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Declan Rice, Englandâ€s captain for the night, speaks to ITV. “Itâ€s an honour in [Harry Kaneâ€s] absence … you can never take these moments for granted … itâ€s a massive game … a big one … hopefully we can build on what we did last camp … when you play England-Wales itâ€s always a fiery fixture … the history between us … got to keep pushing … energy … enthusiasm … keep playing with freedom … we need to win tonight and keep building momentum.â€

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A reminder of how England fared in their last match …

… and this was Wales†last competitive fixture.

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England make four changes to their starting XI from the 5-0 rout of Serbia last month. Harry Kane, Reece James, Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke are all injured, so in come Ollie Watkins, John Stones, Djed Spence (making his first start) and Bukayo Saka. Declan Rice takes temporary ownership of the captainâ€s armband. James Trafford, Jarrell Quansah and Nico Oâ€Reilly are on the bench hoping to win their first cap at some point tonight.

Wales named an experimental side for the 0-1 defeat to Canada last month. Only Neco Williams, Ben Davies, Harry Wilson and David Brooks keep their shirts from that match. Craig Bellamy goes strong, with Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Kieffer Moore and Brennan Johnson all returning.

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The teams

England:Pickford, Konsa, Stones, Guehi, Spence, Rice, Anderson, Saka, Rogers, Gordon, Watkins.
Subs: Dean Henderson, Lewis-Skelly, Jordan Henderson, Kane, Eze, Rashford, Burn, Gibbs-White, Loftus-Cheek, Bowen, Quansah, Oâ€Reilly, Trafford.

Wales: Darlow, Williams, Ampadu, Rodon, Ben Davies, Dasilva, Brooks, Cullen, Wilson, Johnson, Moore.
Subs: King, Mepham, Koumas, Rubin Colwill, Cabango, Jordan James, Harris, Thomas, Isaak Davies, Sheehan, Broadhead, Kpakio, Lawlor, Joel Colwill, Adam Davies.

Referee: Urs Schnyder (Switzerland).

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Updated at 14.12 EDT

Preamble

Unfortunately for fans of thetîm pêl-droed cenedlaethol Cymru, the following article, published in this corner of the information superhighway nine years ago, is still completely relevant today.

Since Mark Hughes scored the winner for Wales against England in 1984, the two neighbours and rivals have met on the association-football pitch seven times. England have won all seven of those matches, to the cumulative tune of 14-1. The last three of those games, during those aforementioned last nine years, count for 8-1 of that score. So thereâ€s a good reason England are hot favourites tonight, not least because theyâ€re at home … and Wales havenâ€t won this particular fixture since 1977 – Leighton James slotting a penalty after being fouled by Peter Shilton – and then before that 1936, when participants at Molineux including Ted Drake, Cliff Bastin, Bryn Jones and Jimmy Murphy wore black armbands to mourn the recent death of King George V. England is not their happiest hunting ground.

But Having Said All That dept. Wales have only lost twice in 11 matches under Craig Bellamy. Only one of those losses was in a competitive fixture, and in that they came from three down against Belgium only to ship the point they surely deserved right at the end. Plus theyâ€ve been good to watch, and Bellamy says he and his team are turning up this evening with a view to having a right go. So this could be fun. Kick-off is at 7.45pm UK time. Itâ€s on!

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Updated at 13.52 EDT

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With a few exceptions, the first stop for nearly every Latin American prospect these days is the Dominican Summer League.

So, who are the prospects from the 2025 international class who could be the next Top 100 Prospects or players who will become more prominent names in their organization’s Top 30 prospects in the coming years?

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. Heâ€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 Gonzalezâ€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 heâ€s able to drive the ball in the air with more frequency.

Heâ€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.Â

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 Peñaâ€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. Itâ€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 batterâ€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 itâ€s a hit-over-power game right now, thereâ€s lots of room left to fill out to project bigger power to come.

Gabriel Davalillo, C, Angels

Davalilloâ€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.Â

Juan Sanchez, SS, Blue Jays

While technically not a seven-figure signing—Sanchez signed for $997,500—weâ€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 doesnâ€t miss much when heâ€s swinging at strikes, and he drives the ball with impact, showing the potential to be a 20-25 home run hitter.Â

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 donâ€t look like a top tier prospect in the DSL. He hit .279/.395/.402 in 147 plate appearances and didnâ€t hit any home runs.

From a scouting perspective in projecting Tornes long term, though, he was one of the leagueâ€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. Thereâ€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.

Heâ€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.Â

Up-Arrow Signings

Luis Arana, SS, Marlins

We tabbed Arana as a sleeper of Miamiâ€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.Â

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. Heâ€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.Â

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 heâ€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.Â

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. Heâ€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.Â

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. Itâ€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.

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

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 doesnâ€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.

Heâ€s an average runner to a tick better underway. While he doesnâ€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.Â

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 didnâ€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.

Heâ€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.Â

Harold Rivas, OF, Red Sox

The Red Sox signed Rivas for $950,000 and got one of the best defensive center fielders in Venezuela. Heâ€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 doesnâ€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.Â

Ramcell Medina, SS, Royals

While righthander Kendry Chourio was the star of Kansas Cityâ€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 didnâ€t show much power this year, but his lean 6-foot-2 frame has lots of space left to fill out.Â

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 doesnâ€t have one standout carrying tool but shows advanced instincts and a high baseball IQ on both sides of the ball. Itâ€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 doesnâ€t have a plus tool or anything that jumps out defensively—heâ€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.Â

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 heâ€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 heâ€s destined for either third base or the outfield, his athleticism and body control give him a chance to continue at shortstop.Â

Dorian Soto, SS, Red Sox

Sotoâ€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.Â

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 didnâ€t hit any home runs in his pro debut, thereâ€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.

Heâ€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.Â

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 wasnâ€t as loud as some of the other players listed here, but thereâ€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.

Heâ€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 heâ€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.Â

Jostin Ogando, 1B/OF, Red Sox

Ogando was a late addition to Bostonâ€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 doesnâ€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 itâ€s his offensive game that will have to carry him.Â

Sami Manzueta, INF, Astros

Manzueta was a later addition to Houstonâ€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 doesnâ€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 werenâ€t always falling.

Manzueta isnâ€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 heâ€s most likely to play at higher levels.Â

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 didnâ€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 teamâ€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. Heâ€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 isnâ€t that big. However, while he hit just two home runs, he made consistent hard, quality contact with the highest average exit velocity among Houstonâ€s 2025 signings.Â

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 thatâ€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 doesnâ€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.Â

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. Thatâ€s not typically the most exciting profile for a 17-year-old righthanded hitter, but Simonâ€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 Simonâ€s swing path, he hit just one home run in 105 plate appearances while slashing .315/.419/.427 with 14 walks and 18 strikeouts.

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

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—heâ€s not fast, but heâ€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 isnâ€t much weight yet on his skinny 6-foot frame, so packing on more strength will be key for his development.Â

Warel Solano, 3B, Rays

There are a wide range of outcomes for Solano, who got $1.05 million out of the Dominican Republic. Heâ€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 teamâ€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 heâ€s still learning to maintain his balance and make consistent quality contact. Solano doesnâ€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.Â

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.Â

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 batterâ€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.

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

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.Â

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. Heâ€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.Â

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.Â

Brayan Cortesia, SS, Nationals

Cortesia isnâ€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 havenâ€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.Â

Sebastian Blanco, SS, Rockies

Signed out of Venezuela for $600,000, Blanco doesnâ€t have one plus tool, but his instincts both offensively and defensively are advanced for a 17-year-old shortstop. Heâ€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.Â

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.Â

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. Heâ€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.Â

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 doesnâ€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.

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Liverpool are in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, and it may just have got worse.

Ibrahima Konate was withdrawn on the hour mark in their most recent outing against Chelsea, with manager Arne Slot later citing a “quad” issue.

It comes during one of the trickiest spells in the Dutchman’s tenure so far, with the Reds having lost three games on the bounce, including their trip to Stamford Bridge.

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Another defensive injury added to Liverpool’s current woes

Slot confirmed Ibrahima Konate came off with a quad injury at the weekend (Image credit: Getty Images)

Depending on the length of his absence, Konate could soon be joining fellow centre-back and new signing Giovanni Leoni in the treatment room, the young Italian who picked up an ACL injury in his first outing for a new club.

Numbers were already light in that department for Slot heading into this new campaign, but a fresh update has cranked the pressure up even more.

Young centre-back Giovanni Leoni had to be stretchered off in his Reds debut (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool have confirmed, via their official website, that Wataru Endo has withdrawn from international duty with Japan due to injury.

The 32-year-old has not been a regular starter under Slot, but has reams of experience operating at centre-back, as well as his more common defensive midfield role.

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With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez the only fit senior centre-back’s at the manager’s disposal – and the latter left on the bench at the weekend with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch deputising for Konate after his injury instead – Endo’s adaptability would have come into its own.

Further updates are still required to know precisely how long Konate and Endo are expected to be out for, but the fact that both are doubts is enough to give Slot a headache.

In FourFourTwo’s view, Endo’s injury may not affect immediate squad selection, but it does greatly reduce the cover Slot has.

Wataru Endo has been forced to withdraw from international duty with Japan (Image credit: Alamy)

Selecting Gomez to partner Van Dijk seems the obvious choice, but his refusal to send the Englishman on after Konate’s injury raises questions about whether the Reds boss sees that as the answer at the minute.

Spoilt for choice in terms of attacking options this season, Slot may be wishing some more of his summer budget had been diverted to defensive acquisitions.

Endo is valued at €8m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool next face Manchester United, when Premier League action returns after the international break.

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Roger Federer leads the list of nominees announced Wednesday for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s class of 2026. He was the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles and ushered in an era of unprecedented greatness with younger rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

With a terrific forehand and serve, an attacking, all-court style, and footwork that helped make everything seem so effortless, Federer won 103 trophies and 1,251 matches in singles, totals surpassed among men only by Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968.

Federer finished five seasons at No. 1 in the ATP rankings, spent a record 237 consecutive weeks in that spot, led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and teamed with Stan Wawrinka to claim a doubles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

At the height of his powers, Federer reached a record 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005 to 2007, capturing eight titles in that span. He extended that dominance by making 18 of 19 major finals into 2010. There also were streaks of 36 quarterfinals in a row and 23 straight semifinals.

Federer, an ambassador for the game who often spoke in English, French and Swiss German at news conferences, played his last match at Wimbledon in 2021. He was a month shy of 40 at the time.

2026 International Tennis HOF Nominees

Roger FedererSvetlana KuznetsovaJuan Martin del PotroMary Carillo*Marshall Happer** Contributor category

His retirement announcement didn’t come until the following year, and he bid farewell with an appearance alongside Nadal in doubles at the Laver Cup, an event his management company founded.

Federer is joined on the ballot in the Hall’s player category by two-time major singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro. There are two nominees in the contributor category: TV announcer Mary Carillo and administrator Marshall Happer.

The inductees will be announced in November.

Federer is among eight men with at least one singles trophy from each of the sport’s four most important events, winning eight at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the US Open and one at the French Open. He completed the career Grand Slam at Roland-Garros in 2009.

His first major championship came at the All England Club in 2003, and he broke Pete Sampras’ then-record for a man of 14 Slam titles by winning Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set of the final.

Eventually, Federer was overtaken in the Grand Slam standings by Nadal, who retired last year at age 38 with 22, and Djokovic, who is still active at 38 with 24.

“I always say it’s wonderful to be part of that selective group,” Federer told The Associated Press in 2021. “How can you compare? What’s better? To win when you’re old or when you’re young? I have no idea, you know. Is it better to win on clay or grass? Don’t know. Is it better to have super dominant years or come back from injury? I don’t know. It really is impossible to grasp.”

Federer’s run of five consecutive US Opens — no man has won two in a row there since — ended in the 2009 final with a five-set loss to del Potro. At the time, del Potro was not quite 21 and seemed destined for an elite career thanks in part to his booming forehand, but a series of wrist and knee injuries derailed the 6-foot-6 Argentine.

He ended up with 22 tour-level titles and a career-high ranking of No. 3 while reaching one other Grand Slam final, finishing as the runner-up to Djokovic at the 2018 US Open. Del Potro earned a silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and helped Argentina win the Davis Cup that year. His last appearance at a major tournament was a fourth-round run at the 2019 French Open.

Kuznetsova won major trophies in singles at the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open and in doubles at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2012. She got to No. 2 in the WTA rankings in singles and No. 3 in doubles and was part of three championships with Russia in the competition now known as the Billie Jean King Cup. Kuznetsova won 18 tour-level events in singles and 16 in doubles.

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When Chris Woakes emerged to bat with his arm in a sling in the final Test against India, there was the suspicion it would be his final act in an England shirt.

Whether or not he made it to the Ashes, and regardless of the result, it seemed likely England would want to go in a new direction at the beginning of next summer. Still, it feels incredibly cruel that such a great career would end that way.

In other eras, Woakes’ achievements would have earned greater recognition. His misfortune was to coincide with James Anderson and Stuart Broad as new-ball competitors, and Ben Stokes as an all-rounder.

Maligned as not being quick enough when he made his Test debut in the fifth Ashes Test in 2013, Woakes went on to become one of the most lethal bowlers to perform in English conditions. While his struggles overseas were well known, a home average of 23.87 outstrips Anderson and Broad.

At Lord’s, the most famous ground of all, he had few peers. Only five other men have matched Woakes’ record of registering a Test hundred, five-wicket haul and 10-wicket haul at the home of cricket.

In an era of English cricketing ups and downs, Woakes has seen it all. In that golden era of white-ball cricket, when England were simultaneously world champions in both formats, Woakes was one of only four men to play in both the 50-over World Cup final of 2019 and T20 final in 2022. Overall, he is one of only six England players to have won both World Cups and the Ashes.

His exit is a further departure from the group that formed the core of the England team throughout much of the previous decade and the beginning of this one. Moeen Ali has retired, Jonny Bairstow is out of favour, Jos Buttler now only in the white-ball set-up. Anderson and Broad are gone, Stokes and Mark Wood are nearer the end than the start. Joe Root, at least, looks like he has plenty of time left.

It is a shame that Woakes will not be afforded a proper send-off, but perhaps that unforgettable moment at The Oval was a fitting farewell for the ultimate team man.

Plenty will say that Woakes is the nicest man in cricket, and they would be right. On that Monday morning in August, he also showed that he is the bravest.

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Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtain on a career that spanned 15 years and two World Cup triumphs. The 36-year-old last appeared in England colours in the Oval Test against India, where he batted one-handed with a dislocated shoulder. He was subsequently overlooked for the Ashes and, in effect, written out of the future.

Chris Woakes Retires, Eyes Franchise Competitions

Woakes confirmed he will continue with Warwickshire and seek opportunities in franchise competitions. “The moment has come, and Iâ€ve decided that the time is right for me to retire from international cricket,†he said. “Playing for England was something I aspired to do since I was a kid… Lifting two World Cups and being part of some amazing Ashes series is something I never thought was possible.â€

A dependable seam-bowling allrounder, Chris Woakes debuted in limited-overs cricket in 2011 and in Tests two years later. Across 62 Tests he took 192 wickets, his best match haul 11 for 102 against Pakistan at Lordâ€s, and scored a century against India in 2018. In ODIs he collected 173 wickets from 122 matches, including 6 for 45 on debut in Brisbane, and was integral to Englandâ€s white-ball transformation that culminated in the 2019 World Cup win at Lordâ€s. He also featured in 33 T20 internationals and lifted the T20 World Cup in 2022.

England managing director Rob Key acknowledged earlier this year that Woakes was no longer part of long-term plans. International cricket, then, has lost one of its quieter servants, rarely headline-grabbing, but invariably reliable.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell entertained the idea of staging one international game in almost every week of the regular season in the future.

Goodell said Sunday during an interview on NFL Network the league is continuing to expand its global footprint, which increases the need to stage games abroad. Should the season grow to 18 games, an accompanying effect to the International Series could follow.

“We have our eyes set on being 16 games internationally every year,” he said. “We think we can do it.”

Goodell outlined his ambitions during an event Saturday in Dublin.

“I think our next step after Australia would be probably moving into Asia,” he said, per the Associated Press’ Ken Maguire. “That’s a continent we’d like to be playing in. We are serious about being a global sport. We would like to get to 16 games so everyone is playing one game a year internationally.”

Sixteen games would be a massive jump over the seven that make up the 2025 international schedule.

Goodell’s comments underscore how there’s an increased appetite from the teams themselves to play in foreign markets.

Peter O’Reilly, the executive vice president for the NFL’s international business, told NBC Sports’ Peter King in 2023 there has been a shift in how individual franchises view international games.

“Now, it is very much teams raising their hands,” he said. “There’s a reason that the Chiefs and the Patriots are the two designated teams these next two weeks, and that’s based on they have rights here. They raised their hands and said, ‘We want to be over there in Germany.'”

The NFL Players Association presents a hurdle to Goodell’s goal of 16 international games. NFLPA interim executive director David White told the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi earlier this month that an 18-game regular season “certainly is not inevitable.”

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also noted the collective bargaining agreement caps the International Series at 10 games. The players’ union would have to sign off on adding to that number.

Given the factors at play, staging one international each week might be a long-term objective for the NFL rather than something fans can expect to see become a reality anytime soon.

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Predicting the future of amateur pitchers when theyâ€re 16 or 17 is one of the more imprecise exercises in scouting.

Thereâ€s an enormous amount of uncertainty with pitchers who are that young and that far from the majors. Their stuff and control can quickly change, and they have to prove they can stay healthy enough to reach MLB and sustain a career there. Itâ€s why teams largely avoid spending big money for young international pitching prospects and why so often there are all-star pitchers from Latin America who signed for smaller bonuses.

The Dominican Summer League offers an effective first filter to help us identify who the top pitchers are from the 2025 class that signed starting this year on Jan. 15. Some of them were players who received bonuses on the higher end of the scale for a pitcher, while others were players who didnâ€t get as much but were already starting to generate buzz at top pitchers in their class leading into their signing dates. Others still were more under the radar and used the DSL to make a bigger name for themselves.

Today, weâ€re breaking down 20 of the top pitchers from the 2025 international signing class. Weâ€ve broken these players down into four categories:

Best Of The Best: These were the elite pitching prospects in the class. These players combined high-end stuff with feel for pitching and performance.Â

Pitchers Trending Up:These pitchers all impressed in different ways. Some are power arms, some are high-end strike throwers. These players arenâ€t in the same tier as the elite arms, but they are all quality pitching prospects who raised their stock in 2025 and are emerging as some of the better pitching prospects in the lower levels of their organizations.Â

Stuff & Projection, But Control Needs Work:These are pitchers who showed great stuff and/or high-level physical projection with traits to like but struggled throwing strikes. While it’s a risky group, with players who were pitching at 17 or even 16, we can see players make big strides with their control once they get more experience and more body control when they stop growing. Frankie Montas spent two seasons in the DSL when he was 17 and 18 and had a combined 30-30 K-BB mark in 34.1 innings with a 7.60 ERA, so there are success stories from this group.Â

Small-Sample Arms:These are pitchers who stood out and are definite prospects to follow but werenâ€t able to log many innings this season.Â

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 wasnâ€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 heâ€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. Â

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 heâ€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.Â

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.Â

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.Â

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 itâ€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.Â

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 isnâ€t as advanced, itâ€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.Â

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 didnâ€t turn 17 until Aug. 14—but he showed advanced stuff and feel for pitching with a starter look. Heâ€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 thatâ€s a potential above-average pitch and ahead of his nascent changeup.Â

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 doesnâ€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.Â

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. Heâ€s a good athlete who repeats his mechanics to throw strikes and shows feel to spin a slider.Â

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.Â

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 thatâ€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.Â

Carlos Alvarez, LHP, Padres

Thereâ€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 werenâ€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. Heâ€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. Thereâ€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 thereâ€s still a long way to go in terms of touch and control.Â

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. Thereâ€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 thatâ€s ahead of his curveball.Â

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.Â

Diego Perez, RHP, White Sox

On the surface, Perez didnâ€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 thatâ€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 thatâ€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. Itâ€s already a huge fastball for a 17-year-old lefty and thereâ€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.Â

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 heâ€s still learning to coordinate—after he walked 13 batters in 8.2 innings.Â

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. Itâ€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.Â

Yordan Rodriguez, RHP, Athletics

In Cuba in 2023, Rodriguez led the countryâ€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 Aâ€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 heâ€s able to corral the pitch.

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Take a look at some of the most pivotal players involved in the 2025 pennant race and one thing is for sure: securing talent on the international market is a surefire way to set your organization up for success.

From well-established All-Stars and perennial MVP candidates such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto to young phenoms like Jackson Chourio and Julio Rodríguez, the international scene is perpetually flush with premier talent.

And thatâ€s just at the big league level. Currently, three of MLB Pipelineâ€s top 5 prospects were signed as international free agents within the past three years. Leo De Vries (Athletics), Sebastian Walcott (Rangers) and Jesús Made (Brewers) all made it to Double-A at 18 years old this season and have the look of future franchise cornerstones.

So whoâ€s next up? Weâ€re just under four months away from the 2026 international signing period opening on Jan. 15, which is when talented amateurs can officially ink professional contracts.

Thereâ€s a bit of history being made this time around — shortstop Luis Hernandez becomes the first player born in Venezuela to hold down the No. 1 overall spot since these rankings began in 2012. (Ethan Salas, the No. 1 overall prospect in 2023, was born in Florida before moving to Venezuela with his family as a youngster.)

Below, youâ€ll find in-depth information on each of the Top 50 prospects in this yearâ€s class, including scouting grades, video reports and more.

Here’s a look at the Top 5:

No. 1: Luis Hernandez, SS (Venezuela)
Hernandez is one of the most heralded players on the international scene in the past few years. Gifted with immense physical projection and a laundry list of impressive tools, the native of Guárico, Venezuela, also earns plus marks for his work ethic and all-around baseball IQ. At just 15 years old, Hernandez excelled during a stint in the Venezuelan Major League, hitting .346 across 104 at-bats against much older and more experienced competition, routinely showcasing preternaturally gifted bat speed and a consistent ability to get to his extra-base pop.

He has soft hands and a quick first step, which gives him the look of a long-term up-the-middle defender. Constantly on the prowl to grab an extra base, heâ€s an above-average runner who should impact the game both in the stolen-base department and while going from first to third and second to home. Thereâ€s legitimate 30/30 upside — all while holding down a premium defensive position — if everything comes together. More »

No. 2: Wandy Asigen, SS (Dominican Republic)
Major League All-Stars Nelson Cruz and Tony Batista are some of the biggest names to call Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, home. Asigen, despite being one of the youngest players in the 2026 international signing class, already has the look of potentially being next in that lineage. A standout performer during game action despite consistently playing against some of the Dominicanâ€s top talent from a young age, Asigen has been heralded as having arguably the most advanced offensive profile among his class.

The excitement around Asigenâ€s prospect profile stems primarily from his special left-handed swing. He has ripped off 110+ mph exit velocities and is repeatedly able to find the barrel during in-game action. The quickness of his hands has evaluators excited about the future potential impact he can have with the bat. He performs many of the quick-twitch movements that scouts look for when projecting a young playerâ€s ability to stick at shortstop. Asigen has a nose for the ball and his wheels — which have been clocked at 6.5 seconds on 60-yard dash times — allow him to cover tons of ground laterally. More »

No. 3: Francisco Renteria, OF (Venezuela)
Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Renteria has been a longtime participant on the travel ball scene since a young age. At just 15 years old, he went 8-for-28 with three doubles — collecting hits off two former big leaguers — during a stint in the Venezuelan Major League this summer. He earned comparisons from one evaluator to Konnor Griffin, the Pirates†2024 first-round pick who ascended to No. 1 overall prospect status in his first year of pro ball.

Heâ€s presently a contact monster, which when coupled with his excellent understanding of the strike zone and his plus-plus raw power, leads to him having one of the highest offensive upsides in the 2026 international class. Scouts think the 6-foot-3 outfielder has the actions and all-around athleticism to stick in center field long-term. An above-average runner, Renteria impacts the game on the basepaths and utilizes those wheels and his long strides to run down the ball from gap-to-gap. More »

No. 4: Angeibel Gomez, OF (Venezuela)
Gomez garners top-of-the-charts reviews for his off-the-field acumen and makeup, which helps to enhance his already impressive tool package. His large, physical frame at a young age led to one evaluator believing that had Gomez been born stateside, he would be an SEC-caliber wide receiver recruit on the football field.

Equipped with a right-handed swing that repeatedly generates hard contact, Gomez has shown proficiency in getting to his extra-base power. He won MVP of the Amateur Scouting League in 2024 by hitting .370 with a 1.216 OPS, leading the circuit with 10 RBIs and 21 total bases across eight games. He also plays an excellent center field with the chance to stick there long-term and is a savvy runner who has both the speed and intuitiveness to know when to pick his spots, as evidenced by going 11-for-11 on stolen-base attempts during his two turns through the Amateur Scouting League. More »

No. 5: Johenssy Colome, SS (Dominican Republic)
Jesus Colome spent 10 seasons in the big leagues with four different clubs, primarily carving out a role in the Rays bullpen. Now his son, Johenssy, is prepared to enter the professional ranks as one of the most tooled-up members of the ‘26 international class, one who has the look of a potential impact big leaguer if everything comes together.

Colome has a tendency to get to his jumpy pop with frequency, consistently leveraging his swing well — so well in fact, that one evaluator mentioned the most recent occasion on which he saw an international prospect continually get to their launch point in such a manner was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Something of an athletic marvel at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds at age 16, Colome is an agile athlete who shows a lot of lateral quickness. The fluidity of his movements and strong arm led to a Manny Machado comparison being hung on him defensively. More »

Breakdown
Weâ€re roughly just six months away from the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the gameâ€s preeminent global showcase. But look across the Major and Minor Leagues and youâ€ll see players from all across the planet starring on the diamond; there are nine countries other than the United States represented on the current Top 100 Prospects list alone.

While Venezuela holds down three of the top four spots in the 2026 international class, the Dominican Republic again rules the roost when it comes to sheer quantity among the Top 50. Thirty-four members of the list hail from the D.R., with 13 coming from Venezuela and three from Cuba. Position-wise, there are 25 infielders, 15 outfielders, four pitchers, four catchers and two outfielder/infielders.

Who is eligible?
There are guidelines for signing international prospects. A player is eligible to sign with a Major League organization between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year — in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009 (and older), will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible.

How do the mechanics of the signing period work?
Each organization enters the signing period with bonus pool money to sign international amateur free agents. The size of that pool is determined by a number of factors, including market size and revenue, as well the signing of Major League free agents who declined a qualifying offer. Trades, in which international bonus money can be dealt in increments of $250,000, also affect bonus pool sizes. But a team can not spend more than its allotment, no matter what — there is no option to exceed the limit and pay a tax, for example.

While teams are allowed to trade away as much of their pool as they so choose, they can acquire only 60 percent of their original pool.

However, signing players for a bonus of $10,000 or less does not count against a bonus pool. It’s possible, therefore, that a team could spend its entire bonus pool on one player and still sign many other players in relatively small deals.

The international bonus pool breakdown for 2026 is as follows:

$8,034,900
AZ, BAL, CLE, COL, KC, PIT, STL

$7,357,100
ATH, CIN, DET, MIA, MIL, MIN, SEA, TB

$6,679,200
ATL, CHC, CWS, LAA, LAD, PHI, TEX, WSH

$5,440,000
HOU, NYY, NYM, SF

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A season of official games behind us gives us a better picture of how teams fared with their 2025 international…