Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 International Signings Review

Top Of The Class

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.

Scouts highest on De La Cruz saw him get to that power in games with good hand-eye coordination, though others thought there was some swing-and-miss that would create a power-over-hit profile. He’s a good athlete and an above-average runner, moving well enough underway to get some time in center field, though he’s likely to spend more time in the outfield corners and head there long term. 

Names To Know

Eybert Sanchez, SS, Venezuela: Sanchez has a chance to be a breakout prospect in the Dominican Summer League. A 17-year-old signed for $300,000, Sanchez has a good balance of tools, skills and instincts on both sides of the ball. Early on when teams were scouting Sanchez, he was a smaller, high baseball IQ player, but he has since grown to 6 feet, 160 pounds with tools that have ticked up. He’s a lefthanded hitter with good hand-eye coordination and timing to produce a low swing-and-miss rate. Between his contact skills and strike-zone judgment to make good swing decisions and draw walks, he has the foundation to get on base at a high clip. Sanchez has enough power to sneak a ball out to his pull side on occasion, but it’s mostly doubles pop and he doesn’t project to be a big home run hitter. Sanchez is an above-average runner who projects to stick at shortstop. His instincts are evident in the field, where he’s quick, athletic and has a nose for the ball with a tick above-average arm that could be plus once he’s physically mature. 

Alam Bruno, SS, Dominican Republic: Bruno offers a lot to dream on if everything comes together for him. Signed for $950,000, Bruno is tall and lanky at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds with a ton of space left to fill out. He’s a fringe-average runner whose size leads some scouts to think he could slide over to third base, but he has the defensive tools that give him chance to stay at shortstop depending on his physical development. He moves around well at shortstop, has good hands and can finish plays with an arm that draws plus or better grades and should continue to get better once he adds weight. Bruno will flash solid power from the left side of the plate and could eventually grow into plus raw power. He’s a long-limbed hitter with a big swing, one he has worked to tone down already by shortening a big leg kick to try to improve his timing, with what will likely be a power-over hit game. 

Ronny Suarez, OF, Venezuela: Suarez, 17, signed with the D-backs for $550,000. Listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Suarez has packed on considerable size and strength. He was already strong and the extra muscle has added more power that could become an above-average tool. It’s a pull-oriented approach with swing-and-miss that comes with his power, so it’s a power-over-hit profile. Suarez is a good athlete and a plus runner underway, but given his body type he might slow down and likely fits best in an outfield corner. 

Mayki De La Rosa, OF, Dominican Republic: De La Rosa, who has two younger brothers who are prominent prospects in future signing classes, signed with the D-backs for $500,000. He’s 6-foot-1, 175 pounds at 17, a lean, athletic center fielder with the tools to stay at the position as a plus runner with an above-average arm. He’s a righthanded hitter with good bat speed in a quick swing, but an up-and-down offensive performer who will need to reign in his aggressive approach to make more consistent contact. 

Juan Brima, INF, Dominican Republic: Brima was a prominent player earlier in the scouting process who ended up signing with the D-backs at 17 for $500,000. Scouts highest on Brima thought his best tool was his bat. He’s a switch-hitter with a knack for making contact from both sides of the plate, showing a sound approach for his age with gap power. He’s an offensive-oriented player who trained as a shortstop but he is a likely second baseman, where his below-average arm fits better. 

Victor Santana, 3B, Dominican Republic: Signed for $300,000, Santana grew up playing a lot of organized baseball and it shows in his fundamentally sound game for a 17-year-old. He’s 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with a quality hitting approach, solid bat-to-ball skills and home run power to his pull side, with more of his doubles that should start going over the fence as he fills out in the next few years. Santana isn’t flashy and doesn’t have one standout tool, but he’s solid all-around with the defensive skill set and arm strength to stick at third base. 

Feliz Genao, 3B, Dominican Republic: Genao is the son of Papiro Genao, a longtime trainer in the Dominican Republic, and he signed for $300,000. Genao grew up around the game and is a physical 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefthanded hitter who can drive the ball with power to his pull side. He signed as a third baseman, though his size and defense might push him to first base. 

Rodrigo Gonzalez, SS, Venezuela: Gonzalez has shown promising offensive signs early on since signing after standing out for his skills at shortstop as an amateur. He’s a $225,000 signing who is 6-foot-1, 170 pounds at 17 and moves well in the dirt, where he has loose, fluid actions, an average arm and good instincts. Gonzalez lacks strength to drive the ball with much impact right now, but he has shown promising bat-to-ball skills in games leading into the DSL season. 

Jose Pitre, OF, Venezuela: A 17-year-old lefthanded outfielder, Pitre signed for $220,000. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, an athletic build with plus speed in center field. Pitre stands out for his speed and hitting potential, showing a line-drive approach from a sound swing with gap power.  

Daonil Montero, SS, Dominican Republic: Montero, 17, signed for $200,000. He’s 6 feet, 165 pounds with soft, secure hands at shortstop and projects to stick in the middle infield. It’s a defense-first profile for Montero, whose offensive game could benefit from adding strength to his skinny frame. 

Sleeper Watch

The top 10 bonuses the D-backs have given so far this signing period have all gone to position players. Among pitchers, one to watch is Dominican lefthander Luis Cepeda, who signed for $58,000. Cepeda was previously eligible to sign in 2024, but he was one of the youngest players in that class—he turns 18 on Aug. 23—so he will pitch the entire DSL season as a 17-year-old. Cepeda is 6-foot-1, 170 pounds with a loose, quick arm on a fastball up to 94 mph with control that comes and goes. He shows feel to spin a curveball that’s ahead of his changeup.