Detroit Tigers 2025 International Signings Review
Image credit: Cris Rodriguez (Photo via Ben Badler)
The Tigers spent more than $3 million to secure one of the most tooled-up players in the 2025 class, but with more than $4 million left in their bonus pool after that, they were able to secure a mix of position players who have promising tool sets throughout the field in addition to one of the better lefties available this year.
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Here are scouting reports on eight players to know from Detroit’s 2025 international signing class. You can find international reviews for all 30 teams here.
Top Of The Class
The Tigers signed Dominican outfielder Cris Rodriguez for $3,197,500, the No. 4 bonus overall this signing period and the highest for any outfielder in the 2025 class. Rodriguez has a tantalizing combination of size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds), athleticism and tools, especially with his ability to hit for power.
He’s tall, strong and has excellent bat speed, enabling him to crush fastballs. His bat speed gives him more time to stay back, let the ball travel and drive the ball with power to all fields. His swing can get long and he’s still learning to tone down his approach to be on time more consistently, especially against offspeed stuff, but the upside is there for a 30-plus home run hitter if everything clicks. Rodriguez is a plus runner with an average arm that could continue to tick up, giving him the tools to develop in center field. Depending on his physical development, he could end up in a corner, but if he’s able to maintain his speed as he fills out, he could end up a power-hitting center fielder.
Names To Know
Jose Ramirez, OF, Venezuela: Detroit’s top signing from Venezuela this year, Ramirez stood out for his athleticism, hitting ability, and all-around instincts to land an $897,500 bonus. Ramirez, 17, spent time at catcher and the outfield as an amateur, but he’s now full-time in center field. He’s not quite as polished defensively compared to some of his peers because of his split defensive focus previously, but his quick-twitch athleticism, plus speed and strong arm fit well in center. He’s 6 feet, 175 pounds and manages his at-bats well from the right side of the plate with a good eye for the strike zone. He has good swing path, makes frequent contact and has the bat speed to project more of his doubles to turn into home runs as he gets stronger.
Carlos Benavides, C, Venezuela: Signed for $797,500, Benavides projects to stick behind the plate with a strong catcher’s frame (5-foot-10, 195 pounds) and the intangibles teams prize at the position. He receives well, has quick footwork and an efficient exchange into a strong arm. Benavides has advanced catch-and-throw skills to go with a mature offensive approach for his age. He regularly puts together quality at-bats with a line-drive approach from the right side and a knack for hitting the ball hard the opposite way.
Anderson Diaz, LHP, Venezuela: The Tigers signed Diaz, 17, for $447,500, the No. 2 bonus for a lefthander in the 2025 class and the highest for a Venezuelan lefty this year. He has high-end physical projection remaining in his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame and a starter look, pitching off a fastball that has grown from the mid-to-upper 80s to now more regularly reaching the low 90s. His changeup is an advanced pitch for his age that he sells well off his fastball. He shows feel to spin a curveball with tight break and should become a bigger weapon once he gets stronger to add more power behind that pitch.
Jhonger Ochoa, SS, Venezuela: Ochoa has a compact build (5-foot-11, 187 pounds) with a balanced skill set to contribute value both offensively and defensively. Signed for $397,500, Ochoa has a strong lower half and a mature offensive approach as a contact-oriented hitter with gap power from the right side of the plate. He’s an above-average runner with an average arm and is a high-energy player at shortstop who should get a chance to stick there, though depending on his physical development he could bounce around the infield.
Angel De Los Santos, SS, Dominican Republic: De Los Santos, who signed for $387,500, has a wiry frame (6-foot-1, 160 pounds) and projects to stick at shortstop, where the 17-year-old has impressive range and a strong arm that could get even stronger once he fills out. At the plate, De Los Santos is a righthander who shows feel for the barrel and could grow into more power with strength gains if he learns to hit the ball in the air with more frequency.
Jeremy Cano, RHP, Mexico: A $350,000 signing, Cano is a 5-foot-10 righthander with a quick arm and a lively fastball that reaches 90 mph. Everything he throws has late wiggle, including a slider that has good tilt and a changeup he shows feel for as well.
Sleeper Watch
In a class that draws heavily on players from Venezuela, one sleeper to follow is Carlos Martinez, a Venezuelan righthander the Tigers signed for $72,500. Martinez is 19, so he’s a couple years older than the big-ticket signings for this year, but he has a still lean 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame with projection to add to a fastball that’s already up to 96 mph. There’s feel to spin a curveball that’s ahead of his changeup, but it’s the arm speed and chance to throw upper 90s or better that stands out the most.
