Yankees Land 2 Top International Free Agents For 2027

The Yankees are already looking ahead to next year's crop of international free agents, and over the weekend they reportedly reached "pre-agreements" with two top names.

Catching prospect Sebastian Perez has agreed to join the Yankees, which he tacitly confirmed with a recent Instagram post that showed him taking batting practice in Yanks gear. X account "YankeesFarm" later reported the pre-agreement, then reporter Francys Romero confirmed it while adding that the deal is for $1.7 million, after he had agreed to join the Pirates for $1.3 million.

The signing period for Perez's class doesn't open until Jan. 15, 2027, making these things essentially handshake agreements. Obviously, the Yankees were able to swoop in and outbid the historically low-spending Pirates for the rights to sign Perez once he's eligible.

A 16-year-old prospect, Perez certainly has a long way to go until he reaches the major leagues. But he's generally considered the best all-around catcher in the class, projected to hit for power at the highest level along with the athleticism to stay at catcher instead of moving off the position. Scouts reportedly told Willber Sanchez that Perez is "the best catcher in the history of the international class."

According to YankeesFarm, they also reached a pre-agreement with outfield prospect Jeremy Rodriguez. Both he and Perez are natives of Venezuela.

It would be for the best to not go overboard with the hype at such a young age. But Perez was obviously a coveted prospect among clubs, and the Yankees were the highest bidder. The Perez deal on its own is a win for new director of international scouting Mario Garza.