{"id":2237054,"date":"2026-01-16T04:03:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T04:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2237054"},"modified":"2026-01-16T04:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T04:03:10","slug":"meet-the-kc-royals-international-signees-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/meet-the-kc-royals-international-signees-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the KC Royals\u2019 international signees for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Kansas City Royals welcomed 19 new players<\/a> during the 2026 international signing period on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n

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The club agreed to terms with eight pitchers, four infielders, four outfielders and three catchers during the international cycle. The club had $8,034,900 in international bonus pool money to spend.<\/p>\n

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Venezuelan outfielder Angeibel Gomez headlines the group. The 17-year-old prospect signed for $2,900,000, per MLB.com. He has a smooth right-handed swing that projects to develop in coming years.<\/p>\n

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For some scouts, Angeibel Gomez is the top prospect from Venezuela in the 2026 international class \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

He’s one of the best defensive center fielders in the class and could end up being a 25+ home run threat.<\/p>\n

Gomez is expected to sign with the Kansas City Royals \ud83d\udcb0<\/p>\n

2026 bonus\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/08LbtWAqox<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) January 9, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n

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Gomez was MVP of the Amateur Scouting League in 2024. He batted .370 with a 1.216 OPS in eight games. There is a chance he\u2019ll stick in center field due to his elite athleticism.<\/p>\n

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The Royals have found success in Venezuela before. Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez were international free-agent signees. Perez is a franchise legend and Garcia just signed a contract extension<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s possible Gomez can follow in their footsteps. He ranks No. 4 among top international prospects, per MLB Pipeline.<\/p>\n

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The Royals also added top-30 international prospect Jaider Suarez on Thursday. The Cuban shortstop ranked No. 22 overall and signed for $1,700,000. The 17-year-old projects as a contact hitter with good plate discipline.<\/p>\n

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Suarez posted a .355 batting average in Cuba\u2019s 15U National League. Defensively, scouts note his strong arm and elite speed on the basepaths.<\/p>\n

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The Royals\u2019 international haul also includes some high-upside pitchers. Left-handed pitchers Diony Brujan and Janiel Hernandez hail from the Dominican Republic, while Venezuelan catcher Adrian Lunar is ranked among the top players at his position during the 2026 international period.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe 2026 international signing class features 19 incredible athletes that we are so excited to welcome to the Royals family,\u201d Royals executive Rene Francisco said in a news release. \u201cThis group highlights the tremendous work done by the entire international scouting department, and we cannot wait to see these young men grow into professionals as they chase their dreams of playing for the Royals.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Here is a look at the Royals\u2019 newest international signees:<\/p>\n

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Kansas City Royals\u2019 2026 international signees<\/h2>\n

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Pitchers<\/h3>\n

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RHP Alejandro Beltran | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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RHP Frankeury Marte | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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RHP Delvin Medina | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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RHP Ernesto Mejia | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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RHP Garvell Pinales | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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LHP Diony Brujan | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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LHP Janiel Hernandez | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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LHP Luis Mateo Garces | Colombia<\/p>\n

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Catchers<\/h3>\n

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Alberto Aguilar | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Marcos Hernandez | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Adrian Lunar | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Infielders<\/h3>\n

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Leandro Briceno | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Maicoll Rondon | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Jaider Suarez | Cuba<\/p>\n

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Renso Tenas | Panama<\/p>\n

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Outfielders<\/h3>\n

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Max De La Cruz | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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Angeibel Gomez | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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Daury Martinez | Dominican Republic<\/p>\n

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Tomas Rivas | Venezuela<\/p>\n

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This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 1:41 PM.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Related Stories from Kansas City Star<\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jaylon Thompson<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Kansas City Star<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jaylon Thompson covers the Royals for The Kansas City Star. He previously covered the 2021 World Series and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n