Twins snag lauded Venezuelan shortstop in 2026 international signing class

Dating back to 2021, the Twins have signed 13 players who ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 International Prospects during their given year. Their headlining signee this time around is switch-hitting Venezuelan shortstop Enmanuel Merlo, who checks in at No. 34 among the ‘26 class.

The Twins received $7,357,100 in pool money this year, tied for the third-highest allotment. Merlo is expected to receive a $1.5 million signing bonus, according to a source, one of the heftiest commitments the club has made on the international market in the past decade.

Merlo has continued to fill out his 6-foot-1 frame as he matures, impressing evaluators who have seen him make significant strength gains over the past 18 months. He’s the type of player who does everything well, impressing with exit velocities from both sides of the batter’s box. The Maracay native is learning how to leverage the ball with an increased frequency in order to tap into his blossoming power.

Defensively, scouts think he’s a lock to hold down a spot up the middle. Competition for reps at shortstop are notoriously difficult to come by (particularly at the lower levels), so there’s a chance he slides over to the keystone and provides an above-average glove. He looks like a natural when turning double plays, utilizing his quick feet both in the field and on the basepaths.

The club is also expected to sign the top player from Nicaragua in this year’s class, shortstop Juan Diego Holmann. He already boasts extensive experience on the international stage, having played for Germany in both the 2021 and ‘23 U15 Euro Baseball Championship, where he went a combined 7-for-20 across seven contests.

More recently, Holmann played for Indios del Bóer, a club in the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League. All of that in-game experience has been valuable in his development as he’s a smooth operator at shortstop who’s adept at the nuances of captaining the infield. Offensively, he has a compact right-handed swing and repeatable bat path that allows him to rip the ball from gap to gap. He has a good idea of how to leverage his swing and employs a front toe tap to enable himself to be on time for a variety of pitches.

The Twins have found success the past decade-plus scouting a variety of players on the international market, from Miguel Sanó to Jorge Polanco to Max Kepler. Emmanuel Rodriguez, the club’s No. 4 prospect and MLB’s No. 69, was the jewel of their 2019 class and has blossomed into one of the game’s most highly regarded young talents.

• Subscribe to the MLB Pipeline Newsletter

But Minnesota has also found success via a unique avenue: the acquisition of other clubs’ international prospects. After having signed and developed Luis Arraez, he was flipped to Miami for Pablo López, who has posted a 1.16 WHIP and 10 K/9 in his three seasons with the Twins. At last year’s Trade Deadline, the club nabbed catching prospect Eduardo Tait (MIN No. 3/MLB No. 57) as part of the Jhoan Duran deal.

All told, 11 of Minnesota’s Top 30 prospects have come from the international market, including five of whom were originally signed by other clubs.

For the second consecutive year, the Twins ranked as baseball’s second-best farm system in MLB Pipeline’s midseason rankings. With many of the club’s top prospects reaching the upper levels and expected to arrive at Target Field as soon as this season, keeping that pipeline of talent flowing is as paramount as ever.

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.