For seven seasons in the 2010s, the Cardinals hit just .194 off right-handed reliever Pedro Strop. A late-innings menace to opposing offenses primarily for the Cubs, Strop fashioned himself a role that led to a 13-year big league career.
Now, Strop’s son Royelny has agreed to terms to headline St. Louis’ 2025 international class. The left-handed-hitting outfielder from the Dominican Republic ranks as the No. 28 prospect in this year’s group per MLB Pipeline, joined as a high-profile signing by right-handed-hitting outfielder Kenly Hunter, the top-ranked player from Nicaragua and No. 37 overall.
Strop’s deal lands him $1.4 million, while Hunter will net $700,000. The club received $5.65 million in pool money this year.
Despite his physical attributes -- 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds at age 16 -- and potential for significantly bulking up, Strop draws rave reviews for his bat-to-ball ability as much as his power. In addition to being equipped with a pro pedigree, Strop is seen as extremely projectable due to his size and physicality.
Strop shows aptitude for center field, but his long-term home is likely in left or right, allowing his bat to be the tool that should carry him up the Cardinals’ ranks.
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• Each team's top international prospect
Just four position players from Nicaragua have made it to the big leagues since 1976. Hunter, with his ample upside already prominent at age 16, will have an opportunity to join that lineage as he begins his pro odyssey.
Hunter was a standout performer for Nicaragua at the 18U Pan-American Championship in Panama in August 2024, going 11-for-26 with a .577 on-base percentage against premier international competition. Evaluators see him as having a natural propensity to get the bat to the ball, evidenced by his track record of performance in front of scouts.
For all of the excitement around his long-term offensive profile, speed is Hunter’s calling card. Those wheels should allow him to get looks in center field as a teen, but he has the type of frame that could fill out as he acclimates to the rigors of pro ball.
St. Louis’ dividends from international signing day 2024 have already begun to reap rewards. Right-hander Branneli Franco (No. 21 STL prospect), catcher Rainiel Rodriguez (No. 23) and shortstop Yairo Padilla (No. 29) all signed one year ago to the day and ascended to the club’s Top 30 Prospects list in their debut season. Eight others on the list all came from the international market as well (including players from Taiwan, South Korea and The Netherlands), a sign of the club’s desire to discover young talent from across the globe.
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, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, 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.
Additional notable Cardinals signees and their bonuses:
Juan Rujano, C (Panama) -- $750,000
Miguel Hernández, SS (Venezuela) -- $500,000
Yeferson Portolatin, SS (Dominican Republic) -- $450,000
Daniel Gomez, RHP (Venezuela) -- $350,000
Yostin Peña, OF (Dominican Republic) -- $300,000