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The Toronto Blue Jays are one of the best defensive teams in the league. While they didn't claim a third straight Gold Glove Team Award last season, they led the majors in Baseball Savant's Fielding Run Value. Infielders Ernie Clement and Andrés Giménez turned tough plays into easy outs and impossible plays into highlight-reel moments. Outfielders Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw covered every inch of center field ground, and plenty of right and left for good measure. Catchers Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman were in complete control behind the plate. The 2026 Blue Jays haven't looked quite as impenetrable. Catching remains their biggest strength, with rookie Brandon Valenzuela stepping up (or crouching down) admirably in place of an injured Kirk. Past home plate, the everyday defense hasn't been quite as spectacular as we've come to expect, whether you're judging by traditional stats, advanced metrics, or the eye test. However, that doesn't mean we haven't seen some darn good plays. I was hoping to have this piece finished sooner than five days into May, but life gets in the way, and I think that's okay. After all, there's never a bad time to re-watch diving catches, behind-the-back throws, and bang-bang plays. Five Stars for Barger Addison Barger is best known for his artillery arm, but he didn't need to use it here. The right fielder recorded the first out of this game with a spectacular catch. According to Statcast, the ball had a catch probability of just 25%, making this the Blue Jays' first (and so far only) "five-star" grab of the season. Lukes Gets the Credit, but Giménez Gets the Out The Blue Jays finished second in the majors with 31 outfield assists in 2025. So far in 2026, they only have two, and one of them deserves a big fat asterisk next to it – it started with one of the costliest errors of Toronto's season. The other assist was credited to right fielder Nathan Lukes, who also earned the Jays' only outfield throwing run of the year on the play. However, his throw was short, and if it weren't for a great read and an even better dive by Giménez, Geraldo Perdomo would have slid into second base safely. Well, It Looked Impressive The award for "play that technically should have been routine but turned into a diving catch" goes to this effort from Davis Schneider. While the ball shot off Jarren Duran's bat at 104.4 mph, Statcast tells us that Schneider was already so well-positioned that a better read and a faster jump could have prevented the dive that sent him sliding onto the warning track. While this catch didn't boost his metrics, it sure looked cool, and it earned him a nice ovation from the Blue Jays bullpen behind him. More Points for Style I'm not convinced Clement needed to flip this one behind his back, and the execution wasn't perfect. Still, the Jays got the out, and I do appreciate the effort, even if it wasn't as pretty in practice as it sounds in theory. Infield Superman It's usually outfielders who make Superman-style leaps. Typically, when an infielder jumps, he's either going straight up or moving laterally and staying close to the ground. Of course, if anyone knows how to be a superhero, it's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The first baseman got some serious air on this tag play to retire a sprinting Joey Ortiz. Everything Working As It Should Andrés Giménez is so damn cool. On the first double-play ball to shortstop in his first full season at the position, Giménez looked like he's been doing this his whole career. He started a run-saving double play with a spin as smooth as butter in a game the Jays went on to win in extra innings. Talk about a pivotal play. The Okamoto Show Scouting reports were mixed on Kazuma Okamoto's third base defense before the season started, and the picture hasn't gotten much clearer. He's made a few costly errors, and Statcast suggests he's been a net negative in the field. Yet, no Blue Jay made more highlight-worthy plays in the first month of the season than Okamoto. He can run in, he can dive to either side, he can make tough throws, and, most importantly, he reacts with the kind of speed that the hot corner demands. I've put together a compilation of some of his best defensive moments from March/April. The final two clips in the compilation show him catching the two hardest-hit balls a Blue Jays infielder has had to handle this season. Any Blue Jays defensive moments from March and April that you think I missed? Please share them in the comments below! View the full article

The cupboard is not quite stocked with pitching for the Chicago Cubs. Per Baseball America, just five pitchers rank among the top 20 prospects for the Cubs, with just one in the top 12. Brandon Birdsell (14th), is not expected to pitch this season after elbow surgery. Jaxon Wiggins (third) hit the IL on April 15th with elbow soreness. No one on the following list is in the upper minor leagues, so this is a system that will require patience on the pitching side. With April officially in the books, which prospects stood out and increased their stock? Honorable Mention: Brooks Caple (RHP) — South Bend Taken in the ninth round in 2024, Caple made his debut in 2025 with a good seven-start stretch in Myrtle Beach before getting promoted to South Bend and turning in 14 starts to finish his season. Back to South Bend to start 2026, Caple had a quality month on the bump. In his four April starts, Caple posted a 24-to-3 strikeout:walk ratio while limiting opponents to just six runs on 12 hits in 18.2 innings. Near the top of the Midwest league in WHIP and strikeouts, Caple has both increased his strikeout rate and lowered his walk rate, an excellent combination. Third Place: Edwardo Melendez (RHP) — Myrtle Beach An older international signing at 20 years of age out of the Dominican Republic, Melendez made his debut stateside in 2025 with stops in Arizona and Myrtle Beach after a year in the Dominican Summer League. While consistently posting high strikeout numbers and limiting hits, Melendez has paired that with extremely high walk rates that led to unimpressive box score lines. He looks to have potentially unlocked something so far in 2026 as he walked just seven in his 15.2 innings between the bullpen and the rotation in Myrtle Beach, a huge improvement. That, combined with 23 strikeouts and just seven hits allowed, has led to a 1.15 ERA in April for the 22-year-old that should open some eyes. Runner-up: Dominick Reid (RHP) — Myrtle Beach With Jostin Florentino (15th) and Kaleb Wing (17th) not yet debuting in affiliated ball this season, the only Cubs top-20 prospect entering 2026 to qualify for this list winds up the runner up. Drafted in the third round of last season’s draft out of Abilene Christian in Texas, Reid did not make his professional debut until this season. Starting the season in Myrtle Beach, Reid made five starts for the Pelicans in April. In 18.1 innings, he struck out 21 while allowing 10 runs on 19 hits and 7 walks. Reid opened the season with nine scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against just one walk. The average ERA in the Carolina league is 5.38, so his 4.91 ERA looks better with that context. The hope is that as the season progresses Reid can settle in a bit and find the middle ground between his first nine innings of the month and the last nine innings. Winner: Mason McGwire (RHP) — Myrtle Beach You may have heard, Mark McGwire’s son is racking up strikeouts on the mound for the Cubs. An eighth-round pick out of high school in 2022, Little Mac is pitching for the first time since 2024 due to injuries, and he is turning some heads. He started the month in the bullpen and finished with two starts, striking out 18 and allowing just two runs on five hits in 12 innings. His velocity looks to be up higher than it was pre-injury and he has doubled his strikeout rate and cut his walk rate in half in his return to the mound. While the 22-year-old looks to be years away from Wrigley, the thought of Big Mac’s son pitching in Cubbie blue is pretty entertaining. View the full article

Not every prospect arrives with hype, signing bonuses, or a clear path to the majors. Some take the scenic route, winding through back fields, small schools, and relative anonymity before forcing their way into the conversation. John Klein fits that description perfectly. After a breakout 2025 season, he is no longer flying under the radar. A Minnesota native from Brooklyn Park, Klein’s baseball journey started without much fanfare. He went undrafted out of Iowa Central Community College in 2022, eventually signing with the Twins as a free agent after showing promise in the Northwoods League. At the time, he looked like organizational depth: a tall right-hander with projection, but limited present stuff. What has happened since then is a steady and impressive climb. Klein spent the next two seasons quietly working his way through A ball, refining his mechanics and building strength. In 2023, he moved from Rookie ball to High-A. He posted a 4.17 ERA, with a 23.9 K% and a 9.0 BB% across 58 1/3 innings. Minnesota had him return to Cedar Rapids for the entire 2024 season. In 100 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.57 ERA with a 20.4 K% and an 8.6 BB%. He wasn’t overpowering or putting himself on the prospect radar. That changed in 2025, when everything started to click. Pitching for Double-A Wichita, Klein posted a 3.12 ERA with 95 strikeouts across 80 2/3 innings, establishing himself as a legitimate arm in the system. A late-season promotion to Triple-A brought mixed results, but he still managed 33 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings against more advanced competition. The transformation is not just statistical. At 6-foot-5 and now around 225 pounds, Klein has added noticeable strength to his frame. Early in his pro career, he sat around 90 mph with his fastball. By 2025, that number had climbed into the mid-90s, averaging 94 and touching 97. The Twins’ development system deserves credit here—particularly their velocity programs, which have unlocked more from previously modest arms. Klein’s delivery adds deception, allowing the fastball to play up even further. His arsenal has grown alongside the velocity. What once was a limited mix has evolved into five distinct pitches. The biggest development has been his curveball, now sitting around 80 mph with sharper break and the potential to miss bats when located well. He's also worked in a splitter in the mid-80s and an upper-80s cutter, giving him multiple looks against hitters from both sides of the plate. That said, there are still questions about his long-term role. While Klein has the repertoire of a starter, he doesn't yet possess a consistent put-away pitch. The curveball flashes that potential, but can be inconsistent, and without a true swing-and-miss offering, he may struggle to turn lineups over multiple times at the highest level. Some within the organization believe his stuff could tick up even more in a bullpen role, where shorter outings might allow everything to play at peak intensity. Even with that uncertainty, Klein has already forced his way into the Twins’ plans at the highest level. After being added to the 40-man roster this offseason, he didn't have to wait long for his opportunity, making his big-league debut on Saturday. The early look confirmed what the organization has believed for a while now: that his development has put him in a position to contribute in a meaningful way. There's something fitting about Klein’s trajectory. A local kid who grew up a short drive from Target Field now is pitching there, not as a highly touted draft pick, but as a player who earned every step along the way. Whether he settles into a rotation spot, a swingman role, or a multi-inning relief job, Klein has already exceeded expectations and reshaped his outlook. For an organization constantly searching for pitching depth, stories like this matter. And for Klein, the next chapter could be the most meaningful yet. View the full article

Gary Sánchez has challenged 14 called strikes this season. No other batter in the majors has challenged more than 11. Sánchez should probably challenge less often, based solely on the fact that he's only 6-for-14. He thinks he knows the outside edge of the strike zone, but he's wrong. Thirteen of the 14 challenges he's mounted came on pitches on that side of the zone. Sánchez, an extreme pull hitter trying to get a pitch up and on the inner half to generate damage, wants to stop pitchers from stealing strikes on him in a sector where he can't do much, anyway. That makes sense in a vacuum, but he's cost the Brewers one of their challenges several times. In fact, Sánchez has challenged 17.7% of all called strikes against him this season. That number is an outlier for any group; only Josh Naylor and Mark Vientos have higher challenge rates. However, it's especially notable given the subgroup to which Sánchez belongs, within the broader population of hitters: catchers. For as long as there has been a strike zone, catchers have tried to shape and expand it, and that has always been (in part) a political endeavor. Yes, there are vital physical aspects to pitch-framing, but catchers also work umpires with conversations between pitches and the long, slow development of relationships. That's not to say that umpires consciously favor catchers they like; it's just a reflection of reality. Good communication with the ump helps them understand what you're trying to do, and what you're not trying to do (i.e., bamboozle them). Listen to any color commentator over the last 40 years (many of them former catchers!), and you'll hear talk about a catcher being more deferential than most batters when they're at the plate. Why? Because they want that call for their pitcher, too. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that catchers challenge pitches less often than any other position group under the ABS system. It's a noticeable gap, too. Here's the share of all initially called strikes challenged by hitters, split by defensive position. Catcher: 2.65% First Base: 4.54% Second Base: 3.34% Shortstop: 4.16% Third Base: 3.63% Outfield: 3.87% Designated Hitter: 4.19% It's not just blather from old, leathery baseball men anymore. Here is concrete evidence that when catchers take their turns in the batter's box, they're still politicking for their pitchers. They might see the ball and understand the edges of the zone a bit better than some of their counterparts at other positions, too, but inarguably, catchers are trading some potential offensive value at the margins for the odd call when they're working the zone themselves, behind the dish. Even Sánchez feels this pressure. Of those 14 challenges, three came when he was playing first base, and another nine came on days when he was serving as the Brewers' DH. Only twice has he challenged a call on a day when he was actually catching, and one of those came on a pitch that missed the zone by the width of a baseball—one egregious enough that Sánchez dared not even dream of getting the call himself on a consistent basis. QndSNnJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlFnRUJseFJYbFlBV1FRRUFnQUhCQVpRQUZsV1ZsY0FCMTBCQVFNRVZBWUJCQVlI.mp4 That's a fascinating insight into the nature of this dynamic. If a player sometimes catches but is serving in a different capacity that day, what drives them to be more challenge-prone? Is it a greater sense of pressure to deliver value offensively? Is the understanding between catchers and umps deep and tangled enough that a batter-catcher knows their zone at the plate is truly tied to the one they'll get behind it, in a way that doesn't transfer to the same player on days when they're not the backstop? Either way, it's interesting that Sánchez is opting out of any efforts at diplomacy—but only when he's not the catcher for that day. Unwritten though they might be, rules are rules, and there are real, unwritten rules growing around ABS. For one, catchers have agreed not to waste the ump's time or challenge their acuity as eagerly when they're in the batter's box, instead of the catcher's box. Sánchez is defying those frameworks, but even he can't flout them outright—at least, not when it's his turn to catch. View the full article

Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (May 2-May 4) Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Series vs Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 2-4 Season Record: 15-18 Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Series vs Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 5-2 Season Record: 15-10 High-A Vancouver Canadians Series vs Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks): 2-4 Season Record: 11-16 Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays Series vs Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami Marlins): 2-4 Season Record: 11-16 FCL Blue Jays Week Record: 2-0 Season Record: 2-0 Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Season Record: 15-18 Series Opponent: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees) May 2: Saturday's game against the RailRiders was a true team win. All across the diamond, players did their part to take down one of the better Triple-A teams. The offense was paced by newly cemented lead-off hitter Ismael Munguia. He had two hits in the game, a double in the first and an RBI single in the third to get the scoring started for the Bisons. After a double by Rafael Lantigua to begin the sixth, Munguia laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him over to third base. Josh Kasevich cashed in the run with a single to left field, tying the game up at two. All eyes would turn to the bullpen when CJ Van Eyk exited in the sixth. Van Eyk pitched relatively well; he went five innings, gave up six hits and two earned runs, walked two, and struck out six. His only real blemish was giving up a home run to Yanquiel Fernandez in the bottom of the third. Once the bullpen came into the game, the arms were relentless, not surrendering a single run the rest of the game, and that included two extra frames. In the 11th, Munguia was the ghost runner that started at second base. He moved to third on a Kasevich single and then scored on an RJ Schreck sacrifice fly. The next batter, Willie MacIver, would knock in Kasevich with a single, giving the Bisons a 4-2 lead. That would eventually be the final score, as Tanner Andrews came into the game and recorded two groundouts and a strikeout to earn the save. May 3: José Berríos was on the mound, completing another rehab start. The outing had a lot of ups and downs to it, as Berríos started the game off by surrendering a monster blast to the second batter he faced, Spencer Jones. It had an exit velocity of 117.4 mph and went 422 feet to right field. From there, Berríos would work through the next 10 batters with relative ease, only giving up a single and three walks. In the bottom of the fourth, it all unraveled quickly for Berríos. He gave up a two-run home run to Seth Brown and then loaded the bases up for Jones. Berríos left a sinker over the middle of the plate, and Jones hammered it for his second home run of the game, this one a grand slam. In the fifth, Josh Fleming came into the game and pitched flawlessly, only giving up one walk, zero hits and striking out four. The lead was too much for Buffalo to come back from though, as they only recorded six hits on the day. Their lone run came on a Je'Von Ward RBI single in the top of the second, scoring Charles McAdoo. Buffalo fell 7-1 in a game that was decided by Berríos and his inability to keep the ball in the park. Double-A New Hampshire Season Record: 15-10 Series vs Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets) May 2: Suspended May 3, Game 1: New Hampshire and Binghamton started the day completing Saturday's game that had been suspended. New Hampshire had taken the lead in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run to left field by Nick Goodwin. In the fourth, a sacrifice fly by the Rumble Ponies brought the game within one. Eddie Micheletti Jr. changed that in the sixth though, with his fourth home run of the season. In the ninth inning, Binghamton made it close by scoring two runs on an RBI single and an RBI double. Conor Larkin finished the game by getting the last out on a line drive to right field. It was good for the save and the 4-3 win for the Fisher Cats. May 3, Game 2: In the Sunday finale and the second game of the doubleheader, New Hampshire never really got going. Adrian Pinto continued a good start to his season with New Hampshire by getting on base four times on two singles and two walks. Sean Keys had a single, and Cutter Coffey added a single as well, but neither of them brought in any runs. Jackson Wentworth pitched well, but surrendered two runs in the first inning. Binghamton would add a sacrifice fly in the seventh and go on to win. New Hampshire only managed four hits and four walks in this one and lost a pitching-dominant game, 3-0. High-A Vancouver Season Record: 11-16 Series vs Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks) May 2: It was a big comeback for the Canadians, as Vancouver went down early. With the bases loaded, Kendry Chirinos made a throwing error to home, allowing the first run to score. Slade Caldwell knocked in the second run for the hops on an RBI single off the wall, but got hung up in between first and second. Dub Gleed made a great tag to get Caldwell out, then threw out the runner at home for a crucial double play to stop the bleeding. Landen Maroudis pitched well heading into the fifth inning, but allowed a single and a walk before getting replaced by Gilberto Batista, who gave up a three-run homer. He then gave up a walk to Caldwell, and two wild pitches allowed him to score as well, giving the Hops a six-run lead. Gleed once again made a big play, this time with his first homer in the Jays organization, to get two runs. Arjun Nimmala added another run on an RBI double, bringing the Canadians within three runs. Batista gave up his second homer in the seventh inning, but the Canadians once again fired back in the bottom of the same inning, with Jacob Sharp hitting his first homer of the year to bring it within two. Vancouver was still down going into the ninth inning, but patient approaches prevailed, as four of the first batters walked, and Manuel Beltre hit a walk-off single to win the game after being down by six. May 3: The Canadians once again went down early after an error from Manuel Beltre allowed two runs to score in the first. Peyton Williams got a run back with an RBI single, and in the fifth inning, Dub Gleed tied it with an RBI single of his own. Vancouver’s bullpen woes continued with Juanmi Vasquez and Eminen Flores walking seven batters and allowing three runs to score. Matt Scannell was able to score on a balk in the seventh, but the Canadians couldn’t complete the comeback. Single-A Dunedin Season Record: 11-16 Series vs Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami Marlins) May 2: The D-Jays took it to extra innings, with Troy Guthrie having another decent start, allowing only two runs in over four innings. The Jays got to an early lead off an Aldo Gaxiola RBI single and an error to put them up three. Guthrie did give up a two-run homer, but the Jays were still up one. In the seventh and eighth, things changed, as the bullpen would give up two more homers. Austin Smith hit a clutch homer to tie the game in the ninth, and in the 10th inning, Blaine Bullard hit a walk-off single for the first time in his career. May 3: Silvano Hechavarria finally made his return, working his way back in a rehab start in Dunedin, where he pitched four perfect innings before handing it off to the 'pen. Addison Barger also made his return to game action, hitting a two-run homer in the fourth, which helped Dunedin get out a bit earlier. The Jays bullpen could not hold on to the lead though, as shaky command led to 10 walks and eight runs scored against just the bullpen in five innings of work. Dunedin scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to make it interesting, but the Jays lost once again, along with the series. FCL Blue Jays Season Record: 2-0 May 2: The FCL Blue Jays kicked off their season on Saturday against the Phillies' Rookie ball team. The Phillies squad took the early lead on a wild pitch, but 2025 draftee Tim Piasentin brought home the tying run in the bottom of the first on a groundout. David Guzman put the Blue Jays team up two with an RBI double in the third, which was followed by a Piasentin RBI double. Franklin Rojas had an RBI groundout to put the Blue Jays up four. Angel Guzman singled home a run in the sixth, and again Piasentin drove in another run with a groundout. Andres Arias would cap off the scoring with an RBI single, giving the Blue Jays eight runs. The Phillies would make it close, scoring on a few singles and groundouts of their own in two three-run innings, but fell short, as the Blue Jays won this opener 8-7 May 4: The Rookie ball team was in action again on Monday afternoon and looked good for a second straight game to open the season. Giacomo Taschin was on the mound for the Jays, and he was lights out in his first professional start. He went four innings, struck out three, walked one, and only gave up two hits. He kept the opposing team off the scoreboard entirely after a rough first inning, in which he coughed up a single, a walk, and a double, but no one scored. He had three 1-2-3 innings after the trouble and handed it off to the bullpen with a 5-0 lead. The scoring for the Jays came off of an Angel Guzman RBI single in the second, before Owen Gray added a run on a balk. Gray drew a bases-loaded walk in the third, which was followed by Pascual Archila driving in a run on a fielder’s choice. Their fifth and final run came on a Guzman sacrifice fly. Tim Piasentin was hitless on the day, with two strikeouts. The Jays won 5-1 over the Phillies' Rookie ball team. View the full article

There was a time when a first start of the season coming against the Chicago White Sox would've represented as soft a landing as possible. But with the San Diego Padres having dropped the first two of three against a Sox team that has been surging over the past week, Griffin Canning didn't quite get the calm welcome of a bad team standing opposed to him. Nevertheless, he managed. Sunday afternoon was Canning's first start in a Padres uniform after signing a one-year deal late in the offseason. After working through five rehab starts following last year's Achilles injury, it was an opportunity for the team to get someone else in the mix given the struggles of the Walker Buehler, Germán Márquez, Matt Waldron contingent in the latter portion of the starting five. If Canning's first start was any indication, some of that trio could be on the outs in fairly short order. Canning worked five innings (73 pitches), allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven. He allowed one run on a Drew Romo solo homer, but did enough to leave with the lead (which was later surrendered by Adrian Morejon). Craig Stammen was intentional with how he used the deployed the newest Friars starter, limiting both his pitch count and his amount of turns through the order. Canning, for his money, was smart about usage, too. The changeup was his most frequently used pitched of the afternoon (40 percent) with the four-seam following it up at 34 percent (his slider/sweeper comprised the rest of his distribution). The first time through the order, though, Canning was heavy on the four-seamer (48 percent) before pivoting to the off-speed (47 percent) & breaking (26 percent) pitches more the second time through. Here is how things broke down for Canning in the start: The stuff played, to be sure. Canning was able to generate consistent whiffs with all three pitches and generated a fair bit of chase with the changeup and slider. The former was particularly effective given the volume of its usage and the raw number of whiffs he was able to garner with it. The location breakdown also offered reason for optimism surrounding his presence in the rotation: The fastball worked up, the changeup primarily worked down, and the slider moved around horizontally. For a starting pitcher making his first start of the season against a team on a bit of a run, it's not a bad looking distribution. If this is the version of Canning that the Padres are going to get moving forward, then he's absolutely someone who can offer the stability that the back end of the rotation has lacked. As easy as it may be to remember Canning as the starter who never realized his potential with the Los Angeles Angels, it's also easy to forget that he was beginning to break out with the New York Mets in 2025. In 16 starts, he'd posted a 3.77 ERA, a solid whiff rate, and an elite groundball rate. If he's going to simplify the arsenal so that his changeup and slider — pitches which have graded out as his best in his career by Stuff+ — are his primary offerings to play off the four-seam, then there's reason to think he could build on that small sample from Queens. At the same time, it's only one start. The Padres have had a tough time stabilizing their rotation with the volume approach. With Canning now in the mix and Lucas Giolito on the way, the former's first start is as good a reason as any in recent weeks for some optimism on that front. View the full article

Less than three months after signing Chris Paddack in free agency, the Miami Marlins designated him for assignment on Tuesday, as first reported by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The veteran right-hander has been the glaring weak link in an otherwise effective Marlins starting rotation. In 30 ⅔ innings pitched this season, Paddack has a 7.63 ERA and 5.00 FIP. This past Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies was rock bottom (2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K). In addition to being completely ineffective, his four-seam fastball velocity plummeted to 91.3 mph, the lowest average velo he's ever had in a game across part of eight MLB seasons. The Marlins on Monday evaluated Paddack for a potential injury, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but ultimately did not find anything to justify an IL stint. Instead of moving forward with an untrustworthy arm, they are turning the page. Unless another pitcher-needy team values the 30-year-old enough to claim him off waivers and take responsibility for what remains of his $4 million salary, the Fish are on the hook for it. The Marlins won on April 5 when Paddack served as the bulk guy out of their bullpen against the New York Yankees, but they lost all six of his traditional starts. To fill Paddack's active roster spot for Tuesday's game, the Marlins will recall right-handed reliever William Kempner from Triple-A Jacksonville, according to MLB.com's Christina De Nicola. Kempner owns a bonkers 47.9% strikeout rate this season, but he's struggling with his control, hence a 6.46 ERA in 15 ⅓ innings pitched. Kempner is a placeholder until the Marlins bring up a new starter in the coming days to fill Paddack's rotation spot. That job will go to either Braxton Garrett or Robby Snelling. The latter is not yet on Miami's 40-man roster, but the DFA has created an opening for him to be selected. View the full article

There have been a few prospects who have started the year strong, and a handful of pitchers who have stood out throughout the minor leagues in the Royals organization in the first month of the season. There are a handful of starters and a couple of relief prospects who have stood out at various levels. Choosing the minor league pitcher of the month was not easy, but I have chosen to highlight Michael Lombardi, who is pitching with Single-A Columbia. He started the year as the #18 prospect in the Royals system and has turned some heads over his first four appearances, two of them being starts. He has thrown 12 1/3 innings and has recorded 24 strikeouts on the season. While his 2.92 ERA might not be the lowest, the strikeout percentage numbers are hard to ignore. Lombardi was drafted by the Royals in the second round of the 2025 draft, so he is pitching in his first professional season this year. He was mostly a reliever in college, pitching at Tulane, but he has been tried as a starter in two of his appearances this year. He’s yet to throw more than 4 innings in a single appearance, but this is not uncommon for young pitchers. At 22 years old, Lombardi has plenty of upside, and the Royals may look to try him as a starter, and if that doesn’t work out, a bullpen role is a very realistic option for him down the line. One thing to keep an eye on is his walk rate, as he has walked 9 batters in the 12 1/3 innings pitched so far this year. If he can reign in the control and still strike guys out at a high rate, the upside is quite high for him. While I chose to highlight Lombardi’s first month, there were a few other names that I wanted to give a shoutout to for their performance over the first month of the season. Honorable Mentions Single-A: Blake Wolters - 5 games, 5 starts, 1-1, 1.66 ERA, 21.2 IP, 24 SO, .179 avg against High-A: Justin Lamkin - 4 games, 4 starts,1-0, 1.02 ERA, 17.2 IP, 24 SO, .153 avg against Emmanuel Reyes - 4 games, 4 starts, 1-0, 1.13 ERA, 16 IP, 12 SO, .154 avg against Yimi Presinal - 7 games, 0 starts, 2-0, 0.84 ERA, 10.2 IP, 12 SO, .156 avg against Double-A: Caden Monke - 8 games, 0 starts, 2-0, 2.51 ERA, 14.1 IP, 22 SO, .128 avg against Triple-A: Eric Cerantola - 11 games, 0 starts, 1-0, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, 17 SO, .233 avg against View the full article

Nashville Sounds’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Jett Williams #3, Cooper Pratt #4, Jeferson Quero #7, Luis Lara #11, Luke Adams #13, Brock Wilken #15 It was a tepid week for the Sounds’ offense, as the team started out with a seven-run outburst on Wednesday and scored just 17 runs in 5 other games. Jett Williams had one of the highlights of the season so far with his walk-off three-run home run in Wednesday’s contest: The homer was one of three extra-base hits for Williams, who registered a .300/.417/.550 line for the week. Looking deeper at Williams’s plate discipline metrics, his Z-Swing rate (swings at pitches inside the strike zone) has jumped to 65.7% in 2026, compared to 61.2% in 2025 and 50.0% in 2024. Simultaneously, his Z-Contact rate has climbed to a career-high 87.8%. Williams is no longer just being patient for the sake of drawing walks (though his 13.2% walk rate remains excellent). By increasing his swing rate on strikes while maintaining a solid 22% O-Swing (chase) rate, he's demonstrating mastery of the strike zone. This would suggest Williams is identifying strikes earlier and committing to them, which is a hallmark of a prospect maturing out of a passive approach into a selectively aggressive one. The jump to nearly 88% contact on strikes indicates that Williams has likely tightened his swing mechanics, or is seeing the ball significantly better at the Triple-A level. The Brewers often prioritize damage and high-quality contact for prospects at this stage of their development, so it would seem Williams is adjusting to the “Brewers Way” the last few weeks. Luis Lara has already tripled his home run total from all of last year in about a quarter of the time, with this blast over the weekend. A player who was previously seen as a glove-first speedster, Lara has raised his ceiling this year. Usually, when a young player (Lara is only 21) starts swinging for more power, their strikeout rate balloons. Lara's has done the opposite. He's cut his strikeout rate from 16.2% to 12.9%. He's making contact on an absurd 96.2% of pitches he swings at inside the strike zone. Lara has transformed from a slap hitter who steals bases into a legitimate top-of-the-order threat in Nashville. With an elite eye and newly discovered power, he may end up forcing the Brewers' hand for a major-league promotion much sooner than expected. Biloxi Shuckers’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Jesus Made #1, Blake Burke #14 Though not considered a top prospect, Damon Keith was the Shuckers’ best hitter last week, on his way to earning Southern League Player of the Week honors: It seems like the Brewers may have uncovered something in Keith when they acquired him in late March from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. Both Jesus Made and Blake Burke scuffled this week, combining for just nine hits in 44 at-bats atop the Shuckers’ lineup. Both prospects bookended the week with home runs, with Made going yard on Sunday and Burke homering on Tuesday. One of the more impressive parts of Made’s 2026 season is the refinement of his hit tool. Despite jumping two levels in a year, he has significantly improved his contact metrics. Made has slashed his strikeout rate from 20.6% in 2025 to 14.8% in Double-A. His overall contact rate has climbed to 80.6%, proving that his swing is short and efficient enough to handle advanced velocity and breaking stuff. Made is posting a .182 ISO, a significant jump from his .128 mark across MiLB last year. One look at Made this season and you can see that his 6-foot-1 frame has filled out, and his raw power (currently graded 50/60 by FanGraphs) has translated into games. Burke is currently a three-true-outcomes threat who has added bizarrely effective base-stealing (10/11 in attempts this season) to his game, despite a 20-grade speed tool. It's somewhat similar to what Luke Adams did earlier in his pro career. This season, Burke’s pull percentage has spiked to 54.7% (up from 31.7% in 2025). He is clearly looking to turn on pitches and drive them, which explains the high home run volume, but also some of the volatility in his batting average. While Burke’s 11.3% walk rate shows he isn't just hacking blindly, his swing-and-miss issues have persisted at Double-A. His strikeout rate has ticked up to 26.6% this year. To reach the majors as a 1B/DH, he’ll likely need to bring that strikeout rate closer to the 20-22% range to ensure his elite power plays consistently. His overall contact rate has dipped to 69.1%, indicating he is struggling to put the ball in play consistently when he does swing. However, Burke’s average is being dragged down by a low .269 BABIP. Given his power, you would expect more balls to fall for hits, suggesting he might be hitting into some bad luck. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Luis Pena #2, Andrew Fischer #8, Marco Dinges #10, Josh Adamczewski #12, Braylon Payne #16 The Rattler’s offense slowed last week, ranking last in runs and OPS among 12 teams in the Midwest League. With a few of the team’s star prospects cooling down amid frigid temps in Grand Chute, we look beyond the Top 20 Prospects to highlight Josiah Ragsdale’s emergence. Ragsdale has gone from a player who hit almost exclusively singles (one XBH in 92 plate appearances) last year to a legitimate extra-base threat. Ragsdale has doubled both his fly ball rate and pull rate this season. However, he has nearly doubled both his strikeout rate and swinging strike rate. He is essentially trading some of his 2025 "contact-first" stability for a more impactful, power-oriented approach. That approach has paid off with a .471 slugging percentage on the season and highlighted by this opposite field home run on Saturday: Bitonti and Fischer each homered twice last week, including Fischer’s walk off blast on Friday. Both players also struck out in 50% of their at-bats this week, including Fischer’s four strikeout performance prior to Friday’s walk-off. Payne was just 2/20 on the week. Wilson Warbirds’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Brady Ebel #19 The hottest affiliate in the Brewers system last week was the Wilson Warbirds, who smashed seven homeruns on their way to a four win week. Handelfry Encarnacion was the star of the week, with seven hits, three homeruns and 12 RBI. He might also lead all of MiLB in time spent pimping home runs, with some truly bombastic celebrations: Jadyn Fielder carried a 1.396 OPS in four games for the week, highlighted by his first home run at the level. Brady Ebel collected a triple and double among his six hits last week and also drove in six runs. After such a slow start to the inaugural season for the Warbirds’ offense, its good to see them heating up and having fun. Join the Discussion: Are you worried about the high strikeout rates for power-hitters like Burke and Fischer, or are you willing to live with the "Three True Outcomes" if the home runs keep coming? Are you a fan of the over-the-top celebrations we're seeing from guys like Encarnacion, or do you prefer the old-school approach? Also, which "under-the-radar" prospect like Damon Keith or Josiah Ragsdale has impressed you the most so far this season? View the full article

With April officially in the books, let’s take a look at some of the Chicago Cubs' top performing hitting prospects through the first month of the 2026 season. Honorable Mention: Josiah Hartshorn (OF) — Myrtle Beach Drafted as a sixth-rounder out of powerhouse SoCal high school Orange Lutheran, Hartshorn did not play last year after being selected, so 2026 is the first look we get at the outfielder the Cubs went well over slot to sign last year. The good news: He hasn’t disappointed. He is slashing .263/.429/.438 through 22 games while being 1.5 years younger than the Carolina League average. What is most promising is he is doing this while walking more often than striking out. Third Place: James Triantos (2B) — Iowa There really is not a way to sugar coat it, 2025 was a rough year for Triantos. The 2021 second-rounder motored through the minors to make his debut in Iowa in 2024 at just 21, performing well at the highest level of affiliated ball in a 26-game sample. Triantos played all of 2025 at the Triple-A level, but turned in a career-worst season in all three slash line categories. Still just 23, he has rebounded very well in Iowa in 2026, turning in a .305 batting average and .348 on-base percentage that is much more in line with his previous performances. The .467 slugging percentage would also be the highest of his career in full-season ball; his four home runs in just 26 games look very promising for a hitter that has never hit more than seven homers in a full season. Runner-up: Jefferson Rojas (SS) — Knoxville A staple on most Top 100 prospect lists before the season, Rojas started the year in Knoxville after debuting there for 39 games to end 2025. His first taste of AA was a bit of what you’d expect from a 20-year-old at the level, but it seems like this time around he feels much more comfortable. Although he is running a higher strikeout rate and lower walk rate than in previous years, the aggressiveness that implies has led to a .547 slugging for a hitter who has previously hovered around the .400 mark. He went from an extra-base hit every four games to one every other game. That is a pretty good start to the season! Winner: Pedro Ramirez (2B) — Iowa Pedro Ramirez had the best month of any Cubs prospect in April. He slashed .310/.385/.595 with eight home runs and 11 stolen bases in Iowa as a 22-year-old while splitting his time between 2B and 3B. Signed out of Venezuela in 2021, the diminutive utility man has climbed the ladder one rung at a time, spending full-seasons in A, A+, and AA in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively, before tackling AAA in 2026. Four years younger than the average Triple-A hitter, he is turning in his best year yet in all three slash categories. Like Jefferson Rojas, he has traded in a slightly higher strikeout rate for a large increase in slugging. He has had 30, 30, and 33 extra-base hits in each of the last three full seasons; in 2026, he has 16 in just 29 games. A switch hitter who provides speed and defensive versatility is a profile that already carries a lot of value. If Ramirez can maintain his improved slugging numbers, he could be an All-Star in the big leagues. View the full article

Upon arriving at Clemson University in 2021, Billy Amick quickly became one of college baseball’s best hitters. He batted .414/.464/.772 with 13 home runs over 192 plate appearances in 2022. The right-handed-hitting corner infielder transferred to the University of Tennessee for the 2023 season, where he hit a less-impressive (but still excellent) .306/.387/.639 with 23 home runs over 292 plate appearances, playing a role in Tony Vitello’s club winning the College World Series. Sporting a keen approach and plus power during his college career, Amick was projected to be selected in the back half of the first round in the 2024 MLB Draft. Instead, he slipped to the second round, where he was selected 60th overall by the Minnesota Twins. Since joining the organization, Amick has become an afterthought for those who monitor Twins prospects—understandably so. Recent draft selections Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Connor Prielipp, Marek Houston, and Riley Quick have excelled in the organization’s minor-league system, entering Top 100 prospects lists and operating as engines for optimism surrounding the club’s long-term success. International free agent signees Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kendry Rojas, Eduardo Tait, and Hendry Mendez have also demonstrated flashes of becoming plus major-league contributors, effectively clogging the available headspace of Twins Territory prospect perverts. The tools for some sort of breakout remain, however, and Amick is beginning to piece them together. Appearing in 18 games with Single-A Fort Myers after being selected in 2024, he hit .222/.351/.413 with three home runs over 77 plate appearances. He then generated a 101 wRC+ with Fort Myers before being promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids in late March 2025. Amick excelled with Cedar Rapids, hitting .310/.418/.455 with four home runs and a 152 wRC+ over 244 plate appearances. The now-23-year-old is again performing well at a higher level this season, hitting .235/.309/.482 with six home runs and a 100 wRC+ over 97 plate appearances with Double-A Wichita. Amick’s impressive Double-A numbers have largely been accumulated since Apr. 18, with four home runs and a 128 wRC+ over 41 plate appearances during that stretch. As he did during his college career, Amick has hit the ball hard and in the air the past couple of weeks, which is always key to unlocking latent power. The 23-year-old's success in Double-A is especially encouraging, given that he is over a year younger than the average position player at the level. High whiff and strikeout rates have been and always will be a concern. He has whiffed 40.5% of the time and struck out 28.9% of the time at Double-A. Still, his swing-and-miss concerns can be forgiven if he hits the ball hard on contact, a trend he has continued during his first month-plus in the high minors. He's not ready to play in the majors right now, by any means. If he makes it, it will be as a late bloomer who turns a corner with regard to contact skills. The risk that he's a poor man's Matt Wallner is real. He plays third base well enough to be more valuable than Wallner defensively, though. Given the club’s long-term uncertainty at both corner infield spots; lack of right-handed-hitting position-player prospects; and Amick’s sustained success between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A the past three seasons, the 23-year-old could climb up the Twins’ top prospects lists, inserting himself into the club’s long-term plans after all. View the full article

Starting pitching has been key to the Kansas City Royals' success over the past two years. In 2024, the Royals ranked second in starting pitching fWAR with a 16.5 mark, behind only the Atlanta Braves (17.4). They also ranked second in ERA (3.55) and fourth in FIP (3.68). That excellent rotation was a big reason why the Royals won 86 games, a 30-win turnaround from the previous season. In 2025, Kansas City went 82-80, a four-win regression from 2024. However, the starting pitching remained a strength of the ballclub. The Royals' rotation ranked 6th in starting pitcher fWAR at 13.8. They also ranked 7th in starting pitcher ERA (3.80) and 10th in FIP (4.00). While that wasn't as elite as the previous season, their rotation was a big reason the Royals had another above-.500 season last year, the first time they have done that since 2014 and 2015. This season, the results have been a little more mixed for the Royals' starting pitching. Going into Monday's games, Kansas City ranks 13th in fWAR (2.7). Royals starters also rank 14th in ERA (4.01) and 16th in FIP (4.16). Granted, that's serviceable, especially with the offense and bullpen trending in the right direction recently. Conversely, the Royals' rotation has shown many flaws recently, especially over the past couple of weeks. Thus, let's see why the Royals' starting pitchers have been struggling as of late, which ones have been particularly bad, and what Royals management could do to address and rectify these recent starting pitching woes. The Royals' Rotation Struggles Over the Past Two Weeks Since April 19th, the Royals' rotation has particularly struggled. Though they rank 19th in SP fWAR with a 0.9 mark, they also rank 25th in ERA (5.16). Their FIP is slightly better at 4.53, ranking 17th. Nonetheless, the Royals' rotation hasn't been as strong as it was at the beginning of the season, when they ranked 5th in SP ERA (3.25), 14th in FIP (3.91), and 11th in SP fWAR (1.9). When it comes to the individual Royals starting pitcher results, here's how they have fared since April 19th, according to Fangraphs. Luinder Avila only had a one-start sample, and he likely will remain in the bullpen for the remainder of the year. However, the other numbers from the Royals' starting pitchers from March 26th to April 18th are intriguing for a variety of reasons. While Wacha has been the worst Royals starting pitcher since April 19th, he was the best Royals starting pitcher from Opening Day to April 18th. In 27 IP, he had a 1.00 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 3.41 FIP. He experienced some positive batted-ball luck, with a .172 BABIP and 99% LOB%. Those weren't going to be sustainable marks, but it showed that Wacha was at least efficient and crafty enough to eat innings and minimize the runs. Ragans' line is a little more interesting. The ERA was better at 3.78, but his K/9 (8.6) and FIP (5.37) were worse, and his BB/9 (5.4) wasn't much better either. That said, he had a better groundball rate at 46.3%, and his ability to keep the ball on the ground seemed to minimize the LOB% (79.8) and HR/9 (1.6). It would be nice to see if Ragans can get back to those groundball-generating ways, even if it means that his K/9 takes a bit of a hit in the process. Lastly, Cameron's line was pretty similar to his post-April 19th numbers. His ERA was mediocre at 5.40, and his FIP was worse at 5.60. He struggled to strand runners (68.2%), and he had a much harder time generating groundballs as well (25.8%). The positive? He struck out a decent amount (7.7 K/9) and didn't walk a lot either (2.7 BB/9). That said, those K/9 and BB/9 numbers were pretty similar to the ones he produced after April 19th as well. That shows what we're seeing from Cameron may be who he is: a plus-five ERA starting pitcher. Can This Rotation Improve? (Limiting the Walks Will Be Key) The good thing is that Lugo and Bubic have been solid, not just since April 19th but also before then. While neither guy is a frontline ace, they can take the ball and keep the Royals in the ballgame consistently. That's all you can ask from a No. 2-3 caliber starting pitcher. The main question marks are Wacha, Ragans, and Cameron, who arguably were the three best Royals pitchers coming into the 2025 season. On a positive note, it seems like Wacha took a step in the right direction on Monday, as he went seven innings and produced a winning effort. While he gave up a two-run homer to David Fry, he limited the Guardians to just four hits and one walk. While he didn't generate a ton of chase, Wacha did a great job generating chase and limiting hard contact, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary. With Wacha bouncing back, the honus will now fall on Ragans to do the same, especially in this crucial homestand against the Guardians and Tigers. Cameron was initially slated to get the first shot on Tuesday against Gavin Williams (tough). The St. Joseph, Missouri product has some good stuff on his secondary pitches, but his four-seamer is lackluster. He has an overall TJ Stuff+ of 97, but his four-seamer has a TJ Stuff+ of 92. That has had an effect on his results, both in terms of the four-seamer and overall, as illustrated below in his TJ Stats season summary. However, after Monday's 6-2 win over Cleveland, the Royals announced that Cameron was dealing with lower back tightness and that Stephen Kolek, who is pitching in Omaha on a rehab assignment, will replace him in the rotation. No word yet on whether Cameron will go on the IL or replace someone else on the active roster. Kolek's TJ Stuff+ profile is similar to Cameron's, but Kolek has done a much better job of generating chase and minimizing xwOBACON in Triple-A Omaha this season. If Kolek does well in Cameron's absence, it's possible that the former Padres righty could replace Cameron in the rotation (or at least piggyback with Cameron). Lastly, Ragans will go on Wednesday against fellow Joey Cantillo. Despite Ragans' overall struggles this year, he's been much better at home than on the road. In 12 IP at Kauffman Stadium, Ragans has a 0.75 ERA, 14.25 K/9, 19.00 K/BB ratio, and 1.31 FIP. On the road? In 20.1 IP, he has a 7.97 ERA, 9.74 K/9, 1.10 K/BB, and 9.69 FIP. Thus, the lefty will at least get one start at home this week, where he has seemed to be more comfortable on the mound. With Ragans, it's not a question of stuff, as his TJ Stuff+ marks remain solid despite inconsistent results. That said, despite strong TJ Stuff+ marks, the chase, whiff, and xwOBACON have not been as stellar, as illustrated below. If Ragans can find the zone a bit more (44.2% zone rate), especially with his slider (19.2% zone rate), then I think Ragans can induce hitters to chase more. More chases could lead not just to more whiffs, but also to a lower xwOBACON. If those three trends happen, then it's possible that Ragans will get back to that 2024 form, which he has shown at home this year, sooner rather than later. Overall, the Royals need better performances from Wacha, Ragans, Cameron, and Kolek, especially during this homestand (Wacha is expected to pitch twice; whether Kolek goes twice this week depends on how Tuesday's outing goes). That said, the Royals' rotation overall needs to improve its control, as they have simply walked too many batters over the past two weeks. Since April 19th, the Royals' pitching staff ranks 27th in BB/9 (4.56), tied with Atlanta and ahead of only Houston (5.03) and Arizona (5.33). Wacha and Ragans have been the main culprits. However, Cameron (and now, Kolek), Lugo, and Bubic can certainly do their part to flood the strike zone more consistently as well. All the pitchers in the Royals' rotation have had outings and stretches where they have allowed too many free passes, and it's often bitten them in the butt. The Royals have struggled with BB/9 at home, ranking 27th at Kauffman Stadium compared to 23rd on the road. Could the Kansas City starting pitchers begin to reverse that trend this week? They allowed only one walk among Wacha, Matt Strahm, and Alex Lange on Monday against Cleveland. Thus, the Kansas City pitching staff, starters especially, have gotten off to an encouraging start in this homestand. View the full article

Back in the offseason, the New York Mets signed legendary closer and future Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. When he didn’t make the team out of camp, people started to question whether the experiment was worth it and whether he would choose to stay and win a spot. He stuck around and, on April 11, the Mets called him up to see if he could, at least, replicate the form he showed in a brief stint with the Houston Astros after the Atlanta Braves designated him for assignment last year; in Houston, Kimbrel posted a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings, striking out 16 and walking six. That kind of reliever certainly has a home in a major-league bullpen. Is Kimbrel still of at least that caliber? Can Craig Kimbrel Still Get MLB Hitters Out? The Mets knew that the soon-to-be 38-year-old wasn’t a flamethrower anymore, but they believed he could still get MLB hitters out and, so far, they have been proven right. In seven games and 6.1 frames, the right-hander has a 4.26 ERA that comes with a much better 2.04 FIP. He has fanned eight and walked three, with a fastball averaging 93.1 mph. That’s a bit slower than last year’s 93.5 mph on average, but not catastrophically so. Can the Mets, whose bullpen has actually produced a decent 3.69 ERA that ranks ninth in baseball, keep counting on Kimbrel being a serviceable MLB-caliber reliever? Well, yes, but it depends on expectations. If you are expecting Kimbrel to return to being the pitcher that terrorized hitters and posted ERAs below 3.00 year in and year out while flirting with a 40 percent strikeout rate, you will be disappointed. If you lower the bar a bit and simply look for someone who can bridge the gap from the rotation to the leverage guys, then we may have a winner on our hands. Kimbrel can still miss some bats, but there are a few developments to pay attention to. His four-seamer currently has a 29.7 percent whiff rate, which is not bad, and his sweeper is getting swings and misses at a 50 percent rate, which is excellent but likely to go down a bit with a larger sample. The knuckle curve, one of his signature pitches, still hasn’t generated a whiff, though. It’s just 6.1 innings. The sample is tiny, almost too small to matter. But it’s worth monitoring that knuckle curve and its ability to miss bats, as Kimbrel’s success this year could hinge on it. It's important to note, however, that he can still pump his four-seamer up to the 96 mph range up in the zone when he needs to: Kimbrel Is Allowing Too Many Line Drives Another important development around Kimbrel is his groundball and fly ball ratios. From 2011 to 2015, the man with 440 saves was a groundball and strikeout behemoth. Then, from 2016 to this point, he morphed into a fly ball inducer, also with lots of punchouts, of course. This year, he has given up 0.60 groundballs for every ball in the air. That’s actually not that far from the trend that started in 2016, but the problem is that he is surrendering lots of line drives at the moment. A 40 percent line drive rate is just too high to think he can get away with it over a long stretch of games, and if he wants to achieve sustained success this year with the Mets, it will have to come down. If the contact in the air starts going further, Kimbrel is going to become unplayable. For now, all things considered, the profile is good enough for Kimbrel to be a good middle reliever, and that’s not bad considering age and other circumstances. Overall, the Mets should be happy with what they have gotten out of their former nemesis. View the full article

While the month of April may not have been as memorable for the Boston Red Sox as fans had hoped for, there was more to be hopeful of in the minor leagues. The pitching development infrastructure, which saw an overhaul by Craig Breslow since his hiring following the 2023 season, showed its progress last season, but 2026 has been a whole different animal. Triple-A Worcester alone has seen several of its pitchers get off to great starts that led to promotions to the major-league squad, while the other levels of the organization have seen their own pitchers get off to incredible starts. With that, we’ve narrowed this award down to the three best pitchers in the Red Sox's minor-league system. Special Mention: Portland Sea Dogs No-Hitter On Sunday, April 26, the entire Red Sox organization was dealing with the fallout of the coaching layoffs that had occurred the day prior. Despite the mass changes in staff across all levels of the organization, the Sea Dogs made sure that Kyle Sasala’s first day as acting manager was as special one. Led by Hayden Mullins who tossed five hitless innings, the Sea Dogs went on to pitch a no-hitter and win 3-2. Mullins started the game and allowed two unearned runs that came around to score on a third inning error. Across his entire start he walked five and struck out five before giving way to the bullpen. Caleb Bolden was the first to come on in relief, pitching two hitless innings and striking out three before handing the ball over to Reidis Sena who concluded the no-hitter as he tossed the final two innings. The no-hitter was the ninth in the history of the Portland Sea Dogs. #3: Devin Futrell (Single-A Salem/High-A Greenville) Futrell has been on the receiving end of Boston’s pitching depth across the minor leagues, and not in a positive way. Opening the season with the Salem RidgeYaks due to a lack of room in Greenville, Futrell forced his way up to the Drive after just two appearances in Salem. Since the promotion, his time with Greenville has been just as dominant. Having split April between the two levels, the left-hander made four appearances and tossed 17 2/3 innings as he allowed just one run on six hits and three walks. He also struck out 18 batters. Futrell opened the season on a 13-inning scoreless streak. Futrell has been an arm of interest since his professional debut in 2025, but after holding opposing batters to a .115 batting average and striking them out at a 27.7% rate, he’s continued to show that he is ready for a chance against tougher competition. #2: Jake Bennett (Triple-A Worcester) Bennett had a stellar April with the organization that, when mixed with unforeseen injuries to the major-league squad, led to the left-hander making his major league debut sooner than anyone expected. Pitching in four games, Bennett absolutely was in control as he limited opposing batters to a .161 batting average across 18 innings. During that time, he allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out 11. What really stood out for Bennett in the month of April was his ability to limit the hard contact. Utilizing a five-pitch mix, Bennett typically led the way with his sinker and four-seam fastball, using the two pitches for 51.7% of his pitches. It led to opposing batters getting a hard hit just 25.5% of the time with an expected slugging percentage of just .198. #1: Anthony Eyanson (High-A Greenville) It goes without saying that Eyanson would be the top pitching prospect for the month of April. Anyone who watched him throughout the month should have had an idea, especially as he put the baseball world on notice with the start to his professional career. Making four starts in April, the third-round pick pitched in a manner befitting of a first-rounder as he allowed just six hits and one earned run across 16 2/3 innings pitched. In that same span he struck out 27 batters while walking none. Following his first professional outing, Eyanson allowed two or fewer hits in each of his outings, including 4 1/3 no-hit innings in his second start. Overall, Eyanson struck out 48% of the batters he faced in April while his strikeouts to walk ratio was infinity thanks in part to his excellent command. On top of that, when batters did manage to put the ball in play against him, Eyanson found a way to keep it on the ground, as he had a 59.4% ground ball rate. The right-hander is now being promoted to Double-A Portland after a fantastic start to his career as first reported by Chase Ford of MiLB Central. View the full article

Despite overflowing rosters and an idle day Sunday - eleven Brewers pitchers await their season debut - the Milwaukee and San Diego front offices agreed that Monday's game would be a seven-inning affair. Or perhaps the Padres simply waved the white flag after a five-run 6th for the Crew produced what would be the final score a half-inning later. Transactions: OF Jackson Chourio reinstated to MLB Brewers from minor league rehab 1B Andrew Vaughn reinstated to MLB Brewers from minor league rehab OF Blake Perkins optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers RHP Quinn Priester returned to MLB Brewers’ 15-day injured list from minor league rehab OF Kay-Lan Nicasia released by AA Biloxi RHP Luke Roupe placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list retroactive to May 3 RHP Johandry Ramirez placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list retroactive to May 3 As we aim to do consistently for released players, a post within our Transaction Thread spotlighted Nicasia here. Also, please feel free to see past highlights from Nicasia's pro career when you scroll to the bottom of his linked page listed above. 19-year-old Luke Roupe was drafted in the 17th round last summer out of a North Carolina high school. Johandry Ramirez made five starts among his seven Dominican Summer League appearances in his debut 2025 season, with those starting assignments normally an indication that the organization sees promise for that role in the future. Ramirez is stateside after that one campaign. Hopefully both youngsters will be active before too long. From @Spencer Michaelis' 2025 "Day Two" Draft Recap article: Luke Roupe's repertoire is largely built around his fastball and his curveball. Those two offerings helped him pitch his way to a 2.01 ERA over 62 2/3 innings, striking out 100 along the way. The fastball gets up to 94 MPH and has good carry and is pretty high spin. The curveball spins in the 2400 RPM range, and has some good depth and sweep to it, in the low-80s. Roupe will also mix a sweeper in at times, thrown a bit harder than the curve, and has a changeup that will need development. Committed to South Carolina, Roupe will likely be looking for a pretty big bonus to sign (NOTE: bonus was $225,000). His pitchability and the starting point of his fastball and curveball combination will make him an interesting name to follow. Final: ACL Brewers 12, ACL Padres 0, seven innings Box Score and Game Log All three phases in high gear, as the Brew Crew played error-free ball for a consecutive game. Remaining atop the order, now-18-year-old Cristopher Acosta shifted from shortstop to third base here and stole his first base. The $1.1 million signing from the 2025 class underwhelmed in 50 DSL games, sporting only a .172/.349/.243 line, so his three walks in this box score, along with a base on balls Saturday, have him off to a fine OBP start. Fellow bonus baby Brailyn Antunez has the early lockdown on center field and the #2 spot in the lineup. Along with all others in Monday's lineup (everyone reached base despite the team coming to the plate only in six frames), Antunez' contributions were a single, a walk, two HBP's, two RBI. The buzz around RF Alexander Frias and his LH power bat is real, and he homered for a second straight game, also doubled, walked and stole a base. The other two position players to appear in both games thus far were CJ Hughes, who shifted to shortstop from second base, as the 11th round pick from a California high school clubbed his first professional home run, and Rylan Mills, catcher to first base, singled, walked. May I comment how pleased I am to be a part of the infatuated Brewers farmhand-follower community? Each day, we initiate an "as it happens" thread on our Minor League Forum, and now, given Statcast availability in all the complex league ballparks, our diehards are more than eager to share insights from these games. You are strongly encouraged to visit the 14-post thread here, hardly a difficult chore, and you'll pick up multiple insights beyond what I could add here. You'll learn about RHP's Caleb Nieman and Ma'Kale Holden, who covered all seven innings wonderfully. We await the pro debut of Taiwanese infielder Yu-Lin Liao. Maybe I'm overlooking the obvious, but Baseball Reference isn't properly displaying 2026 stats yet, as Alexander Frias' page shows as an example. Scrolling down reveals splits and such, but we'll be relying on MiLB Player Pages for much of our content for the time being. It's back to a full slate of five games on Tuesday, including a Timber Rattler matinee. We have already kicked off our Tuesday daily thread that includes the tricky to find box score location of the next Arizona game, hosting the Dodgers tykes in Maryvale. Enjoy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) Here is a reminder of what the 2025 season leaderboard looked like. FOF staffer Sean Millerick currently sits atop the 2026 leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt on Tuesday RHP Eury Pérez (MIA) vs. RHP Brandon Young on Wednesday RHP Max Meyer (MIA) vs. LHP Cade Povich on Thursday The Marlins rank 11th in MLB with a 100 wRC+ and 11th in MLB with a 3.91 FIP. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have a 11-9 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Griffin Conine (10-day IL), Pete Fairbanks (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL) and Adam Mazur (60-day IL). The Orioles rank 13th in MLB with a 99 wRC+ and 22nd in MLB with a 4.48 FIP. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have an 6-11 record on the road this season. The following Orioles players are on the injured list: Félix Bautista (60-day IL), Zach Eflin (60-day IL), Ryan Helsley (15-day IL), Yaramil Hiraldo (60-day IL), Jackson Holliday (10-day IL), Heston Kjerstad (10-day IL), Dean Kremer (15-day IL), Ryan Mountcastle (60-day IL), Trevor Rogers (15-day IL), Colin Selby (60-day IL) and Jordan Westburg (60-day IL). View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Monday's show was hosted by Jeremiah Geiger and featured panelists Ely Sussman and Isaac Azout. The following topics were covered: Joe Mack makes major league debut What comes next for Agustín Ramírez defensively Chris Paddack expected to make his next start More frustrating in-game maneuvers by Clayton McCullough How Janson Junk and Max Meyer have stepped up this season Level of concern with unproductive outfielders Jakob Marsee and Owen Caissie Previewing and predicting the next series against the Baltimore Orioles You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Thursday at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Orioles series finale. View the full article

MIAMI -- Aaron Nola is still a good pitcher. Maybe there was some doubt when the 32-year old came into Monday’s bout against Miami with a 6.03 ERA in six starts in 2026. He was also coming off a two-game stretch against the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves that saw him allow 11 earned runs and seven walks across nine combined innings. It seems he just needed a trip to south Florida to get back on track. Nola shut out the Marlins over six innings in a 1-0 Phillies win. He struck out five and didn’t allow a walk. All five hits the right-hander surrendered were singles -- some aided by poor defense by shortstop Trea Turner. Only one Marlins baserunner got into scoring position: Jacob Marsee moved to second base on a Kyle Stowers groundout in the sixth. “He’s always been able to really spin the ball,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. “And it's unique how he can get in the low 70s, but the amount of spin and break that he's able to put on it … he executed well and was able to move the ball around.” The Phillies bullpen continued carving through the Marlins lineup, allowing just two hits and no runs over the next three innings. As good as Nola was on Monday, he was only one pitch better than Marlins starter Janson Junk. Junk’s only run allowed was a solo home run to Bryce Harper in the third inning. Harper, (2-for-3 with a double) was the only Phillies batter to get an extra-base hit against Junk. The 30-year-old right-hander allowed five hits and zero walks, and struck out a season-high six hitters. Harper continued his tear against the Marlins as his home run was the 17th of his career at loanDepot park and his 39th against Miami overall. Junk has excelled in his role at the back end of Miami’s rotation, capitalizing even further on last year’s breakout season that saw him post a 2.68 ERA in the first half. He has a similar mark of 2.82 in seven starts this year. He’s allowed one run in his last three starts, one of which was a shutout against a Los Angeles Dodgers lineup that's second in the majors in batting average and OPS. “Overall, I thought it was solid. I left the game in a good spot and a chance to score some runs.(Relief pitcher John) King coming in and getting out of the inning for me was big time. Just unfortunate we couldn't come away with it.” Joe Mack debut: The No. 3 prospect in the Marlins organization made his Major League debut on Monday night. Batting 7th and catching, Mack went 0-for-3 with a fielder's choice. Mack told reporters postgame that every Phillies hitter offered him some type of congratulations as they stepped to the plate for the first time. "Yeah, that was really cool. They'd say hey to the umpire and then tell me congrats," Mack said. He also was able to make small talk with Bryce Harper while standing at first base, which the 23-year-old rookie will remember forever. Mack had several family friends and family in attendance for his start, and they will be there throughout the home stand. Notes: John King has stranded 16 of 18 inherited runners this year. Connor Norby subbed in at third base in the ninth inning. It was his second inning in that spot this season. Pregame, Clayton McCullough told reporters that he expects Mack to receive a solid amount of playing time. Liam Hicks will most likely start behind the dish against left-handed starters and will be at 1B/DH against righties. Agustin Ramirez, who was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville, will continue to see reps at catcher to further his development. View the full article

Kevin Alcántara is, at least superficially, posing a good problem for the Chicago Cubs. He's on a power binge for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs this spring. Let's dig into his numbers, and the choices the Cubs have with him. Background If you've been tracking Alcántara's career closely, you already know what his ceiling looks like, but you also know ho9w stubbornly far beneath it he's remained over the last few years. What was missing, to achieve that metaphorical ascent? A literal one. That's what Alcántara's achieving this spring. He's finally launching the ball. There's no slug on the ground, so he's taken his swing and his batted-ball profile to where there's a ton of it. Season Avg. LA Ground % Line Drive % Fly Ball % Pop Up % Pull % Center % Oppo % 2024 5.3° 51.7 25.3 18.4 4.6 48.3 21.8 29.9 2025 9.5° 46.2 24.9 23.3 6.3 40.3 23.7 36 2026 16.9° 32.8 15.6 39.1 12.5 35.9 39.1 25 Alcántara slugged just over .700 on contact in each of his two previous season stints in Triple-A. This year, that number is a mind-boggling (and, admittedly, unsustainable) 1.078. He's become an elite producer of power, at least at the Triple-A level. There's just one problem, and it's exactly what you'd guess, if you've been tracking Alcántara's career closely. Season O-Swing Z-Swing Z-Contact Whiff Rate 2024 32.1 62 80 31.8 2025 31.7 61.3 82.7 30.5 2026 35.1 61.1 73.6 38.6 To get to his power, Alcántara has sacrificed contact, in a profile that had no room for that tradeoff. He's striking out at a rate that would preclude a player from succeeding in the majors, and he's doing it against worse pitchers than they have in the majors. The implication, then, is that he'd strike out over 40% of the time in the big leagues. That's Brett Jackson territory. Alcántara still has to find the happy medium, where he's lifting the ball but can also control the strike zone and make consistent contact. Still, it's exciting to see just how much power he can generate when things go well. He’s also an absolute ball hawk in the outfield, as his 60-grade fielding tool is the highest on his MLB Pipeline scouting report. So what choices do the Cubs have? Let’s go over them. Promote Alcántara They could promote ‘The Jaguar’, but that comes with some complications. A couple of moves have resulted in a domino effect that makes this guy’s point of entry a little tougher. For one, the team locked down one of the best third basemen in the game, Alex Bregman, for the foreseeable future. That pushes sophomore Matt Shaw into (mostly) a corner outfield role. When Shaw is in right field, Seiya Suzuki takes up the DH spot, and then there’s no room for Alcántara. Of course, Alcántara would be behind Moisés Ballesteros on anyone's DH depth chart, anyway, even if Suzuki weren't in the picture. With Ian Happ, Suzuki, Shaw and Ballesteros all playing reasonably well, there's no short-term path to playing time with the parent club. Have Him Change Positions This is a nice little dream, but not much of a potential reality. Alcántara doesn't have any of the skills to play an infield position other than first base, and all of those spots are locked down, anyway. If he could become a solid first baseman, he would fit neatly with Michael Busch as a platoon partner, but that puts a lot of pressure on him to mash lefties and make more contact. It's also far from a guarantee that he can simply slide to that very different position and be above-average. His best defensive fit could be as a platoon partner for Pete Crow-Armstrong, but Crow-Armstrong is the best defensive center fielder in baseball; you usually don't platoon players with that much value in their glove. Keep Him In Iowa For a Little Longer This is the obvious course of action. Beyond simply keeping their powder dry, letting Alcántara continue amassing playing time in Iowa encourages him to keep developing, and avoids ruffling the feathers of any veterans. Happ and Suzuki are both due to be free agents this fall, and it would be no surprise if both land elsewhere. If even one does, playing time will be available in 2027's Cubs outfield, and if Alcántara keeps fixing holes in his game, he could be a candidate for that job. While the team is healthy, though, keeping him in Iowa lets everyone involved stay in rhythm and play every day, and gives Alcántara time to solve that glaring swing-and-miss problem, if possible. Trade the Surplus The last option is to trade Alcántara. Obviously, it’d be great to have a talent of his caliber at Wrigley, but right now, there's almost no chance he would be better than Happ, Suzuki or even Shaw. Power brings mass appeal in 2026, and this guy has plenty of it. The strikeouts have been an issue, but there are plenty of teams who might give up something to gamble on the power potential in Alcántara's bat, especially given his solid defensive platform. Before dealing him, the team would have to feel some confidence that they could re-sign either Suzuki or Happ, or that Shaw can be a regular in a corner come next season. They can't afford to go spend major free-agent dollars on multiple corner bats this winter, and the class looks thin, anyway. For now, Alcántara is an intriguing, enigmatic piece of the Cubs' organizational puzzle. His prospect stock could still skyrocket or plummet, but at the moment, it's holding in a middle range. The upside has never been more apparent. Neither have the warts ever been more prominently on display. There are a lot of ways to resolve this, but for now, the team's plan seems to be to do the obvious thing: wait and see what comes next, from Alcántara and others. View the full article

As the calendar turns to May, minor league players are starting to find a rhythm. Early-season noise starts to fade, and what remains is a clearer picture of who is making real adjustments and turning tools into production. This is often the point at which prospects either stabilize or begin to separate themselves. For several of the Twins’ top prospects, that separation is already taking shape. Strong underlying approaches are now translating into box score results, and a handful of names are forcing their way into bigger conversations within the organization. Whether it's former top picks showing why they were so highly regarded or emerging talents finding another gear, the system is beginning to generate some real momentum. OF Walker Jenkins– St. Paul Saints How He Got Here: Since being selected fifth overall in the 2023 draft, Jenkins has looked every bit like the advanced bat scouts envisioned out of high school. His climb to Triple-A before his 21st birthday speaks to both his polish and upside. When he has been available, the production has followed, highlighted by a career OPS north of .850 and strong underlying metrics against upper-level pitching. The challenge has been staying on the field. Various lower-body injuries have limited his total games played, slowing what could have been an even faster rise. Even so, he still managed to be one of the most productive hitters in the system last year. Hitting the Hot Button: Jenkins was locked in at the plate over the past week. Entering play on Sunday, Jenkins had gone 7-for-16 (.438) with four doubles and a home run over his last seven days. He drew four walks to help him get on base nearly 53% of the time and posted a 1.401 OPS. On Friday, he tied the Saints franchise record with three doubles in one game. The momentum hit an unfortunate pause, though, when he exited Sunday’s game after colliding with the outfield fence. He has a Grade 2 sprain of the AC joint in his shoulder and is likely to miss several weeks. C Khadim Diaw– Cedar Rapids Kernels How He Got Here: Diaw’s track record is as much about perseverance as it is about performance. When healthy, he has consistently hit, dating back to his college days, where he showed a strong combination of contact ability and on-base skills. Injuries have interrupted that trajectory at multiple points, but each return has brought more of the same offensive profile. After impressing in summer leagues and pre-draft workouts, the Twins invested a 2024 third-round pick in his bat. His first full professional season has followed a familiar pattern with flashes of production mixed with missed time, but the underlying approach continues to stand out. Hitting the Hot Button: Few hitters in the system have been tougher to retire recently than Diaw. He strung together a remarkable stretch of plate appearances where he reached base a dozen times in a row, combining consistent contact with a disciplined eye. A standout midweek performance saw him reach base five times in a single game. For the season, he is slashing .279/.426/.349, with four extra-base hits and a 26-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, even while facing older pitchers in 65% of his plate appearances. The blend of patience and contact is turning heads. OF/1B Jaime Ferrer– Cedar Rapids Kernels How He Got Here: Ferrer entered pro ball with a solid offensive foundation after being selected in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Florida State. His debut offered glimpses of that potential as he posted a .748 OPS in 24 games. However, his first extended run at High-A exposed areas that needed refinement. In 101 games, he hit .216/.296/.339 (.634) with 27 extra-base hits and 84 strikeouts compared to 23 walks. The Twins challenged him by sending him back to the same level to start 2026. Hitting the Hot Button: That decision is already paying dividends, with adjustments to his approach and swing decisions that have helped unlock a more complete offensive profile. Ferrer has been one of the most productive hitters in the Midwest League to start the season. A breakout game on Saturday featuring two home runs (in the same inning) highlighted his growing power, but the broader story is his improved plate discipline and overall offensive balance. In 25 games this season, he is hitting .319/.449/.611, with six home runs and three doubles. His ability to produce against older pitching (1.160 OPS) only adds to the intrigue, suggesting real growth rather than a small sample spike. The common thread with this group is impact through adversity. Each player has dealt with interruptions or developmental hurdles, yet all three are showing the ability to adjust and produce when given the opportunity. That combination of resilience and performance is exactly what organizations hope to see from players pushing toward the next level. Of course, what happened to Jenkins is exactly what everyone hopes not to see. What stands out about this trio of prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Nobody argues against juggling bullpen backenders on and off the roster as much as we at Mets Roster Central do, but there's a reason they do it, and sometimes it works out. Transactions, 5/3/2026 COMING Cleared Waivers and Assigned to Syracuse Relief Pitchers Carl Edwards, Jr. R/R DoB: 33484 High Level: MLB (2026) The upside of pushing a veteran player through a DFA odyssey hardly seems worth it. Maybe you get a fresh arm for a day or two, but that doesn't necessarily mean a better arm, or even the right one for the day. The downside should be obvious — the lack of continuity effected by the roster churn, half your relievers often sleeping with one eye open, the undermining of the yo-yo-ed players morale, and the diminished status of players with fans, who are looking to bond with these players but find out the team only considers them day workers. Beyond that is the inability of a player to grow in his job as he makes adjustments from appearance to appearance. You pitch two back-end innings and give up three runs, or you pitch two shutout innings and strike out four — either way you're back on plane to Syracuse or wherever. Or possibly grabbed off waivers by Tampa Bay But the un-necessary trip through the waiver wire for Carl Edwards, Jr. has led to no such tragedies. Nobody with a motive to grab him had a roster spot to spare, and so Carl heads to Syracuse, and hopefully soon returns to build on his 1.50 ERA and 11(!!) strikeouts in six innings. That is ... if he doesn't refuse the assignment and become a free agent, which wouldn't be that crazy a move when banished to AAA by the team with the worst record in the league. This, of course, is yet another reason why Reliever Roulette is a game for fools. Your 2026 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Clay Holmes Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson Christian Scott R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Craig Kimbrel Sean Manaea Tobias Myers Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/R DoB: 32291 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Francisco Alvarez Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Vidal Brujan Andy Ibáñez MJ Melendez R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 R/R DoB: 1993-04-03 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Brett Baty Carson Benge Austin Slater Juan Soto Tyrone Taylor R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 R/R DoB: 33951 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 R/R DoB: 34356 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Tylor Megill Kodai Senga Jonah Tong Alex Carrillo Reed Garrett Joey Gerber Justin Hagenman R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 On 60-Day Injured List with torn right UCL. On 15-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Inflammation With Syracuse With Syracuse On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery and nerve relocation surgery. With St. Lucie on Rehab Assignment On 60 Day Injured List with fractured rib. Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders A.J. Minter Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross Hayden Senger Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 With Syracuse on Rehab Assignment On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery. With Syracuse With Syracuse With Syracuse On 10-Day Injured List with Strained Left Calf On 10-Day Injured List with fractured right thumb. Infielders Outfielders Jorge Polanco Nick Morabito Luis Robert, Jr. Jared Young S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 On 10-Day Injured List with right wrist contusion. With Syracuse On 10-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Disc Hernitaion On 10-Day Injured List with torn left meniscus. Deslgnated for Assignment Eric Wagaman R/R DoB: 35656 DFA'd, 2026-05-02. Your Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? DoB: 1962-07-19 View the full article

On Monday afternoon, before the start of the Royals' seven-game homestand against Cleveland and Detroit, the Royals announced on social media that relief pitcher Carlos Estevez will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Omaha. Estevez has made only one MLB-level appearance this season, on the road against Atlanta on March 28th. In 0.1 IP, he allowed six runs on four hits and two walks while not registering a single strikeout. He also gave up a home run and currently has a 162.00 ERA, 18.00 WHIP, and 60.10 FIP. During the Braves game, the 33-year-old reliever was hit in the foot by a comebacker and, as a result, was placed on the 15-Day IL due to a left foot contusion. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Estevez this spring, as his four-seam velocity sat under 90 MPH for most of Spring Training. While he's been traditionally a slow starter when it comes to ramping up for the start of the season, the subpar velocity captured the eye of concerned Royals fans. While his velocity was slightly better against Atlanta than what he showed in the spring, it was still down compared to his historical velocity trends. Not much has been shared about Estevez since going on the IL, though it was reported that he got sick, which bumped his rehab assignment back. In bullpen sessions back in Arizona, Royals GM JJ Picollo, in an interview with the Cody and Gold radio show on 96.5 FM on April 29th, said the velocity looked much better and was more in line with what the Royals saw a season ago, during his first season in Kansas City. Estevez is in the last year of a two-year deal he signed with the Royals last offseason. In 67 appearances last year, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and saved 42 games, which led all of baseball. It was the first time a Royals closer had led the league in saves since Dan Quisenberry back in 1985. Currently, Lucas Erceg has been receiving a majority of the save opportunities with Estevez on the IL. In 15 appearances, the 30-year-old righty has a 3.77 ERA and 1.40 WHIP and has nine saves with two blown saves this season. A setup man in 2025, Erceg saved 14 games with the Royals and Athletics in 2024. 11 of those saves came with Kansas City after being acquired at the Trade Deadline. View the full article

Despite a weekend scare, Jackson Chourio is also returning to the Milwaukee Brewers' offense. Chourio, an outfielder, and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were activated from the 10-day injured list Monday and were in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and outfielder Greg Jones was designated for assignment to make room on the 26-man roster. Also, right-handed starter Quinn Priester was pulled from his rehab assignment while still remaining on the 15-day IL. The return of Chourio and Vaughn, who hit in the top half of the batting order, is a much-needed boost for an offense that has been missing a spark. Chourio was a surprising IL placement on Opening Day. He sustained a fractured left hand while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but the injury didn't appear to bother him as he continued to play after sitting out two games. The injury popped up during the Brewers' final exhibition games just days before Opening Day. Chourio then fouled a ball off his left ankle Saturday during a rehab assignment game for Nashville, which put his expected return Monday in doubt. But he went through running drills and was deemed fit enough to be activated. Vaughn joined Chourio on a rehab assignment last week as he recovered from hamate surgery in his left hand. Perkins was returned to Nashville, where he started the season. The defensive-minded center fielder has been the odd man out with a healthy Garrett Mitchell able to patrol center field and the emergence of Brandon Lockridge. But the switch-hitting Perkins mustered a measly .109/.212/.174 slash line in 19 games. Jones was a minor-league free-agent signing this offseason and appeared in 11 games since coming up April 14. He also struggled at the plate, going 2-for-21 (.095). If he passes through waivers, he could return to Nashville. View the full article

Prior to Sunday’s matchup with Toronto, Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll met with reporters and shared updates on several injured players across the organization. Among those, David Festa’s status stood out for all the wrong reasons. Festa had been building toward a return after dealing with a shoulder issue during Spring Training, but that progress hit a snag. Following his third live batting practice session, he experienced renewed discomfort, forcing the organization to halt his ramp-up and reassess. The timing is unfortunate, as he appeared to be nearing a minor league rehab assignment before this latest development. He has yet to pitch in a game this season, and the road back has already been complicated. Festa was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome late in 2025 and then dealt with right shoulder impingement earlier this year. Each step forward has required patience, and now that patience will be tested again. The situation leaves the Twins balancing short-term needs with long-term value. When healthy, Festa still projects as a meaningful piece of the organization’s pitching depth. Entering last season, he was arguably the team’s top pitching prospect. However, shoulder concerns can quickly alter timelines, and the team may need to remain flexible about how they eventually deploy him. There is at least some reason to believe a different role could unlock more consistency. Over the past two seasons, Festa has posted a 5.12 ERA alongside a more encouraging 4.27 FIP, backed by a 25.7% strikeout rate and an 8.3% walk rate. Those underlying metrics hint at a pitcher whose arsenal could benefit from shorter bursts, where his stuff may play up, and the physical demands are easier to manage. Even so, any conversation about role changes is secondary right now. The Twins are focused on getting Festa back to a place where he can throw regularly without setbacks. That means taking a deliberate approach and avoiding any temptation to accelerate the process. There is still a path for Festa to contribute in 2026, but it will depend on how his body responds in the coming weeks. Whether he ultimately returns as a starter or shifts into a relief role will sort itself out over time. For now, the objective is straightforward. Get healthy and stay healthy. For a team already navigating questions about its pitching depth, every update carries weight. This one may not be what Minnesota hoped for, but it does not close the door. If Festa can resume his progression without further interruption, he still has a chance to factor into the picture later this season. View the full article