There isn’t a day on the worldwide baseball calendar fairly like Jan. 15 — it’s the Tremendous Bowl, a Taylor Swift live performance and a New Yr’s celebration all rolled into one.
Thursday’s opening of the signing interval means novice worldwide prospects can formally put pen to paper and name themselves skilled ballplayers. It’s a testomony to years of onerous work not just for the gamers, however their households, their coaches and the intensive community of scouts and evaluators who work for all 30 Main League organizations.
Whereas there isn’t any Roki Sasaki-sized power on the high of the rankings this go-round, this 12 months’s class boasts its share of potential stars. You possibly can take a look at video studies, scouting grades and far more for every of 2026’s Prime 50 worldwide prospects beneath.
Why must you lock in on the names to know? Take one have a look at final 12 months’s pennant race: from perennial All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr., José Ramírez and Juan Soto to potential future MVP candidates Julio Rodríguez, Elly De La Cruz and Jackson Chourio, the imprint made by Latin American gamers continues to develop.
Seeking to the longer term, three of the present high six general prospects all got here from the worldwide market — Leo De Vries (Athletics), Jesús Made (Brewers) and Sebastian Walcott (Rangers). Having all hit Double-A by the age of 18, the trio is a microcosm of the way forward for the sport: younger, exhilarating and supremely proficient.
So, who’s bought subsequent? Right here’s a have a look at the highest 5 worldwide prospects on this 12 months’s class:
No. 1: Luis Hernandez, SS (Venezuela)Hernandez is making historical past as the primary No. 1 general worldwide prospect to have been born in Venezuela since our rankings started in 2012. (Ethan Salas, the No. 1 prospect in 2023, was born in Florida earlier than transferring to Venezuela as a teen.) As a 15-year-old, Hernandez excelled within the Venezuelan Main League, hitting .346 throughout 104 at-bats. Gifted with immense bodily projection and a laundry record of spectacular instruments, he additionally earns plus marks for his work ethic and all-around baseball IQ. Extra »
No. 2: Wandy Asigen, SS (Dominican Republic)A standout performer regardless of persistently enjoying towards among the Dominican’s high expertise from a younger age, Asigen has been heralded as having arguably essentially the most superior offensive profile amongst his class. It’s a particular left-handed swing, having posted exit velocities north of 110 mph whereas repeatedly discovering the barrel in recreation motion. He has a nostril for the ball defensively and his wheels — which have been clocked at 6.5 seconds on 60-yard sprint instances — allow him to cowl tons of floor laterally. Extra »
No. 3: Francisco Renteria, OF (Venezuela)At simply 15 years previous, Renteria went 8-for-28 with three doubles — accumulating hits off two former massive leaguers — throughout a stint within the Venezuelan Main League final summer season. He has earned comparisons bodily and offensively to Konnor Griffin, the Pirates’ 2024 first-round choose who ascended to No. 1 general prospect standing in his first 12 months of professional ball. Scouts assume the 6-foot-3 outfielder, who additionally has an above-average run software, has the actions and all-around athleticism to stay in middle discipline long run. Extra »
No. 4: Angeibel Gomez, OF (Venezuela)Gomez has a big and bodily body, main one evaluator to imagine that had he been born stateside, he can be an SEC-caliber large receiver recruit on the soccer discipline. Geared up with a right-handed swing that repeatedly generates onerous contact, Gomez gained MVP of the Novice Scouting League in 2024 by hitting .370 with a 1.216 OPS, main the circuit with 10 RBIs and 21 complete bases throughout eight video games. He performs a wonderful middle discipline and has sometimes ripped off throws to bases nearing triple digits. Extra »
No. 5: Johenssy Colome, SS (Dominican Republic)The son of former MLB reliever Jesus Colome, Johenssy is likely one of the most tooled-up members of the ‘26 worldwide class. He persistently leverages his swing so nicely that one evaluator talked about the latest event on which he noticed a world prospect regularly get to his launch level in such a fashion was Guerrero Jr. Defensively, Colome reveals fluid actions at shortstop and a powerful arm that might serve him nicely if he shifts over to the recent nook as his 6-foot-2 body fills out. Extra »
BreakdownWe’re much less two months away from the 2026 World Baseball Basic, the sport’s preeminent international showcase. However look throughout the Main and Minor Leagues and also you’ll see gamers from throughout the planet starring on the diamond. There are 10 international locations apart from america represented on the present Prime 100 Prospects record alone.
Whereas Venezuela holds down three of the highest 4 spots within the 2026 worldwide class, the Dominican Republic once more guidelines the roost in the case of sheer amount among the many Prime 50. Thirty-three members of the record hail from the D.R., with 14 coming from Venezuela and three from Cuba. Place-wise, there are 26 infielders, 15 outfielders, 4 catchers, three pitchers and two outfielder/infielders.
Who’s eligible?There are tips for signing worldwide prospects. A participant is eligible to signal with a Main League group between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He should flip 16 earlier than he indicators and be 17 earlier than Sept. 1 the next 12 months. In sensible phrases, meaning gamers born between Sept. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009 (and older), can be eligible to signal within the upcoming signing interval. Gamers must be registered with Main League Baseball upfront so as to be eligible.
How do the mechanics of the signing interval work?Every group enters the signing interval with bonus pool cash to signal worldwide novice free brokers. The scale of that pool is set by quite a lot of elements, together with market measurement and income, as nicely the signing of Main League free brokers who declined a qualifying provide. Trades, through which worldwide bonus cash might be dealt in increments of $250,000, additionally have an effect on bonus pool sizes. However a workforce cannot spend greater than its allotment, it doesn’t matter what — there isn’t any choice to exceed the restrict and pay a tax, for instance.
Whereas groups are allowed to commerce away as a lot of their pool as they select, they will purchase solely 60 % of their authentic pool.
Nevertheless, signing gamers for a bonus of $10,000 or much less doesn’t rely towards a bonus pool. It is potential, subsequently, {that a} workforce may spend its whole bonus pool on one participant and nonetheless signal many different gamers in comparatively small offers.
The worldwide bonus pool breakdown for 2026 is as follows:
$8,034,900AZ, BAL, CLE, COL, KC, PIT, STL
$7,357,100ATH, CIN, DET, MIA, MIL, MIN, SEA, TB
$6,679,200ATL, CHC, CWS, LAA, LAD, PHI, TEX, WSH
$5,440,000HOU, NYY, NYM, SF
