The Guardians have a storied history of discovering backstop talent from Venezuela. Look to 1996, when the organization signed a switch-hitting catcher from Ciudad Bol¨ªvar, Victor Martinez. After three All-Star seasons and 900 hits with Cleveland, the club welcomes another talented Venezuelan catcher looking to carve out his own path.

Joining the mix is the left-handed-hitting Hiverson Lopez, the highest-ranked player in the 2025 international class (No. 41) to sign with the Guardians as the signing period opens. The club also added shortstop Heins Brito, No. 48 overall, giving them two members of the Top 50 for the fourth time in the past five years.

L¨®pez¡¯s deal is worth $900,000, while Brito receives an $825,000 bonus. The club received $6.9 million in pool money this year.

Fruits of the club¡¯s recent international labor have already begun to show: both Jaison Chourio (Guardians' No. 3 prospect, 2022 signee) and Angel Genao (Cleveland's No. 4 prospect, 2021 signee) entered the Top 100 overall prospects list this past season, having previously been high-profile signings on January 15¡¯s in their own right.

L¨®pez boasts an exciting profile of tools with both the bat and glove. At present, he is more of a bat-to-ball hitter who shows a propensity for spraying hits around the diamond, but some evaluators see more pop in there as he continues to fill out. His swing and frame have the look of a Miguel Montero-type offensive profile.

Behind the dish, L¨®pez fits the strong-armed, athletic backstop mold to a tee. Equipped with advanced instincts and actions while in the squat, he also displays soft hands that should work to his benefit as pitch framing becomes more integral as he moves up the club¡¯s organizational ladder.

Brito fits the mold of a player that the Guardians have long been captivated by: a hit-over-power, switch-hitting middle infielder. The club handed out its highest bonus in the 2023 class to Welbyn Francisca, who at 5-foot-8 and 148 pounds, mirrors Brito¡¯s 5-foot-10, 150-pound frame. All that the Guardians¡¯ No. 9 prospect has done since signing is hit his way up to Single-A Lynchburg as an 18-year-old, where he batted .325 in 29 games this past year.

Naturally a left-handed hitter, Brito focused primarily on that side during his younger years. He¡¯s added the right-handed side, showcasing a quick stroke from both sides of the dish. He suited up for the Dominican Republic at the 15U World Cup qualifiers in June 2022, stealing a base and collecting two hits over his limited run.

Brito¡¯s wheels are already a tick above average, which should pave the way for him to impact the game on the basepaths, a one-two punch when factoring in his contact-based approach. Competition is always fierce for reps up the middle in the Dominican Summer League, but it¡¯ll be Brito¡¯s bat -- and how quickly it comes on -- that¡¯ll be the determining factor in his upward mobility.

An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and 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 Guardians signees and bonuses:

Luis Garc¨ªa, SS, Dominican Republic -- $775,000
Gustavo Baptista, C, Venezuela -- $450,000
Luis Galan, SS, Dominican Republic -- $320,000