The MLB’s international signing rules put a hard stop on a player who is simply too young to sign a formal contract. Under the league’s 2026 signing guide, an international amateur has to be at least 16 years old to sign, while also needing to turn 17 before Sept. 1 of the following year. In other words, talent alone wasn’t enough; the calendar had a say, too.

And age wasn’t the only box that had to be checked. Before becoming eligible to sign, players also had to register with MLB. On paper, the rules left little room to maneuver. But baseball has never been short on creative routes around a roadblock, and there are ways to get around the restrictions. That’s what happened between the league and 12-year-old Kevin Sosa.

As per reports, the Detroit Tigers reached a pre-agreement with Sosa with a $4.0 million signing bonus. But how did they do this when Sosa is just 12?

Well, since he doesn’t meet the age criteria, the Tigers have only established an informal deal for now. It is not an official deal.

Now, the team has kept the lad’s exact date of birth under wraps, leaving some details about his age unclear. However, reports have placed him in the 2031 international signing class.

Sosa’s hitting ability is evidence of unusually advanced development, and that’s why the Tigers are making such a huge gamble. But let’s make one thing clear: Detroit hasn’t paid the kid anything yet. He will have to wait approximately four years.

Sure, the Tigers are investing in what he could become in the future, but there is a huge risk as well. For example, if the player suffers an injury, things could go downhill very quickly.

There is no guarantee that a young player’s physical development will follow a predictable path. Between the ages of 12 and 16, significant changes can occur, and skills that appear exceptional at the middle-school level may not translate as the player matures. That uncertainty is one reason MLB has considered reforms to the international signing system, which has faced concerns over practices such as age manipulation, predatory loans, and teams backing out of informal agreements.

Additionally, this isn’t the first time the Tigers have taken an aggressive approach to the international market, particularly when it comes to identifying young talent early. In January 2025, Detroit signed Dominican outfielder Cris Rodriguez to a franchise-record $3.2 million bonus. The organization has also pursued highly regarded infield prospects for years, dating back to a reported $1 million deal with Venezuelan shortstop Alvaro Gonzalez in 2017.

Moving on, according to earlier instances, such gambling has turned into legal disputes. Back in 2018, the Los Angeles Angels reached a pre-agreement with Willy Fañas. He was barely 14 years old when they agreed on a $1.8 million signing bonus plus $50,000 in scholarship money. However, in late 2020, just one month before the official signing day, the Angels decided to pull away from the reported agreement. 

He even filed a lawsuit in the Dominican court against the franchise, and young Fañas had to join the New York Mets on a much smaller deal. 

That’s why the pre-agreements with middle schoolers have earned a lot of criticism, and MLB doesn’t acknowledge agreements with teens or preteens.

In fact, during a June meeting with the MLBPA, MLB presented a proposal that would significantly change how amateur players enter professional baseball. The plan could reshape both the domestic and international pathways, with several major changes on the table:

• High school players would no longer be eligible for the domestic draft immediately after graduation.
• MLB would establish a universal international draft for players from countries outside the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
• Both drafts would be limited to 12 rounds.
• The eligibility age for international players would increase from 16 to 18.

But the reality as of now is that the verbal agreement between the Tigers and Sosa is there. In fact, there are plenty of examples of such agreements from this year alone. 

Detroit Tigers aren’t the only franchise betting on pre-teens

Back in February, the Cincinnati Reds reportedly promised $2.8 million to another 12-year-old. Julio Ramos, a promising outfielder from the Dominican Republic, made headlines with one of the biggest pre-agreements of the year. 

Sosa secured a larger promise in terms of money, but he isn’t the youngest one to reach such an agreement. 

Just a few days before the Reds promised a future to Ramos, the Philadelphia Phillies turned heads with a similar contract. The National League team reached an agreement with an 11-year-old. David Basabe is a 6th grader who received a verbal promise of $1.8 million from the Phillies. 

But none of these pre-agreements come close to the New York Yankees. They offered a whopping $7 million to Albert Mejías in January. The 13-year-old nabbed the most expensive promise this year from the most successful club in MLB history. 

These players will be in the 2030 or 2031 international class. That’s still 4 to 5 years from now, and a lot can happen during this time. So, let’s just hope that Sosa or any other young players don’t have to go through any challenges whatsoever.