Despite being in a transitional phase following the departure of longtime international scouting director Donny Rowland and owning the smallest bonus pool in the league, the Yankees were active as the 2026 international signing period opened on Thursday, tapping into the two demographics traditionally most en vogue on the international market -- shortstops from the Dominican Republic and catchers from Venezuela.
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ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
ALC: CLE | CWS | DET | KC | MIN
ALW: ATH | HOU | LAA | SEA | TEX
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
NLC: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NLW: AZ | COL | LAD | SD | SF
Rowland was with the club for 15 years, but his contract was not renewed when it expired this fall, and general manager Brian Cashman is reportedly still working through the process of filling the role.
The Yankees received $5,440,000 in pool money this year, tied for the lowest allotment in the league. They lost $1 million from their allotment for signing left-handed All-Star Max Fried last offseason as a free agent.
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New York has reached agreements with Dominican shortstops Germayhoni Beltre and Abrahan Pichardo and a trio of Venezuelan backstops in Kenneth Melendez, Poly Ojeda and Cesar Lopez, according to multiple reports. Venezuelan right-handed pitcher Sebastian Rivas and outfielder Sebastian Pinto are also expected to join that group.
Melendez, who has a chance to be the club’s premier signing, is a right-handed hitter with some sneaky pop in his 5-foot-11 frame. He knows how to leverage the ball to tap into his extra-base power and has shown an ability to hit a variety of pitches during his time on the amateur circuit. He moves exceptionally well behind the dish and has soft hands that enhance his receiving skills.
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
The jury can often be out on a given international class for years down the line. Even Jasson Domínguez, one of the most heralded international prospects ever, took more than four seasons to reach the big leagues after he signed for $5.1 million in July 2019.
Seven members of the Yankees’ Top 30 Prospects list were signed from the international market, including right-handed pitcher Carlos Lagrange (New York's No. 2 prospect and the No. 74 prospect in baseball). Lagrange blossomed during his first full season in 2025, pushing his way up to Double-A with a triple-digit fastball. Spots 18-26 feature five international standouts – Roderick Arias (No. 18), Mani Cedeno (No. 19), Brando Mayea (No. 24), Francisco Vilorio (No. 25), Stiven Marinez (No. 26) -- in the lower levels of the Minors who possess immense talent but are waiting to see it come to fruition.
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.