A handful of years ago, people who saw him in play in the Dominican Republic nicknamed him “the best 12-year-old on the planet.” By the time he outgrew that moniker, international baseball scouts and executives shortened references to a first-name basis: Elian. Those immersed in that corner of the sport understood the subject of conversation was Elian Peña.
Perhaps all clubs truly desire impact with their additions. But former New York Mets officials surmised Steve Cohen wanted high-end talent way more than others back in 2021, his first full year as majority owner. The edict, as former employees recall, suggested landing such players.
Different forms of player acquisition present varying ways to achieve that goal. At the major-league level, for example, the Mets started spending more money in free agency. For the lower levels, the amateur draft doesn’t always yield splashiness; where a club ends up picking often influences how good a player they end up getting. The amateur international market works differently. There is no draft.
Instead, clubs receive an allocated amount of international bonus pool money, with a range of a few million dollars, each year. Teams can spend most of their bonus pool money for a given year on one player — if such a player warrants such an investment.
Evaluators across the league started to think of Peña, now 17, as that kind of player as early as 2021.
The Mets signed Peña on Wednesday to a $5 million bonus, per league sources, because they believed in his high potential for stardom. The dollar figure represents the largest amount the franchise has ever allocated to an international amateur. Venezuelan catcher Yovanny Rodriguez set the previous high a year ago with $2.85 million. Peña’s bonus accounts for about 80 percent of the Mets’ $6.2 million bonus pool.
Welcome to the @mets, Elian Peña! 🇩🇴🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ti0cNt8czo
— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) January 15, 2025
“We’re extremely happy,” Mets vice president and special advisor for player evaluation Tommy Tanous said by phone from the Dominican Republic. “A huge thank-you is deserved to everyone, all the scouting staff that worked on this kid, plus Steve and Alex Cohen for their commitment that allows us to go out and get the best.”
While Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old standout pitcher from Japan, ranks as the best international amateur player, the consensus opinion in the industry puts Peña second or third. Sasaki has yet to choose a team so his bonus remains to be seen. When the international signing period opened on Wednesday, Peña collected the largest sum.
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. 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.
“I compared him to Devers early, and I know some scouts have mentioned that his mannerisms at the plate and swing reminds them of a young Robinson Canó,” one rival evaluator said. “I am probably the low man on his power because I think he hits around 15 to 20 home runs, but the overall hit tool is what separates him from everyone else. Back in 2021, I thought his approach was as advanced as anyone from even the January 2022 signing class — which he could have competed with.”
Reports of an agreement between Peña and the Mets began circulating in mainstream media last year. International prospects can’t officially join MLB organizations until they’re eligible to sign, but agreements are made between teenagers and clubs years in advance. Such deals are technically forbidden. But that is why each year so many 16- and 17-year-old players, many from Latin America, end up signing with teams on the first possible date.
Across the league, teams generally started to dig into players for the 2025 signing class way back in 2021. One longtime scout compared the process on a domestic level to traveling to evaluate a senior in high school and spotting a gifted freshman. At trainer Javier Rodriguez’s academy back then, Peña turned heads in such a way that he immediately appeared different from his peers.
“When I first saw him, I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, that’s the best player in the class at this time.’ There was no doubt in my mind,” said Steve Barningham, who previously worked as the Mets’ international scouting director from 2020-24 after spending the prior 15 years holding various scouting roles. “That was the best player in the class. At the time, there was no one even close.”
Back then, lead decisionmakers and international executives for clubs had no way of knowing Sasaki would become available. But there’s always a chance that someone new emerges. So such a possibility factors into the calculus of how serious to pursue — and continue to pursue — a talented, young international player. Regardless, putting so much into one player can also impact depth. Serious conviction is a must.
“This is the package that we all look for,” Tanous said. “He is someone who controls the strike zone, and when he hits the baseball, he actually does a lot of damage with it. So you have to pitch him carefully. He’s going to have a chance to be a high on-base guy. He’s also going to have a chance to be a power guy. When you have that, it’s rare.”
The Mets’ international scouting department recently experienced significant turnover. Previously, Oliver Dominguez worked as an area scout in the Dominican Republic, Moises de la Mota served as the cross checker (a supervisor role) and Barningham helped lead the operation as international scouting director. All of them poured significant time into Peña.
In one of Peña’s more well-known workouts in scouting circles, he took approximately 50 plate appearances over a three-day span. People familiar with the matter say he never swung at a pitch out of the strike zone. That’s one example of why one scout referred to him as a “one-in-every-five-years type of situation.”
Barningham said, “This guy’s bat-to-ball skills are similar to what you would see in the top five picks in the draft.”
Beyond the big tools, evaluators familiar with Peña appreciate how he plays with passion and demonstrates a willingness to improve.
At another workout Peña attended, the Mets invited another player well-known for speed. Tanous told the player that he’d be the fastest one there, but that Peña would also be present. Turns out, Peña beat that prospect, running the 60 yard dash in 6.51 seconds.
“His times would get better and better and better,” Tanous said. “It was absolutely incredible to see he went from being a slightly above average runner to a well above average runner.
There are similar stories about adding strength and improving defense, particularly with his transfers and carry on throws.
“His work ethic ended up being way better than I would’ve thought,” a rival scout said.
Barningham said, “You’re talking about a special dude, and the adjustments he could make in short time periods is incredible. It’s like showing your five-year-old how to read and then have them come back with a 200-page book finished. It’s unbelievable.”
Another thing evaluators, including Tanous, like about Peña is his confidence. That’s something that could come in handy as Peña navigates the high expectations that come with such a lucrative bonus at a young age.
“If he debuts at 20 or something,” an international director from another team said, ”I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Peña headlines the Mets’ 2025 signing class, but the 15-player group also features a few other notable names. Roni Garcia, a middle infielder from the Dominican Republic who bats from the left side, projects as a top-of-the-order kind of hitter. Giomar Ubiera, another middle infielder from the Dominican Republic, offers power and plus-defense at shortstop. And center fielder Aiberson Blanco from Venezuela projects as a base-stealing threat with exciting upside.
(Top photo of Peña signing: Taylor Maher / Mets)
