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Sweet Lou, Comrade Cody, and Ol Gregg Chiggins run down the storylines they're watching at spring training, including roster battles and darkhorses. Gregg recounts his embarrassing interaction with a former MVP. Lou loves sunburn, and Cody poured out his drinks. Pots and pans for all! Listen using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twins-off-daily-podcast/id1741266056 Listen using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tb78XlurcPTYYSsARdbD7 Listen using iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-twins-off-daily-podcas-167548600/ Listen using Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/nvclbt0w Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twinsdaily View the full article

Given his recent injury history, Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers are taking things slow this spring. Woodruff, whose comeback from career-threatening shoulder surgery was truncated by a season-ending lat injury last September, is building up more gradually than most of Milwaukee's starters, to the point that he is not guaranteed to be ready for Opening Day. Both player and team are more interested in having a healthy Woodruff during the stretch run than in April. "We don't want to push him too fast, necessarily, because we want to have those bullets available at the end of the season, for sure, and he is coming off a real injury here," president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said last week. The Brewers expect Woodruff to be available this year, though, and they expect him to be a major rotation piece once he's ready to go. The club affirmed that confidence by extending him the $22.025-million qualifying offer in November, which Woodruff accepted to return to the only organization he's ever known. "In terms of the qualifying offer and accepting it, it was a pretty easy decision for me," he said. "If I had to spend one year pitching somewhere in my career—and fortunately, I've been here my whole big-league career so far—this was easy, I'd love to throw it here. I had a few other opportunities, but nothing that compared to here." For the first time in two years, Woodruff is coming off a normal offseason, a welcome change of pace from a grueling rehab process. The slower buildup is to ensure he stays healthy, and has nothing to do with how he's feeling. "This spring training, compared to last, not even comparable in terms of the way I feel," Woodruff said. As he worked his way back, the question was not only when Woodruff would return to the big leagues, but how he would perform when that time arrived. Unsurprisingly, a major shoulder surgery sapped some of his velocity. His four-seamer and two-seamer averaged north of 96 mph in his prime, but they sat at 93 in his return. Woodruff was no less effective, though, authoring a 3.20 ERA, 2.90 SIERA, and 32.3% strikeout rate, the latter two of which were career bests. He announced his return with authority, tossing six innings of one-run baseball with eight strikeouts on July 6, 2025, against the Marlins in Miami—the location of his previous big-league start, nearly 22 months prior. "His command was really good," Pat Murphy said. "His poise. He had that same gunfighter mentality. It's precious. That game in Miami, it still gives me chills thinking about it." In some ways, Woodruff still looked like his vintage self. When he threw his four-seamer, he still went right at hitters. It still induced whiffs on 32.1% of swings, essentially the same elite rate as when it sat in the upper 90s. While its horizontal movement bordered on glove-side cut more than it once did, at 17.6 inches of induced vertical break, it still had above-average carry at the top of the zone. It was clear from that first outing, though, that this was an evolved Woodruff. Yes, the four-seamer could still miss bats, but he used it a career-low 30.7% of the time and developed new ways to supplement it. "Last year was a very, very big teaching moment for me in my career and how I can pitch," he said, "how I can go about pitching and doing different things and expanding on my arsenal a little bit, and not having the velo." Throughout that afternoon in Miami, Woodruff repeatedly dotted the outside corner with comeback two-seamers to right-handed batters. He continued doing it for the rest of the season to a greater extent than before his injury, when he almost exclusively used the two-seamer to jam righties inside with running velocity. "I started doing that in '23, too, before having surgery," he said of the back-door two-seamer. "I've always wanted to do it, but I never really needed to do it. That was kind of a different layer for me. So then when I came back and started rehabbing and getting in games, I made sure to kind of keep that in my pocket a little bit." "For the two-seamer to come along the way it has, it's changed him a little bit," Murphy said. Woodruff also added a third fastball to his mix. Leveraging his newfound inclination to cut the ball slightly more, he developed a riding cutter using an offset four-seam grip. Sitting at 89 mph with 13 inches of induced vertical break, it mirrored his four-seamer and sinker out of the hand before cutting a few inches toward his glove side, helping him establish an effective tunnel with those two-seamers on the outside corner. "Just trying to play lanes," Woodruff said. "I think that's a big part of pitching, is understanding how your stuff plays. It's all planes, trying to get a pitch to come out of the same area, the same kind of box, essentially, and have those shapes play together." One of his intended changes didn't stick. Woodruff developed a sweeper during his rehab process to better complement his fastballs and separate from his curveball, but after throwing seven of them across his first two starts, he threw just five the rest of the season. Poor results were part of the reason—the sweeper surrendered a home run in each of those first two outings—but more than anything, Woodruff struggled to throw it consistently. "It's a pitch for me where I have to really get extended out in front and get in front of the baseball," he explained. "It's a pitch for me that's pretty tough to [throw]. I have to really think about throwing this thing way out in front. There might be a couple of good ones in there, but I'm the type of guy – I've always been like that – if I'm throwing something that isn't consistent or what I like, I kind of work around that and then use it when I really need to bring it out. It's kind of a back-pocket pitch for me." Instead, he leaned heavily on that trio of fastballs and a changeup that has improved over the years. How Woodruff deployed those four pitches, however, often varied from one game to the next. "I just kind of went with the flow," he said. "It's one of those things where I try to read the hitter as much as possible, and I throw what they are telling me to throw … I have a plan, and I know my strengths, but I kind of let the hitter tell me everything." Woodruff didn't know what results to expect in his return last year, focusing more on the goal of making it back to a mound. Murphy was also unsure how he would perform, but he was unsurprised that he made the necessary adjustments to retire hitters in new ways. "I don't know that I could have predicted that, but I know that when I watched him attack his rehab and just be so diligent day in and day out, I'm like, 'Man, this guy's hungry. He's hungry,'" Murphy said. "It didn't surprise me totally, because of the way he attacked his rehab, the process to come back." With the 2026 season approaching, Woodruff remains hungry, but just as he learned to expand his arsenal and methods for attacking hitters, he's also navigating changes to his body and how he must approach his workload. "I still have to be smart going forward for this year," he said. "I didn't throw a ton of innings. But as far as right now, physically, I feel really good." View the full article

FORT MYERS—Barring injuries, 10 of the 13 position-player spots on the Twins' projected roster are already locked in: Josh Bell, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, and Royce Lewis will start in the infield. Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton, and Trevor Larnach will start in the outfield. Ryan Jeffers and Victor Caratini will be the Twins' catchers. Kody Clemens will be a corner utility glove and likely start versus most right-handed pitchers, somewhere. That leaves three bench spots, so let’s look at the candidates, along with my percentage estimation that each makes the Opening Day roster. (Since there are three spots, those percentages have to add up to 300%.) The three spots are: 1. Backup Shortstop In the past, the Twins could look around their starting infield for backup shortstop options. No longer. Willi Castro is in Colorado, and Lee moved into the lead role at shortstop when Carlos Correa was traded. Thus, one of the bench spots has to be taken by a true shortstop who can step in when Lee needs to miss a game—or even needs a short IL stint. One of the following three players will be on the roster, and your guess is as good as mine about which one is in the lead. Tristan Gray (30%) is 29 years old and only has 122 MLB plate appearances with a .634 OPS, but that’s why he’s competing for a bench spot. He also has lots of flexibility in that he can play all over the infield, and his underlying metrics suggest he has the most offensive upside of the three. Ryan Kreidler (30%) has the best glove of the candidates, but he also has a career .383 OPS(!) over four years and 211 plate appearances. His Triple-A numbers (.717 OPS over 1,223 PA) suggest he’s better than that, but I mean, he has to be, right? One other advantage he has over the other two players is that he can also play center field. Orlando Arcia (40%) is the 10-year veteran who was an All-Star as recently as 2023, but has posted a .599 OPS over his last two years. Can the 31-year-old use spring training to show he’s back to his old self and prolong his career one more year? I’m not optimistic, but I’m still giving him a slight edge because he’s the veteran and could probably opt out of the organization if he doesn’t make the roster. Which is similar to the situation for…. 2. Backup Center Fielder Nobody is going to replace Byron Buxton’s impact in this lineup, but despite his last two (mostly) healthy seasons, an insurance policy for him isn’t just wise; it’s a necessity. If he’s out for an extended period of time, his replacement will probably come from Triple A. But for the occasional necessary day off, the Twins will need a Plan B. Even if Kreidler makes the team, I’m almost sure one of these two center field candidates will make the roster, too, for different reasons. James Outman (60%) was acquired at the trade deadline from the Dodgers, but didn’t hit any better with the Twins (.558 OPS) than he did with LA (.487 OPS). That means he hasn’t hit well since he was a 26-year-old rookie in 2023, and worse, he didn’t look very good defensively in center or left field, which was perceived to be his strength. But he does have one thing going for him: he’s out of minor-league options. If he doesn’t make the team, the Twins could lose him to another team without getting anything in return. That’s not something the asset-conscious Twins liked to do when the team was run by Derek Falvey and Rocco Baldelli, but we’ll see if that’s different under Jeremy Zoll and Derek Shelton. Austin Martin (80%) has several things going for him that make him a likely fit for the Twins roster. He can play center field, he’s right-handed, and he can steal bases. The Twins team needs all of those, and it probably helps that he’s a 26-year-old former top prospect. It makes too much sense for him to be on this roster for it not to happen, one way or the other. 3. Offensive Help The Twins’ offense ranked 23rd in runs scored last year, and a few spots in their lineup could benefit from platooning with a right-handed bat. Hence, the last spot on the roster will be focused on adding some offense. Eric Wagaman (25%) is a right-handed hitter who hits left-handed pitching (.783 OPS in 2025) but has never really hit righties, so his role would need to be limited. But that might work. He’s basically a right-handed version of Clemens, minus the ability to play second base. As such, the Twins could mix and match the two at several corner positions and have Wagaman available for high-leverage at-bats versus left-handed relievers late in games. Alan Roden (20%) is not a right-handed bat, but they traded for him last year at the deadline. He played left field for the Twins last year, and could be a fit there again this year if the Twins determine they would rather see Trevor Larnach mostly at designated hitter. If Roden makes the team, it probably won’t be as a bench bat, but as a starting left fielder. That would give the team another left-handed corner outfield bat to be added to Larnach, Wallner, and Clemens. Gio Urshela (15%) is a veteran right-handed bat, but with less defensive flexibility than Wagaman. That doesn’t mean he can’t win the job, but it seems like he’s on the outside looking in, unless there’s an injury or Wagaman looks overmatched. The truth is that one can mix and match these guys and end up with different strengths and different weaknesses that reflect what you value in a baseball team. So let’s hear your thoughts in the comments about your choices—and more importantly, your reasons. View the full article

With Rhys Hoskins signing a contract with the Cleveland Guardians following his two-year stint in Milwaukee, it got our gears turning on the true future at first base for the Brewers. In this video, we dive into the advanced analytics and contract details for Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, and Tyler Black. View the full article

With Rhys Hoskins signing a contract with the Cleveland Guardians following his two-year stint in Milwaukee, it got our gears turning on the true future at first base for the Brewers. In this video, we dive into the advanced analytics and contract details for Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, and Tyler Black. View the full article

Cade Horton's remarkable 2025 campaign had him knocking on the doorstep of some National League Rookie of the Year hardware. Based on his arsenal, durability, and signs of growth, can he be the ace of a crowded room of arms this season? We dive into Horton's strengths, weaknesses, and the likelihood of that happening. Enjoy! View the full article

Cade Horton's remarkable 2025 campaign had him knocking on the doorstep of some National League Rookie of the Year hardware. Based on his arsenal, durability, and signs of growth, can he be the ace of a crowded room of arms this season? We dive into Horton's strengths, weaknesses, and the likelihood of that happening. Enjoy! View the full article

The Minnesota Twins faced off against the Detroit Tigers on Monday in a game that was headlined by a dominant start by Mick Abel and an absolute TANK by Emmanuel Rodriguez. What are the chances that either player makes the Opening Day roster? View the full article

The Minnesota Twins faced off against the Detroit Tigers on Monday in a game that was headlined by a dominant start by Mick Abel and an absolute TANK by Emmanuel Rodriguez. What are the chances that either player makes the Opening Day roster? View the full article

The Minnesota Twins faced off against the Detroit Tigers on Monday in a game that was headlined by a dominant start by Mick Abel and an absolute TANK by Emmanuel Rodriguez. What are the chances that either player makes the Opening Day roster? View the full article

The Brewers graduated a number of their top prospects throughout the 2026 season, including Jacob Misiorowski. They also had breakouts throughout the farm and made some trades involving prospects, so there are some new names to look at heading into this season. Let's take a look at the first installment of prospects number 16-20, as voted on and compiled by the Brewer Fanatic writers. #20 LHP JD Thompson (Vanderbilt) Thompson was the Brewers' second-round pick in 2025, where he struck out 122 batters in only 90 innings, while only walking 30 along the way. A strike-throwing lefty, Thompson features strong pitchability, interesting underlying data, and a deep arsenal. There's not a ton of projection remaining physically, but what stands out most is his overall feel for pitching. He throws a ton of strikes, sequences well, and shows the type of command and pitchability you expect from an advanced college arm. The fastball sits 92–95 MPH and plays extremely well for its velocity, generating roughly 18 inches of vertical break from a lower 5.6-foot release height. He was consistently in the zone with the pitch, but the whiff rate was still north of 30% at Vandy, which tells you the shape and deception are doing a lot of work. His changeup is his best secondary in terms of shape, coming in about 10 MPH slower than the fastball with strong vertical and arm-side movement, giving it real bat-missing potential. However, he does lose his command of it at times, which has turned some evaluators off to the pitch. The slider sits in the low-80s with some cut action, and it will be interesting to see if the Brewers try to push it toward a more cutter-like profile in pro ball, with a little more velocity, or perhaps add a cutter separately. He also mixes an upper-70s curveball that produced big whiff numbers in college thanks to its two-plane shape, and while the lower spin could lead to less swing-and-miss in pro ball, it has a chance to be an above-average offering for him as well. Given his age and experience, Thompson is a candidate to move faster than most pitchers in the system. He is a good candidate to skip Low-A and start his professional career in Appleton in 2026, and potentially push toward the upper minors sooner rather than later. Barring a velocity jump, the ceiling probably looks like a back-end starter, but he has flashed higher velocity in college. However, the combination of strike-throwing, feel, and pitch mix gives him a safe path to contributing in some form. This is the type of arm the Brewers tend to get more out of than other organizations. #19 SS Brady Ebel (Carolina Mudcats) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 66 14 1 0 0 .592 79 .308 25.8% 9.1% 11.0% 27.1% 39.0% 17.1% 43.9% 37.5% 42.5% 20.0% 0.0% 0 1 0% Drafted in the Competitive Balance Round A in the 2025 draft, Ebel entered pro ball with a high level of experience and polish for a player his age. His background includes spending a lot of time around big league players and the game, as his father, Dino Ebel, has been the Dodgers' third base coach for an extended period. The early stat line comes from a very limited sample size, so it's unfair to read too much into it, especially given that several underlying traits have stood out, going back to his prep days. He's shown strong swing decisions, consistent bat-to-ball ability, and an overall offensive approach that looks more advanced than most prep hitters at this stage of development. The profile is built around contact ability, with the chance for a strong hit tool and the possibility of average or better power down the road. For the moment, Ebel's power shows up more in batting practice than in games. He's an average runner who likely won't make a major impact with speed, but he moves well enough to handle multiple positions defensively. On the defensive side, Ebel played third base in high school, as he shared the left side of the infield with 2025 number 10 pick Billy Carlson. In pro ball, though, he has primarily played shortstop, with his long-term home still up in the air. The range is solid, and he shows good instincts along with clean infield actions, but as he continues to fill out physically, a move to second or third base remains possible. His arm strength projects to be a clear plus tool and should be more than enough for either spot on the left side of the infield. There's still plenty of development ahead, but the combination of baseball awareness, offensive foundation, and defensive versatility gives Ebel a strong starting point. He went through some adjustment periods in his first exposure to pro pitching, and a return to Low-A for a full season in 2026 should provide a clearer picture of how quickly the bat might progress. #18 RHP Craig Yoho (Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers) ERA FIP xFIP IP G GS SV BS K% BB% K-BB% HR/9 SwStr% Whiff% WHIP BABIP LOB% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB 0.99 2.53 3.62 45.1 41 0 8 2 31.7% 10.9% 20.8% 0.00 14.8% 36.9% 0.99 0.248 85.7% 19.8% 51.5% 28.7% 27.6% 0.0% Yoho moved quickly through the Brewers' system in 2024, reaching Triple-A in his first professional season after signing for just $10,000 as an eighth-round pick. He returned to Triple-A in 2025 and continued to dominate, posting a sub-1.00 ERA with a 31.7% strikeout rate while missing bats at an elite level. At 26 years old and already on the 40-man roster, he is much closer to a finished product than most players in this range. His brief struggles at the major league level came in a very limited sample and did little to change the overall outlook. The standout pitch in Yoho's arsenal is his changeup, a true plus-plus offering and one of the most effective pitches in the minor leagues. It generates high swing-and-miss rates due to its significant movement and spin characteristics. Early in his Triple-A run in 2024, the pitch even got tagged as a left-handed curveball by Statcast because of its shape. He complements the changeup with a low-to-mid 90s four-seam fastball that features heavy run and often resembles a two-seam profile. He also throws a sweeping breaking ball that underwent adjustments late in the season, tightening its movement while increasing velocity by several miles per hour. These changes aim to improve the pitch's command, above all else. Yoho will also mix in a cutter in the upper 80s, though it currently serves more as a secondary option within the arsenal. While his walk rates at Triple-A Nashville were manageable, major-league hitters showed an ability to stay off his pitches when they fell out of the strike zone. That ability to consistently locate his stuff remains the main hurdle preventing him from securing a long-term role at the big-league level. The recent adjustments to his breaking ball and continued refinement of his command will likely determine how quickly he establishes himself. Yoho's raw stuff is clearly major league caliber. With improved strike-throwing, he has the tools to develop into a leverage reliever for Milwaukee, potentially as soon as this season. #17 RHP Tyson Hardin (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers) ERA FIP xFIP IP G GS CG ShO K% BB% K-BB% HR/9 SwStr% Whiff% WHIP BABIP LOB% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB 2.72 2.35 2.66 96.0 21 21 1 1 24.7% 4.4% 20.4% 0.28 12.9% 26.9% 1.18 0.346 74.2% 26.7% 48.1% 25.2% 22.4% 4.5% A 12th-Round pick in the 2024 draft, Hardin emerged as one of the biggest surprises coming out of 2025 spring training. He continued that success into the regular season, making it all the way to Double-A and winning Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Year. After working primarily as a two-pitch reliever in college, he showed up with a much deeper arsenal, flashing an intriguing five-pitch mix and reaching the upper-90s with his fastball at times. That peak velocity didn't consistently carry over into a starting role, where he generally sat in the 93–95 MPH range, but the ability to reach back for more velocity remains notable. There are some similarities in Hardin's development path to Brandon Woodruff's early career. Both pitchers showed more arm talent than production during their time at Mississippi State and were selected in the middle rounds of the draft, with Woodruff going in the 11th round and Hardin in the 12th. Woodruff initially operated in a similar velocity range after being drafted before gradually adding more consistent upper-90s velocity as he developed, providing a general framework for what Hardin's progression could look like. Hardin, however, is moving much faster through pro-ball than Woodruff did. Hardin's four-seam fastball stands out as the foundation of his arsenal. The pitch generates good carry for his arm slot, producing roughly 15 inches of vertical break from a 23-degree arm angle. He shows a consistent ability to elevate the fastball, leading to a very flat vertical approach angle that can reach extreme levels, recorded at -3.6 degrees during his lone spring training Statcast appearance. The overall shape and velocity of the pitch resemble Bryan Woo's four-seam fastball in Seattle, which has generated strong swing-and-miss results at the major league level. Hardin's cutter also shows traits comparable to Woo's slider, and the movement profiles of his changeup and sinker, along with his arm slot, are similar as well. Hardin also generates above-average spin across his arsenal, adding to the effectiveness of his pitch mix. Command played a big role in Hardin's success as well, as he limited his walks to a stellar 4.3% rate. Hardin experienced some arm fatigue late in the season, which was not a shock given his limited experience handling a starter's workload. How he manages durability and adapts to a full season will be an important area to monitor moving forward. If he remains healthy and continues to refine his arsenal, the profile points to a pitcher with major league starter potential and the upside to develop into a significant rotation piece. #16 CF Braylon Payne (Carolina Mudcats) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 342 69 9 4 8 .736 113 .364 30.1% 15.2% 14.5% 35.8% 51.1% 24.5% 24.5% 16.4% 50.3% 33.3% 23.0% 31 10 76% 105.1 The Brewers surprised many when they selected Payne with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft, though Curt Hogg has reported that the Dodgers would have selected him in the first round if he had still been on the board. At the time of the draft, Payne was widely viewed as more of a speed-first, slash-and-dash type of player. Since entering pro ball, however, he has shown significantly more raw power than expected. He posted a 105.1 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity in 2025, an impressive mark for a player who spent roughly 90% of the season as an 18-year-old. While the powerful output was encouraging, it also raised some concerns. Payne posted a 35.8% whiff rate, much higher than anticipated entering the year, and also produced ground balls at a very high rate. His elite speed helps offset some of the impact of the ground-ball profile, but it can limit the value of his hard contact. Defensively, Payne showed his upside, but also some areas for continued work. He played over-aggressively early in the season, which occasionally led to miscommunication in the outfield, but his range and willingness to make difficult plays were evident. His top-tier speed helps compensate for the currently underdeveloped jumps and reads, and those aspects did show improvement as the season progressed. The tools point to potential plus defense in center field, supported by an arm that currently grades around average. At the plate, Payne's profile shares similarities with Garrett Mitchell, particularly in batted-ball tendencies, walk rates, and swing-and-miss numbers. The defensive skill set also follows a similar path, with Mitchell representing a more developed version of the same general profile. Payne's early professional career has also been marked by health concerns, contributing to an uneven 2025 season. He opened the year strongly before experiencing a downturn that led to adjustments in his stance and load. The changes appear aimed at creating a more stable base and improving consistency, though injuries limited extended game action following the adjustment. The 2026 season should provide a clearer picture of how the new setup affects his performance. As one of the youngest players in full-season ball, Payne's up-and-down results were not unexpected. Despite the inconsistency, he still finished the season roughly 13% above league average offensively. Continued refinement of his swing path and overall contact ability will be key areas of improvement for him moving forward. His speed and defensive value provide a strong foundation, and if the bat develops, the overall profile carries significant upside. If the hit tool does not progress, his athleticism and defensive ability could still allow him to maintain a role in professional baseball, but reaching the big leagues could prove difficult. What stands out from 16-20 in this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! View the full article

Much has been made about Seth Lugo and his outlook for the 2026 season. For the Royals to have a chance at an AL Division title and return to the postseason, Kansas City will need a Lugo closer to his 2024 form than to his 2025 version. In 2024, he went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 3.77 K/BB ratio, and 4.7 fWAR in 206.2 IP. That performance helped him not only earn the Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year award (which goes to the Royals' best pitcher), but it also earned him AL Cy Young runner-up honors to Detroit's Tarik Skubal. Thus, after 2024, it seemed like Kansas City had a top-of-the-rotation arm that could complement Cole Ragans for at least a few more seasons. Unfortunately, Lugo took a step back in 2025, much to the Royals' and Kansas City fanbase's chagrin. Due to various injuries, he only pitched 145.1 innings, and the numbers regressed in that small sample as well. He posted a 4.15 ERA, 5.09 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 2.27 K/BB ratio, and 0.5 fWAR. Even though the Royals gave him an extension near the end of the season (keeping him in Kansas City until at least 2027), many fans wondered at the end of the 205 season if Lugo had peaked in 2024 and would be on the decline for the remainder of his career. At 36, he is at an age when such career regression is common. The 34th-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Centenary College of Louisiana made his Spring Training debut this season and held his own in two innings of work. He threw 27 pitches and struck out one while allowing two hits, zero runs, and zero walks. Lugo was also efficient with his pitch mix, posting intriguing stuff and strike metrics, according to his TJ Stats summary below. His overall TJ Stuff+ was just 97, and he only had three pitches with a TJ Stuff+ over 100 and one with a 55 grade (his curveball). He was also a bit inconsistent when it came to finding the strike zone, as illustrated by his 44.4% zone rate. However, his chase rate was 40%, his whiff rate was 28.6%, and his xwOBACON was .327. That's not bad for a first Spring Training start, especially for a veteran who's just trying to ramp up and stretch himself out in preparation for Opening Day. The results and overall profile of Lugo don't matter too much, especially considering this is just one Cactus League outing. However, his curveball was an interesting offering, even if it was only thrown two times against the Cubs. It's an intriguing pitch to watch this spring, as it regressed a bit in 2025 from 2024, and one could argue that its effectiveness decline partially explains Lugo's struggles a season ago. Let's take a look at the changes in Lugo's curve, why that's important, and what kind of takeaways Royals fans could have on the pitch from Lugo's 2026 Cactus League debut. Lugo's Curve Saw a Decline in Velocity and Pitch Quality On Monday, Nick Pollack of Pitcher List released his Kansas City Royals SP Breakdown. Pollack breaks down all the rotations of every MLB team before Opening Day, and his SP Breakdown series is one of the best annual deep dives out there for fantasy baseball diehards. Below is a link to Pollack's latest piece, focusing on the Royals' starting pitchers for 2026. As expected, Pollack broke down Lugo and his outlook for 2026. The Pitcher List founder focused on Lugo's curveball and how it changed in 2024, which contributed to his decline in success last season. Curious by Pollack's comments, I did a TJ Stats summary comparison of Lugo from 2024 to 2025, and below is what that data set looked like. Lugo saw declines across many metrics last season. His overall TJ Stuff+ went from 99 to 98, and that seemed to contribute to his regression in all his overall categories via TJ Stats. His chase rate increased from 29.3% in 2024 to 23.8% in 2025. His whiff rate went from 22.4% to 20.5%. Lastly, his went xwOBACON went from .363 to .427. The only category where he saw improvement was zone rate, which rose from 48% to 51.1%. That said, while he threw more pitches in the strike zone in 2025, it also made him more hittable. His expected batting average against went from .240 in 2024 to .256 in 2025. While many of Lugo's pitches regressed from 2024 to 2025, the curveball trend stood out the most. Here's what the breakdown of the pitch was in both 2024 and 2025, via TJ Stats. 2024: 16.2% usage, 79.8 MPH, -14.5 iVB, -14.6 HB, 3,283 spin, 109 TJ Stuff+, 68 grade, 41.9% zone, 41.1% chase, 33.6% whiff, and .367 xwOBACON. 2025: 18.2% usage, 78.9 MPH, -13.8 iVB, -14.4 HV, 3,237 spin, 106 TJ Stuff+, 64 grade, 47.5% zone, 32.5% chase, 25.9% whiff, and .442 xwOBACON. Lugo threw the pitch two percent more in 2025 than in 2024. However, nearly everything worsened, except the zone rate. That said, for a pitch that generated so much chase and whiff in 2024, throwing it more in the zone was actually counterintuitive and led to worse results, especially in whiff rate and xwOBACON. The key difference seemed to be the decline in velocity. Not only was it 0.9 MPH slower in 2025 than in 2024, but it was also his slowest curveball MPH since 2020, as seen in the chart below via Baseball Savant. In addition to a decline in velocity, Lugo's curve also experienced a decline in spin rate last season. His 3,237 spin was 46 RPM lower than his 2024 spin. Furthermore, like velocity, his curveball spin had the lowest RPM since 2020, as seen in the chart below via Savant. A decline in spin and velocity often leads to a regression in pitch quality, and that was the case with Lugo's curve last season. His TJ Stuff+ declined by three, and his curveball grade declined by four from 2024 to 2025. Granted, some of it may have been due to injury. A finger injury at the beginning of the year and later a back issue seemed to not only force him to pitch fewer innings but also produce fewer quality outings on the mound. It's likely that those two issues also affected his velocity, spin, and the overall quality of his curveball last season, based on the data. What Did the Heatmap Data Look Like From 2024 and 2025? In order to understand the decline in Lugo's curveball effectiveness, it seemed essential to explore the heatmap data on Lugo's curve from 2024 to 2025. Seeing where the pitch was located and the results against left-handed and right-handed batters could give a glimpse of what went wrong for Lugo last year with his primary breaking pitch. Let's explore what his curveball heatmap looked like from last season. As one can see above, Lugo threw the pitch way too much in the zone, against both lefties and righties. He produced decent CSW rates, with a 32.2% mark against lefties and 33.7% against righties. Furthermore, his whiff rates were solid as well: 25.5% against lefties, 27.3% against righties. However, when opposing hitters made contact, they did damage. He allowed a .462 xwOBACON against lefties with his curve and a .374 mark against righties. Here's an example of Lugo leaving up his curveball in the zone against right-handed hitter Marcell Ozuna. He absolutely punishes it for a home run at Kauffman Stadium in late July. TUE3TVlfWGw0TUFRPT1fQUFaVlUxMVdWQU1BRHdjQ1ZnQUhBZ0ZTQUFNRkJsa0FWd1FNVWdSV0FBQUdDQUlB.mp4 Now, let's take a glance at his curveball heatmap data from 2024, via TJ Stats. The curveball against lefties is pretty much located in the same area as 2025. However, the results were much better: the CSW was 4.3% better, the whiff rate was 7.5% higher, and the xwOBACON was 79 points lower. The better pitch velocity and spin likely helped in 2024. That said, the curveball results were dramatically better against righties in 2024 than in 2025. While his CSW was 2.1% lower than in 2025, his whiff rate was 10.2% higher, and his O-Swing% was 14.7% higher as well. He didn't get as many called strikes with the curve against righties, but he generated WAY more whiffs and chase. Furthermore, he located the pitch much differently against righties in 2024 than in 2025. In 2024, he commanded the pitch more low and away, which explains not just the better chase and whiff rates, but also the better xwOBACON (.263). Below is an example of Lugo getting San Francisco's Tyler Fitzgerald to strike out on a curveball located low and away, right in the heart of the heatmap. S3d2QWpfWGw0TUFRPT1fQUFjREFRRU1BMUFBV1ZFSFhnQUFVd01EQUFNRFdsQUFBbGNCVmdaWEExVlhBMWRU.mp4 A key for Lugo will be locating the pitch more effectively against righties in 2026. He doesn't throw the curve much against righties, only throwing the breaking offering 9.1% in 2025 and 4.0% in 2024. However, while limited, location matters. If he's going to use it under 10% against right-handed hitters again in 2026, he'll need to do a better job of commanding it low and away, like in 2024, not high and in the middle, like in 2025. What to Watch From Lugo's Curve This Spring Velocity and spin will be the key to success for Lugo and his curveball in 2026. Even when he didn't have the best velocity on his curveball in 2024, it was a much sharper offering than the loopier one he threw last season. In the clip compilation below, the 2024 version against Andres Gimenez is a much steeper dropping pitch than the 2025 one against Miami's Kyle Stowers. This is despite the 2024 curveball being 0.5 MPH slower. Getting that spin and vertical break again on the curve for Lugo will be key this spring. Thankfully, it seems like he's making progress on at least some of his breaking offerings in Spring Training. MLB.com Royals writer Anne Rogers noted that Lugo added two MPH to his slider in his first outing, thanks to some grip changes made this offseason. In addition to four whiffs, Lugo produced a 60% zone and 50% chase with the slider. And yet, the slider had a 101 TJ Stuff+ and a 45 grade today. That is slightly worse than the 102 TJ Stuff+ and 55 grade on the curve from today's outing. Yes, he threw the slider five times and the curve twice. However, if he's being that intentional with his grip and mindset on the slider, it's likely he's adopting the same approach with his curve, which is a more crucial pitch to his repertoire. If a similar trend with his curve happens in subsequent outings this spring, whether in Arizona or the World Baseball Classic (he will be pitching for Puerto Rico), then the 36-year-old righty may be on his way to recapturing some of the magic of his 2024 campaign for this upcoming season. View the full article

When Brad Keller toed the rubber for the Cubs last spring and started touching 98 miles per hour with his fastball, I didn't believe it. Hot radar guns aren't much of a problem in the modern game; Statcast is much less vulnerable to either error or manipulation than old-fashioned stadium or broadcast readings. Still, it was hard to buy into that level of heat from Keller, who had been a sturdy but not especially hard-throwing starter until moving into long relief the previous summer. As it turned out, though, Keller's newfound Howitzer was for real. He had averaged 93.8 miles per hour on his four-seamer in 2024; that number shot up to 97.2 MPH in 2025. More intense stuff fueled his breakout as the team's first-half relief ace. He was the exemplar in the latest round of minor developmental miracle-making from the Cubs in the bullpen. On Monday, we might have gotten another glimpse of that magic. Lefty reliever Ryan Rolison was a waiver claim this winter, after pitching in the majors for the first time at age 27 in 2025. Arguably, he only got as much time as he did (31 appearances and 42 1/3 innings) because he had the good fortune to land on one of the worst pitching teams of all time: the 2025 Rockies. Even if you take some of the air out of his 7.02 ERA because he was pitching in mop-up duty at Coors Field (in front of a lousy defense), he doesn't exactly look like a big-league arm. That version of Rolison averaged just 92.9 MPH with his four-seam fastball, which has the cut-ride shape the Cubs love. His fastest heater in the majors hummed in at 94.8. Monday's version of him is a different beast. Rolison threw just four fastballs in his outing against the Royals, as he recorded his three outs on just eight total pitches. Here are the velocities of those four heaters, though: 96.3 MPH 95.7 95.7 95.2 If Rolison is a guy who sits 95 and touches higher from his high three-quarter left-handed slot, he's a very valuable, flexible piece of the team's bullpen depth chart. His two distinct breaking pitches play nicely off that heat, and he has a useful changeup, so he can even neutralize right-handed batters. The Cubs don't really need him, if everyone is healthy when they break camp next month, but unlike Keller, they also don't have to stuff him onto the roster in order to keep him. Rolison has a remaining year of being optionable, so they could stash him in Triple-A if Caleb Thielbar and Hoby Milner are both healthy. That said, a harder-throwing Rolison could be a strong third southpaw for the pen, even if the team is at full strength. He offers some of the things the team lost when they allowed Drew Pomeranz to walk via free agency, with a high-rise heater and good depth on his curveball. When the team claimed him, he appeared to be a simple scoop off the wire, based solely on the ability to shuttle him to the minors at a moment's notice. Now, it's possible to see real upside here. Rolison just might blossom into a high-leverage weapon in a playoff-aspiring bullpen. He's made the adjustments needed to tap into a new vein of electricity in his arm, and if he can show enough command, he might deliver enormous bang for the few bucks the team forked over to bring him in. View the full article

The Ryan Jeffers era at catcher has quietly brought as much stability as any for the Minnesota Twins since Joe Mauer moved off the position in 2014. He's never been a steadfast regular in the way Mauer was, but Jeffers has been a steady presence behind the plate since his MLB debut back in 2020, when his impressive 26-game breakthrough earned him Twins Daily Rookie of the Year honors during a shortened season. Jeffers ranks fourth all-time among Twins catchers in plate appearances, behind only Mauer, Earl Battey and Tim Laudner. Entering his final year of team control, and with an extension appearing unlikely, a changing of the guard is afoot at catcher. Here's where things stand entering 2026. TWINS CATCHERS AT A GLANCE Starter: Ryan Jeffers Backup: Victor Caratini Depth: Alex Jackson, Noah Cardenas, Andrew Cossetti Prospects: Eduardo Tait, Enrique Jimenez, Khadim Diaw Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 22nd out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 12th out of 30 THE GOOD If there's one area where I will give the Twins front office credit for their vision in the past eight months, it's the extent to which they've strengthened the organizational roadmap at catcher. Last year, there wasn't any roadmap. The "top prospects" listed in my 2025 position analysis for catcher were Jair Camargo and Diego Cartaya, both of whom ended up being released during the season. The future didn't just look bleak; with free agency creeping up for Ryan Jeffers, there basically was no future. The Twins addressed that issue emphatically at last year's trade deadline. They first acquired Enrique Jimenez, a 19-year-old switch hitter of some promise, from Detroit in the Chris Paddack trade. It was a surprisingly strong return for Paddack, albeit nothing spectacular. Then, the biggest singular prize of Minnesota's deadline haul came over in the form of Eduardo Tait, another teenager of much higher esteem hailing from the Phillies system. Jimenez is a legit presence on the Twins prospect radar — Aaron Gleeman ranked him as the 20th best prospect in the organization in his recent top-40 list at The Athletic. Tait is a legit presence on the overall prospect radar — ranked 38th, 54th and 65th by ESPN, BP and MLB, respectively. Catching prospects are always a gamble, especially ones this young, but it's hard to overstate how much the long-term outlook at this position has improved since this time last year. The short-term outlook has also received a boost, even as Jeffers nears the end of his team control. He'll be plenty motivated for a big year, and is in line to be the true primary starter with Derek Shelton envisioning a two-thirds starting share. Jeffers is even more ambitious: "My goal is 120 (starts)," he told reporters this spring. "My body is going to be ready for that." The pressure on Jeffers, who's never started more than 81 times behind the plate, to reach that lofty goal is lowered by the arrival of Minnesota's biggest offseason pickup: veteran switch-hitter Victor Caratini. His two-year, $14 million contract stands as the largest issued by the Twins in almost three years, reflecting their urgency in securing some sense of continuity at the catcher position. He's not just a catcher, and if Jeffers has his way, Caratini will spend a good chunk of time at first base and DH this year. But the newcomer will play plenty, and when at catcher, Caratini's bat is a standout, massively improving over the precedent set by Christian Vázquez. Minnesota's catching duo has a solid chance at forming one of the best offensive units in baseball, and that's maybe one of the more underrated strengths of this year's Twins team. Caratini wasn't the only high-level catching depth added by the Twins during the offseason. Prior to signing him, they made a trade with the Nationals to acquire Alex Jackson in exchange for minor-league utility man Payton Eeles. Jackson has the opposite profile of Jeffers and Caratini — great glove, highly suspect bat — but he brings some balance to the catching mix in that regard. The hold-up is that Jackson is unlikely to make the Opening Day roster as a third catcher, and he's out of options. The Twins are seemingly hoping that, if all three players stay healthy through spring camp, they'll be able to sneak Jackson and his $1.35 million salary through waivers and stash him as depth. As a backup catcher, Jackson is adequate. As a third catcher waiting on hand in Triple-A, he'd be a really nice asset. THE BAD The Twins didn't lose much of anything offensively with the departure of Vázquez, but they lost a lot defensively. He was clearly the team's best receiver, and pitchers loved working with him. Jeffers has seen his fielding metrics decline to the point where most models saw him as well below-average last year. Caratini is not considered a particularly strong defensive catcher. Neither of these guys are disasters behind the plate, they just aren't standouts, and that speaks to the reality at this position: outstanding offense vs. outstanding defense is an either/or proposition, outside of the true upper-echelon stars. (Like Joe Mauer. And hopefully one day Eduardo Tait?) For a team highly focused on improving its defense overall, while also bringing along a number of emerging young pitchers, this feels extra important. Defense is difficult to measure and quantify at this nuanced position, but no one can deny its critical impact. Can Jeffers find a way to reverse his sub-par control of the opposing run game? How quickly can Caratini build rapport and earn confidence from his new battery partners? How will both adapt to the new ABS system? These are key questions. The presence of Jackson and his highly regarded glove do bring a level of defensive assurance, at least from a depth perspective, but again, he'll be in Triple-A if things go to plan. And if/when he does enter the catching mix, the Twins will have to deal with his bat — one of the worst in baseball over the past handful of years — in the lineup. THE BOTTOM LINE Good offense and questionable defense amount to a Twins catching unit that projects as above average but not elite. FanGraphs forecasts them to rank 12th among MLB teams in fWAR at the position, which looks about right to my eye. The big storyline is whether Jeffers makes it through the entire season as a Twin. The healthier and more successful he is in the first half, the more likely he is to be traded at the deadline by a front office looking to supplement its rebuild. That is, unless the team is surprisingly competitive, and not in position to sell. If that happens, this potentially top-tier catching unit will undoubtedly play a big role. View the full article

Silvano Hechavarria was an overshadowed part of the Blue Jays' excellent 2025 season on the pitching end, as the Cuban righty put together a great campaign in his first year stateside. The 6-foot-4 righty was a man among boys, as he pitched to a 2.28 ERA/3.55 FIP with a 17.1% K-BB% in 86 2/3 innings pitched. Hechavarria utilized a strong three-pitch mix in 2025, with his four-seam fastball sitting 92-95 and touching 97 with average carry and strong arm-side run. His main secondary was his cut slider that sat in the upper 80s with strong whiff rates; hitters failed to make solid contact on the pitch. His third offering, deployed more to lefties, was a changeup with around nine inches of vertical separation from his fastball, sitting in the mid-80s. The stuff did not jump off the page despite the solid velocity, but it was able to play up given Hechavarria’s advanced command for his age. Graphic via @TJstats Here are Silvano’s three main pitches by location in 2025 in Single-A Dunedin. He was able to land his changeup in a really nice spot for lefties to miss, his sliders were consistently on the edge of the zone, and he was able to consistently land his four-seam fastball for strikes at the top of the zone. The results were there, with Hechavarria having only a 5.9% walk rate in Dunedin, as lower-level hitters were unable to do much with his pitches at those locations. Locations for Hechavarria's changeup, four-seam fastball, and slider/cutter, respectively. Hechavarria still has some developing to do, as although he was able to dominate lower-minors hitters, the arsenal may not be as effective against more advanced hitters, who will be less likely to chase pitches even with good location. Hechavarria’s command will still allow his pitches to play up, but without a true standout pitch, he may not have the highest upside, barring some advancement to the velocity or shape of his current arsenal. For now, the odds are more likely that he’ll be a solid fifth starter in the majors. The Jays are good at building strength, and despite Hechavarria already being 6-foot-4 and over 200 lbs, he still could add strength to his frame. Hechavarria is only turning 23 in March, and with his advanced command for his age and average stuff, there is some projection to dream on as he advances to the upper minors, where he could start the 2026 season. Hechavarria has been named a potential Blue Jays breakout prospect by Geoff Pontes from Baseball America, and in FanGraphs’ latest "Picks to Click" article, an anonymous scout named Hechavarria as a candidate to become a top-100 overall prospect in 2027. If he can prove that he can continue to get hitters out when he reaches the upper minors, he may very well fulfill that lofty evaluation. View the full article

Right-hander Brandon Woodruff, already a two-time Opening Day starter for the Milwaukee Brewers, was the logical choice to do the same for the 2026 season as the most accomplished pitcher on the staff. But he and the Crew's medical staff are taking it cautiously with Big Woo following a strained right lat that sidelined him for most of the final two weeks of the regular season and all of the postseason. Woodruff threw a 33-pitch simulated game Monday, his first time facing live hitters since his final start of 2025 on Sept. 17. That puts the 33-year-old, who accepted the $22.025 million qualifying offer to return to the Brewers, behind the other rotation candidates in camp and also makes his starting Opening Day on March 26 vs. the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field questionable. “It’s up in the air right now,” Woodruff told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “I know that term’s used a lot. There’s one goal I have this year, and that’s to be healthy. I want to be available at the end of the year when it matters most. What that looks like early on, it could look a little bit different. Nothing’s set in concrete, though." Woodruff returned from October 2023 shoulder surgery and a couple of minor setbacks while rehabbing to make his 2025 debut on July 6. All he did in 12 starts was rekindle the thoughts of Woodruff pre-shoulder surgery as he turned in a 3.17 FIP and 130 ERA+. His control, previously terrific, was the best of his career, walking just 5.4% of hitters. He also struck out 32.3% of batters, also the best of his eight-year career. If Woodruff is unable to go, that would leave right-hander Quinn Priester and Jacob Misiorowski as the leading contenders to start Opening Day. Neither was in the majors last season on Opening Day. View the full article

When the Brewers held a lead after six innings in 2025, it was almost certain they would come out the winners at the end of the game. The bullpen remains a strength in 2026, especially since, in a way, it feeds off the rotation depth that the Milwaukee organization has built. More than one starter in Milwaukee has found a home in the bullpen, where they become valuable contributors. 2025 In Review Milwaukee’s bullpen depth was demonstrated in 2025, when the team allowed pitchers who were valuable contributors in previous seasons—like Joel Payamps, Bryan Hudson, and Elvis Peguero—to be plucked off the waiver wire. That came after the Brewers traded closer Devin Williams during the offseason. Trevor Megill, Jared Koenig, Nick Mears, Abner Uribe, and Grant Anderson were the mainstays in the late innings, joined by Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Tobias Myers, and Chad Patrick from the rotation by the end of the season. Craig Yoho had a rough first ride of the big-league circuit, but also flashed signs of being the next dominant Brewers reliever. Current Roster Situation Megill, Uribe, Koenig, and Anderson all return to handle the late-inning duties, with Yoho likely to force his way to Milwaukee on a full-time basis sometime in 2026. Other relief candidates on the 40-man include Easton McGee, Sammy Peralta, and Rob Zastryzny. Ashby, Ángel Zerpa, Hall, Patrick, Shane Drohan, Carlos Rodriguez, Logan Henderson, and other starting pitchers in the Brewers’ rotation Royal Rumble may end up in the bullpen. Among non-roster invitees, the Brewers have Gerson Garabito (though he'll miss at least the first two months of the season with an injury), old friend Peter Strzelecki, and Jacob Waguespack as options, although they may be more likely to serve as depth at Triple-A Nashville. A lot of the Brewers’ rotation prospects at Nashville or Double-A Biloxi could find themselves doing work out of the bullpen to start their careers in Milwaukee, a path previously trodden by former Brewers ace Corbin Burnes and current ace Brandon Woodruff in their early years in Milwaukee. Best-Case Scenario The Brewers cash in on one or two relievers (Ashby and Megill seem like top candidates) around the trade deadline not only to pick up some help elsewhere for a playoff push, but also to clear space for younger pitchers with more talent and roster flexibility. No pitcher appears in more than 60 games. If this is happening, then the Brewers are getting excellent production from the bullpen, and they are building more assets to continue their competitive run of finishing above .500 in every full year since 2017. Drohan is one likely candidate to take a multi-inning fireman role, similar to what Josh Hader held down in 2017 and 2018, and he could save the Brewers a not-insignificant amount of money by forcing a trade of Ashby. But this also will be dependent on how well Brewers relief prospects fare in Nashville and Biloxi. The Brewers have numerous pathways for their bullpen to succeed in 2026. The real question will be whether that depth is leveraged to bring in new assets for the team, or if it addresses injuries. Worst-Case Scenario The Brewers end up trading for relief pitching help. This scenario involves injuries and ineffectiveness across the entire pitching staff, and the prospects at Triple-A and Double-A. In 2025, the Brewers were able to win big, even when their bullpen was cobbled together, but the price was a heavy reliance on Megill, Uribe, Anderson, Koenig, and Mears, creating a bill that came due in the playoffs. In this case, the Brewers’ preference will be to deal from their surplus, likely involving pitchers who are out of options, and picking the cream of the crop from teams in need of bullpen help. Overview The bullpen will probably be a source of strength for the Brewers in 2026, even if the team starts a churn when top pitching prospects push their way to Milwaukee. The biggest question isn’t if the bullpen will be a strength; it will be how it is a strength. If the innings for Brewers relievers are more spread out, the team will be in good shape for October. If multiple pitchers hit 70 appearances a game, the team might have a good record, but there’s a risk of an October dropoff as fatigue catches up. View the full article

In his first action of the 2026 Cactus League season, Ben Brown needed just 30 pitches to get through two breezy, scoreless innings. He held the Royals to two hits and didn't issue a walk, while striking out three. That's just part of the story, though. For Brown, the bigger questions were bound to be about stuff and developmental progress—and on that front, there was even more good news. Brown threw 12 curveballs, but of his other 18 offerings, only eight were his formerly standard four-seam fastball. The other 10 were, pretty unequivocally, sinkers—or, more precisely, two-seamers. The pitches still had quite a bit of carry, but they ran much more to Brown's arm side, toward right-handed batters. This is not the kind of third pitch Cubs fans have been waiting and hoping for Brown to add to his repertoire over the last two years. He's experimented with different breaking-ball shapes to complement his hard curveball and with various forms of the changeup; those offerings would be the ones he could use to turn a lineup card over better and thrive as a starter. This pitch is something else. Brown throws from a high three-quarter arm slot. Last year, he averaged a 45° arm angle, significantly higher than the big-league average. From that slot, hitters are virtually always looking for a four-seamer. Sinkers from such an angle are very rare. However, there's no sign that Brown has lowered that angle this year. Spring games don't come with arm angle data, at least right away, and Monday's game wasn't broadcast on video, but the video we do have shows Brown operating from at least as high a slot. Brown faced almost exclusively right-handed batters Monday, which is probably why we didn't see him try out a cutter or test-drive this year's flavor of changeup. It was still illustrative, though, because we got to se him use both the four-seamer (7 times) and the sinker (10) against batters of the same handedness. He was, plainly, using the sinker as a lane-changer, commanding the inner half of the plate with that pitch and the outer half with the four-seamer. The curve can play off each pitch; he just needs to prove to opposing righties that he can throw strikes on both sides of the dish. Most sinkers come from lower-than-average arm slots, but the high-slot, running two-seamer is coming more into vogue. Last season, 15 pitchers threw at last 300 sinkers from arm angles of 45° or higher. Most notably, José Alvarado of the Phillies and Félix Bautista of the Orioles use high slots, but throw running, high-velocity heaters with which batters can hardly do anything. Brown also sat 97 in his outing Monday. That's the key to all of this. At that high a velocity, in two- or three-inning stints, he can be a monster, especially if utilizing multiple fastball shapes opens up the whole zone for him and forces hitters to chase his curve more frequently. The presence of a sinker does not make him a good candidate to start, per se, and we need to see whether he's made any progress with pitches that neutralize left-handed batters before getting excited. If Brown does end up in a stretched-out relief role, though, the sinker he showed Monday could be the key that unlocks his seemingly limitless potential. A version of him that mixes elite extension and average-plus command of both fastballs with that hammer curve is the second-best reliever in the Cubs bullpen, trailing only Daniel Palencia. Even if they keep trying to make things work for him as a starter, having the sinker in his mix will come in handy. If nothing else, he's showing a new and vital skill that had previously been missing from his scouting report: adaptability. View the full article

JUPITER, FL—Especially when we are still in the early days of spring training, it's normal for two starting pitchers to get work for the same team in a single game. On Monday, Miami Marlins right-handers Eury Pérez and Max Meyer both took the mound. Here is a closer look at how they fared against the St. Louis Cardinals, plus more takeaways from the game and a couple injury updates. Eury Pérez and Max Meyer take the mound In Pérez's lone inning of work, he threw 19 pitches (nine for strikes), surrendering one run on one one hit, two walks and struck out one. His lone strikeout victim was Nolan Gorman who swung at a 99.0 mph fastball, which is what Pérez topped out at. He threw his new sweeper as well. "I think the sweeper looked good," Pérez said in Spanish. "It's something that I've been throwing and am going to continue working on. There was one swing-and-miss and some others that didn't land for strikes. Think the weather was not helping me much with the grip." Last season, Pérez occasionally suffered from pitch-clock violations and that was once again the issue on Monday. He said that the first violation was due to some miscommunication between the coaching staff and Agustín Ramírez—they were supposed to start with a sweeper, but that was not communicated with Ramírez. This start also was an opportunity for Pérez to work from the stretch even with the bases empty, something he admitted he is uncomfortable with. He worked on the delivery and holding runners. Meyer's debut was as good as you could've expected. He threw 11 pitches (seven for strikes) and struck out two, both with his slider. His fastball topped out at 96.7 mph. "Feels good getting back on top of that pitch," Meyer said about his slider following his outing. "It was tough getting on that in the past, but yeah, just getting on top of it, playing it in the zone, getting swings-and-misses in the zone. Obviously feels good, but it's spring training, so can't take too much out of it." This marked Meyer's first appearance back after undergoing season-ending hip surgery, but there weren't any nerves despite the long lay-off. "Just felt good to be back out there, competing and getting in an actual game," said Meyer. "Not many takeaways, it's spring, everyone's working on stuff. Threw strikes, not a lot of pitches, so had to finish up in the 'pen, but it was good." He estimates that he threw 15 additional pitches after leaving the game as he gradually builds up to a starter's workload. Jakob Marsee goes deep Leading off the bottom of the first inning, Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee took Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy 401 feet deep to right field. It marked his first home run of the spring. He later drew a pair of walks. 0p28v3_1.mp4 Marsee was invited to big league camp last spring, but an oblique strain limited him to only one game. After having success with Triple-A Jacksonville, he was called up by Miami a day after the 2025 trade deadline, played in 55 games and slashed .292/.363/.478/.842 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 133 wRC+. "He looks great," McCullough said. "He's got himself ready to go take down a full season now in the major leagues. Great swing in that first at-bat, caught one elevated to pull side. He showed some power last season that maybe was a little surprising for as how he could impact the baseball." Marsee will make two more Grapefruit League starts before reporting to team Italy for the World Baseball Classic. Pair of relievers make strong impression Josh White and William Kempner were selected to the 40-man roster in November and they are both in their first big league camp. White, who has a better chance of making the team's Opening Day roster, is coming off a dominant Triple-A season, posting a 1.86 ERA in 67 ⅔ innings. On Monday, he topped out at 96.0 mph, striking out two without allowing any runs. "Unique arm slot and how he can generate a lot of top-to-bottom with his breaking balls," said McCullough. "Hitters have a tough time picking up the slider and where that ball is going to finish. Good first outing for him. Came as advertised." As for Kempner, he was acquired from the Giants for international pool money in January 2025, a move which has aged well for the Marlins. Kempner topped out at 96.7 mph and also struck out two, working around a walk and a hit-by-pitch. "The stuff we know is going to be great. Now, accessing the strike zone on a regular basis will probably dictate the success, but the stuff is no question," McCullough said. Quick notes - In addition to the pitchers mentioned above, the Marlins also used Michael Petersen, Garrett Acton, Josh White, William Kempner, Patrick Monteverde, Colby Martin and Peyton Fosher. Monteverde made the first multi-inning appearance of any Marlins pitcher this spring. Most of the position players who played were the ones we previously saw up in Port St. Lucie for the Grapefruit League opener on Saturday. - Matthew Etzel helped himself with a 109.7 mph double in the top of the ninth inning, but in the bottom of the ninth, he misjudged a ball in center field, leading to a double on what should have been the final out of the game. - Chris Paddack will start for the Marlins on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Tyler Phillips will start a bullpen game on Wednesday against the Houston Astros, which will also include Pete Fairbanks' 2026 spring debut. - Graham Pauley is dealing with right forearm tightness and has been shut down from all baseball activities. He went for imaging and no results have come back as of Wednesday evening. - Andrew Nardi (right finger blister) threw a pitch design session of 15 pitches and is progressing well. "You can tell there's a whole different vibe and feel around him," McCullough said. "He's feeling great." - Anthony Bender (right tibial stress reaction) came out of his last pitch design "in a great spot," per McCullough. Next step is for him to dial up his fastball velo. - The plan for Janson Junk (Grade 1 right ankle sprain) is to get him on the mound either Wednesday or Thursday What's next? The Marlins will remain in Jupiter Tuesday afternoon as they welcome the Philadelphia Phillies at 1:10 pm. Chris Paddack, who was one of four free agents the team signed this offseason, will make his first start of the spring. It's expected to be one inning. The game will not be televised, but you can listen on the MLB app. View the full article

What if the next frontline arm in Minnesota is already in the system? Zebby Matthews has the pitch mix, the command, and the quiet confidence that scream breakout starter, and his upside might be even higher than people realize. Let’s talk about why the Twins could be sitting on something special. View the full article

What if the next frontline arm in Minnesota is already in the system? Zebby Matthews has the pitch mix, the command, and the quiet confidence that scream breakout starter, and his upside might be even higher than people realize. Let’s talk about why the Twins could be sitting on something special. View the full article

Spring training optimism is easy to find this time of year, but the Hall of Fame ballot has quietly provided its own jolt of hope for fans of modern-era starting pitchers. The 2026 election delivered a shockwave, when Felix Hernández vaulted from 20.6% of the vote to 46.1% in a single year. No pitcher has ever made a jump that large, and it feels like more than a curiosity. It feels like a course correction. Nearly six decades passed between Sandy Koufax walking away from the game in 1966 and Hernández appearing on the ballot in 2025. In that span, 32 pitchers retired with win totals between 165 and 199. None of them were elected to the Hall of Fame. Most were not even close. That context makes Hernández’s rise impossible to ignore. It suggests voters are finally grappling with how different the job has become, and perhaps how little pitcher wins matter. Hernández has been here before. In 2010, he won the American League Cy Young Award with just 13 wins, a result that helped break the stranglehold of pitcher wins as the defining measure of excellence. That moment mattered, and this one does, too. The same evolution that reshaped Cy Young voting now needs to reshape Hall of Fame voting. Hernández's countryman Johan Santana is the clearest example of the importance of that shift. In 2005, Santana lost the Cy Young Award to Bartolo Colón because Colón had more wins. Santana led the league in WAR (according to Baseball Reference), strikeouts, and WHIP, but that didn't matter at the time. Had he won that award, Santana would have captured three straight Cy Youngs, a feat that historically functions as a fast pass to Cooperstown. Instead, he owns two, and the difference between two and three has loomed far larger than it ever should have. Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine has openly acknowledged the problem. “Listen, I’ve had numerous conversations with (his fellow Hall of Famers) about what the Hall of Fame is going to look like," Glavine said. "And what I tell them is, the days of what guys in past eras have done are gone. I mean, we’ve got to redefine everything, right? So I think that for those of us who are accustomed to what the Hall of Fame is at the moment, that’s going to be a little bit of a hard sell.” Baseball never stops changing, and no position has been reshaped more dramatically than starting pitcher. The 250-inning workhorses are gone. The march toward 300 wins is effectively extinct. Unless the sport takes a hard turn back in time, those milestones won't come back. That reality makes direct comparisons to earlier generations unfair and increasingly useless. It also helps explain why starting pitchers have struggled so badly with BBWAA voters. Only 38 of the 75 Hall of Fame starters were elected through regular BBWAA voting. If the standards don't evolve, entire generations will pass with few or no starters elected, and the list of well-qualified snubs will keep growing. Santana already fell victim to that system. His lone appearance on the BBWAA ballot came in 2018, one of the most crowded ballots in history. Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman were elected. Edgar Martínez, Mike Mussina, Larry Walker, and Fred McGriff were still building support. Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Curt Schilling continued to dominate the discussion while siphoning off votes. Santana received 10 votes, 2.4 percent of the number of ballots cast, and fell short of the 5% needed to remain on the ballot. That outcome looks worse with every passing year. From 2003 through 2009, very few (if any) pitchers matched Santana’s dominance. He was a four-time All-Star, won the pitching Triple Crown, and captured three ERA titles. He won two Cy Young Awards and should have won a third (see above). Santana finished in the top five in Cy Young voting five consecutive times. According to fWAR, only Roy Halladay, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, provided more value during that seven-year stretch. Santana threw more innings, struck out hitters at a higher rate, and posted a lower ERA. Every pitcher with three Cy Young Awards (besides Clemens) has been elected to the Hall of Fame, or is expected to be elected when eligible. Santana sits just outside that club because of an outdated obsession with wins that the sport itself has already abandoned. Because Santana fell off the BBWAA ballot after just one year, his path to Cooperstown now runs through the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee. That group evaluates players whose primary contributions came from 1980 to the present day, offering a second chance for candidates who were overlooked or misunderstood during their brief window with the writers. It is a different process, one driven more by peer perspective than historical inertia, and it creates an opportunity for voters to reassess Santana’s peak dominance within the context of a modern game that no longer values pitchers the way it once did. Hernández’s ballot surge suggests voters are finally willing to meet the modern game where it is. If that shift continues, the Hall of Fame can begin to properly honor pitchers whose greatness did not come packaged in round numbers. For Santana, that change in perspective may be the only path left. It just might be enough. Should Santana be in the Hall of Fame? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Every fan wants to make judgments on the athletes who play for their team based on what they see in action. For MLB spring training, it is a bit more complicated. Starting players, whether position players or pitchers, ease into their springs, playing minimal innings to begin and ramping up over a month. It is the other players, those fighting for jobs or prospects looking to get noticed or show they are ready for bigger roles, who take more of the at-bats and pitch more of the innings. And those come against players on other teams in similar situations. For the Milwaukee Brewers, there are a few position battles going on, but room on the Opening Day roster is tight. There are fewer non-roster veteran players in camp this year due to a well-stocked farm system. Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. This recap covers the Brewers' first three Cactus League games. The Crew went 0-3, losing to the Cleveland Guardians' split squad 9-6, then splitting up themselves Sunday for a 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox and a 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Who's Hot? 🔥 Tyler Black: Once a highly touted prospect, the first baseman-outfielder is now fighting for a role as other talent moves up the organization ladder. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter started twice, once at first and the other in left, going 2-for-5 with a walk and two stolen bases. Starting allows players to face other starters. Black grounded out vs. Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo, then struck out against White Sox right-hander Mike Vasil, singled vs. right-hander Jordan Leasure, and flew out against right-hander Sean Burke. Akil Baddoo: A candidate for a backup outfield job, Baddoo went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Baddoo started in left and hit third vs. the Guardians, getting a sacrifice fly in the first inning off Cantillo and striking out in the third vs. Connor Brogdon. Baddoo started in center against the White Sox, walking against Vasil and then homering on the first pitch Leasure threw, leading off the third inning. Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser: With 23 pitchers throwing no more than one inning, it was tough to single out one pitcher. These are two of the top candidates for a starting role and started each of Sunday's games. Henderson went against the White Sox, retiring Derek Hill on a sharp fly to center, getting Kyle Teel on a bouncer back to the mound, and getting Munetaka Murakami to fly out to right. He threw just 14 pitches, nine of which were strikes. Gasser also went just one inning against the Royals. Maikel Garcia singled to left, Jac Caglianone struck out, and Nick Loftin grounded into an inning-ending double play. Gasser threw seven strikes among his 11 pitches. Who's Not? 🧊 Brice Turang: After opening eyes with his late-season power surge, the former Platinum Glove-winning second baseman was selected to be on the U.S. roster for the World Baseball Classic. He is expected to be a backup there, so his plate appearances before leaving camp have a little more importance. In two games, Turang went 1-for-5 with a strikeout and a run scored. His spring started well, with a single off Cantillo on the fourth pitch of the first game. He stole second, went to third on a Jackson Chourio hit, and scored on Baddoo's sac fly. But nothing to panic about here. Luis Lara: Perhaps the Opening Day center fielder in a couple of years, Lara got a pair of starts in right field. He went 1-for-6 with two strikeouts. His lone hit was a grounded double to left off White Sox right-hander Luke Bell. This spring is more of getting a taste of where Lara needs to get to in order to join the major-league roster. Carlos Rodriguez: With seven MLB appearances already on his ledger, Rodriguez remains an outside candidate to join the Opening Day rotation. His first game this spring was bumpy. Coming on after Henderson in the White Sox game, Austin Hays greeted him with a double and went to third on Lenyn Sosa's groundout. Curtis Mead had an RBI single, but Rodriguez struck out Branden Montgomery and Korey Lee. He had 15 strikes in his 23 pitches. Not a bad outing. View the full article

Every fan wants to make judgments on the athletes who play for their team based on what they see in action. For MLB spring training, it is a bit more complicated. Starting players, whether position players or pitchers, ease into their springs, playing minimal innings to begin and ramping up over a month. It is the other players, those fighting for jobs or prospects looking to get noticed or show they are ready for bigger roles, who take more of the at-bats and pitch more of the innings. And those come against players on other teams in similar situations. For the Milwaukee Brewers, there are a few position battles going on, but room on the Opening Day roster is tight. There are fewer non-roster veteran players in camp this year due to a well-stocked farm system. Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. This recap covers the Brewers' first three Cactus League games. The Crew went 0-3, losing to the Cleveland Guardians' split squad 9-6, then splitting up themselves Sunday for a 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox and a 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Who's Hot? 🔥 Tyler Black: Once a highly touted prospect, the first baseman-outfielder is now fighting for a role as other talent moves up the organization ladder. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter started twice, once at first and the other in left, going 2-for-5 with a walk and two stolen bases. Starting allows players to face other starters. Black grounded out vs. Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo, then struck out against White Sox right-hander Mike Vasil, singled vs. right-hander Jordan Leasure, and flew out against right-hander Sean Burke. Akil Baddoo: A candidate for a backup outfield job, Baddoo went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Baddoo started in left and hit third vs. the Guardians, getting a sacrifice fly in the first inning off Cantillo and striking out in the third vs. Connor Brogdon. Baddoo started in center against the White Sox, walking against Vasil and then homering on the first pitch Leasure threw, leading off the third inning. Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser: With 23 pitchers throwing no more than one inning, it was tough to single out one pitcher. These are two of the top candidates for a starting role and started each of Sunday's games. Henderson went against the White Sox, retiring Derek Hill on a sharp fly to center, getting Kyle Teel on a bouncer back to the mound, and getting Munetaka Murakami to fly out to right. He threw just 14 pitches, nine of which were strikes. Gasser also went just one inning against the Royals. Maikel Garcia singled to left, Jac Caglianone struck out, and Nick Loftin grounded into an inning-ending double play. Gasser threw seven strikes among his 11 pitches. Who's Not? 🧊 Brice Turang: After opening eyes with his late-season power surge, the former Platinum Glove-winning second baseman was selected to be on the U.S. roster for the World Baseball Classic. He is expected to be a backup there, so his plate appearances before leaving camp have a little more importance. In two games, Turang went 1-for-5 with a strikeout and a run scored. His spring started well, with a single off Cantillo on the fourth pitch of the first game. He stole second, went to third on a Jackson Chourio hit, and scored on Baddoo's sac fly. But nothing to panic about here. Luis Lara: Perhaps the Opening Day center fielder in a couple of years, Lara got a pair of starts in right field. He went 1-for-6 with two strikeouts. His lone hit was a grounded double to left off White Sox right-hander Luke Bell. This spring is more of getting a taste of where Lara needs to get to in order to join the major-league roster. Carlos Rodriguez: With seven MLB appearances already on his ledger, Rodriguez remains an outside candidate to join the Opening Day rotation. His first game this spring was bumpy. Coming on after Henderson in the White Sox game, Austin Hays greeted him with a double and went to third on Lenyn Sosa's groundout. Curtis Mead had an RBI single, but Rodriguez struck out Branden Montgomery and Korey Lee. He had 15 strikes in his 23 pitches. Not a bad outing. View the full article

Minnesota Twins left-handed pitching prospect Kendry Rojas got his first spring training action Sunday. He worked two innings, tossing 24 pitches, with three strikeouts and no walks against the Atlanta Braves. Rojas also generated an encouraging five swings and misses over his two innings, while touching 98 mph on the radar gun. After coming over from Toronto in the trade that sent Louis Varland out of Minnesota, Rojas will hope to be that electric on a more consistent basis. There's still plenty of room to grow for the 23-year-old left-hander, who has struggled to stay healthy during his pro career. To be a starter, Rojas will need to throw more innings than he has proved capable of. His career high for innings in a season is 84, achieved in A-ball back in 2023. Rojas has traditionally been a fastball-slider pitcher, but there seem to be issues with both of those pitches. The heater has sometimes had a four-seam shape, and sometimes been much more of a running two-seamer. The two-seam version of the pitch got hit hard last year, and overall fastball execution is a key area in which to make progress for Rojas. Rojas's slider grades out fairly well, but still got hit hard last season, itself. The lack of consistent execution in terms of lateral movement sometimes leaves Rojas's fastball(s), changeup and slider looking too similar; he has rarely shown the ability to create big contrasts in movement and location. That's limited him in thee effort to get whiffs. The key to that might be committing to the four-seamer, and scrapping the sinker. Rojas's four-seamer averaged north of 97 MPH Sunday, and because he kept it from running and flattening out, it set up his changeup and slider better. This will be an interesting development to keep an eye on. As we outlined above, Rojas’s heat has been hit hard in the past. Is his first outing of the spring the sign of a new approach in pitch mix for the young pitcher, or simply a one-off that worked against the Braves? This is the point where we usually ask whether Rojas should remain a starter or be considered for a relief role. However, this team is already loaded with lefty relief options for 2026. Furthermore, as we said at the beginning, from a value standpoint, the Twins really need Rojas to blossom into the effective starter they traded Varland for. Rojas has also told reporters this spring that the Twins have told him he is a starter, making the answer to that question simple. Rojas is plenty young and has plenty of time before any true panic needs to set in—that is, unless injuries, trades or ineffectiveness cause the Twins to need to call upon their Triple-A depth sooner than they would wish to. He has all three minor-league option years remaining, but if he's going to break through as a starter, it will probably happen before then. It will probably happen, too, via the tightening of that fastball into a pitch with consistent ride and less run, giving him more chances to generate swings and misses. View the full article