As the Major League Baseball 2025 international free agency signing period got underway on Wednesday, the Philadelphia Phillies did exactly what the experts predicted they would do. The team signed one of the top international prospects in this year's crop, one who is related to a division rival from the Atlanta Braves.
This year, the Phillies have a bonus pool of $6,261,000 to spend during the international free agent signing period that runs until Dec. 15.
Phillies sign top international prospect with family ties to Ronald Acuña Jr.
According to Baseball America's 2025 MLB international signings tracker, the Phillies signed 17-year-old shortstop Nieves Izaguirre, a cousin of former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. Izaguirre hails from the baseball hotbed of La Sabana, Venezuela, also known as the “Land of Ballplayers.” Listed at 5-foot-10 and weighing in at 160 pounds, Izaguirre isn't an imposing physical figure but has speed and athleticism that helped rank him No. 44 in MLB Pipeline's top international prospects for 2025.
"With baseball ubiquitous in his background, it comes as little surprise that Izaguirre’s in-game IQ is regarded as top-notch, and that scouts have been impressed with his aptitude for maximizing his development," reads Izaguirre's MLB Pipeline scouting report.
Baseball America's scouting report on Izaguirre (subscription required) shows that he has a short swing with a good contact rate, a line-drive approach and gap-to-gap power, per Ben Badler.
Phillies' international free agent signings
As Badler reports, the Phillies, who usually sign at least one seven-figure bonus player, are spreading their bonus pool money around this year. As of now, all of their signings are set to be less than $1 million.
Here is an updated list of the other international free agents the Phillies signed on the opening day of the signing period:
- Elias Marrero, SS, Dominican Republic
- Eeivis Velasquez, C, Venezuela
- Geremi Viloria, RHP, Venezuela
- Daibert Cruceta, OF, Venezuela
- Leonardo Carpio, OF, Venezuela
- Rafael Oropeza, SS, Venezuela
- Filippo Sabatini, RHP, Italy
- Deiry Gonzalez, RHP, Dominican Republic
- Anderson Araujo, C, Venezuela
- Samuel Salcedo, SS, Venezuela
- Nelson Prieto, C, Venezuela
- Carlos Severino, SS, Dominican Republic
- Reyner Zambrano, RHP, Venezuela
- Romeli Espinosa, SS, Dominican Republic
The Phillies' most recent top international signings include outfielder Jalvin Arias in 2024 and shortstop Starlyn Caba in 2023 — the defensively gifted Caba was shipped to the Miami Marlins in the trade for Jesús Luzardo in December.