Elvin Garcia, SS, Orioles

Garcia signed with the Orioles this past January and has quickly established himself as one of the more exciting prospects in the DSL. The 17-year-old got at-bats from both sides of the plate during the all-star game and showed impressively quick hands and whippy bat speed against both lefties and righties. So far, those traits have helped him dot the DSL leaderboards. In 30 games, he has 10 doubles, five triples and a home run while striking out just 20 times in 118 plate appearances (16.8%). He’s hitting .337/.475/.587 and has produced exit velocities up to 102 mph.

Jose Dickson, SS, Tigers

Dickson inked with Detroit in January and has already proven himself to be one of the bigger up-arrow prospects in the DSL. The 17-year-old got into the all-star game in the later innings but had enough time to showcase a smooth, quick swing that produced a loud line drive to center field. Like Garcia, Dickson has produced manageable rates of miss and chase—his zone miss mark is an excellent 12.4%—and maxes his EVs out around 102 mph. Now, he needs to find the barrel more often. Even without optimal contact, Dickson has put together a .305/.425/.410 slash line with seven doubles, two triples and a 17 apiece of strikeouts and walks.

Edward Lantigua, OF, Mets

Lantigua signed with Mets in January for one of the larger bonuses in New York’s most recent international class. The 17-year-old center fielder has begun to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame and still has plenty of room to pack on more muscle. Lantigua’s swing has a bit of length to it, but the stroke is also quick through the zone and he has little wasted movement at the top. Whether he stays in center field will depend on the way his body grows, but if he has to move off the position he should have the thump to profile nicely in a corner. He’s shown flashes of plenty of juice as well, with 90th-percentile and max exit velocities of roughly 103 and 110 mph.

Ubaldo Soto, RHP, Angels

Soto signed with the Angels in 2023, when he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds with room to fill out. He’s still listed with those dimensions, but he has definitely filled out in the past two years. With that added mass has come extra velocity, which he used to punch out two hitters during his inning in the all-star game. He peaked at 95 mph in the game but has been up to 97 mph during the season. Beyond its velocity, Soto’s fastball showed late life and finish—and he could alternate between two-and four-seam varieties—to get swings and misses. Soto’s mechanics are bit effortful, which could hamper his control and command as he moves up the ladder and might lead to a future in the bullpen. Still, there’s no denying his ability to overwhelm hitters.

Rockies Gregory Sanchez Shows Potential In Rough Start

Though he got hit around in his start against the DSL Bombers (one of two Yankees affiliates in the league), Rockies righthander Gregory Sanchez is one of the brightest young pitching prospects on the circuit.

Before the rain came, I got to see #Rockies RHP Gregory Sanchez. The final line was ugly, but it was more of a death by a thousand cuts outing than a true trainwreck, and he flashed big-time potential. One of the brightest arms in the league. pic.twitter.com/XHuTDmoV53

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 22, 2024

The 17-year-old has begun to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame and has added several ticks of fastball along the way. Sanchez lasted just two outs on Monday, but before he exited he showed a lively heater that sat between 92-94 mph and touched 95. He paired the pitch with a slicing slider in the low 80s that got three of his four whiffs in the outing. Heading into the day (the game was suspended by rain and his stats are thus not official yet), Sanchez had been excellent, with just seven earned runs and 25 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

Sanchez is young and can generate powerful stuff from smooth, fluid mechanics. Those traits should provide a solid base to build on as he moves up the ladder and continues the Rockies’ run of intriguing Latin American pitching prospects.

DSL All-Star Game Pitchers Playlist

Below, find a playlist of all 24 pitchers who took the mound in Sunday’s Dominican Summer League all-star game.

Best Hitter — Paulino Santana, OF, Rangers

Santana was the crown jewel of Texas’ most recent international signing class. The righty swinger led off for the American League and started in center field. He opened the game with a bloop single off of National League starter Christian Lopez (Brewers), but his best moment came in his next at-bat. Facing Braves righty Edward Cedano, Santana kept his hands in on a 97 mph with boring action and shot a ball into the gap for a double. Though the ball did not get to the wall, Santana easily coasted into second base as the ball split the right-center field gap. In the first half, the 17-year-old Santana hit .278/.458/.357 with three doubles, three triples and more walks (31) than strikeouts (24) over the course of 32 games. He also went 15-for-18 in stolen base tries.

Probably the best piece of hitting today belonged to the #Rangers Paulino Santana, who smoked this 97 mph fastball into the oppo gap for a double. pic.twitter.com/KafJhzkpCt

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 21, 2024

Best Power — Luis Peña, 2B, Brewers

It should come as no surprise that Peña provided one of the game’s mightiest blasts. The 17-year-old infielder has been all over the league’s leaderboards in the first half. In 29 games, Peña is second in batting average (.425), ninth in on-base percentage (.488), fourth in slugging percentage (.623), second in OPS (1.111), seventh in extra-base hits (15) and third in total bases (88). In his second at-bat, facing Cleveland righty Santiago Peraza, Peña shot a line drive over the left-field wall, but just foul. A few pitches later, he kept it fair and gave the game its signature offensive moment.

Luis Peña launched the only home run of the DSL All-Star Game. Take a look. #Brewers pic.twitter.com/uEkYKTIlyF

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 21, 2024

Fastest Baserunner — Darlyn De Leon, OF, Cubs

De Leon, who is in his third straight summer in the DSL, was easily the game’s top speedster. He entered in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter for Milwaukee’s Jose Anderson (who leads the league with eight home runs) and immediately bunted for a single. Catcher Juneiker Caceres (Cleveland) made a valiant effort, but De Leon reached first in 3.90 seconds. He then advanced to second base when Caceres’ throw got past first base. De Leon provided the game with a bit of late drama when he came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of ninth against sinkerballing righty Eliazar De Los Santos (Athletics). He ended a long at-bat by slapping a grounder to third baseman Elvin Garcia (Orioles), whose throw was just in time to nab the speedy De Leon and end the game.

Best Defensive Play — Jesmaylin Arias, 1B, Padres

For a while, this game’s only defensive plays were routine flies and grounders. In the fifth, that changed. Facing Jostin Florentino (Cubs), Juan Sierra (Astros) lofted a pop-up to the right side. Arias chased it, chased it and chased it some more, until he disappeared from view into a recessed section of the fence line near first base heading toward the dugout. Still, he kept his eye on the ball and snared it just before it could hit the chain links and give Sierra new life. Instead, the play ended in the inning and put a star on Arias’ ledger.

The defensive play of the day in the DSL All-Star Game went to #Padres first baseman Jesmaylin Arias, who made this neat snag near the dugout. pic.twitter.com/R5YHITL576

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) July 22, 2024

Best Fastball — Reinold Navarro, LHP, Pirates

It took him a little bit to settle in, but after a visit to the mound from NL pitching coach Osiris Matos (Giants), the 17-year-old Navarro dominated the proceeding AL hitters with a filthy mid-90s fastball. When it was in the zone, the pitch had plenty of angle and plane along with velocity that sat around 93-94 mph and touched 95. He paired the heater with a short-breaking slider in the low 80s. He finished his day with a pair of swinging strikeouts. Both came against 95 mph fastballs, one elevated and one running away from a lefty.

Best Breaking Ball (tie) — Henry Tejada, RHP, Orioles and Ramon Suarez, LHP, Blue Jays

Suarez was the only pitcher to strike out the side. He did so with the help of a curveball that flashed power and finish through the zone. Despite garnering swings and misses, Suarez’s hook was inconsistent. It’s unlikely to be effective against more advanced hitters without further refinement. At its best, though, it had the makings of a pitch that could be dropped over the front shoulder of a lefty and onto the outside corner. Suarez signed in 2022 as an 18-year-old, then missed all of 2023 while on the 60-day injured list.

Tejada, 19, signed with the Orioles in 2022, debuted that summer but missed all of 2023 with an injury. He has re-emerged in 2024 as a reliever. On Sunday he flashed an east-west mix that should help him get both grounders and whiffs. The righthander’s slider was responsible for both of his strikeouts on Sunday, the last resulting in a “sword” swing. At its best, the slider featured hard sweep away from righthanders. He also showed enough aptitude with the pitch to land it on the outer half against lefties.

Jesus Made, SS, Brewers

When the international signing period opened this year, the Brewers made three big acquisitions. One of them was Made, a Dominican shortstop who got $950,000. He’s shown a good balance of tools and hitting ability in the DSL, where he’s batting .343/.439/.586 in 82 plate appearances with three home runs, 11 walks and 12 strikeouts. A switch-hitter at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Made has good strength and bat speed for a 17-year-old, flashing above-average raw power and driving balls with backspin.

He’s regularly on the barrel with hard contact and power that hasn’t come at the expense of a high swing-and-miss rate. He’s also a plus runner and his arm is plus as well, with the potential for his arm to end up a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Made’s offense is ahead of his defense, so while he should get a chance to stick at shortstop, his game would profile well at third base too, with center field another option given his wheels. 

Jesus Made, who recently turned 17, is absolutely dominating in his DSL debut with a .744 SLG (7th) and 1.204 OPS (11th)

• HR in first clip hit at 106 mph
• Other base hit EVs of 105, 104, and 103 mph
• 3 HR, 2 3B, 8 XBH, 5 SB
• 7/7 K/BB ratio #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/buAfwvwqiH

— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 21, 2024

Luis Peña, SS, Brewers

Another Brewers prospect, Milwaukee’s 2024 international class is off to a strong start between Made, Peña, shortstop Jorge Quintana and outfielder Jose Anderson, with Peña making a campaign to be the DSL Most Valuable Player. Hitting .486/.538/.700 in 78 plate appearances with five walks and just seven strikeouts, he’s fourth in DSL in OPS, with his mark the highest in the league for a 17-year-old. While his approach is aggressive and he might need to become more selective as he moves through the minors, his hand-eye coordination and flat swing path from the right side results in a low swing-and-miss rate.

At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Peña isn’t that tall, but he’s strong and explosive, with twitch that shows up in his bat speed, helps him drive the ball with authority and presents the potential for plus raw power. He’s an explosive runner too, with plus-plus speed that has translated to 23 stolen bases in 25 attempts through 19 games. He has a plus arm as well, though on defense it’s more his tools and raw athleticism that stands out than his actions. He should get a chance to develop at shortstop, but there’s a chance he could end up at third base. 

Luis Pena has been all over the base paths early in the DSL season, with a top-10 OPS (1.280) over his first 10 games…

While going 20-for-20 on STOLEN BASES, leading the DSL #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/7qUu7DR27x

— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 20, 2024

Elvin Garcia, SS, Orioles

Signed for $500,000 out of the Dominican Republic, the 17-year-old Garcia has shown a promising mix of tools and skills with more physical upside remaining in his 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame. He’s a switch-hitter with good plate discipline and a knack for finding the sweet spot to make contact at a high clip. He’s hitting .370/.507/.611 through 71 plate appearances, drawing more walks (14) than strikeouts (13). Garcia hasn’t homered yet and isn’t a big slugger, but he makes consistent quality contact with a lot of doubles and triples that should start climbing over the fence in the next few years as he layers on more strength. He’s an athletic shortstop with plus speed, a plus arm and smooth actions at the position, along with a high baseball IQ. He’s one of most exciting shortstops the Orioles have signed out of Latin America in years. 

Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers

Morales came into the DSL season with big expectations. He was the top signing this year for the Dodgers at $1,897,500 and came with exciting preseason reports on his offensive prowess. Morales has lived up to his reputation, batting .338/.471/.588 in 87 plate appearances, slugging four home runs with 17 walks and 20 strikeouts as a 17-year-old. Morales is 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with the strength and bat speed that allows him to drive the ball with some of the best raw power of any hitter in the DSL, often posting triple-digit exit velocities.

While there has been a tick higher swing-and-miss to his game, he generally has shown a mature offensive approach with a sound righthanded swing. He drives the ball with consistent loft and damage and could grow into a 25-plus home run hitter. He’s a below-average runner who has improved his first-step quickness at shortstop and has a solid-average arm, though he does have six errors in his first 13 games. The Dodgers will probably continue to develop him at shortstop, but third base seems his most likely position as he gets closer to the big leagues. 

Gregory Sanchez, RHP, Rockies

Sanchez could end up the best pitching prospect in the DSL. A $285,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic, Sanchez ran his fastball up to 89 mph when teams were scouting him as an amateur, with the size, low-effort mechanics and physical projection that were all encouraging. Now 17 years old, he’s 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and has touched 97 mph while sitting at 93-96 mph with his lively fastball. He’s an athletic pitcher with still more space to add weight to his frame, so he could end up throwing 100 mph.

Scouts were split on whether Sanchez’s slider or changeup would end up his better secondary pitch, but so far he has leaned on his slider, which he has feel to spin with some power at 82-86 mph (though it’s mainly a fastball-heavy approach right now). He’s allowed only one earned run through 12 innings with 14 strikeouts and seven walks. 

Yairo Padilla, SS, Cardinals

Padilla is one of the most promising shortstops the Cardinals have signed out of Latin America in recent years and is off to a .324/.427/.471 start in 83 plate appearances. A switch-hitter who just turned 16 on June 28, Padilla is 6-foot-2, 170 pounds with a smooth swing that has good rhythm and balance. He recognizes pitches well and doesn’t chase much off the plate. His swing can get uphill at times, but he has shown good bat-to-ball skills and drives the ball well to both gaps. He already makes consistent hard contact, and with the way his swing works and how much room he has to still add more weight, he could end up with above-average power. He’s a plus runner with a plus arm, and while he has good actions at shortstop, there’s a chance he could end up outgrowing the position and head to third base. 

Jhonayker Ugarte, 3B/SS, Royals

Ugarte looks like a much different player now than he did when teams were scouting him as an amateur. A shortstop from Venezuela who trained in the Dominican Republic, Ugarte first drew attention for his solid swing and defensive skills at shortstop, but he has grown to 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, gotten stronger and taken a step forward offensively. He signed for $1.4 million and is batting .444/.557/.556 in 70 plate appearances with one home run, 13 walks and nine strikeouts. He has a simple lower half load with quiet hands in a compact righthanded swing, making contact at a high clip and showing a sharp eye for the strike zone.

Ugarte has been a line-drive machine in games and uses the whole field, making consistent hard contact with what could be bigger power to come in games once he learns which pitches to try to pull for damage. Ugartre has an above-average arm and has spent some time at shortstop, but as he’s gotten bigger, he has spent most of his time at third base, which looks more like his long-term defensive home. 

Jhonayker Ugarte singles home Yandel Ricardo plating the second run of the DSL Royals Ventura’s 4-run first inning! #RaisingRoyals x pic.twitter.com/UHGVa8xEes

— Raising Royals (@KCRoyalsPD) June 6, 2024

Joswa Lugo, SS, Angels

Lugo became the centerpiece signing of the Angels’ international class this year when they gave him $2.3 million. So far, he has shown some of the best power of any hitter in the DSL, hitting .408/.459/.632 in 85 plate appearances. Now 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, the 17-year-old shortstop has the strength and bat speed to flash plus raw power from the right side, with consistent hard shots off the barrel in games with exit velocities up to 110 mph.

It’s not an all-or-nothing swing, and his bat-to-ball skills are solid, but it is a free-swinging approach—Lugo has walked just five times—and he does get pull-heavy, so improving his pitch recognition and swing decisions will be key against better pitching. He’s an average runner who has a plus arm and will likely continue to get reps at shortstop in the lower levels, though some scouts think he could end up at third base or possibly an outfield corner. 

Yolfran Castillo, SS, Rangers

Looking for elite contact skills? There might be no better hitter in the DSL in that department than Castillo, a $647,500 signing this year from Venezuela. He has a long, lean frame (6-foot-3, 165 pounds) and is an extremely patient hitter. When he does swing, he rarely misses, showing outstanding hand-eye coordination and bat control from the right side of the plate en route to hitting .414/.552/.471 in 97 plate appearances with 22 walks and eight strikeouts. Castillo doesn’t have much power now, but thanks to the growth spurt that he hit from when he was a smaller, contact-oriented infielder early in the scouting process, there’s room for him to fill out and potentially grow into more extra-base damage. Castillo is an athletic defender at shortstop with plus speed, an above-average arm and good instincts. 

Gabriel Rodriguez, SS, Guardians

There’s a lot to like with Rodriguez, a $500,000 signing this year from Venezuela who is off to a .419/.621/.558 start in 66 plate appearances with one home run, 14 walks and five strikeouts. He plays with an ease of operation both at the plate and in the field, and he shows a high baseball IQ that’s no surprise given he’s the son of Brewers Venezuelan supervisor Jose Rodriguez. Aged 17, he’s 6 feet, 160 pounds with a short, quick lefty swing. He tracks pitches well, recognizes spin and doesn’t stray much outside the strike zone. His approach and hand-eye coordination lead to a high contact rate, the ability to hit all pitch types and a high OBP, albeit without much power yet. Rodriguez is a smooth mover at shortstop, where he has good hands, nimble footwork and good body control with an average arm. 

Dalvinson Reyes, RHP, Red Sox

There are some other pitchers in this group who throw harder than Reyes right now, but Reyes separates himself with a mix of physical projection and feel for pitching with starter traits. He’s 6-foot-5, 200 pounds with an easy, low-effort delivery, good arm action and the ability to fill the strike zone with a fastball that has been up to 93 mph. The pitch has good armside run and Reyes has the strength projection for continued velocity gains.

A $450,000 signing from the Dominican Republic, Reyes has feel to spin a mid-80s slider and throws a changeup that’s somewhat firm but has a lot of fade, with the ability to miss bats with both pitches. That has all led to Reyes being one of the best pitchers in the DSL as a 17-year-old, as he’s yet to allow a run in four games over 16 innings with 17 strikeouts and two walks. 

Luis Cova, OF, Marlins

On the surface, Cova’s slash line of .194/.351/.264 in 94 plate appearances doesn’t jump out, but there is still a lot to like with Miami’s big-ticket international signing from this year. The recipient of a $1.4 million bonus out of Venezuela, Cova is a lean, quick-twitch athlete in center field at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds. He has plus-plus speed, a quick first step and good range in center field with a solid-average arm. A righthanded hitter, Cova has little swing-and-miss to his game and does a good job of discerning balls from strikes. Cova has the bat speed to drive the ball well when everything is in sync—his exit velocity has been up to 106 mph—but his swing path leads to too many groundballs, something he will have to adjust.

Jose Paulino, RHP, Marlins

Paulino has some of the most electric stuff of any pitcher in the DSL. He’s 6-foot-3, 175 pounds with a fastball that has been on an upward trajectory since teams were scouting him as an amateur. He was reaching the low-90s then, was up to 96 mph by the time the Marlins signed him for $350,000 in January and he has since been up to 99 mph, sitting at 95-97 in games. It’s an outstanding fastball for a 17-year-old and he probably will crack triple digits at some point. He has tight rotation on a hard slurve for his breaking ball, with spin eclipsing 2,800 rpm at times, though he’s still learning to refine the shape of the pitch.

Paulino doesn’t yet have great feel for where the ball is going, which is why he has a 5.56 ERA in 11.1 innings with 12 strikeouts, eight walks and seven wild pitches. But there is big upside if he can learn to corral his stuff. 

Queni Pineda, C, Yankees

It’s uncommon for one of the top international catching prospects to come from the Dominican Republic, but Pineda is an exception, landing a $350,000 bonus in January. The 17-year-old righthanded hitter is batting .265/.446/.469 in 65 plate appearances with two home runs and more walks (16) than strikeouts (11). It’s a short, efficient swing from the right side with a selective approach that has enabled him to get on base at a high clip. Pineda produces consistent hard contact as well, with a swing path that leads to a lot of balls on the ground. But there’s a good mix of contact and impact in there for a young catcher. Pineda has an above-average arm and the hands to catch, though he does have six passed balls in 12 games. 

Ashly Andujar, SS, Rockies

Andujar got $1.7 million out of the Dominican Republic, making him Colorado’s top signing this year. He’s still 16, so he’s young for the class, and he’s one of the top shortstops in the DSL, hitting .305/.376/.390 in 93 plate appearances with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts. At 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, he has a wiry, high-waist frame that lacks much strength, but his impressive hand-eye coordination allows him to put the ball in play at a high clip from both sides of the plate. He’s an aggressive hitter who might need to become more selective in which pitches he swings at, but he’s a good fastball hitter who covers the plate well.

There is some sneaky hard contact for a young player with his slender build, but Andujar’s power is mostly for doubles and triples. An average runner, Andujar has good body control and game awareness at shortstop, where his quick-twitch athleticism, hands and plus arm should allow him to stick. 

Juneiker Caceres, OF, Guardians

Caceres doesnt turn 17 until Aug. 15, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2024 class. He’s also been one of the best hitters in the DSL, batting .400/.493/.617 in 73 plate appearances with 11 walks and nine strikeouts. Signed out of Venezuela for $300,000, Caceres is 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, so while he’s not that tall, he is strong and doesn’t miss often when he swings. He’s a lefty with an uppercut path and an accurate barrel, which, along with a solid sense of the strike zone, leads to a high contact rate with loft.

While the Guardians sign a lot of high-contact hitters, Caceres separates himself with his ability to drive the ball with impact. His EVs have been up to 108 mph already, an elite number for a 16-year-old. While he doesn’t have a ton of physical projection, there’s already a good mix of contact skills and damage. Caceres has played all three outfield spots, likely settling in a corner as he gets closer to the majors. 

#Guardians 16yr old OF prospect Juneiker Caceres facing live BP out at the organizations Dominican Academy. Caceres who recently signed back on 1/15/24 will make his pro-debut this year in the Dominican Summer League.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/NqI6RZsq3k

— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) April 19, 2024

Alexander Almonte, RHP, Yankees

The Yankees seem to regularly identify and develop hard-throwing pitching prospects from Latin America, with Almonte looking like he could be the next in line. Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $275,000, Almonte is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound 17-year-old. His high-spin fastball is already inching up since the season began to touch 95 mph, while sitting at 91-94. He throws a power curveball in the low-80s with tight spin at 2,500-2,700 rpm that some call a slider, but by any name it’s able to miss bats. Almonte has a mid-to-upper 80s changeup, too, but hasn’t used it much yet. It’s been a good start to the season for Almonte, who has a 2.63 ERA, 12 strikeouts and six walks through 13.2 innings. 

Kifraidy Encarnacion, LHP, Marlins

The Marlins signed Encarnacion out of the Dominican Republic for $165,000 in January. He’s an 18-year-old lefty who is 6-foot-4, 185 pounds with power stuff and the physical projection for more velocity in the tank. He pitches anywhere from 92-97 mph and has reached 98, up from the 94 mph he was topping out at when he joined the Marlins. His mid-80s slider has excellent spin, at times eclipsing 3,000 rpm and has a chance to be a plus pitch. Encarnacion throws a changeup, too, but hasn’t used it much yet. Encarnacion’s control lags behind his stuff, but with a 2.55 ERA in 7.2 innings, 10 strikeouts and five walks over his first two starts, there aren’t many 18-year-old lefties on the planet who can stack up with his raw stuff. 

Kendrick Herrera, SS, Pirates

When the Pirates signed Herrera for $450,000 out of the Dominican Republic this year, his defense was his calling card. He’s a 6-foot, 175-pounds athletic shortstop with good lateral agility and hands/footwork to stick at the position. Early on, the offensive component of his game has been solid too, with Herrera off to a .291/.379/.382 start in 66 plate appearances with nine walks and 12 strikeouts. He has a solid idea of the strike zone for a 17-year-old to go with good bat-to-ball skills, and while there hasn’t been a lot of extra-base damage, he has shown the ability to put a surprising charge into the ball from the right side of the plate. 

Jose Dickson, SS, Tigers

There are a lot of traits to like with Dickson, who was a mid-range signing out of the Dominican Republic this year for $397,500. It starts with his defense and athleticism at shortstop, where he has the tools to stick, including good hands, footwork, body control and arm strength. A lanky 6-foot-2, 160 pounds at age 17, Dickson’s hand-eye coordination shows up in the field and at the plate, where he makes frequent contact with a solid grasp of the strike zone for his age, hitting .339/.473/.458 in 74 plate appearances with more walks (13) than strikeouts (10). There isn’t a lot of power there yet, but it’s a lot of hard line drives with the potential to grow into more extra-base juice once he fills out his wiry frame. 

Justin Gonzales, 1B/OF, Red Sox

Gonzales has spent some time in right field, but he is primarily a first baseman, which is typically a tough profile for teams to bet on with a 17-year-old, righthanded-hitting international prospect. The Red Sox bought in when they signed him this year for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Gonzales is a massive, physically mature player for his age at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and he already has plus raw power that could end up a plus-plus tool.

While a lot of young sluggers have an all-or-nothing approach, that isn’t the case with Gonzales. He uses the whole field, typically stays within the strike zone and doesn’t miss much when he does swing thanks to a fairly short stroke for his size. It’s led to an impressive .353/.436/.603 start through 78 plate appearances with two home runs. The nine walks and just six strikeouts are the most encouraging part of his offensive performance so far.

Eduardo Beltre, OF, Twins

Beltre missed the first couple weeks of the season coming back from a wrist injury, but he certainly looks like he’s back at full strength now. Signed for $1,497,500 out of the Dominican Republic, Beltre is hitting .375/.545/.688 in 44 plate appearances, already blasting three home runs with more walks (11) than strikeouts (5). He’s 5-foot-11, 175 pounds with big righthanded bat speed and flashes of above-average raw power. Scouts were split on Beltre’s pure hitting ability as an amateur, but he has shown a solid sense of the strike zone for his age. He’s a plus runner, getting some time in center field, though he has spent more time in right field this season.

Eduardo Beltré, the No. 39 intl. prospect by @MLBPipeline, hit a HR (102 mph) and a walk-off single in the DSL Twins win

In 11 games this season, he is slashing .375/.545/.688 (1.233 OPS) with 3 HRs, and 11 walks to 5 strikeouts

He has the 2nd best OPS in the DSL (min. 10… pic.twitter.com/3waQCWIlUy

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 2, 2024

Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

Rodriguez has a knack for blistering baseballs to all fields the way few hitters his age can in the DSL. He was born in the Dominican Republic, spent time in Pennsylvania for high school, but moved back to the DR and signed this year for $300,000. He’s 5-foot-10, 197 pounds with stocky build, advanced strength and a short righthanded swing. Rodriguez can hammer a fastball out to any part of the park, already producing exit velocities up to 108 mph this season and a home run on Monday that traveled an estimated 474 feet. He will, however, have to tighten his approach against breaking stuff. Rodriguez will also need more work on the defensive side to be able to stick at catcher, but he has a strong arm with promising offensive upside, hitting .349/.405/.587 in 74 trips to the plate with three homers, five walks and 11 strikeouts.

Branneli Franco, RHP, Cardinals

The early results for Franco have been a mixed bag. He’s struck out 15 in 12 innings, but he’s also walked eight and allowed 12 runs.The Cardinals signed him for $800,000, their top bonus this year and the top amount for a Latin American pitcher in 2024. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he has a fastball that continues to climb higher, going from the mid-80s to the low-90s while teams were scouting him to reaching 94 mph by the time he signed and now sitting 93-96 mph in his short stints and touching 97. Franco has more room to fill out his still lean frame with long limbs and he doesn’t throw with much effort, so there’s a chance for more still to come.

Franco threw a curveball as an amateur but switched to a slider that he shows aptitude to spin with good lateral break at times at 82-85 mph. He has shown feel for a changeup but has focused just on his fastball/slider mix at the start of the season. Franco hasn’t commanded his fastball well in his early outings, but the stuff, delivery and physical projection are all there if he can turn that around. 

Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, White Sox

The White Sox added a pair of tall, power arms from Venezuela this year with Fajardo and Orlando Suarez, with both pitchers up to 95 mph. So far Fajardo has been the most impressive, posting a sparkling 32-3 K-BB mark to go with a 4.57 ERA over 21.2 innings through his first five starts. Signed for $400,000, Fajardo pitches with his fastball anywhere from 90-95 mph and throws all of his pitches for strikes. He’s 17 and has more space to add weight to his 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame, so there should be another velocity jump coming.

He’s a good athlete with an easy delivery that he repeats well from a consistent release point on all of his pitches. His low-80s slider isn’t a particularly high-spin pitch, but it has short, late break that has been able to miss a lot of bats. He’s mainly a fastball/slider pitcher with an occasional hard changeup that’s still in its early stages of development.

Anderson Brito, RHP, Astros 

Brito is a 5-foot-10 righthander from Venezuela who turns 20 on July 7 and is making his pro debut after signing at the end of 2023. The early results have been impressive: An ERA of 0.66 in 13.2 innings with a 20-6 K-BB mark. He’s not just a smaller, crafty pitcher carving up younger hitters either. Brito’s fastball parks at 94-97 mph, can reach 98 and has good riding life up in the zone. Brito shows feel to manipulate his secondary pitches too, with good spin and sweep on his slider and a fading changeup that he hasn’t thrown much yet. Brito could end up a sneaky under-the-radar signing, with 17-year-old righthander Kevin Santana (fastball up to 95 with a high-spin curveball but early control troubles) another one to watch on the DSL Astros pitching staff. 

Anderson Brito had another dominant outing with the DSL #Astros on Monday, striking out 6 of the 10 batters he faced, his fastball up to 98 MPH.

Through 11.2 IP, Brito is yet to allow a run this season, limiting batters to a .125 batting average and racking up 19 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/deH7RzwqBE

— Astros Player Development (@AstrosPlayerDev) June 25, 2024

Dioris De La Rosa, RHP, Angels 

De La Rosa has had some of the best results among first-year pitchers in the DSL. Through his first four starts, he has an ERA of 0.47 across 19 innings to go with 21 strikeouts and eight walks. He’s also doing it with stuff that has spiked since he signed in January for $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic. De La Rosa is 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and was up to 93 mph coming into the spring. Now he’s up to 96 mph, sitting at 91-94. He shows feel to spin a slider at 2,300-2,500 rpm, a pitch that he is still learning to refine and is ahead of his nascent changeup. De La Rosa and righthander Ubaldo Soto—who is repeating the DSL, but is still 17 and pitching well with a fastball up to 97 mph—are both arms to watch on the Angels staff. 

Paulino Santana, OF, Rangers

The surface-level slash line doesn’t jump out with Santana—a 17-year-old center fielder hitting .243/.430/.329 in 93 plate appearances—but there has been a lot to be encouraged by in terms of his future. Signed for $1,297,500 this year, Santana is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound lean, athletic righthanded hitter with a short swing and a selective approach. He has more walks (19) than strikeouts (14), showing good patience, pitch recognition and the bat control to make consistent contact when he does swing. Power hasn’t shown up in games yet for Santana, which might be because his approach can become too contact-oriented at times instead of taking more chances to drive certain pitches for more pull side damage, but he makes hard contact. There’s plus speed as well that gives him a good chance to stay in center field. 

Esteban Mejia, RHP, Orioles

The Orioles signed Mejia out of the Dominican Republic for $175,000 in January. The 17-year-old righthander had been up to 93 mph at the time and reached 95 in early spring outings. Now his fastball seldom dips under 93 after making another jump that has him reaching 98 mph and sitting at 93-96. At a listed 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him crack 100 mph eventually, but he’s already overpowering hitters in the DSL, where he has a 3.38 ERA in 10.2 innings over four starts, striking out 15 with five walks. Mejia’s fastball was his main pitch as an amateur, but he has quickly developed a slider that he shows aptitude to spin to get a good amount of swing-and-miss. 

Leonardo Pineda, OF, Rays

Pineda, 17, was the top signing this year for the Rays, getting a $1.75 million bonus in January. He’s hitting .297/.446/.484 through 83 trips to the plate with 16 walks and 23 strikeouts. He’s 5-foot-11, 185 pounds with a strong, compact build and the ability to whistle the barrel through the zone with big bat speed to drive the ball for impact. His exit velocity in games has already been up to 107 mph, and there’s the potential for plus raw power.

The risk with Pineda is that he’s an aggressive hitter with a pull-heavy approach, which has led to a higher swing-and-miss rate that better pitchers could exploit unless he’s able to make adjustments. He’s an average runner, which might ultimately push him to a corner as he gets closer to the majors, but so far the Rays are developing him as a center fielder, where he’s getting good reads off the bat and has an above-average arm.

Dexters Peralta, SS, Yankees

Peralta has a lot of arrows pointing up. He’s a $500,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic at 16 with a lean, athletic build (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) that has potential for significant strength gains. It’s a smooth, low-effort swing from both sides of the plate with good path and feel for the barrel. He drives the ball well from gap to gap now with loft in his swing and the bat speed for him to develop at least average power. He’s a plus runner and a good athlete at shortstop with a strong arm. Catcher Queni Pineda, shortstop Christopher Sanchez and speedy center fielder Browm Martinez give the Yankees three more sleepers to watch in the middle of the field in their DSL lineup. 

Yairo Padilla, SS, Cardinals

Padilla could end up being one of the better shortstops the Cardinals have signed in years. He’s a 16-year-old switch-hitter signed for $760,000, the highest bonus the Cardinals gave a position prospect in 2024. He offers a good blend of physical projection (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) and hitting ability with a chance to stick at the position. He has hit well in games, staying calm and balanced with the ability to recognize pitches and make frequent contact. His swing path generates loft, with flashes of power now that should grow once he’s physically mature. There’s a chance Padilla gets too big and outgrows shortstop, but he has the actions for the infield and a plus arm that could get even stronger once he fills out. Padilla and catcher Rainel Rodriguez are two big bats to watch in the DSL Cardinals lineup. 

Gabriel Rodriguez, SS, Guardians

Rodriguez isn’t quite as tooled up as some of the other top prospects in the DSL, but he has the actions, instincts and all-around game skills that make him one of the top players to watch in the league. Signed out of Venezuela for $500,000, Rodriguez is 6 feet, 160 pounds at 17 with a quick, direct cut from the left side. He has a good eye for the strike zone, picks up spin and has the hand-eye coordination that leads to a high contact rate against both fastballs and soft stuff. He’s a potential high OBP hitter with doubles power and the potential for more impact to come once he layers on more strength, with what should be a hit-over-power game. His instincts are evident at shortstop, where he’s an athletic, fluid mover with good hands, footwork and ability to make off-balance throws on the run with an average arm. 

Roldy Brito, SS, Rockies

Signed for $420,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Brito is one of the more electric athletes in the DSL. And while there are plenty of other good athletes there who are still fairly raw for their age, Brito combines quick-twitch athleticism with a knack for putting the ball in play. He’s a 17-year-old, switch-hitting shortstop whose speed grades out at the top of the 20-80 scale. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, he’s a high-contact hitter who has grown into the strength to occasionally pull a ball over the fence, but with an approach that caters more to line drives and using his wheels to leg out doubles and triples. Brito has spent time both at shortstop and center field but since signing has been focused on developing at shortstop. 

Raily Liriano, OF, D-backs

Liriano signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic because of his tools and athleticism, a high-risk, high-reward play with some rawness to his game. The early signs have been encouraging, with Liriano hitting a home run in each of his first four DSL preseason games. He’s 6-foot-2, 160 pounds at 17 with raw power that’s flashing plus now and could end up a 70 on the 20-80 scale. He’s a plus or better runner, making him a potential power/speed threat. Scouts who saw Liriano as an amateur had concerns about swing-and-miss, especially against breaking balls, and a pull-happy approach, but he has worked to try to shorten his swing. He has the speed for now to develop in center field, where he’s learning to improve his instincts, and has an above-average arm if he does have to go to right field. 

Angel Guzman, SS, Blue Jays

A 5-foot-11, 160-pound switch-hitter, Guzman signed out of the Dominican Republic for $767,500. He was a high-profile player as an amateur with his mix of athleticism and hitting ability. He has a smooth, compact swing and a low swing-and-miss rate, using the whole field with a line-drive approach and gap power. He’s a plus runner with a chance to stick at shortstop with his athleticism, lateral agility, actions and an above-average arm. 

Anderson Navas, C, Phillies

Navas just looks different. He’s 6-foot-4, 180 pounds at 17, so he’s tall for a catcher, but he’s loose and flexible behind the plate. His best tool is his arm, a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He’s an accurate thrower who even with a longer arm stroke is consistently under 2.0 seconds on his pop times and under 1.9 seconds on his best bolts. He’s still polishing his receiving, but he’s athletic (even running plus underway now, though that will back up) with the raw tools there for him to be a standout defender. It’s a power-over-hit offensive profile, with some swing-and-miss that comes from length in his righthanded swing, but a chance to develop into a power-hitting catcher. He signed for $250,000 out of Venezuela and gives the Phillies two potential breakout players up the middle in the DSL along with speedy center fielder Nathan Cijntje from Curacao. 

Elvin Garcia, SS, Orioles

The Orioles signed Garcia out of the Dominican Republic for $500,000, landing a 17-year-old shortstop with a balanced skill set. He’s 6-foot-2, 165 pounds with good feel for the barrel from both sides of the plate, making frequent contact with a line-drive approach and gap power. Garcia is starting to be able to drive the ball out to his pull side and should have more power to come once he fills out his wiry frame. He’s a good athlete and a plus runner with a good chance to stay at shortstop. Garcia is a high baseball IQ player with smooth actions and a plus arm. 

Yolfran Castillo, SS, Rangers

Castillo and outfielder Paulino Santana were two of the top signings this year for the Rangers, who will be strong up the middle this year in the DSL. A Venezuelan shortstop signed for $647,500, Castillo was a smaller player early in the scouting process but hit a growth spurt to 6-foot-3, 165 pounds. He had good bat-to-ball skills before he grew and that has held as he’s gotten bigger and made swing adjustments, with more physical upside now to grow his gap power into bigger home run juice. He’s a plus runner whose physical development will in part guide his future defensive home, but he has the athleticism, instincts and above-average arm that gives him a good chance to handle shortstop. 

Gabriel Guanchez, C, Mariners

Guanchez was one of the top catchers this year when he signed out of Venezuela for $500,000 and he continued on an upward trend. He’s 6-foot-2, 195 pounds with the hands and plus arm to stick at catcher. That stood out early on during the amateur scouting process, but the offensive development Guanchez has shown over the past year has been particularly encouraging. He has shortened his righthanded swing, shown more bat speed and hit well in games, driving the ball for hard contact from a flat path geared to use the opposite field. There are flashes of above-average power that he could start to tap into more in games as he learns which pitches to try to pull for damage. 

Andreimi Antunez, SS, Rays

A Venezuelan shortstop signed for $300,000, Antunez has all the traits to develop into a plus to plus-plus defender. He’s 5-foot-10, 150 pounds at 17 with clean hands and feet to float around the position. A tick above-average runner, Antunez is an instinctive defender with quick reactions off the bat and a good internal clock, capable of making the acrobatic grabs and finishing plays with a plus arm. At the plate he’s a contact-oriented hitter with a sound swing and can square up good velocity surprisingly well for a young hitter without much strength yet in a hit-over-power profile. 

Amauri Ramirez, OF, Astros

Ramirez, 17, was born and raised in the United States, but he moved to the Dominican Republic and signed for $597,500 as an international free agent. His instincts for the game are on display when he’s at the plate and in the field. It’s an easy lefthanded swing that’s smooth and simple. He stays balanced, which helps him track pitches, pick up spin and put the ball in play at a high clip with a good sense of the strike zone. There’s more space to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame and add to the power that he’s already flashing to his pull side and become an average or better tool. He’s an average runner, so it’s not prototype center field speed and could end up moving him to a corner at higher levels, but his reads and routes are advanced for his age. 

Ronald Ramirez, SS, Tigers

The Tigers spread their bonus pool space around this year and, after giving their biggest bonus to third baseman Nestor Miranda, came away with a host of intriguing, up-the-middle athletes. One of them is Ramirez, a 17-year-old from the Dominican Republic who signed for $197,500. Ramirez is 5-foot-11, 170 pounds with quick-twitch athleticism and a knack for putting the ball in play with his short righthanded swing. It’s a quick swing with fast hands and gap power that could rise with strength gains. His quick-twitch actions show up in the field too. He’s an above-average runner with at least an average arm and should stick up the middle, whether it’s at shortstop or second base. Ramirez and Jose Dickson, another Dominican shortstop the Tigers signed this year, give the Tigers a pair of breakout candidates in their DSL middle infield. 

Jose Castro, OF, Marlins

Some of the best power for a first-year DSL player belongs to Castro, a righthanded hitter who signed out of the Dominican Republic for $450,000. He’s 6-foot-3, 180 pounds and an explosive mover in the batter’s box, blasting the barrel through the zone to launch balls deep over the fence. Between his explosiveness and strength projection, he should end up with at least plus if not plus-plus raw power, though it does come with some swing-and-miss risk. He’s a likely corner outfielder who is athletic for his size and has a plus arm that could get stronger. Between Castro and Dominican shortstop Yordani Martinez (a 5-foot-7 switch-hitter who makes a ton of contact), the Marlins have two intriguing breakout candidates in the DSL with contrasting profiles.

Alfredo Benzan, SS, D-backs

Benzan’s game has changed significantly since teams scouted him as an amateur. He’s grown three inches since then to 6-foot-2, 165 pounds leading into his signing for $550,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He’s a 17-year-old with a simple swing from both sides of the plate and good hand-eye coordination to put the ball in play. Benzan can drive balls to the alleys now and has a lot more room to project strength and future power on his still lean frame. As he’s gotten bigger, it’s less likely that he stays at shortstop. There’s no question on his arm—it’s plus and might end up a grade higher—and he’s an above-average runner, with third base or center field both potential landing spots if he does have to move off shortstop. 

Hayden Alvarez, OF, Dominican Republic

The Angels made Alvarez one of their top signings this year ($685,000) after he showed a balanced set of skills. He has grown to 6-foot-3, 190 pounds at 17, still growing into his body but he typically takes quality at-bats, has good strike-zone judgment and is starting to drive the ball with occasional home run power and the strength projection for a lot more impact to come once he’s physically mature. Alvarez is an instinctive defender who moves well in center field, though how his physical development affects his speed will be key for where he ends up playing. He’s an average runner, so if he ends up getting faster with more strength, he could stick in center, otherwise he could head to a corner. 

Yensi Rivas, SS, Mets

The Mets paid Rivas $500,000, landing a 17-year-old switch-hitter with a contact-oriented approach from the Dominican Republic. He has the bat control to put the ball in play at a high clip and has started to add more strength to his 6-foot, 170-pound frame that’s led to deeper shots into the alleys with a hit-over-power offensive profile. He’s an average runner with an above-average arm who moves his feet well in the middle infield, whether it ends up being at shortstop or second base long term. 

Oliver Tejada, OF, Giants

Tejada is one of the more intriguing power hitters in the DSL. Signed for $147,500, he’s a burly 5-foot-11, 180 pounds at 17 and strong for his age. His combination of strength and bat speed produces big power that should end up becoming a plus or better tool. Power is Tejada’s calling card and he has shown encouraging signs of being able to get to his power in games. It’s an offensive-driven profile for Tejada, who is probably limited to left field. Tejada and catcher Santiago Camacho, a good hitter and receiver, are both potential breakout candidates in the DSL for the Giants. 

Nestor Urbina, SS, Twins

Urbina had a good track record of hitting as an amateur player in Venezuela before he signed for $397,500. He’s 16 with a thicker 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, so while there’s not the same physical upside relative to some of the other players on the list, Urbina has shown an advanced bat from both sides of the plate. He has a compact swing with a knack for barreling the ball from line to line with gap power. Urbina could get time at shortstop but projects better as an offensive-oriented second baseman, with an arm that could play at third base as well. 

Anthony Longo, C, Royals

Last year the Royals signed Venezuelan catcher Ramon Ramirez, who hit .344/.440/.615 in 41 games and was one of the best prospects in the 2023 DSL. This year, their scouts identified another Venezuelan catcher with promising traits in Longo, a 17-year-old who got $227,500. He hit well in games when he was in Venezuela with a compact swing to make contact at a high clip and a solid eye at the plate. He’s a righthanded hitter who’s 6 feet, 160 pounds and will need to get stronger to grow into more extra-base damage. He’s an athletic catcher with a tick above-average arm.