Major League Baseball (MLB)

International signing period opens without Sasaki decision but plenty of significant deals

The Roki Sasaki posting has dominated the news cycle for the 2025 international signing period, and rightfully so, as he’s expected to jump straight to the major leagues. But Sasaki likely isn’t the only future major leaguer to sign as part of this year’s international class. On Wednesday, teams across baseball began announcing a new class of signees, hopeful they’ve uncovered the next Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Framber Valdez or Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

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Several high-profile international prospects signed with MLB organizations, including Dominican infielder Elian Peña (Mets), Dominican infielder Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez (Giants), Dominican outfielder Cris Rodriguez (Tigers), Venezuelan infielder Andrew Salas (Marlins) and Cuban outfielder Diego Tornes (Braves).

Peña signed for $5 million, according to a Mets team source. His bonus is expected to be the largest in the class, with the exception of Sasaki’s bonus, and is the largest ever given out to an international amateur by the Mets.

Salas is the younger brother of Padres prospect Ethan Salas and Twins prospect Jose Salas.

Among other notable signings, the Athletics made history by signing Japanese two-way player Shotaro Morii, who has received what is believed to be the largest bonus ever given ($1.5 million) to a Japanese player who never played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. The Pirates signed infielder Armstrong Muhoozi out of Uganda. He is only the second position player from the East African nation to sign with an MLB club (fifth overall).

Under the rules of the international signing period, MLB organizations are free to sign any player aged 16 or older who didn’t attend a high school in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico within the past calendar year. The period runs from Jan. 15 until Dec. 15, when there is a moratorium on new signings until the next Jan. 15. Teams are allotted a bonus pool they cannot exceed without incurring penalties, though teams can acquire additional bonus pool money in trades with other teams.

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Sasaki’s entry into this year’s international class created some complications, as teams interested in signing Sasaki needed to find room in their bonus pools to make him an offer. Since organizations frequently come to agreements with international amateurs well in advance of the start of the Jan. 15 signing period, most teams had their bonus pool money already allocated before they knew Sasaki was available. Some prospects who had handshake agreements with teams ended up signing with different organizations.

As they chased Sasaki, the Dodgers lost two prospects they reportedly had agreements with — Dominican shortstop Darell Morel, who signed with the Pirates, and Venezuelan outfielder Orlando Patiño, who signed with the White Sox, according to Baseball America. BA ranked Morell at No. 20 on their international bonus top-100 board, while Patiño wasn’t ranked.

The Giants and Mets notably were among the teams notified this week that they were out of the running on Sasaki, but both had reason to celebrate with significant signings on Wednesday.

Gonzalez, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound switch-hitting shortstop, was ranked No. 2 on MLB.com’s top-50 international prospect list, behind only Sasaki. MLB.com noted that Gonzalez has drawn comparisons to Francisco Lindor and José Reyes and has an advanced approach for a teenager at the plate. He was one of three players on Baseball America’s top-100 list to sign with the Giants, joining Aruban outfielder Dejean Macares and Venezuelan shortstop Yulian Barreto.

Peña was listed at No. 2 on BA’s top-100 list. He’s drawn comparisons to Rafael Devers because of his advanced approach at the plate. The 5-10, 167-pound shortstop swings from the left side and MLB.com wrote that he “complements his propensity to hit the ball hard with some of the most advanced plate discipline seen on the international scene in years.” He plays shortstop but scouts believe he will likely move elsewhere eventually, possibly to second base or third base. Peña was one of 15 players signed by the Mets Wednesday.

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The Tigers made a strong entry into this year’s international market by signing Rodriguez, who was ranked No. 4 on MLB.com’s list of top international prospects. He is the highest ranked international amateur ever to sign with the Tigers.

The Tigers scouting department has followed Rodriguez for years and the organization hopes he can become a difference maker for a system that has long struggled to produce impact players from the international market. Signed for a $3.2 million bonus, Rodriguez could be an indication of the Tigers shifting their strategy toward more aggressively pursuing top-ranked international amateurs.

Already at an impressive 6-4 and 200 pounds at age 16, Rodriguez projects to be a power bat with a slight leg kick and athletic load in his right-handed swing. Likely to play a corner outfield spot as he matures, Rodriguez has a strong throwing arm to boot. There are swing-and-miss concerns as he begins to see more advanced breaking balls, but that could be the only thing that keeps Rodriguez from reaching his high-end power potential.

The Braves signed Cuban outfielder Diego Tornes, 16, to a $2.5 million bonus. FanGraphs rated him as the No. 5 prospect (No. 15 by MLB.com) among this year’s international class. Tornes is a 6-3 switch-hitter viewed as a potential five-tool player, with elite bat speed from both sides, a strong arm and the athleticism to play any outfield position.

Andrew Salas signed with the Marlins for $3.6 million, according to reporter Francys Romero, joining his two older brothers as seven-figure bonus signees (Jose signed with the Marlins for $2.8 million in 2019, while Ethan signed with the Padres for $5.6 million in 2023, the largest bonus in that class; Ethan will enter the 2025 season as one of the top prospects in baseball).

Andrew is a 6-2 shortstop who spent this past summer in Venezuela, playing in the LMBP with much older players (former big leaguer Alberto Callaspo, for example). The 17-year-old, who spent much of his childhood in Florida, hit .185 in 92 at-bats. Like his brothers, he’s considered a high-IQ player with excellent instincts and feel for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinals signing class includes Dominican outfielder Royel Strop, who is the son of retired MLB reliever Pedro Strop. Strop is a 6-1 left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder with plus speed and is one of the younger players in the class. According to Baseball America, he signed for $1.4 million.

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Last season, left-hander Samuel Aldegheri became the first player born and raised in Italy to pitch in a major-league game. Though Aldegheri’s debut came with the Los Angeles Angels, he was originally signed and developed by the Philadelphia Phillies, who traded him to the Angels at the 2024 trade deadline. The Phillies’ amateur pipeline in Italy continues to grow, and they’ve added two more prospects from Italy: right-hander Filippo Sabatini and two-way player Patrick Silva.

This story will be updated…

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