While they are firing on all cylinders at the major-league level, the Philadelphia Phillies are keeping an eye on the future as well. They are expected to add one of the top international prospects when the 2026 signing period opens in January.
Francisco Renteria, a 16-year-old outfielder from Venezuela, is reportedly headed to Philadelphia as he is expected to sign with the club when the international free agent pool opens on Jan. 15.
Phillies expected to sign international free agent Francisco Renteria to second-highest bonus
According to Baseball America, Renteria is expected to sign the second-highest bonus (subscription required) of the 2026 class with the club. It's a significant investment for Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski as his team is looking to replenish the farm system following a busy trade deadline.
As Baseball America's Ben Badler reports, Renteria has gotten some action in international tournaments for Venezuela and his power and strong athletic ability (subscription required) have stood out to clubs as some of the defining parts of his game. While his game has a lot of room for development and improvement, given the fact that he is just 16, his combination of speed and big time power makes him an intriguing prospect for the Phillies organization for the long term.
Currently standing 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, his build projects him to be a corner outfielder at the major league level, but his speed could also put him in center field if the Phillies choose to do so.
Francisco Renteria OF Venezuela top 2026 IFA #Phillies #Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/yDCYMkQSuu
— ProspectosMilb (@ProspectosMilb) May 4, 2025
He would join a potent group of Phillies outfield prospects that includes the likes of Justin Crawford, Dante Nori, Griffin Burkholder and Gabriel Rincones Jr. The outfield group along with top prospects Andrew Painter, Gage Wood, Aidan Miller and Aroon Escobar gives the Phillies a lot of options and flexibility in their farm system for the long term, which has been lacking in past seasons.
It is worth noting that the Phillies' bonus pool money for the 2026 international signing period class is set for $6,679,200. This places is them in the third bracket of bonus pool money along with the likes of the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs in the National League.
Renteria is expected to make a huge dent in the Phillies' bonus pool allotment, although the exact terms of his agreement are not yet known.
The Phillies are no strangers to being active in the international market. Some of their notable recent international signings include outfielder Jalvin Arias and shortstops Nieves Izaguirre and Starlyn Caba, the latter of whom was dealt to the Miami Marlins in the Jesús Luzardo trade last winter.
Izaguirre was the newest addition to the club from the 2025 international pool and ranked as the No. 44 international prospect in last year's class according to MLB Pipeline. The top overall international prospect last year was Roki Sasaki, who the Phillies were interested in before he ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While fans are currently focused on the team's championship aspirations in 2025 with the postseason on deck, it is great to see that the Phillies are continuing to build their farm system, which should leave them competitive for years to come.