While the New York Mets won’t be signing Japanese ace Roki Sasaki, this week they use all of the money that might have gone to him on the player baseball scouts believe is the second-best international prospect right now.
This has been a productive offseason for the Mets. After making a shocking run to the NLCS in October, the goal this Fall/Winter was to improve the roster to reach the World Series in 2025. So far, at the very least they are just as good as they were last year after filling their holes in the starting rotation and inking Juan Soto to a record-shattering deal in free agency.
However, New York is far from done and the club was among 20 teams that were looking to make a move that would improve them in the short and long term. And that was by signing Japanese star Roki Sasaki. The pitcher is only 23 and has the potential to become an ace in MLB. Furthermore, since he hit free agency before age 26, he is limited to getting the money each team has available in the international player bonus pool.
Unfortunately, this week brought the news that Sasaki will not be signing with the Mets. While it was disappointing news for the organization, reports suggested they expected to divert much of their bonus money to one of the best prospects on the planet, Elian Pena.
Well, on Wednesday it was announced that the Dominican teenager has indeed signed with the team. But who is the player many believe is the best foreign prospect behind Sasaki?
Could Elian Pena have superstar potential for New York Mets?
Of the $6.2 million the New York Mets had available in this year’s bonus poo, The Athletic reports the team gave Pena 80% of it. It is proof of the hype behind the 17-year-old and why the organization believes he has the potential to be a cornerstone of the big league roster in a few years.
“At a younger age, Peña drew comparisons to Boston Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers, also from the Dominican Republic. Scouts still see the connection because of power, contact, and plate discipline,” The Athletic Mets insider Will Sammon wrote. “Peña, a left-handed batter listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, primarily plays shortstop.
“But scouts see him likely moving off the premiere defensive position in the future with second base or third base likely alternatives. Such a change shouldn’t diminish his value too much, scouts said, because he’s just that good of a hitter.
MLB rumors suggested a year ago the Mets were working already hard at signing the player once called “the best 12-year-old on the planet.” The report reveals that some scouts see similarities to former New York Yankees star Robinson Cano in Pena. And that he has garnered a great deal of interest in baseball due to his power, speed, and most importantly, “passion, and [he] demonstrates a willingness to improve.”
If Elian Pena moves through the system quickly he could be on track for an MLB debut in 2029 or 2030.
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