Detroit Tigers 2024 International Review

Top Of The Class

Dominican third baseman Nestor Miranda was previously eligible to sign in the 2023 class, but he was still able to command a seven-figure bonus signing this year on Jan. 15 for $1,497,5000. At 18, he’s a year older than most of the other top signings this year, with a bulky 6-foot-3, 225-pound build and the power to match. He’s a righthanded hitter who can crush baseballs with his strength and bat speed that he’s able to generate from a swing that’s compact for his size.

Miranda has shown the ability to tap into that power in games at times, though at times he can get pull-happy with swing and miss that comes with that power. Miranda will get a chance to develop at third base, though at his size, there’s a chance he might get too big and flip across to first base. He’s an intelligent player and a high school graduate whose offensive game is his calling card, but he has worked hard to improve his quickness at third base, where he has the hands and arm strength to play.  

Names To Know

Jesus Pinto, OF, Venezuela: Pinto was another recipient of a top 50 bonus in the 2024 class, getting $897,500. He has a strong, compact build (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) for 17 packed with intriguing tools. Pinto is athletic with plus speed and a quick first step and a strong arm, the building blocks of a player who could stick in center field if he can retain his speed. Pinto gets his swing started with a big leg kick then snaps his hands into the hitting zone quickly with good bat speed. It’s mostly deep gap shots now with the bat speed that gives him a chance to develop into a 20-homer threat.

Jose Dickson, SS, Dominican Republic: Dickson is a thin, lanky shortstop (6-foot-2, 160 pounds) signed at 17 for $397,500. He’s a smooth, athletic defender at shortstop, where he’s well-coordinated with good hands, feet and body control and a strong arm to stick at the position. That hand-eye coordination shows up at the plate too. He’s a righthanded hitter who makes frequent contact with a line-drive, all-fields approach. His lack of strength limits his power for now but that could jump later once fills out. 

Armando Lao, C, Venezuela: Lao is an athletic, 17-year-old catcher with a compact build (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) who signed for $297,500. He runs extremely well for a catcher with above-average speed, and while that tool will likely regress given the demands of catching, his athleticism shows in the way he moves with good lateral agility at catcher. He has an average arm and defends his position well with the instincts and baseball IQ teams value in a catcher. Lao is a defensive-minded catcher but he puts together solid at-bats from the right side, using the whole field with gap power.

Branell Anderson, RHP, Nicaragua: Anderson signed for $280,000, the top bonus this year for a player from Nicaragua. It’s a classically projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds with broad shoulders, long arms and tons of space to add good weight for a pitcher who just turned 17 at the end of May. He throws with loose, easy arm action and the ball comes out of his hand well, with all arrows pointing toward more velocity on the way for a fastball that has been up to 91 mph. He shows feel for both his curveball and changeup, giving him starter attributes. 

Luis Aguilera, SS, Venezuela: Signed for $267,500 at 17, Aguilera flashes good glovework at shortstop, where he stands out more for his instincts than his raw tools. He’s 5-foot-11, 150 pounds, so he’s still a skinny hitter who should get stronger but probably won’t be a big power threat, relying more on line-drive contact from the right side. 

Jonathan Moya, OF, Dominican Republic: Another $267,500 signing, Moya has a strong, physically mature build for 17 at 5-foot-11, 203 pounds. It’s big strength, bat speed and power from the right side, enabling to hit deep home runs to his pull side when everything is on time, with a power-over-hit profile. He’s a corner outfielder whose offensive game will drive his value. 

Ronald Ramirez, SS, Dominican Republic: Ramirez is one of the better hitters in the Tigers class this year. He’s a lean, lively 5-foot-11, 170 pounds at 17 with a good mix of athleticism and feel for the barrel. Signed for $197,500, Ramirez has a short, quick swing from the right side and showed a high-contact bat as an amateur. His fast-twitch actions show up at the plate, with gap power now but a chance for more over-the-fence impact to come. Ramirez is an above-average runner with at least an average arm, giving him a chance to stick at shortstop, though second base could be another landing spot. 

Franyerson Reyes, RHP, Venezuela: Reyes is 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and throws a lot of strikes with a fastball up to 89 mph at 17. It’s not a huge fastball but there’s physical projection for him to potentially pitch in the low-90s with a changeup that’s advanced for his age and ahead of his curveball. Reyes signed for $187,500. 

Guillermo Batista, SS, Dominican Republic: An offensive-minded shortstop signed at 17 for $147,500, Batista 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, a strong build with a mix of solid contact and power from both sides for his age. He could see time at shortstop but likely moves around the infield to second or third base. 

Gregory Amarante, LHP, Venezuela: Amarante is a medium frame, 17-year-old lefty at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds with an upper-80s fastball that should crawl into the low-90s as he gets stronger. His ability to spin his curveball stands out, sometimes breaking more like a slider but with tight rotation to build from. He signed for $147,500. 

Jeiker Gudiño, C, Venezuela: Gudiño is 5-foot-9, 170 pounds with the defensive traits that should keep him at catcher. He runs well for a catcher and his athletic allows him to move with good lateral agility behind the plate, where he has an average arm. Gudiño’s defense is ahead of his bat, with solid bat-to-ball skills from the right side for a 17-year-old catcher and occasional doubles.

Sleeper Watch

There is only a small number of players who sign as international free agents from Australia these days. One of them this year is Jack Bushell, an 18-year-old righthander who got $127,500 and is now pitching in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. He’s a lean, athletic 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with a fastball that has inched up to touch 93 mph. Bushell’s changeup is ahead of his slider, with his changeup showing good fading action and separation off his fastball.