Last week, MLB Pipeline released its major midseason re-rank. It’s the biggest update to the prospect rankings until next year’s brand new Top 100, which will come out at the end of January. Beyond just some new rankings, though, it’s the perfect time to check in with how some of these young players have been doing -- and what they need to do over the final six weeks of the season. Here are the nine international prospects who have caught our attention this summer.
As always, rather than trying to guess at a player’s heritage, we’ll simply count players who were born outside of the United States or have already represented a national team.
1. SS Leo De Vries (No. 3 overall, No. 1 Athletics) - Dominican Republic
De Vries was the biggest name prospect to be moved at the Trade Deadline, going to the Athletics as part of a package for flamethrowing closer Mason Miller. He also becomes the first A’s prospect to be ranked in the Top 10 since MLB Pipeline began ranking players in 2004. A switch-hitter with good speed and a solid batting eye, De Vries was recently bumped up to Midland to get his first taste of Double-A.
While De Vries is from the D.R. there are reports that he has gained Dutch citizenship through his grandparents, which would make him eligible for the Netherlands national team, too.
2. SS/3B Sebastian Walcott (No. 4 overall, No. 1 Rangers) - Bahamas
Still just 19 years old, there are scouts who believe that Walcott could be the best player to ever come from the Bahamas -- a mighty statement considering what Yankees starting second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. has done in his career. Signed for $3.2 million in January 2023, Walcott has continued to thrive against older competition, even making the South Atlantic League All-Star Game last year.
Hailing from the Bahamas, Walcott would be eligible for the Great Britain national team, which Chisholm represented at the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
3. C Harry Ford (No. 41 overall, No. 4 Mariners) - Great Britain
Ford, who starred for Great Britain at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, is knocking on the doors of the Major Leagues. The catcher has an impressive bat, slashing .291/.415/.480 at Triple-A Rainier at the time of writing and continues to show impressive athleticism for someone who has to squat behind home plate for nine innings a day.
The only problem: There’s a certain Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh in front of him in Seattle. The M’s gave Ford a few games in the outfield last year, but seem committed to him behind the dish this summer.
4. 2B Michael Arroyo (No. 61 overall, No. 6 Mariners) - Colombia
Arroyo put on an impressive display at the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in March, going 3-for-10 with a double, two stolen bases and three walks as the nation swept its way back to the main tournament. Promoted to Double-A midseason, Arroyo has continued to show off a patient batting eye with impressive pop for a middle infielder, though the homers have dried up since heading to Arkansas.
5. RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 94 overall, No. 8 Mariners) - Netherlands
I guess I could have just called this a list of notable Mariners prospects the way this is going. The switch-pitching Cijntje was recently promoted to Double-A after striking out over a batter per inning at High-A. While he has elite velocity from either side, many believe he may one day end up throwing exclusively right-handed. At time of writing, he has a 57/11 K/BB rate and 0.81 WHIP as a righty, while just a 34/30 K/BB and 1.94 WHIP as a southpaw.
New Netherlands manager Andruw Jones also mentioned Cijntje’s name as a player he’d like to have at the World Baseball Classic in the spring.
6. RHP/SS Seong-Jun Kim (No. 20 Rangers) - Korea
After missing out on Roki Sasaki, the Rangers gave a $1,200,001 bonus to the two-way high school standout in May. He has recently made his stateside debut as a shortstop, but has yet to take the mound. Armed with a low-90s fastball that tops out at 95 with a developing mix of offspeed stuff as a pitcher and with solid pop as a hitter, scouts are split on which part of his game is stronger.
Kim is also part of a group of high-profile Korean high schoolers who are rumored to be coming Stateside, with reports linking the Blue Jays with prep arm Seo-jun Moon recently.
7. RHP/SS Shotaro Morii (No. 24 Athletics) - Japan
Morii was expected to be a top 10 NPB Draft selection, but instead chose to sign with the A’s for $1.5 million – the largest signing bonus ever given to an amateur from Japan. While other teams look at Morii as a power-hitting infielder – perhaps eventually moving over to third base – the A’s remain committed to giving Morii a chance at being a two-way player. Oh, how Ohtani has forever changed the sport.
8. C Eduardo Tait (No. 54 overall, No. 2 Twins) - Panama
Panama is becoming a catching hotspot. Cardinals star Iván Herrera is from Panama as is team's Double-A catcher Leonardo Bernal. Add in Tait and there are an embarrassment of riches donning the tools of ignorance. Tait was recently traded to the Twins as part of the Jhoan Duran deal, and will hope that his glove can soon catch up with his fierce left-handed bat.
9. RHP Mathias LaCombe (No. 23 White Sox) - France
The second French-born player ever Drafted is now the first French-born player to crack the Top 30. Injuries kept LaCombe off the field for two summers after being selected in the 12th round of the 2023 Draft, but now that he’s healthy he’s quickly putting himself on the White Sox’ radar.
Armed with a fastball that can touch 97 mph and a sweeping, low-80s slider, LaCombe dominated in Rookie ball to earn a promotion to Single-A Kannapolis.