Who are the Cardinals targeting on the international free agent market?

The MLB International Free Agent signing period opens Wednesday and while big names like Roki Sasaki will be looking to find a new home, the St. Louis Cardinals will more than likely have to pivot to some smaller deals.

Who are the Cardinals expected to sign from the international market?

Last season, the Cardinals had just over $5 million to spend on international free agents and spread that budget to 11 different players. Headlining that period was 16-year-old and number 25 international prospect Branneli Franco. The 6'3 righty made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year and struggled against older competition.

Prospects signed during this period are usually very raw, playing small amounts of organized baseball, and will require patience and high investment from the club on the development side. That being said, who are the next teenage prospects that could make their way up the ranks and hopefully reach Busch Stadium?

In a subscription article, Baseball America took the top 100 free agents who are expected to sign the largest deals during the 2025 signing period. The Cardinals come in with the third-lowest bonus pool allotment at slightly over $5.6 million. For reference, the top teams have over $7.5 million to spend this year.

Royel Strop, OF, Dominican Republic

The son of former Major League reliever Pedro Strop, Royel is one of the younger free agents in the class, entering the signing period at 16 years old. He is a long and lanky left handed hitter and outfielder who has already shown plus bat control and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Strop's athletic build gives him the chance to stay in center field, but scouts say he needs more time to develop the natural instincts to stick at the position.

Juan Rujano, C, Panama

Hopefully adding to the long line of Cardinals' catching prospects that are making their way through the minors, Rujano is expected to sign for the most money out of any player from Panama in this class. He is big for a catcher, standing at 6'3, and uses his size to drive the ball with plus power. Scouts see him as more power than hit currently but they are mostly in agreement on his home run potential. Rujano has some work to do defensively with his mechanics and his size might cause an eventual move from the position, but for now, the development plan is to have him stay behind the plate.

Kenly Hunter, OF, Nicaragua

In the most recent update (January 13), Hunter has been moving up the board and settled at the #68 spot before the signing period begins. Nicaragua is not known as a baseball hotbed, but the 5'11 athletic outfielder made the shift from shortstop and stood out at the U-18 World Cup with a tournament-high 11 hits. Hunter's athleticism makes him a plus runner with potential to become a positive defensive player in center field at the professional level.

Miguel Hernandez, SS, Venezuela

In what seems to be a trend with the names on the list so far comes another long, athletic player. Hernandez is a defense-first shortstop with soft and quick hands that currently make up for his below-average arm at the position. While known for his defense to this point, he is not a total slouch at the plate as scouts praise his ability to go gap to gap with his line-drive hitting approach.

Yeferson Portalatin, SS, Dominican Republic

The final player coming in for the top 100 list is switch-hitting shortstop Yeferson Portalatin. In a kind of Tommy Edman-like profile, Portalatin hits better from one side of the plate, in his case, the left side. Continuing with the Edman comparison, scouts do not pinpoint one tool that stands out, instead noticing him as a player who can do a little bit of everything. He shows solid plate discipline and athleticism with the ability to play both middle infield positions.

While this list is not final, these are the destinations that Baseball America could see these players end up. The signing period begins in full on Wednesday and while some of these players already have handshake deals, it would not be a surprise to see some of the prospects find new deals.