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.
Infielder Aroon Escobar is the best international prospect in the Phillies farm system and their No. 4 overall prospect. The Phillies have traded three more players who rank among the top 10 prospects now for other organizations, including catcher Eduardo Tait (Twins), infielder Hao-Yu Lee (Tigers) and shortstop Starlyn Caba (Phillies). For 2026, the Phillies have a class that leans heavily on Venezuelan players, led by one of the best prospects in Latin America for this year.
Outfielder Francisco Renteria, signing for $4 million, has played for Venezuela in multiple international tournaments, most recently the U-15 World Cup in 2024. His physicality, power and athleticism all jump out. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, his strength and explosive bat speed yield some of the best raw power in the class and enable him to put on a huge show during batting practice, launching balls out of the park from the middle of the field over to his pull side. When he’s on time, that power translates in games, especially against fastballs, though he has been more susceptible to quality breaking pitches. It’s likely a power-over-hit profile with the upside to become a 30-plus home run threat. While Renteria is built like a corner outfielder, he’s a plus runner underway. That speed and athleticism, along with an average arm, should allow him to continue to develop as a center fielder at least in the lower levels of the minors with a chance to stick there higher up, though it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to end up in a corner given his body type.
Venezuelan shortstop Juan Parra, signing for $550,000, is an exciting athlete who could stick at a premium position. He’s a plus runner with a quick first step at shortstop, where he’s an easy, athletic mover. Like a lot of young shortstops, he’s still learning to be more consistent on the routine plays, but he has good hands, actions, range and body control along with an average arm. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Parra is a switch-hitter with good plate discipline. He has fast bat speed to drive the ball with impact from both sides of the plate, showing an all-fields approach from the right side and one that’s geared more to pull-hitting lefthanded.
Sebastian Saenz is a Venezuelan catcher with a promising lefthanded bat. He’s a strong, stocky 5-foot-11, 185 pounds with a short swing, working inside out at times with a handsy stroke to put balls in play at a high clip. Saenz will flash over-the-fence juice to his pull side with solid power for a young catcher. Saenz is an offensive-oriented catcher but his hands work well behind the plate and he projects to stick at the position.
Lefthander Samuel Ortiz, another signing from Venezuela, has seen his velocity increase as he’s grown to 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. He now sits in the low-90s with a lively fastball that touches 94 mph. That’s a strong fastball for his age, especially from the left side, and he pairs it with a high-spin breaking ball that should rack up whiffs as he continues to refine its shape, with his breaking ball ahead of his changeup.
Dominican righthander Justin Burgos ($300,000) is even more physical at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. He pitched for the Dominican Republic at the U-15 World Cup in 2024 in Colombia, where he had a 1.83 ERA. He stands out for his size, athletic delivery and loose arm, and he touches the low 90s with his fastball while showing flashes of feel for both a curveball and changeup.
Righthander Yilmar Samudio from Panama is 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with a strong lower half and a fastball that touches 94 mph. It’s a strong fastball for his age with good feel to pitch. His ability to spin a breaking ball gives him another standout trait, with his breaking ball ahead of his changeup.