Joniel Hernandez
The San Diego Padres have a long history of signing top international prospects. Catcher Ethan Salas signed through 2023, and shortstop Leo De Vries signed through 2024. Senior shortstop Adrian Morejon was a 2016 signee, part of the Padres’ largest and most expensive rookie class.
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The 2026 registration window opened Jan. 15 and closes on Dec. 15. The Padres have $5.94 million available to them to sign players. The total amount spent so far is not yet publicly known but their two biggest bonuses, $1.4 million to Cuban Joniel Hernandez and $1 million to Mexican LHP Diego Serna, were a good start.
Both players are ranked in the top 100, according to Baseball America, and are joined by Curacao shortstop Timothy Mogen, who signed for $600,00. All three had previous deals with the organization and the announcements came after the official window opened.
#31 Hernandez, 16, is a combination arm and sprinter. He has good bat speed and can have above average power. If he doesn’t stick at shortstop, he has the skills to re-profile in center field.
#45 Serna, 16, could be the best left tackle in the class. He has a starting profile and is already 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. He throws a mid-90s fastball, a plus-slider and an improved changeup thanks to his extensive experience in Mexico.
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#76 Mogen, 17, is a shortstop from Aruba with plus-speed and a compact arm and could develop power as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame. He has good communication skills and a high baseball IQ.
Other players signed in the first 24 hours include:
RHP Joel Duarte, 17, ($150,000) of Venezuela has been practicing as a shortstop but was converted to throwing recently with a plus-arm. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he started with a fastball in the mid-90s and has reached 98 mph.
Catcher Jhoneiker Leon is a Venezuelan with a strong arm and added power as a hitter.
RHP Jordan Perez ($300,000) is a Cuban with the tools to start. He is currently showing a low-90s fastball and a good curveball.
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LHP Joel Gonzalez is out of Panama and Osmy Osorio is from Venezuela. There are no current scouting reports for any of these players.
Jeff Sanders of San Diego Union-Tribune report with the above signatories, but not confirmed by the group.
Expect more players to sign in the next year. All international players must be 16 before signing and 17 by September 1 of the following year. All must be registered with MLB before signing. All players signed before the summer will be part of a team that will begin their professional careers as part of the Padres international team that lives and trains at their facility in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Summer League is home to several of the Padres’ top prospects and last year featured the No. 9 prospect David Coronil, an outfielder who spent his rookie season as part of the DSL Padres Gold team, and No. 17 which will be with Jhoan De La Cruz. Cruz, a shortstop and second baseman, spent his rookie season playing alongside Coronil in the Gold infield.
Some DSL players play more than just their rookie season in the Dominican, but the most developed players transfer stateside to begin their US careers with Lake Elsinore.
