Joniel Hernández
The San Diego Padres have a long history of recruiting top international prospects. Catcher Ethan Salas signed in 2023 and shortstop Leo De Vries signed in 2024. Top reliever Adrian Morejon was a signee in 2016, part of the Padres’ largest and most expensive amateur class.
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The signing window for 2026 opened on January 15 and closes on December 15. The Padres have $5.94 million to sign players. The total amount spent so far is not yet publicly known, but their two biggest bonuses, $1.4 million for Cuban shortstop Joniel Hernandez and $1 million for Mexican LHP Diego Serna, were a good start.
Both players are ranked in the top 100, according to Baseball Americaand were joined by Curacao shortstop Timothy Mogen, who signed for $600.00. All three had prior agreements with the organization and the announcements came shortly after the official window opened.
#31 Hernandez, 16, is a plus runner with a plus arm and athleticism. He has good bat speed and could develop above average power. If he doesn’t stay at shortstop, he has the skills to profile in center field as well.
#45 Serna, 16, might be the best left-handed pitcher in the class. He has a rookie profile and is already 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. He throws a mid-90s fastball, plus-slider and changeup with advanced development from his extensive experience in Mexico.
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No. 76 Mogen, 17, is a shortstop from Aruba with plus speed and a plus arm and could develop some power as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame. He has good contact skills and a high baseball IQ.
Other players signed in the first 24 hours include:
RHP Joel Duarte, 17 ($150,000) of Venezuela was training as a shortstop but recently converted to plus-arm throwing. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, he started with a mid-90s fastball and reached speeds of 98 mph.
Catcher Jhoneiker Leon comes from Venezuela with a strong arm and plus power as a hitter.
RHP Jordan Perez ($300,000) is a Cuban with starting tools. He currently shows a low 90s fastball and a good curveball.
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LHP Joel Gonzalez is out of Panama and shortstop Osmy Osorio is from Venezuela. There are currently no scouting reports for any of these players.
Jeff Sanders of San Diego Union-Tribune also reported the above signings, but they are not confirmed by the team.
Expect more players to sign over the next year. All international players must be 16 years old before signing and be 17 years old by September 1 of the following year. They all must be registered with MLB before signing. All players signed before the summer will be part of a group that will begin their professional careers with the international Padres group that lives and trains at their complex in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Summer League is home to several of the Padres’ top prospects and last year featured No. 9 prospect Deivid Coronil, an infielder who spent his rookie season with the DSL Padres Gold team, and No. 17 prospect Jhoan De La Cruz. Cruz, a shortstop and second baseman, spent his rookie season playing alongside Coronil in the Gold team’s infield.
Some DSL players not only play their first season in the Dominican Republic, but the most advanced players transfer to the United States to begin their American careers in Lake Elsinore.
