The New York Mets have made a big splash on international signing day. The team has signed Elian Peña from the Dominican Republic with a $5 million bonus, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler.
The shortstop was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in this class by MLB Pipeline. It is the largest deal the team has ever given out in international free agency and is the largest deal any Latin prospect will receive during this signing period.
“Pena’s hit tool is his calling card,” wrote MLB Pipeline. “Equipped with oodles of bat speed from the left side, he complements his propensity to hit the ball hard with some of the most advanced plate discipline seen on the international scene in years. It’s rare for a prospect so young to have a keen eye for the zone, but Pena routinely puts it on display while spraying the ball to all fields when he does cut it loose. The power is expected to come on as he continues to mature and adapt to the routine of pro ball.”
Last year, Peña had four hits in seven games in the Nicaraguan Winter League as a 15-year-old.
Peña is 17 years old and plays a premium position. The signing takes up nearly the entire allotment for the Mets this year. The Mets went into the signing period with $6.2 million.
