to get the most out of his bat.

29. Jose Paulino, RHP, Marlins

Paulino signed in 2024 and repeated the DSL in 2025. In his second turn in the league, he showed big-time stuff out of an imposing, physical frame.

He works with a three-pitch mix headed by a fastball that sat in the mid 90s and touched 99 mph. He backs it with a high-spin curveball and a fringy changeup. The curveball sat around 81 mph and was missed on two-thirds of the swings it garnered. The breaking ball currently projects as an average pitch but has the ceiling for much more if he can throw it for called strikes as well as whiffs. The changeup sat in the mid 80s and could get to a fringe-average pitch.

Paulino is much bigger than his listed frame and will have to watch his conditioning as he moves through the minors. His fastball and curveball give him a chance to be a bully who dispatches hitters late in games.

30. Sebastian Dos Santos, SS, Cardinals

The Cardinals added Dos Santos for $75,000 and have already seen a strong return on that investment.

The switch-hitting shortstop showed ok thump in his pro debut, and he paired it with above-average bat-to-ball skills, as well. He also showed a solid ability to put his best-struck balls in the air and to his pull side.

Defensively, Dos Santos is a sound player who makes up for a lack of pure speed with solid instincts and a strong internal clock. His combination of skills, instincts and upside could get him to the big leagues as a well-rounded regular on a second-division club.

31. Juan Rujano, C, Cardinals

Rujano was part of St. Louis’ most recent signing class and made a quick impact thanks to his ability to hit balls hard. His exit velocities were better than league average, though they were paired with a bit more whiff tendencies than you’d like to see.

Rujano’s defense has improved since his days as an amateur, and he’s a physical player with enough arm strength behind the plate to catch 35.4% of attempted basestealers. Scouts also praise his high baseball IQ.

If he can make a touch more contact, Rujano has a chance to be an offensive-minded backup.

32. Juan Cabada, 2B, Cubs

Cabada signed with the Cubs in January and had one of the most productive seasons among Chicago’s two clubs. He’s a smaller, compact player with a knack for making both contact and impact. His underlying numbers showed miss rates and exit velocities that were better than average for the league.

Cabada split his time between second and third base, and his offensive skills and arm strength should allow him to profile capably at either spot.

33. Franklin Primera, C, Red Sox

Primera, who signed with Boston for $10,000 in September of 2024, was a late addition to the DSL’s annual all-star game but made a big impression by homering in his first at-bat. Though the blast was unofficial, it was his first as a professional. He added his first regular-season home run a few weeks later.

Overall, though, the most intriguing part of Primera’s offensive game revolves around his bat-to-ball skills. He rarely swung and missed and did a fine job laying off pitches out of the strike zone. His game power is mostly gap-to-gap, and he’ll need to add some strength as he gets older. Scouts are bullish that he can make that necessity a reality.

Primera also earns high marks for his defense, including above-average to plus grades for his receiving and arm strength. He has the floor of a backup catcher in the big leagues with the upside for a bit more.

34. Luis Arana, 2B, Marlins

Arana was one of the DSL’s foremost contact merchants and finished the year with just 18 strikeouts in 227 plate appearances. While he did an excellent job putting the bat on the ball, he needs to improve his barrel accuracy, add more strength and get the ball in the air more often. Contact is certainly one of the keys to the castle in today’s game, but better defenses will convert more of his soft grounders into outs as he moves up the ladder.

Defensively, Arana is capable at all three non-first base spots on the infield but doesn’t stand out at any one spot, either. With a bit more strength behind his swing, he could reach the big leagues in a true utility role.

35. Alexander Garcia, RHP, Guardians

Garcia was one of the prospects who emerged from the DSL’s annual all-star game with plenty of intrigue around his name. At 19 years old, he is a little bit old for the level and on his second turn in the league, but his live arm and the stuff it produced caught scouts’ attention.

The $10,000 signee brings his fastball into the mid 90s and pairs it with a slicing slider in the low 80s. He’ll flip in a mid-80s changeup, too, but the other two pitches are his bread and butter and give him a solid chance to reach a big league bullpen.

If his changeup comes forward, a starter’s role might not be out of the question.