The Braves are making a splash in the international market. According to MLB pipeline, the club has agreed to a $5 million deal with 17-year-old Venezuelan shortstop Jose Perdomo, who is one of the top international prospects.

The Braves have agreed to a $5 million deal with 17-year-old Venezuelan shortstop Jose Perdomo, No. 3 on our Top 50 International Prospects list.

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— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 15, 2024

Over a year ago, the Braves were considered favorites to sign Perdomo. Now, it’s official.

The fact that he’s from Venezuela cannot be overlooked. This is pure speculation, but Ronald Acuna Jr. being the reigning MVP winner and basically King in his home country has to have an impact on these international prospects.

According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Perdomo clocks in at #1 on Baseball America’s list of international prospects that will sign for the largest bonus.

1. Jose Perdomo, SS, Venezuela

Born: Sept. 20, 2006. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 170.

Team: Braves

Early in the scouting process for this international signing class, Perdomo established himself as one of the premier players available, with a big showcase in Florida focused on him and 2023 catcher Ethan Salas that generated major buzz for both players. Salas was the top player in his class when he signed with the Padres for $5.6 million, with Perdomo in line to sign for similar money. Perdomo’s bat has been his calling card, with a skill set that draws comparisons to Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres. He’s an aggressive hitter who has performed well in games with a simple, direct swing and good hand-eye coordination, enabling him to barrel both fastballs and breaking stuff. Perdomo doesn’t have the physical upside of some of the other prominent players in the class, but as he’s gotten stronger, he has gotten more explosive, giving him more power to go with his hitting ability. While a lot of scouts who saw Perdomo early thought he was ticketed for third base or possibly second base, the improvements he has made defensively give him a greater chance to continue at shortstop. He’s a plus runner with good actions and a strong arm.

Obviously, he’s just 17 years old, so it’s hard to say what he’s going to be when he reaches the major league level or even reaches the bigs at all. It’s just nice to see the Braves being active in the international markets again because they haven’t been able to in recent years.

For some time, the Braves have been under international restrictions, due to the 2017 investigation into former general manager John Coppolella, who resigned and was eventually banned from baseball. Since, Coppolella has been reinstated, and the Braves are coming out the other end of the unprecendeted restrictions.

We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, and Jose Perdomo might just be that bright light. Though the Braves farm system isn’t ranked very highly among prospect rankings, it consistently produces elite talent. Perdomo might just be the next star.

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