{"id":112540,"date":"2026-01-20T20:06:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T01:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=112540"},"modified":"2026-01-20T20:06:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T01:06:45","slug":"orioles-restack-depleted-farm-system-international-free-agents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/01\/20\/orioles-restack-depleted-farm-system-international-free-agents\/","title":{"rendered":"Orioles Restack Depleted Farm System with International Free Agents"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Baltimore Orioles signed several international free agents to their farm system as they seek to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/01\/12\/the-orioles-still-have-room-for-more-players-after-arbitration\/\" target=\"_self\">replenish<\/a> their minor league depth. They have signed 10 international free agents, one of the lowest nets per team so far.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the low number, the quality of the prospects is what Baltimore is scouting in their decision-making process. At least five of the 10 prospects are listed on MLB Pipeline&#8217;s top-50, according to <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/news\/baltimore-orioles-2026-international-signings\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MLB.com<\/a>. Four of those are on Fangraphs&#8217; top 59.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_77304\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-77304\" style=\"width: 689px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"689\" height=\"459\" class=\" wp-image-77304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/USATSI_23554904_168400885_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 689px) 100vw, 689px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-77304\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A general view of Oriole Park at Camden Yards during the seventh inning of a game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>All of these players are far from making a significant impact on the major league roster, facing years of development. But the team&#8217;s strategy comes at a time when they have only two top 100 prospects. There are a few names in this group that the organization must keep its eyes on.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Orioles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@Orioles<\/a> have signed 5 of the Top 50 international prospects:<\/p>\n<p>14. Jose Luis Acevedo, SS ($2.3M)<br \/>\n18. Ariel Roque, OF ($1.7M)<br \/>\n25. Andri Hidalgo, LHP ($600K)<br \/>\n35. Pedro Gomez, OF ($1.25M)<br \/>\n41. Gabriel Rosario, OF\/1B ($1M)<\/p>\n<p>Top international signings: <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vjyjyma64J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/vjyjyma64J<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CWewt5psnn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/CWewt5psnn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLBPipeline\/status\/2011920479578206635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>The Top Orioles International Free Agent Signees<\/h2>\n<h3>Jose Luis Acevedo, Shortstop, Dominican Republic<\/h3>\n<p>Acevedo is ranked as the ninth-best international amateur on Fangraphs and the 14th-best on MLB Pipeline. The Orioles expect to officially sign him on a $2.3 million bonus, which is a quarter of their $8 million pool money. His bonus is also the highest the team will give out this year during the signing period.<\/p>\n<p>The scouting report on the 17-year-old shortstop puts him as a plus-grade hitter and fielder, with a slightly below-average power ceiling. MLB&#8217;s report suggests he has a line-drive hitting profile that finds the gap, but has a very aggressive approach at the plate. The report also highlights his defensive abilities.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">From the Orioles, their top international signee SS Jose Luis Acevedo ranked No. 11 on BA bonus board and No. 14 via MLBPipeline. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ts0cOXmjJN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Ts0cOXmjJN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Steve Melewski (@Steveonbaseball) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Steveonbaseball\/status\/2011896880951935457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<span>Acevedo is advanced defensively, even amongst a class of talented shortstops. He has a natural feel for the position and showcases good actions routinely,&#8221; MLB&#8217;s report says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The six-foot-one, 180-pound shortstop would have to fight for a spot in the lineup if he gets to that level. With a backlog of middle-infielder players, including prospects <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/register\/player.fcgi?id=aloy--000weh&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-20_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wehiwa Aloy<\/a> and <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/register\/player.fcgi?id=yeaman000col&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-20_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Colin Yeaman<\/a>, he might be a trade piece in the future.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Andri Hidalgo, Left-Handed Pitcher, Dominican Republic<\/h3>\n<p>One of the major concerns the Orioles have in their entire system is a lack of pitching, with <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=mejia-000est,mejia-001est&amp;search=Esteban+Mejia&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-20_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Esteban Mejia<\/a> being their highest-rated pitcher. The team went for Andri Hidalgo with a $625,000 signing bonus, after rising to the number 80 spot on Baseball America&#8217;s top 100 international prospects. It&#8217;s a smart move for a team searching for young, dependable pitching.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">From <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BaseballAmerica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@BaseballAmerica<\/a>: LHP Andry Hidalgo is a top pitcher in the 2025-26 International class with great stuff and a lot of potential.<\/p>\n<p>The young southpaw is expected to sign with the <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Orioles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Orioles<\/a> today \ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf4 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1evmBpvW0D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/1evmBpvW0D<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fHiYwWOR60\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/fHiYwWOR60<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Charm City Connection (@88OriolesFan88) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/88OriolesFan88\/status\/2011794981074227321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo holds a three-pitch arsenal that includes a plus-graded fastball and slider combination. He has an emerging changeup and holds average control, which is a major positive for any 16-year-old. MLB&#8217;s report puts his fastball in the low 90s, topping out at 95 mph, along with a unique delivery due to his long limbs.<\/p>\n<p>The unique thing about the six-foot-four unit on the mound is that he has &#8220;<span>been a full-time pitcher for the past 3-4 years,&#8221; per MLB Pipeline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Again, he still has a lot of time to develop into a big-league starter and won&#8217;t see much action until he is 18. Still, even if he doesn&#8217;t emerge as a true starter, he could be a closer with his fastball-breaking combination. He could be the most valuable free agent the Orioles pull out this cycle.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Ariel Roque, Outfielder, Dominican Republic<\/h3>\n<p>The Orioles didn&#8217;t stop their big-time spending at Acevedo. They also went out and got outfielder Ariel Roque for a $1.7 million signing bonus. Baltimore spent $4 million between Acevedo and Roque alone, nearly half of their entire free agency pool money.<\/p>\n<p>With outfield being one of their big, long-term concerns for 2026 and beyond, the team seeks a permanent answer despite the emergence of <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/cowseco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-20_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Colton Cowser<\/a> and <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/beavedy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-01-20_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dylan Beavers<\/a>. The 17-year-old Roque, ranked at 18 on the MLB Pipeline&#8217;s big board, is also a top graduate from former player Yordany Ramirez&#8217;s academy.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that Roque is <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/milb\/prospects\/2026\/international\/ariel-roque-836596\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">billed<\/a> as an all-around athletic player with the tools to succeed. Scouts also note his hitting ability, including his leg kick that he uses for his power development.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<span>He keeps his hands fairly high but utilizes his oodles of bat speed to consistently get to all types of pitches, often spraying line drives from gap to gap,&#8221; MLB&#8217;s report states.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fangraphs also lists his athleticism as a plus, suggesting he could be a suitable defensive weapon in the future.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Baltimore Orioles signed several international free agents to their farm system as they seek to replenish their minor league depth. They have signed 10 international free agents, one of the lowest nets per team so far. Despite the low number, the quality of the prospects is what Baltimore is scouting in their decision-making process. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5304,"featured_media":54444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,926,1071,35],"tags":[28657,29126],"class_list":["post-112540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-orioles","category-milb","category-mlb","category-news","tag-colton-cowser","tag-dylan-beavers"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5304"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112540"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112589,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112540\/revisions\/112589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}