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Minnesota Twins prospect Kyle DeBarge has earned a spot in the 2026 Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game after putting together an impressive start to his time in the desert. The young infielder has been one of the most productive hitters for the Salt River Rafters, and his performance has earned him a chance to represent the organization in this weekend’s showcase. The Arizona Fall League brings together some of baseball’s most promising minor league talent each fall. Minnesota sent eight players to Arizona this year, with the group competing for the Salt River Rafters. While the Twins did not send a collection of their highest-ranked prospects, DeBarge has given the organization plenty of reason to pay attention. Through his first 17 games, DeBarge has hit .361 with a 1.094 OPS. He has also continued to show the power that emerged during the regular season. After launching 12 home runs with Double-A Wichita, he has added three more in Arizona. He has contributed on the bases as well, stealing seven bags while drawing 13 walks against 16 strikeouts. Finding His Swing in Arizona DeBarge entered the fall looking to build on a challenging season in the Twins organization. Minnesota selected him 33rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, using a compensation pick received after Sonny Gray signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He arrived with a reputation as a shortstop, but his professional development has included time at several positions. The 2026 season was an important one for DeBarge, as he spent the entire year at Double-A Wichita. However, consistent production has been difficult to find throughout his minor league career. Across 267 games in the Twins organization, he owns a .230 batting average and a .690 OPS. His Arizona performance represents a significant departure from those numbers. The Fall League provides prospects with an opportunity to face advanced competition and make adjustments before returning to their organizations. DeBarge has taken advantage of that opportunity. His combination of contact, power, plate discipline, and speed has helped him stand out among the players competing in Arizona. The Fall Stars selection also gives DeBarge another opportunity to show that his recent production is more than a brief hot streak. A strong performance against some of the best prospects in the game could help build momentum heading into the offseason. Versatility Adds to His Value DeBarge was drafted as a shortstop, but the Twins have given him opportunities to play elsewhere on the diamond. Second base has become a regular destination, and he has also seen time at third base. His defensive flexibility has continued this fall with the Rafters. In addition to 11 games in the infield, including seven at second base, three at third base, and one at shortstop, DeBarge has started four games in center field. He also gained outfield experience with High-A Cedar Rapids in 2025, so this is not an entirely new responsibility. At 5-foot-9, DeBarge does not have the imposing frame of some power-hitting prospects. However, his offensive production in Arizona shows how much he can contribute when everything is clicking. The ability to play multiple positions and impact the game with his bat and legs makes him an interesting player to monitor. DeBarge still has work to do before establishing himself as a legitimate big-league option. His minor league track record shows that consistency remains an important part of his development. However, earning a Fall Stars selection is a meaningful accomplishment and gives him another chance to make an impression. The Twins will be watching to see whether he can carry this momentum into the next stage of his career. View the full article

Free agency is officially underway, and before long, the first wave of signings will begin to shape the landscape of the 2027 season. For the Minnesota Twins, there are plenty of questions to answer as they look to improve a roster that finished well short of their goals in 2026. One of those questions is whether the Twins need to find a full-time designated hitter. The Twins have a hole in their lineup following the (presumed) departure of Josh Bell, whose mutual option was declined by Minnesota on Saturday. Bell had a strong season for the Twins in 2026, leading the team with 96 RBIs and establishing himself as one of the team's best clutch hitters. With runners in scoring position, Bell posted a .998 OPS, providing the kind of production that Minnesota desperately needed in the middle of its lineup. Although Bell was originally signed to play first base, he was quickly relieved of his defensive duties and became the Twins' full-time designated hitter for the majority of the season. Bell started 129 games at DH in 2026, marking the first time a Twins player had started more than 100 games at the position since Nelson Cruz in 2019. Over the past seven seasons, Minnesota has generally employed one of two strategies with the designated hitter spot: either signing a full-time DH like Cruz or Bell, or using the position to cycle players through the lineup and give them occasional breaks from the field. The latter strategy was particularly evident in 2023, when the Twins attempted to use the DH spot to keep Byron Buxton healthy. Buxton appeared as the designated hitter in 80 games that season, but the strategy didn't exactly work as planned. He struggled with injuries and played in just 85 games overall. Still, the idea of keeping Buxton's bat in the lineup while limiting his defensive workload remains an appealing option for Minnesota as it looks ahead to 2027. With Bell now a free agent, the Twins have a decision to make. Do they bring Bell back, or find another free agent who can provide the kind of power production that he brought to the lineup? Or do they once again revert to the strategy of using the designated hitter spot to rotate players through the lineup and provide additional flexibility? There are certainly arguments for signing a full-time designated hitter. For a team like the Twins (that is, one that has struggled to find consistent middle-of-the-order bats capable of doing damage), the DH spot represents one of the most affordable ways to add legitimate power to the lineup. Designated hitters posted the second-highest OPS by position in 2026, making it clear that the position can be a valuable source of offensive production. In Bell's case, the Twins were able to add an above-average hitter to their lineup for just $7 million. That's a pretty affordable way to add pop to a team that gave over 1,500 plate appearances to the combination of Royce Lewis, Victor Caratini, Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler. On the other hand, there's certainly an argument for not committing to a full-time designated hitter heading into 2027. The most obvious benefit is the opportunity to keep Buxton fresh. While using him as a DH didn't prevent injuries in 2023, there's still value in limiting the miles on his legs by keeping him out of the field from time to time. Buxton remains one of the best players in baseball when healthy, and finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup without requiring him to play center field every day could be a worthwhile strategy. He might not even be capable of playing center regularly in 2027, and the Twins have to incorporate that possibility into their plans. The other major consideration is the Twins' glut of outfielders. Between Walker Jenkins, Buxton, Luke Keaschall, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Alan Roden, Minnesota has several young players who could benefit from regular opportunities in the lineup. Having the DH spot available to get as many of those players into the lineup as possible would certainly be a benefit. It's not as if the Twins have so many dominant bats that they don't need a designated hitter. Rather, they're in a somewhat unusual position, with several outfielders reaching the age where they need opportunities in the major leagues. For a team trying to manage the development of several young players, having one of those players sitting on the bench or playing in St. Paul simply because there isn't room in the lineup doesn't make much sense from a roster-management standpoint. If the Twins don't trade any of their outfielders, leaving the DH spot open may be the most reasonable way to get them all meaningful playing time. Neither approach is unequivocally wrong, and the decision may come down to what the Twins believe their roster needs most. If they can find an affordable power bat who can provide the kind of production Bell brought to the lineup, there is a strong argument for making that investment. But if the team believes its young outfielders are ready to contribute and wants to maximize its flexibility, leaving the DH spot open could be the better option. What do you think? Should the Twins look to sign Josh Bell or another full-time designated hitter for the 2027 season, or should they leave the spot open and use it to cycle players through the lineup? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View the full article

With free agency officially having opened Monday, there are a few names San Diego Padres fans might be unfamiliar with that could be tied to the team over the next few weeks. They are the international free agents. This year, there are four primary candidates, with one clear-cut leader among that group. None of them scream out as a must-have for the Padres, but at least three of the four would be good additions. All will have to sign before the lockout begins or return to their previous teams. Here is how I would rank these players from a Padres perspective. 1. Teruaki Sato, 3B The left-handed slugger for the Hanshin Tigers won the Triple Crown in Japan’s Central League this year with a slash line of .306/.383/.609, 39 homers and 106 RBIs. That was coming off a 2025 season in which he was named MVP—he is likely to be the 2026 MVP, too—in which he put up a .277/.345/.579 slash line, 40 homers and 102 RBIs. His previous homer high was 25 in 2023, but he has driven in at least 84 in three seasons. Sato, who will turn 28 in March, doesn’t quite have the power of Munetaka Murakami, who hit 35 homers with a .207/.347/.478 as a Chicago White Sox rookie this year. However, Sato is better at swinging at pitches in the zone, although he does chase quite a bit, which led to a 26.7% strikeout rate in 2026. Some of his swing-and-miss has been attributed to trying to do damage on every pitch, so perhaps an MLB hitting coach could convince Sato, who has terrific bat speed, to not swing as hard nor chase as much. He did finish fourth in NPB in walks this year. Third base is occupied for the Padres by superstar Manny Machado, but Sato has questions defensively at the hot corner. He is a candidate to be moved to a corner outfield spot (or even first base) and the Padres could use a big bat in left, a spot right now occupied by the platoon of Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor. Most contract projections are five years with an average annual value between $16 million and $25 million. Depending on how teams rank players, Sato is either the top position player available or in the top three, so the competition will be stiff and could push his contract beyond even that range. 2. Kaima Taira, RHP The right-hander, who turns 27 this month, is the better of the two pitchers on this list, but also has a wider range of outcomes. At 5-foot-8 and 209 pounds, Taira is built more like a small tank. As MLB Trade Rumors equated, he looks more like a mound version of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk. Taira has typical MLB velocity (95-97 mph on his four-seamer, 92-94 mph on his cutter) and is armed with a good splitter, slider, changeup and a rather average curveball. His height, which gets Marcus Stroman comps, helps him create different angles while also having better-than-expected extension, helping his effectiveness. He flourished this year in Japan’s Pacific League with the Seibu Lions. Taira went 12-5 with a 1.35 ERA in 146 innings and 23 games. His ERA was by far the lowest among pitchers with 100 innings by nearly three-quarters of a run. He walked 45 and struck out 141, the fifth-most in the Central League. Walks do seem to be a bit of an issue, and Taira had a forearm injury in 2024 that limited him to 52⅔ innings and forced him to come back as a reliever in 2025, tossing the same number of innings. With all of that in mind, some teams may prefer Taira as a dominant reliever instead of a starter, despite a good workload this year. His contract projections settle around four years with an $18 million AAV, perhaps including opt-outs. 3. Hiromi Itoh, RHP The right-hander from the Nippon Ham Fighters is the safer bet of the two pitchers here. He is slightly older, having turned 29 in August, but he doesn’t have the same premium velocity, sitting in the low-90s. Where he excels is in locating his pitches. Height is also an issue here as Itoh is 5-foot-9, but he is durable, having thrown 170 innings each of the last three years. His arsenal, with a large number of pitches, isn’t dynamic and he profiles as a back-end-of-the-rotation guy in MLB. Itoh won the Sawamura Award, Nippon Professional Baseball’s version of the Cy Young Award, in 2025 as he went 14-8 with a 2.52 ERA in 24 games and a career-best 196⅔ innings. He struck out 195 and walked 29. This year, Itoh followed up his banner 2025 by going 10-10 with a 3.18 ERA in 26 games and 172⅔ innings, walking 34 and punching out 159. Contractually, Itoh could be a budget-friendly addition to the pitching staff. He is only likely to get one or two years and around $10 million AAV while trying to prove himself against MLB competition. 4. Si Hwan Roh, 3B The top player coming over from the Korea Baseball Organization turns 26 in December, thus the youngest member of this group. He played for a bad Hanwha Eagles team (57-83-4) and had a slash line of .283/.360/.505, hitting 29 homers and driving in 96. He has been a fairly consistent producer the last four years, hitting between 24 and 32 homers and posting between 89 and 101 RBIs. His OPS also ranged between .810 and .929. Positionally, there isn’t really a fit with the Padres unless Roh, a right-handed hitter, is willing to move out to left field. He can play both corner infield spots, giving him some versatility if he does add the outfield to his repertoire. he could possibly help bring the better side of Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song out after the latter struggled offensively in his first year in MLB. Roh didn’t make many top free-agent lists, so he'll probably be looking for something in Song’s range from last offseason (between $3 million and $4 million per year). View the full article

With free agency officially having opened Monday, there are a few names San Diego Padres fans might be unfamiliar with that could be tied to the team over the next few weeks. They are the international free agents. This year, there are four primary candidates, with one clear-cut leader among that group. None of them scream out as a must-have for the Padres, but at least three of the four would be good additions. All will have to sign before the lockout begins or return to their previous teams. Here is how I would rank these players from a Padres perspective. 1. Teruaki Sato, 3B The left-handed slugger for the Hanshin Tigers won the Triple Crown in Japan’s Central League this year with a slash line of .306/.383/.609, 39 homers and 106 RBIs. That was coming off a 2025 season in which he was named MVP—he is likely to be the 2026 MVP, too—in which he put up a .277/.345/.579 slash line, 40 homers and 102 RBIs. His previous homer high was 25 in 2023, but he has driven in at least 84 in three seasons. Sato, who will turn 28 in March, doesn’t quite have the power of Munetaka Murakami, who hit 35 homers with a .207/.347/.478 as a Chicago White Sox rookie this year. However, Sato is better at swinging at pitches in the zone, although he does chase quite a bit, which led to a 26.7% strikeout rate in 2026. Some of his swing-and-miss has been attributed to trying to do damage on every pitch, so perhaps an MLB hitting coach could convince Sato, who has terrific bat speed, to not swing as hard nor chase as much. He did finish fourth in NPB in walks this year. Third base is occupied for the Padres by superstar Manny Machado, but Sato has questions defensively at the hot corner. He is a candidate to be moved to a corner outfield spot (or even first base) and the Padres could use a big bat in left, a spot right now occupied by the platoon of Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor. Most contract projections are five years with an average annual value between $16 million and $25 million. Depending on how teams rank players, Sato is either the top position player available or in the top three, so the competition will be stiff and could push his contract beyond even that range. 2. Kaima Taira, RHP The right-hander, who turns 27 this month, is the better of the two pitchers on this list, but also has a wider range of outcomes. At 5-foot-8 and 209 pounds, Taira is built more like a small tank. As MLB Trade Rumors equated, he looks more like a mound version of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk. Taira has typical MLB velocity (95-97 mph on his four-seamer, 92-94 mph on his cutter) and is armed with a good splitter, slider, changeup and a rather average curveball. His height, which gets Marcus Stroman comps, helps him create different angles while also having better-than-expected extension, helping his effectiveness. He flourished this year in Japan’s Pacific League with the Seibu Lions. Taira went 12-5 with a 1.35 ERA in 146 innings and 23 games. His ERA was by far the lowest among pitchers with 100 innings by nearly three-quarters of a run. He walked 45 and struck out 141, the fifth-most in the Central League. Walks do seem to be a bit of an issue, and Taira had a forearm injury in 2024 that limited him to 52⅔ innings and forced him to come back as a reliever in 2025, tossing the same number of innings. With all of that in mind, some teams may prefer Taira as a dominant reliever instead of a starter, despite a good workload this year. His contract projections settle around four years with an $18 million AAV, perhaps including opt-outs. 3. Hiromi Itoh, RHP The right-hander from the Nippon Ham Fighters is the safer bet of the two pitchers here. He is slightly older, having turned 29 in August, but he doesn’t have the same premium velocity, sitting in the low-90s. Where he excels is in locating his pitches. Height is also an issue here as Itoh is 5-foot-9, but he is durable, having thrown 170 innings each of the last three years. His arsenal, with a large number of pitches, isn’t dynamic and he profiles as a back-end-of-the-rotation guy in MLB. Itoh won the Sawamura Award, Nippon Professional Baseball’s version of the Cy Young Award, in 2025 as he went 14-8 with a 2.52 ERA in 24 games and a career-best 196⅔ innings. He struck out 195 and walked 29. This year, Itoh followed up his banner 2025 by going 10-10 with a 3.18 ERA in 26 games and 172⅔ innings, walking 34 and punching out 159. Contractually, Itoh could be a budget-friendly addition to the pitching staff. He is only likely to get one or two years and around $10 million AAV while trying to prove himself against MLB competition. 4. Si Hwan Roh, 3B The top player coming over from the Korea Baseball Organization turns 26 in December, thus the youngest member of this group. He played for a bad Hanwha Eagles team (57-83-4) and had a slash line of .283/.360/.505, hitting 29 homers and driving in 96. He has been a fairly consistent producer the last four years, hitting between 24 and 32 homers and posting between 89 and 101 RBIs. His OPS also ranged between .810 and .929. Positionally, there isn’t really a fit with the Padres unless Roh, a right-handed hitter, is willing to move out to left field. He can play both corner infield spots, giving him some versatility if he does add the outfield to his repertoire. he could possibly help bring the better side of Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song out after the latter struggled offensively in his first year in MLB. Roh didn’t make many top free-agent lists, so he'll probably be looking for something in Song’s range from last offseason (between $3 million and $4 million per year). View the full article

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo has a difficult job this season. Even though the Royals finished with 93 losses and last place in the American League Central, reports indicate that the organization intends to compete for a playoff spot. There will need to be many changes to the roster in order for that goal to become attainable. Using our Offseason Blueprint tool, I've sketched out what I think would be the ideal Royals offseason. These changes will focus on areas the Royals will need to prioritize if they truly intend to compete in 2027. Needed Upgrades In The Outfield The positions most in need of offensive upgrades this offseason are left and center field. Isaac Collins and Kyle Isbel finished the season with wRC+ of 83 and 61, respectively. Run creation was simply not happening at the bottom of the order. I've already discussed several options available to the Royals in free agency. The two players I have chosen from that list are Tyrone Taylor and Trent Grisham. Grisham had a down year after accepting a qualifying offer to remain with the Yankees in 2026. Even in a down year, his 98 wRC+ would offer an improvement over Collins and Isbel. With an estimated $12 million annual salary, I could see the Royals giving him a chance to recoup his value and help lead the Royals to winning baseball. Grisham is only one year removed from slashing .211/.348/.464 with a 128 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR. His defensive ability has regressed over the past couple of seasons, so a move to left field could help mitigate his decline in range. Taylor has spent most of his career as a fourth outfielder, but he is capable of playing all three outfield positions. He is coming off a career-best season with a slash line of .279/.325/.502 with a 127 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR. His lack of starting experience makes Taylor more affordable with a projected annual salary of $7 million, which is likely well within the Royals’ budget. Taylor’s flexibility in the outfield could allow the Royals to get creative with lineups depending on matchups. Taylor bats right-handed, and Grisham bats left-handed, and both have experience in center field, so either could pair with switch-hitting Collins in left field if the Royals ever want to experiment with platooning. However, the ideal scenario would be to have Taylor in center and Grisham in left. To make room for both additions, the Royals would need to part ways with Isbel by trade or not tendering him a contract in his last year before being eligible for free agency. Rotation Decisions With only four healthy starters at the end of last season, adding at least one starter should be a priority. The starter I have chosen is Nick Pivetta. Pivetta is in the second tier of available starters behind the marquee signings that are certainly out of the Royals’ price range. He is expected to command an annual salary of around $21 million, which is very similar to what they’re paying for Lugo. Pivetta is coming off a season where he spent time on the injured list, but when he was available, his pitching was excellent. In 34 ⅔ innings, he posted a 2.86 ERA and 2.21 FIP with 1.3 fWAR. His TJStats Stuff+ of 105 would be the highest among the other four starters in the rotation. Ideally, they would look to add a second starter, but I struggled to find room in the budget for two. It will be risky relying on aging starters like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, but the Royals should have other options available if needed. They already accepted the club option for Tony Gonsolin, and Ryan Berget is expected to return from injury in the spring. Cole Ragans could also be available in the summer (more on him later). The Royals would need to monitor the starting pitching market and potentially look to trade for another starter if relying on Gonsolin and Berget does not pan out. Trading For A Closer The Royals lack a player who can anchor the bullpen, so I have them trading for Trevor Megill from the Brewers. It is no secret that the Brewers make a habit of trading players before they hit free agency, and winning the World Series likely won’t change that. In the trade, the Royals would likely send away relief pitchers with multiple years of control. Pitchers like Beck Way, Mitch Spence, and James McArthur all have experience at the major-league level and are still in pre-arbitration. Megill would be an instant upgrade to the Royals’ bullpen. He posted a 2.63 ERA with a 1.85 FIP last season, good for a 2.5 fWAR and 30 saves. His strikeout rate was 28.5% (87th percentile), and his walk rate was 6.2% (88th percentile). For comparison, no Royals reliever earned more than 0.8 fWAR as a reliever in 2026, and the highest strikeout rate was 25.9% from Eric Cerantola but only in five innings of work. Other Relief Additions I also have the Royals adding JoJo Romero with a contract of $9 million per season. Romero will add another left-handed option to the bullpen that lacks left-handed experience outside of Daniel Lynch IV. Romero posted a 3.36 ERA and 3.97 FIP across 56 ⅓ innings for the Cardinals and Brewers. Most of the time, he was deployed in close games in the seventh and eighth innings, so he could also work as a setup man depending on whether Lucas Erceg can reclaim that role. I also considered moving on from Nick Mears, but there may be some sunk cost fallacy going on where I am hesitant to move away from him a year after trading for him and not getting to see him fully healthy. I also could not find a clear upgrade that would fit within the Royals’ expected budget, though I may have overlooked another option. If there is another addition to the bullpen, Mears’s spot could definitely be in jeopardy. I have also transitioned Ragans to the bullpen. He is likely to return to the roster in the summer, but with his extended injury history, I would not feel comfortable relying on him to start for extended stretches throughout the season. He could find a role in the bullpen as a bulk reliever for the rest of the season and re-evaluate his role on the pitching staff the following offseason, similar to how they treated Kris Bubic in 2024 after he returned from injury. The Big Picture There will likely be more moves than these made for the Royals this offseason, but these are the key areas of focus that will likely be the priority this offseason. Despite the underwhelming performance in 2026, all signs indicate the Royals making moves to compete for playoff contention in 2027 rather than rebuild for the future. Want to play the role of Royals general manager? Check out our free-to-use "You're The GM" offseason tool and build your own Royals roster! View the full article

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo has a difficult job this season. Even though the Royals finished with 93 losses and last place in the American League Central, reports indicate that the organization intends to compete for a playoff spot. There will need to be many changes to the roster in order for that goal to become attainable. Using our Offseason Blueprint tool, I've sketched out what I think would be the ideal Royals offseason. These changes will focus on areas the Royals will need to prioritize if they truly intend to compete in 2027. Needed Upgrades In The Outfield The positions most in need of offensive upgrades this offseason are left and center field. Isaac Collins and Kyle Isbel finished the season with wRC+ of 83 and 61, respectively. Run creation was simply not happening at the bottom of the order. I've already discussed several options available to the Royals in free agency. The two players I have chosen from that list are Tyrone Taylor and Trent Grisham. Grisham had a down year after accepting a qualifying offer to remain with the Yankees in 2026. Even in a down year, his 98 wRC+ would offer an improvement over Collins and Isbel. With an estimated $12 million annual salary, I could see the Royals giving him a chance to recoup his value and help lead the Royals to winning baseball. Grisham is only one year removed from slashing .211/.348/.464 with a 128 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR. His defensive ability has regressed over the past couple of seasons, so a move to left field could help mitigate his decline in range. Taylor has spent most of his career as a fourth outfielder, but he is capable of playing all three outfield positions. He is coming off a career-best season with a slash line of .279/.325/.502 with a 127 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR. His lack of starting experience makes Taylor more affordable with a projected annual salary of $7 million, which is likely well within the Royals’ budget. Taylor’s flexibility in the outfield could allow the Royals to get creative with lineups depending on matchups. Taylor bats right-handed, and Grisham bats left-handed, and both have experience in center field, so either could pair with switch-hitting Collins in left field if the Royals ever want to experiment with platooning. However, the ideal scenario would be to have Taylor in center and Grisham in left. To make room for both additions, the Royals would need to part ways with Isbel by trade or not tendering him a contract in his last year before being eligible for free agency. Rotation Decisions With only four healthy starters at the end of last season, adding at least one starter should be a priority. The starter I have chosen is Nick Pivetta. Pivetta is in the second tier of available starters behind the marquee signings that are certainly out of the Royals’ price range. He is expected to command an annual salary of around $21 million, which is very similar to what they’re paying for Lugo. Pivetta is coming off a season where he spent time on the injured list, but when he was available, his pitching was excellent. In 34 ⅔ innings, he posted a 2.86 ERA and 2.21 FIP with 1.3 fWAR. His TJStats Stuff+ of 105 would be the highest among the other four starters in the rotation. Ideally, they would look to add a second starter, but I struggled to find room in the budget for two. It will be risky relying on aging starters like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, but the Royals should have other options available if needed. They already accepted the club option for Tony Gonsolin, and Ryan Berget is expected to return from injury in the spring. Cole Ragans could also be available in the summer (more on him later). The Royals would need to monitor the starting pitching market and potentially look to trade for another starter if relying on Gonsolin and Berget does not pan out. Trading For A Closer The Royals lack a player who can anchor the bullpen, so I have them trading for Trevor Megill from the Brewers. It is no secret that the Brewers make a habit of trading players before they hit free agency, and winning the World Series likely won’t change that. In the trade, the Royals would likely send away relief pitchers with multiple years of control. Pitchers like Beck Way, Mitch Spence, and James McArthur all have experience at the major-league level and are still in pre-arbitration. Megill would be an instant upgrade to the Royals’ bullpen. He posted a 2.63 ERA with a 1.85 FIP last season, good for a 2.5 fWAR and 30 saves. His strikeout rate was 28.5% (87th percentile), and his walk rate was 6.2% (88th percentile). For comparison, no Royals reliever earned more than 0.8 fWAR as a reliever in 2026, and the highest strikeout rate was 25.9% from Eric Cerantola but only in five innings of work. Other Relief Additions I also have the Royals adding JoJo Romero with a contract of $9 million per season. Romero will add another left-handed option to the bullpen that lacks left-handed experience outside of Daniel Lynch IV. Romero posted a 3.36 ERA and 3.97 FIP across 56 ⅓ innings for the Cardinals and Brewers. Most of the time, he was deployed in close games in the seventh and eighth innings, so he could also work as a setup man depending on whether Lucas Erceg can reclaim that role. I also considered moving on from Nick Mears, but there may be some sunk cost fallacy going on where I am hesitant to move away from him a year after trading for him and not getting to see him fully healthy. I also could not find a clear upgrade that would fit within the Royals’ expected budget, though I may have overlooked another option. If there is another addition to the bullpen, Mears’s spot could definitely be in jeopardy. I have also transitioned Ragans to the bullpen. He is likely to return to the roster in the summer, but with his extended injury history, I would not feel comfortable relying on him to start for extended stretches throughout the season. He could find a role in the bullpen as a bulk reliever for the rest of the season and re-evaluate his role on the pitching staff the following offseason, similar to how they treated Kris Bubic in 2024 after he returned from injury. The Big Picture There will likely be more moves than these made for the Royals this offseason, but these are the key areas of focus that will likely be the priority this offseason. Despite the underwhelming performance in 2026, all signs indicate the Royals making moves to compete for playoff contention in 2027 rather than rebuild for the future. Want to play the role of Royals general manager? Check out our free-to-use "You're The GM" offseason tool and build your own Royals roster! View the full article

Let's talk Chicago Cubs free agency! What areas should be the primary focus? Will any familiar faces be back in the mix? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View the full article

Let's talk Chicago Cubs free agency! What areas should be the primary focus? Will any familiar faces be back in the mix? Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-side-baseball-podcast/id1798599313 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75wMGhBwlrDDYPt3kaF453 Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-north-side-baseball-po-268998437/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/eey7h6ih Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@northsidebaseball View the full article

As the Brewers begin the process of defending their freshly earned title, one of the main questions facing the organization is whether Jake Bauers will return to Milwaukee for the 2027 season and beyond. The first baseman and outfielder was sensational in 2026, but with Milwaukee needing to weigh its roster needs against its limited payroll, Bauers’s future with the club is not guaranteed. Should the Brewers bring back the 2026 NLCS MVP, or would they be better off allocating their resources elsewhere? Jake Bauers’s 2026 Season At A Glance Bauers’s path to stardom was not straight, as he bounced around the majors from 2018-2023, where he made stops with the Rays, Guardians, Mariners, and Yankees, before finally being acquired by the Brewers after the 2023 season. Bauers’s first season in Milwaukee saw him post a below-average OPS+ (84), but 2025 was the first above-average offensive season in his career, as he slashed .235/.353/.399 with seven homers in only 218 plate appearances. Those numbers only partially revealed his potential, though. This season, Bauers truly made his mark in Milwaukee and in the majors. The 31-year-old had the highest OPS on the World Series-winning Brewers, putting together a .266/.389/.484 line with a career-high 26 home runs in 578 plate appearances. Bauers brought a much-needed power threat to a Brewers lineup that has craved extra-base production, ranking in the 83rd percentile in expected slugging percentage and the 91st percentile in average exit velocity while maintaining the plate discipline he has displayed since joining Milwaukee, highlighted by a chase rate in the 93rd percentile and a walk rate in the 98th percentile. Bauers was the engine for the Brewers offense, and the NLCS was the Jake The Rake Show. The playoffs weren’t especially strong for Bauers overall, as he posted a .622 OPS due to a brutal Fall Classic at the plate. First, though, the Dodgers felt his wrath: Bauers went deep on the 11th pitch of his at-bat against Blake Snell in Game 3 of the NLCS, plating the eventual winning run and cementing that battle as one of the great moments in Brewers postseason history. Bauers has put himself in a strong position to earn a hefty contract from a team this offseason, despite only having two above-average offensive seasons to his name. He's a good player, and in what is regarded as a weak free-agent class, he will get a large offer, from the Brewers or elsewhere. Why the Brewers Should Re-sign Jake Bauers Bauers is a Brewer, through and through. He embodies what the Brewers do: take chances and develop players into the best version of themselves. Bauers always had potential, but he never could quite tap into it until he got to Milwaukee. A team like the Brewers can survive losing their best offensive piece, but should they? Bauers has become an integral part of the organization, a versatile piece to play with Andrew Vaughn at first base or patrol the outfield corners. Fans love him, the organization loves him, and he loves them both back. Bringing Bauers back would allow continuity in the batting order, especially in the power department, as he had almost 17% of the clubs’ homeruns this season. If the Brewers want to continue building on this World Series title, resigning Bauers should be priority number one. Why the Brewers Should Not Re-sign Jake Bauers Bauers would not be resigned because, as good as the Brewers are at development and getting the best out of what they have, Milwaukee is as good at being self-aware. Moving on from players before the price tag becomes too large has been a key for the Brewers teams of late, with players like Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes, and Willy Adames being traded or let go because of increasing salaries that the Brewers can not pay. Bauers would fit into that category; he will be in demand this offseason. DiamondCentric’s own rankings list Bauers as the 16th best available player and 8th best available hitter this offseason. The 31-year-old will likely get a large contract from a team with a hole at first base, but if that isn’t the Brewers, where does that leave them? Milwaukee still has Andrew Vaughn under contract for 2027, while prospects Andrew Fischer, Blake Burke, and Luke Adams could all see time at first base in the near future as well if Bauers isn’t resigned. Ultimately, letting Bauers walk would be difficult, but one that still aligns with the Brewers’ philosophy of being competitive without overcommitting financially. Milwaukee may be better off allowing another team to pay for Bauers’ breakout season while investing into the next wave of talent coming through the farm system. The Bottom Line While Bauers was one of the most valuable pieces of the World Series winning Milwaukee Brewers, the reality is the club may be better off letting him walk this offseason. A viral video between Pat Murphy and Bauers went viral during the team’s celebration in Tampa following Game 5, in which Murphy told Bauers to remember how the Brewers played when he gets his big payday this offseason. The direct quote uses a little more profanity (and takes a shot at the Yankees, which I am all for), but the point is that it appears the organization has likely accepted that Bauers is already gone. While that hurts, Bauers will be cemented in Brewers’ history as a key piece of the 2026 World Series champions and as one of the great developmental stories for Pat Murphy and his staff. Prediction: Bauers signs a two- or three-year deal with the New York Mets View the full article

As the Brewers begin the process of defending their freshly earned title, one of the main questions facing the organization is whether Jake Bauers will return to Milwaukee for the 2027 season and beyond. The first baseman and outfielder was sensational in 2026, but with Milwaukee needing to weigh its roster needs against its limited payroll, Bauers’s future with the club is not guaranteed. Should the Brewers bring back the 2026 NLCS MVP, or would they be better off allocating their resources elsewhere? Jake Bauers’s 2026 Season At A Glance Bauers’s path to stardom was not straight, as he bounced around the majors from 2018-2023, where he made stops with the Rays, Guardians, Mariners, and Yankees, before finally being acquired by the Brewers after the 2023 season. Bauers’s first season in Milwaukee saw him post a below-average OPS+ (84), but 2025 was the first above-average offensive season in his career, as he slashed .235/.353/.399 with seven homers in only 218 plate appearances. Those numbers only partially revealed his potential, though. This season, Bauers truly made his mark in Milwaukee and in the majors. The 31-year-old had the highest OPS on the World Series-winning Brewers, putting together a .266/.389/.484 line with a career-high 26 home runs in 578 plate appearances. Bauers brought a much-needed power threat to a Brewers lineup that has craved extra-base production, ranking in the 83rd percentile in expected slugging percentage and the 91st percentile in average exit velocity while maintaining the plate discipline he has displayed since joining Milwaukee, highlighted by a chase rate in the 93rd percentile and a walk rate in the 98th percentile. Bauers was the engine for the Brewers offense, and the NLCS was the Jake The Rake Show. The playoffs weren’t especially strong for Bauers overall, as he posted a .622 OPS due to a brutal Fall Classic at the plate. First, though, the Dodgers felt his wrath: Bauers went deep on the 11th pitch of his at-bat against Blake Snell in Game 3 of the NLCS, plating the eventual winning run and cementing that battle as one of the great moments in Brewers postseason history. Bauers has put himself in a strong position to earn a hefty contract from a team this offseason, despite only having two above-average offensive seasons to his name. He's a good player, and in what is regarded as a weak free-agent class, he will get a large offer, from the Brewers or elsewhere. Why the Brewers Should Re-sign Jake Bauers Bauers is a Brewer, through and through. He embodies what the Brewers do: take chances and develop players into the best version of themselves. Bauers always had potential, but he never could quite tap into it until he got to Milwaukee. A team like the Brewers can survive losing their best offensive piece, but should they? Bauers has become an integral part of the organization, a versatile piece to play with Andrew Vaughn at first base or patrol the outfield corners. Fans love him, the organization loves him, and he loves them both back. Bringing Bauers back would allow continuity in the batting order, especially in the power department, as he had almost 17% of the clubs’ homeruns this season. If the Brewers want to continue building on this World Series title, resigning Bauers should be priority number one. Why the Brewers Should Not Re-sign Jake Bauers Bauers would not be resigned because, as good as the Brewers are at development and getting the best out of what they have, Milwaukee is as good at being self-aware. Moving on from players before the price tag becomes too large has been a key for the Brewers teams of late, with players like Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes, and Willy Adames being traded or let go because of increasing salaries that the Brewers can not pay. Bauers would fit into that category; he will be in demand this offseason. DiamondCentric’s own rankings list Bauers as the 16th best available player and 8th best available hitter this offseason. The 31-year-old will likely get a large contract from a team with a hole at first base, but if that isn’t the Brewers, where does that leave them? Milwaukee still has Andrew Vaughn under contract for 2027, while prospects Andrew Fischer, Blake Burke, and Luke Adams could all see time at first base in the near future as well if Bauers isn’t resigned. Ultimately, letting Bauers walk would be difficult, but one that still aligns with the Brewers’ philosophy of being competitive without overcommitting financially. Milwaukee may be better off allowing another team to pay for Bauers’ breakout season while investing into the next wave of talent coming through the farm system. The Bottom Line While Bauers was one of the most valuable pieces of the World Series winning Milwaukee Brewers, the reality is the club may be better off letting him walk this offseason. A video between Pat Murphy and Bauers went viral during the team’s celebration in Tampa following Game 5, in which Murphy told Bauers to remember how the Brewers played when he gets his big payday this offseason. The direct quote uses a little more profanity (and takes a shot at the Yankees, which I am all for), but the point is that it appears the organization has likely accepted that Bauers is already gone. While that hurts, Bauers will be cemented in Brewers’ history as a key piece of the 2026 World Series champions and as one of the great developmental stories for Pat Murphy and his staff. Prediction: Bauers signs a two- or three-year deal with the New York Mets View the full article

There is something appealing about developing a starting pitcher, watching him become an All-Star, and keeping him in the organization for the prime years of his career. Homegrown players can become the foundation of a successful team, and few positions are more difficult to fill than the top of a starting rotation. However, paying pitchers for their future performance is one of the most dangerous investments a team can make. The Minnesota Twins have already faced this situation with José Berríos. They eventually traded the homegrown right-hander to the Toronto Blue Jays when the two sides couldn't find common ground on an extension. Now, Joe Ryan is approaching a similar point in his career. Ryan has become one of Minnesota's most recognizable players and an important part of its rotation. He also has one year of team control remaining. Should the Twins make a significant financial commitment to keep him around, or should they repeat the pattern established by their previous experience with Berríos? The José Berríos Situation Berríos was one of the most important homegrown players the Twins developed during the 2010s. After selecting him in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft, Minnesota watched him develop into a reliable major-league starter. He earned two All-Star selections and became the organization's Opening Day starter in multiple seasons. However, contract negotiations never reached a successful conclusion. The two sides discussed a potential extension, but they were unable to agree on the financial commitment. As Berríos approached the end of his team control, Minnesota decided to move him at the 2021 trade deadline. The Blue Jays acquired Berríos on July 30, 2021, sending top prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson to Minnesota. Toronto clearly had an interest in keeping its new starting pitcher beyond the remainder of the season. Just a few months after the trade, Berríos agreed to a seven year, $131 million contract. That was a substantial commitment, but it represented a reasonable market value for a 27 year old starting pitcher with his track record. Toronto was willing to pay for his durability and establish him as a long term piece of its rotation. His performance with the Blue Jays has included some significant highs and lows. Berríos struggled during his first full season in Toronto, posting a 5.23 ERA across 32 starts in 2022. However, he bounced back over the next two seasons. He recorded a 3.65 ERA in 2023 and followed that with a 3.60 ERA in 2024. He also made 32 starts in each season, providing the type of consistency teams want from a veteran starter. His performance slipped again in 2025, when he finished with a 4.17 ERA in 31 appearances. Unfortunately, his durability finally became a significant concern. Elbow problems carried into 2026, and Berríos eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in May and missed the rest of the season. Looking at the entire situation, the Twins were not necessarily wrong to move Berríos, and Toronto was not necessarily wrong to extend him. The Blue Jays received several productive seasons from their investment, but they also assumed the financial risk associated with a long term pitching contract. Minnesota received two prospects for a pitcher who was approaching free agency. That return provided the organization with additional young talent, although neither player was a guaranteed replacement for the production Berríos could have provided. The larger lesson is that keeping a homegrown pitcher can be valuable, but it comes with considerable risk. Even durable starters can experience performance fluctuations and significant injuries. Joe Ryan Is Approaching the Same Crossroads Ryan is entering a similar stage of his career with Minnesota. He has established himself as a dependable major league starter, earned two All Star selections, and become one of the most important pitchers on the Twins' roster. There is no question that Ryan provides value. He finished the 2026 season with a 3.79 ERA, and 159 strikeouts across 144 2/3 innings. His strikeout ability (25.9 K% in 2026) and overall track record make him an important piece of Minnesota's rotation. However, his 2026 campaign included some warning signs. Ryan carried a 2.85 ERA into the All Star break, but his first three starts afterward were disastrous. He surrendered 16 earned runs across 15 1/3 innings before the Twins placed him on the injured list with a left glute strain on August 7. He returned to the rotation on September 7 after a rehab outing. His first three starts back resulted in eight earned runs over 12 innings, including two losses. Ryan did finish the season on a more encouraging note, allowing two runs while striking out eight across six innings against the Texas Rangers in his final start. The injury does not erase everything Ryan has accomplished, but it raises questions about what Minnesota should expect moving forward. The Twins have seen how effective he can be when everything is working. They also have seen how quickly things can change when he struggles or deals with an injury. Minnesota finished 77-85 in 2026, placing third in the American League Central and eight games behind the Cleveland Guardians. The club remained in the postseason picture until the final month, but there are still significant roster questions heading into the next season. Ryan has one year of team control remaining before he can reach free agency following the 2027 season. That gives Minnesota another year to evaluate his health, consistency, and ability to lead the rotation. There is also a financial component to consider. Committing to Ryan now would mean guaranteeing future money to a pitcher coming off an injury interrupted season. It could also complicate Minnesota's ability to pursue a trade if the team falls out of contention during the 2027 season. A healthy Ryan would be an attractive option for a contender looking to strengthen its rotation, potentially bringing back valuable prospects or controllable talent. For an organization that needs to improve several areas of its roster, maintaining that flexibility is important. Replace the final section with this version, which puts more emphasis on Ryan's age and why a long-term extension may not fit the Twins' plans. An Extension Is Unlikely The Twins should not rush into a long term commitment with Ryan simply because he is a homegrown player. In fact, an extension might be unlikely, especially when considering where he is in his career. Ryan was a late bloomer who took a less conventional path to becoming an established big league starter. He is already 30 years old and will turn 31 next June. That age is an important factor when discussing a potential contract. A typical extension for a younger starting pitcher can buy out several seasons of arbitration and potentially secure the player's prime years. Ryan is in a different situation. Any significant extension would likely cover seasons when he is already well into his 30s. The Twins would be guaranteeing money to a pitcher whose long-term durability is still an important question. There is also the organization's financial situation to consider. Minnesota has several areas of its roster that need attention, and committing substantial resources to an aging starting pitcher could limit its ability to address those needs. Ryan has earned the right to pursue a significant contract, but the Twins might not be the organization willing to provide it. Berríos provides an interesting comparison. Toronto was willing to make a seven-year commitment to a pitcher who was still in his 20s. Ryan is already past that point, making the financial calculations considerably different. Even if Ryan returns to his previous form in 2027, the Twins would have to determine whether they want to invest in his early-to-mid 30s. An extension might not be realistic, but that does not eliminate the possibility of keeping Ryan for another season or exploring a trade if the team falls out of contention. The Twins learned with Berríos that homegrown pitchers do not always remain with an organization for their entire careers. Ryan could eventually follow a similar path, particularly with free agency approaching and his age becoming a larger part of the contract conversation. Minnesota should appreciate what he has accomplished, but it also needs to recognize the financial and performance risks of paying a starting pitcher into his mid-30s. Sometimes the best decision is recognizing when a player's value to the organization is greater than the contract it would take to keep him. Should the Twins attempt to extend Ryan? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

On Wednesday, the AFL announced its rosters for its Fall Stars Game on Sunday, November 8th. Royals prospects will be well-represented in Sunday's contest, with two hitters and a pitcher playing. Outfielder Angeibel Gomez was named to the AFL All-Star team first via the AFL's official social media. Despite being 17, Gomez held his own in Arizona this fall. In 36 at-bats, he is hitting .306 with an .834 OPS. He also hit three doubles, one triple, and stole four bases. Gomez has also posted strong percentiles in his Statcast categories, especially in making contact and pulling the ball in the air this fall. Gomez's whiff% ranks in the 67th percentile, his LA Sweet-Spot% ranks in the 66th percentile, and his pull air% ranks in the 74th percentile. The exit velocity on batted balls has been a little inconsistent (18th percentile, 90th EV), but he has shown a combination of contact ability and power with the Saguaros that has made him one of the most intriguing prospects in baseball this fall. Shortly after Gomez's announcement, outfielder Zion Rose and pitcher Justin Lamkin were also named to Sunday's Fall Stars game. Rose debuted with Quad Cities last year after being drafted 6th overall in the 2026 MLB Draft out of Louisville. After hitting .268 with a .727 OPS in 90 plate appearances for the River Bandits, Rose has carried his encouraging High-A campaign into the Arizona Fall League. In 52 at-bats, the former Cardinals draft pick is hitting .327 with a 1.012 OPS. He also has two home runs, 16 runs, 13 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Rose has shown more power lately, as shown by this home run in his last game with Surprise. In addition to Rose, Lamkin was also named to the AFL Fall Stars game. The former Texas A&M product pitched in eight games and 39.2 IP between High-A and Double-A ball last year, posting a 2.04 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 2.87 FIP. However, he was shut down by an undisclosed injury and missed the rest of the year after only two starts in Northwest Arkansas. After a rough start this fall, the lefty has settled down and become one of Surprise's best arms. He's posting a 3.52 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 4.00 FIP in 15.1 IP. His line includes a 23.7% K%, 16.9% K-BB%, and 50% GB%. Lamkin has produced many strikes and whiffs (30.7% whiff%), but he has also limited hard contact, as shown by his strong groundball rate and .343 xwOBACON. Lamkin's TJ Stuff+ metrics have been questionable this fall, as evidenced by his 92 overall TJ Stuff+ and 85 TJ Stuff+ on his four-seamer. That said, it hasn't seemed to impact his ability to throw strikes and generate weak contact in the AFL, which is encouraging, especially for a pitcher coming off an injury. Bryan to Participate in Home Run Derby One Royals prospect who has emerged this fall is catcher Brooks Bryan, a former 8th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Troy. Bryan hit .319 with a .902 OPS in 138 plate appearances with the Columbia Fireflies. However, injury limited him to just 33 games in Low-A ball. This fall, Bryan hasn't missed a beat with Surprise. He's hitting .314 with a 1.024 OPS, and he's also hit 4 home runs and driven in 16 runs. Beyond solid surface-level metrics this fall, Bryan's Statcast percentiles have been impressive this spring, especially in exit velocity, and barrel and hard-hit rates. Bryan's four home runs lead the Saguaros, which is why he was named to the AFL Home Run Derby. In addition to participating in the Derby, Bryan has an outside shot at playing in the Fall Stars game on Sunday. He is one of three prospects eligible for fan voting for the last two spots in the Fall Stars game. Fans can vote for Bryan now until Friday night. Bryan is competing for a Fall Stars roster spot against Kyle West of the Yankees and Jake Munroe of the Angels. View the full article

On Wednesday, the AFL announced its rosters for its Fall Stars Game on Sunday, November 8th. Royals prospects will be well-represented in Sunday's contest, with two hitters and a pitcher playing. Outfielder Angeibel Gomez was named to the AFL All-Star team first via the AFL's official social media. Despite being 17, Gomez held his own in Arizona this fall. In 36 at-bats, he is hitting .306 with an .834 OPS. He also hit three doubles, one triple, and stole four bases. Gomez has also posted strong percentiles in his Statcast categories, especially in making contact and pulling the ball in the air this fall. Gomez's whiff% ranks in the 67th percentile, his LA Sweet-Spot% ranks in the 66th percentile, and his pull air% ranks in the 74th percentile. The exit velocity on batted balls has been a little inconsistent (18th percentile, 90th EV), but he has shown a combination of contact ability and power with the Saguaros that has made him one of the most intriguing prospects in baseball this fall. Shortly after Gomez's announcement, outfielder Zion Rose and pitcher Justin Lamkin were also named to Sunday's Fall Stars game. Rose debuted with Quad Cities last year after being drafted 6th overall in the 2026 MLB Draft out of Louisville. After hitting .268 with a .727 OPS in 90 plate appearances for the River Bandits, Rose has carried his encouraging High-A campaign into the Arizona Fall League. In 52 at-bats, the former Cardinals draft pick is hitting .327 with a 1.012 OPS. He also has two home runs, 16 runs, 13 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Rose has shown more power lately, as shown by this home run in his last game with Surprise. In addition to Rose, Lamkin was also named to the AFL Fall Stars game. The former Texas A&M product pitched in eight games and 39.2 IP between High-A and Double-A ball last year, posting a 2.04 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 2.87 FIP. However, he was shut down by an undisclosed injury and missed the rest of the year after only two starts in Northwest Arkansas. After a rough start this fall, the lefty has settled down and become one of Surprise's best arms. He's posting a 3.52 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 4.00 FIP in 15.1 IP. His line includes a 23.7% K%, 16.9% K-BB%, and 50% GB%. Lamkin has produced many strikes and whiffs (30.7% whiff%), but he has also limited hard contact, as shown by his strong groundball rate and .343 xwOBACON. Lamkin's TJ Stuff+ metrics have been questionable this fall, as evidenced by his 92 overall TJ Stuff+ and 85 TJ Stuff+ on his four-seamer. That said, it hasn't seemed to impact his ability to throw strikes and generate weak contact in the AFL, which is encouraging, especially for a pitcher coming off an injury. Bryan to Participate in Home Run Derby One Royals prospect who has emerged this fall is catcher Brooks Bryan, a former 8th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Troy. Bryan hit .319 with a .902 OPS in 138 plate appearances with the Columbia Fireflies. However, injury limited him to just 33 games in Low-A ball. This fall, Bryan hasn't missed a beat with Surprise. He's hitting .314 with a 1.024 OPS, and he's also hit 4 home runs and driven in 16 runs. Beyond solid surface-level metrics this fall, Bryan's Statcast percentiles have been impressive this spring, especially in exit velocity, and barrel and hard-hit rates. Bryan's four home runs lead the Saguaros, which is why he was named to the AFL Home Run Derby. In addition to participating in the Derby, Bryan has an outside shot at playing in the Fall Stars game on Sunday. He is one of three prospects eligible for fan voting for the last two spots in the Fall Stars game. Fans can vote for Bryan now until Friday night. Bryan is competing for a Fall Stars roster spot against Kyle West of the Yankees and Jake Munroe of the Angels. View the full article

Not everything was destroyed at the trade deadline, but the New York Mets will have to rebuild part of their bullpen after losing Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban, two of their best arms in 2026. Nate Lavender's was one of the group’s revelations and he should receive a greater opportunity after he recorded a 1.66 ERA in 21⅔ innings down the stretch; despite his short stint, Lavender finished with the third-highest fWAR in the bullpen at 0.9, only behind Weaver (1.2) and Brazoban (1.0). However, he alone can't make up for all the talent the relief corps has lost. Devin Williams left doubts after recording a 4.43 ERA and 4.65 BB/9, and when he got hurt, Kodai Senga received opportunities and finished as the team’s closer. Senga will probably fight to return to the starting rotation next season, which is not certain either, but in any case, the Mets should not depend on either pitcher to carry the bullpen next year. Thus, it might take a pursuit of another marquee free agent to shore up the high-leverage group. If there is an elite arm on the free-agent market capable of meeting those needs, it's Adrian Morejon. In 2026, he recorded a 2.83 ERA, 107 strikeouts, and 28 walks in 86 innings and 76 appearances. Morejon has paved the way for closer Mason Miller over these last two seasons, but he has all the necessary characteristics to assume the closer role on any team. Morejon increased his strikeout rate from 26.0% in 2025 to 30.4% in 2026 and reduced his walks from 8.5% to 8.0%, a lethal adjustment for a pitcher capable of sustaining high velocity, raising the average velocity of his sinker from 97.7 to 99.5 mph. Without a doubt, velocity was key to the great leap in level in Morejon’s arsenal, who saw his strikeout rate jump from the 64th percentile to the 93rd and his whiff rate from the 37th to the 97th. Although his sinker had a +12 Run Value and continued to be his most-used pitch (47.5%), the changeup went from 6.6% to 23.1% usage and became just as strong of a weapon, generating a 56% whiff rate and limiting hitters to a .156 average and .182 slugging percentage. That evolution changed Morejon’s strategy, since he began using the changeup more in decisive situations and two-strike counts. Note that he also finished pitching 86 innings in 76 appearances, a new personal record, with 25 of them being appearances in which he pitched more than one inning. A former starter, there should be no doubt about his ability to hold up even with a big workload on his plate. Of course, there is concern about Morejon’s health, as he missed the last three games of the Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers due to shoulder discomfort. There's no reason to believe that such an issue will be a long-term problem, but it is worth considering after the Mets dealt with so many injuries in 2026. The other interesting point here would be the obstacles that his signing would represent. The Padres extended him a qualifying offer, which Morejon will have to accept or reject before November 17. If he rejects it and signs with New York before a possible lockout, the Mets could lose their two highest available selections after the first round—the second-highest and the fifth-highest picks—and $1 million from their international signing bonus pool, according to the current rules for teams that pay the luxury tax. That's an enormous cost for a reliever. Still, Morejon might be the rare bullpen arm who is worth that kind of investment. He's one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball and would bring a brand new dynamic to late-game situations in Queens. View the full article

Not everything was destroyed at the trade deadline, but the New York Mets will have to rebuild part of their bullpen after losing Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban, two of their best arms in 2026. Nate Lavender's was one of the group’s revelations and he should receive a greater opportunity after he recorded a 1.66 ERA in 21⅔ innings down the stretch; despite his short stint, Lavender finished with the third-highest fWAR in the bullpen at 0.9, only behind Weaver (1.2) and Brazoban (1.0). However, he alone can't make up for all the talent the relief corps has lost. Devin Williams left doubts after recording a 4.43 ERA and 4.65 BB/9, and when he got hurt, Kodai Senga received opportunities and finished as the team’s closer. Senga will probably fight to return to the starting rotation next season, which is not certain either, but in any case, the Mets should not depend on either pitcher to carry the bullpen next year. Thus, it might take a pursuit of another marquee free agent to shore up the high-leverage group. If there is an elite arm on the free-agent market capable of meeting those needs, it's Adrian Morejon. In 2026, he recorded a 2.83 ERA, 107 strikeouts, and 28 walks in 86 innings and 76 appearances. Morejon has paved the way for closer Mason Miller over these last two seasons, but he has all the necessary characteristics to assume the closer role on any team. Morejon increased his strikeout rate from 26.0% in 2025 to 30.4% in 2026 and reduced his walks from 8.5% to 8.0%, a lethal adjustment for a pitcher capable of sustaining high velocity, raising the average velocity of his sinker from 97.7 to 99.5 mph. Without a doubt, velocity was key to the great leap in level in Morejon’s arsenal, who saw his strikeout rate jump from the 64th percentile to the 93rd and his whiff rate from the 37th to the 97th. Although his sinker had a +12 Run Value and continued to be his most-used pitch (47.5%), the changeup went from 6.6% to 23.1% usage and became just as strong of a weapon, generating a 56% whiff rate and limiting hitters to a .156 average and .182 slugging percentage. That evolution changed Morejon’s strategy, since he began using the changeup more in decisive situations and two-strike counts. Note that he also finished pitching 86 innings in 76 appearances, a new personal record, with 25 of them being appearances in which he pitched more than one inning. A former starter, there should be no doubt about his ability to hold up even with a big workload on his plate. Of course, there is concern about Morejon’s health, as he missed the last three games of the Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers due to shoulder discomfort. There's no reason to believe that such an issue will be a long-term problem, but it is worth considering after the Mets dealt with so many injuries in 2026. The other interesting point here would be the obstacles that his signing would represent. The Padres extended him a qualifying offer, which Morejon will have to accept or reject before November 17. If he rejects it and signs with New York before a possible lockout, the Mets could lose their two highest available selections after the first round—the second-highest and the fifth-highest picks—and $1 million from their international signing bonus pool, according to the current rules for teams that pay the luxury tax. That's an enormous cost for a reliever. Still, Morejon might be the rare bullpen arm who is worth that kind of investment. He's one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball and would bring a brand new dynamic to late-game situations in Queens. View the full article

Following their Wild Card Series sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox will be spending the offseason with the hopes of improving their offense. A team that dealt with several injuries along with inconsistency across not just the starting lineup, but also their bench, could turn to a number of options. And while it may not be what some fans are looking for as a huge splash, signing a player such as Mauricio Dubón could be something that moves the offense in the right direction. Dubón, a utility player that has some experience defensively at every position besides catcher, would be the perfect replacement on the roster for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. While slightly older than him, Dubón would provide an upgrade in the offensive department. This season with the Atlanta Braves, he slashed .276/.321/.399 with 28 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. He isn’t known for his power; his 12 home runs were a career high and just the second time in his career where he reached double digit home runs. However, where Dubón excels is his bat-to-ball skills, a trait that Craig Breslow has taken a liking to when it comes to position players. His latest draft class had several players known for their contact ability. This year, Dubón had one of the best whiff rates in the league, failing to make contact on just 15.3% of his swings. Add to it an elite strikeout rate of just 11.8% and he'd be a great fit in Red Sox lineup that was at its best while focusing on putting the ball in play and moving runners along the basepath. Along with that, Dubón has shown a tendency to hit fastballs, something the Red Sox struggled mightily with during the playoffs. Since his debut in 2019, there has been only just one season where he had 100 at-bats against fastballs and hit under .260, that coming in 2022 when he hit just .220 against them. L he hit .286 and slugged .370 against them in 322 at-bats. Another offensive trait that could be appealing is his pull-air rate. He saw that number drop to 15.5% with the Braves, but for his career it has sat right around 16%. That number could increase once he gets into the Red Sox hitting lab, like how Willson Contreras committed to pulling the ball more after coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals. The slight tweak could turn him into a batter that would pelt the Green Monster with wall-ball doubles. More importantly, Dubón is a savant with the glove in his hand. Described as one of the best utility players in the game, his defensive versatility could provide Chad Tracy and the Red Sox with an endless number of lineup possibilities. He was nominated for a Gold Glove this year, after all, and has one two throughout his career as a utility man. For a team like the Red Sox that has made the thought of run prevention a big part of their roster construction, Dubón would fit perfectly as another Gold Glove-caliber player who is decent with the bat. And with them possibly being close to what they’re willing to spend without knowing if a salary cap will be implemented, Dubón could slide into the budget rather easily. Last season, he made just $6.1 million with the Braves. While early in the offseason, it’s been projected that Dubón could make around $8 million for 2027. Some experts, such as the Athletic’s Jim Bowden, feel that a deal in the area of two years and between $16-18 million could be what he receives. To put into perspective of how good that contract would be, last year the team paid Kiner-Falefa $6 million for 1.1 fWAR. Dubón on the same contract put up 2.4 fWAR and he stayed healthy for the entire season. That’s not to say Kiner-Falefa was not worth the money, but if Dubón could replicate his 2.4 fWAR for about $8 million, it would be a bargain for the Red Sox. If Breslow could bring in a highly regarded utility defender with great bat-to-ball skills, it would immediately raise the floor and ceiling of the team’s bench. It would also create a full circle for Dubón, as he was drafted by the Red Sox back in 2013 before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 for Tyler Thornburg. View the full article

Following their Wild Card Series sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox will be spending the offseason with the hopes of improving their offense. A team that dealt with several injuries along with inconsistency across not just the starting lineup, but also their bench, could turn to a number of options. And while it may not be what some fans are looking for as a huge splash, signing a player such as Mauricio Dubón could be something that moves the offense in the right direction. Dubón, a utility player that has some experience defensively at every position besides catcher, would be the perfect replacement on the roster for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. While slightly older than him, Dubón would provide an upgrade in the offensive department. This season with the Atlanta Braves, he slashed .276/.321/.399 with 28 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. He isn’t known for his power; his 12 home runs were a career high and just the second time in his career where he reached double digit home runs. However, where Dubón excels is his bat-to-ball skills, a trait that Craig Breslow has taken a liking to when it comes to position players. His latest draft class had several players known for their contact ability. This year, Dubón had one of the best whiff rates in the league, failing to make contact on just 15.3% of his swings. Add to it an elite strikeout rate of just 11.8% and he'd be a great fit in Red Sox lineup that was at its best while focusing on putting the ball in play and moving runners along the basepath. Along with that, Dubón has shown a tendency to hit fastballs, something the Red Sox struggled mightily with during the playoffs. Since his debut in 2019, there has been only just one season where he had 100 at-bats against fastballs and hit under .260, that coming in 2022 when he hit just .220 against them. L he hit .286 and slugged .370 against them in 322 at-bats. Another offensive trait that could be appealing is his pull-air rate. He saw that number drop to 15.5% with the Braves, but for his career it has sat right around 16%. That number could increase once he gets into the Red Sox hitting lab, like how Willson Contreras committed to pulling the ball more after coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals. The slight tweak could turn him into a batter that would pelt the Green Monster with wall-ball doubles. More importantly, Dubón is a savant with the glove in his hand. Described as one of the best utility players in the game, his defensive versatility could provide Chad Tracy and the Red Sox with an endless number of lineup possibilities. He was nominated for a Gold Glove this year, after all, and has one two throughout his career as a utility man. For a team like the Red Sox that has made the thought of run prevention a big part of their roster construction, Dubón would fit perfectly as another Gold Glove-caliber player who is decent with the bat. And with them possibly being close to what they’re willing to spend without knowing if a salary cap will be implemented, Dubón could slide into the budget rather easily. Last season, he made just $6.1 million with the Braves. While early in the offseason, it’s been projected that Dubón could make around $8 million for 2027. Some experts, such as the Athletic’s Jim Bowden, feel that a deal in the area of two years and between $16-18 million could be what he receives. To put into perspective of how good that contract would be, last year the team paid Kiner-Falefa $6 million for 1.1 fWAR. Dubón on the same contract put up 2.4 fWAR and he stayed healthy for the entire season. That’s not to say Kiner-Falefa was not worth the money, but if Dubón could replicate his 2.4 fWAR for about $8 million, it would be a bargain for the Red Sox. If Breslow could bring in a highly regarded utility defender with great bat-to-ball skills, it would immediately raise the floor and ceiling of the team’s bench. It would also create a full circle for Dubón, as he was drafted by the Red Sox back in 2013 before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 for Tyler Thornburg. View the full article

You know you have the right people in your organization when other teams poach them. The San Diego Padres lost a third member of the franchise Wednesday when former MLB catcher A.J. Ellis was hired by the New York Mets as their major-league strategy coordinator under new manager Andy Green. Ellis was in the Padres' front office as a special assistant to the major-league staff and baseball operations. Ellis joins Ben Fritz, who was the Padres' bullpen coach and is now the Arizona Diamondbacks' pitching coach, and Caroline Perry, who was the chief operating officer who left to be the Los Angeles Dodgers' COO and executive vice president, in leaving San Diego since the end of the World Series. Ellis, who spent 11 seasons in MLB (nine with the Dodgers), finished his playing career with the Padres in 2018, Green's next-to-last season as San Diego's manager, then jumped into the Friars' front office. View the full article

You know you have the right people in your organization when other teams poach them. The San Diego Padres lost a third member of the franchise Wednesday when former MLB catcher A.J. Ellis was hired by the New York Mets as their major-league strategy coordinator under new manager Andy Green. Ellis was in the Padres' front office as a special assistant to the major-league staff and baseball operations. Ellis joins Ben Fritz, who was the Padres' bullpen coach and is now the Arizona Diamondbacks' pitching coach, and Caroline Perry, who was the chief operating officer who left to be the Los Angeles Dodgers' COO and executive vice president, in leaving San Diego since the end of the World Series. Ellis, who spent 11 seasons in MLB (nine with the Dodgers), finished his playing career with the Padres in 2018, Green's next-to-last season as San Diego's manager, then jumped into the Friars' front office. View the full article

Prospect development rarely follows a straight line. Some players rise quickly through an organization, while others encounter unexpected obstacles that force them to make adjustments. For Minnesota Twins prospect Kyle DeBarge, the 2026 season presented one of those challenges. After showing promise during his first two professional seasons, he struggled to find consistent offensive production in Double-A Wichita. However, his recent performance in the Arizona Fall League suggests there might be reason for renewed optimism. DeBarge entered professional baseball with considerable expectations after becoming the highest-selected player in Louisiana-Lafayette program history. His defensive abilities, contact-oriented approach, and aggressive baserunning gave the Twins plenty to like when they selected him. The offensive production has been less consistent, especially against more advanced pitching. Now, an encouraging stretch in Arizona has brought his name back into the prospect conversation. DeBarge is working with a different swing, making better contact, and showing some of the offensive potential that made him an appealing draft selection. The question is whether these improvements represent a meaningful turning point or simply a productive stretch against fall league competition. DeBarge's Journey Through the Twins Organization The Twins selected DeBarge with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Minnesota received that selection as compensation for losing Sonny Gray in free agency. The Twins believed his combination of athleticism, defensive versatility, and competitive personality gave him an intriguing foundation. One of the qualities that stood out about DeBarge was his desire to win. His approach to development extended beyond individual statistics or personal accomplishments. He wanted to contribute to winning baseball, regardless of the level. "I want to win more than anybody on the field," DeBarge said. "If I'm developing not to win in the Minor Leagues, and then you get to the big leagues and you expect to win, it's not gonna work out." That competitive mentality has remained an important part of his profile. Minnesota moved him through the organization at a steady pace, with DeBarge advancing one level each season. He spent his first professional season working through the lower levels before moving to High-A Cedar Rapids in 2025. His performance there helped establish him as an interesting infield prospect as he had a .709 OPS and posted a 107 wRC+ The 2025 campaign also brought individual recognition. DeBarge earned a Minor League Gold Glove Award at second base, highlighting one of the strongest elements of his game. His defensive instincts and ability to make plays helped separate him from other prospects at his position. However, the next step in his development proved more challenging. DeBarge spent the entire 2026 regular season with Double-A Wichita, marking his first opportunity to compete against upper-level Minor League pitching. The results were not what the organization hoped to see offensively. He finished with a .221 batting average, a .677 OPS, and a 76 wRC+. His contact rate also dropped to 71.7%, more than five percentage points below his 2025 mark with Cedar Rapids. Those numbers raised questions about his offensive ceiling. Double-A is an important developmental checkpoint because hitters begin facing more advanced pitchers who can better exploit weaknesses in their swings. DeBarge experienced some of those growing pains, and his struggles made it difficult to project when he might be ready for Triple-A. There was still one encouraging part of his offensive profile. Despite limited opportunities to reach base, DeBarge continued to create problems on the basepaths. He collected 41 stolen bases with Wichita, giving him 107 steals over the previous two seasons. That total ranked first among all Twins Minor Leaguers during that span. His speed remains an important weapon, but Minnesota needs more consistent offensive production if he is going to become a legitimate option for the major league roster. Arizona Fall League Provides an Opportunity After playing at least 120 games in each of the previous two seasons, DeBarge received another opportunity to work on his offensive approach in the Arizona Fall League. The Twins sent him to the desert with a relatively straightforward objective: find a swing that works and become comfortable repeating it. The organization wanted him to build an approach that maintained his natural ability to make contact while allowing him to produce more impactful results. Rather than completely changing his offensive identity, the focus was on finding a better balance between putting the ball in play and creating more opportunities to drive the baseball. Through 15 games with Salt River, the early results have been encouraging. DeBarge is hitting .358/.485/.604 (1.089) while collecting seven stolen bases. He has also recorded six extra-base hits, providing some evidence that the adjustments are helping him do more damage when he makes contact. His strikeout rate remains something to monitor. DeBarge has struck out in 23.5% of his plate appearances, which is not necessarily the outcome the Twins want from a player whose offensive profile has traditionally centered around contact. However, he has offset some of those strikeouts by drawing 12 walks. That combination has helped him maintain an impressive 17.6 BB%. If DeBarge can consistently reach base at that rate while continuing to use his speed, he could become a much more interesting offensive player. The Twins' player development department has also expressed optimism about the adjustments. "He's [found] a swing adjustment that's a good blend of his strengths – contact, putting the ball in play – with getting the ball off the ground some and has found a good balance and repeatable swing," Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail. "We're feeling really good about where he's at." That assessment is particularly important because it suggests the organization is seeing more than just a temporary hot streak. The goal is to establish a repeatable swing that allows DeBarge to maintain his contact skills while generating more productive contact. There is still a considerable difference between putting together a strong stretch in the Arizona Fall League and producing consistently against Double-A or Triple-A pitching. However, the early returns provide something positive for a player who needed an encouraging finish to his 2026 campaign. What Comes Next for DeBarge? DeBarge's Arizona Fall League performance does not erase the questions created by his difficult Double-A season. His .221 batting average and .677 OPS with Wichita remain important parts of his developmental record. The organization needs to see whether his new swing can produce consistent results over a much larger sample. Still, there are reasons to remain interested in his development. He has elite defensive potential, legitimate speed, and a willingness to make adjustments. His recent offensive production suggests he might be finding a way to turn some of those tools into a more complete player. The next step will likely involve carrying his Arizona improvements into the 2027 season. A strong showing at the plate could put him back on track toward Triple-A and help restore some of the prospect momentum he generated after being drafted. DeBarge might not be one of the first names mentioned when discussing the Twins' top prospects, but that does not mean his future with the organization is settled. His defensive versatility gives him a foundation, while his Arizona performance offers a glimpse of what he could become offensively. The Twins invested a significant draft selection in DeBarge, and the organization still appears encouraged by his development. Now, he needs to show that the adjustments are sustainable. If he can combine his defensive abilities and baserunning with a more productive offensive approach, he could put himself back on the Twins' prospect map and give Minnesota another intriguing young player to consider for its future roster. What stands out about DeBarge as a prospect? Can he build off his AFL performance? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Everyone has a dream growing up, and Kade Snell's dream was to play baseball at Auburn University. When Snell was informed he was being cut, he had a decision to make: quit and pivot entirely or find another way to get to the professional ranks. Now, just a few years later, he holds one of the more impressive comeback stories in the Chicago Cubs’ pipeline. Kade Snell's Rise to the Fall Stars Game Snell was born in Dothan, Alabama, and from the world “go," all he wanted to do was be an Auburn Tiger. The southpaw made a name for himself at the prep level, becoming a standout left-handed pitcher at Wicksburg High School. This led to Snell unlocking a huge first step in his aspirations: getting the call from Auburn. “There was a point in time when I got to campus where I thought I had already made it,” Snell, who is currently in the Arizona Fall League, said to me in a recent interview. “That’s a dangerous game to play.” Snell’s status on the team fizzled out, as the Tigers cut him. The Mesa Solar Sox outfielder said he even remembers one of the coaches asking him if he’d consider being a student and putting baseball aside entirely. That never crossed Snell’s mind. Switching Positions, Hitting the Reset Button The next morning, Snell’s dad started getting calls from Junior College coaches. Some players would cast this idea aside and take it as an ego hit. Snell didn’t, and he capitalized on the opportunity. During this process, he picked up the bat again. He had always prided himself on being an athlete in high school, and the Junior College that would allow him to do that again won the bid. “Wallace-Dothan [Community College] was the one real school that was like ‘we’ll definitely give you an opportunity to hit’,” he said. “Junior College was huge for me.” Snell dazzled as a two-way star, slashing .396/.503/.545 (.948 OPS) en route to earning Junior College Player of the Year honors in 2023. From there, he earned plenty of recruiting stock at the NCAA-Division I level again. This time, his decision was clear. Play the outfield, become a valuable hitter, and join the only team that made sense: the rivals. “It was an easy decision to go to Alabama,” Snell said. “The fire got lit under me when I got cut [by Auburn]”. Drafted At Last Snell spent two years at Alabama, hitting .347 with 16 homers and 82 runs batted in over a 101-game span. His remarkable approach (53 walks to 36 strikeouts) among other aspects caught the attention of the Cubs, the team that picked him in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Just a couple of years after being cut by his dream school, the kid from Alabama was headed to the pros. After a cup of coffee in High-A South Bend in 2025, the 24-year-old excelled in his first real taste of the minor leagues this year. Snell slashed .269/.350/.426 (.776 OPS), striking out only 20.6 percent of the time (68th percentile). The bat-to-ball skills are clearly there, as the outfield farmhand has some of the better metrics in whiff rate (24.6 percent, 73rd percentile), zone-swing percentage (72 percent, 78th percentile) and zone-contact percentage (86.7 percent, 79th percentile) among his High-A peers. Growing In the Arizona Fall League After spending a full season with a High-A Cubs team that landed in the postseason, Snell was one of eight Cubs minor leaguers to be sent to the Arizona Fall League. The Alabama native has capitalized, throttling three extra-base hits (a home run, a triple and a double) with nine runs batted in over 17 games. He has also gained a knack for stolen bases. After not stealing a single base in 101 games of college ball, Snell has parlayed a 19 SB regular season with nine more bag swipes (without being caught) in AFL play. His .286 batting average and .438 on-base percentage (14 walks, nine strikeouts) makes it evident that this is someone who is comfortable at the plate and can be a real asset to the Cubs soon. All of that has earned him—alongside fellow Cubs prospect Dominick Reid—a trip to the Fall Stars Game, the annual showcase for the AFL's best performers. He's done all of this while also learning a new position. “I’ve been able to play some center [field],” he said. “Anywhere I can be plugged and played, that’s what I’m looking forward to.” Snell is at the top of his game now. Once cut from his dream school, Snell has learned to weaponize a low moment and turn it into motivation on his remarkable journey to the top. View the full article

Everyone has a dream growing up, and Kade Snell's dream was to play baseball at Auburn University. When Snell was informed he was being cut, he had a decision to make: quit and pivot entirely or find another way to get to the professional ranks. Now, just a few years later, he holds one of the more impressive comeback stories in the Chicago Cubs’ pipeline. Kade Snell's Rise to the Fall Stars Game Snell was born in Dothan, Alabama, and from the world “go," all he wanted to do was be an Auburn Tiger. The southpaw made a name for himself at the prep level, becoming a standout left-handed pitcher at Wicksburg High School. This led to Snell unlocking a huge first step in his aspirations: getting the call from Auburn. “There was a point in time when I got to campus where I thought I had already made it,” Snell, who is currently in the Arizona Fall League, said to me in a recent interview. “That’s a dangerous game to play.” Snell’s status on the team fizzled out, as the Tigers cut him. The Mesa Solar Sox outfielder said he even remembers one of the coaches asking him if he’d consider being a student and putting baseball aside entirely. That never crossed Snell’s mind. Switching Positions, Hitting the Reset Button The next morning, Snell’s dad started getting calls from Junior College coaches. Some players would cast this idea aside and take it as an ego hit. Snell didn’t, and he capitalized on the opportunity. During this process, he picked up the bat again. He had always prided himself on being an athlete in high school, and the Junior College that would allow him to do that again won the bid. “Wallace-Dothan [Community College] was the one real school that was like ‘we’ll definitely give you an opportunity to hit’,” he said. “Junior College was huge for me.” Snell dazzled as a two-way star, slashing .396/.503/.545 (.948 OPS) en route to earning Junior College Player of the Year honors in 2023. From there, he earned plenty of recruiting stock at the NCAA-Division I level again. This time, his decision was clear. Play the outfield, become a valuable hitter, and join the only team that made sense: the rivals. “It was an easy decision to go to Alabama,” Snell said. “The fire got lit under me when I got cut [by Auburn]”. Drafted At Last Snell spent two years at Alabama, hitting .347 with 16 homers and 82 runs batted in over a 101-game span. His remarkable approach (53 walks to 36 strikeouts) among other aspects caught the attention of the Cubs, the team that picked him in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Just a couple of years after being cut by his dream school, the kid from Alabama was headed to the pros. After a cup of coffee in High-A South Bend in 2025, the 24-year-old excelled in his first real taste of the minor leagues this year. Snell slashed .269/.350/.426 (.776 OPS), striking out only 20.6 percent of the time (68th percentile). The bat-to-ball skills are clearly there, as the outfield farmhand has some of the better metrics in whiff rate (24.6 percent, 73rd percentile), zone-swing percentage (72 percent, 78th percentile) and zone-contact percentage (86.7 percent, 79th percentile) among his High-A peers. Growing In the Arizona Fall League After spending a full season with a High-A Cubs team that landed in the postseason, Snell was one of eight Cubs minor leaguers to be sent to the Arizona Fall League. The Alabama native has capitalized, throttling three extra-base hits (a home run, a triple and a double) with nine runs batted in over 17 games. He has also gained a knack for stolen bases. After not stealing a single base in 101 games of college ball, Snell has parlayed a 19 SB regular season with nine more bag swipes (without being caught) in AFL play. His .286 batting average and .438 on-base percentage (14 walks, nine strikeouts) makes it evident that this is someone who is comfortable at the plate and can be a real asset to the Cubs soon. All of that has earned him—alongside fellow Cubs prospect Dominick Reid—a trip to the Fall Stars Game, the annual showcase for the AFL's best performers. He's done all of this while also learning a new position. “I’ve been able to play some center [field],” he said. “Anywhere I can be plugged and played, that’s what I’m looking forward to.” Snell is at the top of his game now. Once cut from his dream school, Snell has learned to weaponize a low moment and turn it into motivation on his remarkable journey to the top. View the full article

With the new baseball calendar officially taking effect this week, a number of notable players in the San Diego Padres' system became free agents. The headliner of that group is left-handed starter Jagger Haynes, Padres Mission's No. 13 prospect. Haynes was the Padres fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft out of West Columbus High School in North Carolina, didn't start his on-field pro career until 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. He made 27 starts and one relief appearance this year between the Double-A San Antonio Missions and Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas with a 5.13 ERA in 135 innings with 61 walks and 116 strikeouts. He had been eligible for the Rule 5 draft last year and went unprotected. Haynes was the last member of the 2020 draft class, which was just five rounds due to the pandemic, in the Padres' system. Other noteworthy minor-league players who elected free agency, either from being a six-year minor-leaguer or by signing a one-year contract last offseason, were center fielder Bryce Johnson, who was on the Opening Day roster, first baseman Nick Solak, who made a brief appearance with the Padres this season, right-handed reliever Ty Adcock, right-hander Daison Acosta, outfielder Tirso Ornelas and right-hander Brent Honeywell, who was attempting to make a comeback to MLB. In a quirk, the Padres went from having two Carlos Rodriguezes on their full-season rosters to none. The Triple-A Rodriguez, an outfielder, and the High-A Rodriguez, a catcher, also elected free agency. Any of these players could re-sign with the Padres or move on to another franchise. Here is the list of departing players: LHP Jagger Haynes 1B Nick Solak OF Albert Fabian 3B Luis Verdugo RHP Sean Boyle 2B Victor Duarte 2B Clay Dungan RHP Ty Adcock RHP Daison Acosta RHP Logan Gillaspie RHP Evan Fitterer RF Bryce Johnson RHP Hans Crouse RHP Brent Honeywell RHP Eli Villalobos RF Carlos Rodríguez C Carlos Rodriguez SS Francisco Acuna SS Carson Tucker LF Tirso Ornelas View the full article

With the new baseball calendar officially taking effect this week, a number of notable players in the San Diego Padres' system became free agents. The headliner of that group is left-handed starter Jagger Haynes, Padres Mission's No. 13 prospect. Haynes was the Padres fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft out of West Columbus High School in North Carolina, didn't start his on-field pro career until 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. He made 27 starts and one relief appearance this year between the Double-A San Antonio Missions and Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas with a 5.13 ERA in 135 innings with 61 walks and 116 strikeouts. He had been eligible for the Rule 5 draft last year and went unprotected. Haynes was the last member of the 2020 draft class, which was just five rounds due to the pandemic, in the Padres' system. Other noteworthy minor-league players who elected free agency, either from being a six-year minor-leaguer or by signing a one-year contract last offseason, were center fielder Bryce Johnson, who was on the Opening Day roster, first baseman Nick Solak, who made a brief appearance with the Padres this season, right-handed reliever Ty Adcock, right-hander Daison Acosta, outfielder Tirso Ornelas and right-hander Brent Honeywell, who was attempting to make a comeback to MLB. In a quirk, the Padres went from having two Carlos Rodriguezes on their full-season rosters to none. The Triple-A Rodriguez, an outfielder, and the High-A Rodriguez, a catcher, also elected free agency. Any of these players could re-sign with the Padres or move on to another franchise. Here is the list of departing players: LHP Jagger Haynes 1B Nick Solak OF Albert Fabian 3B Luis Verdugo RHP Sean Boyle 2B Victor Duarte 2B Clay Dungan RHP Ty Adcock RHP Daison Acosta RHP Logan Gillaspie RHP Evan Fitterer RF Bryce Johnson RHP Hans Crouse RHP Brent Honeywell RHP Eli Villalobos RF Carlos Rodríguez C Carlos Rodriguez SS Francisco Acuna SS Carson Tucker LF Tirso Ornelas View the full article

The Arizona Fall League is starting to wind down and in preparation of the end of the season, they have announced their yearly Fall Stars. The Fall Stars Game will be played on Sunday, November 8 as the American League and National League will send the best prospects in the AFL to face off against each other. The Boston Red Sox have one representative out of their eight AFL prospects. Antonio Anderson, who has been one of the best hitters not just on the Mesa Solar Sox but for the entire league, will be taking part in the Fall Stars Game after putting together a fantastic season. He's also going to take part in the AFL's Home Run Derby. So far through 16 games, Anderson is hitting .361/.500/.623 with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and 20 RBIs. He’s also walked 17 times to 20 strikeouts. With Mesa, he currently leads the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, home runs, and RBIs. He’s also tied for the lead in doubles and walks. Compared to everyone in the fall league, Anderson is tied for fifth in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage, and eighth in slugging and home runs. View the full article