Major League Baseball’s international signing period opens today for the 2026 class, which means prospects can officially sign their contracts.
For Baseball America subscribers, we have full breakdowns of the signing classes for all 30 teams, including scouting reports on the top players for each organization, other big names to know and lower-profile players to watch who could be sleepers.
The Giants scored big a year ago with the signing of Dominican shortstop Josuar Gonzalez, who is already a Top 100 Prospect. Between Gonzalez, shortstop Jhonny Level and righthander Keyner Martinez, three of the top six prospects for the Giants are homegrown international signings. For the second year in a row, the Giants are signing one of the premier international prospects.
The Giants are signing Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez for $5 million. It’s the top bonus in the 2026 international class for a player who several scouts consider the best player available this year thanks to his polish at the plate and well-rounded skill set. In 2025, Hernandez played in the Liga Mayor de Beisbol Profesional (LMBP), a pro league in Venezuela that plays during the summer and is filled with veteran former minor leaguers. Despite competing against players who are largely a decade older, Hernandez batted .346/.386/.452 with eight walks and 11 strikeouts in 114 plate appearances. Hernandez takes consistent quality at-bats with a mature offensive approach for his age. He’s on time against fastballs, recognizes spin and has a good sense of the strike zone with a compact swing to make frequent contact. He drives the ball well to both gaps, and while he’s not a tall slugger (5-foot-10, 180 pounds), he has good bat speed, the ability to pull the ball out of the park now and the potential to grow into a 20-plus home run threat. A fringe-average runner, Hernandez isn’t flashy, but he’s a reliable defender with good instincts, soft hands and a plus arm.
The Giants are tied for the smallest bonus pool in baseball at $5.44 million, so 92% of their pool space is going to one player. Most of the remainder of their pool space is going to Mexican righthander Alexis Gallego, who is signing for $375,000. Gallego is 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a fastball up to 93 mph and the look of a pitcher who should be into the mid 90s soon. It’s a starter look between his athleticism, pitchability and feel for both his slider and changeup.
Venezuelan outfielder Angel Ugueto is the son of Luis Ugueto, a former infielder who reached the major leagues briefly with the Mariners in 2002 and 2003. Angel is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound lefty with the instincts and baseball acumen to be expected from a player with his upbringing, showing an easy swing in a likely outfield corner profile.