The Cincinnati Reds have acquired a right-handed outfielder from the Los Angeles Dodgers, though not exactly what fans may have expected. Instead of a major league-ready player, the Reds added 19-year-old minor league prospect Arnaldo Lantigua.
According to Francys Romero, the Reds traded over $1,000,000 in 2025 international bonus pool space to the Dodgers in exchange for Lantigua. Mark Sheldon of Reds.com reported the amount to be $1,500,000.
To provide context, the 2025 international signing period for amateur players began on Wednesday. Teams are assigned bonus pools based on various factors, and they cannot exceed their allotted spending, but they can trade for up to 60% more.
The Dodgers, having recently signed Japanese star Roki Sasaki, are looking to maximize their bonus pool to fulfill any agreements they made with him.
The Reds had already signed 18 players this week, using a significant portion of their pool, but still had some remaining funds. They used part of that to acquire Lantigua. Notably, the Reds did not send cash, just the spending allocation of $1.5 million.
Lantigua was signed by the Dodgers in January 2023, shortly after his 17th birthday. While he struggled in his first season, hitting just .222 in 29 games, he showed promise with 18 walks and 26 strikeouts, plus a .475 slugging percentage in a league where the average was .356.
In 2024, as an 18-year-old, Lantigua excelled in the Dominican Summer League, batting .301/.430/.575 with 19 extra-base hits, 33 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 49 games. His 11 home runs were tied for second in the league.
Though Lantigua has never played in the U.S., he represents a high-upside prospect, and his strong 2024 season is encouraging. While it’s important to be cautious with Dominican Summer League stats, players who perform well there generally stand out. Lantigua was already considered a solid prospect, making this deal even more promising for the Reds.
Ultimately, this trade gives the Reds an opportunity to add a potential gem to their farm system without giving up any money, simply by allowing the Dodgers more flexibility to spend. It’s a low-risk move with potentially high reward.
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