The Cincinnati Reds just made a major splash in the international signing period, landing one of the most coveted young prospects on the market. With a $3 million signing bonus, they’ve secured 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Angel Nunez, Jr.-a name Reds fans might want to remember.
Nunez isn’t just another teenage signee with raw tools and upside. He’s the real deal. Ranked No. 6 in this year’s international free agent class by MLB Pipeline, Nunez has already turned heads with his speed, glove, and advanced approach at the plate-traits that are rare to see all in one package at this age.
He’s no stranger to the spotlight, either. Nunez was a standout for the Dominican Republic’s U15 World Cup team, and scouts rave about his quick bat and mature eye at the plate.
That kind of plate discipline, especially in a 16-year-old, is what separates top-tier prospects from the rest. Add in his athleticism and natural instincts in center field, and it’s easy to see why the Reds were willing to commit such a significant chunk of their bonus pool to bring him aboard.
Speaking of the bonus pool, Cincinnati came into this international signing period with $7.36 million to spend-one of the largest pools in MLB-and they’ve wasted no time putting it to work.
Alongside Nunez, the Reds also locked up Venezuelan catcher Diego Pacheco for $800,000 and shortstop Carlos Hernandez for $1 million. Pacheco came in at No. 50 on MLB Pipeline’s rankings, while Hernandez was slotted at No. 51 by Baseball America.
Both bring intriguing skill sets to the table. Pacheco projects as a strong defensive catcher with a developing bat, while Hernandez is a smooth-fielding shortstop with the kind of arm and range that could keep him at the position for the long haul.
But the Reds didn’t stop there. They’ve been aggressive across the board, adding a deep and diverse group of international talent:
- Eliezer Arias, SS, Dominican Republic
- Daniel Burgos, RHP, Venezuela
- Jose Colina, OF, Venezuela
- Alexander Cuello, INF, Dominican Republic
- Luis Delgado, RHP, Dominican Republic
- Ronny Felix, OF, Dominican Republic
- Carlos Goncalves, C, Venezuela
- Eider Gutierrez, OF, Venezuela
- Gilventon Josephina, OF, Curaçao
- Nishentel Meyers, INF, Aruba
- Xander Nolasco, C, Dominican Republic
- Juandy Romero, SS, Dominican Republic
- Jose Saldaña, RHP, Panama
It's a broad haul, touching nearly every position on the field and pulling from several baseball-rich regions. This kind of depth matters. Not every international signing becomes a star, but the more quality talent you bring into the system, the better your odds of developing impact players down the line.
For the Reds, this international class could be a foundational piece of their future. Nunez is the headliner, but the supporting cast is full of intriguing upside. And with the organization continuing to invest in player development, especially on the international side, Cincinnati is positioning itself to be a serious player in the years to come.
This is how you build a pipeline-one signing period at a time.