It’s a new era of Rockies baseball with Paul DePodesta at the helm as the club’s president of baseball operations. For any organization seeking sustained success, a surefire way to maintain a competitive roster is to build from within, and the international market offers that kind of opportunity.
So Colorado opened the 2026 international signing period on Thursday by inking a handful of exciting upstarts, led by Dominican shortstop Richard De Los Santos, to contracts.
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The club received $8,034,900 in pool money this year, tied for the highest allotment in the league. Whereas the Rockies have traditionally handed out sizable bonuses to headline-type players in the past, this year they’ve spread around their funds. De Los Santos will reportedly fetch a $1 million bonus, according to a source.
De Los Santos has a smooth left-handed stroke and uses a slight front-foot toe tap. He has clean mechanics in the box, including the ability to keep his head still during his swing while syncing up all his levers.
At 6-foot-1, he has a projectable and lean frame that will benefit from a professional environment. He has a quick first step and blossoming arm strength, but it’s not always the cleanest slot, leading some evaluators to believe he’s likely destined for the hot corner. He’ll turn 17 just before the Dominican Summer League starts, though, giving him ample runway to tap into his skill set.
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Colorado has long prioritized athleticism on the international market. Three shortstops signed over the past five years -- Andy Perez (No. 23), Kelvin Hidalgo (No. 24) and Ashly Andujar (No. 28) -- are on the club’s Top 30 Prospects list, while 2023 top signee Robert Calaz (No. 4) continues to show glimpses of his five-tool potential in affiliated ball.
But it’s not always just the prospects who garner headlines as the signing period opens who go on to have the most immediate success. Outfielder Cristian Arguelles received a $700,000 bonus from the Rockies when he signed in 2024, but he was largely overshadowed by Andujar ($1.7 million bonus). The 18-year-old Venezuela native repeated the Dominican Summer League this past season and led the circuit in batting average (.422), slugging percentage (.652), OPS (1.180), hits (79) and total bases (122) en route to winning MVP honors. Also on that squad was Ronny Ugarte, a $250,000 signee in 2022, who earned DSL All-Star honors after his third run through the circuit, including his second consecutive year hitting .335.
COMPLETE ROCKIES PROSPECT COVERAGE
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.