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 RodrÃguez, 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
Discover more from 6up.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.