The 2026 International Free Agent draft began last week. The Dodgers signed 22 IFA.
Los Angeles Dodgers (Total Bonus Pool – $6,679,200)
- Rubel Arias, OF, Dominican Republic ($1 million)
- Ezequiel Melbourne, SS, Dominican Republic ($750,000)
- Ariel Reynoso, SS, Dominican Republic
- Tom Apfelbaum, LHP, Germany
- Miguel Herrera, LHP, Venezuela
- Jose Requena, OF, Venezuela
- Luis Ricart, RHP, Dominican Republic
- Oliver Chapman, C, Dominican Republic
- José Victorino, IF, Dominican Republic
- Helvin Mendoza, OF, Venezuela
- Anderson Carias, RHP, Venezuela
- Haram Hernandez, C, Venezuela
- Willy Bergolla, SS, Venezuela
- Ricardo Pulles, C, Russia
- Fran-Jean Haseth, OF, Curacao
- Kenry Alvear, OF, Colombia
- Jeibert Rondon, OF, Venezuela
- Aaron Guzman, C, Venezuela
- Diego Paez, RHP, Venezuela
- Victor Tovar, LHP, Venezuela
- Robert Saucedo, C, Mexico
- Adrian El Cid, SS, Panama
The position breakdown is:
Catchers – 5
Infielders – 5
Outfielders – 6
Right-Handed Pitchers – 3
Left-Handed Pitchers – 3
The IFA came primarily from two countries: Venezuela (10) and Dominican Republic (6). One player came from Germany, Curaçao, Russia, Colombia, Mexico, Panama.
The Dodgers signed 4 IFA ranked in the top 100, but none lower than OF Rubel Arias #46.
Here are scouting reports for the top LAD IFA:
Rubel Arias – OF, Dominican Republic (Baseball America Scouting Report – #46) – Signed $1MM
The Dodgers signed Emil Morales as the top player in their 2024 international class. Dominican outfielder Rubel Arias, who trains in the same program (Jaime Ramos) that Morales did, is a well-rounded, lefthanded outfielder signing for $1 million. He gets his swing started with a leg kick, cranks his back elbow up high and unleashes a fast swing with the bat speed to drive the ball over the fence to his pull side. Scouts highest on Arias praised his feel for hitting, as well—some scouts think it will be a hit-over-power profile—and given the physical projection remaining in his lean, high-waist frame, there should be more power still in the tank. Arias is an average runner who moves well in the outfield and should settle into an outfield corner with an average arm.
Arias, a left-handed hitter, has been turning heads with his advanced plate skills, especially for his age. Scouts are raving about his disciplined approach and ability to make consistent contact. He projects to be a centerfielder, with a strong arm and developing defensive instincts that could make him a valuable asset for the Dodgers in the years to come.
Here’s a closer look at scouting reports on Rubel Arias:(Dodgersafterduty.substack.com)
- Left-Handed Hitter: Arias possesses a smooth, compact swing from the left side of the plate.
- Advanced Plate Skills: His ability to recognize pitches, lay off breaking balls out of the zone, and make hard contact is a significant strength. He rarely strikes out for his age group.
- Bat-to-Ball Skills: Arias has shown a knack for consistently putting the ball in play, indicating a strong understanding of his strike zone.
- Developing Power: While not yet a prodigious power hitter, scouts believe his power will develop as he matures physically and refines his swing.
- Athletic Build: He’s a good athlete with room to fill out his frame, suggesting future gains in strength and speed.
- Speed and Range: He is described as a “twitchy” athlete with solid speed and the range necessary to cover the middle of the field.
- Arm Strength: His arm is rated as average but playable across all three outfield positions.
- Defensive Upside: Scouts believe he gets good jumps on the ball, providing a strong defensive floor that allows for less pressure on his offensive power development than if he were in a corner outfield spot.
Strengths:
- Exceptional plate discipline and pitch recognition.
- Strong bat-to-ball skills and contact rate.
- Projectable power as he physically develops.
- Good athlete with a strong arm.
Weaknesses:
- Still developing in terms of raw power.
- Needs to continue refining his defensive reads and routes in the outfield.
- Speed is adequate but not elite for an outfielder.
Rubel Arias represents another chapter in the Dodgers commitment to international scouting. His advanced hitting profile and potential to grow into a formidable centerfielder makes him a player to watch. If he lives up to expectations, Arias could very well become a household name for Dodgers fans, further solidifying their pipeline of young talent.
https://dodgersafterduty.substack.com/p/advanced-beyond-his-years-why-rubel
Rubel Arias Baseball America video
Ezequiel Melbourne – SS, Dominican Republic – (Baseball America Scouting Report – #67) – Signed $750K
Ezequiel Melbourne jumps out quickly for his actions at shortstop. He’s a fluid, graceful mover at the position, where he’s light on his feet with good range. He’s not a burner runner but he’s athletic and looks comfortable at shortstop, where he can finish plays with a plus arm. Young for the class—Melbourne turns 17 on June 2—he’s a switch-hitter with a slender 6-foot-2 frame with more contact from the left side and more damage from the right side, though it’s a hit-over-power game overall.
Ezequiel Melbourne Baseball America Video
Ariel Reynoso, SS, Dominican Republic – (Baseball America Scouting Report #86)
Ariel Reynoso is an offensive-minded middle infielder with a strong, thicker 5-foot-10 build. He shows a good balance of both hitting ability and extra-base impact from both sides of the plate. Reynoso isn’t a big runner but he has the tools to stay in the infield, with second base a potential fit for him long term.
José Victorino, SS, Dominican Republic – (Baseball America Scouting Report #93)
José Victorino has grown several inches throughout the scouting process and is now 6-foot-3 with longer limbs and a chance to hit for power from the right side of the plate with physical upside for that power to jump more once he fills out his rangy build. Victorino has a strong arm to play on the left side of the infield, though as he continues to get bigger, he could ultimately shift over to third base.
Next three:
One of the up-arrow players for the Dodgers in this class is Tom Apfelbaum, a 17-year-old lefthander from Germany. Apfelbaum, who pitched for Germany in the U-18 World Cup last year, is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and has seen his fastball steadily rise over the last few years to now sit in the low-90s and touch 94 mph. There’s still significant room for him to fill out, so there should be more velocity still in the tank. Pitching from a funky, deceptive delivery, Apfelbaum complements his fastball with a changeup that has good traits and is ahead of his breaking ball.
The Dodgers officially signed German 🇩🇪 left-hander pitcher Tom Apfelbaum, one of the more intriguing arms in the class.
He is 6'4" tall with a fastball sitting 88–90 mph. Some see similarities to Chris Sale.
Pictured with Tom are scouts Nestor Perez Sr. and Franco Frias. pic.twitter.com/X9F5TJrz0r
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 15, 2026
Another lefty, Miguel Herrera from Venezuela, is 6-foot-1 with good pitchability for his age. He’s up to 91 mph, throws an advanced changeup for his age that projects as a swing-and-miss pitch and shows feel for a breaking ball, which along with his control gives him a starter look.
Dodgers signing Miguel Herrera, LHP from Venezuela. Report here on Herrera and more players in this Dodgers class: https://t.co/W5hQJGBLGg pic.twitter.com/M99bzVggEv
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) January 15, 2026
Jose Requena is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, a strong corner outfielder from Venezuela with a power-over-hit offensive game from the right side of the plate. Raw power and a plus arm that should fit in right field are his two best tools.
Even more than the US Rule 4 Amateur Draft, the IFA Draft is a huge guessing game. These kids are scouted and placed in Academies as early as 13 years old, by their future teams. They are usually signed at 16-17, and most go to the Dominican Summer League. Things haven’t always gone swimmingly for the Dodgers in the IFA draft.
The Dodgers went all-in on the international market in 2015, spending more than $150 million on signing bonuses, guaranteed salaries and tax penalties for exceeding their pool allotment. After committing $62.5 million for Hector Olivera, their second-biggest expenditure was a $16 million bonus and matching penalty for Yadier Alvarez, Yusniel Diaz, and Sterling Heredia…After this draft, the Dodgers were penalized for the next two years, with a decimated bonus pool and not allowed to sign any player for more than $300K. It also cost a lot of interntional scouts their jobs with the Dodgers. The full list of 2015 IFA signings and their allotted signing bonuses.
Below are some of the more recent uber-hyped IFA signings by the Dodgers.
Roki Sasaki – 2025 (#1) – Signed for $6.5MM
Emil Morales – 2024 (#15) – Signed for $2.24MM
Ching- Hsien Ko – 2024 – Not ranked – Signed for $650K
Joendry Vargas – 2023 (#3) – Signed for $2,077,500
Hyun-Seok Jang – 2023 – Not ranked – Signed for $900K
Arnaldo Lantigua – 2023 (#23) – Signed for $700K, now with Reds in trade for IFA Bonus $$$ to get Roki Sasaki
Josue De Paula – 2022 (Not in Top 50) – Signed for $397,500
Samuel Munoz – 2022 (#7) – Signed for $757,500
Eduardo Quintero – 2021 (Not in Top 30) – Signed for $297,500
Wilman Diaz – 2021 (#2) – Signed for $2,697,500
Jesus Galiz – 2021 (#7) – Signed for $812,500
Luis Rodriguez – 2019 (#7) – Signed for $2,667,500
Diego Cartaya – 2018 (#3) – Signed for $2.5MM
Miguel Vargas 2017 – Signed for $300K
Andy Pages 2017 – Signed for $300K
Some of the higher priced IFA did not pan out. Only Oneil Cruz has had a successful MLB career from 2015. Diego Cartaya, Luis Rodriguez, Jesus Galiz, Wilman Diaz, Samuel Munoz, and Arnaldo Lantigua cost LAD $10,135,000.
Milwaukee has had a couple of top IFA since 2021. While Wilman Diaz was the #2 IFA prospect in 2021, Jackson Chourio was the 16th rated IFA. He is now one of the top OF in MLB.
Jesus Made was #23 in 2024. Going into his age 19 season, he is now one of the top 5 prospects in all of MLB. Emil Morales (#15) is a highly coveted prospect, just not as highly coveted as Made.
Yessir. Evaluating amateur talent seems to be an exact science.
Samuel Munoz was mentioned recently in prospect circles.
Great stuff Jeff. Love all this info. Four shortstops means they have depth at that position.
Not really
Freeland, Morales, Lindsey, J. Vargas, N. Miller
Hard to pinpoint who might stay
But we can make early reads….
–Freeland is oldest and closest, obviously. A UT guy for the Dodgers, perhaps a starting SS for another team.
–Morales, big and strong, is most likely to move to 3B. A chance to succeed Max in ’27 or ’28.
–Lindsey, very athletic and fast first-rounder, is said to be the most likely to stick at SS. A chance to succeed Mookie whenever Mookie moves to 2B.
–Noah Miller, a great glove, not-so-great bat. UT likely.
–Vargas… Early hype, but seems to have fallen behind Morales in the pecking order.
Yes, but it gives them organizational depth at the position. Mookie might play SS a couple more years and move to second, a less demanding spot. They will eventually need a young stud there.
I read four shortstops as four good athletes. Most will move to other positions, and that’s fine.
Note that De Paula and Quintero, now considered top prospects, did not get big money compared to some others.
We signed a catcher from Russia?
He’s obviously a spy. We can’t let him into the country.
I wonder if any other IFA have ever been signed from Russia.
Round them all up and send them to El Salvador.
Prospects. I would do a vision test (20/10 a must) and I’d want to know fast twitch muscle fiber content.
The Hatfield Test estimates muscle fiber type (fast-twitch or slow-twitch dominant) by having you lift 80% of your 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) for as many reps as possible (AMRAP) after determining your 1RM, with fewer than 7 reps indicating fast-twitch dominance, 7-8 reps suggesting a mixed type, and more than 8 reps pointing to slow-twitch dominance, helping tailor training for power (fast-twitch) or endurance (slow-twitch).
How to Perform the Hatfield Test
Standing vertical jump is another way to test. Cone drills.
Power
Power is defined in fitness and physics as the ability to move a specific amount of weight (or resistance) over a given distance in the shortest possible time. While strength measures how much weight can be moved, power incorporates a speed component, making it “explosive strength” or the rate at which work is performed
Power vs. Strength
Examples of Power Exercises
Power training focuses on speed and acceleration, such as:
Baseball needs fast twitch dominance.
9 Russian born players have played in the Majors. The last one is Victor Cole, who was born in Leningrad, but went to school in Cali. He pitched in 8 games for the Pirates in 1992.
They should all play for Cincinnati
Thanks for that info Bear.
Interesting that Cole pitched for the Pirates. I’d have thought he pitched for the Reds.
Odd fact, 3 of the 9 Russians who played in the majors played for the Senators.
Clearly this was a case of Russian espionage. The KGB was told to gain access to Senators and by golly they did.
Badaboom!
badabing!
It’s amazing how much time, energy, and money goes into IFA’s for the return. With the exception of Roki who was a proven commodity, it seems like it’s a crap shoot. Diego Cartaya anyone?
Out of al the uber-hyped players we only have Pages playing at Dodger stadium. I like Pages, but he’s got a ways to go to get better defensively and learning to produce when the lights are brightest in the playofffs.
Pages is another example of a guy who got a relatively modest del but has outperformed others, including Cartaya, who got much more.
Of course this also happens in the draft. A lot of first-rounders get outplayed by late-round gems.
You can go back several years and see how many IFAs did not even make it to the majors. It has seemed to me that other organizations have had a lot more success with those types of players making a major impact than the Dodgers have. Yankees signed Seth Brown to a minor league deal. With a deal with Bellinger seemingly less likely since he is not budging from his desire for a 7-year deal, Yanks testing other options. A’s had a deal in place with the Cardinals for Arenado, actually willing to eat more salary than the D-Backs did, but Arenado preferred the Padres or the D-Backs.
Attached is an article from Houston Mitchell from the LA Times asking if the Dodgers are ruining baseball.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/newsletter/2026-01-20/kyle-tucker
The rest of the league thinks they, well at least the fan bases.
With the Tucker signing, LA will now get just 16 picks in the June draft.
I’m sure all the minor league towns affiliated with the Dodgers appreciates those picks and those who came before them.
I have seen photos of the new Low-A Buzzers stadium. Looks pretty cool. Left field scoreboard looks like the one that used to be at Dodger Stadium.
Their season tic costs are actually pretty high. I had a buddy who lives 5 min away debate getting season tic, until he saw the costs!
I haven’t checked that yet. Quakes games were very affordable. You could get a box seat for about 14 bucks. It is an Angel affiliate now.
Rockies just traded pitcher Bradley Blaylock to the Marlins for a minor leaguer.
. . .
Just report it, I don’t analyze it.
Gotcha
Los Angeles remains interested in acquiring Milwaukee Brewers ace right-hander Freddy Peralta, reports The Athletic’s Katie Woo.
The Dodgers’ rotation’s injury issues in 2025 make a Peralta trade worth exploring, Woo adds. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the only Dodgers starter who didn’t spend time on the injured list last season.
Landing Peralta would require a significant trade package, with the Brewers reportedly desiring a major-league ready replacement for him in a deal.
I don’t see it but of course they’d be interested in a good player for a fair price.
Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran elected to the Hall of Fame. Will join Jeff Keny in the class of 26. Texas resigned Josh Sborz to a minor league deal. Rangers also sighed Jacob Junis to a major league deal.
For those who wanted Robert Jr to man CF for the Dodgers you’ll have to look elsewhere. He’s been traded to the Mets. I think the big pickup for the White Sox’s is Luisangel Acuña. He’s been having a breakout season playing winter ball.
Robert Jr dealt to the Mets for Luisangel Acuna and minor league RHP, Truman Pauley per Jeff Passan of ESPN