Let’s look back at some of the standout students from the previous year’s class as the 2024 international signing period draws near. Beginning with No. 1 Ethan Salas, who began his age-17 season at Single-A Lake Elsinore after bypassing the complex levels entirely, the top 10 foreign prospects from 2023 did rather well, hitting.267/.350/.487 with nine home runs in 48 games. With his great defensive abilities behind the dish, he was eventually promoted to Double-A San Antonio and promoted to High-A Fort Wayne.
In light of this, Jim Callis and Sam Dykstra responded to a query regarding which international prospects for 2023 had the most outstanding professional debuts in the most recent episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast.
Joendry Vargas (No. 3/LAD No. 12)
Callis: The Dominican Republic native inked a $2 million contract to become a shortstop for the Dodgers. He moved to the DSL, where in 48 games he hit.328 with an OPS just over.950, seven home runs, and 19 steals. It was possible to observe both instruments and instincts. He was a switch hitter once, but he now only hits with his right hand. Good approach and swing, with an emphasis on hitting line drives to all fields. At six feet four, he will only grow stronger. He has a lot of bat speed, so if he reaches physical maturity, I believe he might hit 25 home runs. He also has solid actions despite being larger than most shortstops. He has good side-to-side movement. Given his powerful arm, I believe he has a decent chance of staying at short. And if he is unable to, I believe that he would also fit in quite nicely at third base based on how he projects physically and how he swings the bat. Because the Dodgers system is one of the deeper ones and it may be more difficult for a kid making his debut right out of the international class to move up the list, he may be a little bit neglected there. He is ranked No. 12 on that list, which is, in my opinion, a pretty good placing in a very complex system.
Top Int’l Prospects: Vargas, SS
Alfredo Duno (No. 4/CIN No. 13)
Dykstra: Dykstra was a DSL designated hitter last season while recovering from an arm ailment. He was a prospect at catching but didn’t really catch. All they wanted to do was avoid making waves. Although he turns 18 on January 7, he was only 17 years old at the time. Happy birthday to him ahead of schedule. However, he will need to hit to get our attention if he won’t play defense, and he more than succeeded in doing so, slugging.493 and hitting.303. I agree with Jim that you can’t always rely on walk statistics in the DSL since sometimes players simply don’t know where the ball is going, but in those 45 games, he did walk 38 times and strike out 41 times. It appears that he will have more power than hit, and he has already shown that he has power—six home runs in those 45 games. All the components are in place, and even if his defensive play hasn’t been seen yet, he is regarded as a plus defender with a powerful arm. Thus, after he arrives in the United States in 2024 and joins the Arizona Complex League, we might witness him reach new heights. once he regains full health. Everything is in place for him to become even more intriguing as he begins to include defensive playmaking into his style.
Top Int’l Prospects: Duno, C
Luis Morales (No. 5/OAK No. 5)
Dykstra: In the previous season, he was the best pitcher available internationally. signed a $3 million contract with the A’s. When we discuss pitchers that were signed by foreign teams, they are typically very raw. They will take some time to move. Actually, Morales isn’t that. He turned 21 in September, therefore he is already 21 years old. He is more polished than most of these kids coming out of Cuba, and the A’s pushed him accordingly. He began the season in the DSL and ended it in High-A Lansing. His stats were as follows: 2.86 ERA, 53 strikeouts, 15 walks, 1.09 WHIP, and a.202 batting average against in 4 levels of play. Unlike many other foreign signees, he is clearly in control and knows where the ball is going. He currently has four pitches that are all excellent at least average in potential. His fastball, which he can hurl up to 99 mph if he’s really rearing back, and his slider are above average. Thus, he has all the necessary components to be at least a respectable starter. He reached 44 innings last year, as I mentioned, and this is when he starts to build on that. You hope that after making a fresh start in the Midwest League this year, he might reach 100 runs. It should be a fascinating experience. When he starts in the Midwest League in April, it will be quite chilly; will he be able to withstand the cold? We’ll see, but Luis Morales fulfilled every expectation for his first professional season in the United States, checking all the boxes and developing into an intriguing arm for an A’s system that desperately needs more intriguing arms.
Luis Morales’ fourth strikeout
Sebastian Walcott (No. 8/TEX No. 3, MLB No. 62)
Callis: The Arizona Complex League was destroyed by him. had a.849 OPS during his tenure. And it wasn’t just the numbers; at the age of 17, he had nine steals in 35 games and hit seven home runs. After nine games in the Dominican Summer League, he is making his debut in the United States. He arrived quite quickly. Furthermore, it wasn’t simply the figures; it was also how he accomplished it. He frequently achieves exit velocities of over 110 mph, which is absurd for a young man. You could give his shortstop arm a plus-pus grade if you so desired. He is a strong runner with a faster straight line speed. Again, short sample size, but we’ll have to keep an eye on that because in 48 games, he struck out 64 times. However, I was really impressed with his debut in a summer when we had a lot of strong international debuts, as well as his ability to perform at the age of 17 in the United States and even have enough to hold your own for a few games at High-A at the end of the year.
Top Int’l Prospects: Walcott, SS
Rayner Arias (No. 15/SF No. 6)
Callis: One of the international class of 2023’s most physically strong players. Some have compared him to a teenage Eloy Jiménez. signed for little under $2.7 million, the second-highest bonus ever given to an international player by the team. He didn’t get to play much in the DSL; he only played 16 games after spraining his wrist while diving for a ball. Given that there are only 58 at-bats, the Dominican Summer League and small sample size are both acceptable; nonetheless, hitting at the Dominican Summer League is still quite impressive.In 16 games, 414 had an on-base percentage of.539, a slugging percentage of.793, more walks than strikeouts, four home runs, and four steals. In fact, I elevated him to a really high position on the Giants’ prospect list. By the end of 2023, I have him ranked sixth on their list. The Giants are really enthusiastic about the offensive contributions this player can make. In the long run, he will be a cornerback, however he may be able to play right field because he possesses the necessary instincts and arm strength. However, this is a player who could emerge as one of the Minor Leagues’ top hitting prospects in a few years. They’re ecstatic about how he launched his profession.
Top Int’l Prospects: Arias, OF
Jeremy Rodriguez (No. 47/NYM No. 30)
Dykstra: He was just added to the Mets roster at position No. 30. When we do our update here in a few months, he will be going up. However, at just 17 years old on July 4th, Jeremy Rodriguez was among the younger players in the DSL this season. After that, he was traded by the D-backs to the Mets in exchange for Tommy Pham. Jeremy Rodriguez is one of my favorite players because, for his level and especially given his age, he doesn’t swing and miss very often. That became evident particularly after the move. It should be noted that he only appeared in 13 games for the Mets’ DSL affiliate, thus this was a very tiny sample size. However, he only struck out four and walked 11 times in those 13 games. shown impressive speed as well with seven steals. Right now, he mostly possesses gap power. When he originally signed a $1.25 million contract with the D-backs, becoming their biggest signing of the previous season, all the sources we could find said that while power was largely to the gaps right now, it may eventually come for him. I believe it will take some time for that to progress. However, considering his age, he is hitting bat on ball and making some really intriguing swing choices, so it’s a good start. He may be able to play second base or short; we’ll see how he develops defensively. But if Tommy Pham keeps going in this direction, this may wind up being, you know, a really good pickup for the Mets for the next few months.
Top Int’l Prospects: Rodriguez
Jim Callis works as an MLB.com correspondent. Track him at @jimcallisMLB. Check him out on the MLB Pipeline Podcast every week.
Reporter Sam Dykstra works for MLB.com and MiLB.com. Connect with him by following him at @SamDykstraMiLB.The Reds have made it their top objective to acquire a seasoned starting pitcher this summer as they look to challenge for the National League Central championship and a postseason return. Cincinnati found free agency right-hander Frankie Montas as a result of the quest. The Reds revealed their signing of Montas on Tuesday.
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