Central STL News

Securing talent on the international market continues to be a key strategy for Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations, as demonstrated by the release of MLB Pipeline’s 2026 Top 50 International Prospects list. The annual rankings highlight players who are expected to have a significant impact in future seasons, with many teams focusing their efforts on signing top amateur talent from outside the United States.

Several current MLB stars, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto, began their careers as international signings. Young players such as Jackson Chourio and Julio Rodríguez also represent recent success stories from this route. Notably, three of MLB Pipeline’s current top five prospects—Leo De Vries (Athletics), Sebastian Walcott (Rangers), and Jesús Made (Brewers)—were signed as international free agents within the past three years and have already reached Double-A at age 18.

The upcoming international signing period opens on January 15, 2026. This year’s list marks a milestone: shortstop Luis Hernandez is the first player born in Venezuela to hold the No. 1 overall spot since these rankings began in 2012. Ethan Salas was previously ranked No. 1 in 2023 but was born in Florida before moving to Venezuela.

Luis Hernandez, a shortstop from Guárico, Venezuela, leads the rankings after excelling against older competition in the Venezuelan Major League at just 15 years old. According to evaluators, “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.” He is noted for his defensive skills and base-running abilities.

Wandy Asigen from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic ranks second and has been praised for his advanced offensive profile and quick-twitch athleticism at shortstop. “The excitement around Asigen’s prospect profile stems primarily from his special left-handed swing,” evaluators said.

Third-ranked Francisco Renteria is an outfielder from Maracaibo, Venezuela who has drawn comparisons to Pirates’ first-round pick Konnor Griffin due to his offensive upside and athleticism.

Angeibel Gomez (Venezuela) is fourth on the list and known for both his physical presence and off-the-field acumen. One evaluator remarked that Gomez could have been an SEC-caliber football recruit if he had grown up in the United States.

Johenssy Colome (Dominican Republic), son of former big leaguer Jesus Colome, rounds out the top five with notable power potential and defensive comparisons to Manny Machado.

The breakdown of this year’s Top 50 shows that while Venezuela claims three of the top four spots, players from the Dominican Republic make up most of the list with thirty-four representatives. Thirteen come from Venezuela and three from Cuba; positionally there are twenty-five infielders among other roles represented.

Players eligible for signing must turn sixteen before signing between January 15 and December 15 of each year and be registered with MLB beforehand. For this cycle, eligibility applies to those born between September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009 or earlier.

Each team receives an assigned bonus pool based on market size, revenue factors, free agent activity involving qualifying offers declined by major league free agents, as well as through trades involving increments of $250,000. Teams cannot exceed their allocated pool amount under any circumstances but can sign additional players for bonuses under $10,000 without it counting toward their pool allocation.

For example:

- The St. Louis Cardinals share an $8 million bonus pool with six other teams.

- Several clubs including Athletics and Brewers will operate with pools just over $7 million.

- Other teams have lower allocations depending on various factors such as previous free agent signings or market size differences.

With roughly six months until the next World Baseball Classic—a showcase featuring global talent—the emphasis remains strong on identifying future stars through international scouting efforts across MLB organizations.