Mets sign 17-year-old shortstop Elian Pena, the top international position prospect

The Mets may have lost out on one huge international free agent, but they were able to secure another Wednesday morning – albeit, one that will take a little more time to develop.

A day after news surfaced that the Mets were out of the running for coveted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki – ranked the top available international free agent by Baseball America – they moved on to No. 2, signing 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Elian Pena on the first day of MLB’s international signing period. Pena signed for a $5 million bonus in a deal that was hammered out last year. It’s the top bonus for a Latin American player this year, according to Baseball America.

The move takes up a huge chunk of the team’s international bonus pool money, which was set at $6,261,600.

The left-handed hitting Pena is “one of the most advanced hitters in the 2025 class” and has “one of the best combinations of hitting ability and power,” per Baseball America, which compared him to Rafael Devers.

MLB.com’s prospect rankings note that he’s a potential five-tool player with mature plate discipline. An above-average defender, he could also be a fit at third base, according to Baseball America.