After failing to register with Major League Baseball in 2015 ahead of international free agency, Ezequiel Duran was unable to sign with any major league team after reaching his 16th birthday. As he worked out his paperwork issues, he fell off the radar of teams that had previously been interested in the talented young player. Not until two years later did he sign with the Yankees and begin to emerge as a serious prospect of note.
After signing with the Yankees in 2017, Duran immediately showed his potential by racking up a 222 wRC+ in the Dominican Summer League.