The Phillies handed out a total of 12 six-figure bonuses at the start of the 2025 international signing period, but it’s been the highest bonus outside of that dozen who has made the biggest impression thus far. Araujo received $90,000 to sign out of Venezuela, then had a terrific debut in the Dominican Summer League with a .907 OPS and 21 extra-base hits in 45 games. A right quad issue kept him from catching much in 2026 and ended his United States debut in the Florida Complex League in late June, though he swung the bat well while he was healthy.
A 5-foot-11 right-handed hitter, Araujo is an athletic catcher with a chance to be a solid all-around backstop if it all clicks. He’s an all-fields hitter with a balanced approach right now, one who showed he could get to his raw power in the DSL but didn’t have that translate in the FCL in 2026. In his brief career, he’s shown the ability to limit his swing-and-miss while also being willing to draw a fair share of walks. He’ll slow down over time if he sticks behind the plate, but he runs well, especially for a catcher.
Araujo’s athleticism is an asset at his position, showing solid agility. He also will show off plus arm strength at times and the ability to throw runners out, though after just 28 total games behind the dish over two summers, it’s hard to know just how consistent that will be. He could have the ingredients to develop into a big league regular backstop, with the floor of being a backup.
