Top 31 Dominican Summer League Prospects In 2024

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The Dominican Summer League is the largest of all the minor leagues. It encompasses 52 teams, which is nearly half of the entirety of all domestic full-season teams combined. Several clubs have two teams in the league, making the task of getting a complete picture of the circuit incredibly difficult.

Even so, there were more than a few players who stuck out to scouts patrolling the league this summer. The league was topped by Brewers shortstop Jesus Made—who is already on BA’s Top 100—and featured several players from the Guardians, Cardinals and Orioles.

A few of the players on the list—Houston and Baltimore righties Anderson Brito and Keeler Morfe, as well as Rangers shortstop Yolfran Castillo—showed enough promise to make their official stateside debuts before the close of the regular minor league season.

With more than 1,500 players in the league, it would come as no surprise if a prospect not on this list takes steps forward in the coming years. Even so, below is our best attempt at mining the DSL for the best talent it had to offer during the summer of 2024.

1. Jesus Made, SS, Brewers

There were 52 teams and 1,848 individual players in the DSL this year, and yet Made was a clear-cut choice as the league’s top prospect. The 17-year-old Dominican-born shortstop was resplendent on both sides of the ball, leading to outstanding analytical data and universal praise from scouts. Specifically, evaluators gushed about Made’s combination of twitchiness, athleticism and power, which showed up in bat speed that allowed him to impact baseballs with the kinds of charges rarely seen in a player so young. There is a bit of question about whether Made will remain at shortstop—which is understandable given how much longer he has until his body reaches peak maturity—but there is little doubt his combination tools, skills and polish give him a high chance to develop into a future all-star.

2. Yairo Padilla, SS, Cardinals

Padilla earned one of the bigger bonuses the Cardinals handed out in the most recent international signing period, and he spent the summer showing exactly why the investment was wise. Scouts praised Padilla both for what they saw on the field in the DSL and for what he could become several years down the line. He’s an athletic, instinctual player who should be a slam dunk to stick at shortstop thanks to outstanding lateral range and a 60-grade throwing arm. If he polishes his approach at the plate, he has a chance to be a plus hitter with above-average power. His mix of gifts gives him a chance to be a player who impacts the game on both sides of the ball.

3. Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers

Morales’ was the biggest prize in the Dodgers’ most recent international signing class, and he opened his career with one of the loudest seasons in the DSL. His slugging percentage (.691) and OPS (1.169) each led the league, as did his 14 home runs. Morales’ bat speed is already elite, and his approach is sound enough to lead evaluators to envision a player who can be an average hitter with power that is at least plus. There are holes to close, especially on pitches middle-away, before he can reach that ceiling, however. Defensively, it is hard to find anyone who believes he will stick at shortstop. His body is already large for the position, and he’s not done growing. No matter where he lands on the diamond, the ceiling of his bat gives him the ability to fit any profile.

4. Luis Peña, SS, Brewers

Jesus Made got most of the headlines among Milwaukee’s DSL group, but Peña wasn’t far behind. Scouts loved the whippiness and strength in Peña’s swing, as well as the strong hands that helped give him the power to club 16 doubles. His .393 average was the best in the league in 2024 and also the highest mark in the league since 2019. There’s belief from scouts that Peña can stick at shortstop, but evaluators opined that the speedy, light-footed runner might also fit well in center field, where he’d be likely to provide range in all directions. His ceiling isn’t as high as that of Made, but he has the foundation to become a solid everyday big leaguer.

5. Joswa Lugo, SS, Angels

Lugo was one of the best prospects available in his class, and he spent his first season as a pro showing immense upside in the DSL. He’s a powerful, gifted hitter who posted 90th percentile and max exit velocities of 103 and 111 mph in his age-17 season. He shows sound bat control and does a good job recognizing spin, though he may need to tighten his overall approach to find success at higher levels. Lugo has a chance to stick at shortstop, but his body control, plus arm strength and quick hands might give him a pathway to being a 60-grade defender at third base if he outgrows the middle infield. If he adds strength and shores up his approach at the plate, he has a clearer pathway to his high ceiling.

6. Yolfran Castillo, SS, Rangers

The Rangers are not afraid to push their youngest prospects. They proved it in 2022 with Anthony Gutierrez, in 2023 with Sebastian Walcott and again in 2024 with Castillo, a Venezuelan shortstop who showed sublime bat-to-ball skills in both the Dominican Republic and then again in Arizona. Combined between both stops, Castillo had an overall miss rate of just 11.6% and an in-zone miss rate of just 5.4%. He’s contact-over-impact all the way, but his ability to apply lumber to leather combined with defensive actions and arm strength that each rate as plus, gives him a chance to be a solid big leaguer. If he adds strength and subsequent impact, his ceiling will jump.

7. Anderson Brito, RHP, Astros

When he was in the DSL, Brito was overwhelming. He finished his time in the league with just seven hits allowed and 40 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. He then made one start in the Florida Complex League before landing with Low-A Fayetteville for the rest of his season. By the time the dust had settled, Brito had 82 punchouts in 53.2 frames. How’d he do it? By mixing a mid-90s heater with a slider, changeup and cutter and filling up the zone. Scouts also liked the way Brito could conserve his best heaters for later in outings when he needed to get out of jams. His smaller frame leads some to believe he’ll fit in a bullpen role, but his full repertoire and feel to pitch gives him a chance to remain a rotation candidate.

8. Esteban Mejia, RHP, Orioles

Mejia and fireballing righty Keeler Morfe gave the Orioles two of the best pitching prospects in the DSL. Mejia has the makings of a prototype pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3 and a three-pitch mix that gives him plenty of avenues to get hitters out. His fastball sits comfortably in the mid 90s, peaking at 98 mph and showing the kind of spin and movement to project as a plus offering. The same goes for his slider, a mid-80s offering that could give him a second 60-grade pitch. Mejia’s changeup comes in around 89 mph with impressive sink action. Mejia rounds out his arsenal with a low-90s sinker which helped him coax a solid amount of grounders. He throws his mix from a lower slot, gets deception from a slightly cross-body finish and has the combination of whippy athleticism and remaining projection to make evaluators believe his stuff could tick up in a few years.

9. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

Rodriguez was one of the DSL’s most outstanding players this past season. The 17-year-old Dominican backstop was the only player in the league to collect 10 or more of both doubles and homers while also walking more often than he struck out. Scouts in the league saw an advanced hitter who managed the strike zone well and also produced plenty of impact on contact, including the ability to lose baseballs to all sectors of the park. Defensively, however, he’s a work in progress. Evaluators saw a player who was a solid mover but without the arm strength to control the running game. Without improvement in that department, a position change—which would add more pressure to his bat—might be in the cards.

10. Jhonny Level, SS, Giants

Level’s body is shorter and stockier than one would expect from a prototype shortstop, but scouts see a player with excellent athleticism and the plus arm strength to stick at the position. He has plenty of impact potential in his bat from both sides of the plate, as shown by a 90th percentile exit velocity of better than 100 mph. He also did a great job putting bat on ball this season, with an in-zone miss rate of roughly 13% and an overall miss rate of about 23% despite chase rates that are a touch on the higher side. Level was the only player in the DSL to finish 10 or more doubles, 10 or more home runs and 15 or more stolen bases.

11. Gregory Sanchez, RHP, Rockies

Finding a starting pitching prospect in the DSL can be tricky, but Sanchez has a lot of positive indicators working in his favor, including a big frame, a big arm and big stuff. The righthander works primarily with a fastball-slider mix but also has a changeup he can work, though it was very seldomly thrown during the year. His heater topped at around 97 mph with the slider coming in about 10 mph slower. He has a quick arm and body that could one day be sculpted into a near-ideal frame for a power pitcher. There are elements of his delivery—namely a longer arm action—that point to a potential bullpen role, but he should be given every chance to remain a starter.

12. Yandel Ricardo, SS, Royals

If you look at the stats Ricardo produced this summer, it might come as a surprise to find him on this list. Talk to scouts, however, and the picture gets a lot rosier. Multiple evaluators pegged the Dominican-born shortstop as a future plus defender, with some tabbing him as the best in the league at the position. To reach the upper realms of his ceiling, Ricardo will need to add strength to a frame that has gotten taller than its listed height of 6-foot-1. If he does, his smooth, repeatable swing will begin to produce the plus impact scouts believe he could one day show. He’s a little bit overaggressive right now and hit far too many balls on the ground, but scouts were heartened by his ability to handle velocity and think he might day have the kind of thump that would allow him to profile at another spot if his body leads him that way.

13. Elvin Garcia, SS, Orioles

Beyond Keeler Morfe and Esteban Mejia on the mound, the Orioles’ DSL clubs also had Garcia, a talented shortstop who was already drawing interest at this summer’s trade deadline. The switch-hitting Garcia showed solid feel for the barrel and plus bat speed, but a flatter path kept him from turning those traits into much in the way of impact. There are slight differences in the way Garcia sets up from either side of the plate, and scouts would also like to see him adjust his lower half at the plate. Garcia has at least above-average arm strength, which will serve him well if he outgrows shortstop and has to shift over to third base. He’s a fringy runner who does a good job picking the right moments to steal a bag. Garcia’s combination of present skills, remaining projection and baseball IQ points to a player who could only further cement the rise of Baltimore’s once-moribund international program.

14. Keeler Morfe, RHP, Orioles

In terms of pure stuff, Morfe was one of the best arms in the DSL. His signature pitch is his fastball, which bolts out of his lightning-quick arm, parks in the upper 90s and regularly touches triple-digits. In terms of average velocity, Morfe’s fastball was the hardest in all of Baltimore’s system, averaging nearly 98 mph. He backed the heater with a slider that flashed double-plus and a firm changeup that needs more development. His smaller frame leads some scouts to believe his future leans toward a power relief role, but his stuff and a tendency to be around the zone should give him a shot to remain a starter.

15. Paulino Santana, OF, Rangers

Santana was the gem of Texas’ most recent international signing class, and he spent his first season as a pro posting solid numbers in the DSL. He made the league’s all-star team and earned the most valuable hitter for the game. Santana stands out for his hit tool, which blends a sound approach and solid contact into plenty of line drives. He doesn’t show a ton of power yet, though that could change as he matures and potentially adds strength to his 6-foot-2 frame. Some scouts are not sold on Santana’s ability to stick in center field in the long run, citing foot speed that is only OK and not necessarily up to the level required to stick in the middle of the diamond. If he does have to move to a corner, it will be imperative that he adds the necessary strength and power to profile at either position.

16. Robert Arias, OF, Guardians

Cleveland’s DSL groups had plenty of interesting players, but Arias was the first name on scouts’ minds. The Dominican-born outfielder showed double-plus speed, which benefited him both in the outfield and on the base paths. He is an easy, athletic mover on defense, and evaluators believe he could one day be a plus defender in center field. Arias’ offensive numbers might not show it yet, but he has the skills to be a table-setter with a few tweaks to his game. All of his miss rates were less than 20%, but he’ll need to get the ball in the air a little bit more often to help him become the type of turn-and-burn player his tools suggest. Though Arias is not the biggest guy in the game, scouts pointed to the whippiness of his swing to project 45- or 50-grade power once he begins packing on extra strength.

17. Eduardo Beltre, OF, Twins

On a team full of interesting players, Beltre was the best performer. The 17-year-old Dominican native’s 11 home runs were tied for second in the league and his .618 slugging percentage ranked third. Scouts who saw him believed he has intriguing impact potential despite some areas he’ll need to clean up. His approach is a little bit aggressive, there’s a stiffness in his operation which could lead to issues against high heat and his path is a bit grooved. Defensively, Beltre is unlikely to stick in center field thanks to a body that could get too stocky and routes that are already clunky, but his plus arm strength would fit nicely in right field. His powerful bat would profile there, as well.

18. Justin Gonzales, 1B, Red Sox

Gonzales had an excellent season in the DSL, posting a .903 OPS and striking out just 20 times in 192 plate appearances (10.4%). He also posted an overall miss rate of just below 20% and a zone miss rate of 9.6% while producing a 90th percentile exit velocity of 103 mph. Given those elements, it’s easy to see why scouts believe he has plenty of impact potential. To get there, he’ll need to add a little bit more loft to his bat path, improve his ability to hit pitches with spin and alter his approach to be less pull-heavy. Defensively, scouts see Gonzales as a fringy outfielder who might wind up at first base if he gets much bigger. If that’s the case, there will be plenty of pressure on his bat to reach the upper realms of its potential.

19. Jirvin Morillo, C, Reds

A year ago, Alfredo Duno was one of the stars of the DSL. This year, another Reds catcher has found the spotlight. The 17-year-old Venezuelan’s numbers didn’t jump off the page in his pro debut, but scouts were nonetheless impressed by his potential. They saw a player with a sound idea of the strike zone and swings from both sides of the plate that allow him to cover pitches in all sectors. His bat produces line drives now, but there’s potential for at least average power as his body fills out and he adds loft to his swings. Defensively, Morillo needs to clean up his blocking and receiving, but he’s an athletic mover and has plus arm strength. He’s young, but he has a lot of arrows pointing in the right direction.

20. Edward Florentino, OF, Pirates

Florentino is one of two Pirates prospects on this list thanks to an offensive profile that should allow him to be an impact player in a corner if he eventually has to move off of center field. The tall, lefty-hitting 17-year-old put forth a strong professional debut that included a berth in the league’s all-star game. His overall miss, chase and zone-miss rates were all below 20%—his mark in-zone finished at 14%—and he made plenty of impact when he connected. His 90th percentile exit velocity was near 104 mp, and he maxed out around 110 mph. Scouts believe he has a chance to hit 25 or more home runs annually in the big leagues if he reaches his potential, which points to a future as a classic corner masher.

21. Juneiker Caceres, OF, Guardians

Caceres was one of the youngest players in the league, not turning 17 until just three days before his season concluded. Nonetheless, he was one of just 21 qualified hitters to produce an OPS of better than .920. Despite his youth, scouts throughout the league pointed to a body without much in the way of remaining projection as a reason that Caceres might have more of a high floor than a high ceiling. He shows strong bat-to-ball skills with an aggressive, middle-away approach that could stand to add a little bit more pull-side contact into the mix. The lack of projection left in his body might limit his long-term power output, which might also lower his ceiling if he winds up in a corner outfield spot.

22. Kendrick Herrera, SS, Pirates

When Pittsburgh signed Herrera, his defense was ahead of his bat. As he’s gained strength, however, the two sides of his game have begun to even out. He’s still a glove-first player, however, and he has the potential to be a plus defender at shortstop thanks to quick reactions, a strong internal clock and a plus throwing arm. Herrera did an excellent job staying inside the zone, with a chase rate of just 17.9% and a zone-miss rate of 9.6%. He doesn’t make the loudest contact yet, but he has room to add strength and turn more of his line drives into doubles and the occasional home run.

23. Gabriel Rodriguez, SS, Guardians

Rodriguez is the third Cleveland prospect on this list—not to mention the second shortstop with his name in his own system—and he earned his spot thanks to a .500 on-base percentage that placed second in the league. Scouts saw a player with a loose, level swing that should produce plenty of line drives although his power is unlikely to be better than below-average. Rodriguez has a strong knowledge of the strike zone, but he might need to be a tad more aggressive he moves up the ladder. He’s got a shot to stick at shortstop thanks to strong actions and instincts and enough arm for the left side.

24. Dalvinson Reyes, RHP, Red Sox

Although his season was limited to just 19 innings, he still found plenty of time to show an intriguing blend of stuff and remaining projection. The 6-foot-5 righty brought his fastball up to 93 mph this summer, but his size and the smoothness of his delivery point to plenty more velocity to come. He buttresses the fastball with a mid-80s slider featuring solid tilt and a solid changeup in roughly the same velocity band. Reyes’ development might be lengthier than some of the pitchers on this list, but the reward could be well worth the wait.

25. Alexander Almonte, RHP, Yankees

The Yankees’ farm system regularly produces hard-throwing righthanders with intriguing upsides, and Almonte fits that bill perfectly. He has a power pitcher’s build at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and comes at hitters with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and peaked at 95 mph this past season. He backs the heater with a powerful, high-spin breaking ball in the low 80s and a changeup in the high 80s. Combined, Almonte’s size and stuff make him one of the young arms to watch in the lower levels of New York’s system.

26. Ubaldo Soto, RHP, Angels

Joswa Lugo was the best overall prospect on the Angels’ DSL club, but Soto was the top mound talent. The righthander combines above-average extension and velocity into a fastball that looks like a future plus pitch if he can improve its shape and add more carry. Soto backs his four-seam fastball with a two-seamer that comes in a few ticks slower at around 91-93 mph, a changeup with average potential and a fringy curveball that scouts believe might be better served morphing into a slider as Soto ascends the minor leagues. He should have average control and could fit either as a back-end starter or a high-leverage reliever.

27. Dashyll Tejeda, OF, Nationals

In his second try at the DSL, Tejeda showed a blend of skills and tools on both sides of the ball. His quick hands serve him well in the batter’s box and can mask the fact that he will sometimes let the ball get a bit too deep. At his best, he has a smooth, easy swing that is currently geared for contact but could produce double-digit home runs once he adds strength. Tejeda is an instinctive runner with plus speed whose 46 stolen bases were the most in the league. He’s a future plus defender in center field with above-average range to all sectors and loads of twitchy athleticism.

28. Jordan Sanchez, OF, Orioles

The Cuban-born Sanchez signed in December 2023 and made his pro debut this summer as an 18-year-old. The lefty swinger showed a polished approach, sound feel to hit and the potential for plus power—particularly to the pull side—once he reaches full maturity. Defensively, Sanchez is likely to wind up as a right fielder who neither dazzles nor disappoints. Sanchez’s miss rates were serviceable and he produced a 90th percentile exit velocity of 103 mph and maximum rates of nearly 108 mph.

29. Leonardo Pineda, OF, Rays

Pineda signed with the Rays this year and was the system’s best prospect in the DSL. He has a high upside, though scouts were far from convinced on whether he’d reach the peak of his potential. The righty hitter has big-time bat speed and has already produced maximum exit velocities of roughly 110 mph, but he needs to make more contact to get the most out of his tools. His zone-miss rate of nearly 25% is particularly concerning, and his swing can get too long at times. There’s a small chance Pineda sticks in center field, but his likeliest outcome is as a corner outfielder with a power-over-hit profile. He moves better than his compact build might suggest, though he’s likely to slow down as he matures.

30. Jose Paulino, RHP, Marlins

Paulino’s stuff is as loud as any in the DSL, even if the results might not necessarily bear it out. The 17-year-old’s fastball has peaked at 99 mph and sat around 95-97 mph. He backs the heater with a slurvy breaking ball in the high 70s featuring high spin rates and a seldom-thrown changeup that averaged around 87 mph. It’s clear that Paulino has plenty of pure stuff. Now, he needs to find the strike zone way more often. He walked 13 of the 85 hitters he faced in the DSL, or roughly 15% overall. If he can harness his loud stuff, he has a huge ceiling. Whether he can accomplish that goal might not be answered for years.

31. Daiber De Los Santos, SS, Twins

Eduardo Beltre was the most productive player on the Twins’ DSL club, but De Los Santos caught plenty of scouts’ eyes, as well. The high-waisted shortstop earned high marks for his lithe, athletic body and strong infield actions that should allow him to stick up the middle. Evaluators are concerned about the overall amount of miss in De Los Santos’ game and his aggressive approach at the plate, but he still managed to produce 17 extra-base hits and steal the same amount of bases.

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