Today is January 15 (or the new July 2): the date for the international free agents in the current league to finally sign with their potential future big league clubs. The Braves are currently in the process of signing their 2025-2026 pick. Currently, four players are considered signed, while several others are said to be signing but not yet on paper.
Below will discuss a bit about the latest 16-year-olds signed by the Atlanta Braves, as well as track some of the players we can expect to see in the coming days/weeks – as not all signees end up signing on day one for various reasons.
One thing to note, as some of you may be expecting to see a big name on this list and find him missing. Dominican shortstop Alfredo Sena is considered the best player in his class and is rumored to be looking at a signing bonus of $5.8 million. The reason you won’t find him on this list is the fact that he isn’t eligible to sign another year. So while you may have heard great things about him and his link to the Braves, Sena is still only 15 years old and a year away from signing – although we can only hope that the potential labor stoppage resulting from the expiration of the CBA doesn’t cause any problems there.
At the time of writing, the Braves international budget is $6,679,200 and they have reportedly signed players for a total of $3,640,000. Rumor has it that other players yet to sign will reportedly cost a combined total of nearly $1.7 million. That means the Braves have currently spent approximately $5,320,000, including the players they committed to.
SIGNED [As of 1/15/26, 4:15 P.M. ET]
Jose Mañon, SS, Dominican Republic ($1.5 million)
Starlyn De La Cruz, OF, Dominican Republic ($1.2 million)
Edelson Cabral, INF, Dominican Republic ($600k)
Jonathan Hechavarria, RHP, Cuba ($340k)
Efrain Caminero, RHP, Dominican Republic
Geowin Gomez, RHP, Colombia
Matthew Luna, RHP, Dominican Republic
Jorwin Pulido, C, Venezuela
Durban Arnedo, INF, Colombia
Luis Fortunato, INF, Dominican Republic
Osmar Torrealba, OF, Venezuela
Joshua Castro, LHP, Venezuela
Sherrintely De Costa, OF, Curacao
Giovanni Medina, RHP, Venezuela
Cesar Navarro, RHP, Venezuela
Darren Pereira, RHP, Panama
Derek Torres, RHP, Venezuela
Mañon is the highest-ranked player in the Braves 2026 class, ranking at No. 26 on Baseball America and No. 39 on FanGraphs. He is a shortstop and is expected to remain a shortstop as he moves up the ladder. He brings plus tools in his speed and arm, and is also known for his defensive ability and hitting tools. Currently, he’s more of a gap-hitting player rather than possessing major home run power, but he’s seen as a player who could grow into more power as he fills out his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame.
Starlyn De La Cruz is also a ranking candidate, coming in at #36 on Baseball America and #50 on FanGraphs. De La Cruz is slightly smaller at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, but he has loud tools. He has a real chance to stay as a plus-plus runner in the middle and the power potential is his calling card thanks to tremendous bat speed. The hit tool has also seen some growth and despite having power at a young age, he doesn’t seem to be a free swinger. He even received some early compositions for Michael Harris II.
Edelson Cabral is the last candidate in the rankings, although he shows quite a difference in his rankings. Baseball America has him at No. 84, while FanGraphs ranks him highest in the class at No. 18. Cabral stands 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, with plenty of projection left on his body. Like De La Cruz, he has promising bat speed and has been producing high exit velocities on a regular basis. Defensively, he has a chance to stick at shortstop with the feel tools for the position, though he could eventually move to second or even third depending on how his body continues to grow – also worth noting that he has a strong enough arm. De La Cruz feels like the potential sleeper of the class with a mix of exciting tools and growth potential.
Jonathan Hechavarria is an outfielder turned pitcher who can already hit 94 MPH with his fastball. He represents a young arm without much mileage that the Braves development staff can work with. He also brings a slider that already gives him a second promising pitch. Hechavarria is listed at 6’2 and 200 pounds.
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