From Francys Romero's paywall column:
Promising pitcher finally finds a home
Cuban right-hander Cristian Rego has finally found a home with the Philadelphia Phillies, multiple sources told Beisbol FR. Rego, 17, agreed to a deal with the Phillies pending a physical in early March, and his contract is expected to become official in the coming days.
He was one of the top pitchers at the 2024 U-18 World Cup Qualifier in Panama, the same tournament that featured prospects who later signed such as Josuar de Jesús González, Johan De Los Santos, Omar Damián, and Kenly Hunter.
Across 13.1 innings, Rego did not allow a run and struck out 21, working with a fastball in the 86 to 89 mph range and showing a strong feel for his slider as a secondary pitch. Weeks after that tournament, Rego arrived in the Dominican Republic on October 20, 2024.
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International Notes Vol. II (No. 2, March)
Promising pitcher finds a home, 10 free agents, new signings, and more.
Francys Romero
Apr 2
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After a March dominated by Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic, the international signing landscape appeared relatively quiet. I say “appeared” because MLB organizations, scouts, and their evaluation teams never stop tracking talent, not only for the current 2025 to 2026 class, but also for future classes stretching as far as 2030 and 2031.
In this monthly column, perhaps the only one fully dedicated to what’s happening on the international scene, we continue to highlight the most notable developments from month to month.
This March also brought several releases from previous signing classes, including two players who once sat at the top of the 2020 to 2021 period.
Infielders Yiddi Cappe (Cuba) and Armando Cruz (Dominican Republic) were released by the Marlins and Nationals, respectively. Neither player made the expected progress after being evaluated as advanced talents for their age five years ago.
Cappe was unable to advance beyond Double A, despite ranking among the Marlins’ top 10 prospects between 2023 and 2024. Cruz, meanwhile, reached as high as No. 14 in the Nationals system in 2023, but struggled significantly afterward to move past High A Wilmington, posting a .568 OPS in 2024 and a .455 OPS in 2025.
Both Cruz and Cappe were among the top bonus signings of the 2020 to 2021 international class. Of all the players who topped that class, only one has reached the Major Leagues after five years, while three have already been released. The remaining players are still active, but at this point, they appear to be a long way from reaching the Big Leagues.
OF Pedro Leon ($4,000,000) HOU (Active) MLB
SS Armando Cruz ($3,900,000) WSH (Released) A+
SS Yiddi Cappe ($3,500,000) MIA (Released) AA
SS Cristian Hernandez ($3,000,000) CHI (Active) A+
SS Carlos Colmenarez ($3,000,000) TB (Active) AAA
SS Cristian Santana ($2,975,000) DET (Active) A
SS Wilman Diaz ($2,700,000) LA (Released) A+
OF Pedro Pineda ($2,500,000) ATH (Active) A+
OF Shalin Polanco ($2,350,000) PIT (Active) A+
SS Manuel Beltre ($2,350,000) TOR (Active) A+
White Sox sign 18-year-old Dominican right-hander
The Chicago White Sox have recently agreed to a deal with 18-year-old right-handed pitcher Jhoriel De La Rosa from Juan Uribe’s academy as part of the current 2025 to 2026 international signing period.
De La Rosa is a 6-foot-2, 160-pound pitcher who shows significant physical projection and athleticism. He is from Yamasá, in the Monte Plata province of the Dominican Republic.
According to multiple scouting reports, he repeats his delivery consistently and has the ability to throw strikes with all of his pitches. His fastball currently sits around 91 mph, complemented by a slider in the 76 to 78 mph range and a changeup between 80 and 82 mph.
The agreement is considered an opportunity deal at $10,000, but we have seen enough similar cases like De La Rosa to believe that this type of talent can reach the next level and move through the Minor League system. Time and development will tell.
Promising pitcher finally finds a home
Cuban right-hander Cristian Rego has finally found a home with the Philadelphia Phillies, multiple sources told Beisbol FR. Rego, 17, agreed to a deal with the Phillies pending a physical in early March, and his contract is expected to become official in the coming days.
He was one of the top pitchers at the 2024 U-18 World Cup Qualifier in Panama, the same tournament that featured prospects who later signed such as Josuar de Jesús González, Johan De Los Santos, Omar Damián, and Kenly Hunter.
Cristian Rego at the Phillies’ complex in the Dominican Republic.
Across 13.1 innings, Rego did not allow a run and struck out 21, working with a fastball in the 86 to 89 mph range and showing a strong feel for his slider as a secondary pitch. Weeks after that tournament, Rego arrived in the Dominican Republic on October 20, 2024.
Message Francys Romero
He was declared a free agent in early January 2025, and after several showcase appearances where his velocity did not increase, typically sitting around 90 to 91 mph with his fastball, he paused his participation to follow a strength and conditioning program. At the start of 2026, he returned sitting 93 to 96 mph, with several teams viewing him as a potential future MLB starter.
Despite interest from multiple clubs, the Phillies ultimately reached an agreement with Rego. While the terms remain undisclosed, his signing bonus is expected to exceed $300,000.
