The Chicago White Sox used to be one of the best organizations in baseball at signing and developing international players.
Over the years, the Sox have signed players like José Abreu, Alexei Ramírez, Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordóñez, and Luis Robert Jr. and seen them have wildly succesful Major League Baseball careers.
Even Dayán Viciedo had multiple 20+ home run seasons in the big leagues.
The international market was Chicago's bread and butter for a long time. But it's been a while since the White Sox had their last international signing success story.
Yoelqui Céspdes, Norge Vera, and Oscar Colás were all hyped up singings at one point in time. But of those players, only Colás made it to the big leagues, and he only lasted 88 games.
As Chris Getz and the White Sox look to rebuild, they are looking to rebuild every aspect of the organization to find sustained success. International scouting and player development is one of the most important departments to fix.
The White Sox hired David Keller form the New York Mets to run their international scouting department. His first signing period with the team occurred in the offseason, and he's already off to a good start.
Frank Mieses and Yobal Rodriguez named to DSL All-Star Game
Two players from the most recent Chicago White Sox international signing period have been selected to the Dominican Summer League All-Star Game.
Cuban 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Yobal Rodriguez signed for $230,000 in the winter and was quickly named DSL Pitcher of the Month for June. He has appeared in seven professional games and pitched 18.2 scoreless innings.
That's right, Rodriguez has an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.38. He's still just a teenager, and many scouts believe his 94 mph fastball will soon develop into a pitch that touches 98-99 with movement.
Most of the White Sox success with international signings have come with hitters. But Rodriguez is a real name to watch. He won’t turn 18 until February of next year, and he's already one of the most intriguing, high-upside prospects in Chicago's farm system.
Dominican OF Frank Mieses and Cuban RHP Yobal Rodriguez were selected to the Dominican Summer League All-Star Game, which will be held this Sunday.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) July 16, 2025
Both players signed with the White Sox during the current international period: Mieses for $175,000 and Rodriguez for $230,000. pic.twitter.com/MiohFU3qaO
Dominican 17-year-old outfielder Frank Mieses signed with the White Sox for $175,000 and has been a pleasant surprise this summer.
Mieses has been playing centerfield in the DSL. In 26 games, he has recorded 99 plate appearance with a slashline of .329/.444/.494/.938.
Mieses has shown some speed, with five stolen bases and two triples already. He has walked (16) almost as often as he has struck out (20), which is encouraging for such a young hitter. Like Rodriguez, Mieses won't turn 18 until February 2026.
It's hard to fully trust the White Sox to develop players correctly. Until we see them do it, we can't give the organization the benefit of the doubt. That being said, it's hard not to be excited about the early returns from David Keller's new unit.
If the White Sox start finding hidden gems in the international markets again, the organization could have a legitimate path to contention.