The 2026 Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana Rookie Draft was held on Wednesday night.
LIDOM's six organizations had the opportunity to select players to introduce the next wave of talent in the Dominican Republic's top professional baseball league.
A drafted player does not always play for their team that winter. Essentially, it allows the organization to control draft rights in the event the player decides to participate in future seasons.
Potentially, some of the recent draftees could opt not to play winter ball in LIDOM at all. Alternatively, their Major League Baseball organization could restrict them from playing in the league due to the risk of injury.
Here's a breakdown of the top five picks.
1. OF Hayden Alvarez, Tigres del Licey (Los Angeles Angels) - With the first overall pick, the Tigres del Licey selected outfielder Hayden Alvarez. The 19-year-old center fielder is hitting .258/.371/.360 with one home run and seven stolen bases in eight attempts in 22 games since his promotion to High-A Tri-City. He is ranked as the Angels' No. 3 prospect on MLB Pipeline, and his ETA to the Majors is 2029.
2. SS Ronny Cruz, Estrellas Orientales (Washington Nationals) - Cruz attended Miami Christian High School for two years in Florida after a potential contract as an international prospect fell through. The Nationals' No. 7-ranked prospect is hitting .220/.302/.367 with 12 home runs and a .669 OPS in 104 games at High-A Wilmington. The 20-year-old's ETA to the Majors is 2029.
3. SS Elian Pena, Leones del Escogido (New York Mets) - At just 18 years old, Pena is ranked as New York's No. 3 prospect on MLB Pipeline. He signed for a $5 million bonus and went 0-for-26 at the plate in his first nine games in the Dominican Summer League. This season, he hit .271/.388/.397 with eight home runs and 28 stolen bases before a promotion to High-A Brooklyn in August. Pena's ETA to the Majors is 2030.
4. SS Dauri Fernandez, Gigantes del Cibao (Cleveland Guardians) - Fernandez is an "undersized" yet athletic infielder, according to his MLB Pipeline bio. Before a promotion to High-A Lake County, the 19-year-old hit .272/.346/.399 with four home runs and a staggering 51 stolen bases in just 78 games at Single-A Hill City. He fits the mold of the small-ball Guardians offense. Fernandez's ETA to the Majors is 2029.
5. SS Yairo Padilla, Toros del Este (St. Louis Cardinals) - At six feet, 170 pounds, Padilla still has time to fill out his body. The 19-year-old, ranked as the Cardinals' No. 19 prospect on MLB Pipeline, is hitting .281/.354/.474 with three home runs and a .828 OPS at Single-A Palm Beach. Padilla, who projects to be a shortstop or third baseman thanks to a strong throwing arm, has a 2029 MLB ETA.
Find the rest of last night's LIDOM Draft picks here: https://lidom.com/draft-tracker/
The 2026-27 LIDOM regular season kicks off on Friday, Oct. 16. The yearly champions represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series.