The Novice Scouting League yearly options a few of the sport’s premier up-and-coming expertise throughout summer season competitors within the Dominican Republic. Shortstop Jose Manon, one of many circuit’s standout performers the previous few seasons, headlines the Braves’ 2026 worldwide signing class because the No. 15 prospect on this 12 months’s Prime 50 listing in any case his robust play at dwelling.
Manon is predicted to obtain a signing bonus of round $1.5 million, in accordance with a supply. The Braves obtained $6,679,200 in pool cash this 12 months and are set to unfold that round to a wide range of high-upside expertise.
By touchdown Manon, the Braves have secured a high 15 worldwide prospect for the third consecutive season, making them one in every of simply three golf equipment (along with the Mets and Mariners) to have completed so in that span.
At 6-foot-2, Manon is a bodily and strongly constructed right-handed hitter with a excessive contact price and propensity for crushing balls, particularly to his pull facet. Throughout his time within the Novice Scouting League, he went 8-for-26 with seven RBIs and 7-for-7 on stolen-base makes an attempt throughout 9 video games.
A preternaturally gifted newbie, Manon has spent the vast majority of his time defensively at shortstop. There’s positive to be important competitors as he enters professional ball, however he has the short ft and traits to stay on the place as he continues to get stronger. He educated within the D.R. with Amaurys Nina, a member of MLB’s Coach Partnership Program.
The membership additionally has come to an settlement with Dominican outfielder Starlyn De La Cruz, a left-handed hitter who has showcased appreciable bat velocity throughout his time as an newbie. He swings arduous and repeats his barrel path effectively, coupling a sophisticated really feel for hitting with the intent to do harm within the field.
Scouts have puzzled how a lot extra-base affect De La Cruz might in the end present, as he’s a tad on the shorter facet at 5-foot-10, however he figures to have an effect on the sport each on the basepaths and in middle subject, the place his plus run software helps him cowl a ton of floor. He simply narrowly missed being included on this 12 months’s Prime 50 Worldwide Prospects listing.
Atlanta has ponied up a major signing bonus every of the previous 4 years however eschewed that technique to unfold out its funds in 2026. Three of these seven-figure signees — Diego Tornes (No. 14), Jose Perdomo (No. 15) and Luis Guanipa (No. 20) — are presently among the many membership’s Prime 30 prospects, however they’ve additionally excelled at discovering relative bargains within the type of shortstop John Gil (No. 13) and right-handers Didier Fuentes (No. 7), Jhancarlos Lara (No. 21), Rayven Antonio (No. 27) and Elison Joseph (No. 29).
Whereas worldwide prospects are sometimes a few years away from contributing on the massive league stage, including expertise (notably of the high-end selection) to the farm system is at all times a optimistic. Julio Teheran posted a 6.60 ERA in his debut Rookie-level marketing campaign in 2008. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit .269 in his first style of professional ball in 2015, the identical 12 months that Ozzie Albies went homerless throughout 98 video games at Single-A.
COMPLETE BRAVES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Growth — and success — isn’t at all times linear, even for the highest-profile signees. As Atlanta retools its system and begins to look towards who in the end will contribute to the subsequent wave to play at Battery Avenue, it’s put a robust foot ahead to open the 2026 worldwide signing interval.
A global participant is eligible to signal with a Main League staff 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. Meaning gamers born between Sept. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009, might be eligible to signal within the present signing interval. Gamers should be registered with Main League Baseball upfront to be eligible to signal.
