As the 2026 international signing period opened on Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies made the splash that everyone had been expecting by signing standout outfielder Francisco Renteria, 17, out of Maracaibo, Venezuela.
The Phillies spent $4 million of their $6,679,200 bonus pool allotment on Renteria. The move, which has been years in the making, will be the second-richest agreement of this signing period. Typically, young international players agree to sign with teams well before they're eligible to officially sign as international prospects.
As Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic notes, Renteria's $4 million bonus ties a Phillies franchise record for an international amateur signing. They gave Dominican outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz the same amount in 2015.
Phillies sign top Venezuelan outfielder Francisco Renteria who brings projectable power
While Ortiz didn't pan out, we've known about Renteria for a while now and have been getting more and more excited with everything we learn about him. He will take some time to move up the minor league ranks as a freshly turned 17-year-old. However, some of the skills he has already shown and his projectible power could be game-changing for the Phillies down the road.
One of the top players in the class, Francisco Rentería, from Venezuela 🇻🇪, has officially signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a $4 million bonus. pic.twitter.com/7KSoroIs7D
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 15, 2026
Renteria has already been compared to the Pittsburgh Pirates and MLB Pipeline No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin, thanks to his hit tool, advanced offensive approach, and considerable bat speed, per MLB Pipeline, which ranks him as the No. 3 international prospect.
The top outfielder in the 2026 class, Renteria grades out overall at 60 on the 20-80 grading scale. With a 65-grade power tool, he has the best raw power, leading him to have one of the highest projectable offensive upsides in this crop of prospects.
Here are all of Renteria's 20-80 scale scouting grades from MLB Pipeline:
- Hit: 60
- Power: 65
- Run: 60
- Arm: 55
- Field: 60
- Overall: 60
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Renteria is already physically ahead of his peers. According to scouts, his speed and athleticism could allow him to continue developing in center field (subscription required), per Baseball America.
Francisco Renteria's physicality, power and athleticism all make him stand out.
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) January 5, 2026
The 16-year-old outfielder from Venezuela is expected to sign with the Phillies for one of the largest bonuses of the international class. pic.twitter.com/aNQrKiFY5L
"He’s presently a contact monster, which when coupled with his excellent understanding of the strike zone and his plus-plus raw power, leads to him having one of the highest offensive upsides in the 2026 international class," according to his MLB Pipeline scouting report.
We've already seen Renteria put on a power show in the Pepsi Home Run Derby in Venezuela in December, going up against some proven MLB talent. His 18 first-round homers in that event topped established MLBers Salvador Perez, Willson Contreras, Jackson Chourio, and Maikel García.
Renteria has already played in the Venezuelan Major League when he was just 15 years old. During his short stint in 2024, he went 8-for-28 with three doubles, which included hits off two former MLB players.
While he was in Philadelphia for his official signing with the Phillies, it's obviously impossible to know how long it will take Renteria to get back to Citizens Bank Park as a major leaguer. With his kind of skills and talent, fans could be seeing him in a few years.