Ben Badler

United States

Senior Writer at Baseball America

Host at Baseball America Podcast

I write about prospects for Baseball America. Future Projection podcast. IG ben.badler

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Articles

Top International MLB Prospects To Know For 2025 | Future Projection

3 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler |Carlos Collazo

On this week’s episode of Future Projection, Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo talk about the insanity that has been college baseball through regional play (both on and off the field). The two briefly discuss the resurgence of Dodgers outfielder Mike Sirota and then discuss Royals first baseman (outfielder?) Jac Caglianone and what to expect with his big league promotion. After that, it’s all things 2025 international prospects.
San Diego Padres 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The price tag went up for Dominican lefthander Carlos Alvarez after he had an open workout for teams on Jan. 15 when he was still unsigned while teams were waiting on Sasaki. The Padres ultimately were able to keep him, signing him for $1 million, the biggest bonus for any lefthander in the 2025 signing period. Alvarez is 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, a highly projectable, athletic frame for him to continue adding to a fastball that reached 93 mph before he signed and has inched up to 94.
Cincinnati Reds 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

Cincinnati’s top bonus this year went to Venezuelan shortstop Liberts Aponte, who signed for $1.9 million. He’s 6 feet, 170 pounds at 17, a wiry, fast-twitch athlete who shines at shortstop. He’s a graceful, agile defender with quick feet and soft hands, able to make the flashy, highlight plays but with the internal clock to be able to play under control.
Texas Rangers 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

When Sasaki informed the Rangers they were no longer in in the mix to sign him, the Rangers proceeded with the rest of their signing class as normal on Jan. 15, but they were left with more than $2 million in their bonus pool. They used $1.2 million of that to sign Seong-Jun Kim, an 18-year-old two-way player out of Gwangju Jeil High in South Korea.
New York Yankees 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The biggest bonus the Yankees awarded this year went to Dominican shortstop Mani Cedeño, who signed for $2.5 million, tied for the fifth-highest bonus for any Latin American player signed in 2025. Cedeño turns 17 on Aug. 14, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2025 class and will play nearly the full DSL season as a 16-year-old. Cedeño has a medium build (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) and is one of the more polished hitters signed this year.
Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The D-backs signed Dominican outfielder Elian De La Cruz for $1.1 million. De La Cruz has a strong build (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) at 17 with a lot of strength behind his righthanded swing. He can drive the ball for extra-base damage to both gaps with home run power to his pull side that should continue to increase to become a potentially above-average tool.
Los Angeles Angels 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The headliner of the Angels’ international signings this year is Gabriel Davalillo, whose $2 million bonus was the highest this year for a catcher. A 17-year-old from Venezuela, Davalillo grew up around baseball. His grandfather, outfielder Vic Davalillo, played 16 seasons in the major leagues. His father, David Davalillo, was a manager for several years in the lower levels of the Mets farm system after his playing career when he was a shortstop who reached Double-A.
San Francisco Giants 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The Giants signed 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Josuar Gonzalez for $2,997,500, the fifth-highest bonus for any player in the 2025 international signing period. Some scouts considered Gonzalez the top player in Latin America this year. He’s a quick-burst, explosive player with a lean, athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds.
Toronto Blue Jays 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The Blue Jays’ top signing this year is 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Cristopher Polanco, who got $2,297,500, the No. 9 bonus overall for a Latin American player in the 2025 class. Polanco drew praise from scouts for his hitting ability. He’s 5-foot-11, 185 pounds with a compact, fluid lefthanded swing. It’s sound hitting mechanics combined with an advanced offensive approach, able to barrel good velocity with the adjustability to produce a high contact rate.
Cleveland Guardians 2025 International Signings Review

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Ben Badler

The Guardians signed 17-year-old Venezuelan catcher Hiverson Lopez for $900,000, the top bonus in their 2025 class. He’s 5-foot-11, 185 pounds and stands out most for what he does in the batter’s box. He’s a lefthanded hitter with a simple, compact stroke and good bat-to-ball skills. His swing has some stiffness at times but he regularly barrels balls in games with the bat speed to go deep to his pull side now and grow into average or better power once he’s physically mature.