Every year, international free agent signings tend to get overlooked due to the regular free agency process in baseball. 2026 is no different — on the same day the Boston Red Sox made some intriguing IFA moves, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker. That type of massive move makes everyone forget about everything else for a little bit.
However, it’s important to remember that IFA is different than normal free agency. Each team has an allotted amount of money to spend on international free agents (so no need to get mad that the Red Sox spent a few million here, instead of on Tucker, Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette).
The Red Sox signed 14 international free agents, according to Baseball America. We’re going to focus on the three most noteworthy among them.
First, we’re going to talk about the one not in the top-50, right-handed pitcher Claudio Pereira out of Brazil. Pereira signed for $550,000, the most the Red Sox gave out to any pitcher in the class.
Pereira might not be in MLB’s top-50 rankings, but he’s easily one of the more intriguing arms in the entire IFA group. Pereira is already 6’6” as a 17-year-old. He features a fastball that tops out around 90 MPH, with very obvious room for massive velocity growth in the coming years. An already intriguing curveball and changeup combination should help as he works on improving the fastball.
Red Sox make big splash in international free agency by signing two top-50 prospects
We’ll surely be hearing a lot of positives about Pereira as he works towards getting to Single-A over the next few seasons.
Next is Dawvris Brito, a shortstop out of the Dominican Republic. He signed for $1.2 million.
Brito is a right-handed hitter who has average-to-above-average tools in every aspect of the game. The 17-year-old is listed at 6’0”, 177 lbs. At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any glaring weaknesses in his game (obviously, that can change as he faces tougher competition).
Brito grades as an above-average fielder with good speed and athleticism. He’s been praised for his bat speed, which could translate nicely to legitimate power. The Red Sox are low on top-tier position player prospects, and Brito could slide in nicely as a name to watch in 2027.
Finally, the Red Sox signed Garielvin Silverio out of the Dominican Republic for $1.4 million.
Silverio is a left-handed hitting outfielder who stands at a massive 6’1”, 207 lbs. That would be big for anyone, but a 17-year-old with those measurements has you dreaming of another power bat in the same mold as Justin Gonzales.
Unsurprisingly, his build leads more towards power, rather than athleticism. Silverio grades closer to average in the speed and defense department. Don’t be shocked if the organization keeps him confined to corner outfield spots. However, the hit tool is above average, and the power is already pretty evident.
The Red Sox have done wonders with intriguing bats over the last few years (Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Allan Castro, just to name a few). Silverio is ahead of the curve for his age, and Boston could help him to become one of the premier power bats in the minor leagues sooner, rather than later.