Mariners sign 3 of MLB Pipeline's Top 50 int'l prospects, led by OF Rijo

An absolutely stacked Mariners farm system is getting even better.

Seattle has opened the 2026 international signing period by landing three of MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospects, including outfielders Juan Rijo (No. 12) and Gregory Pio (No. 32), and shortstop Leonardo Reynoso (No. 48).

The Mariners received $7,357,100 in pool money this year, with the duo of Rijo ($2.2 million) and Pio ($2.9 million) reportedly commanding much of it, according to a source. Reynoso will also land a $750,000 bonus, per the same source.

Rijo is the type of late-blooming amateur prospect that would fly up Draft boards if he were eligible. Having packed on solid weight to his 6-foot-1 frame while tapping more into his raw power, he’s given evaluators a vibe similar to JoJo Parker (MLB No. 43), whom Toronto selected with the eighth overall pick in last July’s MLB Draft.

A left-handed hitter, Rijo has an advanced knowledge of what he wants to do in the box and allows the ball to travel, which helps him spray hits to all parts of the diamond. He’s hit everywhere he’s been, including a strong track record of success in tournaments in his native Dominican Republic. He’s likely to slide to a corner-outfield spot in time but the bat will be the carrying tool, one Seattle is excited about bringing into its player development group.

Pio has also been a longtime standout in his native Dominican Republic, drawing attention as a potential premium prospect from a young age. He’s always had loads of bat speed and some significant raw power, but he’ll need to refine his pitch selection as he enters the system and gets a taste of the pros.

His current strongest in-game tool is his ability to run, both on the basepaths and in the outfield. Equipped with long strides, Pio is apt to take the extra base and can cover gap to gap in center field, although he’s likely to run into significant competition at Seattle’s lower levels and should get chances in the corners as well. He has the look of a big league fourth-outfield type who can provide some slugging and speed if it all comes together.

The club’s top-ranked infield prospect among this year’s group is Reynoso, who has an accurate and strong throwing arm that is sure to keep him on the dirt long term, whether that be third or second base if the competition proves too rife at shortstop. A switch-hitter, his left-handed swing is understandably a bit more polished due to a higher frequency of reps, but the right side shows some promise of tapping into legitimate extra-base pop that could make him a 20-25 home run threat by the time all is said and done.

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Just a year ago, Seattle landed a pair of Top 50 international prospects in outfielder Yorger Bautista (SEA No. 10) and shortstop Kendry Martínez (No. 20). Bautista excelled during his first taste of the Dominican Summer League and appears primed for a further breakout in 2026. In ‘23, the club inked shortstop Felnin Celesten (No. 8) to a team-record $4.7 million bonus and has watched him blossom into a perennial Top 100 overall prospect candidate who got a taste of High-A as a 19-year-old this past season.

Recent success on the international scene -- namely in Latin America -- has come in droves for the Mariners, headlined by three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Julio Rodríguez (No. 10 international prospect in the 2017 class), but also bolstered by Top 100 overall prospects Lazaro Montes (SEA No. 3) and Michael Arroyo (No. 5), both of whom have the look of impact contributors at the Major League level in the not-too-distant future.

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.