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This Miami Marlins farm system is now unquestionably among the best in baseball. On Swimming Upstream, Alex Carver and Kevin Barral analyze all of the talent that the Marlins have recently acquired via trade and international free agency. Then, they sit down for an exclusive interview with one of those new prospects, outfielder Brendan Jones. You can find Swimming Upstream on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Fish On First LIVE and more. Jones, who's entering his age-24 season, was part of a five-player trade last week that sent left-hander Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees. The Marlins also acquired prospect Dillon Lewis, Juan Matheus and Dylan Jasso in the deal. The Nashville, Tennessee, native was a low-profile prospect coming out of the 2024 MLB Draft. However, Jones has quickly made a name for himself in pro ball with a polished plate approach and plus-plus speed. Used primarily in center field last season, he led all Yankees farmhands in stolen bases (51) and ranked third in runs scored (89). The trade reunites Jones with some familiar faces from the Yankees organization, including director of hitting Joe Migliaccio and MiLB hitting coach Tom DeAngelis. "That should hopefully make for a smooth transition," he says. Jones tells Swimming Upstream that he will be a non-roster invitee at Marlins spring training next month. He's likely to open up the 2026 season at the Double-A level, batting near the top of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup. Health permitting, his major league debut should come in 2027. Follow Brendan (@BrendanTJones), Alex (@marlinsminors), Kevin (@kevin_barral) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View the full article

This multi-part series talks about how the Brewers got to the World Series and offers a timeline of the 1982 campaign, including player profiles, game recaps, and other events that affected the season. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 relives the first two games of the 1982 ALCS—ones that made us Brewer fans think the season would soon end. Bring on the Angels and the ALCS While the Brewers battled down to the last game of the season to claim the AL East title, the California Angels had it a little easier in the AL West, winning the division by three games over Kansas City. In the Brewers locker room after the victory over Baltimore on Sunday, owner Bud Selig was repeatedly doused with champagne by the players. As he walked around drinking bubbly and celebrating, the players linked arms and sang. ‘California, Here I Come.’ California vs. Milwaukee: Tale of the Tape The Angels and Brewers were a lot alike: all power and little speed. Both teams had set lineups with few changes; each team had five players who appeared in 150 or more games. The Angels had four more players who played in at least 130 games, while the Brewers had three. Milwaukee used the exact same nine-player lineup 24 times, which is almost unthinkable today. It went: Paul Molitor Robin Yount Cecil Cooper Ted Simmons Ben Oglivie Gorman Thomas Roy Howell Charlie Moore Jim Gantner Molitor (158 starts), Yount (138) and Cooper (155) were virtually fixtures in the first three spots in the order. The Brewers would collect more individual hardware than the Angels, with Robin Yount winning the AL Most Valuable Player award and Pete Vuckovich the AL Cy Young award. Yount would also win a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award. Cecil Cooper also garnered a Silver Slugger. For California, catcher Bob Boone won a Gold Glove, while third sacker Doug DeCinces and right fielder Reggie Jackson each earned Silver Slugger accolades. Jackson tied for the major-league lead in home runs with 39, along with Gorman Thomas. The Brewers led the AL with 891 runs scored, followed by the Angels, with 814. California led the AL with the fewest runs allowed (670), while the Brewers were tied for ninth (717). The Brewers' 216 homers led the AL, trailed by the Angels with 186. Neither team stole many bases, as the Brewers were eighth in the AL with 84, while California was 11th with only 55. Vuckovich, Mike Caldwell, Moose Haas, and Don Sutton were the key starters for Milwaukee. Pete ‘Big Foot’ Ladd and Jim Slaton would take over for Rollie Fingers. Manager Harvey Kuenn had Fingers on the playoff roster, but would prove hesitant to use him. The ‘Hammerin’ Halos,’ as the Angels were known, had veterans Tommy John, Bruce Kison, and Geoff Zahn as their top starters. The Angels also had a bullpen gallimaufry, as five players had at least three saves, led by Doug Corbett’s eight. Game 1: Baylor Bashes Brewers Led by designated hitter Don Baylor’s five RBIs, the Angels came back from an early 3-1 deficit to defeat the Brewers 8-3 in Game 1 at Anaheim Stadium on October 5. Baylor had a sacrifice fly in the first, but Milwaukee scored a pair in the second on Thomas’s two-run homer. Cooper knocked in Paul Molitor with an RBI groundout in the third to increase the lead to 3-1. Caldwell gave up four runs in the third to give back the lead, though, highlighted by Baylor’s two-run triple that evaded centerfielder Thomas when it took a bad carom off the right-center field fence. Slaton replaced Caldwell in the fourth after Boone’s base hit. With one out and the bases loaded, Baylor struck again, this time with a two-run single to left to make the tally 7-3. Fred Lynn led off the fifth with a home run to right to give California a five-run lead. Slaton, Ladd, and Dwight Bernard shut down the Angels the rest of the way on one hit, but the damage had been done. Crafty veteran Tommy John gave up the early runs but coasted the rest of the way, earning the complete game win on seven hits and one walk while striking out five. The Brewers did not help themselves defensively, as Molitor committed an error on a possible double play ball in the fourth and Caldwell had a throwing error and a wild pitch in the first inning. “We have to win tomorrow, or we’re going to make things real tough on ourselves,” Charlie Moore said after the game. Game 2: Kison Handcuffs Milwaukee The Brewers went down two games to none after Bruce Kison went the distance, giving up five hits and two runs as the Angels took a 4-2 win. Kison only needed 90 pitches, as he struck out eight and did not give the Crew a free pass. Vuckovich went the distance for Milwaukee, giving up six hits, four runs, and four walks in taking the loss. With the bases loaded and one out in the second, Tim Foli singled to left to score Lynn for the 1-0 lead. One batter later, with the sacks still jammed, Boone dropped a perfect suicide squeeze to make it 2-0. In the third, Jackson hit a homer to deep right to extend California's lead to three runs. “Four-seamer over the plate. Bye-bye. Gone,” Vuckovich said of the mistake, after the game. In the fourth, Boone got another RBI with a sac fly that scored DeCinces, widening the gap to 4-0. The Brewers finally got on the board in the fifth. Moore singled and moved to second on a groundout. Molitor lined a ball to center that Lynn inexplicably dove for, the ball getting past him and going all the way to the wall. The ‘Ignitor’ motored around the bases with a stand-up, inside-the-park homer to cut the lead in half. “I thought it got us up because it gave us some hope,” Molitor explained after the game. “But nothing happened.” Kison set down the last 13 batters, as neither team was able to score. Vuckovich was nearly as good, allowing only three walks over the final four frames, but it was too little, too late for Milwaukee. Molitor and Moore led Milwaukee with two hits each, while Lynn also banged out a pair of knocks. “You can’t ask for a tougher task than we have,” Molitor said. “California has a lot of room for error now. And we have none.” October 7: Off Day A disconsolate band of Brewers returned to Milwaukee after a pair of tough losses at the ‘Big A.’ Including the end-of-season series in Baltimore, the Brew Crew lost five of six games in a ‘do-or-die’ week. They weren't quite dead, but they certainly hadn't done what they hoped to do. “The last 10 days on the road were pretty tough on everybody,” Moore said. “It was tough for us to play after the emotional series in Baltimore, and then having to fly out to California and start the playoffs.” The scheduled starter for Game 3 was Don Sutton. When asked if he felt pressure, he scoffed. “What pressure? Maybe my attitude leads some people to think I should be psychoanalyzed, but I love this situation," said the eventual Hall of Famer. "It’s center stage.” Brewers fans could breathe easy, knowing that the man who won a clutch victory by pitching eight effective innings the previous weekend in Baltimore would be on the mound in a must-win game. View the full article

In October, Twins Daily’s Matthew Trueblood published a piece on Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews’s proclivity to surrendering a high number of singles over the first two seasons of his career, evidenced by the 25-year-old allowing a .361 batting average on balls in play over 117 innings pitched. In his article, Trueblood notes that Matthews’s ailments aren’t simply due to him being unlucky, citing that the hard-throwing righty gives up too many batted balls that have a strong chance of becoming hits. Defensive improvement from Minnesota (particularly from the infielders) could lead to more sustained success for Matthews in 2026. However, the former top prospect could also take steps to mend his shortcomings by refining his arsenal. Last season, Matthews threw the following pitches (usage rates included): Four-seam fastball - 41% Slider - 25% Cutter - 13% Change - 11% Curve - 6% Sinker - 4% The righty’s most used pitch was his four-seam fastball, which was also the case in 2024. Those following the Twins should expect him to continue throwing the pitch at a similar rate next season. However, his best pitch is his slider, which he used only 25% of the time in 2025. He also used his change, curve, and sinker a combined 21% of the time, primarily utilizing his change against left-handed hitters in an effort to generate swings and misses below the zone. Matthews would be wise to continue throwing these pitches in 2026 to change the pace of at-bats. However, he would be wise to scrap his cutter entirely, opting to fortify his slider and use it at a rate similar to his fastball (both of which are superior pitches). MTZxRGdfWGw0TUFRPT1fQVFCUkFGVlFVd1VBWFZWVVZBQUhCZ1JlQUFNRFdsa0FWQVJYVmxkVEF3RlFVZ0JW.mp4 Matthews primarily threw his cutter against left-handed hitters last year, with the intention of getting hitters to jam themselves on the pitch cutting in on them. Unfortunately, left-handed hitters generated a .760 slugging average against his cutter last season. Matthews’s cutter is slightly above-average in terms of Stuff. However, he locates it poorly, throwing it lower in the zone against left-handed hitters rather than attacking them high. Because he is unable to effectively throw his cutter high in the zone against left-handed hitters, the pitch is unintentionally being used like a slider. However, given that his cutter doesn’t have the same movement profile as his plus slider, the pitch isn’t reaching the back foot of left-handed hitters. That being the case, lefties have been able to take advantage of the pitch due to it catching too much of the plate at a lower velocity than his four-seam fastball. This isn't a problem unique to Matthews. In fact, it's almost universal. In October 2024 (a year before the piece about Matthews's singles), Trueblood wrote about a league-wide trend toward trouble for pitchers going after opposite-handed batters with slider-like cutters, for Baseball Prospectus. As mentioned earlier, Matthews would be wise to instead throw true sliders to left-handed hitters, a pitch that provides more depth and better location than his cutter. With a quick look at where the two pitches landed against lefties for him last year, it's easy to see how the slider is more successful than the cutter. He could also throw his plus four-seamer high in the zone to lefties, creating a more formidable one-two punch, instead of relying on his cutter to play the role of fastball and slider. He should also throw his change more against lefties, increasing his usage rate to around 20%. If Matthews were to ditch his cutter, increase his slider usage, and further utilize his change, he could limit balls put in play against him (particularly against lefties) and potentially earn his first taste of sustained success at the major-league level in 2026. View the full article

To paraphrase legendary Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo's remarks at Cubs Convention this weekend in downtown Chicago: this team should be a contender every year. Well, as luck would have it, recent additions to an already stout roster could make that true for the foreseeable future. That doesn't mean that all is well in Wrigleyville, however, as continued trade rumors involving the vital and beloved infielder Nico Hoerner haven't ceased. If things break right, this season possesses the potential to be a truly special one. When you're a squad at or near the top, though, improvements—let alone ones large enough to push you the next rung up the ladder—come harder and at higher costs. As the organization and its fans celebrated the 2016 World Series champions this weekend, everyone had a chance to reflect on how that magic happened. Bold moves and painful rebuilding years paved the way to sustained success. What resonates most, however, is how galvanized that team was, and how each member of that clubhouse wanted to be there. Here in 2026, standout newcomer Alex Bregman and his embrace of his team and the city have conjured up similar feelings. If and when Nico Hoerner takes the field for the first time this spring at Sloan Park, it will elicit a cathartic sigh of relief for Cubs fans—and some of the players. This current North Side baseball team is built on character, chemistry, and results. Hoerner is part of that fabric. While some pundits have gotten swept up in discussions regarding the inconsistent Matt Shaw, Hoerner has been one of the most steady players in professional baseball. He pelts fastballs, doesn't strike out, and is one of the best defensive second basemen in the big leagues. If that weren't enough, both his profile and commitment to his club harmoniously align with the directive of this team in 2026 and beyond. It took quite some time for this organization to get back to a place of perennial contention, so in my opinion, no one is expendable in this clubhouse—even if, at times, it feels like Shaw could be. If Shaw stays, the Cubs will benefit on both sides of the ball, as long as Craig Counsell can find places to play him without disrupting the rhythm of his starting infielders. On the other side of that coin, if he is dealt, his new club will no doubt greatly benefit from his presence. The Cubs would have to get such a trade right, to ensure that they improve in both the short term and the long term. Hoerner and Shaw are both Cubs as the Convention draws to a close. This weekend, though, both Jed Hoyer and Crane Kenney indicated the team will still make more moves before the offseason is over. What those moves add (and perhaps what they cost) for the 2026 team will heavily influence the fan base's mood come the middle of next month, when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. View the full article

The Sung Mun Song era with the San Diego Padres is off to an inauspicious beginning. The South Korean infielder, who signed a four-year, $15 million contract with the Padres last month, sustained an oblique injury and is expected to need about four weeks to recover. Song was injured during a batting practice session as he prepared to make the jump from the Korean Baseball Organization to MLB this year. It is not known when exactly Song was injured. The report revealing the injury said Song traveled to Yokohama, Japan, to be evaluated ahead of heading to Peoria, Arizona, for spring training. While injuries are never good, the timing is. Song is expected to be back in action early in spring training, which opens in just a few weeks. The Friars will surely make sure Song is 100% before having him partake in daily drills. Based on the timeline, there is a possibility he will be ready for the Cactus League opener Feb. 20 vs. the Seattle Mariners. Barring any setbacks or if the injury is more severe than reported, he will be on the Opening Day roster. The injury rules Song out of participating in the World Baseball Classic with South Korea. Rosters for the WBC must be set by Feb. 3, just over two weeks from now. Song is expected to play a key role in the Padres' infield this season. While he doesn't have a starting position at the moment, the natural third baseman is expected to occasionally spell Manny Machado at the hot corner, while also seeing time at second base and first base. Currently, Jake Croenenworth and Gavin Sheets are the respective starters at those positions, so platooning is definitely an option. There is also a good chance he sees time in the outfield. View the full article

As the hot stove continues to burn, nothing has been won yet by any big-league club, but the Chicago Cubs have certainly passed the vibe check. Alex Bregman, the newest North Sider, beamed from ear to ear as he greeted the media at his introductory press conference. Craig Counsell's squad feels like a complete team, and everyone from Red Line riders to Round Lake suburbanites have noticed. The Cubs head into the 2026 campaign with an air of confidence that has been missing in recent years. Droves of fungible players like Alfonso Rivas suited up in blue pinstripes not that long ago, at the end of an era of North Side baseball tarnished by penny-pinching and poor player development. Those dark clouds have been carried off by westerly winds, out onto Lake Michigan. This club is showing its teeth, and in doing so, showing its fans there's good reason to believe. The Cubs' culture is taking a definite, winning shape, and their two new acquisitions have a winning pedigree. The manner in which Bregman and Cabrera arrived on the North Side suggests that the two stars are much more focused on their performances than their pockets. Both have settled into their new place of residence nicely and seem genuinely happy to be wearing the iconic Cubs logo on their chests. Juxtaposed with the Cubs tenure of the recently departed Kyle Tucker, a man who seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else, they make a refreshing change. The character of the players on this team is an extension of president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer's focus on building a sense of shared purpose, as well as a roster that can achieve that purpose. When Hoyer made the stunning move to hire Craig Counsell as the 56th manager of the club, I knew this team had just embarked on a journey. At the time, the destination was shrouded by those lingering clouds, rather than being clear and apparently reachable. In 2026, the club will have a clear view toward the horizon. With a map in hand, the Cubs have set a course for their desired destination, with the right navigators to get them there. View the full article

Some prospects move because an organization believes it is time, while others move because the player leaves them little choice. Kaelen Culpepper spent his first full professional season doing everything possible to fall into the latter category, and the Twins are more than happy to let him keep applying that pressure. “It was Kaelen’s first full season, and he had an awesome year,” Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll told FanGraphs of the 23-year-old shortstop, whom the Twins drafted 21st overall in 2024 out of Kansas State University. “He was between High-A and Double-A, and we couldn’t have asked for it go much better. We’re really pleased. He had the opportunity to go to the Futures Game.” Culpepper’s 2025 season reads like the blueprint for a breakout. Between Cedar Rapids and Wichita, he slashed .289/.375/.469 (.844) with 20 home runs, 25 steals, and a 133 wRC+ across 517 plate appearances. He was named the Twins’ minor league player of the year, emerged as a consensus top-100 prospect, and finished the season as one of the most productive hitters in the system. Even more impressive, he did it while making the jump to Double-A, a level that has a reputation for exposing weaknesses. Culpepper never blinked. “I don’t really look at it as there being a big jump,” Culpepper told MLB's Matthew Leach late in the season, after his promotion. “I mean, there is the age gap and stuff like that. The competition here is pristine. Guys are more polished, more mature. But when it comes to the skill gap, it’s pretty similar. It’s still baseball. Baseball is hard. It’s not meant to be easy. If it was, everybody would do it. But I just look at it as two leagues, big leagues and the Minor Leagues.” That mindset shows up every time he steps in the box. Culpepper has hit at every stop, from college to wood-bat leagues to his first taste of pro ball. In 2025, the power that some evaluators questioned before the draft arrived in force, even as he maintained his ability to hit for average and control the strike zone. He walked 50 times and struck out just 90 times, a better ratio than many expected, especially given his aggressive approach. There is still refinement ahead. Culpepper can be prone to chasing off-speed pitches out of the zone, and his groundball rate was the third highest in the system. Yet reaching the 20-homer mark while keeping the ball on the ground that often hints at more power to come if he can elevate with more consistency. That is the kind of problem teams love to have. Following his professional debut in 2024, Culpepper made a conscious effort to get better. He worked to add bat speed, and according to a club official, he did just that, boosting his swing speed by about 3 miles per hour and maintaining it throughout the season. “He’s confident in his abilities and also willing to work hard, and I think those are two traits that are going to take guys a long way,” said Bryce Berg, the organization’s minor league hitting coordinator, in Leach's article. The offensive performance alone would be enough to push a player up the ladder, but Culpepper has also given the Twins plenty to think about defensively. He has primarily played shortstop, where reviews of his range, instincts, and arm have been encouraging. At the same time, the organization has begun expanding his versatility. “He’s primarily playing shortstop, but he’s also getting some early work at second base and third base, as well as a little bit of game exposure at both spots,” Zoll told FanGraphs. “We’ll continue to let that play out as we get through spring training and into the season. We’ll figure it out exactly in terms of placement and proximity. We always kind of let the player dictate that with his performance, but he’s put just about as much pressure on us in terms of us wanting to keep moving him, and keeping him challenged.” That flexibility only raises Culpepper’s value. His arm would play comfortably at third base, and his instincts and hands give him a chance to remain at shortstop longer than some initially believed. Wherever he ultimately lands, the bat profiles as an above-average regular with legitimate All-Star upside. For 2026, the question is less about whether Culpepper is ready for a challenge and more about how quickly the Twins choose to escalate it. He has yet to face Triple-A pitching and has played just 139 minor league games, but if he keeps hitting the way he has, a big league debut at some point this season is far from unrealistic. Culpepper understands there is still work to do, especially when it comes to pitch selection. “Hitters hit, you know what I mean?” Culpepper told MLB.com. “I consider myself a hitter. A very good hitter. So I’m always going to want to hit pitches a little off the plate, so I’m going to chase a little bit. It’s OK to chase as long as you’re not chasing too much. Sometimes I find myself chasing a little too much, and I’ve got to get back to being patient, seeing the ball deep, trusting my hands.” The Twins are confident that balance will come. “It’s a special combination of confidence, and I think that comes from a level of preparedness, and then openness to feedback and improving,” said Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail. “That’s a rare combo, that I think he has both in an incredibly healthy amount.” Ultimately, Culpepper’s path will be determined the same way it has been so far. He will keep hitting, keep adjusting, and keep forcing the organization to respond. If 2025 was any indication, the pressure will only increase in 2026. What should the Twins expect from Culpepper this season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

In 2025, Jakob Marsee emerged as one of the top all-around prospects in the Miami Marlins system, earning himself a midseason call-up to the big leagues. The lefty outfielder hit the ground running and won the National League Rookie of the Month award in August. Even with less production in September, Marsee was the most impactful position player on the club during that two-month span with a slash line of .292/.363/.478, a .363 wOBA and a 133 wRC+ while playing strong center field defense. However, it would not be a fair expectation to count on Marsee maintaining those numbers throughout his upcoming sophomore season. Each of the projection models featured on FanGraphs believe his profile is much closer to that of an average regular than a star. Marsee did a lot of damage at the plate despite a lack of raw power. His bat speed last season was 70.5 mph, nearly 1 mph slower than the MLB average. He posted a shockingly low 3.9% fast swing rate (average was 23.6%). He prioritized making consistent contact over trying to crush the ball. So far, he has enjoyed the best of both worlds and slugged at an impressive level, but moving forward, that approach will likely cost him some extra-base hits. There was a 17-point difference between Marsee's wOBA and xwOBA. These models don't trust that to continue. Marsee is hindered by an ideal attack angle rate of 43.3%, far below the league average of nearly 51%. Barring dramatic changes, Marsee's luck on balls in play is due to regress. He was helped by a .357 BABIP in 2025, but he's universally projected to settle below the .300 mark in 2026. It will be important for Marsee to continue his trend of pulling the ball often. That gives him the highest likelihood of once again outperforming his damage data. WERPNVhfWGw0TUFRPT1fQlFkVkFWWlZBQUlBV1ZaVFZRQUhCUVlBQUZnR1dsSUFVUVlBQXdVQkNRcGNDRlFE.mp4 The 24-year-old offers a high floor regardless. He has an excellent ability to discern balls from strikes and will regularly draw walks as a result. A speedy and instinctual fielder, Marsee was on a full-season pace to produce 12 defensive runs saved. Impacting games positively in that way makes it easy for the Marlins to give him playing time even when struggles inevitably occur at the plate. QXdhcUtfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUZBQVVsVUNBZ0VBQUFkVUFBQUhCZ05WQUZoV1ZWWUFBMU5RQWxKUkJBRURVMVJl.mp4 I do believe Marsee should sacrifice some contact for bat speed. He cannot count on being rewarded for mediocre exit velocities as often moving forward, so seek opportunities to sell out for hard hits, especially when his patience gets him into favorable counts. With all due respect to the any fancy projection models, I foresee Marsee faring slightly better than they do in 2026. Assuming no underlying injuries that degrade his tools, he could finish around a 107 wRC+ with 2.8-3.2 fWAR. View the full article

With the Twins' only real major league deals this off-season being their signing of Josh Bell to a one-year deal and Victor Caratini to a two-year pact, it begs the question if the Twins are making all these waiver wire claims simply to have place holders on the 40-man until Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, or C.J. Culpepper are ready for their call ups to the majors. View the full article

Thursday marked the opening of the 2026 International Signing Period, and it looks like the Twins have a potential for celebration if all things go their way. This is the day that young athletes from Central and South America have the opportunity to sign with a major-league team, continue to work out and grow with the team. Baseball America says that the Twins 2025 class was one of the best classes in the Dominican Republic and produced a solid prospect turnout. This year is about the same and shows that the Twins are certainly using all their technology and scouting potential. The Twins pool is $7,357,100 this year, tied for the third-highest allotment, and it sounds like they have plenty of places to spend it. The Twins officially announced their 2026 international signing class, featuring 20 players. Here's the full rundown, with an in-depth look at some of the highlights. Enmanuel Merlo (SS, Venezuela) - 29th-highest signing bonus in this class. Twins Daily writer Jamie Cameron covered Merlo in an article going over some of the 2026 class. Merlo is set to make an impact at 6’1”, another switch hitter with top notch offensive skills. He is a little more advanced than his peers with exit velo, ability to be patient at the plate, and take a walk if he can. Fast on the plates and the infield - short stop may end up being home for him with his agility and speed. (Signing Bonus: $1.5 million) Abel Sosa (OF, Venezuela) - Sosa is one of the more intriguing bats in the 2026 international class. The Venezuelan outfielder won’t turn 17 until June, yet already stands 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with broad shoulders and plenty of physical upside. Baseball America has noted his impressive raw power for his age, and there’s reason to believe that power could become plus as he continues to mature. Sosa plays with an aggressive approach and will expand the zone at times, but he’s made real progress over the past year improving his contact against live pitching, allowing his power to show up more consistently in games. He’s a plus runner with a strong arm, giving him a legitimate chance to begin his career in center field, though long-term he could profile well in right if he outgrows the position. (Signing Bonus: $800,000) Juan Diego Holmann (SS/OF, Nicaragua) - One of the top prospects from Nicaragua in 2026. In an interview with 8 Deportivo during a workout, Holman told the reporter that he is excited to have the opportunity to sign with the Twins. Touted as an average runner by Baseball America, the shortstop will more than likely find his home between second and third base, and the outfield. His bat will take some honing, but he has a great read on the ball and a gap hitter, which is something the organization definitely needs. Holmann's father played very briefly in the Dodgers organization. His uncle Mario Holmann spent five seasons in the Yankees organization, topping out at Triple-A. He has participated in events in Europe and speaks fluent German. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Jendy Martinez (SS, Dominican Republic) - The switch-hitter is one of the shortest prospects on the list, Reports say that he hits the ball with authority, especially given his size. Martinez has plus speed, and could be an asset as a utility player, but there is going to be some work to be done to capitalize on his physical strength to match his bat. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Misael Rodriguez (OF, Dominican Republic) - An athletic center fielder, Rodriguez, according to Baseball America, has plus speed and has a good chance to stick in center field. He’s not very big, at just 5-10. He will work on making more consistent contact and driving the ball to all fields. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Frederick Hiciano (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Eligible to sign in 2025, he decided to wait a year. He’s 6-2 and 175 pounds and will likely fill out his frame, according to Baseball America. His fastball has reached 95 mph and sits in the low-90s. Like many young prospects, his off-speed pitches are a work in progress but have potential to complement the fastball. His fastball is in the 99th percentile in his class. (Signing Bonus: Unknown) Sebastian Echavarria (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Echavarria throws his fastball in the low 90s, but has the potential to add speed, like many young prospects. He also has a breaking ball and changeup. From the Dominican Republic, Echavarria is 6 foot 3 inches, and will likely continue to fill out. (Signing Bonus: Unknown) Additionally, the Twins announced these players among their 2026 international signing class: Daiyer Barboza (IF, Venezuela, $130,000) - Juan Germosen (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Yael Retituyo (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Adrián Martinez (RHP, Colombia, $100,000) - Jeremy Jimenez (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Jhon Gonzalez (OF, Dominican Republic, $375,000) - Anibal Beltré (OF, Dominican Republic, $500,000) - Juan Collado (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Luis Duarte (C, Venezuela) - Known more for his defense in his youth, he does have potential offensively due to his strength. Fabián Ulloa (SS, Venezuela) - Luis Suárez (OF, Venezuela, $140,000) - Ashwar Sprok (OF, Aruba) - Jeferson Abreu (C, Dominican Republic $45,000 - Rosmel Silva (LHP, Venezuela, $20,000) - We will keep an eye on these prospects as they begin their professional career. These players, and likely more players added between now and the end of the year, will play in the Dominican Summer League. 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The Chicago Cubs see themselves as contenders in 2026. After the offseason they've had, that is a completely justifiable viewpoint to have. In fact, a recent report suggests that they are willing to do what it takes to topple the modern-day "evil empire known" as the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that Chicago Cubs general manager Cody Hawkins has said paying the luxury tax in 2026 is "less of a consideration." He added that the team will remain active in the free-agent and trade markets if something presents itself. Although not off the table, realistically, this likely indicates the Cubs' willingness to add payroll via trade. Cody Bellinger and Framber Valdez represent the two biggest names left on the free agent market, and the Chicago Cubs have not been tied to either player. However, the Alex Bregman signing created an opportunity to shop Matt Shaw and/or Nico Hoerner to two teams in need of versatile infield help. It would be in those trade talks, which have reportedly already been presented, where the Cubs would be willing to add a high-impact player to their roster regardless of what it would mean for their payroll and luxury tax situation. If the Cubs were to pay the luxury tax, which player(s) currently available would be worth it? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

With Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Bo Bichette off the market. It's becoming harder to see a way for the Toronto Blue Jays to fully upgrade their offense. At this point, Cody Bellinger would be the only free agent who could give that boost; however, there have been no reports indicating that either side is interested. On the other hand, there are still options out there for them to bolster their pitching staff. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays and starting pitcher Framber Valdez "met in person at the GM meetings in November." He adds that both sides shared a "mutual interest. Of course, things have changed since this meeting, as it occurred before the Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease. Valdez, 32, was projected to get a five-year, $150 million deal by our team at DiamondCentric. At this point, a contract that big would come with a significant luxury tax hit; however, the Blue Jays showed a willingness to pay it, with reports of a $35 million AAV offer for Kyle Tucker. It's not clear whether they'd be willing to do the same for Valdez (or even Bellinger). In parts of eight seasons with the Houston Astros, Valdez has shown himself to be one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball, having made 28 or more starts in each of the past four seasons. He has a career 3.36 ERA (3.51 FIP) and a 14.8% strikeout minus walk rate, and is an extreme ground-ball pitcher. His 2025 season was generally in line with his career norms. Do you think the Toronto Blue Jays should stand pat or re-engage with Valdez? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

The Chicago Cubs are hoping to hit on at least one diamond in the rough and have added another candidate to the growing list of players on a minor league contract. Independent reporter Francys Romero is reporting that the Chicago Cubs and righty reliever Yacksel Rios have agreed to a minor league deal. Though not reported, these deals typically include an invitation to big league camp as well. Rios, 32, hasn't pitched in Major League Baseball since 2023 with the Oakland Athletics. For the last two seasons, he has spent time in the New York Mets organization (mostly at Triple-A - Syracuse); however, he was limited to 4 appearances in 2025 after suffering an injury in 2024. Over his career, he has made 92 relief appearances, posting a 6.32 ERA (5.61 FIP) across 98 1/3 innings. He has a lowly 8.3% strikeout minus walk rate thanks to an elevated walk rate, which has always been a hindrance to his success. Do you think Rios can show enough to break camp with a big league club, or is he destined for Triple-A Iowa? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

While Joey Ortiz may have tested his manager’s patience with his poor plate discipline throughout a trying 2025 season, the Brewers continued to give him a long leash as their everyday shortstop. It seems there’s still plenty of slack left on that leash, as president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said during last month’s Winter Meetings that the team remains confident in Ortiz’s upside. The Brewers should remain open-minded about the position, but they shouldn’t feel a pressing need to upgrade. Even if Ortiz does not reach that perceived ceiling, he’s still a capable big-leaguer at a premium defensive position, and the organization’s long-term solution at shortstop could reach the majors within the next two seasons. Even though his 67 wRC+ last year was the third-lowest among qualified hitters, Ortiz’s defense still made him worth 1.4 fWAR. His 0.3 bWAR was closer to replacement level because it was calculated using his -2 Defensive Runs Saved rather than his +10 Fielding Run Value, but given his defensive improvements throughout the summer, the latter seems to be a better preview of how valuable his glove will be this year. To replace Ortiz, the Brewers would need to find a shortstop who is clearly better than him. The free agents in their price range wouldn’t move that needle; only the recently-signed Bo Bichette is projected by FanGraphs’ Depth Charts system for a higher 2026 fWAR than Ortiz’s 2.5. Player 2025 fWAR Projected 2026 fWAR Joey Ortiz 1.4 2.5 Ha-Seong Kim (signed by ATL) 0.3 2.4 Willi Castro (signed by COL) 0.5 1.4 Miguel Rojas (signed by LAD) 1.7 0.6 Isiah Kiner-Falefa 0.7 0.5 Jon Berti -0.4 0.5 Jose Iglesias -0.2 0.4 Because even the worst version of Ortiz was still above replacement-level in 2025, he’s at least a capable holdover while the organization’s best shortstop prospects continue developing in the upper minors. Cooper Pratt appears poised to start the season in Triple-A, and Jesús Made seems to be on Jackson Chourio’s track of beginning his third professional season in Double-A and debuting in 2027. It’s also possible that a reworked group of hitting coaches led by Eric Theisen gets Ortiz in a better hitting position. His strong 84.6% contact rate in 2025 indicated that his hit tool hadn’t disappeared. Most of his issues stemmed from timing; Ortiz had above-average bat speed, but he usually started his swing so late in a pitch’s trajectory that he rarely had a chance to extend his arms and get his barrel through the zone by the time he made contact. Ortiz’s leash will expire eventually if he doesn’t significantly improve his offense, but he remains the Brewers’ best option at shortstop for now. Giving him another shot in 2026 is the right call. View the full article

The Miami Marlins are unafraid to be bold and innovative with their player development methods, but implementing a four-man outfield defensive alignment throughout the organization feels like it would be a bridge too far, even for them. So how is this going to work? The Marlins already had good outfield depth entering the 2025-26 offseason. Several recent trades have bolstered that area to such an extent, I'm struggling with the rudimentary math. Barring undisclosed injuries and/or off-the-field issues, it will take immense creativity to manage playing time at the position, from Beloit all the way up to Miami. Let's do a rough projection of Opening Day assignments for Marlins outfielders. Players with the "UTIL" label are candidates for infield reps. MLB: Jakob Marsee, Kyle Stowers, Owen Caissie, Heriberto Hernández, Griffin Conine (UTIL), Javier Sanoja (UTIL), Christopher Morel (UTIL) The Marlins have expressed a willingness to use both Conine and Morel at first base, despite both being neophytes at the position. Sanoja would be Marsee's center field backup in this scenario, but receive the rest of his reps at second base, third base and shortstop. Triple-A: Kemp Alderman, Matthew Etzel, Victor Mesa Jr., Esteury Ruiz, Andrew Pintar, Mark Coley II, Jacob Berry (UTIL) Poor Daniel Johnson signed his minor league deal before Miami traded Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers. The prospects acquired in exchange have quickly made Johnson expendable—he'll need to ball out in spring training just to merit a roster spot in Jacksonville. Watching Berry at any of the infield positions is an eyesore, but with all of these other outfield mouths to feed, expect to see him used frequently on the dirt. Double-A: Fenwick Trimble, Brendan Jones, Dillon Lewis, Ethan O'Donnell, Colby Shade, Eric Rataczak (UTIL), Michael Snyder (UTIL) This looks a lot tidier if we assume that Rataczak and Snyder will transition to first base and platoon there. High-A: Dillon Head, Cam Cannarella, Brandon Compton, Emaarion Boyd, Micah McDowell, Ian Lewis (UTIL), Jesús Hernández (UTIL) I also considered Esmil Valencia, Andrés Valor, Max Williams, Jacob Jenkins-Cowart and PJ Morlando for spots on the Sky Carp. I suspect that none of these players will be starting on a daily basis throughout the entire season. The logjam puts the onus on Marlins coaches to get everybody on board with sacrificing individual playing time so that their teammates can be adequately evaluated. View the full article

On Friday afternoon, it was announced that the Minnesota Twins have a 2-year, $14 million agreement with catcher and first baseman Victor Caratini. With the way the team has postured its own spending limitations this offseason, it seems like a very strange move given they already had two major-league catchers on the roster. What could be next for the Twins after the signing of Caratini? 1. Incoming Jeffers trade? Ryan Jeffers’s name has already been in the trade rumor mill. With Caratini’s $14 million over the next two years added to the payroll, it seems hard to find a way that Jeffers's $6.7 million this year makes sense, or if any extensions for him are possible. A trade involving Jeffers already seemed very plausible, and Caratini’s addition only seems to add to that reality. Most recently, Jeffers was linked to the Philadelphia Phillies, but with the return of J.T. Realmuto, that connection is no longer possible. Teams like the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, and Pittsburgh Pirates are teams that have been linked to catchers this offseason. Jeffers would represent a solid addition for any team looking for catching help at an affordable salary. If the Twins were to move on from Jeffers, that would put the club back essentially in the same place they were, payroll-wise, for 2026, while holding control of Caratini for one more year than they have control of Jeffers. A trade would also provide the opportunity for the Twins to acquire a significant player(s) to either help with infield defensive needs or the bullpen. 2. Is Jeffers viewed as a bat now? If a trade is not in the works, Jeffers has been one of the Twins most impactful bats during his tenure. The addition of another catcher that the Twins feel confident in starting frees the right-handed Jeffers up to escape the physical demands of being the Twins starting catcher for 120+ games. Instead, Caratini would allow Jeffers to return to a similar catching load as he had when paired with Christian Vazquez. Possibly even less, with Alex Jackson also currently in the mix. It would be an interesting rotation to navigate, but with as much as the Twins struggled on offense last season, maximizing one of your best bats could yield good results for the club. Jeffers ended 2025 with a 113 wRC+ and a .752 OPS. The only current Twins that finished ahead of him in those stat categories are Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, and Matt Wallner. If Jeffers is viewed as having more value as a bat than as a catcher, getting him in the lineup more often becomes that much more important. Jeffers played in 119 games last season, and rotating him more often as a first baseman or DH would get him closer to playing 162 games and maximizing the value of his bat. Which inevitably means more first base or DH play. This also pushes Kody Clemens down the depth chart, allowing him to be an effective role player instead of a stretched starter if he makes the roster. In this view of Jeffers, Caratini now becomes the primary catcher defensively. At the plate, he would provide similar offensive stats and not a huge drop off with a 104 wRC+ and .728 OPS in 2025. Defensively, he has been rated very similarly to Jeffers. One area in which he is superior to Jeffers is in Baseball Savant’s blocks above average. His 4 blocks above average ranks him 15th amongst MLB catchers. 3. Jackson, the odd man out? It is possible that the first two points are simply applying too much complexity to the move. Jackson was the waterline move that the front office made early on in the offseason to make sure, in the worst-case scenario, they weren’t left without a backup catcher. Caratini now simply represents the upgrade, and Jackson, who is out of options, is now expendable. In that case, in the next several days, we may see if the Twins can find a suitor for Jackson or simply release him. From there, Caratini and Jeffers will share catching duties similarly to how Vazquez and Jeffers had done previously. As fans, we will certainly be waiting to see how Caratini fits into the overall roster construction plans for 2026. What do you believe is next for the Twins? View the full article

Tommy Nance played a small role in the Jays’ 2025 success, but whether that will guarantee him a spot in 2026 is uncertain. The future of a fringe‑roster big league pitcher is rarely straightforward, and in the case of Nance, the Jays face a particularly intricate decision. The right‑hander finds himself standing on the thinnest edge of the roster bubble, fighting not just for innings, but for his place in the majors. Nance has an inspiring story. Going from an undrafted, independent league arm to a late‑career MLB contributor, he has been defined by perseverance, flashes of effectiveness and stretches of inconsistency. His career has been built on the margins, in the shadows, in the places where baseball dreams often go to die. And yet, somehow, he has always found a way to keep going. As the Jays continue to reshape their roster heading into the 2026 season, Nance’s role within the organization is up in the air. His lack of minor league options, the team’s increasingly crowded bullpen picture and his age all contribute to a complex evaluation process for Toronto's front office. Baseball is a sport with a short memory and an even shorter patience for fringe contributors. Whatever goodwill Nance built last season does not guarantee him anything in 2026. In fact, it may not even guarantee him a locker in Dunedin by the end of March. With Nance being out of minor league options, he can’t be demoted without first passing through waivers. And because he has already been sent outright to the minors twice before in his career, he would have to agree to another minor league assignment. There's a good chance he'd opt for free agency instead. The Jays have added to the bullpen this offseason with Tyler Rogers and Chase Lee. While they lost Paxton Schultz to the Nationals following the signing of Kazuma Okamoto, the bullpen depth chart is already filling up, with Rogers, Lee, and the returning Yimi García joining the core of relievers that John Schneider leaned on during the postseason. Given roster constraints, combined with the team’s offseason bullpen acquisitions and internal pitching depth, Nance is in a precarious spot as the team approaches the upcoming season. His professional baseball story is one of resilience. Before joining the Blue Jays, he spent years bouncing between levels in the Cubs, Marlins, and Padres organizations. He is used to fighting for opportunities, but with mixed results. His MLB debut came relatively late – not long after his 30th birthday – and most of his career has been marked by inconsistency and limited innings. Tommy Nance is not supposed to be in the major leagues. Not by traditional standards, at least. Not by scouting logic. Not by the impersonal, analytical machinery that governs modern baseball. He has been optioned, DFA’d, traded for cash, and written off more times than he can probably count. He has never surpassed 45 innings in any of his major league seasons. In 2023, he was sidelined after Tommy John surgery, but he rebounded and has shown glimpses of effectiveness, improved command and a refined pitching arsenal. The Blue Jays acquired Nance from the Padres in 2024 for cash. That season, he was relatively successful in August and September. His 4.09 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 22 innings earned him a spot on the 40‑man roster through the winter. While those numbers aren’t dominant, they are good enough for a middle reliever. In particular, his ability to induce groundballs has stood out throughout his career. In 2025, Nance produced a 52.9% groundball rate. That is exactly what you want from a reliever, especially one who doesn’t have overpowering stuff. Nance has three main weapons: a sinking fastball with late arm-side run, a sweeping slider that generates weak contact and a changeup that is intended to disrupt timing and keep batters honest. He also has a cutter. His ability to induce groundballs, in theory, makes him a potential fit for high‑leverage situations, but that hasn’t come to fruition with the Jays. Meanwhile, his career strikeout rate (25.5%) is slightly better than league average, but his walk rate (9.2%) is slightly worse. All told, his 2.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 16.2% strikeout minus walk rate are solid but not spectacular. That might be the deciding factor for the coaching staff when they are eyeing up matchups or for the front office when they are deciding on the roster. The most significant factor shaping Nance’s future is the Blue Jays’ bullpen depth. The front office has assembled a relief corps that leaves little room for fringe arms. Returning higher-leverage right-handed relievers include Louis Varland, Jeff Hoffman, Braydon Fisher and Yimi García. If you add Tyler Rogers and José Berríos into that mix (not to mention the lefties), things are awfully crowded in the bullpen. Younger pitchers with minor league options offer more flexibility, and the Jays, like other teams, tend to prioritize roster flexibility. With seven or eight bullpen spots typically available, and most already spoken for, Nance faces an uphill battle. He turns 35 in March. That will make him one of the oldest pitchers in camp. Age isn’t a disqualifier, but it does limit upside. Teams like the Jays tend to bet on youth unless the veteran is clearly superior. With those factors in place, it seems likely that the Jays will elect not to include Nance on the Opening Day roster, thereby guaranteeing he’ll be placed on outright waivers. If another team claims him, then the Jays would not be entitled to any compensation. A rebuilding club could take a chance on him. A team with bullpen injuries could scoop him up. A club that values groundball arms like the Cardinals, Giants, or Pirates might see him as a fit. He is cheap and healthy, so those are two factors that are in his favour, whether with the Jays or another team. Nance will have a lot riding on spring training in Dunedin, presuming he gets there without being traded or getting hurt. If he does, he’ll need to pitch lights-out to force the team’s hand. A player like Nance is competent but not irreplaceable for the Blue Jays. With some younger, higher‑upside arms on the near horizon and a bunch of veterans with guaranteed contracts, the math would indicate that Nance’s inspiring MLB journey will most likely continue elsewhere. View the full article

Reportedly, the Red Sox and Astros are involved in discussions centered around Isaac Paredes in recent days. According to Matt Couture on Twitter. The Astros are intrigued by both Brayan Bello and Jarren Duran, both names that have been floated in countless trade rumors since the beginning of the offseason. For a deal of that magnitude, though, the Red Sox are looking for more in return than just a two-for-one swap. Paredes makes a lot of sense as a target for the Sox and would fill a couple of different holes for the team. He’s a right-handed hitter and can play both third and second base. Either position needs to be addressed before spring training begins so Marcelo Mayer can begin working full-time at the other spot in the infield. It’s worth wondering who else the Red Sox may be targeting from the Astros to help facilitate a deal involving both Duran and Bello. What do you think? Should the Red Sox swing for a potential blockbuster deal by including Brayan Bello and Jarren Duran for a return headlined by Isaac Paredes? Sound off in the comments below! View the full article

After the biggest week of player movement of this hot-stove season, Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta remains a hot topic. According to a social-media post by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, five big-market teams are leading the pursuit of the right-hander. Those teams are the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Atlanta. But Heyman also notes that those five are "among many, many" teams trying to acquire Peralta. This comes after Brewer Fanatic's own Matt Trueblood reported Monday the Brewers were "moving toward a deal" for Peralta, with the Yankees as the most likely fit. Peralta is a hot property as he is making a very affordable $8 million for 2026 before hitting free agency. He is coming off a 2025 in which he posted a career-best 5.5 bWAR with an NL-leading and career-high 17 wins to go along with a 3.64 FIP and 1.075 WHIP for an ERA+ of 154, the highest of his career. Of course, the Brewers could always sign Peralta to an extension. View the full article

On Friday evening, Robert Murray of FanSided announced that the Twins had agreed to terms with 31-year-old free agent catcher Victor Caratini. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Twins signed a 30-something Astros backup catcher to a multi-year deal to pair with Ryan Jeffers (this also describes the Christian Vázquez signing). The signing comes as something of a surprise to many, given the Twins’ noted lack of financial flexibility (at least among onlookers), their current catching situation, and the other holes on the roster. So, let’s discuss who Caratini is, what sense the signing makes, and how the Twins might use his services. Who is Victor Caratini? A former second-round draft pick in 2013, Caratini will start his tenth season in the big leagues come Opening Day 2026. He’s spent time with the Cubs, Padres, Brewers, and Astros before Minnesota, mainly in a backup or timeshare role. Offense Since settling in as a semi-regular in 2019, Caratini has been a roughly league-average hitter (.245/.323/.379, .702 OPS, 94 OPS+). Although a league-average bat doesn’t sound like much, among catchers — especially backup catchers — that number carries more weight. Since 2019, catchers as a whole produced a .690 OPS, meaning that Caratini’s OPS during that time was about five percent above the average catcher. Over the past two seasons, Caratini’s .735 OPS (.263/.329/.406) is about five percent above the average hitter and 15% better than the average catcher. Those impressive numbers have come against both righties and lefties, as Caratini is a switch-hitter with pretty even splits. It should be noted that his best offensive production has come over the past two seasons as a member of the Astros (his age-30 and -31 seasons). Those were the only two seasons that he’s recorded a slugging percentage over .400 in his career, so it’s natural to wonder if his numbers were aided by playing in Daikan Field, where the left field fence can inflate some hitters’ power production. However, Caratini is a switch-hitter (meaning that he only hits right-handed about a third of the time), and only two of the 20 home runs he hit over the past two seasons were aided by the Crawford Boxes. A lot of his recent improvements can be chalked up to very good strike zone control (despite not walking much) and pulling fly balls more (going from a very low rate to about league average).. As noted, Caratini has roughly even splits as a switch-hitter. He has historically been more effective against righties (batting left-handed), but in both 2024 and 2025, he improved his production against lefties, and he was more effective as a right-handed batter—albeit in about 60 plate appearances each season. His 105 OPS+ against righties since 2024 still outpaces the incumbent Ryan Jeffers’s 95 OPS+ during the same stretch. Defense Caratini’s defense has been a mixed bag throughout his career — in more ways than one. First, he has never been a full-time catcher. He’s topped out at 87 starts at catcher in 2021 for the Padres. His next-highest number of starts at catcher in a season was 73 in 2022 in Milwaukee. Since then, he’s logged 54, 55, and 48 starts at catcher over the past three seasons. There’s room for debate about what the Twins ought to do with him, but it seems unlikely that he’s suited for more than a timeshare role. However, Caratini has some flexibility beyond catcher, namely at first base. He’s played over there at least once every season of his career, and he’s started double-digit games at the position four times in his nine-year career. He doesn’t have the bat to be an everyday first baseman. Still, there are worse options, and Joe Espada indicated that he was comfortable playing Caratini at first, even when another first baseman like Jon Singleton was in the lineup as the DH. Caratini has also served as a designated hitter in his career, with over half of his starts at the spot coming last season. But anyway, back to his catching. Caratini has had a shaky performance behind the plate from year to year. He doesn’t have a particularly effective arm, and teams will run on him. His strong skill at this point in his career is as a blocker. At one point in his career, he was lauded for his framing, but that slipped in 2025. Speaking of framing, it’s unclear how much framing will matter in 2026, the first season that MLB will adopt an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system. Being a good receiver will still matter, but missed calls can be corrected, and we will learn in real time which catchers are effective at detecting balls and strikes, rather than making balls look like strikes. Perhaps, with this change, catchers who struggle with framing but can hit will be more valuable, and the Twins have two catchers who are above-average producers at the position. Does This Signing Make Sense? Yes, well, sort of. Maybe? It depends on what happens next. As noted, the Twins are dealing with a nebulous payroll limit that has yet to be publicly disclosed. The team has many holes in the bullpen following 2026’s deadline fire sale, and it also wouldn’t have hurt to add another infielder beyond Josh Bell — either to split time at first base with Kody Clemens or to back up shortstop. And yet, the Twins spent $14 million (seven million this season) on a second catcher, pairing Caratini with Ryan Jeffers, a quality starting catcher in his own right. And this signing comes after trading Payton Eeles for Baltimore’s Alex Jackson, whom the cash-strapped Twins owe $1.35 million. Their payroll is about $100 million right now, and 14% of that is dedicated to three catchers. There should hypothetically be at least a couple more moves on the way as the Twins try to reassemble their bullpen, add infield depth, and sort through their surplus of big-league outfielders. Adding Caratini, even at a modest contract, raises more questions as to how they plan to fill out the rest of the roster. But that’s a conversation for another blog. Let’s briefly touch on how Caratini might be used. What Role Will Caratini Fill? There are a few ways the Twins could deploy Caratini, and they all relate to the elephant in the room: Ryan Jeffers. Timeshare Jeffers has never taken the lion’s share of reps at catcher. He maxed out at 81 starts in 2024, and he’s been in a timeshare role every season of his career. He did get his first taste of an everyday role in 2025, and he has made comments suggesting that he hopes to finally be an everyday player this season, but that has not been Derek Falvey’s modus operandi with catchers. Instead, Jeffers and Caratini can split duties behind the plate, even if Jeffers takes the bulk of starts. Caratini is a better hitter against righties, and Jeffers can take most plate appearances against lefties, whom he has hit far better than righties in his career. Actually, it would be possible to play both on any given day, but it would make more sense to do so against lefties. Given Caratini’s recent success against lefties, the Twins could feasibly start one of the two at catcher and either stick Caratini at first base or Jeffers at designated hitter. It checks off a box — a platoon partner for Clemens — without using a roster space on the short side of a first base platoon. Caratini is a Backup Instead of splitting time, Jeffers could be relied on as a more everyday option, leaving about a third of games for Caratini at catcher. This strategy would work out to about 100 games for Jeffers and 50 for Caratini (which is right in line with the number of games he’s started at catcher over the past three seasons), with the switch-hitter mostly facing right-handed starters. Caratini could probably receive a start at designated hitter or first base each week and rack up about 300 plate appearances as Jeffers’s backup. He’s getting high-end backup money, and that’s the role he could play. Jeffers is Traded and Caratini Starts Everyday Alright, let’s address it. Someone here will address it in full soon, but it needs to be noted here. Jeffers is in his last season of team control and will be a free agent this offseason. He’s making a not-insubstantial $6.7 million this season, and cost-aware teams like to get something of value before letting a player walk for free in free agency. Should Jeffers be traded, the team still has two catchers with MLB experience in Caratini and Jackson. Caratini could see the most starts of his life, with Jackson taking a quarter to a third of games himself in this scenario. Caratini Will Primarily Play Elsewhere Because the Twins do not have a clear picture at first base and designated hitter, it's possible that Caratini primarily plays one of those two positions. Both Clemens and Bell have hit righties better than lefties, and Caratini's recent performance has been better against lefties. Additionally, Clemens is no sure asset, and he also may be better suited for a utility role. Caratini would not be a good option at first or DH, but he might be preferable to the alternative. This may justify carrying Jackson as a third catcher. View the full article

Now that Kyle Tucker has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, should the Chicago Cubs get a passing grade for their original trade with the Houston Astros? View the full article

Still in need of a starting second baseman, will the Boston Red Sox be able to find an apt replacement for Alex Bregman in free agency or via trade before Opening Day? View the full article

Yet again, the Toronto Blue Jays fell just short in their pursuit of marquee free agents in Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette. Is there any way for them to replace Bichette's impact in the lineup before Opening Day? View the full article

Prior to last week, the Chicago Cubs’ offseason could have been described as passive. They added a few veteran relievers on cheap contracts and brought back Shota Imanaga via the qualifying offer. This left fans wondering if the big move was coming; not when. Fast-forward to now, and the Cubs have silenced the inactivity narrative that has defined their offseason by trading for the electric starter Edward Cabrera and signing three-time All Star Alex Bregman. The Cubs' playoff rotation in 2025 needed one more starter, and now, they have that starter should he remain healthy. Kyle Tucker never really seemed like anything more than a one-year rental, leaving them down an impact bat in the top of the lineup. After paying Bregman the highest AAV in franchise history, they now have that bat. (As well as the first two picks of the 2015 draft). The former Astros, Red Sox, and LSU Tigers star will certainly help the Cubs contend for a postseason spot, and hopefully the NL Central division in 2026 and beyond. His ability to get on base, drive balls to his pull side, and play Gold Glove defense will define his impact on the field. His natural leadership ability will make an impact off the field with young stars Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Fans do need to realize Bregman is not the same type of player that Kyle Tucker is, and will not be able to carry the offense on his own. Bregman is a key cog in a machine, but not the machine himself. This is not meant to discourage the Bregman signing, but it is more of a warning flag to fans. Bregman won’t be able to win games on his own. The Cubs will need a better year out of Dansby Swanson; they'll need to see Crow-Armstrong look closer to his first half self from 2025; Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch need to show their 30-homer seasons were no fluke. It might even make sense for the Cubs to target another free-agent outfielder or trade for a power-hitting threat off the bench (your mileage will vary on that). Before anyone starts preparing the championship banners, let's review the possible pitfalls of Bregman's contract. Age: Bregman will turn 32 right as the regular season begins in late March. This contract, which has no opt-outs and a no-trade clause, will run through his age-36 season. There's no question that the 7 and 8 WAR seasons Bregman had in 2018 and 2019 are a thing of the past, but will he be able to continue to post 4+ WAR seasons for the majority of this deal? If he didn’t miss time last season, he likely would have eclipsed 4 WAR for the fourth straight season. FanGraphs' Steamer projects Bregman to have an fWAR of 3.8 for the 2026 season, along with a wRC+ of 121. These projections represent a slight decline from his previous seasons but still align what the Cubs are believing they’re paying for. Consistent production at that level might be challenging, though. Professional sports are getting younger across the globe, and gone are the days in baseball where players are posting elite production into their mid- and late-30s, but the chart below shows just how rare it is for players in their thirties to have 4+ WAR seasons. Rk Player WAR Season Age Team 1 Aaron Judge 10.8 2024 32 NYY 2 Aaron Judge 9.7 2025 33 NYY 3 Marcus Semien 7.7 2023 32 TEX 4 Paul Goldschmidt 7.7 2022 34 STL 5 Freddie Freeman 6.8 2023 33 LAD 6 Freddie Freeman 6.2 2022 32 LAD 7 Brandon Crawford 6.1 2021 34 SFG 8 Paul Goldschmidt 5.9 2021 33 STL 9 José Ramírez 5.8 2025 32 CLE 10 Trea Turner 5.4 2025 32 PHI 11 Jose Altuve 5.2 2022 32 HOU 12 Mookie Betts 4.9 2025 32 LAD 13 George Springer 4.8 2025 35 TOR 14 Starling Marte 4.8 2021 32 MIA,OAK 15 Freddie Freeman 4.7 2024 34 LAD 16 Kyle Schwarber 4.7 2025 32 PHI 17 Marcell Ozuna 4.3 2024 33 ATL 18 José Abreu 4.3 2022 35 CHW 19 George Springer 4.2 2022 32 TOR 20 Matt Chapman 4.1 2025 32 SFG 21 Marcus Semien 4.1 2024 33 TEX 22 Manny Machado 4.1 2025 32 SDP This is the entire list of 4+ WAR seasons from position players aged 32 and up since 2021. Most of these players were considered elite or are still considered elite, and Bregman has largely been looped in with this group. Bregman should add his name to this in the next season or two, but most players, including many on the list above, will not age like Freddie Freeman. The Cubs need to perform now to maximize this deal, as it may look a bit rough toward the end. Injury concerns: Generally speaking, Bregman’s injury history is sparse compared to a lot of major leaguers. He's played in at least 145 games in six out of his 10 seasons. Of the four seasons he didn’t play as many games, one was his rookie year and another was the pandemic season. In 2021, Bregman missed over two months with a quad strain before stringing together three healthy seasons in a row. Then, he strained his other quad in 2025, causing him to miss about six weeks. He came back toward the end of 2025 and hit .300 in the postseason, so the quad issue seems not have lingered. The concerns here are less about his injury history and more about his ability to play third base regularly through his mid-30s. The only primary starters at third base in 2025 older than Bregman were Jose Ramirez and Eugenio Suarez, and the free agent Suarez is likely to sign as a first baseman. If the Cubs hold onto Matt Shaw, which seems to be the plan, Bregman will have more opportunities to DH for the 2026 season with Nico Hoerner still in town. If the second baseman walks next winter, the Cubs will likely be in a position where they will need to bring in another starting quality second or third baseman in order to give an older Bregman enough time off his feet. Power concerns: Bregman is still a complete hitter without a doubt, but he’s not going to be that home run threat the Cubs have been missing. Hopefully, Busch and Suzuki become guys that can be counted on for 30-plus home runs again and again. This overly cautious front office deciding to pay Bregman an average of $35 million a year shows they believe they have the home run power already in-house. Bregman hasn’t had a 30 home run season since before the pandemic, when he hit 41 in 2019 (the juiced-ball year). He hit 18 in 114 games in 2025, though he averaged 24 from 2022-2024. Unless the 5’11 infielder is able to go on a late-career power surge like Nelson Cruz, the Cubs will need to look elsewhere for some fence-clearing regularity. Bregman should still be able to clear 20+ home runs throughout most of his contract, but this could be an issue that persists, especially as he gets older. View the full article

Last year, the San Diego Padres acquired Mason Miller to be a late-inning weapon out of their bullpen. Miller wants to remain in that role 2026, even if the team thinks he could dominate elsewhere on the pitching staff. As a reminder, the right-hander is the team's projected closer after Robert Suarez signed with the Braves, but there has been chatter this winter that the Friars might consider converting Miller or Adrian Morejon back to starting to bolster a thin rotation. Miller is not a fan of the idea. "It's been an exciting conversation that's been had year in and year out since I did transition to the bullpen, I've had a lot of success (as a reliever), and right now, to go away from that doesn't make sense for me," he told Todd Frazier on the Foul Territory podcast Thursday. Miller, 27, was almost unhittable out of the 'pen for San Diego after coming over from the Athletics last July 31. He allowed seven hits and struck out 45 (with 10 walks) over 23 1/3 innings. He also worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in the Wild Card Series against the Cubs. His last MLB start was on Sept. 16, 2023, as an A's rookie against the Padres. He allowed two runs in an inning as an opener for Luis Medina. Since then, he has made 118 consecutive relief appearances. "I'm never going to be the guy that rules (returning to starting) out down the line, but I will admit it is hard to go away from something that you're having a lot of success with," he told Frazier. "And I think my value right now is being the lockdown guy in the ninth or late in games." "Down the road? Maybe, we'll see, but this year we're looking at the bullpen," he added. Miller pointed out that there is a clear economic benefit to him remaining a reliever. "My first year in the (salary arbitration) system, I'm being (compared) as a reliever, and a pretty good reliever at that, so I'm going to keep that ball rolling," he said. Miller and the Padres avoided a hearing by agreeing to a one-year, $4 million contract last week. San Diego has less of a need for starters after re-signing Michael King to a three-year, $75 million contract, but The Athletic reported last week that club is telling teams they want to add another arm. Their limited financial (and prospect) resources make the path to achieving that unclear, but displacing perhaps the most dominant closer in the modern game doesn't seem to be the right way of going aboutit. On a lighter note, Miller is contemplating a new entrance song. He told Erik Kratz that he's down to a few options to replace Nickelback's "Burn it to the Ground." The goal is to amp up the energy. "Nickelback seemed to be so-so last year, so I think we're going to go a different route," he said. View the full article