Long before he was considered among the best prospects in the game, Ronald Acuna Jr. was a fearless yet undersized teenager with some potential and good instincts but only a few suitors.
Acuna, who wasn't on MLB Pipeline's 2014 Top 30 International Prospects list, signed with the Braves on July 2, 2014, for $100,000 to little fanfare while the top prospects in the class signed for seven figures. Now, Acuna is the talk of baseball.
:: 2018 International Signing Period ::
Could Luisangel Acuna, the outfielder's younger brother and another undersized prospect with potential out of Venezuela, be the next hidden gem?
MLB Pipeline's Top 30 International Prospects list represents the best talent that will be available when the 2018-19 international signing period begins July 2, but hundreds of teenagers at different stages of development will also sign with Major League teams until the period concludes June 15, 2019.
And while it's impossible to predict which of the teens will make it through the Minor Leagues and eventually to the Major Leagues, there's no denying the potential available on the international market.
With that in mind, here are more players to watch during the upcoming period. Consider them the Best of the Rest.
Top International Prospects
• Luisangel Acuna, SS, Venezuela: The younger brother of Braves top prospect Ronald Acuna Jr., the teenager plays shortstop but might end up at second base. He is best known for his bat and has shown some power at the plate.
• Abraham Calzadilla, RHP, Venezuela: A slender prospect with good stuff, the right-hander has shown the ability to mix his pitches. He's also fearless on the mound.
• Miguel Droz, SS, Venezuela: Droz is the perfect example of a prospect who improved on his overall skill set during the last year. Once considered a fringe prospect, Droz's hard work and growth have helped turn him into an interesting player.
• Angel Martinez, SS, Dominican Republic: The son of a former big leaguer and younger brother of a Minor League player, Martinez is a switch-hitting infielder known for his play in games.
• Axcel Peralta, 1B, Dominican Republic: A left-handed-hitting corner infielder, Peralta has lots of potential. He's 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds now and will fill out as he matures. Expect more power.
• Rainer Polonius and Ryson Polonius, SS, Curacao: The twin brothers might not be as experienced as the other prospects on the market, but the pair is very athletic. Their skills continue to improve and they opened a few eyes at MLB's International Prospect Showcase in February.
• Jairo Pomares, OF, Cuba: Pomares shows a good feel for hitting and has a balanced approached at the plate. He should develop more power as he gets stronger.
• Diomede Sierra, LHP, Dominican Republic: Scouts like Sierra's fastball potential. He also has the potential for average or above-average secondary pitches. He could be more consistent with his pitches, though.
• Luis Tejada, SS, Dominican Republic: Tejada profiles as an offensive second baseman, but he has a chance to stay at shortstop. This teenager can hit and has impressed scouts with his bat.
• Miguel Tejada Jr., OF, Dominican Republic: The son of former Major League infielder Miguel Tejada, the teenager could end up at third base. He has shown good bat speed and strong arm.
• Cartaya leads new International Prospects list
Brazil:
Gabriel Barbosa, RHP
Arthur Sabino, RHP
Mateus Silva, C
Colombia
Julio Ayola, RHP
Brayan Buelvas, OF
Dayan Frias, INF
Jose Lopez, C
Francisco Lucumi, RHP
Brayan Nino, OF
Brayan Ramirez, RHP
Diego Verbel, OF
Dominican Republic:
Yeuri Amparo, OF
Erys Bautista, OF
Warming Bernabel, SS
Jose Bonilla, SS.
Amell Brazoban, OF
Lisander Brito, RHP
Sergio Campana, OF
Wilmin Candelario, SS
Juan Carela, RHP
Jeremy De La Rosa, OF
Justino Dominguez, RHP
Jefferson Espinal, OF
Oliver Francois, OF
Gabriel Jackson, RHP
Darlington Linares, OF
Andy Maldonado, RHP
Angel Martinez, SS
Jhonny Melenciano, OF
Fernando Ortega, RHP
Wilmert Paula, OF
Dairo Perez, SS
Tomas Ramirez, OF
Carlos Reyes, RHP
Enmanuel Rodriguez, OF
Sterling Romero, OF
Jose Ruviera, RHP
Jose Miguel Velez, OF
Mexico:
Fernando Diaz, C/1B
Joel Ibarra, SS/RHP
Jaime Melendez, RHP
Mario Perez, RHP
Jose Angel Valenzuela, RHP
Fernando Villalobos, C
Nicaragua:
Carlos Caballo, RHP
Panama:
Eduardo Vaughan, OF
Venezuela:
David Alvis, OF
Joalbert Angulo, LHP
Javier Atencio, LHP
Alexis Azuaje, SS
Luis Carrasco, RHP
Carlos Gimenez, RHP
Jorman Gonzalez, RHP
William Hernandez, RHP
Adrian Mendez, LHP
Miguel Palma, C
Luis Pineda, C
Johangel Ramirez, RHP
Angel Rivero, RHP
Rolando Sirit, RHP