10 International Players Set to Become MLB Household Names

In recent years, we've seen a number of internationally born and raised baseball players make their way to Major League Baseball, both by the traditional posting process of Japanese players and the defection of Cubans, among other means.

International scouts spend countless hours making sure the players boast all the tools necessary to be successful in MLB, and while not all of them pan out, there's no denying that they enter the league with lofty expectations.

Here are some of the most highly touted international players that are making waves in their organizations and could be headed for big things in the near future.

Jorge Soler

Jorge Soler has only recently gained the proper credentials to become a part of a MLB organization, but he's already garnering plenty of interest all across the league.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, bids for the services of Soler are due in the coming days. With his price expected to come in over $25 million, we'll soon find out who will have the chance to bring him into the fold, adding one of the most exciting Cuban prospects to enter the league in quite some time.

Wei-Yin Chen

As one of two international pitchers signed by the Baltimore Orioles this past offseason, Wei-Yin Chen came into the league with plenty of hype and also relatively high expectations.

He hasn't upset the Baltimore faithful so far, with a 5-2 record in 11 starts and an ERA just below 3.50.

Chen is striking out nearly seven batters per nine innings, while walking less than three, a number that's decreasing as he's spending more time on the mound.

Jose Altuve

With the league's worst record in 2011, the Houston Astros certainly didn't have the highest of expectations heading into this season.

They're not playing as well as they could have hoped, but Jose Altuve has definitely been a bright spot for the team.

Altuve is batting .325 so far, with 20 RBI and nine stolen bases in 47 games played in Houston in 2012.

Yoenis Cespedes

Yoenis Cespedes surprised many this offseason when he ended up signing with the Oakland Athletics instead of the other big-market suitors he had.

He's gotten off to a strong start in 2012, batting .275 so far in 35 games with the A's, going deep six times and driving in 26 RBI in the process.

Jurickson Profar

As one of the top prospects in all of baseball, Jurickson Profar's debut in the major leagues is certainly coming with great anticipation.

He's batting .294 in Double-A Frisco in 2012, showing great power and speed along with solid play in the field at shortstop.

Hak-Ju Lee

Prospects don't always pan out, and while that could very well be the case with Hak-Ju Lee, the Tampa Bay Rays certainly hope that's not the end game.

Coming over in the trade that sent Matt Garza to Chicago, Lee has batted nearly .300 during his minor league career, and could be a part of the Rays infield in the next year or so.

Starling Marte

The Pittsburgh Pirates have the centerfielder of their future already in place with Andrew McCutchen, but will soon have another option in the outfield when Starling Marte takes to the field.

Marte's breakout year came in 2011 when he batted .332 with Double-A Altoona, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 50 runs.

He still strikes out more than the organization would like, but once he figures out his eye at the plate he should be a force to be reckoned with.

Jesus Montero

Jesus Montero was set to become the catcher of the future for the New York Yankees once Jorge Posada hung up his cleats.

Those plans changed this offseason when Montero was sent to Seattle in exchange for Michael Pineda.

Montero is batting only .262 with Seattle this season, but he has brought some much-needed power to the Mariners lineup with seven home runs and 27 runs batted in.

Miguel Sano

The Minnesota Twins narrowly missed becoming just the second $100 million team to lose 100 games in 2011 when they posted a 63-99 record.

Once again sitting in last place in the AL Central, the Twins need to find a way to generate excitement in the fanbase, and may have just what they need in Miguel Sano.

The young slugger is widely regarded as one of the best power-hitting prospects in all of baseball, drawing comparisons to Miguel Cabrera (per Yahoo! Sports).

Julio Teheran

Though his brief debut with the Atlanta Braves last fall didn't go as planned after a 15-3 campaign in Triple-A in which he posted a 2.55 ERA, Julio Teheran is still one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball.

He's off to a 5-2 start in his second stint with Gwinnett, and if he continues to excel, it won't be long before he's in Atlanta making starts in a Braves uniform.