Top shortstop prospect Gonzalez highlights Giants’ international class originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The first day of the international signing period always is a life-changing one for teenagers who finally can sign on the dotted line. On Wednesday, a few current big leaguers made sure they were around to help the prospects celebrate.
Shortstop Willy Adames, relief pitcher Camilo Doval and outfielder Jerar Encarnacion visited the Felipe Alou Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic to speak to young Giants prospects and some of the newcomers, and they took photos and signed autographs for the players and their families. Adames agreed to a seven-year deal in December to be the shortstop in San Francisco. If all goes according to plan, he met his successor on Wednesday.
The Giants signed 15 players when the 2025 signing period opened, led by Josuar Gonzalez, a shortstop who was considered by many in the industry to be the best position player available this year and the No. 2 international prospect overall behind only Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki. Gonzalez signed for $3 million, the second-highest bonus the franchise has ever given an international prospect.
Gonzalez should soon be the organization’s No. 2 prospect behind Bryce Eldridge and the Giants are hopeful the two are one day teaming up on the infield dirt and in the heart of the lineup. Shortly after the signing became official, Joe Salermo, the organization’s senior director of international scouting, told NBC Sports Bay Area that Gonzalez’s overall tool set is what sets him apart.
“He has quickness with his hands, the ability to play shortstop with plus skills, a 70 (grade) arm. He’s a plus hitter with sneaky power. He can beat you in many ways, with the glove, the bat, speed — that stands out,” Salermo said. “It’s just the ability to play a premium position. It’s so tough to find those types of guys. We thought he’s kind of like a Francisco Lindor type of guy as a switch-hitter. We’re just excited to have him.”
While Eldridge will start this season in Triple-A, Gonzalez only is 17 and is several years away from even being on the big league radar. He will start his professional career this March when he attends spring training at the academy in Boca Chica and then he will play in the Dominican Summer League.
The Giants will have to be patient, but this still was a monumental day for their farm system. While some have compared Gonzalez to Lindor, others see him as this year’s version of Leodalis De Vries, the top player available in last year’s class. De Vries signed with the San Diego Padres last January and posted a .803 OPS as a 17-year-old in A-ball. He already is up to No. 28 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list.
Salermo first saw Gonzalez at his academy two years ago and then watched him play in a tournament in Medellin, Columbia.
“He really stood out,” he said. “We kept following him until we came to an understanding.”
While international free agents were not eligible to sign until Wednesday, Gonzalez has made no secret of his excitement to join the organization, posting videos and photos in Giants gear to his social media pages in recent months. On Wednesday, he finally was able to sign, along with 14 others.
Here’s the full international signing class for the Giants, led by shortstop Josuar Gonzalez, who many viewed as the best position player available this year: pic.twitter.com/VZ6whL89ng
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) January 15, 2025
Shortstop Yulian Barreto (Venezuela) and center fielder DJean Macares (Aruba) are considered the other two standouts in the class. Barreto, a shortstop with strong contact skills, will play for one of the Giants’ teams in the Dominican Summer League and Gonzalez will be at shortstop for the other one. Salermo said Macares’ skill set reminds him of current Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski.
The Giants made two trades for international pool money on Wednesday and still could add to the class, but the heavy lifting is done. For months, they have waited patiently for the day when Gonzalez finally could sign, and it came with a surprise. Adames, who also is from the Dominican Republic, attended and spent some time with the 17-year-old who will try to follow his path to the big leagues.
“He was great,” Salermo said of Adames. “The kids were really excited to see him and speak to him, and he has such a great personality. It was great to have him here. Camilo came through our system and he told his story about the work that kids have to put in to make it to the big leagues. Encarnacion is a great story — he was in Mexico last year and now is playing in the big leagues. They told their stories and communicated their stories so well.”
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