Grading the Top 10 MLB Prospects of 2025 International Signing Period
The international market is always a crapshoot, as teams look to strike gold by adding talent to their organizations with more limited data than they have on stateside prospects.
Pitcher Roki Sasaki was technically part of the international free-agent market and subject to bonus pool restrictions, with the Dodgers using more than 80 percent of their pool to give him a $6.5 million bonus.
Mets shortstop Elian Pena ($5 million), Marlins shortstop Andrew Salas ($3.7 million) and Tigers outfielder Cris Rodriguez ($3.1975 million) received the largest bonuses from the more traditional teenage prospects, and all three have tremendous upside.
The 2026 international signing period begins on Jan. 15, which will bring with it a flurry of activity. For now, though, it's time to slap a bow on the 2025 window with a ranking of the 10 best prospects from that class, along with a scouting report and a grade for their debut performance.
10. C Gabriel Davalillo, Los Angeles Angels
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MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 17
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 5 LAA prospect
Bonus: $2,000,000
Stats (DSL): 41 G, .302/.408/.518, 15 XBH (7 HR), 31 RBI
The No. 1 catching prospect in the 2025 international class, Gabriel Davalillo immediately became the top backstop in the Angels system, jumping other recent international signings Juan Flores and Dario Laverde.
His 55-grade power is his best present tool, and he also showed an advanced approach in the Dominican Summer League with a .408 on-base percentage and more walks (23) than strikeouts (21). A strong stateside debut in 2026 could quickly vault him onto leaguewide top 100 lists.
Grade: B
The offensive production was great, but 10 passed balls in 124 innings behind the plate and an 18 percent caught stealing rate raises some early questions about his ability to stick behind the plate.
9. 2B/OF Elorky Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
2 of 10MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 29
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 8 TEX prospect
Bonus: $1,097,500
Stats (DSL): 46 G, .337/.473/.506, 17 XBH (6 HR), 48 RBI, 9 SB
Elorky Rodriguez doesn't necessarily look the part of a future power hitter with a 5'10", 175-pound frame, but his compact left-handed swing and good bat-to-ball skills helped him put up solid all-around offensive numbers in his pro debut.
His long-term profile still leans contact over power, but his advanced approach will help him maximize his extra-base production. He split his time between second base and center field defensively, and it would be a nice boost to his future value if he could stick at one of those spots.
Grade: A
The Rangers made a run at signing Roki Sasaki, and when he ended up with the Dodgers, they spread their bonus pool among a long list of prospects with Rodriguez turning in the best debut of the bunch.
8. SS Andrew Salas, Miami Marlins
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MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 5
B/R Prospect Ranking: No. 11 MIA prospect
Bonus: $3,700,000
Stats (A): 104 G, .186/.319/.245, 14 XBH (3 HR), 21 RBI, 39 SB
The numbers might not stack up to the others in these rankings, but Andrew Salas was pushed much harder than anyone else from the 2025 international class, joining the big league club for spring training before making his pro debut at Single-A Jupiter.
He was the youngest player to log enough at-bats at the Single-A level to qualify for the batting title, and looking past his .186 batting average, he posted a 15.9 percent walk rate and .319 on-base percentage to hold his own against older competition.
Grade: C
The numbers don't jump off the page, but Salas gained some valuable experience against advanced competition, and that could be the springboard to a breakout 2026 campaign.
7. SS Dorian Soto, Boston Red Sox
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MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 8
B/R Prospect Ranking: No. 7 BOS prospect
Bonus: $1,400,000
Stats (DSL): 47 GS, .307/.362/.428, 14 XBH (2 HR), 18 RBI
A switch-hitter with a projectable 6'2", 180-pound frame, Dorian Soto offers one of the highest offensive ceilings in the 2025 international class with a 55-hit, 55-power profile and a major up arrow next to his name.
There are some questions about his ability to stick at shortstop as his frame fills out, but he has a chance to be a clean fit at the hot corner if he develops as expected from a power standpoint.
Grade: B
The Red Sox hit on Franklin Arias as part of their 2023 international haul, and they look to have found another rising star with the headliner of their 2025 class.
6. OF Kevin Alvarez, Houston Astros
5 of 10MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 7
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 6 HOU prospect
Bonus: $2,000,000
Stats (DSL): 47 G, .301/.419/.455, 17 XBH (2 HR), 33 RBI, 11 SB
With a smooth left-handed swing that has drawn comparisons to former Astros star Kyle Tucker, Alvarez has one of the best hit tools in the 2025 international class and the potential to grow into more power as his 6'4", 184-pound frame fills out.
He hit .400 against left-handed pitching and showed an extremely advanced approach with a walk rate hovering around 12 percent and more free passes (23) than strikeouts (19).
Grade: A
Alvarez might be the No. 1 prospect in the Houston farm system by the end of 2026, and while the organization has had better luck developing pitching talent in recent years, he has the upside to break that trend.
5. RHP Kevin Defrank, Miami Marlins
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MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 40
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 5 MIA prospect
Bonus: $560,000
Stats (DSL): 10 GS, 3.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 10 BB, 34 K, 31.0 IP
The Marlins used more than half of their bonus pool on shortstop Andrew Salas ($3.7 million), but they also managed to scoop up one of the top pitchers in the class, right-hander Kevin Defrank out of the Dominican Republic.
With an extremely projectable 6'5", 202-pound frame, a 70-grade fastball that touched 100 mph in his pro debut and a great feel for his changeup, he has legitimate frontline upside. He also showed advanced command for his age, with a 34-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31 innings.
Grade: A
The biggest riser relative to preseason international prospect rankings, Defrank is now one of the game's best teenage pitching prospects after showing advanced feel and electric stuff in his pro debut.
4. OF Cris Rodriguez, Detroit Tigers
7 of 10MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 4
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 7 DET prospect
Bonus: $3,197,500
Stats (DSL): 50 G, .308/.340/.564, 23 XBH (10 HR), 39 RBI, 10 SB
The Tigers gave Cris Rodriguez the biggest international bonus in franchise history and the fourth-largest bonus in the entire 2025 class, and he made some early noise with a .564 slugging percentage and 10 home runs in 50 games.
His strong 6'3", 203-pound frame and the natural leverage in his swing have drawn comparisons to Aaron Judge and Eloy Jimenez, and that is a good illustration of the potential range of outcomes for a player with his offensive profile.
Grade: B
The immediate power production is encouraging, and the ceiling here is a middle-of-the-order slugger, but a 42-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 188 plate appearances does raise some questions about his hit tool.
3. SS Elian Peña, New York Mets
8 of 10MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 3
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 8 NYM prospect
Bonus: $5,000,000
Stats (DSL): 55 G, .292/.421/.528, 23 XBH (9 HR), 33 RBI, 21 SB
Aside from the $6.5 million the Dodgers gave Roki Sasaki, the largest bonus of the 2025 international class by a sizable margin went to Elian Peña on the strength of a 65-grade hit tool and standout defensive skills.
He did not disappoint in his pro debut, racking up 23 extra-base hits in 223 plate appearances while tallying the same number of walks as strikeouts (36) and swiping 21 bases in 25 attempts.
Grade: A
The Mets paid a steep price to add arguably the top position player in the 2025 class, and his strong debut could be the springboard to a fast rise up leaguewide Top 100 prospect lists.
2. SS Josuar Gonzalez, San Francisco Giants
9 of 10MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 2
B/R Prospect Rank: No. 2 SF prospect, No. 86 MLB prospect
Bonus: $2,997,500
Stats (DSL): 52 G, .288/.404/.455, 19 XBH (4 HR), 24 RBI, 33 SB
With a 55-hit, 55-power, 60-speed offensive profile, Josuar Gonzalez has the highest ceiling of any Giants prospect since Marco Luciano, and a far more promising defensive profile at shortstop than Luciano ever had.
His elite bat speed and quick-twitch athleticism help his raw tools play beyond his 6'0", 167-pound frame, and after a stellar debut where he had more walks (37) than strikeouts (36) and teased his power/speed upside, he closed out 2025 as any early addition to the B/R Top 100 prospect list.
Grade: A
If any prospect is going to make a Jesús Made-type leap up prospect lists in 2026, Gonzalez looks like the leading candidate.
1. RHP Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers
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MLB Pipeline Top 50 Rank: 1
Bonus: $6,500,000
Stats (MLB): 10 G, 8 GS, 4.46 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 28 K, 36.1 IP
After going 30-15 with a 2.02 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 524 strikeouts in 414.2 innings over four seasons in the Japanese League and a strong showing in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Roki Sasaki was expected to make an immediate impact in the big leagues.
However, he struggled with his command to start the year, dealt with shoulder issues at midseason and spent time back in the minors before returning as a reliever in September and pitching his way into the closer's role in the postseason.
Grade: B
It might not have been the rookie campaign many envisioned, but a 0.84 ERA and three saves in 10.2 innings during the postseason proved instrumental in the team's World Series run.
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