Astros' international class boasts top shortstop prospect duo among '26 haul

The Astros have already tapped into the international market this offseason, inking Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai to a three-year deal on Jan. 2. While the players they brought aboard when the 2026 international signing period opened Thursday are a few more years off, the club has long relied on the market to deliver key members of World Series championship-winning rosters, from Jose Altuve to Framber Valdez to Cristian Javier and others.

Headlining its 2026 class are a pair of Dominican shortstops, Albert Fermin (No. 19 overall) and Randy Arias (No. 37), giving the club one of its best one-two punches on the international scene in years.

Despite receiving just $5,440,000 in pool money (tied for the smallest allotment in the league), Houston was able to land a pair of impact signees. Fermín will command a $2.1 million signing bonus and Arias around $1.4 million, according to a source.

Equipped with a boatload of projection and raw tools, Fermín is a 6-foot-3 switch-hitter who has made significant strides in the past few years. While he is understandably more polished from the left side due to the prevalence of right-handed pitchers, he has a ton of juice in his right-handed swing as well. Evaluators rave about Fermín's pitch recognition and ability to control an at-bat, believing that home run power will come as he fills out his frame.

“Fermín is a big, strong, switch-hitting shortstop with the attributes to produce damage from both sides of the plate,” Astros international asst. scouting director Raymon Sanchez said. “The sound of the ball explodes off his bat, and he generates easy pop with a chance for a strong future hit and power combination. An explosive and twitchy athlete, Albert projects to play a premium defensive position on the infield and has special, five-tool upside. We are thrilled to add Fermín to our system.”

Clubs have been more open in recent years to allowing taller shortstops with loads of athleticism to remain at the premium position. Such will be the case with Fermín, whose plus run tool aids him in moving laterally and getting to a variety of ground balls. Should he outgrow the spot, third base is a natural fit for his plus arm strength, but Houston figures to give him every opportunity to remain at shortstop, where his natural talents can play up.

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Arias will look to follow in the footsteps of current Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña as a slick-fielding defender who hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. While Peña went the collegiate route after moving stateside as a youngster, Arias will get an earlier start on his pro journey. He’s the best defensive shortstop the club has brought aboard in the past handful of years, equipped with quick feet and an above-average throwing arm to boot. The type of smooth operator who can make difficult plays look easy, Arias will get a long look up the middle in the club’s system.

“Arias caught our attention due to a strong combination of defensive ability and contact skills that he can apply to the game,” Astros Caribbean scouting crosschecker Alfredo Ulloa said. “A true shortstop defender, Arias’ solid defense is complemented by a professional approach and advanced feel to hit, while his occasional power allows him to drive the ball into the gaps and should continue to develop with physical maturation. Arias has average to better speed and plus baseball instincts, and projects as a player who can contribute in all facets of the game.”

Arias still needs to work on upping his extra-base pop, but he has shown plenty of contact skills and the ability to work at-bats. He has some pull-side power, but he’s more liable to spray the ball to the gaps, often turning singles into doubles with his solid run tool and heady in-game instincts.

Imanol Féliz is a left-handed hitter from the D.R. whom the club is also excited about bringing into the fold. He’s worked hard to improve his bat speed over the past few years and now makes dynamic contact against a variety of pitches. He also has a clean and repeatable bat path that enables him to get the bat to the ball, traits that could allow him to tap into extra-base pop if he adds the requisite size and strength.

An above-average runner, Féliz covers tons of ground from gap to gap in center field. Scouts think he has all the ingredients to stick there long term, as he consistently gets clean jumps and has added arm strength in recent years.

“Féliz impressed us with his mixture of athleticism, tools and aptitude throughout our scouting process,” Astros Senior Director, International Strategy & Pacific Rim Scouting Camron Shipley said. “He is a tall, projectable outfielder with plus speed to project in center field and a hit tool-driven offensive profile from the left side, with the size and athleticism to continue developing power. It is challenging to find this combination of makeup, athleticism, and skill. Féliz has the potential to be a special player, and we are very excited by his upside potential.”

The hope is that Féliz can enjoy a breakout first campaign in the system much like Anthony Millan, whom the Astros handed $472,500 last year and watched blossom into their No. 28 prospect after delivering an .826 OPS in the Dominican Summer League while holding down center field.

Houston has exceled at finding talent on the international market in recent years via a variety of avenues: outfielder Kevin Alvarez (the club's No. 6 prospect) was a seven-figure signee in last year’s class who tore through the Dominican Summer League with his advanced approach at the dish. On the other side of the coin, $10,000 signees Jancel Villarroel (No. 13) and Jose Fleury (No. 15) have proven to be developmental success stories while moving up the organizational ladder. All told, nine members of the club’s Top 30 Prospects list came from that demographic, with Anderson Brito (also a $10,000 signing) having been a key piece in the deal that landed big league right-hander Mike Burrows.

An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15-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 during the current signing period. Players must be registered with Major League Baseball in advance to be eligible to sign.