LA thinks in terms of the present and certainly in terms of the future. MLB insider Francys Romero said the Dodgers have signed outfielder Rubel Arias and shortstop Ezequiel Melbourne.
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Arias and Melbourne are the Dodgers’ top two prospects in the 2025-2026 class.
The Dodgers are no strangers to finding international talent, especially in the Dominican Republic. Los Angeles has made their name there over the decades and they hope they have found their next new star in Melbourne.
The 6-foot-1 switch-hitter is the No. 29 prospect in the class of 2026. At just 16 years old, Melbourne has a chance to be one of the better players to come out of the Dominican Republic, and that’s saying a lot. Due to his physical projection, he has shown shades of fellow international Dodgers signees Adrián Beltré and Carlos Santana.
The switch-hitting shortstop is showing the tools to stick, and he’s refining them at the Jaime Ramos Academy – a member of the MLB Trainer Partnership Program – as part of an in-depth international class from 2026. Melbourne has a signing bonus of $747,500.
As for Arias, he and the club agreed to a $997,500 bonus. Arias and Melbourne have been training with Jaime Ramos as they prepare for what many expect will be a call from the Dodgers sooner or later.
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Arias is certainly no slouch, as he has a smooth stroke in the batter’s box and has plenty of power potential to grow. He landed just outside the Top 50 prospects in his class.
The Dodgers know how to evaluate talent; it’s one of the many things they have a talent for. So much so that they were recently ranked as the #1 farming system in the sport. They have remained at or near the top for the past few seasons.
The Dodgers’ success goes far beyond targeting or signing great talent. It all starts at the top, and LA’s management is arguably the best in all of sports, not just baseball.
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