The DSL White Sox have yet to string wins together, opening the season 5-12, but a handful of international signees have jumped out to hot starts.
In an indication of perhaps a shift in international development, some of the most productive signees this season have been a quartet of hitters from Venezuela and a pitcher from the Dominican Republic.
These five players, all inked this January, are performing down in the Dominican Republic:
Carlos Vielma, INF
The only 16-year-old to take at-bats for the DSL Sox this year certainly looks like he belongs. Carlos Vielma leads the team in both batting average (.420) and on-base percentage (.574).
He’s yet to show significant power, but has four doubles and two triples among his 21 hits. Vielma has also shown tremendous discipline, walking 17 times in 68 trips to the plate while striking out just four times. Overall, he’s done a great job of setting the table, batting third ahead of the team’s two leading sluggers.
The Venezuelan is listed as a shortstop, but has acted more as a Swiss Army Knife. He’s appeared at first base, second base, third base, and as a DH this year. He’s split most of the year between third (60.0 innings) and second (23.0 innings).
Sebastián Romero, OF
Sebastián Romero, the Sox No. 18 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, is starting to garner national attention with his hot start. Romero’s 1.246 OPS leads the team, and he’s accounted for over half of their home runs. It’s no surprise that he’s been batting cleanup for the DSL Sox.
Romero was the second-biggest signing of the class; the Sox inked the Venezuelan to a $1.5 million deal. He appears to be worth the investment so far, racking up six homers and 21 RBI across his first 16 games.
Pipeline says that the left-hander has an advanced approach for a 17-year-old, and projects potential 15-20 home run power for the young outfielder. Pipeline also predicts that Romero’s athleticism and strong arm will allow him to remain in center field long-term. He’s appeared primarily in center this year, but also has some time in right field.
Ronald Cardozo, C
The Sox highest-ranked signee per Pipeline, Venezuelan catcher Fernando Graterol, has been limited to just two games this season. Another catcher signed this offseason, Ronald Cardozo, has stepped up in his place.
Cardozo, signed out of Venezuela, ranks second on the team in slugging percentage (.605), third in batting average (.326), and fourth in on-base percentage (.444). He’s been batting fifth this year, right behind Romero and Vielma.
The 17-year-old earned praise for his strong defensive abilities before the season, and has lived up to those expectations behind the plate. Cardozo has nabbed 5 of 19 potential base stealers this season. He’s also appeared at first base.
Héctor Hernández, OF
With a trio of 1.000+ OPS mashers at the heart of the lineup, it might be easy to overlook leadoff hitter Hector Hernández, whose gaudy numbers look tame compared to Vielma, Romero, and Cardozo.
Hernández, also signed out of Venezuela, brings a .463 on-base to the top of the DSL Sox lineup, often giving the heart of the order an RBI opportunity. He’s also walked five times against eight strikeouts, and owns a .901 OPS.
The lefty has time at all three outfield spots this year, primarily appearing in right (36.0 innings) and center (27.1 innings).
Yordany Marté, RHP
Despite boasting such a strong quartet of hitters, the Sox are off to a paltry 5-12 start. Their 8.80 team ERA is a big reason behind that. Still, Yordany Marté has managed to put together a respectable season to this point after being signed out of the Dominican Republic.
In four starts, the 16-year-old owns a 3.55 ERA over 12.2 innings of work. Marté’s WHIP (1.50) is inflated due to a high number of both hits (12) and walks (7) allowed, but he’s flashed strikeout stuff, punching out 14 this year.
While the DSL Sox might not be picking up wins on the field, adding these five players has been a big win for the organization. Still, all five are just weeks into their professional careers and have a long, long road to reach even affiliated ball.
If all goes well, they could follow a similar track as current prospect Adrian Gil, as an example. Gil lit up the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old in 2023, took a step back in the Arizona Complex League in 2024, but was playing with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers as a 19-year-old in 2025.
For a farm system rapidly thinning due to graduations and now potential trades, the emergence of homegrown international talent would be more than welcome.
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Featured image:Francys Romero/X
