Pittsburgh Pirates 2025 International Signings Review

Top Of The Class

The player with arguably the most upside in the class for the Pirates this year is 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Darell Morel, who signed for $1,778,600. Morel originally was set to sign with the Dodgers. However, with Jan. 15 approaching and righthander Roki Sasaki having yet to announce a decision on where he was signing, the Dodgers were one of a handful of teams with their signing class in limbo. Instead of waiting on Sasaki, Morel opted to instead sign with the Pirates for a bonus of nearly $1 million more than he was expected to get from the Dodgers.

Morel has grown into a physical monster at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds after a growth spurt the last couple years. He should have some of the best raw power in the Dominican Summer League this season with the potential to grow into plus to plus-plus power as he fills out. It’s a loose lefthanded stroke with leverage, but Morel has long arms with length and holes to his swing. Some scouts had concerns about his ability to pick up spin and would need to cut down on swing-and-miss, while others thought he would make enough contact to get to his power.

There are few shortstops as tall as Morel, but he’s athletic and well-coordinated for his size and a plus runner underway. He will get a chance to develop at shortstop, though some scouts think third base or the outfield could be his long-term home. 

The top bonus for the Pirates this year went to Dominican shortstop Johan De Los Santos, who signed for $2.25 million. The Pirates have seen him for a long time because he’s the younger brother of Yordany De Los Santos, who they signed in 2022 for $1.2 million when he was a shortstop and is now playing all over the infield for Low-A Bradenton.

Johan, who played for the Dominican Republic in the U-18 World Cup last year in Panama, has good baseball instincts and athleticism. He’s still 16, so he’s one of the younger players in the 2025 class, with good bat-to-ball skills from the left side of the plate. It’s mostly doubles power now with a chance for some of those to start going over the fence in the next few years, but he doesn’t project to be a big power threat. De Los Santos is a plus runner with a quick first step at shortstop. He should get a chance to stick at shortstop, though he will have to improve his hands and actions to stay there at higher levels. 

Names To Know

Gabriel Rodriguez, OF, Venezuela: Rodriguez has been on an upward trend with his tool set and projection to his overall game. Signed for $900,000, Rodriguez is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, a lean, athletic and projectable frame to hold more good weight. He’s a righthanded hitter who performed well in games as an amateur with good contact skills and has started to flash occasional home run power that should spike more given his remaining strength projection. He’s a good athlete with plus speed and advanced all-around instincts for the game, giving him a chance to stay in center field. 

Robinson Smith, RHP, Australia: Smith signed for $400,000, the top bonus this year for a player from Australia, and will debut this year in the Dominican Summer League. Smith signed as a lanky, athletic 6-foot-4 righthander with a fastball up to 90 mph, but as he’s gotten stronger he has added velocity to reach 94. There should be another gear still to come with the fastball for Robinson given his physical projection and arm speed. The fastball is the most advanced weapon right now for Smith, who operates off a four-pitch attack with a curveball, slider and changeup. 

Yoslaniel Hernandez, LHP, Cuba: Hernandez, 17, signed with the Pirates for $400,000. Hernandez is up to 93 mph with fast arm speed and should be throwing in the mid 90s or better once he packs more weight on his 6-foot-3, 170-pound build. His control comes and goes, with his fastball his best pitch ahead of his curveball and changeup. 

Hanley Ramirez, OF, Dominican Republic: Ramirez was eligible to sign in 2024 but waited until this year to sign with the Pirates for $270,000. It’s a bigger bonus for a previously eligible player, especially a hitter, but Ramirez is still 17 until July, so he’s on the younger end of a 2024 player. His game skills are still on the raw side, but the tools are what stand out with Ramirez, a 6-foot, 170-pound righthanded hitter with above-average speed and arm strength and good bat speed, 

Limanol Payero, OF, Dominican Republic: The Pirates signed Payero, 17, for $200,000. He’s 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, a tall righthanded hitter who can drive the ball with impact and a lot more to come as he fills out. It’s a power-over-hit profile as a corner outfielder with the potential for plus raw power. 

Hyun Seung Lee, INF, South Kroea: Lee will make his debut in the DSL after signing with the Pirates for $160,000. He signed at 16 and turned 17 in February, so he’s one of the youngest players ever signed out of South Korea. Lee is 6-foot-1, 176 pounds, a lefthanded hitter with strong hands, good bat speed and projectable power that he has already been flashing in preseason games. Lee spent time at shortstop as an amateur and should continue to get reps there but will likely move all around the infield. He has the arm strength for the left side of the infield and likely fits best at third or possibly second base at higher levels. 

Hamlet Santos, RHP, Dominican Republic: Santos has seen his stuff spike since signing with the Pirates for $145,000. He’s 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, a highly projectable frame with arm speed that pointed toward more velocity to come when he signed with a fastball that reached 90 mph. Since then, that projection has started to come. He’s now reaching 95 mph with more room to fill out and continue adding velocity. His fastball is his best pitch, ahead of his slider and changeup, with athleticism that bodes well for his ability to repeat his delivery and throw strikes. 

Sleeper Watch

Among the lesser-known names in the class, one position player to follow is outfielder Edgar Walker, a 17-year-old from the Dominican Republic who signed for $75,000. He’s 6 feet, 180 pounds with an unorthodox setup to his righthanded swing, but he has a knack for barreling balls against live pitching with a good approach and bat speed for his age for a mix of both contact and impact. That power should continue to spike as he fills out what projects to be a strong build, with average speed that could get him some time in center field but likely plays best in an outfield corner. 

The Pirates have a few intriguing arms among their lower bonus signings, including Dominican righthander Maickol Reyes. He’s a $50,000 signing who came into pro ball as a strike-thrower with a lively fastball touching 89 mph, but he’s now up to 94. He’s 6-foot-2, 196 pounds and backs up his fastball with good feel for a changeup that’s ahead of his slider. 

Well outside the usual hotbed countries for talent, the Pirates signed 17-year-old infielder Armstrong Muhoozi out of Uganda for $40,000. Muhoozi doesn’t have the level of competitive experience compared to players his age from the Dominican Republic or Venezuela, so while his baseball skills are still raw, his tools do stand out. That’s especially true of his bat speed, which gives him a chance to hit for power from the right side of the plate if everything comes together. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Muhoozi is a good athlete with plus speed who has been getting most of his reps at second base and has time in center field as well.