Top-5 Red Sox prospects signed on the international market
By Sean Penney
The Boston Red Sox have found success in the international market
The international signing period opened over the weekend and the Boston Red Sox wasted no time in adding three of the top 50 prospects on the amateur international market.
Highlighting the group is shortstop Freili Encarnacion, who’s listed No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospect list. Catcher Johanfran Garcia (No. 34) and shortstop Fraymi De Leon (No. 50) round out the top trio signed by the Red Sox.
The amateur international market is an often overlooked resource for finding talent to bolster the farm system. Many of these players are teenagers who are even younger than the kids being drafted out of high school. Encarnacion is only 16 years old, putting his timeline for potentially reaching the majors further away than most prospects in the organization.
The Red Sox have a history of success uncovering gems on the international market. Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are prime examples. We didn’t know much about them when they were signed at a young age but they are now the centerpieces of Boston’s core.
The Red Sox have continued stockpiling international talent and it shows in the organization’s prospect rankings. Five of the top 18 Red Sox prospects were signed on the international market, according to MLB Pipeline’s rankings.
Let’s take a deeper look at the top international prospects in the Red Sox farm system.