Marlins prospects added on first day of 2021-22 international signing period

Saturday marks the start of MLB’s 2021-22 international signing period. Across the league, hundreds of amateur players from outside the United States and Canada are turning pro (with hundreds more to follow in the coming months). Although these transactions don’t get marketed with the same fervor as MLB Draft picks, their impact on the future of the Marlins could be just as substantial.

This is Miami’s first IFA cycle with Adrian Lorenzo as senior director of international operations and Román Ocumarez as director of international scouting. They have a $5,721,200 bonus pool to work, tied for the ninth-largest among all MLB teams.

Many of the names below tentatively agreed to sign with the Marlins months or even years in advance before officially beginning their careers on January 15.

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INF Yoffry Solano (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Height/Weight: 5-10/155

Signing Bonus: $750,000

@yoffry_solano04/Instagram

Solano is believed to be receiving the largest signing bonus of any of the Marlins’ Jan. 15 additions. Pipeline expressed optimism that the switch-hitter will be able to stick at shortstop defensively thanks to “advanced instincts” and “solid footwork.”

Addressing the media Saturday afternoon, Solano said he began playing baseball at age seven. He is a natural right-handed batter, but as he began training at the academy in the D.R., he realized he had a knack for making contact from the left side as well. Moving forward, he’s confident in being able to provide good all-around production from both sides.

Solano named Didi Gregorius as a major leaguer who has influenced his game growing up. He said that he admires how Jazz Chisholm Jr. is “always having fun” on the field.

OF Antony Peguero (Dominican Republic)

Age: 16

Bats: Right

Peguero began playing baseball at age six as a big fan of David Ortiz. He says he sees himself as a future Kevin Pillar type of player.

INF Cherif Neymour (Bahamas)

Age: 16

Throws: Right

Height/Weight: 5-11/155

New Balance Future Stars Series

Reunited with his Bahamian baseball brothers, Jazz and Ian Lewis, Neymour jokingly promises that they’ll be “trouble on the field and fun in the clubhouse.” He describes their relationship as “very strong” and says that he spoke with Lewis on the morning of signing day.

He enjoys other sports outside of baseball, specifically mentioning basketball.

LHP Andelzon Abad (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

SS Greyber Atlamirano (Venezuela)

Age: 17

INF Lisandro Bonifacio (Dominican Republic)

Age: 16

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

RHP Rafael Brito (Venezuela)

Age: 18

LHP Luis Cesar (Dominican Republic)

RHP Jhon Cabral (Dominican Republic)

Age: 16

RHP Rafael Castañeda (Mexico)

Age: 17

OF Byron Chourio (Venezuela)

Age: 16

Juan De La Cruz (Dominican Republic)

RHP Rodolfo De La Cruz (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

Height/Weight: 6-4/165

RHP Eiver Espinoza (Venezuela)

Age: 18

RHP José Fernández (Dominican Republic)

Age: 18

LHP Johandry Fuente (Dominican Republic)

Age: 19

OF José Gerardo (Dominican Republic)

Age: 16

OF Danny González (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

Signing Bonus: $150,000

@CraigMish/Twitter

LHP Julio Méndez Jr. (Venezuela)

OF José Monserrate (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

OF Deivis Mosquera (Venezuela)

Age: 17

RHP Lester Nin (Dominican Republic)

Age: 18

C Kelvin Novoa (Nicaragua)

Age: 16

Novoa is the younger brother of former Rangers prospect Melvin Novoa.

RHP Juan Ortega (Colombia)

Age: 16

RHP Johan Palacios (Venezuela)

Age: 17

RHP Moises Palma (Venezuela)

OF Robert Pérez (Dominican Republic)

Age: 17

RHP Erinson Reyes (Dominican Republic)

Age: 20

C Nestor Rios (Mexico)

Age: 17

RHP/OF Darwin Rodríguez (Venezuela)

Ben Badler/Baseball America

RHP Cristian Rueda (Venezuela)

Age: 17

RHP Santiago Suárez (Venezuela)

Age: 17

RHP Elian Serrata (Dominican Republic)

Age: 20

Throws: Left

OF Toby Simmons (Bahamas)

Age: 17

Bats: Switch/Left

Height/Weight: 5-11/165

LHP Alfonso Suriel (Dominican Republic)

Age: 18

RHP Rusbelt Trinidad (Dominican Republic)

Age: 18

RHP Nicolas Uriepero (Venezuela)

Age: 16

LHP Jonas Uzcátegui (Venezuela)

Age: 17

RHP Mado Villegas (Dominican Republic)

Age: 18

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More to come?

Much more. Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports that “the Marlins are expected to sign close to 40 international prospects” in total between now and the end of this IFA period on December 15.

Unlike the last several years, the Marlins aren’t committing seven-figure bonuses to any individual player. They are prioritizing quantity/depth with this class.