Franchises such as the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers have already surpassed 30 signed players. Others, including the Oakland Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles, have fewer than 15 signings so far.

In total, $186 million has been invested in international signings, with players coming from 16 different countries up to this point in the period.

There are still several intriguing prospects who could sign before December 15, when the international signing window officially closes. Organizations such as the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Toronto Blue Jays still have remaining international bonus pool money to work with.

What’s behind the paywall this month?

💰Show me the money: Which MLB teams still have international pool space available, and how much?

🎁 Jackpot: From a $10 K bet to a HR in his first at bat in MLB

🇯🇵 Not Ohtani: But close… Japan’s newest two-way sensation

🇨🇺 Island fever: he left Cuba just weeks ago and is already impressing scouts.

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Park, 17, attends Gwangju Jeil High School in Gwangju, a city located about 190 miles from the capital Seoul.

According to multiple industry sources, the agreement between Park and the Phillies is worth approximately $1.2 million, the highest bonus paid to a pitcher in the current international signing period. The official signing is expected to take place in the coming weeks.

Joe Doyle first reported on his X account that Park and the Phillies had reached an agreement.

What type of talent is Park? Why several prospects are skipping the KBO draft to go straight to MLB? Answers behind the paywall.

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In this monthly column, perhaps the only one fully dedicated to what’s happening on the international scene, we continue to highlight the most notable developments from month to month.

This March also brought several releases from previous signing classes, including two players who once sat at the top of the 2020 to 2021 period.

Infielders Yiddi Cappe (Cuba) and Armando Cruz (Dominican Republic) were released by the Marlins and Nationals, respectively. Neither player made the expected progress after being evaluated as advanced talents for their age five years ago.

Cappe was unable to advance beyond Double A, despite ranking among the Marlins’ top 10 prospects between 2023 and 2024. Cruz, meanwhile, reached as high as No. 14 in the Nationals system in 2023, but struggled significantly afterward to move past High A Wilmington, posting a .568 OPS in 2024 and a .455 OPS in 2025.

Both Cruz and Cappe were among the top bonus signings of the 2020 to 2021 international class. Of all the players who topped that class, only one has reached the Major Leagues after five years, while three have already been released. The remaining players are still active, but at this point, they appear to be a long way from reaching the Big Leagues.

OF Pedro Leon ($4,000,000) HOU (Active) MLB

SS Armando Cruz ($3,900,000) WSH (Released) A+

SS Yiddi Cappe ($3,500,000) MIA (Released) AA

SS Cristian Hernandez ($3,000,000) CHI (Active) A+

SS Carlos Colmenarez ($3,000,000) TB (Active) AAA

SS Cristian Santana ($2,975,000) DET (Active) A

SS Wilman Diaz ($2,700,000) LA (Released) A+

OF Pedro Pineda ($2,500,000) ATH (Active) A+

OF Shalin Polanco ($2,350,000) PIT (Active) A+

SS Manuel Beltre ($2,350,000) TOR (Active) A+

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“One day you will be the manager of this team,” Odor told him.

Nine years later, Omar López is a 10-2 manager in the World Baseball Classic, with a surreal run that, even without the best roster or many stars, led him to reign in the baseball world against powerhouses like Japan, the United States, and the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park in Miami. In front of a roaring crowd and with the confidence of feeling like the home team, Venezuela also achieved, along the way, its first qualification for the Olympic Games as a baseball team.

López had to endure constant criticism, pressure to answer political questions, and negative comments on social media.

“I can control what is from here to here.”

After nine innings against the United States, and with a starting pitching performance by Eduardo Rodríguez, which I believe was one of the keys to the game, Venezuela defied all predictions, building an even better script for the World Baseball Classic championship game.

Rodríguez went 4.1 innings scoreless with 4 strikeouts, just 1 hit allowed, 57 pitches, and one walk. The 32 year old left hander, who has spent the last two seasons pitching with an ERA above 5.00 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, became the first left handed pitcher with 4.0 or more scoreless innings and 4 strikeouts in a WBC final.

The Venezuelans scored a run in the 3rd inning against Mets ace Nolan McLean, with a single to right field by Salvador Pérez, a walk to Ronald Acuña Jr., a wild pitch, and then a line drive hit at 97.7 mph exit velocity by Maikel García that traveled 347 feet, allowing Pérez to score from third.

Leading off the 5th inning early in the count, outfielder Wilyer Abreu extended the lead with a massive hit to center field at loanDepot Park.

Venezuela’s bullpen did an admirable job, maintaining a streak that began in the 5th inning against the Dominican Republic and extended through the 8th inning against the United States in the final. A total of 21.1 scoreless innings was broken when Bryce Harper connected on a 93 mph changeup from Andrés Machado and sent it 432 feet over the center field wall, tying the game at 2-2.

However, Venezuela had a weapon more powerful than fastballs and 110 mph exit velocity hits. They were not afraid to lose. They played as if there were no tomorrow and that can be dangerous, but on nights like last night, it becomes the doorway that opens the path to glory.

Luis Arraez worked the best walk of his career against Garrett Whitlock in the top of the 9th inning. Upon reaching first base, he was replaced by Javier Sanoja, a 5 foot 7 player, a sort of Jose Altuve type, signed for a low international bonus in his first contract and underestimated.

“From the dugout I was supporting my teammates when they told me I was going to run at first.”

Sanoja was completely loose. They talked about Whitlock’s slow movements and looked to take advantage of that. That was when Sanoja went for the steal and, despite arriving just barely safe, the United States challenged the play on replay, which ultimately confirmed the stolen base.

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“We made the best decision,” Sanoja told me in center field while celebrating the world championship with his country of birth.

With Sanoja on second base and the United States unable to use Mason Miller, their best closer, Eugenio Suárez stayed calm and connected on a Whitlock changeup in a 3 2 count, placing it perfectly between left field and center field.

“To be able to hit that double and give the victory to a country that deserves it and a team that never gave up, I have to put that first. God has been good.”

When Suárez reached second base, he looked up to the sky and said several words, but there was one that stood out more than any other: “Thank you.”

Suárez became only the second player to deliver a go ahead hit in the 9th inning or later in a World Baseball Classic championship game since 2006. The first was Ichiro Suzuki in the 10th inning against South Korea on March 23, 2009.

After this sequence of events, intangible at the time, a 26 year old reliever from the Chicago Cubs named Daniel Palencia entered the 9th inning with the mission of recording three outs that would represent the greatest sporting victory in Venezuela’s history. He struck out Kyle Schwarber with a 98.5 mph fastball, then forced Gunnar Henderson into a ground ball to third base with another fastball over 97 mph, and the final batter, Roman Anthony, was overpowered with a 99.7 mph pitch, marking Palencia’s 7th strikeout at 99 plus mph in the World Baseball Classic, leading that category.

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Venezuela reached the highest point in its sporting history. A country extremely talented at playing this game, with incredible growth over the last 15 years and an increasing ability to manage and guide that talent, achieved glory at loanDepot Park in Miami, which felt more like a Venezuelan stadium than one in the United States.

Manager Omar López said through tears about half an hour later that he longed to be in his hometown of Maiquetía. Victor Martinez, the assistant manager, and Miguel Cabrera, the hitting coach, were crying uncontrollably in a crowd of journalists, family members, and tournament organizers in the outfield area of loanDepot Park.

Without stars like Jose Altuve, Jesus Luzardo, or Robert Suarez, the Venezuelan team pushed through all the difficulties that a team not expected to be champion usually faces. It is not the path anyone plans for, those perfect formulas that come together within a game and bring results.

This Venezuelan championship in the World Baseball Classic 2026 proves that baseball still is and will continue to be a game that does not believe in stars or logic.

Maybe they were not players of the caliber of Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, or Alex Bregman. Maybe they did not go through the best paths to get where they did. Venezuela was not supposed to achieve that greatness. But there is no such thing as what is supposed to happen or not. Baseball is a game that does not believe in assumptions.

Why do you think you achieved this feat, I asked Luis Arraez an hour later on the field.

“We did it because we played united, we played with passion, with respect, and look, God’s timing is perfect, and God never keeps anyone’s effort.”

A total of 397 players born in Venezuela signed during the 2024 to 2025 international period, and more than 200 have already signed since January 15. Venezuelan talent will continue to enter and develop within the MLB system.

The glory achieved on March 17, 2026, in Little Havana in Miami is a cause and effect of all the concentrated talent and the immense faith of a nation.

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In 2023, Arozarena had taken that same walk to the plate against the very same opponent: the United States. Back then the game was played at Chase Field, and Arozarena was the leadoff hitter.

When he arrived at home plate, he extended his hand to greet catcher Will Smith. Smith refused the handshake.

Mexico went on to win that game 11–5, with Arozarena delivering three hits, including two doubles and two RBIs.

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Three years later, in another showdown between Mexico and the United States, Arozarena approached the plate again. Perhaps this time he hesitated before offering his hand. The catcher waiting for him was different, this time it was Cal Raleigh, his teammate in Seattle since 2024.

To the surprise of many, Raleigh chose not to return the greeting. Arozarena was left hanging, his hand extended into empty space. Raleigh said something to him as Arozarena looked back, visibly surprised, trying to understand the reason behind the refusal.

The moment between Arozarena and Raleigh was not a minor incident, nor simply another misunderstanding between two teams that share a long rivalry in the World Baseball Classic, like the United States and Mexico.

What happened at home plate represented something larger: a deeper difference between two ways of seeing the game and competition itself: two baseball cultures with opposing views on how the game should be played.

Clash of Cultures

A confrontation that has stretched across more than two decades in baseball, one that reaches into debates about whether bat flips should be celebrated, the theoretical clash between tradition and modernity, and whether written or unwritten rules truly define the game.

Is it respectful to celebrate a home run? To flip the bat after a big hit? To keep pushing for runs when your team already holds a comfortable lead? Or to continue swinging when the opponent is fading in a lopsided defeat?

“It’s funny to think about the American way of playing baseball, but it’s also impressive to see all these cultures from Asia, Latin countries, and the Americas,” Bryce Harper said before Sunday’s game between the United States and the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park.

Harper added that every culture approaches the game differently. He admitted he can’t dance the way Fernando Tatis Jr. does, but he still has his own way of enjoying the game.

During the quarterfinal matchup between the United States and Canada, first baseman Josh Naylor tried to greet catcher and Seattle teammate Cal Raleigh at home plate. Raleigh, the MLB single-season home run record holder for catchers, did not extend his hand.

Still, the two appeared to exchange a brief greeting, even as Naylor’s hand remained awkwardly outstretched.

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Before the first pitch of the Dominican Republic–United States game, Tatis Jr. did not extend his hand to catcher Will Smith. Many wondered what might have happened if Raleigh had been behind the plate when Julio Rodríguez walked toward home.

Would Julio have extended his hand? Would Raleigh have greeted him after leaving teammates like Randy Arozarena and Naylor hanging earlier? And ultimately, does it really matter whether players shake hands at home plate before a game?

Not a War, Not a Battle

Despite these cultural differences in how the game is understood, there have also been moments of unity during the World Baseball Classic. William Contreras and Tatis Jr. shared a long embrace when they met at home plate before the first pitch of Venezuela vs. the Dominican Republic.

After that embrace, Fernando Tatis Jr. blasted a home run with a bat flip off Antonio Senzatela.

United States manager Mark DeRosa, however, described the tournament in different terms during a press conference. For him, it’s a battle, a mindset in which exchanging greetings or hugs might be seen as a sign of weakness or distraction.

Yet that philosophy does not sit well with everyone. Many fans and players feel uncomfortable with the idea that sportsmanship could be mistaken for vulnerability.

The point is not whether one approach is right or wrong. It simply reflects each nation’s perspective and its cultural lens for viewing competition.

“In the end, we compete, but many of these guys are friends,” Albert Pujols told me.

Beyond the competition itself, the World Baseball Classic has become a meeting point, sometimes a clash, of cultures. Every country has its own language for asserting itself on the field.

“When you cross that line, you focus on the game. But that doesn’t mean we’re enemies.”

Some teams, such as the United States, even leaned into the battlefield mentality to strengthen their focus. During the first round in Houston, former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill, who led the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, visited the clubhouse to deliver a motivational talk to Team USA.

For others, the World Baseball Classic is simply a game, not a battlefield.

This diversity of cultures and viewpoints is precisely what makes a global event like the tournament so compelling and successful. Rather than diminishing the competition, those differences have helped the sport, and the event itself, grow.

It’s Only a Game

The Dominican Republic, one of the most electrifying teams to watch in this tournament, experienced the other side of the story Sunday at loanDepot Park. Dominican pitchers struck out 15 batters against the United States’ star-studded lineup, yet the offense failed to produce the run needed to tie the game.

Their best chance came in the seventh inning, with runners on second and third and one out. Reliever David Bednar struck out Tatis Jr. and Ketel Marte, extinguishing the comeback hopes.

Even in the ninth, with Rodríguez on second base and one out, the Dominican lineup could not push across the tying run.

“I’m not going to focus on that last pitch,” Pujols said minutes after the defeat.

United States closer Mason Miller threw a slider that missed the strike zone by 3.7 inches, yet home plate umpire Cory Blaser called it strike three, an unexpected ending that surprised nearly everyone in the stadium.

Equally surprising was Pujols’ calm response. Despite the elimination, the Hall of Fame–caliber legend avoided criticizing the call.

“I feel incredibly proud of these guys. Once again, we raised our flag high.”

Pujols said that among all his achievements as a hitter and future Hall of Famer, managing in this tournament ranks among the most meaningful experiences of his career. He even thanked Austin Wells, who was not born in the Dominican Republic but still chose to represent the country.

For Pujols, destiny ultimately lies in God’s hands.

“This year wasn’t our Classic,” he said.

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For Paolo Espino, that moment arrived on the afternoon of March 9, 2026, at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. At 39 years old, the curtain quietly closed on a career defined by perseverance, a journey that leaves valuable lessons for pitchers still trying to carve out their own place in the game.

Panama manager José Mayorga slowly made the walk to the mound in the top of the fifth inning. When he reached Espino, the message was clear: it was time. The pitching change would become the final one of Espino’s professional career.

Yet there was no sadness in the moment. Teammates gathered around the mound, offering embraces and words of respect. Among them were infielders José Caballero and Edmundo Sosa. The right-hander, who spent six seasons in Major League Baseball, calmly handed the baseball to his manager.

Down the left-field line, Panama’s bullpen pitchers stepped toward the edge of the fence and raised their arms in salute. Espino then made the slow walk back to the dugout for the final time as an active professional baseball player.

From a performance standpoint, Espino’s fastball, once sitting around 90 to 93 mph, had begun to fade. In terms of raw power, he was no longer the same pitcher. Still, with his experience, command and pitching craft, Espino likely could have continued competing a while longer. But…

“Physically, the last few years have been very complicated,” Paolo Espino told me during the postgame press conference.

The game itself was not the ending Panama had hoped for. They lost 4–3 to Colombia, finishing fifth in Pool A in Puerto Rico. The result means Panama will have to go through the qualifying tournament to earn a spot in the next World Baseball Classic.

For Espino, however, retiring on the stage of the World Baseball Classic while wearing the uniform of his home country felt like the right moment. The decision came when Panama manager José Mayorga removed him from the game after 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing one walk and striking out four.

The final pitch of Espino’s career was a 69 mph curveball to Reynaldo Rodríguez, ending in a strikeout.

After being selected in the 2006 Draft by the Cleveland Guardians (then Cleveland Indians), Paolo Espino began a 12-year journey through the minor leagues before finally reaching the majors in 2017. Endurance became one of his most valuable weapons in the game.

Born in Panama City, Espino turned into a baseball journeyman, spending nearly a decade moving through Double-A, Triple-A, the Dominican Winter League, and international tournaments with Panama before eventually establishing himself between 2021 and 2022 with the Washington Nationals. I remember that in 2023 he chose to remain in Spring Training with the Nationals to compete for a spot in the rotation rather than join Panama for the tournament in Taiwan.

Espino told me he feels proud and grateful for everything he accomplished throughout the long and demanding path of his career.

“Plenty of ups and downs, but I’m very happy with everything I was able to do.”

Before walking toward the dugout, with all the infielders gathered on the mound, first baseman Christian Bethancourt asked the umpire for a new baseball so Espino could keep the one from the game.

As Espino made the roughly 20-second walk to the dugout, where the rest of his teammates were waiting, he tipped his cap, gripped the ball as if he were about to throw another pitch, and then raised his cap toward the bullpen group. Those were the final moments of his outing as an active professional baseball player.

“My tears didn’t come out, but I was close,” Espino said. “My throat tightened up.”

Along with Alexei Ramírez of Cuba and Shairon Martis of the Netherlands, Paolo Espino is the other player who appeared in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and returned again 20 years later.

Espino does not see many similarities after so much time has passed.

“The field looks similar. Everything is beautiful here. And baseball is still the same.”

After throwing his final pitch, reporters asked Paolo Espino about his immediate plans following retirement. He admitted he does not yet know what tomorrow will look like, though he did not rule out pursuing a future as a coach or working in baseball operations.

Espino was one of Panama’s most visible faces in Major League Baseball over the past decade. His name now joins a historic list of pitchers from the country that includes Mariano Rivera, Bruce Chen, Juan Berenguer, Ramiro Mendoza, Randall Delgado, Manny Corpas, Jaime Barría, Manny Acosta, and Pat Scantlebury.

At Hiram Bithorn Stadium, a light drizzle begins to fall around four in the afternoon. Espino walks out alongside manager José Mayorga and Panama’s press officer. Loud music echoes throughout the stadium. Soon, another game will begin.

Baseball does not stop for anyone, just as life does not. Espino lowers his head at times. He takes his cellphone from his left pocket, opens it, looks at it for two seconds, and then places it back in the same back left pocket of his pants.

They walk along the first base side of the stadium toward the visiting dugout. Espino looks out at the field as if it might be the last time. At moments he smiles, though the expression quickly turns serious amid the blowers and vacuums working on the field in preparation for the next game.

Espino keeps walking the same way his career unfolded over more than twenty years. He walks down the dugout steps, greets two people, and disappears from my line of sight.

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One of those differences is the way Cuba has approached analytics and scouting. Since 2016, a Cuban baseball team has not won a competitive international tournament. The last time was in Okinawa, Japan, when a group of players who were not even adults won the U-15 World Cup organized by the WBSC.

Whether because of lack of knowledge, infrastructure, or culture, Cuba has not properly embraced the new ways of managing opponent analysis. In 2023, I remember asking Cuba’s manager at the time, Armando Johnson, in Taiwan about Italy’s starting pitcher, Matt Harvey.

“We don’t really know much about him,” Johnson said at the Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.

Three years later, at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico, I asked the same question to Cuba’s manager, Germán Mesa. In 2023, Mesa served as bench coach and the senior voice inside the clubhouse, which is why he was named Cuba’s manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

On March 6, Mesa entered the press conference saying he was cold. A moment later, I asked the same question again.

FR: For a long time, scouting has not really been Cuba’s strength. What do you know about the Panama team, and what have you studied most ahead of today’s first game?

GM: “We have all the scouting studies done on Panama,” said the star Cuban shortstop from 1985 to 2000. “Our players and pitchers have the scouting report on the Panama team.”

FR: What do you basically know about that pitcher (Logan Allen)? What does he rely on, what does he use to dominate?

GM: “Against different hitters he uses different pitches like the sweeper and the fastball depending on the situation, but he’s a pitcher with very good command of the strike zone.”

The Cuban press conference ends, and Germán Mesa walks slowly toward the exit with his head down. Cuba finished in fourth place in the World Baseball Classic, and in a perfect scenario, a quarterfinal qualification in this 2026 tournament would have met expectations, especially after they finished 3–4 in Pool A in Puerto Rico, a group that included Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, and the host nation.

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I recall during the 2023 edition in Taiwan how many MLB teams had scouts focused on the opening game between Cuba and the Netherlands, where Yariel Rodríguez was the starting pitcher. Just days later, Rodríguez made the decision to travel to the Dominican Republic and terminate his contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball.

After returning from Taiwan and covering the semifinals and championship game in Miami, I was greatly surprised by the sheer number of scouts from multiple MLB franchises positioned behind home plate at loanDepot Park, evaluating every player participating in the final round.

In this piece, we analyze ten talents who could draw the attention of MLB organizations and project as potential Major League players in the future.

The World Baseball Classic has previously served as a launching platform for future MLB players such as Yuli Gurriel, Yu Darvish, Aroldis Chapman, Alexei Ramírez, Seung Hwan Oh, Paolo Espino, Yoenis Cespedes, Masahiro Tanaka, Raisel Iglesias, Jose Abreu and Kenta Maeda. It has also led to Minor League signings, ranging from experienced professionals to younger, less proven talents, as was the case with the impressive 2023 performance of Duke Hebbert with Team Nicaragua, which ultimately earned him a Minor League contract with the Detroit Tigers.

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Alvarez trains at GT Baseball Academy in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and drew attention from several MLB organizations.

He is 16 years old and will turn 17 in December, making him eligible to sign in the 2027 international signing period due to his December birthdate.

Standing 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, with a powerful arm, plus bat speed and raw power, Alvarez projects as a talent with the potential to advance through an MLB system and eventually contribute at the Major League level.

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That’s why, during one of my visits to a training session in Miami, I spoke with coach Yunieski Gurriel about the enormous responsibility of training in these times. Yunieski is the older brother of Yuli and Lourdes Jr. He came to the United States as a veteran, already retired from a productive career in Cuba. He was a center fielder with above average offensive ability, and over time he became a contact and average hitter, eventually making Team Cuba for the 2015 Premier 12 and leading hitters in the now defunct Canadian American Association League with the Quebec Capitales in 2015.

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Living in the shadow of two MLB brothers is not easy. But Yunieski has studied modern hitting, immersed himself in understanding today’s game, and trains multiple MLB players each offseason, including his brother Lourdes Jr., Abraham Toro, Mauricio Dubón, Bryan Ramos, and Cuban prospects such as Anthony Scull, Yiddi Cappe, Dyan Jorge, and Johan Rodríguez.

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I believe there is no other monthly section focused exclusively on the international landscape, an area that perhaps does not receive as much attention in MLB coverage, or at least not to the same extent as the Draft, trades, or transactions. Yet it represents a large and important part of the overall structure of baseball.

Agents, journalists, scouts, and front office personnel, congratulated me for the coverage of the International Signing Period from January 15 through the end of the month. I was not able to respond to everyone. This is a good chance to express my gratitude to all of you for following along, for commenting, liking, sharing the content, and, especially, for subscribing to Beisbol FR. And if you haven’t….

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January 15 was an especially hectic day. It was my third or fourth time, I can hardly remember anymore, covering the more than 400 signings that take place throughout the day. I believe I started around 9:00 A.M. and finished well past 10:00 P.M., and I will admit it is always exciting and enjoyable to spend my days doing this work.

In today’s edition, paid subscribers will find about changes in the Yankees’ international structure, a full list of prospects who will be showcasing in Mexico, a promising young pitcher joining the San Diego Padres, and more.

Yankees Announce New International Director

After months of uncertainty and waiting, the New York Yankees have announced a new Director of International Scouting. His name is Mario Garza, a longtime baseball man who, prior to this appointment, led the organization’s Player Development department.

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An official signing date has not yet been announced and remains to be determined, though it could take place in the coming days. The agreement is still pending a physical.

Born in the Dominican Republic and standing 6’3”, De Leon trains at the Miracles Baseball Academy.

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After speaking with several organizations and their development departments, I’ll summarize here how the WBC is viewed within the system and what the approach of many organizations looks like.

Cases like Carlos Correa, Bo Bichette, and Tatsuya Imai will be analyzed.

MLB Teams’ Approach to the World Baseball Classic

For organizations, the decision for a player to participate in the WBC is entirely personal. Choosing to play or not does not directly affect a player’s chances of making the roster, nor are there any penalties. What really matters is performance within the team, how the player prepares, and what they show during Spring Training.

Every player’s situation is different. A player with no injury history over the past two seasons is treated differently than one with three stints on the injured list in 2025. Likewise, a player who has signed with a new franchise, like Tatsuya Imai or Bo Bichette, and is unfamiliar with the facilities or a new culture, faces a different adjustment curve than those who have signed long-term extensions and already have advanced knowledge and trust within their organization.

Staying in Spring Training

If a player decides to stay, there are important advantages from a development standpoint, often an underappreciated aspect of the WBC discussion. The tournament is an international spectacle full of excitement and adrenaline; as I witnessed the first phase in 2023 in Taichung, Taiwan, and then the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final at LoanDepot Park in Miami

Many players leave for the WBC, which creates opportunities for others in Spring Training—more at-bats, more playing time, and more interaction with the MLB staff, which is positive from an organization standpoint. This means a player can stand out and demonstrate progress more directly. Spring Training also allows for individual work, constant coaching, and access to all team resources, which is not always possible during an international tournament.

Going to the WBC

I’ve sometimes seen on social media that teams are “against” the WBC. However, after speaking with various development staff at MLB complexes, the team perspective is that playing for your country is a unique experience and a personal source of pride, not only for the player but also for their families.

Teams understand and deeply respect that representing your country can be important to the player and their family. Choosing to go will not have negative repercussions within the organization.

However, and this is an important point of friction: the WBC is primarily a competitive tournament whose main goal is to win—not to develop individual skills for the MLB season. Coaching time and at-bats are not guaranteed during the 20–25 days a player spends with their national team, meaning the focus is far more competitive than developmental.

If You Go to the WBC, Report Early

A common recommendation from teams to players heading to the WBC is to arrive early at Spring Training, even before it officially starts.

This extra time allows for high-quality work, repeated practice, and close contact with coaches and teammates. While unpaid, this time is highly valued by staff, as it demonstrates commitment and professionalism, and often translates into better performance during the season.

New Team, Reduced Chances

With the era of multi-million-dollar contracts, players who have signed with new teams and are eligible to play for their countries in the WBC now face reduced chances of participating for two main reasons: 1) adapting to a new facility and team, and 2) injury risk without having played an official game with their new MLB club.

In this context, Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai with the Astros and Bo Bichette, recently signed with the New York Mets, are examples. While the devotion of Japanese players to their national team is well known, Imai declined to participate in this WBC in order to acclimate to his new team. For Bichette, according to multiple sources close to him, it was a family dream to play in this WBC for his mother’s native country, where his brother Dante is also on Brazil’s roster. However, signing with the Mets put him in a difficult position, and the decision was made to continue recovering from his left knee injury suffered in September 2025.

Other free agents who have signed with new organizations could also fall into this category, including Edwin Diaz and Ranger Suarez soon, or potentially Framber Valdez, Eugenio Suarez, and Luis Arraez when they sign. Not every case is the same, though. For example, Cody Ponce, Kazuma Okamoto, and Munetaka Murakami all signed multi-year deals with new teams and are, so far, confirmed to participate in the WBC in March.

The simple fact remains: being on a new team usually brings clearly reduced chances of WBC participation.

Injuries and Insurance Policies

Insurance protecting players during the WBC is essential for MLB and MiLB teams to allow their stars to participate without assuming the full financial risk. These policies cover a player’s guaranteed salary, whether they miss a few games or the entire season due to a WBC-related injury.

If a player is injured and it is determined that the injury occurred during the WBC, the insurance covers the salary for the time missed. To help identify WBC-related injuries, players must undergo physical exams upon entry and exit. This allows doctors and teams to distinguish preexisting injuries from those incurred during the tournament.

Coverage has traditionally been managed by Team Scotti, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a national insurance broker founded by John A. Scotti, who has decades of experience in insurance and providing unique solutions and employee benefit programs to MLB, MiLB, and their affiliates. In 2019, Team Scotti was acquired by NFP, an Aon company, and has continued to play a critical role in risk management for the major league

Recent Examples

Unlike other players protected by WBC insurance, Carlos Correa from the Houston Astros is not insured for the tournament. This means any injury he suffers would be a direct risk for the franchise, who would have to cover his $31 million salary in 2026 while he is unavailable.

A similar case occurred in 2023 with Miguel Cabrera, in the final year of his $248 million contract with $32 million remaining before retirement. The Detroit Tigers made the unusual decision to waive Cabrera’s insurance requirement and assume the financial risk if he were injured in the tournament. Naturally, they knew Miguel would not play every day. Cabrera had 2 games and 9 at-bats, facing Puerto Rico and Nicaragua, both as designated hitter.

Other teams have refused to take the same risk if the insurer does not provide coverage, Miguel Rojas with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jose Altuve with the Houston Astros, and Carlos Narváez with the Boston Red Sox, are some of these cases.

Players who need insurance are those on the 40-man roster. Free agents or players from other leagues do not require it because they are not part of MLB organizations.

According to sources close to the topic, players are categorized by “chronic condition” (repeated injuries over years, multiple 60-day IL stints), “intermediate condition” (multiple 10-day IL stints over 2–3 seasons), and “low-risk condition.”

Ultimately, the decision of participating or not in the WBC is a personal one.

Would you sacrifice your future as an MLB player or take the chance to take your home country to baseball’s biggest glory?

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A total of 1,062 players from 24 different countries signed during that period. In the previous class, 2023–2024, 976 prospects entered the system, representing an increase of 86 additional signings.

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It didn’t make much sense to cram that massive amount of data into a single article alongside my take on the Top 50 Talents in the class, plus the organizational signing lists.

Every international signing period, we often ask ourselves without any certain answers who will be the José Altuve, José Ramírez, or Junior Caminero of this class? I think that with pieces like these, we now have a better idea of what’s to come.

For the first time, I’m compiling this list of hidden talents to help you find out: the top 20 names that many scouts believe have the potential not just to navigate the winding paths of the Minor Leagues, but to actually reach the Majors.

There’s a key reason behind this. A scout once told me: “Tools are incredibly fluid. Sometimes they emerge for a spell, and other times they vanish.” In the current international signing system, organizations pre-agree with players aged 13 to 15, two or three years before they’re eligible to sign in their designated period. During that window, while teams continue to meticulously track a talent’s development, the pre-agreed signing bonuses are often flexible and adjustable.

That’s why a prospect initially slotted for $150,000 could, in just a few months, show an “upgrade” in tools like hitting and power, boosting their overall value as a talent type.

Dark horses:

This is the second time I’ve taken on the task of putting together these lists, and after interviewing around 25 scouts, many of them consistently pointed out what they consider true “hidden gems.”

In today’s market, versatility is highly valued, multi-tool players and position players tend to be rewarded and several of the names below are prospects who signed for no more than $600,000 in bonuses.

That is why I came up with this list of 20 names for the 2025–2026 international class. I consider them special: players that multiple scouts have singled out as strong candidates to advance within the MLB system.

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This Top 50 prospects list is not based on signing bonuses, but rather on the evaluations of numerous organizations, scouts, international directors, and industry sources who believe these players have the strongest chance to develop and ultimately contribute at the Major League level.

Unlike the previous year, this guide will feature only the Top 50 talents and team signings. Next week, a separate list highlighting 20 dark horses, as well as the top five players by offensive tools, will be released.

Talent acquisition, regardless of context, remains one of the most complex and challenging aspects of the game. Within the current international system, most talents reach agreements approximately two years before the official signing, as mandated by the existing structural framework. During this interim period, skills and tools may develop and improve significantly; however, they may also decline or even disappear altogether.

Top 50 talents 2025–2026

All prospects on this list fall within a bonus value range of $350,000 to $5 million. Many of these agreements are variable and were reached over a time frame ranging from one to three years, meaning that in some cases the assigned value and the player’s tools are directly aligned, while in others they may not be.

A significant number of players who do not appear on this list but are included in the team signings section also possess the talent to advance in professional baseball and potentially reach the Major League level. These are simply 50 names that scouts from all 30 MLB organizations believe will have an impact, whether in the short or long term, within professional baseball.

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Dominican shortstop Wandy Asigen will no longer sign with the New York Yankees in the upcoming 2025–2026 international signing period. When the new signing window opens on January 15, Asigen will wear the uniform of New York’s other franchise: the Mets.

The 6-foot, 16-year-old left-handed hitter reached an agreement with the Mets on the afternoon of December 18 for around $3.8 million, multiple sources confirmed to Beisbol FR.

Several days of uncertainty followed, during which Asigen and the Jaime Ramos Academy showcased at multiple tryouts in front of MLB organizations in search of an opportunity to sign him.

But what really happened? Why did Asigen part ways with an organization that had ranked him as its top prospect since 2022? Is this type of situation normal within the current international signing system?

While the Mets now move forward with an elite prospect for the 2026 class, the Yankees have yet to finalize the selection of a candidate for the International Director position, leaving all of their pre-agreements under a cloud of uncertainty

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This group is headlined by 16-year-old shortstop Jaider Suarez, who will be eligible to sign once the new international signing period opens on January 15, 2026.

The Kansas City Royals are the favorites to sign Jaider Suarez, a multi-tool player who was part of Cuba’s U-15 national team at the end of 2022.

Here’s the list of players who have been declared free agents and their chances of entering the MLB system.

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Now a free agent, Díaz faces a pivotal moment in his career. The good news: he’s not alone. Since October 1st, in the middle of MLB’s postseason, he’s been training with pitching coach Hector Berríos at a public park in Weston, South Florida.

“Nobody knows we’re out here, under these trees, working since early October,” said Berríos, a Puerto Rico–born trainer with more than 20 years of experience in the minor leagues.

According to the coach, who also trains star reliever Aroldis Chapman, Díaz developed a series of mechanical flaws that affected both his command and velocity.

In sports, it’s not uncommon for athletes to unintentionally drift away from the fundamentals that once placed them among the elite. The real challenge is identifying those habits and getting back to the level that once made them so successful.

So, where exactly did Díaz’s mechanics go wrong?

“When we got to Atlanta, he was lifting his leg but leaning his upper body forward over his front side,” Berrios explained. “That caused him to open up too much because he had lost his connection with the ground.”

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