On the eve of the 2026 international signing period, The Sporting Tribune gives you a look into the players entering the Los Angeles Angels organization through the international signing process.

Every year on January 15, amateur players who have surpassed the age of 16-years-old begin their professional careers by signing with big league clubs. The majority of these players never play above the lowest affiliates levels of professional baseball, but the excitement each one carries whether by personal success in their hometown or perception of new talent filling an organization is palpable.

While this process may change in the coming years — as an international draft process has been argued during Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations and may continue as a topic following the 2026 season — amateur players and big league ballclubs tend to have verbal agreements to a signing (and the finances involved with that signing) anywhere from 6 months ahead of the period opening, to two-or-three years ahead; which has created decades long debates about exploitation of pre-teens from Major League Baseball offices. The same has been said of the MLB Draft process including high school students who have had previous collegiate commitments, though much of that has maneuvered in favor of MLB following new Name Image Likeness (NIL) rules from NCAA.

The scouting process this creates is for international scouts, and scouting directors, to access a player that may be aged anywhere from 12-15 years old and involving them in attaining agents to manage hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to multi-million-dollar contracts.

Listed below are players who at some point in the recent past have verbally agreed to future contracts with the Angels, and an agreed upon bonus-figure attached, all of which can be subject to change at any point between January 15, and for 11 months following to December 15.

On this note, even the Angels top signee for 2026 was not originally verbally agreed to sign with the Angels, but instead, was going to sign with the New York Yankees.

While this international market has brought teams much value, many teams have struggled to find any impact from the international market.

Excluding previous professional baseball players who are listed as “international free agents,” the Angels most impactful international signees of the last decade are Jaime Barria (5.7 bWAR) and Jose Soriano (4.7 bWAR), both of which were not priority signees for their market (Soriano signed for $70K, Barria for $60K).

Even the current Angels international regime’s most successful signees have unproven impact in the likes of Edgar Quero, Jose Fermin, Nelson Rada and Denzer Guzman.

Six teams have not seen 10+ bWAR production by players signed since 2012 (source: Baseball America), as a proof that success on the international front comes in waves, and in proper development. Even the Yankees, who are frequently attached to players at the top of the international market, have been a bottom 10 team in international player production over the past decade.

Below is a sourced report of the 14 players anticipated to sign with the Angels at the outset of the 2026 international signing period. The scouting reports are paraphrased versions of reports granted by international scouts, both with the Angels and externally.

Note from author: Due to the ongoing societal crisis and economic collapse in Venezuela, The Sporting Tribune will not be sharing any financial bonuses for players signed out of Venezuela during the international signing period. This is an employee and employer decision made after many discussions with team representatives, agents and former players. With the political crisis that plagued the country for years and led to the economic collapse, players and their families became targets of burglary, looting, abuse and violence due to their newfound financial status. It is the responsibility of The Sporting Tribune to protect these players or their families, but self-morals are to not allow journalism from this affiliate to put someone at harm. We believe that reporting that someone has signed with a club without giving any details to their finances helps maintain journalistic integrity without impacting my morals. This is not a reflection of those that choose to report finances for players from Venezuela but purely a personal decision made by this staff. Thank you for your understanding.

Yeison Horton, SS, Dominican Republic

The top signee for the Angels in 2026, Horton was originally expected to sign with the Yankees until lost funds as part of the Max Fried signing led to him being a high-profile amateur prospect with an open market around 11 months prior to the signing period opening. The Angels became the new verbal agreement suitors and will grant him a bonus matching previous top-of-the-market signees in the club’s recent past.

Potentially the best athlete the Angels have signed internationally since Trent Deveaux, Horton is a plus-plus athlete who plays a high-energy game. A left-handed hitter, he makes frequent hard contact with minimal swing-and-miss with a proven track record against high-end amateur competition. His ability to find the barrel is impressive. While he projects to have an above-average hit tool and approach, his size (listed 5’10, but may still be 5’9) limit his power projection to however far his physical projection permits and potentially sub-20 annual home run power at peak.

His athleticism carries into the field and on the bases where his above-average speed make him a rangy defender at shortstop and base stealing threat on the basepaths. His high energy playing style is evident on defense where his quick feet and direct charges to the ball make him a potential long-term shortstop, though his average arm strength may push him to second base — another item that should be addressed with physical development.

Turning 17 at the outset of Spring Training, he will be a long-term prospect for the Angels who will start his pro career in the Dominican Summer League. His long-term projection stands as an everyday top-of-the-order middle infielder.

Carlos Castillo, OF, Dominican Republic

Castillo is an offensive-upside outfielder who is arguably the best pure hitter the Angels have signed internationally in decades. Praised for his pro-ready swing and plate mentality, his offensive upside matches some of the top position players currently in the organization. A high-contact left-handed hitter who puts together competitive plate appearances, his offensive feel is impressive. Though he is limited to gap power at present, his swing foundation and ability to make contact should balance out his power output as he matures physically to be a double-digit home run producer. A solid athlete with above-average speed and feel for the outfield, Castillo will start his pro career in center field with some long-term projection pending physical maturation moving him to either corner where his bat will profile.

Anderson Rodriguez Jr., OF, Dominican Republic

The son of former 11-year big-league corner slugger Henry, Anderson shares similar tools to his father as a power-threat corner. His strong 6-foot-2 frame, paired with the advanced rotational force he creates from the left side give him notable power projection. Despite the natural violence in his swing, there is a feel for contact which makes him an offensive threat long-term. Defensively, he fits a corner and could eventually land as a left fielder or first baseman, not dissimilar to his father.

Kendri Faña, RHP, Dominican Republic

Faña is the top pitching signee for the Angels and will receive the sixth largest bonus for a pitcher in the entirety of the 2026 class thanks to his feel for pitching and long-term rotation projection. An athletic right-hander with a clean and repeatable delivery, he fills the zone with his three-pitch mix giving him all the tools of a rotation project. Still lean, physical projection may not only add velocity of power to his arsenal but eliminate some minimal recoil for a better finish leading to above-average command and more credence to a starting future.

Faña’s three-pitch repertoire is headlined by his fastball that sits 88-91 and touches 92 with solid late life and notable carry. With his frame projection, a velocity increase and sustainability of holding velocity deep into workloads are anticipated. His secondaries trail his fastball, but not by a wide enough margin to cause concern. His slider needs more consistent bite and power but has the initial makings of a out pitch, while his feel for locating his changeup while maintaining fastball arm speed make it a potential future weapon.

Faña has all the makings of a future rotation arm, while strength gains and improvements to his secondaries could give him notable mound upside.

REMAINING POSITION PLAYERS (Listed alphabetically):

Yonathan Aro, C, Venezuela

Aro is among a solid catching group that trained at Future Stars Baseball Academy. The Angels have shown some propensity to signing high-end Venezuelan catchers, and Aro doesn’t have the offensive upside of Gabriel Davalillo or the defensive acumen of Juan Flores, he has a more balanced toolset on the lighter side of the spectrum. He has a strong arm that should control the running game while his fundamental receiving and blocking could turn him into an above-average defender behind the plate. There is some feel to hit and a bit of natural power in his swing from the right side.

Juan Cespedes, SS, Dominican Republic

Cespedes isn’t expected to receive as substantial a bonus as others in this class, though may be one of the most exciting pieces of the Angels 2026 class. A left-handed hitting infielder, his near 80-grade speed and ability to utilize it on the basepaths give him a chance to impact the game through his baserunning. His swing is a tweener cut of slap-and-dash and short line-drive, but his contact skills and impactful legs beat out his lack of current or future power. His quick feet work in the middle infield where he’ll likely profile best at second base.

David Manzueta, SS, Dominican Republic

Manzueta is a switch-hitting infielder with a power profile baseline. He has shown a knack for driving the ball with ease with a power-over-hit projection despite his smaller frame. While he may not stick at shortstop beyond his teen years, his athleticism should keep him on the dirt while his arm strength will play at third base.

Adonanfer Reyes, OF, Dominican Republic

Reyes is a right-handed hitting outfielder who has body upside. His tall-and-lean wide receiver style frame with broad shoulders give him notable power upside once he fills out physically. He has a sound and repeatable swing from the right side where his natural loft adds to his power potential. He is a solid athlete who can play all three outfield positions.

Wilker Rosales, SS, Venezuela

Rosales is a defensive-minded infielder. A switch-hitter, he doesn’t swing-and-miss much but lacks power. He is a gifted defender in the middle infield with impressive glove skill and footwork and grades above average or better at a premium position. His arm strength needs to improve to stick at shortstop. He should make enough contact to profile as a defense-first prospect, though strength gains will dictate how much long-term prospect clout he will see.

REMAINING PITCHERS (Listed alphabetically):

Steuri Amancio, RHP, Dominican Republic

Amancio is an athletic 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher with starter ingredients. His size and athleticism, paired with his ability to mix his three-pitch arsenal give him some stateside starter upside. He has feel to locate and spin a curveball, while his fastball sits 87-90. His delivery features multiple moving pieces and plenty of effort which will need to be refined as he fills out his lean frame.

Victor de la Cruz, RHP, Panama

De la Cruz is the sole Panamanian of the Angels 2026 class. He is a pitchability right hander who will need strength gains to tap into his upside.

Anderson Encarnacion, RHP, Dominican Republic

Encarnacion is a loose-and-athletic 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher. His frame and athleticism, paired with his clean delivery give him rotation upside as he improves his secondaries and physically matures. His fastball currently sits 87-91.

Alexander Garcia, RHP, Dominican Republic

Garcia is a 6-foot-5 power arm who has real velocity projection. He currently sits 90-92 with his fastball and has peaked at 93. With his size and loose arm, he projects to be a hard thrower at physical maturation, potential hitting the upper 90’s.

Hollis Watson, RHP, Colombia

Watson is the elder statesman of the Angels 2026 class as a 20-year-old Colombian-born right-handed pitcher who popped after his teen years while throwing in the Dominican Republic. His fastball reaches 95 mph, while his frame and arm speed give him more velocity projection.

Note: Signing bonuses will be updated on January 15, excluding any players signed out of Venezuela.