Major League Baseball’s offseason activity has frozen with the weather. The quick movement of free agent signings in December has slowed to a near halt in January, leaving fans bored and begging for some kind of news. Well, that news will be coming later this week for all 30 MLB teams. This Thursday, January 15th, marks the beginning of the 2026 international signing period, where amateur international free agents are allowed to sign contracts with MLB teams. Many players already have verbal agreements in place, which can become official this week, and will provide teams with a boost to their farm system. According to FutureSox, the White Sox have agreed to deals with 12 players that will join the organization this offseason.
Perhaps the biggest name on the White Sox radar this season is 17 year-old catcher Fernando Graterol out of Venezuela. Graterol’s hometown of Valencia produced Major League catchers Salvador Perez, Wilson Ramos, and Francisco Cervelli. As far as talent goes, Graterol’s arm behind the plate gets excellent grades and he has big-time raw power. At 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, he’s not the biggest guy in the world, but there’s plenty of time for him to add muscle. The biggest questions surround his ability to get the bat to the ball, but his strike-zone recognition should come along as his defense behind the plate improves. MLB Pipeline ranks Graterol #31 on their list of the top international prospects. He’ll likely begin in the White Sox ACL or DSL leagues this summer.
On the pitching side, the top name to know is Domincan right-hander Roderic Ramirez. Originally agreeing to a deal with the Padres, Ramirez flipped his commitment to the White Sox in October. At 17, his fastball already sits in the upper 90s, so the organization believes he could touch triple digits as he grows and matures. Like most White Sox pitchers, his main secondary offerings include a slider and changeup. His spin rates are excellent and he’s a high-risk high-reward starting pitcher option. Like Graterol, he’ll likely begin the season with the DSL or ACL affiliate.
The #WhiteSox will sign Dominican righty Roderic Ramirez during the upcoming international signing period per @francysromeroFR. Was committed to San Diego and flipped in October. 17-years-old with 2200 RPM and 100 mph upside.
— James Fox (@JamesFox917) January 2, 2026
An important day for the White Sox
The White Sox have a total of $6.6 million to spend on international free agents this offseason, and their known agreements reach a total of $5.8 million currently. It’s possible the team could have more agreements that aren’t reported or use the money to add another player later. They may also trade the money to another team looking for extra cash to make a deal.
While none of the players joining the White Sox later this week are going to make an immediate big league impact, these players have as good a chance as any to be stars at the big league level. Juan Soto, Vlad Guerrero Jr, and Ronald Acuna Jr. are among the game’s biggest stars, and each of them originally came to the big leagues through this international signing process. A good debut season from any of the new prospects could catapult them into the White Sox top 30 prospects and put them on the radar.
International scouting and development is among the areas the White Sox have focused on revamping over the past couple seasons. New White Sox assistant GM Carlos Rodriguez is expected to help develop the team’s new baseball academy in the Dominican Republic, and the White Sox hope his contributions will help them scout and develop international players better. It’s a crucial area for the team, and the White Sox are devoting time and resources into improving it. Between the development of the academy and re-establishing themselves in the Japanese market, the White Sox have made big strides in their approach to the international markets in the past few months.
There’s no guarantee that Graterol, Ramirez, or any other international signing from this class will be a big league contributor, but their path to Chicago will begin later this week.