The Phillies signed prospect Francisco Renteria. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies nabbed 17-year-old Venezuelan prospect Francisco Renteria in this year’s international draft and gave him a $4 million signing bonus.
So what do the Phils have in Renteria? Well, here’s one word to describe his comp: insane.
At least one talent evaluator has compared Renteria to Konnor Griffin. Yes, that Konnor Griffin, the top baseball prospect on planet, who rocketed through the Pirates’ minor league system in 2025 as a mere 19-year-old.
MLB.com’s scouting report says, “Renteria earned comparisons from one evaluator to Konnor Griffin, the Pirates’ 2024 first-round pick who ascended to No. 1 overall prospect status in his first year of pro ball. Others see even more in the tank for Renteria’s right-handed hit tool due to his advanced offensive approach and considerable bat speed. He’s presently a contact monster, which when coupled with his excellent understanding of the strike zone and his plus-plus raw power, leads to him having one of the highest offensive upsides in the 2026 international class. ”
Check out that plus-plus raw power, with Renteria blasting missiles in a home-run derby in Venezuela:
To clarify how lofty the Griffin comp is: In 2025 — his first pro season — Griffin had a .333 batting average, a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 65 stolen bases and 94 RBIs in 122 games across three minor-league levels that ended at Double-A. And the Pirates’ are reportedly considering Griffin as their opening-day shortstop for 2026.
So comparing Renteria to a prospect who’s been called “a taller Bobby Witt Jr.” needs some explaining. Here you go: “Scouts think the outfielder has the actions and all-around athleticism to stick in center field long-term. An above-average runner, Renteria impacts the game on the basepaths and utilizes those wheels and his long strides to run down the ball from gap-to-gap,” the MLB.com report said.
Fangraphs checked in with a scouting report on the Phils’ newest signee, saying in part: “Renteria has arguably the best raw power projection among the 2026 international signees, as his enormous 6-foot-4 frame has a ton of room left for strength and mass.”
From fantasy to reality: The Phillies have whiffed on their top international pick for about forever. More specifically, you have to go back to 2009 when they used their first pick on Maikel Franco, who was the Phillies’ starting third baseman from 2016-2019. Since the Franco pick, the top international selection has yielded the likes of Yemal Flores, Yhoswar Garcia, Starlyn Castill0 and Brayan Gonzalez… uh, who? Right, who.
It should be noted the team traded its 2023 top international draftee — Starlyn Caba — for big-league pitcher Jesus Luzardo, who has shown emerging-ace tendencies. So yes, there is value with these picks to leverage.
It also should be noted that the 4 mill slated for Renteria isn’t the Phillies’ largest bonus given to an international signee. They gave 17-year-old slugger Jhailyn Ortiz a $4.2 million in the 2015 international draft. Ortiz flamed out a few years later and is currently playing pro ball somewhere in Mexico.
So take the Konnor Griffin comp for what it’s worth: practically nothing, but it is fun to dream.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonystitt/2026/01/15/phillies-sign-17-year-old-prospect-with-insane-player-comp/
