DiamondCentric

It is a good thing the San Diego Padres have three left-handers in their current bullpen setup for the 2026 season. All three are going to be vital in matchups against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the back-to-back World Series champions who feature four left-handed hitters in their starting lineup. All four are superstar-quality hitters following the recent addition of free-agent right fielder Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240 million contract. If you thought that Adrian Morejon, Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui already had their hands full with the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, Tucker just adds to the problem. Morejon shoulders the brunt of the key-situation responsibility as the top lefty out of the Friars' bullpen. Overall, the soon-to-be 27-year-old, set to become a free agent after the 2026 season, does well against left-handed hitters, sporting a .225 opponent batting average. But it isn't the same against the Dodgers' quartet, even if it does come in a small sample size. Once thought to be a closer-in-waiting for the Padres, Matsui has turned out to be a middle-innings bullpen piece as he enters his third season since coming over from Japan. Matsui has allowed an opponent batting average of .241 to left-handed batters in MLB, while Peralta is at .221 and Morejon is at .225. Containing Ohtani has been difficult, even for the Padres. Morejon, Peralta and Matsui have allowed 10 hits in 32 at-bats (.313) to the four-time MVP. Freeman has also owned Peralta (5-for-12), but Morejon and Matsui have limited him to just a 2-for-15 line. This trio will need to be at its best if the Padres are to have a shot at competing with the Dodgers in 2026. View the full article

There is a natural instinct, among fan bases, to equate disappointment with demolition. When a season ends without a playoff run, the favored solution is often to burn it down and start over. This offseason, the Minnesota Twins resisted that urge. Instead of opting for a full rebuild, they chose to bet on moves at the margins and the belief that their window has not closed. Given the current landscape of the American League Central, that decision looks more pragmatic than passive. Projection systems are not gospel, but they provide a useful snapshot of where teams stand relative to one another. By projected team WAR, the Twins sit at 38.8 fWAR, which places them 17th in Major League Baseball and third in the AL Central. Kansas City checks in at 40.8 fWAR and Detroit at 40.6 fWAR. That gap isn't negligible, but it's hardly insurmountable. When FanGraphs converts those projections into expected wins, the margin tightens even further. Detroit is projected to win 83 games, Kansas City 82, and the Twins (also) 82. That clustering, alone, justifies avoiding a teardown. Minnesota is not staring up at a juggernaut. They are very much in the same tier as the teams they need to beat. Why Can the Twins Contend? One of the clearest reasons for optimism is the organization’s starting pitching depth. Pablo López (3.4 projected fWAR) and Joe Ryan (3.2 fWAR) remain the anchors, both possessing All-Star pedigrees. Bailey Ober (1.7 fWAR) is the wild card. Last season raised legitimate concerns, but his earlier body of work suggests there is still a borderline All-Star pitcher in there, if he can regain his form. Even if one of those three falters, the Twins are unusually insulated. Few organizations can roll out the volume of young arms Minnesota has waiting in the wings. Simeon Woods Richardson (1.2 fWAR), Zebby Matthews (1.7 fWAR), Mick Abel (0.6 fWAR), David Festa (0.4 fWAR), and Taj Bradley (1.4 fWAR) all represent viable options who could claim innings at the big-league level. Even prospects like Andrew Morris and Kendry Rojas are likely to get innings with the Twins. Some will succeed, others will not, but the sheer number of options creates flexibility. Injuries and inconsistency are inevitable over a long season. Having credible next-man-up solutions is how teams survive them without collapsing. The offense is more volatile, but not without upside. The Twins are counting on a mix of modest additions and internal growth. Byron Buxton remains the linchpin (3.3 projected fWAR). When he is healthy and locked in, he changes the shape of the lineup entirely, but fans saw last season that he can’t be the team’s only offensive producer. Around him, the spotlight falls on a group of young hitters who are still defining themselves. Luke Keaschall (3.0 fWAR), Royce Lewis (2.7 fWAR), Brooks Lee (2.1 fWAR), and Matt Wallner (1.9 fWAR) all enter 2026 with something to prove. Each has shown flashes that suggest a long-term role, and each carries questions about durability, consistency, or ultimate ceiling. The Twins do not need all of them to break out. They need a couple to establish stability. Depth, again, plays a quiet but important role. At Triple-A St. Paul, Minnesota has legitimate offensive reinforcements waiting. Emmanuel Rodriguez brings on-base ability and power. Walker Jenkins carries star potential that could force the issue sooner, rather than later. Gabriel Gonzalez adds another contact bat with upside. It certainly helps that he’s a right-handed hitter in a sea of lefties for the Twins. If the major-league lineup stagnates, there will be options to inject energy and production without mortgaging the future. This is why a full rebuild never made sense. The Twins are not old, bloated, or devoid of talent. They are imperfect, yes, but they are also close. In a division where the difference between first and third is a win or two, continuity has value. Development has value. Betting on health and internal growth is not complacency. It is a calculated gamble. The Twins chose to compete because the math and the roster say they can. In the AL Central, that may be all you need. Do the Twins have enough to win the AL Central? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs offseason started out slower than most Cubs fans had hoped for, but in a loud one-two punch earlier this month, they changed the narrative, trading for Edward Cabrera to bolster the starting rotation and signing All-Star Alex Bregman to buttress the everyday lineup. Speculation about trading away one of the other infielders on the roster (namely, Nico Hoerner or Matt Shaw) started almost immediately, because there are now more starting-caliber players than remaining starting positions on the infield. It appears, however, that the Cubs may have another plan in mind—one that could provide major lineup flexibility for the upcoming season. Videos surfaced online of Matt Shaw taking outfield reps recently, indicating that they may be asking him to help fill the void in right field that was left when Kyle Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. That wasn't some carefully guarded secret slipping out, either. Craig Counsell told the media Shaw will play some outfield this year, at Cubs Convention. If Shaw is able to demonstrate that he can hold down a corner outfield position, it would allow Counsell to be creative building his lineup based on the matchups from day to day. When the Cubs square off against dominant left-handed starters, they could roll out a lineup loaded with talented right-handed bats when Shaw is playing in right field. Below is an example of what a lineup could look like. 2B (R) Nico Hoerner 3B (R) Alex Bregman LF (S) Ian Happ DH (R) Seiya Suzuki 1B (R) Tyler Austin SS (R) Dansby Swanson CF (L) Pete Crow-Armstrong C (R) Carson Kelly RF (R) Matt Shaw Moisés Ballesteros and Michael Busch would start on the bench in this scenario, and could enter the game to take advantage of a right-handed relief pitcher later, to great effect. It's the kind of vicious matchup play Counsell loves. If Shaw can consistently handle the defensive responsibilities in right field, it would also allow Seiya Suzuki to play DH. All things equal, the Cubs would surely love to keep Suzuki out of the field, but only if Shaw pans out especially well will that be possible. Here's an example of a lineup the Cubs could roll out against a right-handed starter: 1B (L) Michael Busch 3B (R) Alex Bregman LF (S) Ian Happ RF (R) Seiya Suzuki DH (L) Moises Ballesteros 2B (R) Nico Hoerner CF (L) Pete Crow-Armstrong C (R) Carson Kelly SS (R) Dansby Swanson In this scenario, Shaw could come in during the late innings (if the Cubs are trying to maintain a lead) for Suzuki in right field. Shaw could be used as a super-utility player, like Ben Zobrist was during his time with the Cubs, to rest Hoerner, Swanson or Bregman. Baseball seasons are long and injuries happen. It is a massive advantage to have a guy who can cover multiple positions effectively. Of course, all this assumes that Shaw will be a good enough hitter to at least help, rather than hurt, as a right fielder. That would require a major step forward from him, and not the oversized kind he was taking to load up his swing last year. He batted .226/.295/.394 as a rookie. That played fine at third base, since he was a plus defender there and the league's third basemen only batted .244/.308/.397, but the average right fielder batted .247/.319/.422 last season. Shaw has to get much better with the stick for it to matter whether his glove can be of any help in right. In center, he's more playable, and perhaps he could be the platoon partner for Crow-Armstrong, but the team has several other players coming to camp to audition for that role. Moving around the diamond is the only way Shaw will find consistent playing time for the team in 2026, but while a move to right field seems like the easiest path to at-bats for him, it might not be in the team's best interest. As spring training draws near, he remains very much a trade candidate. View the full article

Brewers fans continue to react and accustom themselves to the Freddy Peralta trade that took place last week. Milwaukee got utility man Jett Williams and right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat for Peralta and Tobias Myers, which has far reaching and overlapping implications. Let's break them down a bit more. The Good Perhaps the biggest benefit the Brewers got was the reinforcement of the farm system. On the face of it, it looks to be similar to the return in the Corbin Burnes deal, in which the Brewers got DL Hall and Joey Ortiz, plus a Competitive Balance pick that became Blake Burke. The difference? This time, the Brewers got two players from the Mets’ farm system, both of whom landed in the top six slots of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 list for Milwaukee. Sproat is a better version of Quinn Priester, who should fit in well with Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Priester, Chad Patrick and Robert Gasser as long-term pieces in the starting rotation. Williams is arguably the more intriguing of the two. He appears to be a more potent version of Isaac Collins, a highly versatile infielder-outfielder who could play second base and the outfield. Unlike Collins, Williams has some real pop in his bat and also plays a passable shortstop, should his readiness for the majors coincide with further regression by Ortiz. Had he not been traded, Collins could have spelled Brewers starters at multiple positions. Williams could easily fill that role for Milwaukee, making him a crucial asset in 2026, even with a raw bat. Bulking up the farm system isn't an objective worth trading good players for, in itself, but really, it's just one way to see that the Brewers got two more players who look likely to be solid contributors in the short and medium term, and who are under team control past the end of this decade. Sustaining the winning machine in Milwaukee requires this kind of refueling. The Bad On the face of it, the bad includes the fact that the Brewers traded their ace. Even with a very deep rotation, which had a dozen viable options, Peralta is a major loss. It makes Brandon Woodruff the team’s number one starter, unless Misiorowski harnesses his stuff or Henderson can stay healthy. While Brandon Sproat has a chance to be very good, he’s not the proven commodity Peralta was. So the Brewers' rotation has suffered a slight downgrade. Nor was Peralta the only useful arm the Brewers surrendered. Myers, a mainstay of the 2024 rotation, will not be arbitration-eligible until after 2027 and would be under team control through 2030. The Brewers probably didn't have much more use for Myers, given their depth, and the Mets were unwilling to send both Williams and Sproat without getting a second arm in return, but there's opportunity cost (at least) in giving up Myers as a second piece, and he could yet blossom into a mid-rotation starter. The Ugly The Peralta trade is just the latest in an ugly cycle that’s been hitting Milwaukee for decades, whereby the team finds itself priced out of the market to keep the stars it has developed in its farm system. Major League Baseball has a problem. Any baseball fan who doesn’t root for a big-spending, big-market club can see it clearly. While the Brewers have clearly had an excellent run since 2017, in each of the last four seasons, the team had to trade a top-of-the-line player because it's effectively priced out of the premium free-agent market. Some of that is a choice by the Attanasio family and the rest of the Brewers' ownership group, but some of it, too, is a harsh and inexorable economic reality. One way or another, the league needs to better distribute revenue and even out the pain of spending (if not the spending itself) among the 30 teams. Until that happens, these moves will remain annual occurrences, and while it can be fun to watch the Brewers nail it over and over again, that they feel the need to do so is an ugly truth. What are your thoughts about the positive and negative aspects of the Freddy Peralta trade? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

While the initial report of a retirement announcement was met with some apprehension on his part, it appears that San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish may be getting closer to calling it a career. At the very least, it's possible that he walks away from his current contract via an early termination and buyout as he works his way back from an October internal brace procedure. In either direction, it would appear that there's set to be some certainty over Darvish's future in the coming days or weeks. There were whispers early this offseason that he was considering retirement on the heels of this surgery and five separate trips to the injured list over the last two years. While it would be difficult for him to walk away from the money owed to him through 2028, Darvish has generally been extremely transparent about where his body and mind are in relation to performance. So, it's no surprise that this situation, while not official, is already in front of the public. Should Darvish choose to retire or accept a buyout from the Padres, it would be a boon for them financially. He carries an $18 million average annual value over the next three years (though the actual salary is a touch lower depending on the year). A team with a handful of position player contracts that carry into the 2030s will likely accept any relief it can get on the books. At the same time, getting clarity on Yu Darvish would also present a fairly intense challenge to the Padres, who are trying to establish their future in the starting rotation. The Padres were always going to be without Darvish for 2026. That situation, on its own, has left them scrambling to find pitching for a rotation that remains unstable just weeks out of pitchers and catchers reporting to Arizona. If we looked to the point at which Darvish was expected back, though, things get even more complicated. Under contract for 2027 are Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, the latter of whom will be entering the last year of his contract. Michael King has a player option for each of 2027 and 2028, lending itself to the assumption that he could depart with a steady, healthy 2026 season. Kyle Hart has a club option for 2027. Beyond that, there's JP Sears with a year of arbitration remaining and each of Randy Vásquez and Matt Waldron still in their pre-arb stage. There's a worst-case scenario where Pivetta regresses in 2026, Musgrove needs a year to get back to form from Tommy John surgery, King departs via his option, and none of the remaining options prove reliable enough to guarantee a rotation spot beyond this upcoming season. Such a pessimistic outlook was already in play even before the news of Darvish potentially ending his Padres tenure. Losing an arm that was expected to be a lock for next season, however, only adds to such concern. The good news is that worst-case scenarios likely come out at the 100th percentile of bad outcomes. Even if the 2026 group struggles to assert itself as something viable for the years beyond this season, prospects like Miguel Mendez or Jagger Haynes could be on deck to get an opportunity. If not by the end of 2026, then perhaps to start 2027. That would at least help to quell some concerns over a Darvish-less future in San Diego. Ultimately, though, the potential departure of Darvish doesn't change the calculus for the future of the Padres' staff all that much. The concern over a lack of clarity in the rotation always existed; he's been out of the mix so frequently the last two years that there was no guarantee he could even be relied upon post-surgery (in his age-40 season, no less). It does, however, reignite those concerns that have been in place all winter over the stability this staff currently lacks and will now have to work at least a little bit harder in order to establish. View the full article

36-year-old righty Seth Lugo doesn't have the eye-popping stats most of today's top pitchers have. In fact, we found out that he's below average in nearly every advanced metric that sites like Baseball Savant have to offer. How did this grizzled veteran defy baseball analytics and put together a career year just a season ago? We break it all down here, and newsflash, a 10-pitch mix has a lot to do with his success. View the full article

Spencer and Joseph Zarr discuss the Biloxi Shuckers season, their tiers of position players and pitchers, and answer a bunch of listener questions. Players discussed include Luis Lara, Blake Burke, Matthew Wood, Jaron DeBerry, Tyson Hardin, and many others. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

Every February brings renewed hope, warmer weather, and the annual tradition of hearing that at least twelve Minnesota Twins players are in the “best shape of their lives.” This year, the organization decided to stop limiting that distinction to players and instead open it to anyone with an email address ending in twinsbaseball.com. After a Twins Fest weekend that included the usual flurry of physicals, the front office reportedly looked at one another, nodded, and asked the obvious question: Why stop there? If players need baseline data before camp, then surely the rest of the organization could benefit from the same experience. Thus was born the most comprehensive spring training intake process in franchise history. President of Baseball and Business Operations Derek Falvey explained the move with the kind of straight-faced confidence that only baseball executives possess. “We talk a lot about alignment and optimization,” Falvey said. “It felt inconsistent to have players undergoing physicals while the rest of us were just sort of vibing. If we are going to ask accountability from the roster, we should be willing to step on the same scale ourselves.” According to team sources, the physicals now extend well beyond players on the 40-man roster. Scouts, front office staff, coaches, clubhouse attendants, and at least one mascot have all been encouraged to participate. Participation is described as voluntary in the same way that showing up early to workouts is voluntary. Falvey emphasized that this is not about shaming anyone but about gaining information. “This is about knowing where everyone is at,” Falvey said. Strength, mobility, flexibility, cardiovascular health. Also posture. We are big on posture this year. We think it is an inefficiency in the market.” As a result, spring training will feature a wide array of individuals arriving in the best shape of their lives. Some of the early candidates include: The backup bullpen catcher who spent the offseason doing hot yoga and now refuses to sit down during games. A veteran scout who says he dropped twenty pounds by walking Midwest high school campuses and quietly judging exit velocities. The team videographer, who now refers to himself as an athlete because he can hold a camera rig for three innings without shaking. A front office analyst who replaced coffee with cold plunges and now speaks exclusively in recovery metrics. At least one coach who insists he feels better at 58 than he did at 32 and will bring it up unprompted. One staff member who asked to remain anonymous said the process was intense but affirming. “I came in thinking I was in decent shape," he said. “Then they hooked me up to a machine and told me my core was a suggestion, not a reality. I have been planking ever since.” Players have reportedly responded well to the expanded program. Several expressed relief that the spotlight was not solely on them. “It is nice to see everyone else get weighed too," said one anonymous Twins pitcher. “I have been hearing ‘best shape of my life’ jokes for years. Now the assistant general manager has to live that life.” Falvey confirmed that the phrase “best shape of their lives” has been carefully defined internally. “We are not saying perfect, " Falvey said. “We are saying measurably improved from the last checkpoint. That checkpoint might be last season, or it might be college, or it might be before you discovered airport food. Context matters.” As camp opens, fans can expect the usual spring training optimism mixed with a new level of organizational confidence. Everyone is healthier, stronger, and definitely more flexible than last year. The Twins may or may not win the division, but they will absolutely win the wellness portion of the Grapefruit League. And if nothing else, there is comfort in knowing that somewhere in Fort Myers, a spreadsheet exists proving that at least one member of the accounting department shaved 2% body fat and is very proud of it. View the full article

It was up high and unboxed, on top of a glass display case at the antique mall. It’s not much of an antique, considering it was an exclusive season ticket member bobblehead in 2019. Curious and familiar, I went over expecting to see at least $50 on the price tag. I knew these had sold online for quite a bit more, too. Shocked to see $20, I waltzed out of the antique mall with my new purchase for my collection: the Bret Saberhagen & Salvador Perez World Series MVP dual bobblehead. In this series at Royals Keep, I’m looking back on Royals history from this century (and beyond), the good and the bad, through the lens of memorabilia. I didn’t realize until working on this article that in 2024, Baseball-Reference retired its fun Oracle of Baseball tool, which allowed users to basically play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but with ballplayers. However, I did my best to connect these two Royals greats, and a strong, if unlikely, connector is the great Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo. While Saberhagen closed out his career in Boston with three games in 2001, Nomo won 13 games for the Red Sox that season. He kept playing through 2005, then resurfaced for three outings with the 2008 Royals. Salvy didn’t make his debut until 2011, but several Royals were on the 2008 and 2011 squads, including Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, and Mitch Maier. The bobblehead depicts each MVP holding the World Series trophy, and I love the little details in their uniforms. Saberhagen is in his trademark stirrups, and his jersey has a 1985 World Series logo. The lettering on Salvy’s jersey and cap is golden, a nice homage to the gold threads worn in the years after the 2015 title. Both of these men were well-deserving of World Series MVP honors. Saberhagen remains the youngest to ever win the award. At the age of 21, he threw two complete games in the 1985 World Series, besting the Cardinals in games 3 and 7. Only allowing one run, he struck out 10 and walked a single batter over his 18 innings. He had a whopping 25% Championship Win Probability Added. Perez led the Royals in hits and OPS as they defeated the Mets in 2015. He wasn’t behind the plate for the final out, however. Backup Drew Butera got to catch the final strikeout from Wade Davis after Perez was lifted for pinch runner Jarrod Dyson, who scored the go-ahead run in the 12th inning. This bobblehead is not the only time Saberhagen and Perez have “appeared” together. Right before the 2016 season, Ford introduced the F-150 “MVP” model, and these two MVPs appeared in advertisements, including this commercial. And, in a wild segment befitting of late-night TV, Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez were on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in the days after the clinching game in 2015. Fallon dug up Saberhagen’s Ford commercial, a 1980s classic where he raps (!), and brought out an actor who awkwardly raps wearing a Saberhagen jersey. Then, the real Saberhagen comes out! Hosmer and Perez appear confused. Take a look for yourself here, and see if you’re as confused as they are! I can’t say I expected to go down a Ford truck commercial rabbit hole when I bought my $20 bobblehead or started writing this piece, but that’s what I enjoy about memorabilia: the rabbit holes, the connective tissue found throughout baseball, and yes, the goofy commercials and marketing opportunities done by players then and now. Hopefully, the Royals win another World Series soon, so a trio of World Series MVP bobbleheads can be produced! View the full article

Who will the Cubs’ right fielder of the future be? With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing former Cub Kyle Tucker to a 4-year deal worth $240 million, the carousel at the 9-spot will take another spin. Fans at The Friendly Confines have seen their fair share of personnel chase balls toward the big yellow '353' in the last several years. Tucker, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki have taken turns since the start of 2022. Before that, there was Jason Heyward, but Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist each also spent lots of time there. The position is important to the team, historically, going back to the likes of Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa. Who will it be in 2026? The answer seemed clear. Even before Tucker inked a deal with the Dodgers, the writing was on the wall that he wouldn’t be coming back after his one-year stint in the Windy City. Owen Caissie seemed like the lay-up answer, until the Cubs dealt him to Miami in a big swing for rotation piece Edward Cabrera. That leaves Chicago in murky waters for the future of their right field position, but there are four players who can separate themselves from the rest this upcoming season. Kevin Alcántara I didn’t think this guy had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where to get meaningful playing time before Caissie packed his bags for Miami, but now, the window of opportunity seems wide open for him. Acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021's Anthony Rizzo trade, Alcántara has all the tools to be the next superstar to guard the right-field foul pole. He’s 6-foot-6, an athletic 188 pounds, and he flies like the wind. The 23-year-old worked his way through Chicago’s pipeline with a lanky grace in center field. After logging 14 home runs and 61 runs batted in across the top two levels of the minors, Alcántara made his big-league debut late in 2024, going 1-for-10 with a run scored. In 2025, ‘The Jaguar’ spent 102 more games in Iowa before registering 4 hits in 11 at-bats with the parent club. The intangibles are there; he’s long, rangy, and can spark a rally if he gets on base. His power upside is clear, and while he hasn't been a high-volume runner in the minors, you can see how Quintin Berry might make him one in the majors. The most pressing issue? Strikeouts. The former Yankees prospect has hovered around a 30% strikeout rate in the minors. He does have time on his side, both in age and big-league control time, but the plate discipline needs to come around, and that means making contact and getting the ball in the air consistently, despite his size. Seiya Suzuki Suzuki offers the most proven offensive production of anyone on this list, and it isn’t even close. He's upped his home run total every year, topping out at 32 long balls and 103 runs batted in 2025. He was a marvel in terms of contact quality last year, ranking in the top decile in barrel rate and launch angle sweet spot and the top quintile in hard-hit rate. Arguably, he should’ve had a spot on the National League All-Star roster. Despite a much quieter second half, he punished opposing pitchers all season long. As an anything "of the future," though, he's a tricky fit. This is the fifth and final year of Suzuki’s contract, and his glove has been suspect at times. The Cubs couldn’t help but keep his bat in the lineup, so 102 of his 150 games were out of the DH spot last year. It doesn't seem very likely, though, that he and the Cubs will re-up for another five years after this. Ethan Conrad From the player with the largest body of work in this set, we go directly to a pipeline talent who has no professional baseball experience. Conrad was the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2025 Draft, but it may be awhile until we see him don Cubbie blue. However, he's a well-rounded talent with star-caliber upside. Taking a look at Conrad’s college numbers, he had an unreal season with Marist in 2024. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound outfielder logged an NCAA Division I-best 13 triples that year, before transferring to Wake Forest (and the more robust competition of the ACC) for 2025. He hit well there in a brief stint, before shoulder surgery ended his season, The Cubs took Conrad because they saw an opportunity. He was considered a candidate to go in the top half of the first round before getting hurt, so by being willing to roll the dice on him after the injury, they gave themselves a chance to find that right fielder of the future. Between having transferred from a small school and having gotten hurt before getting drafted, though, he's not as polished as most college hitters taken in the first round. It'll be a couple of years before he knocks on the door. Who Will Be the Cubs’ Right Fielder of the Future? After surveying these options, it feels like Alcántara’s job to lose. Suzuki’s contract status raises too large of a question mark. Conrad’s ETA is too far away for him to jump “The Jaguar,” and while Matt Shaw is taking reps in the outfield, he doesn't profile as a useful corner outfielder. If he can iron out the whiff issues and stay on the field, Alcántara could emerge by the end of this year as the long-term solution. Of course, that's a big 'if,' but there are no perfect answers here. View the full article

Who will the Cubs’ right fielder of the future be? With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing former Cub Kyle Tucker to a 4-year deal worth $240 million, the carousel at the 9-spot will take another spin. Fans at The Friendly Confines have seen their fair share of personnel chase balls toward the big yellow '353' in the last several years. Tucker, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki have taken turns since the start of 2022. Before that, there was Jason Heyward, but Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist each also spent lots of time there. The position is important to the team, historically, going back to the likes of Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa. Who will it be in 2026? The answer seemed clear. Even before Tucker inked a deal with the Dodgers, the writing was on the wall that he wouldn’t be coming back after his one-year stint in the Windy City. Owen Caissie seemed like the lay-up answer, until the Cubs dealt him to Miami in a big swing for rotation piece Edward Cabrera. That leaves Chicago in murky waters for the future of their right field position, but there are four players who can separate themselves from the rest this upcoming season. Kevin Alcántara I didn’t think this guy had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where to get meaningful playing time before Caissie packed his bags for Miami, but now, the window of opportunity seems wide open for him. Acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021's Anthony Rizzo trade, Alcántara has all the tools to be the next superstar to guard the right-field foul pole. He’s 6-foot-6, an athletic 188 pounds, and he flies like the wind. The 23-year-old worked his way through Chicago’s pipeline with a lanky grace in center field. After logging 14 home runs and 61 runs batted in across the top two levels of the minors, Alcántara made his big-league debut late in 2024, going 1-for-10 with a run scored. In 2025, ‘The Jaguar’ spent 102 more games in Iowa before registering 4 hits in 11 at-bats with the parent club. The intangibles are there; he’s long, rangy, and can spark a rally if he gets on base. His power upside is clear, and while he hasn't been a high-volume runner in the minors, you can see how Quintin Berry might make him one in the majors. The most pressing issue? Strikeouts. The former Yankees prospect has hovered around a 30% strikeout rate in the minors. He does have time on his side, both in age and big-league control time, but the plate discipline needs to come around, and that means making contact and getting the ball in the air consistently, despite his size. Seiya Suzuki Suzuki offers the most proven offensive production of anyone on this list, and it isn’t even close. He's upped his home run total every year, topping out at 32 long balls and 103 runs batted in 2025. He was a marvel in terms of contact quality last year, ranking in the top decile in barrel rate and launch angle sweet spot and the top quintile in hard-hit rate. Arguably, he should’ve had a spot on the National League All-Star roster. Despite a much quieter second half, he punished opposing pitchers all season long. As an anything "of the future," though, he's a tricky fit. This is the fifth and final year of Suzuki’s contract, and his glove has been suspect at times. The Cubs couldn’t help but keep his bat in the lineup, so 102 of his 150 games were out of the DH spot last year. It doesn't seem very likely, though, that he and the Cubs will re-up for another five years after this. Ethan Conrad From the player with the largest body of work in this set, we go directly to a pipeline talent who has no professional baseball experience. Conrad was the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2025 Draft, but it may be awhile until we see him don Cubbie blue. However, he's a well-rounded talent with star-caliber upside. Taking a look at Conrad’s college numbers, he had an unreal season with Marist in 2024. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound outfielder logged an NCAA Division I-best 13 triples that year, before transferring to Wake Forest (and the more robust competition of the ACC) for 2025. He hit well there in a brief stint, before shoulder surgery ended his season, The Cubs took Conrad because they saw an opportunity. He was considered a candidate to go in the top half of the first round before getting hurt, so by being willing to roll the dice on him after the injury, they gave themselves a chance to find that right fielder of the future. Between having transferred from a small school and having gotten hurt before getting drafted, though, he's not as polished as most college hitters taken in the first round. It'll be a couple of years before he knocks on the door. Who Will Be the Cubs’ Right Fielder of the Future? After surveying these options, it feels like Alcántara’s job to lose. Suzuki’s contract status raises too large of a question mark. Conrad’s ETA is too far away for him to jump “The Jaguar,” and while Matt Shaw is taking reps in the outfield, he doesn't profile as a useful corner outfielder. If he can iron out the whiff issues and stay on the field, Alcántara could emerge by the end of this year as the long-term solution. Of course, that's a big 'if,' but there are no perfect answers here. View the full article

Brandon Sproat has been a big name on prospect lists since his entry into pro ball, using a fastball that can touch triple digits and a diverse mix of secondaries to provide adequate strikeouts and limit hard contact. In some ways, last year didn't go to plan, as he had an unsightly 5.95 ERA in late June. At that point, he had 43 strikeouts and 32 walks in 62 innings pitched on the season. From that date on, however, he began to tweak his arsenal, with tremendous results. He dominated hitters, with 70 strikeouts and just 21 walks in his next 59 innings to post a sparkling 2,44 ERA. How Did Sproat Address His Platoon Problems? Sproat's main problem was how he handled left-handed batters. His sinker and sweeper are somewhat neutralized by opposite-handed hitters, so he had to do some problem-solving. First of all, the shape on his four-seamer changed, targeting less horizontal break and getting greater separation from his sinker on the rare occasions when he used the latter to lefties. This also had the added benefit of allowing him to cramp left-handers up and in, before dialling in the changeup off that pitch. Pitch profiler's dynamic dead zone chart shows the difference in expected movement (based on pitch type and the pitcher's arm slot) and actual movement of a pitch. That fastball doesn't get much ride, but it does get a couple of inches of cutting action that can make all the difference in reducing barrels. Notice, in looking at the plots from earlier, that nearly all of the pitches with significant relative cut came in that second sample, from later in the season. He likes to work in a fairly traditional way, starting the majority of his pitches to lefties on the inner half of the plate. The four-seam fastball can work anywhere in the zone, but his command is a bit loose, leading to more pitches in the heart of the plate than would be ideal. That being said, the added "cut" helps it avoid barrels, while the changeup fades to the outer third and the curveball drops sharply to induce chases. The changeup and four-seam are inextricably linked, each protecting the other. He only uses his primary fastball 35% of the time to left-handed hitters, meaning they can't sit on that offering. His arsenal's diversity is a key factor in his success, and his raw stuff is enough to transform him from a mere "kitchen sink" pitcher to a potential mid-rotation arm. All of his pitches can be effective inside the strike zone, with unusually high in-zone rates for both his changeup and curveball compared to MLB averages. Being able to throw at least three pitches for strikes (and having a firm heater to lead that bundle) should allow Sproat to get out lefties even at the big-league level. What About Against Right-Handers? Intriguingly, Sproat diversified his arsenal more against right-handers as well, going from a sinker-heavy approach to a more balanced mix, incorporating his four-seam fastball more and overall presenting a more comprehensive pitch mix. Interestingly, although his curveball has a quite different release point (as Matt Trueblood observed here), he found some success using it more often against right-handers. One of the reasons most pitchers do better against same-handed hitters is that it's tougher for those hitters to pick up their release point; perhaps Sproat realized that he could exploit that advantage better. Looking at the above split, a few things jump out. First of all, there's less cluster between his four-seamer and sinker, with the additional cutting shape I referenced earlier giving the heater separation from the sinker. Combine that with the tick upward in velocity, and you can see how, despite using the four-seam fastball more often in the second half and more regularly inside the strike zone, he maintained the effective results it showed in the first half regarding whiff rate and contact quality. On its own, the four-seam fastball has a subpar shape with high velocity, but with his sinker keeping the batter honest, the four-seamer manages to add a wrinkle that enhances his profile. For comparison, we can look at someone like Logan Webb, who also has a subpar four-seamer. He uses the four-seamer less than Sproat, but when played off one of the best sinkers in baseball (and please ignore the sinker grade, this offering has proven tough to measure for most Stuff+ models as there's no one shape that makes it effective), it's got a 55.6% whiff rate in that small sample. He used it even more to left-handers, also to good success. The main takeaways here are: It's a distinct shape, compared to Webb's sinker; and Webb gets almost 3" less rise than Sproat, and his four-seam is overall slower and less impressive in isolation. Sproat still has an arsenal where he throws fastballs less than 50% of the time, and it's interesting to see him lean away from the traditional Stuff+ darlings (his sweeper and slider) in the second half for more variety, integrating the curveball just enough to keep hitters honest. A more diffuse pitch mix paid dividends. The Big-League Picture Upon reaching the big leagues, Sproat actually eliminated a lot of the arsenal changes he made in the minors, leaning heavily into his sinker and sweeper to both left- and right-handed hitters. Although he managed the quality of contact well (his sinker really is something), he struggled to miss bats with any regularity; that could present a problem over a larger sample size. It will be fascinating to see how the Brewers approach Sproat—whether they isolate his best offerings like the Mets did, and in a similar vein to how they started with Quinn Priester, or lean into his variety more and try to access more of the upside in his arsenal. It will be something intriguing to follow as spring training begins in just a couple of weeks. View the full article

Sweet Lou and Ol Gregg answer the tough questions like "what if Trevor Larnach was a righty," "what relievers are left," and "should the Twins trade Joe Ryan?" Gregg has a great pull on Lou's 70-grade 20 Questions. Comrade Cody sends in a statement. 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

Entering the offseason, those who follow the Minnesota Twins expected corner outfielder/designated hitter Trevor Larnach to part ways with the organization, either by being non-tendered in mid-November or traded sometime before spring training. Instead, they tendered him a contract in the fall, and agreed to a one-year, $4.475-million contract to avoid arbitration earlier this month. With less than three weeks until pitchers and catchers report to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Larnach remains with the club. Larnach appears set to enter his sixth major-league season still a member of the Twins. However, his role in 2026 could differ from any he’s occupied in previous seasons, due to the 26-man roster’s projected construction. Right now, Larnach is projected to platoon with Austin Martin in left field, with Larnach starting games against right-handed starting pitchers and Martin starting games against left-handed starting pitchers. At first glance, Larnach would be slated to receive more opportunities at the position, given that major-league clubs face right-handed starting pitchers about three times as often as southpaws. Yet, given how Minnesota’s 26-man roster is currently constructed, the club could possess the positional flexibility necessary to avoid playing Larnach in the field altogether. Fellow left-handed hitting corner outfield options Kody Clemens and Alan Roden (or James Outman, depending on who performs better during spring training) are also projected to hold roster spots come Opening Day. Clemens and Roden are superior defensive options to Larnach. The trio of Clemens, Roden, and Martin could operate in left field interchangeably, providing Minnesota with a plus defensive option in every platoon scenario. Any of the three players could also back up Matt Wallner in right field, providing the club with quality defensive flexibility in both corner outfield spots. Larnach would thus operate as the club’s primary designated hitter against right-handed starting pitchers, with switch-hitting DH options Josh Bell (first base) and Victor Caratini (catcher) playing in the field. On the surface, that looks like a minimal role, especially for a player earning almost $5 million. As noted earlier, however, major-league clubs face right-handed starting pitchers far more often than left-handed starting pitchers. Minnesota could maximize Larnach’s skillset on a game-to-game basis, potentially leading to the Oregon State product producing at an unforeseen rate in his age-29 season. In 2024, Larnach hit .259/.338/.434 (a 119 wRC+) over 400 plate appearances, marking what has been his best season in the majors. Larnach excelled against right-handed pitching in 2024, hitting 15 home runs and posting a 123 wRC+ over 377 plate appearances. He struggled against same-handed pitchers, however, posting a lousy 63 wRC+ in the tiny sample of 23 plate appearances. Larnach performed well against right-handed pitching last season, too, generating a 110 wRC+ over 449 plate appearances. However, the team elected to provide him more opportunities against lefties, which worked to his detriment. Larnach generated a similarly brutal 71 wRC+ against lefties. That time, however, he garnered 118 plate appearances against same-handed pitchers, a fivefold increase from 2024. His apparent performance dip last year was the result of Minnesota forcing him into 95 additional plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, due to a lack of corner outfield and DH depth. With Martin, Clemens, Roden (or Outman), Wallner, Bell, and Caratini all projected to be on the Opening Day roster, Minnesota could shield Larnach from his weaknesses and maximize his strengths. Hitting almost exclusively against righties, Larnach could again post a wRC+ in the 120-130 range, though that would put more pressure on Martin, Bell and Caratini to be productive hitters against southpaws. Again, Larnach is not a platoon-proof left-handed hitting bat in the same ilk as Kyle Tucker or Tyler Soderstrom. Still, he could supply value in the right role. The final question, then, is whether the right role for Larnach is one the roster can accommodate, as a whole. The Twins will have 13 roster spots for position players at any given time. Ryan Jeffers and Caratini are locks. So are Bell, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, Wallner and Clemens. That makes nine. Roden, Martin, Tristan Gray, Ryan Kreidler and Eric Wagaman can all be optioned to the minors, which gives the team flexibility, but that still leaves Outman, Edouard Julien, and Alex Jackson to sort through. The nine players listed as locks don't include a backup shortstop or third baseman, so one of the final four spots must be held for that player, with Gray being the leading candidate. Whether keeping Larnach (and using him in the role we've discussed) makes sense could come down to which of the out-of-options trio sticks around, if any. Julien is almost certainly out the door. Should the team elect to carry three catchers by keeping Jackson, though, they'd also be more likely to use Jeffers and Caratini at DH on occasion, pinching Larnach. Outman is the closest thing to a true center fielder in the mix, other than Buxton, so he could stick around mostly for his glove—but even if that's why he lands on the roster, him landing there would complicate keeping Larnach. If the Twins trust Larnach in left field (something that wasn't true in 2025), he has a fairly clear path to sticking around and making a positive impact. If not, though, he's still in a precarious position, because the role the team would most like to give him might not suit the rest of their roster construction. He just needs the right opportunity, but whether that right opportunity exists in Minnesota isn't clear yet. View the full article

Entering the offseason, those who follow the Minnesota Twins expected corner outfielder/designated hitter Trevor Larnach to part ways with the organization, either by being non-tendered in mid-November or traded sometime before spring training. Instead, they tendered him a contract in the fall, and agreed to a one-year, $4.475-million contract to avoid arbitration earlier this month. With less than three weeks until pitchers and catchers report to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Larnach remains with the club. Larnach appears set to enter his sixth major-league season still a member of the Twins. However, his role in 2026 could differ from any he’s occupied in previous seasons, due to the 26-man roster’s projected construction. Right now, Larnach is projected to platoon with Austin Martin in left field, with Larnach starting games against right-handed starting pitchers and Martin starting games against left-handed starting pitchers. At first glance, Larnach would be slated to receive more opportunities at the position, given that major-league clubs face right-handed starting pitchers about three times as often as southpaws. Yet, given how Minnesota’s 26-man roster is currently constructed, the club could possess the positional flexibility necessary to avoid playing Larnach in the field altogether. Fellow left-handed hitting corner outfield options Kody Clemens and Alan Roden (or James Outman, depending on who performs better during spring training) are also projected to hold roster spots come Opening Day. Clemens and Roden are superior defensive options to Larnach. The trio of Clemens, Roden, and Martin could operate in left field interchangeably, providing Minnesota with a plus defensive option in every platoon scenario. Any of the three players could also back up Matt Wallner in right field, providing the club with quality defensive flexibility in both corner outfield spots. Larnach would thus operate as the club’s primary designated hitter against right-handed starting pitchers, with switch-hitting DH options Josh Bell (first base) and Victor Caratini (catcher) playing in the field. On the surface, that looks like a minimal role, especially for a player earning almost $5 million. As noted earlier, however, major-league clubs face right-handed starting pitchers far more often than left-handed starting pitchers. Minnesota could maximize Larnach’s skillset on a game-to-game basis, potentially leading to the Oregon State product producing at an unforeseen rate in his age-29 season. In 2024, Larnach hit .259/.338/.434 (a 119 wRC+) over 400 plate appearances, marking what has been his best season in the majors. Larnach excelled against right-handed pitching in 2024, hitting 15 home runs and posting a 123 wRC+ over 377 plate appearances. He struggled against same-handed pitchers, however, posting a lousy 63 wRC+ in the tiny sample of 23 plate appearances. Larnach performed well against right-handed pitching last season, too, generating a 110 wRC+ over 449 plate appearances. However, the team elected to provide him more opportunities against lefties, which worked to his detriment. Larnach generated a similarly brutal 71 wRC+ against lefties. That time, however, he garnered 118 plate appearances against same-handed pitchers, a fivefold increase from 2024. His apparent performance dip last year was the result of Minnesota forcing him into 95 additional plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, due to a lack of corner outfield and DH depth. With Martin, Clemens, Roden (or Outman), Wallner, Bell, and Caratini all projected to be on the Opening Day roster, Minnesota could shield Larnach from his weaknesses and maximize his strengths. Hitting almost exclusively against righties, Larnach could again post a wRC+ in the 120-130 range, though that would put more pressure on Martin, Bell and Caratini to be productive hitters against southpaws. Again, Larnach is not a platoon-proof left-handed hitting bat in the same ilk as Kyle Tucker or Tyler Soderstrom. Still, he could supply value in the right role. The final question, then, is whether the right role for Larnach is one the roster can accommodate, as a whole. The Twins will have 13 roster spots for position players at any given time. Ryan Jeffers and Caratini are locks. So are Bell, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, Wallner and Clemens. That makes nine. Roden, Martin, Tristan Gray, Ryan Kreidler and Eric Wagaman can all be optioned to the minors, which gives the team flexibility, but that still leaves Outman, Edouard Julien, and Alex Jackson to sort through. The nine players listed as locks don't include a backup shortstop or third baseman, so one of the final four spots must be held for that player, with Gray being the leading candidate. Whether keeping Larnach (and using him in the role we've discussed) makes sense could come down to which of the out-of-options trio sticks around, if any. Julien is almost certainly out the door. Should the team elect to carry three catchers by keeping Jackson, though, they'd also be more likely to use Jeffers and Caratini at DH on occasion, pinching Larnach. Outman is the closest thing to a true center fielder in the mix, other than Buxton, so he could stick around mostly for his glove—but even if that's why he lands on the roster, him landing there would complicate keeping Larnach. If the Twins trust Larnach in left field (something that wasn't true in 2025), he has a fairly clear path to sticking around and making a positive impact. If not, though, he's still in a precarious position, because the role the team would most like to give him might not suit the rest of their roster construction. He just needs the right opportunity, but whether that right opportunity exists in Minnesota isn't clear yet. View the full article

The Boston Red Sox are still looking for help somewhere in the infield as spring training gets closer and closer. They are rumored to be in discussions with a number of clubs, including the Astros and Craig Breslow’s favorite trade partner, the Cardinals, but as of this writing there is very little movement that has been made known to the public. While it’s entirely possible a trade could be completed before spring training begins, we also have to prepare for the possibility that this is the roster that will be on the field come Opening Day. It’s a shame that there’s one team that makes all the sense in the world for the Red Sox to make a trade with, but due to financial concerns on both sides, it’s incredibly unlikely that anything will get done. The San Diego Padres match up so well to get a deal done, but there’s just not a financial way to make any trade make sense. The Padres are ripe with infield talent, and likely would be willing to part with one of them to acquire a young, controllable starting pitcher. The Sox are arguably the deepest team in the league when it comes to that side of the deal. Both teams though, are looking to make deals to lessen their payroll and tax bill for this season. Should the Red Sox be interested in someone like Jake Cronenworth? Absolutely. He plays solid defense, logged time at three infield positions in 2025, doesn’t strike out a ton, and walks even more. The downside? He’s about halfway through a seven-year extension with the Padres and would add money to a payroll that already appears to be at its limit. We’d all love to see Xander Bogaerts back in Boston, but if you’ve forgotten, he’s signed through 2033 and has an AAV of $25.3 million. Sure, the Padres could be convinced to pay some of that down to sweeten the deal — GM AJ Preller has long coveted Jarren Duran — but their budget constraints are even worse than the Red Sox's, and if Breslow made a deal like that, then it’s likely John Henry and the rest of Fenway Sports Group would be searching for yet another President of Baseball Operations. What about Manny Machado to man the hot corner? Aside from the level of vitriol that still pours out of most Sox fans when his name is spoken, his contract is nuts. He’s also signed through 2033 with an AAV of $31.82 million. There’s just no way to pay either of those deals down enough or add enough pieces from the Padres’ already-depleted farm system to make any kind of trade make sense. The Red Sox are heading into a crucial season. The 2026 team is likely better than its 2025 counterpart due to the fact that the rotation has been upgraded so extensively. Willson Contreras is an upgrade at first base, but a lateral move (at best) in the lineup after the loss of Alex Bregman. Making a deal for an infielder is going to get tougher as we get closer to spring training, without a doubt. It’s a shame that the financial side of things can’t match up with the Padres, because they have a few options that would make the Red Sox objectively better this season. View the full article

The second day of the 2005 Winter Meetings would see just how aggressive J.P. Ricciardi was willing to be in his efforts to revamp the Toronto Blue Jays. The signing of A.J. Burnett was official, but not after a tiresome back-and-forth through the early morning hours, with the pitcher’s camp all but begging the St. Louis Cardinals to pony up a bit more money. Ricciardi raised his offer and provided Burnett with an opt-out clause, two concessions that helped Toronto's general manager secure the high-profile starter. With Burnett and fellow newcomer B.J. Ryan shoring up the pitching staff, Ricciardi quickly concentrated his full efforts on improving the lineup. Toronto had been linked to a few bats already in the offseason, most notably Brian Giles, who ultimately re-signed in San Diego. The Blue Jays were returning four productive outfielders, and their interest in adding to the group with Giles showed Ricciardi was entertaining all options for his team. One of those options was a player that Ricciardi called “an exorbitant amount of money for us” just weeks before, and now, he was having one more conversation with an old friend of ours. Pat Gillick arrived in Philadelphia with a mandate to do something. The Phillies had won 88 games the year before but missed the playoffs for the 12th straight season, costing Ed Wade his job running the team. Gillick got to work right away, sending Jim Thome to the White Sox, and left many wondering if Bobby Abreu was the next out the door. A mainstay in right field since arriving in Philadelphia in ‘98, Abreu was at the end of a costly extension, one that was now feeling like an anchor around the Phillies’ payroll. Having discussed Abreu earlier in the offseason, the two general managers decided to come back to the table on day two of the meetings. If Ricciardi was able to move past the salary concerns, he remained hesitant over Gillick’s asking price: Vernon Wells. Having just turned 27, Wells was in the midst of his prime, an All-Star who just captured his second straight Gold Glove. Gillick's demand was a non-starter. Ricciardi tried to counter with a package built around Alex Rios, but nothing more came of the talks. When Wells’ costly extension became an anchor around the Blue Jays’ payroll after 2010, he was sent to Anaheim. He would push Abreu out of the Angels’ outfield and into the primary DH role, where he would enjoy the final productive season of his greatly underrated career. (photo credit: The Baseball Scholar) After crossing out Abreu and moving down his list of targets, Ricciardi got the seed of an idea that would have surely ruined the upcoming season, a seed that eventually sprouted and stunk up a future season. Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson. Ricciardi would sign the pair two years later; they would produce a craptastic .226/.305/.341 in 323 platooned at-bats. The season prior, it was the buffalo-headed Mench that hit Roy Halladay with a comeback line drive, breaking Doc’s leg and ending his season in July. For Wilkerson, his numbers were down in 2005, but teams were interested, and Toronto offered a package to Washington involving by-then-obsolete closer Miguel Batista. The deal was promptly turned down by an unimpressed Jim Bowden days before the Nationals general manager sent Wilkerson to Texas in a trade for Alfonso Soriano. Ricciardi’s own talks with Texas about Mench were moving along. The Rangers were after two players: Rios and Brandon League, a pitcher that Texas general manager Jon Daniels admired. Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor was previously with the Blue Jays and had worked with League in the minors. The two sides kept exchanging names. Ricciardi asked for 23-year-old first baseman Adrian Gonzalez; Daniels wanted second baseman Orlando Hudson. Talks fizzled, and, fortunately for Blue Jays fans, the already-functioning platoon of Reed Johnson and Frank Catalanotto would have to do in left field for another year. If Toronto truly wanted to contend in 2006, the team was going to need better production from its corner infielders. Eric Hinske had grown stale, and the first year of Corey Koskie’s contract showed little more than injuries and signs of decline. Shea Hillenbrand was an All-Star in his first season with Toronto and finished ‘05 as the primary first baseman, but Ricciardi wasn’t completely enamoured with bringing him back. Hillenbrand finished the season weighing over 230 pounds and admitted playing on the Rogers Centre turf took its toll, leading him to drop 18 pounds over 10 weeks after the season in hopes of remaining in the general manager’s plans for 2006. Well, this didn’t work. (photo credit: Toronto Star) By then, Hillenbrand’s name had been shopped around half of the majors. The Dodgers had won 71 games the year before with no third baseman (seriously, Óscar Robles? Mike Edwards?), but even they passed on Hillenbrand and Koskie. Hillenbrand’s upcoming raise in his final year of arbitration would be enough that it made sense for Toronto to move off his contract to free up the money for another upgrade. So, in his pursuit of Milwaukee first baseman Lyle Overbay, Ricciardi first checked to see if the Brewers were interested in Hillenbrand. Overbay was the upgrade Toronto sought at first base. Acquired by the Brewers in 2004, he led the National League with 53 doubles in his first full season as a starter and had a solid follow-up campaign. Ricciardi initially offered Hillenbrand and pitcher Dave Bush but really got Milwaukee’s attention by adding pitching prospect Zach Jackson to the deal. With talks on standby, Ricciardi got unsettling news on day three of the meetings. Overbay was going to be sent to division rival Boston for pitcher Matt Clement. Placed in a corner, Ricciardi resorted to a tried-and-true front office trick of the ‘90s: waving the shiny side of something rusty at Gord Ash. Having been replaced by Ricciardi in Toronto, Ash was brought into the Milwaukee front office by Brewers GM (and fellow Canadian) Doug Melvin. Ash’s last first-round pick running the Blue Jays was Gabe Gross, who had impressed little in his first two seasons playing in the Jays’ outfield. When Boston chaffed at the amount of Clement’s contract Milwaukee wanted to be retained in a trade, Ricciardi swapped out Hillenbrand for Gross, and that offer made Overbay a Blue Jay. Ricciardi left the Winter Meetings having improved his lineup with the addition of Overbay, but he also left with Hillenbrand, Koskie, and Hinske still on the roster. The infield picture was further muddled a few days before Christmas when Ricciardi struck a deal for his final offseason bang, Troy Glaus, who immediately became Toronto’s best option at third base. Adding to the complicated situation in the infield was that the Gold Glove-winning Hudson would head to Arizona in return, along with the condition that the D-backs please take Miguel Batista off our baseball team. In an offseason that had come fast with news, landing Glaus seemed to take an eternity. The third baseman had a no-trade clause and carried no fondness for Toronto’s turf from his time with the Angels. Glaus reached out to a former Little League rival in Blue Jays outfielder Reed Johnson, who offered assurance that the new playing surface was not like the old stuff. Glaus headed to Toronto to see for himself, was delayed in arriving, and when he officially signed off on the deal a day later, Arizona was running behind on finishing Hudson’s physical. The press conference to announce the deal was delayed over an hour, but by the end of the day, the Blue Jays finally acquired their power bat. The loss of Hudson was mitigated by the emergence of Aaron Hill. Filling in for an injured Koskie early in 2005, Hill impressed and earned a look as an everyday player, an opportunity he would now get at second base. That still left way too many bodies on the corners. Hillenbrand offered some punch, and Hinske offered some versatility, which left the Koskie contract from a year before feeling even more regrettable. A few days into the new year, Koskie was sent in a salary dump to Milwaukee, a team that had gone after him a year ago in free agency. Before sending Koskie to Milwaukee, Ricciardi reached out to the Twins to see if Minnesota was interested in a reunion. “We never heard back from them,” Riccardi said, and the Twins went with free agent Tony Batista, who was returning to the majors following a year in Japan. No good options here. (photo credit: The Athletic) With an impressive offseason already compiled, Ricciardi looked at a few of his remaining options to fortify the roster. He would check in with Pittsburgh about the availability of Craig Wilson following the Pirates’ signing of Jeromy Burnitz. His interest in free agent catcher Bengie Molina would only be for the right price. Whatever else happened, the Blue Jays would be walking into Dunedin a better baseball team in the coming spring. View the full article

In the short term, the Miami Marlins could wind up missing left-hander Ryan Weathers. After trading Weathers to the New York Yankees earlier this month, they will have to rely on some inexperienced arms to fill out their 2026 starting rotation. "We got a package of players that we thought was too good to pass up," president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said when justifying the deal. That four-prospect package was highlighted by outfielder Dillon Lewis, who brings a combination of tools that's unlike anybody else in the organization. Per Marlins insider Craig Mish, Lewis was also involved in trade talks that the club previously had with the Yankees regarding Edward Cabrera. Clearly, the Marlins targeted this player. Lewis, 22, ranks fifth on our Fish On First Top 30 list. In 2025, between Low-A and High-A, he slashed .237/.321/.445/.766 with 22 home runs, 79 RBI, 26 stolen bases and a 121 wRC+. A 20 HR/20 SB season in the minor leagues is not as rare as it used to be. The Marlins have had players reach that milestone in three straight years—Troy Johnston (2023), Agustín Ramírez (2024) and Kemp Alderman (2025). However, Lewis pairs that offensive production with the ability to play all three outfield spots and legitimately stick in center field moving forward. Lewis' power should translate to big leagues. Per Lance Brozdowski of Marquee Sports Network, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.7 mph was the same as brand-name prospects Bryce Eldridge and Konnor Griffin. He paired that with a whiff rate below 22% on pitches in the strike zone. When Lewis made the jump from Low-A to High-A, his walk rate increased from 9.2% to 10.8%. If he can continue improving his swing decisions, there's the upside for him to be a complete hitter. Baseball America considers Lewis' power and speed to both be 60-grade tools. At this stage of his career, he compares closely to where former Marlins prospect Monte Harrison was entering the 2018 season. Harrison would go on to crack MLB Top 100 prospect lists, earn a Futures Game selection and make his major league debut in 2020. Unfortunately, his hit tool did not develop as hoped. He played just 50 MLB games in his career, striking out in nearly half of his plate appearances. We will know much more about Lewis based on how he adjusts to the Double-A level. The ceiling is extremely high. Even in an org that's stacked with outfield depth, he could move quickly and contribute to the Marlins as soon as the 2027 season. View the full article

On Monday evening, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported that the Kansas City Royals signed Hector Neris on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Neris pitched for three teams last year: the Braves (two outings; one IP), the Angels (21 outings; 14 IP), and the Astros (12 outings; 11.2 IP). In 26.2 overall innings, the 36-year-old righty reliever posted a 6.75 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 5.35 FIP, and -0.1 fWAR. He was primarily hurt by a 16.7% HR/FB rate, his highest mark in that category since 2019 (when he was with the Phillies). While the results weren't good, Neris did post a strikeout rate of 28.2% and a K-BB% of 15.3%, both solid marks. He also had a 26% CSW and 28.3% O-Swing%, indicating he can generate strikes and chase pitches, two qualities the Royals are seeking from their relievers in 2026. Neris struggled to find the strike zone consistently and gave up too many hard hits, according to xwOBACON. That said, the stuff was pretty solid last year from a 36-year-old reliever. Neris sported six pitches last year, with his splitter (43.5%) and four-seamer (40.5%) being his most utilized offerings. Of his six pitches, five had TJ Stuff+ marks of 100 or higher, and four had grades of 50 or higher. He also generated a 28.6% whiff rate, with his splitter sporting a 35.9% whiff rate, the best mark in that category of his six offerings . The splitter has seen an increased usage by Neris over the past two seasons. He's thrown it over 40% of the time in 2024 and 2025 after only throwing it 28.8% of the time in 2023. Consequently, his four-seamer usage over the past two years has declined while splitter usage has risen, as seen in his career pitch-tracking chart via Savant. Because he's on a Minor League contract, Neris will have to earn his spot on the Royals roster this spring. If he doesn't make the roster, he has the option of becoming a free agent after Cactus League play. As of now, the Royals' bullpen seems pretty set with Carlos Estevez as closer and Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, and Lucas Erceg serving as setup men. Nick Mears, Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV, Bailey Falter, Steven Cruz, and James McArthur will likely battle Neris for a spot in the Kansas City bullpen in Spring Training. Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images View the full article

The Freddy Peralta trade sent ripples across the baseball world. With Brewers fans sharing every emotion from excitement for their return to anger that they lost a two-time All-Star, I figured it was worth it to break down the two top five prospects they plated in the deal. Here is everything you need to know about right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat and utility speedster Jett Williams! View the full article

With about a week before rosters are announced for all World Baseball Classic teams, right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres was named to represent the Dominican Republic. Tatis was not on the DR's roster for the 2023 WBC as he was coming off a 2022 season in which he was injured and then suspended for using a performance-enhancing drug that lasted into the 2023 season. Padres teammate Manny Machado, the third baseman who was on the Dominican Republic's roster for the last WBC, has not yet been officially named to the team but is expected to be on the 30-player roster. The Dominican Republic often has the most talented roster of any WBC team. The DR was the pre-tournament favorite in 2023, but went 2-2 in pool play and did not advance to the knockout round. View the full article

The Twins and righthander Joe Ryan agreed to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration Monday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Ryan will earn $6.1 million in 2026, and the Twins hold a $13-million club option for 2027, with a $100,000 buyout. The $6.1 million figure is the midpoint between the figures filed by the two sides earlier this month, when Ryan asked for $6.35 million and the Twins countered with $5.85 million. The deal doesn't extend Minnesota's term of team control, which would have ended after 2027, anyway. It's just the result of Minnesota pulling the ripcord to avoid a needlessly damaging arbitration hearing. Because the whole league takes the job of suppressing player salaries seriously, there's meaningful pressure on every front office in MLB to adopt a "file-and-trial" policy when it comes to arbitration. The term refers to the fact that, by a given deadline in the middle of January each year, teams and players must either agree to terms to avoid arbitration or file official proposed salaries for the player in the coming season. After that filing period, teams who hew to "file-and-trial" refuse to settle on one-year deals. It's a hardline tactic designed to bend players toward teams' desired salaries for them, but it's also become a way that teams subtly hold one another to account. Other teams and the league's central office watch and tut disapprovingly about settlements after the filing date but before hearings, because they compromise the notion of "file-and-trial" and weaken the leverage teams try to establish by setting that policy. To save face, when a team (usually, it's the team, because the player was generally more willing to settle near the midpoint in the first place) wants to avoid a hearing, they set up a deal like this one. Technically, the Twins have cost certainty on Ryan for 2027, now. He can't earn more than $13 million, because if he has a good enough year to be in position to do so, the Twins will pick up the option. That's unlikely, though. Ryan's platform earnings (this year's $6.1 million) will probably keep his earning power for 2027 to the $12-million range, which would make declining the option and paying the $100,000 buyout a no-brainer. Although part of a boring aspect of baseball, this particular process is funny. When teams and players fall together on a deal like this, it's worth a chuckle. Without technically buckling the fragile, largely fake leverage lattice that is "file-and-trial", these deals give the lie to the whole thing. Yes, technically, the Twins have agreed to a multi-year deal with Ryan, because they gained an option for next year. The odds that that option will be exercised are intentionally low, though. This is, essentially, the Twins paying Ryan $6.2 million for 2026. It's them admitting that a hearing would not only have made Ryan angry with the team over a small amount of money (in baseball terms), but likely have resulted in Ryan winning. The Brewers strike these kinds of deals fairly often. They did it with William Contreras late last January, after he'd filed for $6.5 million and they'd countered with $5.6 million. The deal paid him $6 million in 2025, with a club option for $12 million in 2026. They declined that option in November, paying him another $100,000, and he'll make less than $10 million this season. It was the same copout. Teams want to maintain the facade of being hardliners, but they don't want to actually go to arbitration any more than they used to. Nor do players like that experience. This works out on both sides; it just comes with some negotiation theater. Ryan will be eminently tradable under the terms of this deal, if it comes to that. In the happy event that he's still a Twin in November, the option will probably be declined, and Ryan and the Twins can do this dance again next January—or whenever the likely offseason lockout is resolved. For now, the sides have avoided the needless headache of a hearing next month, and Ryan can focus on baseball as he gets ready to report to spring training. View the full article

With about a week before rosters are announced for all World Baseball Classic teams, right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres was named to represent the Dominican Republic. Tatis was not on the DR's roster for the 2023 WBC as he was coming off a 2022 season in which he was injured and then suspended for using a performance-enhancing drug that lasted into the 2023 season. Padres teammate Manny Machado, the third baseman who was on the Dominican Republic's roster for the last WBC, has not yet been officially named to the team but is expected to be on the 30-player roster. The Dominican Republic often has the most talented roster of any WBC team. The DR was the pre-tournament favorite in 2023, but went 2-2 in pool play and did not advance to the knockout round. View the full article

This is the second installment in a series about the many opportunities and difficulties of signing and developing international amateur free agents. Part 1 can be found here. Evaluating the Minnesota Twins’ international program requires a level of honesty that can be uncomfortable. For much of the past two decades, international scouting has not been a consistent organizational strength. Before the implementation of international bonus pools under the CBA that went into effect in 2012, teams were free to spend aggressively in the international amateur market, without penalty. Many organizations took advantage of that freedom. The Twins did not. As reported in a 2019 article at The Athletic, international free agency was not viewed as a high priority by ownership or the front office during that era. While competitors invested heavily across Central and South America, Minnesota often spent conservatively, signaling—intentionally or not—a lack of seriousness to players, trainers, and international talent evaluators. There were, however, notable exceptions. In 2009, despite facing challenges related to age verification and budget overruns, the Twins signed three 16-year-olds who would go on to define the franchise for years: Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Miguel Sanó. That class became the clearest example of what international investment could yield when scouting, development, and opportunity aligned. Following that success, the pre-2020 era settled into a familiar pattern. The July 2 signing window typically brought modest spending and similarly underwhelming results. The Twins often targeted athletic infielders and outfielders with defensive versatility and strong baseball instincts. While there were occasional wins—particularly among low- to mid-bonus players who developed steadily—the organization struggled to convert its largest bonus signings into long-term MLB impact. Systemic challenges persisted. Even as the Twins continued to invest in the global market, outcomes frequently lagged behind those of peer organizations. Volatility is inherent to international scouting, and every team misses more often than it hits, but Minnesota’s results often fell short of expectations due to stalled development or recurring injuries. When top-end talent didn’t fully materialize, the club more often leveraged those players as trade capital, rather than foundational big-leaguers. Until 2020, the organization remained heavily focused on position players. Pitching was frequently acquired via trades, rather than developed after signing internationally. That approach began to shift recently. In 2024, the Twins signed four international pitchers—the largest number of arms they’ve added in a single class—signaling a potential philosophical change. From 2024 through the now-underway 2026 period, Minnesota has shown increased aggressiveness in pursuing pitching talent and a greater willingness to diversify geographically, particularly in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. Still, it is far too early to draw firm conclusions. While the Twins appear to be turning a page, the long-standing question remains whether this renewed emphasis will translate into sustained MLB value, rather than isolated success. Until development outcomes consistently match investment, the international program remains a work in progress—defined as much by missed opportunity as by cautious optimism. During the 2016–2020 stretch, the club attempted to recalibrate its approach. The 2021 transition to the January 15 signing period provided stability on the calendar, but not necessarily better outcomes. The overarching pattern remains: In Jamie Cameron’s article in 2022, he points out that Minnesota has invested, but the return has not kept pace with the rest of the league. Compared to organizations known for thriving in the international market (clubs like the Dodgers, Guardians, Rays, and Yankees), the Twins have produced fewer big-league contributors and fewer high-impact talents through this pipeline. For example, the Dodgers have built a reputation for consistently developing international talent, signing players like Julio Urías, Andy Pages and Edgardo Henríquez, who progressed through the system to make meaningful contributions. The Guardians might be benefiting from the signing of José Ramírez for another half-decade or more, and their dedication to Latin America has yielded a bunch of complementary players over the years. They've also benefited by building an infrastructure that is friendly to Latin American players, whom they've thus been especially proactive about acquiring in trades. Carlos Santana, Carlos Carrasco, Ubaldo Jiménez, Emmanuel Clase, Andrés Giménez, Amed Rosario and more have streamed through Cleveland, finding success because the franchise has oriented itself to support the development of players from their home countries. The Yankees, meanwhile, leveraged their international scouting to find players like Luis Severino, who became a frontline starter. When they sign a high-profile prospect from that class, they also remain open to trading them, thus improving their team by converting hoped-for value into sure things in the short term. By contrast, while the Twins have invested heavily internationally, their pipeline has produced fewer high-impact MLB players. Prospects like Huascar Ynoa, Amaurys Minier, and Lewin Díaz highlight both the promise and pitfalls of Minnesota’s approach, showing that spotting talent alone hasn’t yet translated into consistent big-league success. The Twins may not have gotten a lot of high value from their IFA players, but what they have done is make trades for roster-ready players. In 2018, two IFA players brought back Jake Odirizzi from the Rays. In early 2020, the team traded away Brusdar Graterol for Kenta Maeda. More infamously, of course, they dealt then-teenager Luis Gil to the Yankees for Jake Cave, but even that move helped them in the short term. This isn’t to say the system lacks promise. On the contrary, there have been individual bright spots (most notably Emmanuel Rodriguez), and a clearer organizational plan is beginning to take shape. But the Twins’ track record shows that the international program has been more of a weakness than a strength. Fred Guerrero, who was the director for 19 years, left in 2023 after not accepting a smaller role. Guerrero, one of the last guys in the system who was more old school and brought in talent like Sano and Polanco, no longer fit into an evolving vision. The Twins took an analytical turn in 2022, which probably prompted Guerrero’s exit. Kevin Goldstein, who was hired by the Twins in 2022, modernized the international scouting process with data and technology, then was promoted to VP of International Scouting in January 2024. The biggest part of international free agency is the relationships, and the Twins brought in Roman Barinas in 2023 as the new Latin American Scouting Director, bringing extensive experience from the Dodgers to complement Goldstein's efforts. As a result, the Twins' classes in 2024 and 2025 have been more about talent, and less about trade value for veterans—at least, that's the sense so far. The team hasn't done well in this market, but that tide is beginning to turn. View the full article

With roughly a month until spring training, the Minnesota Twins have a perplexing roster construction… Especially on the offensive side of the ball. How do they think this is all going to work out?View the full article