Twins excited about potential of 2025 international signings
In one fell swoop, the Twins are on the precipice of adding three potential impact prospects from the 2025 international class to their organization: shortstops Santiago León (No. 24 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Haritzon Castillo (No. 43), and outfielder Teilon Serrano (No. 50).
Le車n*s deal is for $1,697,500, with Castillo down for $947,500. Serrano lands $847,500. The club received $7.56 million in pool money this year.
International signing coverage:
? Everything you need to know
? Top 50 Prospects list
? Each team's top international prospect
? Latest news on Roki Sasaki
Le車n landed the highest bonus and ranking of the trio on the Top 50 International Prospects list due to his exciting package of tools across the board. Born in Carabobo, Venezuela, the right-handed-hitting 16-year-old tore up the 2024 Carabobo Prospect League, slashing .636/.758/1.136 with six RBIs and six of his 14 hits going for extra bases.
It*s not often that young prospects show an aptitude for both putting the bat on the ball and having a selective approach at the plate, but Le車n finds himself ahead of the curve in that regard. Evaluators believe there is even more power to come as he continues to get more comfortable with driving the ball and refining his strike zone.
The city of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, was home to former Twins infielder Jermaine Palacios, as well as a handful of current impact big leaguers in Carlos Carrasco, Andr谷s Gim谷nez and Gabriel Moreno. The Twins tapped back into that market to land Castillo, a 16-year-old switch-hitting shortstop who trains with Jose Luis Montero at Future Stars Academy, a member of MLB*s Trainer Partnership Program.
Castillo has shown signs of having an advanced approach from both sides of the dish as an amateur. He has the type of ※whippy§ swing that portends well to impact when things come together, giving some upward mobility to his potential offensive contributions. Castillo also earns positive reviews for his in-game instincts and feel for playing on the dirt.
The 16-year-old Serrano has already spent a few seasons on the prospect showcase scene, and the Twins believe he*s well positioned to continue honing his all-around game under their tutelage.
At the plate, Serrano shows off plus bat speed from the left side, giving confidence that there will be more pop as he matures. His carrying tool is his well-above-average speed, which garnered 60-yard dash times of 6.4 seconds as an amateur. He*s a twitchy, dynamic athlete who has recently made the switch to the outfield after years on the dirt. Evaluators believe that athleticism gives him the chance to hold down center field on a long-term basis.
Minnesota has shown a significant interest in developing international players in particular; 13 of the organization*s current Top 30 prospects have come from that market, including Emmanuel Rodriguez (MIN No. 2/MLB No. 29), who is the fourth-highest-ranking Dominican prospect in the game. One of last year*s top signings, Eduardo Beltre (MIN No. 25), got off to a scorching start to his pro career this past summer, delivering a 1.071 OPS across 43 games in the Dominican Summer League.
Leon, Castillo and Serrano will likely all get their starts in the DSL as well. The advantage of having a deep farm system -- the Twins vaulted all the way up to the second spot in MLB Pipeline*s midseason rankings last year -- is that the development rope for young players can be a touch longer. Marry that with the highest international bonus pool in the 2025 cycle, and the Twins are ecstatic about landing three Top 50 talents who could become big league contributors down the line if all breaks right.
An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team through Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year.
That means players born between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, will be eligible to sign in the current signing period. Players must be registered with Major League Baseball in advance to be eligible to sign.
Additional notable Twins signees and their bonuses:
Jose Barrios, INF, Venezuela -- $422,500
Joyner Perez, OF, Dominican Republic -- $397,500
Jhomnardo Reyes, OF, Dominican Republic -- $322,500