In baseball terms, $4-million is not a lot of money. For a young kid from Venezuela who has worked hard to become one of the best prospects in international baseball ranks, it’s not just a lot of money, it’s confirmation that his work was not in vain. Francisco Renteria, 17, from Maracaibo, Venezuela officially signed with the Phillies on Thursday, the beginning of the international signing period. It matches the largest signing bonus every given out by the Phillies and is a departure from recent seasons when they tended to go for more of a quantity over quality approach and spread their allotted bonus money over a number of players rather than put a large lump sum into one player.

Renteria has not only been on the Phillies radar, but a number of other teams were pursuing him prior to him deciding that he would sign with Philadelphia once the signing period opened. Baseball America had Renteria, a center fielder, ranked as the number-two player available in the international ranks. Scouts, including Elvis Garcia, a Venezuela area scout for the Phillies have been chasing Renteria around since he played in youth baseball, international tournaments, and showcases and have been impressed with his development, attitude, and work ethic.

“From very early on, you could see he was someone that, like running, you’ll see him once, and then a month later, he was already faster and stronger,” Garcia said through an interpreter. “The bat for him will always speak for itself. He’s always had the hitting ability. But those tools, the running tools, really stand out. It progressed quickly.”

Garcia noted that the 6′ 3″ Renteria has shown the ability to make adjustments during a game to improve his skill set against particular types of pitcher or in different situations. Renteria has shown the ability to make contact and has good power. He also shows a lot of athleticism and is very mature for his young age. “He’s a competitive beast,” said Garcia.

While it’s difficult–and in many ways, unfair–to compare a 17-year-old player to more established players, scouts have compared him to Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin who is one of the best prospects in baseball at 19. Others go further and compare him to Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez.

The Phillies were also impressed with a few intangible items from Renteria’s personal life. He decided at a young age to learn English and has become relatively fluent and can hold conversations–especially about baseball–in English. Secondly, Renteria graduated from high school with honors as one of the top students in his class. And third, Renteria has shown the natural ability to be a leader who has drawn respects from teammates, coaches, and teachers alike.

“God really gave this kid so many blessings — on the field, off the field,” said Garcia. “Super smart kid, great family, great support system, his English, super athlete, can run, can hit, can catch. So, yeah. He’s blessed by God.”

Please scroll down to comment on this story or to give it a rating. We appreciate your feedback!

PBN Logo

Disclaimer: Some of the products featured or linked on this website may generate income for Philly Baseball News through affiliate commissions, sponsorships, or direct sales. We only promote items we believe in, but please assume that PBN may earn a cut from qualifying purchases that you make using a link on this site.

Privacy Policy | Contact us

© 2025 LV Sports Media. All rights reserved.