Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Phillies have signed Nieves Izaguirre, a 17-year-old shortstop from Venezuela, who is ranked as the No. 44 prospect in the 2025 international class according to MLB Pipeline. Izaguirre hails from a family with deep baseball roots, including his cousins Ronald Acuña Jr. and Luisangel Acuña, both well-known to Phillies fans.

Izaguirre's contract is valued at $800,000 out of the club's $6.26 million pool money available for international signings. Despite his relatively small stature at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, scouts have praised his high baseball IQ and ability to maximize his development.

His offensive approach focuses on line drives rather than power hits, and he possesses strong plate discipline and strike zone awareness. His speed is notable; he has recorded 60-yard dash times as fast as 6.5 seconds, making him a potential asset on the basepaths.

Philadelphia previously made headlines in the international market by signing Starlyn Caba with a $3 million bonus two years ago. Caba has since become a Top 100 overall prospect and was recently traded to Miami in exchange for Jesús Luzardo.

With Caba's departure, there is an opportunity for Izaguirre to develop as a shortstop at lower levels while Aidan Miller continues his progress toward joining the major league team.

The current signing period allows international players born between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008, to sign with Major League teams if they meet age requirements.

Other notable signings by the Phillies include Elias Marrero from the Dominican Republic for $700,000; Deivis Velasquez from Venezuela for $620,000; Geremy Villoria from Venezuela for $425,000; Leonardo Carpio from Venezuela for $350,000; and Dayber Cruceta from the Dominican Republic for $300,000.