Spanish
Santo Domingo. The Gigantes del Cibao bet on youth and internationally projected talent by choosing prospect Emil Nicolás Morales, a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as their first pick of the first round of the LIDOM 2025 Rookie Draft.
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Morales, born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, but of Dominican descent, trained in baseball academies in the Dominican Republic, establishing himself as one of the most promising talents of the international generation of 2024. He signed with the Dodgers for 1.8 million dollars, and has since been considered one of the main prospects in the organization's system. Currently ranked at #7 among Dodgers prospects according to MLB Pipeline, and has been evaluated with an offensive power of 60, a rating that places him alongside the franchise's top prospects. With an imposing physique and comparisons to players of the stature of Carlos Correa, Manny Machado, and Oneil Cruz in early stages, Emil Morales combines plate discipline, natural power, and uncommon maturity for his age. His future projection points to becoming an impact starting player in Major League Baseball, with the possibility of reaching Double-A in 2026 and Triple-A in 2027. The selection of Morales reinforces the vision of the "Gigantes del Cibao" to continue betting on young players with star potential, with a view to strengthening their roster for the 2025-2026 Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) Tournament, which starts on October 15 and will be played for the Banreservas Cup.Emil Morales' Data
- Age: 18 years old
- MLB Organization: Los Angeles Dodgers
- Projected Position: Shortstop / Infielder
- MLB Pipeline Ranking (2025): #7 in the Dodgers system
- Signed for: US$1,897,500
- Awards: MVP and best prospect in the Dominican Summer League
