Top 50 International Bonus Board

With the Jan. 15 opening date for the 2026 international signing period fast approaching, Baseball America presents an update to our international bonus board that expands the list to 50 players.

For 2026, there are around 16 players who should sign for $2 million or above. As always, keep in mind that our bonus board is not a prospect ranking, but rather, an exercise that lines up players in order of their expected signing bonus.

The latest board is topped by Luis Hernandez, a 17-year-old shortstop from Venezuela who is slated to sign with the Giants. With a well-rounded skill set and mature offensive approach, Hernandez projects to grow into a 20-home run threat as a professional.

Stay tuned for more international signing day coverage coming next week, including more ranking updates and IFA class reports for all 30 teams.

SCOUTING THE THE NPB TRIO

Scouting Reports For Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami & Kazuma Okamoto

With Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto having agreed to a deal with the Blue Jays over the weekend, the NPB free agent “big three” from this offseason all officially have MLB homes.

As we wait to see what Okamoto, Tatsuya Imai (Astros) and Munetaka Murakami (White Sox) will bring in their stateside debuts, Geoff Pontes has in-depth 2026 scouting reports and tool grades to get fans prepared.

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2026 PROSPECT HANDBOOK

2026 Prospect Handbook Digital Copies Available Now

Thanks so much to everyone who has already purchased their 2026 Prospect Handbook. While physical copies of the new edition won’t ship until March, if your preorder your copy now, you will receive a digital PDF copy via email so you can get an early start on your new year’s reading. Contents include:

• Top 30 prospect lists for every team

• Brand new scouting reports on 900+ players

• Org talent rankings & lots more

WHEN DOES COLLEGE BASEBALL START?

Key College Dates To Know For Every Level

With the calendar turned to a new year and college baseball’s preseason runway officially extended by the NCAA, the 2026 season is coming into focus.

Division I players are set to return to campus for preseason practices, which now begin 35 days before the start of competition in what is a significant expansion from the previous 21-day window. Preseason Division I rankings will soon follow, with non-Division I opening days arriving shortly thereafter.

As the sport moves toward first pitch, BA college writer Jacob Rudner takes a closer look at key dates across Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and the NJCAA, along with one defining note for each level.

TRENDING NOW AT BASEBALL AMERICA

👀 ICYMI: Jacob Rudner wrote about college coaches with a lot on the line in 2026.

🃏The Bowman’s Best preorder originally set for Monday has been delayed.

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FROM OUR FRIENDS AT FOUL TERRITORY

Todd Frazier, Erik Kratz and Scott Braun break down why the MLB free agent market is still waiting on its first major domino, with big names like Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette still in play. 

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