White Sox Reach $4M Deal With 14-Year-Old
Chicago has reached a preliminary agreement with Dominican prospect Lansiel Herrera, though international amateur contracts cannot be finalized until three years later under MLB rules.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Baseball
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The Chicago White Sox reached a preliminary agreement on a $4 million contract with 14-year-old Lansiel Herrera, a Dominican-born switch hitter. MLB regulations allow international amateur contracts to be finalized only three years later.
Why it matters
The deal illustrates how MLB teams are pursuing young prospects in Central and South America well before they reach signing age. It also highlights the gap between preliminary agreements and final contracts under current league rules.
Herrera's scouting profile includes a 6.3-second 60-yard dash and a 97 mph throwing velocity, with a .316 batting average and .921 OPS across seven 2026 WBSC Under-15 World Cup games. The final value and signing timeline of the contract remain unresolved, since MLB rules allow international amateur deals to be finalized only three years later.
The players
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago-based Major League Baseball franchise that reached the preliminary agreement with Herrera.
Lansiel Herrera
A 14-year-old Dominican switch hitter and prospect who signed a preliminary $4 million agreement with the White Sox.
The details
Herrera, born in the Dominican Republic, represented his country at the 2026 WBSC Under-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico, where the Dominican Republic finished as runners-up. He hit a two-run timely hit in the sixth inning of a Super Round match against the United States, and the White Sox reached the preliminary agreement before the contract could be formally finalized.
Timeline
October 2026: Herrera played in the 2026 WBSC Under-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico.
November 8, 2026 (Korean time): Yahoo Sports reported the White Sox preliminary agreement.
Three years later: International amateur contracts can be finalized under MLB rules.
Roadmap
The preliminary deal operates within MLB's current international amateur framework, which requires a three-year gap before contracts are finalized. The MLB Commissioner's Office has proposed introducing an international amateur draft that could change how such prospects are acquired.
The preliminary agreement means the White Sox have secured an early option on a highly rated prospect, though the final contract could differ from the current terms. Fantasy and prospect followers should note that Herrera's signing will not be official until MLB's three-year waiting period has passed.
The takeaway
The Herrera agreement shows how early MLB clubs are locking in international talent, even as the league considers reforms like an international draft. Readers tracking prospects should watch for the final contract terms once the waiting period ends.
Further reading
For more on the league's prospect market, see Baseball coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
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