It has been a relatively quiet offseason in the Bronx following the Yankees’ disappointing playoff loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Even so, the team managed to retain key position players by bringing back Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger, the latter of whom had drawn interest from both the Blue Jays and the New York Mets.
On the pitching front, New York made one notable free-agent signing and completed a trade, adding Ryan Yarbrough and acquiring starter Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins. They also quietly landed a high-upside arm capable of reaching 102 mph.
Still, if everything breaks right, the addition of Mejias could ultimately overshadow all of those moves.
Yankees Make Historic Commitment to 13-Year-Old Albert Mejias
A new report indicates the Yankees are preparing to make an unprecedented investment in Mejias. MLB analyst Wilbur Sanchez, who specializes in Dominican and international prospects, was first to break the news of the record-setting agreement.
On January 23, 2026, Sanchez reported that Mejias—a Venezuelan prospect from the 2030 class—is set to make history on the international market. At just 13 years old, he has reportedly reached a pre-agreement with the Yankees worth $7 million, including $6.4 million in bonus money and $600,000 earmarked for education.
That level of financial commitment from the most decorated franchise in MLB history speaks volumes about how highly the organization views Mejias’ potential. Sanchez went even further in his praise.
According to him, Mejias is the most talented player ever to emerge from the international market and possesses skills advanced enough to compete at the professional level already—something Sanchez says is unprecedented for someone his age.
Big-Money International Signings Come With Risk
Seven-figure bonuses for international free agents are rare, and history shows that not all of these investments pay off. In some cases, lower-profile signings end up producing greater returns.
The former record-holder for the largest international signing bonus serves as a reminder of that risk.
In 2015, the San Francisco Giants signed shortstop Lucius Fox to a $6 million deal. Injuries derailed his career, and he appeared in just 10 MLB games. Fox spent seven seasons in the minors, playing 581 games before being released by the Chicago White Sox in March 2024. He has not joined another organization since.
Across his minor league career, Fox hit .243 with 23 home runs, 190 RBIs, and 520 hits.
A Success Story From the International Market
While Fox’s career offers a cautionary example, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. represents the other end of the spectrum.
Guerrero Jr., who signed during the same 2015 international free-agent period, received a $3.9 million bonus—the seventh-largest at the time. His career trajectory has been dramatically different.
Coming off a season in which he hit 23 home runs and drove in 84 runs while helping lead his team to a World Series appearance, Guerrero Jr. has established himself as a star. Over seven seasons, he has totaled 183 home runs, 591 RBIs, and 1,077 hits.
Yankees fans are hoping Mejias follows a similar path to Guerrero Jr. rather than Fox—but for now, his future remains a waiting game.
