Every year, MLB teams bring in youngsters from Latin America looking for the next Juan Soto or Ronald Acuna. Tapping into these international perspectives is an important part of building a strong agricultural system. The signing deadline for these prospects is January 15. Here’s what we know so far about the Nats International Free Agent class.
Despite the fact that these kids are only 16 when they sign, teams have made verbal agreements with these players years in advance. You can argue about the morality of that process, but that’s what all teams do. With that in mind, we have a pretty good idea of who the Nats will sign on January 15th.
According to reports, the Nats will sign at least 10 players, maybe more. Last season they signed 14 players. So far, last year’s international class is performing better than the previous ones. After Victor Robles, Luis Garcia Jr. and of course hitting Juan Soto in just a few short years, the Nats Latin American pipeline has dried up.
The Nats have seen a lot of seven-figure signings in recent years. Names like Armando Cruz, Victor Hurtato and Cristhian Vaquero have failed to live up to expectations so far. However, last year there were some positive signs. Marconi German only signed for $400,000, but was one of the most productive players in the DSL. Brayan Cortesia, who made big money, also had a solid season in the Dominican Republic.
That brings us to 2026, where the Nationals appear to have two big ticket candidates lined up to sign. Samil Serrano and Isaias Suarez are the Nats’ biggest signings. Both are Dominican outfielders with projectable skills. MLB Pipeline ranks Serrano as the 26th best player in the class and Suarez as the 39th best player.
Baseball America ranks slightly higher on both. In one update which just came out today, Serrano was ranked as the 17th best player in the class, while Suarez was ranked 19th. It seems like both are trending upwards, which is exciting to see. Hopefully both guys can continue to make big improvements.
Serrano is rated slightly higher by both BA and Pipeline. The reason for that is his decisiveness. Scouts view Serrano as a fairly natural hitter with a smooth swing. There isn’t a lot of strength yet, but at 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, there’s plenty of room for him to add strength. Although he isn’t a burner, scouts in the outfield like his glove. He has great instincts and has the chance to stay in midfield.
Given his lack of speed, there’s a chance he’ll go to a corner. If that happens, his strength should improve, but he’s only seventeen. So much can happen in the development of these children. This time last year we didn’t talk much about Marconi German, and now he’s a major breakout candidate.
Suarez’s game is driven by his natural athleticism. He is a great runner and athlete, which allows him to thrive in midfield. At 6’2 and 165 pounds, he is also very projectable. Suarez has the chance to be a plus defender in midfield according to BA. The offense seems more of a work in progress, but he does have solid tools.
BA notes that he is an aggressive hitter, on whom scouts are divided offensively. He shows good bat speed and has upside, but there is also risk. Suarez seems to be a real boom or bust candidate, even for an IFA. If he hits, he could be a useful big league center fielder. However, there is a good chance that it will burn out quite quickly.
There will always be more misses than hits in the IFA market. It’s so hard to predict what a player will be when he’s 16 or 17 years old. These children are still growing both physically and mentally. However, it remains interesting to track this process.
It’s not particularly likely, but there’s a minuscule chance that Serrano and Suarez are the next Juan Soto and Victor Robles. That’s why it’s so exciting to follow things like this. You’ll see a lot of flames, but you might also discover the next big thing. The Nats will sign Serrano, Suarez and a host of other IFA prospects on January 15.
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