Major League Baseball’s international signing period opens today for the 2026 class, which means prospects can officially sign their contracts.
For Baseball America subscribers, we have full breakdowns of the signing classes for all 30 teams, including scouting reports on the top players for each organization, other big names to know and lower-profile players to watch who could be sleepers.
The last couple of international signing classes for the Cardinals have been trending up. The best player of that group is catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, who signed in 2024 out of the Dominican Republic and has already become a Top 100 Prospect with big offensive upside. Shortstops Miguel Hernandez, Yairo Padilla and Sebastian Dos Santos look promising from those classes, as well.
Dominican outfielder Emanuel Luna, signing for $2.3 million, has huge raw power for his age. He’s extremely strong and can hit towering blasts out of the park during batting practice. There are some unorthodox components to his swing, so it could end up a power-over-hit offensive game, but he has a selective approach to work his walks and wait for a pitch in his hot zone. Unlike a lot of young hitters, he shows the ability to let the ball travel deeper into the hitting zone and still crush balls with authority to the opposite field. With his lean, athletic frame that has more space to fill out, Luna could grow into plus-plus raw power and become a 30-plus home run threat if everything comes together. It’s a power/speed threat as a plus runner who moves around well in center field with a chance to stay up the middle depending on what happens with his speed and athleticism as he continues to add weight.
Previously linked to the Padres, Dominican shortstop Carlos Carrion is signing with the Cardinals for $1.1 million. At 6-foot, 165 pounds, he’s an ultra-athletic, switch-hitting shortstop with similarities to Mariners shortstop Felnin Celesten. Carrion is a lean, quick-burst athlete who accelerates well to get to his plus-plus speed. He has an easy gait and the potential to pile up stolen bases. Previously a righthanded hitter, Carrion began switch-hitting within the last couple of years and has more strength from the left side. There are some unorthodox moves to his swing—including an arm bar from the right side—but on his best swings, he generates whippy bat speed. Carrion has flashed over-the-fence juice to his pull side and has significant room to add strength to his lanky frame, though without a lot to his swing, so with his speed, he could end up more of a doubles and triples threat than a big home run hitter. Carrion has the athleticism, actions and above-average arm strength that could still tick up and should allow him to stay at shortstop once—like with a lot of young shortstops—he irons out the fundamentals to make the routine plays more consistently.
Dominican righthander Rafeli Moronta turns 17 on Aug. 15, so he will pitch nearly the entire season this year as a 16-year-old and one of the youngest 2026 signings. Signing for $450,000, Moronta is 6-foot-3 with a strong lower half and the look of a pitcher who should be extremely physical. He’s up to 93 mph now and looks like he could eventually pump upper-90s fastballs. He throws a power-driven slider with more depth than lateral tilt and it’s ahead of his changeup.
Sebastian Rojas, signing for $450,000, is one of the best defensive catchers in the 2026 international class. The Venezuelan catcher is 5-foot-11, 195 pounds and well coordinated behind the plate with polished catch-and-throw skills for his age. He has soft hands, receives well and has quick feet, which helps him block well and get rid of the ball quickly into a plus arm to control the running game. Defense is the calling card with Rojas, a righthanded hitter who doesn’t have a classic swing but whose coordination does translate into solid bat-to-ball skills with gap power.
Jhon Fraganten is a Dominican outfielder who turns 17 on Aug. 25, making him nearly a 2027 player and one of the youngest in the 2026 class. Signing for $350,000, Fraganten has a strong, physical 6-foot-2 build and big power from the right side of the plate. He has the look of a hitter who could grow into plus or better raw power, and while that power is his calling card, he also does a good job for his age of recognizing pitches, navigating the strike zone and staying through the middle of the field to tap into his power in games. He’s a likely left fielder whose value will come from what he does in the batter’s box.
An outfielder from the Dominican Republic, Christopher Vargas ($300,000) is a 6-foot, righthanded hitter with a calm, balanced swing geared for line drives with gap power. He’s a fringe-average runner who has trained as a center fielder, though his speed likely would shift him to a corner. He also has experience in the infield, something that would enhance his versatility to be able to flex back and forth.