Pirates land a Guerrero, part of one of the strongest international signing classes
In back-to-back years, the Pirates landed Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin, MLB’s current No. 1 overall prospect, in the first round of the domestic Draft. On the international market, they’ve landed Top 100 prospect Edward Florentino, Esmerlyn Valdez and Tony Blanco Jr., all of whom are high-upside sluggers who look set to make an impact as part of the next wave of Steel City baseball.
As the 2026 international signing period opens, the Pirates have added to their considerable prospect depth by coming to terms with a trio of Dominican phenoms in outfielder Jeancer Custodio (No. 7), shortstop Wilton Guerrero Jr. (No. 17) and shortstop/third baseman Alexander Pio (ranking just outside the Top 50), giving them one of the strongest overall classes in the league.
Custodio slots in as the highest-ranked international signee in franchise history. Alongside Guerrero, the Pirates have landed a pair of top 20 prospects on the market for the second time in the past five years.
The club received $8,034,900 in pool money, tied for the highest allotment in the league, and put it to good use with Guerrero receiving $1.95 million, Custodio pulling down $900,000 and Pio landing $500,000.
Year after year, Jaime Ramos, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program, churns out talented ballplayers. Custodio is the premier hitter among this year’s group with a quiet and controlled right-handed swing that’s direct to the ball. He was the D.R.’s second-best hitter on its 2024 U15 World Cup team in Panama (behind only Josuar Gonzalez, the No. 2 prospect in the ‘25 international class). He went 8-for-24 and successfully swiped all four bases he attempted to steal.
Though Custodio is just 5-foot-10, evaluators believe his natural ability to find the barrel and loft pitches will lead to home run power as he fills out. He’s just an average runner and is likely destined for an outfield corner, but his all-around maturity and innate hitting ability make him one of the more exciting bats in his class.
Guerrero has far and away the most accomplished baseball family in the 2026 class with a Hall of Fame uncle (Vladimir Guerrero), a five-time All-Star cousin (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) and his father, eight-year MLB veteran Wilton Guerrero Sr., serving as his coach as part of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
If Guerrero were playing high school ball stateside, he’d likely be on the radar of many Division I college programs with his elite-level baseball IQ and top-tier speed. He’s ripped off home-to-first times of 4.1 seconds and is a menace on the basepaths, consistently going from first to third and second to home, in addition to stealing bags.
A right-handed hitter, Guerrero often swings with the intent to do damage. With his background, it’s no surprise that he earns positive marks for his all-around competitiveness and desire to improve.
Pio has trained alongside Custodio as an amateur and has the type of upside in his 6-foot-2 frame that has drawn considerable attention. He popped multiple exit velocities north of 105 mph as a 16-year-old, a glimpse into his right-handed power potential. It’s primarily pull-side pop at this stage, but a power-hitting, strong-armed third baseman is a terrific mold to fit.
The Pirates also landed infielder Anyelo Jean, a 6-foot-1 left-handed hitter who trains with Sandis Nin, also a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program, in the Dominican Republic. Jean-Baptiste has impressed evaluators with a clean bat path and simple mechanics that enable him to square up a variety of pitches. He’s able to tap into some extra-base pop without selling out, and he almost never whiffs. It’s likely a third base/left-field profile in the long run, but it’s the hit tool that will help him move up the system.
One of the top hurlers signing among this year’s class is left-hander Miguel Molina. While he grew up in Nicaragua, he was born in Costa Rica. If he makes it to the Majors, he would become the first player born in the Central American nation to reach The Show. He has a projectable frame and has touched the low 90s as a 16-year-old, giving him a solid starting base alongside his three-pitch mix.
An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year.
That means players born between Sept. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009, will be eligible to sign in the current signing period. Players must be registered with Major League Baseball in advance to be eligible to sign