For talented amateur ballplayers from across the globe, there is no day on the calendar quite like Jan. 15. Signaling the opening of the international signing period, it’s the day in which years of hard work and perseverance make dreams come true.
Most often, it’s the first step on a journey toward the big leagues. The majority of players signing deals as the period opens are still U.S. high school-aged, indicative of the long developmental path they still have to travel.
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But things are different in 2025. Roki Sasaki, the No. 1 international prospect, is a unicorn in the sense that, at 23, he’ll immediately be Major League-ready at the time of his signing, something not in play even for the most advanced 16- and 17-year-olds who traditionally headline these classes. Sasaki figures to factor prominently atop MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 overall prospects list as soon as he puts pen to paper.
With the timing of Sasaki’s negotiation window (which closes Jan. 23) carrying into the first few days of the 2025 period, three clubs reportedly are still angling to land the potential ace with a triple-digit fastball. Sasaki can only sign for as much as an organization has available in international pool money, figures you’ll find for each club in this story.
The competition for signing Sasaki remains fierce. But what other names should you know? Here’s a deeper look at both Sasaki and the remainder of the top five:
No. 1: Roki Sasaki, RHP (Japan)
MLB teams have been waiting for the chance to sign the talented right-hander since he burst on the global scene and showcased his elite stuff in the World Baseball Classic at age 19. His heater has been up to 102 mph in the past and his splitter is virtually unhittable, generating a 57.1 percent whiff rate in 2024. He has the look of a frontline starter, ready to contribute to a big league rotation immediately. More »
No. 2: Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez, SS (Dominican Republic)
Switch-hitting shortstops with a polished approach at the plate from a young age are sure to draw lofty comparisons, and there’s no shortage of them with it comes to Gonzalez. His ceiling has been held in the same regard as All-Stars Francisco Lindor and José Reyes. Gonzalez was regarded as the standout performer of the 18U World Cup in early August, featuring a seven-game stint in which he went 8-for-22 with four extra-base hits, more walks than strikeouts and five stolen bases. More »
No. 3: Elian Pena, SS (Dominican Republic)
Evaluators rave about Pena’s off-the-field makeup and in-game savvy, believing he has legitimate five-tool impact potential across the board. Equipped with oodles of bat speed from the left side, he complements his propensity for hitting the ball hard with some of the most advanced plate discipline seen on the international scene in years. It’s rare for a prospect so young to have a keen eye for the zone, but Pena routinely puts it on display while spraying the ball to all fields when he does cut it loose. More »
No. 4: Cris Rodriguez, OF (Dominican Republic)
Hailing from the same city — Santo Domingo — as 2013’s No. 1 international prospect, Eloy Jiménez, Rodriguez has a similarly offensive-minded profile and extra large frame at a young age that has evaluators dreaming of what he can become if he taps into his All-Star-caliber upside. Rodriguez has done damage during every step of his amateur career, consistently generating extra-base hits. More »
No. 5: Andrew Salas, SS/OF (United States)
Andrew is the youngest of the Salas boys with both Jose and Ethan highly regarded international prospects before him. Born in Florida before moving to Venezuela, Salas is bilingual and has long been trained by his father at the family’s famed complex where big leaguers have been known to stay sharp during the offseason. Salas sees the ball exceptionally well and backs up that eye at the dish with good swing decisions. He holds the distinction of being viewed as a plus defender at two different positions despite his young age. More »
Breakdown
We’ve always considered baseball a global game, but that fact has become more prominent the past few years: The world’s most remote country, Bhutan? They love baseball! The first pro ballplayer born in Siberia was drafted last summer, the same year an Australian, Travis Bazzana, was drafted No. 1 overall for the first time. What’s San Marino? The country where this Pirates prospect hails from.
With that in mind, here’s a look at how the 2025 class shakes out, globally and positionally:
Twenty-nine of the players on the 2025 Top 50 International Prospects list are from the Dominican Republic. There are 13 from Venezuela, three from Cuba, one from The Bahamas, one from Aruba, one from Japan, one from Nicaragua and one from the United States (who moved to Venezuela as a youngster). Position-wise, there are 26 infielders, 16 outfielders, one infielder/outfielder, four pitchers and three catchers.
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Who is eligible?
There are guidelines for signing international prospects. A player is eligible to sign with a Major League organization between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year. In practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible.
