Mets sign 17-year-old shortstop Elian Peña, the top international position prospect
The Mets may have lost out on one huge international free agent, but they were able to secure another Wednesday morning – albeit, one that will take a little more time to develop.
A day after news surfaced that the Mets were out of the running for coveted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki – ranked the top available international free agent prospect by Baseball America – they moved on to No. 2, signing 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Elian Peña on the first day of MLB’s international signing period.
Peña reportedly signed for a $5 million bonus in a deal that was hammered out last year. It’s the top bonus for a Latin American player this year, according to Baseball America. He highlights a group of 14 other players signed by the franchise.
The move takes up a huge chunk of the team’s international bonus pool money, which was set at $6,261,600. He was the only player the Mets signed in Baseball America's top 100 international free agent rankings.
“We are excited to welcome this year’s international signing class to our organization,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a statement. “These players and their families have realized a life-long dream through hard work to get to this day, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue pursuing their dreams to be Major League players. As we strive to create a championship caliber organization, we will continue to invest in the future to develop and shape the next generation of Mets.”
The lefthanded-hitting Peña is “one of the most advanced hitters in the 2025 class” and has “one of the best combinations of hitting ability and power,” per Baseball America, which compared him to Rafael Devers. MLB.com’s prospect rankings note that he’s a potential five-tool player, with mature plate discipline. An above-average defender, Peña, 5-10, 167 pounds, could also be a fit at third base, according to Baseball America.
“Today is a special day for the New York Mets as we welcome an exciting class of dynamic players into the organization,” said James Kang, director of international scouting. “This is the first step for these players as they embark on their professional careers. Thank you to our baseball operations team as well as the families of these young men for their help along this process.”