The Mets have been linked to and are expected to sign shortstop Elian Peña of the Dominican Republic to a massive deal in terms of international free agents, even though the international signing period is still months away, officially starting on January 15, 2025. Peña’s 16-year-old contract would be the largest bonus the Mets have ever issued to an international free agent, and it will also likely be the biggest contract in the 2025 class. What has New York been so enamoured with Peña that it is willing to spend nearly all of the roughly $6.2 million in its bonus?
Peña’s offensive potential is primarily what has New York so enamoured with him and willing to spend almost all of the approximately $6.2 million in its bonus pool. Scouts describe left-handed batter Peña as having “a line-drive bat” and that he is a fantastic hitter with a “thick frame,” according to the New York Post.
Badler writes, “Peña is a polished left-handed hitter and one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the class. It’s a sweet lefty swing that’s compact and stays through the hitting zone a long time, with Peña showing the ability to manipulate the barrel to consistently square up pitches for hard contact throughout the strike zone.”
Some scouts believe the offensive-minded infielder, currently listed at 6-foot-2 and 155 pounds, will be best suited for third base. Peña even drew comparisons to Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox by one scout, per the New York Post. However, other evaluators think he has a chance to stick at shortstop.
Regardless of where he plays, Peña’s bat will be valuable to a team. But it’s not just his swing and body type that has people gushing over the Dominican.
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