How Atlanta got Acuna when everyone else missed

Acuna Jr.'s solo home run The search for the next great international prospect takes scouts to all corners of Latin America -- from the highways in bustling cities like Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to winding dirt roads in small fishing villages like La Sabana, Venezuela.

• Top 30 Int'l ProspectsThe path takes them through places like Mexico, Central America, and backroads across the Caribbean. There, they watch teenage prospects in tryouts, test them in private workouts and, if the scouts are lucky, they get to pit the teens against other top prospects in games.

And while each team has their own method and strategy, scouting 15-year-olds and projecting them as Major Leaguers several…