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With the minor league signing and non-roster invite extended to Reese McGuire earlier this week, the number of NRIs that will work out in the major league camp at American Family Fields of Phoenix was increased to 17 players. This group of players will typically include free agents who recently signed minor league contracts with the club, along with top prospects in the minor leagues. Here is a brief overview of the players invited. Brewers Pitchers RHP Gerson Garabito Garabito, 30, was signed to a minor league deal in December. He had an interesting journey last year, starting in the majors for the Rangers, but was sent down to Triple-A Round Rock after two appearances. Garabito made 10 starts there, posting an abysmal 8.53 ERA. Given his release, he signed with the Samsung Lions in the KBO. He made 15 starts for the Lions, going 4-4 with an ERA of 2.64. That was enough to pique the Brewers' interest for 2026. The veteran of 21 big-league appearances, he will start the season at Nashville but could get a call at some point from the Brewers. LHP Tate Kuehner Entering his fourth season in the Brewers organization, Kuehner spent most of last season at Double-A Biloxi, making 21 starts for the Shuckers, posting a record of 7-5 with an ERA of 2.50. The soon-to-be 25-year-old got promoted to Triple-A Nashville and made two starts there at the end of the season. Kuehner, a seventh-round pick in 2023, will most likely begin the season in Nashville but could get a late-season call-up to Milwaukee if he continues his success. LHP Drew Rom The extent of Rom’s major league experience consists of eight starts in 2023 for the Cardinals. He began his professional career with the Baltimore Orioles before getting traded to the Cardinals in 2023. The 26-year-old has been injury-prone, having suffered biceps and shoulder injuries in 2024 and 2025. He only hits 91 on the gun, but has a handful of secondary offerings that could make him an interesting pickup and another candidate for the Brewers' pitching lab after signing a minor league deal with the Brewers in mid-December. RHP Jacob Waguespack A recent signing, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Waguespack has had a checkered career. He made 27 appearances (13 starts) with Toronto in 2019 and 2020 but then pitched for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Waguespack signed with Tampa Bay in early 2024 and made four appearances with the Rays before being sent down for the balance of the season. Shoulder problems limited him to 33 innings. Last year, Waguespack pitched well at Triple-A Durham but went on the shelf with an undisclosed injury in June and then was released in July. He signed with Philadelphia in August and made 11 appearances at Triple-A Lehigh Valley but was granted free agency after the season. Waguespack, 32, can pitch in multiple roles, offering the Brewers more organizational depth, at least for now. Brewers Catchers Reese McGuire The man they call ‘Pieces’ has nearly 400 games of big-league experience over eight seasons with Toronto, Boston, White Sox, and with the Cubs last year. Although the lefty hitter slashed only .226/.245/.444 over 44 games, he showed some pop with nine home runs in just 133 at-bats. Signed to a minor league deal a few days ago, McGuire now has a leg up on the back-up job behind ‘Wild Bill’ Contreras, possibly relegating Jeferson Quero back to Triple-A for additional seasoning. The 30-year-old McGuire was a first-round pick (14th overall) by the Pirates in 2013 but has never been anything more than a backup, a role that he would embrace with the Brewers. Darrien Miller The lefty-swinging Miller played the prior two seasons and Double-A Biloxi and hit a combined .203/.385/.308 over 719 plate appearances in 2024 and 2025. In his career, he has thrown out just 15% of runners trying to steal. One thing he can do is get on base, having drawn walks at a rate of nearly 17% while taking one for the team (HBP) once every 16 at-bats. Ouch. Soon to turn 25, Miller gets bumped down the depth chart with the signing of McGuire and could start the year in Nashville. But if Quero starts out in the minors, Miller either sees less playing time or will spend another year in Biloxi. Ramón Rodriguez Selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 MLB Draft, Rodriguez was later picked up by the Baltimore Orioles. Milwaukee picked him up after the 2023 campaign and had a nice year at High-A Wisconsin in 2024, bashing 10 home runs in just 74 games. He moved up to Double-A Biloxi in 2025 but suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in mid-May. If 100% healthy again, the 27-year-old Rodriguez is still one of the catchers blocked by the Contreras-McGuire-Quero trio at the top of the catcher depth chart. You can also throw Matt Wood and Marco Dinges into that second group. He most likely will play in Biloxi again. Matt Wood Now in his fifth year in the Brewers organization, Wood isn’t a prototypical power hitter but is a good gap hitter with doubles power. Over his career, he has drawn walks at a rate of 14%. Wood, who will turn 25 in March, started 2025 at High-A Wisconsin but moved up to Biloxi after just 30 games with the T-Rats. At the higher level, he batted .271/.371/.415 with 18 extra-base hits across 207 at-bats. Wood has a decent arm, having thrown out 27% of runners trying to steal on him in Double-A. Where will he start in 2026? Most likely in Biloxi, but he could begin in Music City. Brewers Infielders Luke Adams Also in his fifth year in the Brewers chain, Adams, 21, spent a half-season at Biloxi last year and is likely to begin there in 2026. He walked at a rate of 15% but struck out 22% of the time. Adams has 50 grade power, but it hasn’t really translated into home run numbers. He’s okay at either corner infield spot, and although he stole a combined 58 bases in his first two full seasons in the pros, he’s not gonna be a burner on the bases. Ranked the ninth-best prospect on Brewer Fanatic and 10th on MLB.com Top Prospects, Adams isn’t ready for prime time yet, but could be ready to take over at first base in 2027, especially if Andrew Vaughn regresses to his 2025 White Sox version or leaves in free agency. Jesús Made Made is the most anticipated Brewer since Jackson Chourio a couple of years ago. The switch-hitter has moved rapidly up the Brewers chain and won’t be 19 until early May 2026. He is ranked third on MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects list and has a major league ETA of 2027. This year, he will most likely start at Biloxi to build on his five-game stint there at the end of last season. He is a plus runner and grades out at 55 in the field. Made has played mostly at short but also has experience at second and third. All eyes will be on this exciting youngster in Arizona this spring. Cooper Pratt Pratt is one of the three top SS prospects in the Brewers chain and is ranked number 64 on MLB.com’s Top Prospects list this year. Pratt is the closest of the trio to make the big leagues, at least at this point. His defensive tools (arm, fielding) grade out at 60, and he won a Minor League Gold Glove in 2024, so his defensive pedigree is solid. Pratt posted decent stats last year at Biloxi, especially in the walks department, drawing free passes at a rate of nearly 13% while only striking out at a 15% rate. The 21-year-old Pratt will most likely begin the season with Nashville, but has a great opportunity in spring training to cement his standing in the Brewers' shortstop pecking order. Brock Wilken Wilken was off to a good start at Biloxi last year, bashing 18 home runs in 65 games while drawing walks at a rate of 20% before being lost for two months with a dislocated left kneecap suffered in a locker room celebration. Unfortunately, he also struck out at a dismal 27% rate. Wilken returned for the last 16 games of the season but only batted .185 (10-for-54) with no homers. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound slugger is an average defender at third and only grades out at 30 for speed/base running, so his power will carry him as far as he can go. Wilken, 23, might start the season at Biloxi, but he could move up to Nashville at some point in the season, depending on his health. Brewers Outfielders Luis Lara The diminutive (5-foot-8, 167-pound) speedster will fit right in with the Brewers ‘Short Kings’ roster. Only 21, Lara played a full season at Biloxi last year and showed speed (44 steals) and gap power with 32 doubles. Lara has a 60 grade for running, arm, and fielding, and plays an excellent center field. He will never hit for power, but has some elite tools that will move him up. Nashville appears to be the starting destination this year for the switch-hitter. Brewers Infielders/Outfielders These four players have played both infield and outfield in their careers and should fit right in with their versatility. Eduardo Garcia The lanky (6-foot-3, 160-pound) Garcia is 23 and played most of the year at Appleton before moving up to Biloxi for the last six weeks of the season. Base stealing became part of his game last year as he stole 41 bases in 48 tries after only stealing a combined 39 bags in the previous four campaigns. Garcia has bounced around in the organization, having played for four years for the T-Rats and parts of two seasons in Biloxi. He has played almost every position except for catcher and pitcher in the minors, and at this point is strictly organizational depth. Greg Jones Soon to turn 28, the switch-hitter was signed to a minor league deal in early December. Jones has played very briefly in the bigs, appearing in nine games over the last two seasons with the Rockies and White Sox. Jones is another organizational piece for Milwaukee, but his speed, defense, and versatility will make him a valuable member at Nashville. His main positions are shortstop and center field. Eddys Leonard The well-traveled Leonard is now in his fourth organization with Milwaukee. Like many of the other Brewer NRIs, he is very versatile and has played every position except catcher, but has spent most of his time at short. Leonard, 25, has decent power, having hit 95 home runs in parts of seven minor league seasons. All his tools are average or a little above, but for now, he is going to be a ‘camp body’ and provide depth at Nashville. Jett Williams Last but not least, the 22-year-old will be one of the most-watched players at camp this year. Williams came to Milwaukee from the Mets, along with Brandon Sproat, in the Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers deal. The 5-foot-7, 175-pounder offers speed and versatility and is ticketed for either center field or shortstop, but he can also play second. He stole at least 30 bases in two of his three seasons in the minors, with a high of 45 in 2023 between three teams in the Mets chain. Williams also exhibits a little pop and could be a 15-20 HR guy. Much has been written about Williams, and I offer an excellent piece by our @Jack Stern that will tell you more about him. Will Any of These Make the Brewers' 26-Man Roster? At this point, only McGuire is projected to make the 26-man Opening Day roster, displacing Jeferson Quero as the backup catcher. But a great spring by Quero could alter that plan. Likewise, Williams will likely battle Andruw Monasterio for the utility infielder spot. Williams could use a little seasoning as he only has 40 games worth of action at Triple-A. But again, a great showing in the Arizona camp could force the Brewers to keep him once the season starts. View the full article

Following the trade of Freddy Peralta, the Brewers' rotation will look different in 2025. Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester are locks to open the season as starters, but the Brewers have a long list of intriguing names after that: Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Logan Henderson, and newcomer Brandon Sproat. Who will round out the Opening Day rotation?View the full article

As the calendar flips from January to February, the countdown is on to February 11th, when pitchers and catchers report to Dunedin, Florida. That's when opportunity quietly opens for players on the fringe of the roster. The Blue Jays have extended invites to 27 players from the minor league system or as minor league free agents, and they will all have an opportunity to impress and potentially make their way onto the big league roster at some point this summer. That was the case for Alan Roden, who was a minor league invitee in 2025 and found his way onto the Opening Day roster. As well as Myles Straw, Brandon Fischer, Mason Fluharty, and Lazaro Estrada, all of whom found some playing time in Toronto over the season. Here is an overview of all the players invited to camp, and what they may bring to the team. Blue Jays Pitchers RHP Jorge Alcala RHP Chad Dallas RHP Ryan Jennings RHP Fernando Perez RHP Yariel Rodriguez RHP Connor Seabold RHP Gage Stanifer RHP CJ Van Eyk RHP Chay Yeager LHP Javen Coleman LHP Michael Plassmeyer The list of pitchers offers a mix of youth, MLB experience, and notable arms in the Blue Jays system. Yariel Rodriguez is the name most Blue Jays fans will recognize, as he’s thrown 159 2/3 IP over the past two seasons in a mixture of starts and relief appearances, before he was outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier this offseason. Connor Seabold, 30, appeared in 27 games for the Colorado Rockies in 2023, but just like most Rockies pitchers, the results weren’t pleasant. He pitched to a 7.52 ERA that season. Still, he has experience as both a reliever and a starter and could see time in the swingman role if things break well for him this season. Jorge Alcala, 30, is a veteran of seven MLB seasons, who has spent the majority of them pitching out of the Twins' bullpen. His 2025 season was one to forget, as he posted a 6.22 ERA across the Twins, Red Sox, and Cardinals. He has had success in the past, as shown by a career 4.29 ERA and a fastball that averages 97.4 mph. If injuries or poor performances occur ahead of him, Alcala may have a chance to be in the big league bullpen at some point this summer. Other names on this list have already been in the Blue Jays farm system. Gage Stanifer (Jays Centre #6 prospect) leads the pack. He soared through the farm system in 2025, with 161Ks over 110 innings across three levels. He’ll be a player to watch this spring. Fernando Perez (JC’s #19 prospect) provides intriguing upside, and Yeager, Jennings, and Coleman are young players who could impact the big league team a few years from now. Blue Jays Catchers Robert Brooks Edward Duran Aaron Parker Geovanny Planchart CJ Stubbs The list of catchers also provides some intrigue. Stubbs was the most recent addition, signing as a minor league free agent on Jan 24th. Despite limited big league time, he can provide some depth should the Jays have injuries at the catcher position. Edward Duran, 21, may be the most intriguing player of the group. He was the player to be named later in the trade that sent Anthony Bass to the Marlins. He’s a good framer and has good bat-to-ball skills, and there is hope that some power may develop. Aaron Parker has some power from the position (8 HR in 249 AB’s), where Planchart and Brooks have struggled offensively, but can hold their own behind the plate. Blue Jays Infielders 3B/SS Cutter Coffey SS Josh Kasevich 1B/3B Sean Keys 2B Rafael Lantigua 3B Charles McAdoo 2B/OF Carlos Mendoza SS Arjun Nimmala SS Josh Rivera 1B/3B Riley Tirotta In the infield is where the real bread and butter of this class is. Highlighting this list is Arjun Nimmala (JC’s #3, prospect), a consensus top 100 prospect in all of baseball, who is looking to have another impressive spring, after hitting a massive home run against the Pirates last spring. Josh Kasevich (JC #11) is another name to watch. Bo Bichette’s departure means there is just one fewer name above him in the depth chart. After an outstanding 2024 stint in Triple A (120 wRC+ in 41 games), his 2025 was riddled with injuries and poor performance. Last month, we took a look at Kasevich and what his path to the big leagues would look like. A strong performance this spring would be a good start. Aside from the top prospects there is a lot of talent in this group, Coffey and McAdoo (JC’s #14) were brought over in separate trades at the 2024 trade deadline and both have hit well in the minors, Keys has 60 grade raw power from the left side, Tirotta just had a 112 wRC+ in AAA last season, Mendoza, Lantigua and Rivera provide positional flexibility. Blue Jays Outfielders Eloy Jimenez RJ Schreck Out of all the names mentioned, Jimenez has by far the most big league experience. He has just shy of 2000 big league at-bats with the White Sox and Orioles from 2019 to 2024. He won a Silver Slugger in 2020, hit 31 home runs in his rookie 2019, and finished ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio in rookie of the year voting that season. Jimenez found himself in the Blue Jays system late in 2025 and hit just 3-18 with one extra-base hit in that time. Although it feels so far in the past now, the talent is in there somewhere, and giving Jimenez a chance to work with the big-league coaches this spring could help him unlock something. Schreck, 25, was another name acquired at the 2024 deadline, this one from Seattle in the Yimi Garcia trade, and he looks big league ready. A 143 wRC+, getting on base 39% of the time, and has shown power with 18 home runs over 105 minor league games. The outfield picture on the big league roster seems set, but as long as Schreck continues where he left off, he's incredibly likely to see big league time in Toronto this summer Performance in spring training doesn't always mean much in the long run, but history suggests that at least one of these names will matter by August, and a strong spring training will be exactly what opens that door. View the full article

Derek Falvey and the Twins shockingly parted ways on Friday, a mere week and a half before pitchers and catchers report to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers. This “mutual” parting of ways has wide-ranging implications for the 2026 season, and raises no few questions that will be explored here on Twins Daily in the coming days. One such is this: are there even historical precedents for a GM or analogue to jump ship or get fired (depending on how you interpret Tom Pohlad and Derek Falvey’s statements) this late in the offseason, just when teams are preparing to ramp up for the season? After all, there are myriad reasons why the timing is truly awful. It creates unnecessary chaos and complexity. It threatens the perceived job security of coaches and executives. It threatens to dispirit players, some of whom have already openly questioned the organization. It’s too late to ask teams for permission to interview their executives, drying up the talent pool, and practically forcing the Twins' hand in elevating Jeremy Zoll. It adds responsibility to his purview, and by extension, likely his assistant GMs as well, without ample time to ramp up. All of these things conspire to make Pohlad’s stated goal of competing this season an even tougher needle to thread. In short, Friday’s announcement just doesn’t make sense; at least not now. So, surely, the situation the Twins find themselves in must be pretty rare. Turns out, it is, indeed. After some digging, there are only two other examples of executives departing on the eve of spring training, and both happened in situations not dissimilar to that of the 2026 Twins. The Firee: Dan Duquette, Boston Red Sox, 2002 The Red Sox fired Dan Duquette on March 1, 2002, smack dab in the middle of spring training. In terms of tenure, success rate, and fan perception, there are some real similarities to Falvey’s time with the Twins, as well as some potential hints for the future. Prior to being fired, Duquette had an eight-year run as the Red Sox GM. He made the playoffs just three times, and in those appearances won only two total games. He angered fans when he let the popular (and talented) father of Kody Clemens leave in free agency, and fans weren’t enamored with his communication style with the media either. Heading into the 2001 season, Duquette went big on the free agent market, signing Manny Ramirez to a massive-at-the-time eight-year, $160 million deal. With Pedro Martinez on the books, as well as a number of other contracts that were well above average, the Red Sox had the second-highest payroll in baseball behind only the Yankees. The payroll didn’t correspond to success that season, as the team dealt with injuries and underperformance, and finished just over .500. Duquette fired his Manager, Jimy Williams, mid-season after a high-profile disagreement with a player. Oh. By the way. Duquette was fired by the John Henry’s group not 24 hours after they became the new owners of the Red Sox. They replaced him by promoting Mike Port, Duquette’s VP of Baseball Operations. He lasted just one season before ownership ultimately hired Theo Epstein to take the reins of the core of talented draftees and veterans in their prime that Duquette had assembled. Three years after Duquette’s firing, the Red Sox began their dynasty. Could Falvey's departure be a simple case of "not my guy?" Or something closer to a scapegoat? Pohlad said on Friday "the vision is probably a little bit different than what it was before. The landscape is different, and that it's best for both of us, if we if we make a change, and best for the Minnesota Twins." Make of that what you will. The Quitter: Bob Watson, New York Yankees, 1998 Bob Watson was a former player, turned coach, turned general manager. His brief stint in the role lasted just two seasons, and they shone. In 1996, he and rookie manager Joe Torre took the Yankees to the World Series where they defeated the Atlanta Braves. The following season, they made the playoffs again, but didn’t advance past the ALDS. On February 3, 1998, Watson resigned and he was replaced by Brian Cashman. Ok. So. Neither tenure nor results match up with Falvey’s, but you know what just might? Watson’s reason for quitting. In short, he was frequently at loggerheads with owner George Steinbrenner. “The Boss” had a habit of micromanaging his GMs, to the point of pushing for specific trades and negotiating around them with other GMs and owners. In fact, he was responsible for acquiring Chuck Knoblach from the Twins. In 1997, Steinbrenner repeatedly attempted to get Watson to move Jorge Posada and a number of prospects for Rickey Henderson, and publicly lambasted his GM for not making specific moves that Steinbrenner wanted to see happen, and for trading for players he himself wouldn’t. It got to the point that Watson would tell rival GMs he was out on a deal “'unless I get orders from south of New York.’ ", referencing Steinbrenner’s Florida home. Eventually, Watson had enough. After he resigned, a Yankees official told the New York Times: “I don't know if he wants to be a general manager anymore. Maybe he doesn't need the pressure. I don't know that he wants another general manager's job. I don't know if he wants to stay in baseball. I imagine he's disgusted with Steinbrenner.” If we are looking for parallels, it’s easy to find them. After all, like George Steinbrenner, Tom Pohlad seems to believe he understands just how to run a baseball team. Unlike Steinbrenner, however, Pohlad is new to the game, and his diametrically opposed dictates reflect that. To wit: “no half measures” and “we will be competitive in 2026”, are in conflict with "yes, our payroll is down from last year” and the whole, you know, not really having a bullpen you trust with a one-run lead in a playoff push. Really, when you look at it, Falvey’s departure combines themes from both of these case studies. On one side of the equation, you have new ownership, likely disappointed with middling results, a disengaged fanbase, and questionable baseball decisions by the GM (albeit with the former owner's blessing and, in part, because of unexpected financial constraints placed on him). On the other side, you have the owner, perhaps out of hubris, assuming he knows the way to right the ship despite little to indicate such, who, in his confidence, creates an unwinnable and frustrating work environment for the GM. That’s the sort of conflict that leads to a parting of ways, even if the initiating party remains opaque. As it stands, this development probably doesn’t help the Twins’ chances in 2026, but it sure does continue the palace intrigue that began with Joe Pohlad's ouster. One thing that's certain is that there's no shortage of confidence among the Pohlad family. View the full article

Pablo López does not sound like someone with one foot out the door. As the Twins head toward the 2026 season, his words and actions point to a pitcher who has recommitted himself to the organization, the clubhouse, and the idea that this rotation can still define what winning baseball looks like in Minnesota. Trade speculation followed López throughout the winter, and it would have been easy for that noise to become a distraction. Instead, it became something else entirely. A reminder of how much he values stability, how much he wants to be part of something that lasts, and how important it is for this group to find its footing together. Living With the Rumors López has been traded before, and that perspective matters. He understands how quickly things can change in this sport, but he also knows what is real and what is just background chatter. “I heard all the rumors. I was aware of them. But in my head, I know, like, as far as I know I had two more years to be a Minnesota Twin, to wear that jersey. But I had the buzz, whether it was internally or certainly I was aware of it. Just because I’ve had the experience of being traded twice. It’s not real until it happens, but the one thing I told the front office, I would like to be a part of this rotation going forward.” That statement carries weight. At a time when the Twins have been willing to listen on just about everyone, López made it clear that he wants to stay. Not just to collect innings, but to be part of the foundation. For a team trying to balance financial realities with competitive urgency, having a pitcher of his caliber publicly embrace that role matters. Leadership in a Younger Clubhouse The 2026 Twins will be young. There is no getting around that. With youth comes energy, but also uncertainty, and López knows exactly where that puts the burden. “I think it goes without saying that we have such a young group. Some direction is going to be needed. And when that’s the case, you tend to look at the guys that have been doing this the longest or the guys that have that reputation of clubhouse leadership. Joe [Ryan], [Byron] Buxton, Bailey [Ober], Ryan Jeffers also in that mix. We’re going to have to find ways. I think a lot of it is going to be trial and error. You don’t want to take it too far either.” This is the balancing act. Setting standards without suffocating growth. Leading without preaching. López does not frame himself as the lone voice, but rather as part of a core that has to help define expectations. For a rotation that has seen turnover and inconsistency, that kind of steady presence can be just as valuable as anything on the stat sheet. Veteran Additions and Raising the Floor The Twins did not just ask their internal leaders to do everything alone. They brought in reinforcements, and López clearly sees value in that. “That’s when guys like Josh Bell, [Victor] Caratini, Taylor Rogers can come in the picture. They weren’t here for last year. But if they see us trying something, or say we just want to be more accountable about some little thing, Josh Bell could be like ‘well, I’ve seen that go south before.’ There’s going to be a decent amount of tone setting from me and a couple of the guys. There’s going to be a lot of changes, because we want to turn it up for good. We want to set the standard. Make sure Minnesota Twins baseball means something good and stick to that.” That last part stands out. Making Twins baseball mean something again. This is not about slogans or empty messaging. It is about daily habits, accountability, and learning from people who have been through the grind elsewhere. López sounds energized by the idea that the responsibility is shared, not stacked entirely on the shoulders of younger players still trying to find their way. Mentoring the Next Wave on the Mound If leadership is part of López’s focus, so is the rotation itself. The Twins have added intriguing young arms, and the veteran right-hander lights up when talking about that group. “When we trade for guys like Taj Bradley and Mick Abel, I was like these are really fun guys to be around,” Lopez said. “These are fun guys. I mean, they’re not my projects or anything, but just to be in the rotation with them, where I may have an opportunity to have the slightest impact with the way I go about my business. It can go a long way.” “That was the case when I was a rookie,” Lopez added. “I want to be part of a rotation that can really let people know how far a pitching staff can take a team. I’m super excited, and I’m really happy and glad I get to be a part of this rotation.” There is pride in that answer. Pride in the craft, pride in the group, and pride in the belief that pitching still matters. For a Twins team searching for its next identity, López is making a strong case that it can start every fifth day. Trade rumors may never fully disappear, but López is not pitching like someone waiting for the next call. He is pitching like someone who believes the 2026 Minnesota Twins are still worth investing in, and like someone determined to help make them better. What stands out about Lopez’s comments from above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Luis Arraez, winner of three consecutive batting titles, is joining a different NL West team for 2026. The infielder has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, according to several reports. Bob Nightengale of USA Today said the deal is for $12 million. Arraez became a free agent after completing his arbitration eligibility with the Padres in 2025, a season in which he earned $14 million. The Friars reportedly extended an early offer for Arraez to return after being acquired via trade early in the 2024 season, in which he completed the batting title hat trick. Arraez became the first player in MLB history to win three straight batting crowns with different teams. He did it with the Minnesota Twins (.316 in 2022), Miami Marlins (.354 in 2023), and the Padres (.314 in 2024). In 2025, Arraez overcame a slow start to finish with a .293 average and an NL-leading 181 hits. The problem with Arraez is that he lacks a true defensive home. The 28-year-old has played every infield position and settled into second base with the Twins and Marlins. That was his home early with the Padres before being shifted to first base. According to a report Saturday before the deal with the Giants was finalized, Arraez had one-year and multiyear deals on the table, with his preference to play second base a potentially decisive factor. The Giants have veteran Rafael Devers and top hitting prospect Bryce Eldridge penciled in at first base and designated hitter entering spring training, leaving second base open for Arraez. Casey Schitt had been the projected starter at second before this move, which comes on the heels of signing Harrison Bader to play center. The Padres are going with some combination of Jake Cronenworth and Sung Mun Song at second base. View the full article

Depth is something every organization tries to create, and it goes well beyond what we see at Target Field or in St. Paul. I'm researching the Twins' depth beyond the 40-man roster, and have already taken a look at catcher, first base, and second base. Third basemen often are shortstops who have moved over to the hot corner for one of many reasons. One might be that they outgrew the position, like Miguel Sano did, or that shortstop is no longer the best defensive fit, like Trevor Plouffe or Royce Lewis. That move comes with different expectations offensively: corner bats are often expected to have a better offensive profile than middle infielders. Here is a list of third base prospects not on the Twins' 40-man roster. I’ve included how and when they were acquired, along with the highest level they played this past season. Tanner Schobel Acquired: 2nd round, 2022 draft Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A If you follow the Twins' drafting over the past few years, you’ll notice a pattern of selecting college-level bats higher in the draft. Schobel fits that profile. Drafted in the second round out of Virginia Tech in 2022, he hit for a 1.134 OPS over his final year with the Hokies. Since being drafted, Schobel has played at every level of the minors, reaching Triple-A St. Paul in 2025. While he struggled to a .651 OPS in his first taste of Triple-A, he is only 24 years old, and it is a small sample size of just 30 games. Prior to the call-up, he hit for a slash line of .292/.372/.465 at Double-A over 49 games, which earned him the call-up. While on the list of third basemen, he has also shown the ability to play both second base and shortstop as well. The Twins love positional flexibility among players, so they are able to play matchups and put the best possible lineup out there on any given day. He’s a more contact-oriented hitter with the ability to hit some (nine in 2025) home runs. He’s a prospect with a high floor, and his defensive versatility will help him potentially carve out a role on the big league team, as long as he is able to continue making adjustments at the plate. Billy Amick Acquired: 2nd round, 2024 Draft Highest Level in 2025: High-A Another college bat drafted in the second round, Amick started his collegiate career at Clemson and then transferred to Tennessee for the 2024 season. Over his collegiate career, he had an OPS of 1.072 and hit 36 home runs over 120 games played, with 23 of those home runs coming in 2024 with the Volunteers. Since being drafted, the 23-year-old hasn’t hit for that kind of power as he is making the adjustment to professional baseball, but he has gotten on base. In 2025, Amick played mostly at High-A Cedar Rapids, where he hit .310/.418/.455. He is a high strikeout player, striking out 63 times over 244 plate appearances, which will not be a problem if his power develops like many expect it will. Amick played about half his time at first base and half his time at third base this past season, which means his offensive development will be even more important since first basemen are expected to hit. He was also selected to play in the Arizona Fall League in 2025, where he played in 11 games, and seven of them were at first base. He didn’t hit much in the Arizona Fall League, but it’s an extremely small sample size, so not too much to be worried about, especially for a player who hasn’t played above High-A professionally. He’s an intriguing prospect, but his bat will be what carries him. Keep an eye out to see if his power develops this coming season. Danny De Andrade Acquired: International Free Agency, 2021 Highest Level in 2025: High-A Signed as an international free agent in 2021, De Andrade has been on the Twins ' prospect lists since then. He was signed as a shortstop, but played the majority of his games at second base and third base in 2025. De Andrade is still just 21 years old and played the past two seasons at High-A Cedar Rapids. In 2025, he hit for a .704 OPS, which was his first full season at High-A after only playing in 29 games in 2024 due to an injury. He has shown the ability to hit some (nine in 2025) home runs and steal some (15 in 2025) bases, so keep an eye on whether those things continue to happen as he moves up in competition. He is athletic enough to be a shortstop, but keep an eye on how often he is playing there versus elsewhere in the infield. Jay Thomason Acquired: 17th round, 2024 Draft Highest Level in 2025: High-A A later round pick in 2024, Thomason hit the cover off the ball in his collegiate career at the Air Force Academy. He hit for 1.122 OPS over his four seasons, with 58 home runs over 194 games played. A left-handed hitter, Thomason has shown solid plate discipline, taking a walk in 18.2% of his at-bats in 2025. This is likely due to lower minor-league pitchers having less effective control, and Thomason was playing his age-23 season in A ball. While his walk rate will likely come down some in the minors, he has also shown some power, hitting for .477 slugging percentage this past season. Thomason has played not just third base, but also at first base, second base, and in left field as well in his short time in the minors. No matter where he ends up defensively, he is an intriguing prospect who has shown some flashes. We will see if he is able to continue developing as he faces higher competition and sneak his way into the Top 30 prospect discussion in the next year or so. Rayne Doncon Acquired: Trade, Los Angeles Dodgers, February 2024 Highest Level in 2025: High-A You may recognize Doncon’s name as the prospect who came to the Twins along with Manuel Margot prior to the 2024 season. While Margot was not at the top of the list of acquisitions prior to the disappointing 2024 season for the Twins, Doncon was a lower-level prospect who was essentially a lottery ticket at the time. He has shown some power, but hasn’t developed offensively, hitting for a slash line of .183/.286/.299 in A ball in 2025. Still just 22 years old, he will be looking to bounce back this season and take a step forward in his development. Quentin Young Acquired: 2nd round, 2025 Draft Highest Level in 2025: Single-A Another name you might recognize, as he is the nephew of former Twin Delmon Young. A very different player, Quentin is 6’6” and 225 lbs. He was drafted as a shortstop, but he will likely end up moving to third base down the road, as you don’t see many shortstops that are that tall. He’s got huge raw power, but like many young (he's 18 years old) hitters with power potential, has shown some swing-and-miss concerns as well. He only had 22 plate appearances last year in Fort Myers after signing. While a move to third is possible, there is a chance he is tried at other positions as well to see where he best fits defensively. Ryan Sprock Acquired: 8th round, 2025 Draft Highest Level in 2025: Single-A An 8th-round pick in 2025, Sprock ended up playing in 23 games with Fort Myers after being drafted. He played his college years at Elon, where he posted a .958 OPS over three seasons. In his final season with Elon, he hit 14 home runs over 57 games played, and hit two more with the Mighty Mussels after being drafted as well. While still very early in his development, he’s an intriguing mid-round prospect and someone to keep an eye on. Yilber Herrera Acquired: International Free Agency, 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Single-A Signed as an international free agent in 2022, Herrera will be playing his age-21 season in 2026. In 2025, he moved up from the Complex League and played ten games at Single-A. He projects as a contact hitter, and the hope is that power will develop as he continues to mature. Signed as a shortstop, Herrera has been tried out mostly at second base and third base, but was also tried in the corner outfield for a few games this past season. His offensive development will be the key thing to watch this coming season. Darwin Almanzar Acquired: International Free Agency, 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Dominican Summer League An international free agent signing just last year, he played in the Dominican Summer League, where he showed some promise, hitting for an .843 OPS with six home runs over 44 games played. Still very early in his development and playing his age-18 season in 2026, he is a long way from making an impact at Target Field. Almanzar remains a prospect to monitor periodically to see whether he continues to perform at a higher level as the competition increases. Leave a comment on who you think is the most promising prospect on this list. View the full article

Two years ago, the Twins signed a 32-year-old Matt Bowman to a minor-league contract. He began the season with the Saints, but after a handful of games, he was called up to the Twins. He pitched in five games for the Twins and gave up two runs over 7 2/3 innings. In a numbers game, he was DFAd by the Twins before the end of April and claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He worked in five games for them before again being DFAd. The Mariners claimed him, and he pitched in one game for Seattle. He was released. Early in July, the Twins re-signed him and he spent the next five weeks with the Saints. In mid-August, he was released and signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched well in 15 games down the stretch for the O's. Four teams in one season. A wanted man! He struggled in 20 games with Baltimore in 2025 and ended the season in the Astros minor leagues. Now 34, Bowman signed a minor-league contract this week to pitch in the Twins organization in 2026. He will report to Fort Myers next week as a non-roster invitee to spring training. He will certainly have an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Twins bullpen on Opening Day. A graduate of Princeton, he was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He made the Opening Day roster of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016. Over the next three seasons, he pitched in 156 games out of the Cards bullpen. He spent most of 2019 with the Reds and then didn't pitch at all in 2020. However, in September of 2020, he had Tommy John surgery and didn't pitch again until 2023 when he worked in three games for the Yankees. The Twins have been quieter than usual in terms of minor-league free agent signings. However, I could make a case that three minor-league free agents could make the Twins roster. Veteran infielder Orlando Arcia signed with the Twins last month. It would be surprising if he isn't on the Opening Day roster. The 31-year-old infielder debuted in 2016. He had some decent years in Milwaukee, and a couple of solid seasons in Atlanta where he played in his lone All-Star game. Dan Altavilla is a 33-year-old right-handed pitcher who, you might be surprised to learn, made his big-league debut in 2016. He's mixed in some good years with some bad years. He's had some injuries. Last year with the White Sox, he had a 2.48 ERA over 25 games and 29 innings. The peripherals weren't great (or even particularly good), but if the Twins wanted another veteran in the bullpen, he could see time there. 29-year-old Andrew Bash signed with the Twins earlier this month. He was the Angels 30th round pick in 2019 out of California Baptist. The Angels released him in 2020, and he signed with the Blue Jays. He spent the past six seasons working his way up the Jays' ladder. Last year in Triple-A Buffalo, he went 6-2 with a 2.57 ERA. He made five starts but came out of the bullpen 35 times. He has jumped back-and-forth between Double-A and Triple-A and hasn't had an ERA over 3.00 at either level since the 2022 season. The Twins signed right-hander Luis Quinones to a minor-league deal in December. Originally drafted in the 34th round by the Blue Jays in 2019, he's slowly worked his way up the ladder showing glimpses of really good stuff. He has also missed a lot time with injuries. In fact, in 2025, he pitched in just three rehab games, rehabbing in the FCL. However, he played winter ball in Puerto Rico and went 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and two Saves. In 26 innings, he gave up nine hits, walked nine and had 36 strikeouts. After five years at Miami (Ohio), Grant Hartwig signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Mets in 2021. Two years later, he debuted and pitched in 28 games for the Mets. In 2024, he made just four appearances. He joined Hanshin in Japan during the 2025 season. His season ended a little early with an oblique injury. The 28-year-old returned to the States and signed with the Twins just a couple weeks later. View the full article

Two weeks before pitchers and catchers report, the Boston Red Sox still have a hole at second base. Their solution might already be on the roster. Catchers are a stalwart presence behind the plate. When I think of catchers, players with sturdier builds — Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, and Jason Varitek — immediately come to mind. Listed at 5’10”, 190 lbs, Connor Wong is not built like your typical catcher. Why? His original position in college (University of Houston) was shortstop. He transitioned to a catcher during his sophomore year. Wong’s performance hasn’t been the tour de force that was expected from one of the key pieces of the Mookie Betts trade. His defense and bat have never flourished concurrently. In 2024, he outperformed his expected offensive stats (.051 BA-xBA, .063 SLG-xSLG, and .039 wOBA-xWOBA), but his defense was subpar (-13 Blocks Above Average and -8 Framing Runs). The next year, things flipped. In 2025, Wong’s defense initially improved before a hand injury cut his playing time early in the season. Upon his return, Carlos Narváez’s breakout performance relegated him to a backup role. Wong finished the season with a .190 BA, .500 OPS, and a 39 wRC+. With less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report, the Red Sox have a glaring hole at second base. Since Dustin Pedroia’s abrupt career-ending knee injury, second base depth has been the red-headed stepchild for the Red Sox’s roster construction. (You can also argue the same for catcher since Christian Vázquez was moved at the 2022 trade deadline.) External paths forward are limited. Ketel Marte is staying with the Diamondbacks. Nico Hoerner’s asking price is too high. If the Phillies had signed Bo Bichette, I would’ve loved a trade for Bryson Stott, but that’s wistful thinking. I’ve been beating the “Trade Jarren Duran” drum throughout the offseason, though I’d rather keep him than ship him off to Houston in a trade for Isaac Paredes. As for the other spots in the infield, shortstop is veteran Trevor Story’s position (if he can stay healthy for a second consecutive season), and Marcelo Mayer will likely start at third base, potentially sharing a platoon with Romy Gonzalez and/or Nick Sogard. The remaining depth of Gonzalez, Sogard, David Hamilton, and Nate Eaton doesn’t instill much confidence as an everyday player at second. Yet, the Red Sox’s solution might already be on the roster. Wong’s development has been zero-sum; every gain, whether defensive or offensive, has come at the other’s expense. What if the problem isn’t Wong, but his position? What happens to his production when he’s not catching? The Case for Connor Wong at Second Wong has logged a whopping total of 29 innings at second base. At catcher, he’s a career .250 hitter with a 90 wRC+ across 1,059 PA. At second, he’s yielded a .364 average with a 109 wRC+ across 11 plate appearances, a notable improvement, albeit in a very small sample size. To Wong’s credit, his offensive stats aren’t terrible; they’re average. Last year was an anomaly with injuries tanking his production. .wong-splits-wrapper { max-width: 1100px; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; } .wong-splits-wrapper .table-container { background: transparent; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; display: inline-block; } .wong-splits-wrapper table { width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; } .wong-splits-wrapper .title-row th { background: #0d2240; color: #fff; padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px; } .wong-splits-wrapper .header-row th { background: #1a3a5c; color: #fff; padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px; } .wong-splits-wrapper .header-row th:first-child { text-align: left; padding-left: 20px; } .wong-splits-wrapper td { padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-size: 0.85rem; border-bottom: 1px solid #e8e8e8; color: #333; } .wong-splits-wrapper td:first-child { text-align: left; padding-left: 20px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d2240; } .wong-splits-wrapper tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; } .wong-splits-wrapper tbody tr { background: #fff; } .wong-splits-wrapper tbody tr:hover { background: #f8f9fa; } Connor Wong Career Splits by Position Position G PA BB% K% AVG OPS ISO BABIP wOBA wRC+ C 290 1059 6.5% 27.1% .250 .695 .136 .332 .304 90 1B 10 31 6.5% 32.3% .241 .670 .138 .368 .292 85 2B 6 11 0.0% 18.2% .364 .727 .000 .444 .321 109 LF 1 1 0.0% 0.0% .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 -100 DH 9 27 0.0% 29.6% .120 .305 .000 .176 .151 -13 Wong’s defense at second base is marginally below average, posting a minus-1 OAA and a FRV of -1 in 29 innings, but his skillset and raw athleticism suggest his floor is higher than his numbers indicate. .position-comps-wrapper { max-width: 800px; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; } .position-comps-wrapper .table-container { background: transparent; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; display: inline-block; } .position-comps-wrapper table { width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif; border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; } .position-comps-wrapper .title-row th { background: #0d2240; color: #fff; padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px; } .position-comps-wrapper .header-row th { background: #1a3a5c; color: #fff; padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px; } .position-comps-wrapper .header-row th:first-child { text-align: left; padding-left: 20px; } .position-comps-wrapper td { padding: 14px 12px; text-align: center; font-size: 0.85rem; border-bottom: 1px solid #e8e8e8; color: #333; } .position-comps-wrapper td:first-child { text-align: left; padding-left: 20px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d2240; } .position-comps-wrapper tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; } .position-comps-wrapper tbody tr { background: #fff; } .position-comps-wrapper tbody tr:hover { background: #f8f9fa; } .position-comps-wrapper .section-break td { padding: 8px; background: #bd3039; border-bottom: 1px solid #e8e8e8; } Career Position Comps Player Position Innings DRS OAA FRV Romy Gonzalez 2B 836.0 -4 -2 -2 Nick Sogard 2B 164.0 -1 0 0 David Hamilton 2B 679.1 16 6 4 Connor Wong 2B 29.0 -1 -1 -1 Modern catchers are more athletic than ever, but they display a different kind of athleticism that factors in blocking, framing, and throwing. Wong’s atypical build fails him in his blocking ability. Since 2023, he’s recorded -25 Blocks Above Average, the second-worst in baseball, and his framing is unremarkable (-15 Framing Runs). Wong’s injury history reflects the physical toll catching has taken on his body: March 2023: Left hamstring injury April 2025: Left pinky fracture 2025 offseason: Right-hand carpal boss excision Arm strength matters less at second compared to shortstop or third, but Wong’s is more than adequate. In 2024, Wong posted a 1.95 average pop time to second base (63rd percentile). Injuries slowed that to 1.97 in 2025 (39th percentile). Wong pairs quick transfer with throwing accuracy, finishing in the top 30% of CS Above Average (+3). His catcher arm strength graded at 81.4 mph in 2025. For comparison, Nico Hoerner’s sits at 75.5 mph and Brice Turang's at 80.1 mph. The common thread between catcher and second is making quick, targeted throws under pressure in awkward positions. Behind the plate, that means hitting the fielder’s glove at second from over 127 ft away while a runner barrels towards the bag. At second, turning a 4-6-3 double play requires fast hands, clean transfer, arm strength, and accuracy. Wong’s best defensive plays highlight this skillset and the instincts of a middle infielder, not a catcher. Most catchers aren’t expected to wreak havoc on the basepaths. They’re not usually built for it, and crouching for over two hours drains their battery. Wong, however, possesses elite sprint speed. A move to second would give him more opportunities to use it. That’s not to say there isn’t a downside. Moving Wong to second fixes one problem, but creates another at his old position. The remaining free-agent catchers won’t move the needle. Narváez struggled in the second half of his rookie season and is coming off meniscus surgery. Backup catcher could be a critical role, and moving Wong would strain the team’s already limited catching depth. My suggestion? Let Wong take reps at second in spring training. It’s a low-risk environment to explore whether both sides of his game can coexist away from catching. What is there to lose? View the full article

Much is made of A.J. Preller's penchant for trading prospects. In many instances, the San Diego Padres' team president has given a lot -- perhaps too much -- to get a lot in return. The list of "hits" collected by the other teams is long and growing. But one of those trades didn't have the desired effect for the team collecting the kids. It's the deal that brought Yu Darvish to the Padres from the Chicago Cubs. With Darvish nearing retirement or a separation from the Padres, it's worth looking back at the trade and noting how big a win it was for San Diego. For reference, this was the full trade, which was announced on Dec. 29, 2020: PADRES RECEIVE: RHP Yu Darvish C Victor Caratini CUBS RECEIVE: RHP Zach Davies OF Owen Caissie OF Ismael Mena INF Reginald Preciado INF Yeison Santana The move was a part of Preller's ambitious plan to revamp the rotation. On the same day Darvish became a Padre, the club acquired Cy Young Award-winning left-hander Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays for a package led by Luis Patino. Four months earlier, Preller obtained Mike Clevinger from Cleveland for a prospect haul (more on that later). The Cubs were never going to match either return. In the 2020-21 offseason, they were facing a payroll crunch with their young core players -- in particular, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo -- and Darvish had three years and $59 million remaining on his contract. He dominated in the COVID-shortened 2020 season after years of solid but unspectacular results, tying for the MLB lead with eight wins and posting a 2.01 ERA in 76 innings over 12 starts, but durability was a question mark ahead of his age-34 season. Given that context, it's little wonder the Cubs executed a salary dump. Davies was a rental, as he signed with the Diamondbacks in January 2022. (For the record, Caratini was a rental for the Padres). Mena, Preciado and Santana were international lottery tickets, while Caissie was a high school hitter whom the Padres selected in the second round of the five-round 2020 MLB Draft. Two of those tickets have been torn up. Santana was released in June 2023, and Mena was released last August. Preciado is still active, but he hasn't advanced past High Single-A yet, and last year, in his fifth pro season, he compiled a .218/.292/.382 slash line (.594 OPS). He'll be in his age-23 season in 2026. Caissie, 23, became the Cubs' best hope for salvaging the trade. He reached the majors last year, with the British Columbia native making his debut Aug. 14 in Toronto. But on Jan. 6, he and minor-leaguers Edgardo De Leon and Cristian Hernandez were traded to the Miami Marlins for right-hander Edward Cabrera. With the Cubs getting barely any production from Caissie -- and none from the other prospects -- the contrast between the return for Darvish and the young players Preller sent the budget-conscious Tribe for an arbitration-eligible Clevinger --- Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, Gabriel Arias, Joey Cantillo and Owen Miller -- could not be starker. Darvish had an uneven tenure with the Friars. The peak was his 2022 season, when he posted a 3.10 ERA (3.31 FIP) and the club went 18-12 in his starts. The performance earned him a six-year, $108 million contract extension in February 2023. Over time, he became a leader of the pitching staff and a resource for younger teammates. But the past two seasons were cut short by injuries and a personal matter. Last year, his ERA ballooned to 5.38 (4.82 FIP). Now, at 39 and facing a lengthy rehab from elbow surgery, he's poised to leave San Diego three years early, The Padres didn't get great value from the extension, but overall, they got their money's worth from Darvish, mostly because they paid just pennies on the dollar to acquire him. View the full article

With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in less than two weeks, Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester look like the only true locks for spots in the Brewers’ rotation on opening day. Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick are not guarantees, but their performances last year leave them well-positioned for the third and fourth slots. After those four, the club has plenty of young candidates for the fifth spot, but each with limited track records and, in some cases, concerns surrounding their arsenals as starting pitchers. Here are some potential developments that could separate a few arms from the rest of the pack next month. Logan Henderson’s Breaking Ball Of the contenders for the fifth rotation spot, Henderson may have the most impressive big-league resume to date, pitching to a 1.78 ERA, 3.20 SIERA, and 99 DRA- with a 33.3% strikeout rate in five starts last season. However, he profiles worse as a starter than most others do. That sample showed that his fastball and changeup combination can rack up whiffs against big-league hitters who haven’t seen him much, but those two pitches are not enough to effectively work multiple turns through an order. In those five outings, the Brewers only let Henderson face nine hitters a third time through, largely because his stuff was already less deceptive by the second turn. TTO BF Whiff% Chase% wOBA xwOBA 1st 45 27.2% 37.2% .189 .273 2nd 45 26.4% 29.9% .337 .368 3rd 9 35.0% 21.1% .077 .089 The same ability that makes Henderson’s fastball and changeup so good also makes it difficult for him to develop other pitches. As a pronator, he excels at generating pure backspin and sidespin by turning his wrist in toward his body at release, but he struggles to get his hand to the outside of the baseball to spin a breaking pitch. So far, Henderson has worked on a cutter and a short gyro slider, but Adam McCalvy reported in December that he spent the winter reviving the curveball he threw as an amateur. While Henderson is unlikely to get to a true curveball shape as a low-slot pronator, trying to get to the front of the ball at release could give him an offering with more consistent glove-side movement, supplying the balance his arsenal needs as a starter. Brandon Sproat’s Command Whereas Henderson’s arsenal needs more diversity, Sproat’s six-pitch mix can keep hitters off balance and doesn’t need much more development. That could give him a leg up on his peers, but he’ll have to demonstrate in camp that his command is big-league ready. FanGraphs currently tags Sproat with just 35-grade present-day command, and his walk rates in two minor-league seasons were lackluster for a starting pitcher. While the Brewers typically avoid forcing their pitchers into the same box mechanically, Chris Hook and the pitching development crew could tweak Sproat’s unorthodox delivery to get his hand more on time when his front foot lands. Will the Brewers Prefer a Left-Hander? Woodruff, Priester, Misiorowski, and Patrick are all right-handed, as are many of the prospects behind them. If the Brewers would rather round out their rotation with a southpaw, it could boost Robert Gasser’s case for the final spot. Like Sproat, Gasser has a complete starter’s arsenal, and he has better command. If the club sticks to its usual approach, lefty swingmen Aaron Ashby and DL Hall will also be stretched out in Arizona and could make rotation bids. There may need to be more matchup-related factors at play for handedness to swing the decision. The Brewers open the season by playing the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. While the White Sox have a few decent left-handed bats, namely the recently signed Munetaka Murakami, many of the Rays’ best hitters are right-handed. Veteran Additions Pat Murphy pushed the front office to add veteran Jose Quintana last spring, and even though the Brewers are deeper in the rotation than they were at this time a year ago, he has already voiced concerns about starting depth in the wake of the Freddy Peralta trade. The Brewers also signed Tyler Alexander at the start of camp and could make a similar move again. In addition to Quintana, Zack Littell, Tyler Anderson, and Patrick Corbin are among the veteran innings-eaters who remain unsigned. The Brewers also developed a positive relationship with Jordan Montgomery, who was still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery when the Brewers acquired him with Shelby Miller at last year’s trade deadline. Should the sides agree to a reunion, his reported timeline may not put him on pace to open the year on an active roster. View the full article

Now that the Crew has traded Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets, who will be the team's ace in its 2026 rotation? Is Jacob Misiorowski capable of honing his command? Does Brandon Woodruff have a long-term future in Milwaukee? Is Chad Patrick getting enough attention? We even discuss the long-term idea of Brandon Sproat (yes, seriously) spearheading this pitching staff based on what he showed us in a bite-sized sample at New York. Catch it all in this Brewer Fanatic video! View the full article

The Minnesota Twins officially turned the page on their front office leadership on Friday. Derek Falvey and the organization agreed to mutually part ways, ending an era defined by significant highs and lows. In his place, Jeremy Zoll has been elevated to lead baseball operations, while Tom Pohlad will take on interim oversight of the business side. For those who have followed the Twins closely over the last several seasons, Zoll’s promotion feels less like a surprise and more like a continuation. His fingerprints have been all over the organization’s player development gains, and his rise reflects a belief that the next phase of competitiveness will come from within. Zoll’s Professional Climb Zoll joined the Twins in 2018, arriving from the Los Angeles Dodgers with a reputation as a sharp development mind and a strong collaborator. Prior to that, he began his career with the Los Angeles Angels in scouting and development roles, giving him early exposure to multiple organizational philosophies. Those experiences helped shape a well-rounded approach that blends traditional evaluation with modern infrastructure. His time with the Dodgers proved formative. Working within one of baseball’s most respected farm systems, Zoll was involved in individualized player plans, experimental development programs, and close coordination with research and development staff. That background translated smoothly to Minnesota, where the farm system needed both clarity and cohesion. Zoll initially served as the Twins' Director of Minor League Operations, then spent five seasons as an Assistant General Manager. He's entering his ninth year with the Twins, steadily gaining responsibility and trust along the way. His promotion to General Manager in November of 2024 when Thad Levine left the team signaled that the organization valued continuity and internal growth. Rebuilding the Pipeline When Zoll arrived, the Twins' farm system lacked a consistent identity. Development processes varied by level, and the path from draft day to Target Field was not always clear. Zoll helped change that. Alongside leaders like Dr Chris Camp, he emphasized performance science, clearer communication, and stronger alignment between coaching staffs and analysts. The result has been a steady stream of impact talent reaching the major leagues. Royce Lewis, Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, and Matt Wallner were all high draft picks who matriculated to the big-leagues with varied levels of success. On the pitching side, arms like Bailey Ober, David Festa, and Zebby Matthews highlight the organization’s ability to find value beyond the top rounds of the draft. For a franchise that cannot rely on aggressive spending, those wins matter. Zoll’s influence has not been limited to names on a prospect list. He helped modernize how the Twins teach mechanics, manage workloads, and tailor development plans to individual players. Biomechanics, video analysis, and data-driven feedback are now standard tools throughout the system, not add-ons. A Philosophy That Fits the Market Zoll’s background positions him well for the realities of the Twins' payroll structure. His approach prioritizes depth, flexibility, and internal options, thereby reducing the need for costly external fixes. He's been active on the fringes of the Twins roster over the last two offseasons, with success stories that include Harrison Bader and Danny Coulombe. After last season’s trade deadline selloff, ironically orchestrated by Falvey, the Twins have one of baseball’s highest-ranked minor league systems. Minnesota’s top prospects, like Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Connor Prielipp, are all on the cusp of the big leagues with a chance to impact 2026 and beyond. However, it will be multiple years before fans know if last season’s trade deadline was successful for the organization. Equally important is his collaborative style. Player development, analytics, medical, and coaching staffs are expected to operate as one ecosystem. That mindset is likely to define how baseball operations function moving forward. Turning the Page Falvey’s departure marks a clear transition point, but it does not signal a teardown of philosophy. Instead, the Twins are doubling down on an identity that has slowly taken shape over the past several seasons. Zoll represents that identity perhaps more clearly than anyone else in the organization. This is a bet on continuity, development, and patience. It is also a bet that the next competitive Twins core will be built largely by the people already in-house. As Zoll takes the reins, the direction is clear even if the outcomes remain uncertain. What are your initial thoughts on Zoll’s promotion and Falvey’s exit? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

While the Red Sox have been playing third base roulette the last year, signing Eugenio Suarez could be the jackpot signing. Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs after his one-year stint at Fenway Park. Suarez could slot right in and has proven to be powerful, available, and... well, he does strike out a lot. We break it all down in this Talk Sox video, including how this hypothetical addition would impact Boston's infield. View the full article

Jake Cook may not be a name you know now, but with home-to-first times comparable to that of Rays' speedster Chandler Simpson, you'll know this name very soon. Cook, the No. 11-rated prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system, has an 80-grade run attribute and has just been harnessing it over the last couple of years. Originally recruited as a college pitcher, Cook made the switch to center field and is putting up numbers you won't believe. Learn about the Jays' next speedster in this Jays Centre video! View the full article

Sources told MLB.com that on Thursday, the Kansas City Royals and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino agreed to a two-year deal worth more than $11 million guaranteed contract, avoiding the need for the two sides to head to an arbitration hearing. Pasquantino will have one more year of arbitration eligibility in 2028 before becoming a free agent for the 2029 season. Pasquantino’s camp filed for $4.5 million, while the Royals filed for $4 million. The deal could reach $16 million, including incentives. Last season, Pasquantino appeared in a career high 160 games, posting a slash line of .264/.323/.475, turning in a career high in slugging across 621 at-bats. The 28-year-old totalled a career high in hits with 164, doubles with 33, home runs with 32, and runs batted in with 113. All four of Pasquantino's big league seasons have been with the Royals. The former 11th-round selection in 2019 has a career average of .266 with a .330 OBP, 70 home runs, and 262 RBIs, often occupying one of the top five spots in the Royals' batting lineup. In 2025, Pasquantino had the highest barrel percentage of his career, coming in at 10.8%, up from the previous high of 8.8% set back in year one. Pasquantino was ranked in the 84th percentile in terms of squaring up the ball, while also being in the 84th percentile in whiff and 83rd for strikeout percentage, all strong numbers by the power-hitting first baseman. Pasquantino will be in action when the World Baseball Classic kicks off in early March, representing Team Italy. Pasquantino also represented Italy in 2023, when Italy was knocked out by the eventual champions Japan in the quarterfinals by a score of 9-3. In five games, Pasquantino batted .200 with a .273 OBP across 20 plate appearances. Pasquantino could be in line for another big season in 2026, with Kauffman Stadium moving the dimensions to make the park more hitter-friendly; the Royals’ first baseman could be set for another big year in the power department. The walls are being lowered from 10 feet to 8 feet, and the left-field corner will move in from 356 feet to 353 feet. The left-center and right-center gaps are going to be brought in from 389 feet to 379 feet, making the power alleys much more reachable. Center field remains untouched at 410 feet. View the full article

"We will be competitive in 2026," said Tom Pohlad on Friday, reiterating an assertion he's made multiple times since taking over as controlling owner of the Minnesota Twins in December. It's a proclamation that defies reality, and certainly hasn't been backed by any significant action on the roster-building front. Coming off a 92-loss season, mired in question marks, and lacking much in the way of relief pitching, the Twins face a steep uphill climb to fulfill Pohlad's ambition. That point of friction seems to be what resulted in Derek Falvey stepping aside. While this split has been positioned by the team as "mutual," Falvey could surely see the writing on the wall and was ready to move on. Opinions will vary on the effectiveness of his tenure, but no one can deny Falvey has been stifled and railroaded repeatedly in trying to do his job over the past couple years. Minnesota's 2023 success was immediately followed by a momentum-shattering payroll slash, with sharper spending limits imposed since. The about-face in strategic direction this winter had to be the final straw from Falvey's point of view. The Twins' approach at the deadline clearly signaled intentions for a rebuild, or at the very least a temporary reset. Shipping out 10 players set the stage for a presumed follow-through in the offseason that would see the Twins trade Pablo Lopez and/or Joe Ryan (who was by all accounts very nearly dealt in July) for peak remaining value. This was a tough pill to swallow for Twins fans, but in the aftermath of what Minnesota did at the deadline, it was the only viable option. That is, until ownership threw a curveball and Tom took over from Joe as executive chair. With him, the new figurehead brought a contradictory mandate: compete now. No kicking the can down the road. As a fan, I can appreciate what Pohlad is trying to do. He sees that interest in the team is spiraling, he knows the difficult road ahead for Major League Baseball, and he wants to temper the crash in fan morale by demonstrating some level of care and investment. Thus, we have the "we're going to compete" campaign, and the green light for modest acquisitions like Josh Bell and Victor Caratini. (Not to mention calling up canceled season ticket-holders personally.) But here's the thing: it's too late. The die was cast for the 2026 season at the deadline when the front office traded three top relievers under team control, as well as Carlos Correa with no expectation of backfilling his salary. If the Twins were going to have a shot at rebounding from those losses, it was going to take higher-scale moves than Bell, Caratini and an army of waiver claims or scrap-heap signings. The Twins are projected in Vegas for 72-74 wins, which seems a very fair expectation objectively. Derek Falvey knew it, helping explain his decision to jump ship. He was in line to be a scapegoat this summer, following in the footsteps of Rocco Baldelli, and he got out ahead of it. As for the motivations of Tom Pohlad and the Twins? Those are harder to reason, both in this instance and at a broader level. Parting ways with Falvey at this peculiar moment feels more like a denial of reality than an inspired shakeup. "We're in the business of winning baseball games," Pohlad said back in December when he took over the reins. But therein lies the problem: business savvy doesn't win baseball games. It takes visionary baseball leadership and sound big-picture decision-making. The departure of Falvey leaves a huge experiential void in that department, while the Twins navigate aimlessly into a season that is bound to disappoint. View the full article

Picture a mountain of money so tall it could cast a shadow over the CN Tower. Not a neat stack of bills, not a vault filled with cash, a skyscraper made entirely of currency. That’s what $285 million looks like when you try to visualize it. It stops feeling real and starts feeling like something out of franchise mode. Now imagine that money isn’t going toward mansions or startups or a fleet of super‑yachts. Imagine instead that you’re the president and general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. And that $285 million? That’s your 2026 Opening Day payroll. You’re operating with the financial firepower of an elite MLB franchise. No arbitration rules. No service‑time games. No club‑control limitations. Just salaries, star power and imagination. If you could assemble the most devastating roster possible, a team that would make the rest of the teams in the league groan into their morning coffees, what would it look like? This is that thought experiment. It’s not infinite money. You can’t simply buy every superstar alive. You need a strategic blend: a few megadeals, several high‑end veterans and a backbone of young players criminally underpaid compared to their production. The goal is simple: build the most dominant, most terrifying, most “this shouldn’t be legal” baseball team imaginable. With that mission in mind, here is my version of the super‑team. The Lineup Catcher: Adley Rutschman A franchise‑shifting presence behind the plate. He receives like a veteran, hits like a middle‑of-the-order bat, and elevates everyone around him. First Base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The face of the franchise remains at home. His swing is unmistakable. His presence, magnetic. Even in a “down” year, he terrifies pitchers, and at peak form, he’s an MVP. Toronto wouldn’t dream of doing this without him. Second Base: Ozzie Albies A switch‑hitting spark plug with a team‑friendly contract and elite instincts. Albies brings energy, contact, power, and pristine defense. He is the exact kind of efficient superstar every mega‑payroll needs. Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson A five‑tool monster and one of the best young players alive. He hits rockets, steals bases, plays elite defense and does it all while making less money than most utility infielders. The ultimate roster hack. Third Base: Austin Riley A perennial middle‑order thumper with 40‑homer power. Riley brings stability, leadership, and the kind of consistent slugging that championship teams are built on. Left Field: Yordan Alvarez Baseballs fear him. Pitchers fear him. Statcast fears him. Yordan hits baseballs with the anger of a man who has personally been wronged by them. As a pure hitter, he might be the best left‑handed power bat since peak David Ortiz. Center Field: Julio Rodríguez Charismatic. Explosive. Marketable. Julio is a walking highlight reel and an organizational cornerstone. His contract is a bargain, his production is top quality and he hasn’t even peaked yet. Right Field: Aaron Judge The skyscraper in spikes. A titan who hits 450‑foot homers as casually as most players take batting practice swings. One of the highest‑paid players in the sport and worthy of every penny. Designated Hitter: Corbin Carroll Yes, Corbin Carroll as the DH. A luxury so absurd it almost shouldn’t count. He’s a superstar athlete, an MVP candidate, and one of the most efficient contracts in baseball. As the fourth outfielder/DH hybrid, he turns an already‑elite lineup into one with no breaks. The Rotation Logan Webb The groundball surgeon. Webb doesn’t overpower hitters; he erases them. A bulldog with elite command who can anchor any staff. Tarik Skubal The left‑handed ace with Cy Young stuff. Skubal’s fastball explodes, his command is sharp and his strikeout totals belong in the realm of baseball demigods. George Kirby He throws strikes the way painters apply brush strokes with intention, precision, and artistry. Perhaps the best command of any pitcher on Earth. Logan Gilbert The 6-foot-6 flamethrower brings controlled violence with every pitch. He’s durable, reliable, and still trending upward. Bryce Miller Your No. 5 starter is a pitcher who could be a No. 2 on half the teams in baseball. That’s when you know the rotation is unfair. The Bullpen This isn’t a bullpen. It’s a closing argument. Emmanuel Clase — The best closer alive. Jhoan Duran — Velocity incarnate. The hardest thrower in MLB history. Andrés Muñoz — Slider from hell. Mason Miller — Triple‑digit prodigy. Matt Brash — Breaking‑ball sorcery. Gabe Speier — Lefty stabilizer. Yennier Cano — Turbo sinker specialist. Cooper Criswell — Swiss Amy depth. Every game is effectively over after the fifth inning. The Bench A true super‑team doesn’t have depth. This isn’t a bench. It’s a starting lineup for most franchises. Gabriel Moreno — Backup catcher. Elly De La Cruz — Chaos incarnate. Ha‑Seong Kim — Elite defender everywhere. Ernie Clement — Glue guy. The Price Tag: $283.87 million This roster comes in just under the $285 million imaginary cap, with a group that features megadeals, elite mid‑prime stars, underpaid superstars, and a historically dominant bullpen. It’s the perfect blend of financial muscle and strategic efficiency. The Dodgers are the modern blueprint for big‑market dominance. They spend without fear. They chase every star. They operate like a baseball superpower. But this hypothetical Blue Jays roster? It matches them punch for punch and in many areas, it surpasses them. This team has more power, more speed, a deeper rotation, a more dominant bullpen and a younger core. It’s the kind of roster that makes analysts shake their heads and mutter, “This isn’t fair.” How many games would this team win? Let’s be honest: 120 wins is conservative. This isn’t a team. It’s a cheat code. In today’s MLB, a payroll in the range of $280-300 million puts you in rare company with the Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Yankees and Jays. The next tier (Padres, Red Sox, Cubs, Braves, Astros) sits around $200-250 million. The rest of the league ranges from $195 million (Giants) to well below $100 million (Marlins, White Sox, Rays, Guardians). Money doesn’t guarantee championships. But it guarantees opportunity. It guarantees depth. It guarantees that when a superstar hits the market, you’re in the conversation. And in this fantasy exercise, it guarantees something even more fun: the chance to build the greatest team imaginable. There’s something fun about imagining what you would do if you ran a baseball team with no restrictions. It taps into the same part of the brain that loves simulations, fantasy sports and franchise mode. But it also highlights something real: The Blue Jays are already acting like a big‑market team. They’re already spending like contenders. They’re already in the financial tier where championships become possible. This $285 million super‑team will never exist. But the ambition behind it? That part is very real and pretty awesome. View the full article

Welcome to part seven of North Side Baseball’s offseason series covering the 1918 Chicago Cubs. You can find the first six parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Last time, we left off with the World Series in question. The Cubs began August 3.5 games up on the second-place New York Giants. However, with World War I ongoing in Europe, it was declared in July that all draft-eligible men must either sign up for war-related work, or risk being drafted to fight in the war. Of course, this included baseball players. The National League was considering ending its season, and was scheduled to discuss the matter on August 1. Ending the Season Early According to The New York Times, the National League first agreed to end the season early, with the American League later following suit. The two leagues were looking to end their respective regular seasons at the end of August, with a World Series to be played not long after. The issue, according to an August 3 article in The Times, was whether or not the government would approve. “After some discussion, the owners agreed to put the situation to a test by agreeing to close the season Labor Day and then starting a World Series Sept. 4 if permitted by the government.” The National League and American League were essentially hoping that the government would allow for a special exemption for the players playing in the World Series. The work or fight order was scheduled to take effect at the end of the month, and if it still applied to the players in the World Series, they would be at risk of being drafted to fight in the war smack dab in the middle of the championship. National League Champions The Cubs held steady at the start of August, starting 11-7-1 after a doubleheader sweep over the Philadelphia Phillies on August 17. The Giants, though, were in free fall. By the time the Cubs suited up on August 18, they were eight games up on the Giants, who started the month just 6-10. Needing just one win to clinch the pennant on August 25, the Cubs hosted the Brooklyn Robins for a doubleheader. Game one featured little-used Roy Walker against future Hall of Famer Rube Marquard. Led by two hits from Dode Paskert and Bill Killefer, as well as RBIs from Max Flack and Charlie Hollocher, the Cubs won 5-3 and clinched the National League pennant. Over in the American League, the Babe Ruth-led Boston Red Sox were wrapping up their impressive regular season by being officially crowned American League champions. The World Series was set to feature the Cubs vs. the Red Sox. But would it be played? When would it be played? Questions were still abound. Finalizing World Series Plans After submitting for the government to allow for the players competing in the World Series to be exempt from the work or fight rule, The Times officially reported on August 23 that this was approved. “Secretary of War Baker placed the approval of the Government on the [World Series] yesterday. He announced that one of the principal reasons he [believed] the baseball classic should be played was because the American [soldiers] in France are intensely interested in the results.” The Times continued their reporting on August 25 by stating that “the series is expected to contribute between $30,000 and $40,000” to war charities. Admission to the series was also set to be reduced “in order to enable patrons to attend the games at reasonable prices.” Box seats were to be sold for $3 per ticket, down from $5 the previous year, grandstand seats were going to go for $1.50, pavilion seats for $1, and bleacher seats for 50 cents (oh, how times have changed). With the Red Sox having clinched the American League pennant, by the end of the month it was time to officially plan the World Series. It would begin September 5. The first three games would be played in Chicago at Comiskey Park, with the last four games being played in Boston at Fenway Park. Instead of playing at the Cubs’ usual home of Weeghman Park, the team opted to play at Comiskey Park because it had a larger capacity, 30,000, compared to just 16,000 at Weeghman. The dates, teams, and venues were set. The war-related negotiations were over. The Cubs and Red Sox were all set and ready to face off in the 1918 World Series. View the full article

With a little over a month left before the start of the tournament, the rosters for each participating nation are all but finalized. Some countries have a few spots to fill, and Joey Ortiz was recently announced as part of the newest crop of baseball talent to join the Mexican National Team. He was added alongside Jonathan Aranda, Alek Thomas, and Taijuan Walker. Ortiz has Mexican heritage through his parents and should be a big upgrade over Alan Trejo, who served as the team's starting shortstop in 2023. His offensive regression for the Brewers last season was a point of concern, but his defensive production allowed him to stay slightly above replacement, giving him 1.4 fWAR. He'll be joined in the infield by Ramón and Luis Urías, the latter of whom is a former Brewer. Mexico's roster is now stacked with big-leaguers, including many returning faces from 2023 like Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran. The schedule of the tournament will directly conflict with Spring Training, a crucial time for young talent like Ortiz to prepare for the upcoming season. These refusals are often due to injury risk ,but front offices have occasionally been strict with the way that their younger players are managed. Despite his regression in 2025, it's an encouraging vote of confidence by the franchise that he'll be allowed to forego spring training for the WBC. Ortiz will join fellow Brewers Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and Tyler Black in Miami for the competition. View the full article

For months, the idea lingered quietly in the background. It showed up in subtle ways through roster decisions that felt restrained rather than ambitious and through an organizational structure that seemed increasingly muddled. On Friday, it became official when the Minnesota Twins announced that Derek Falvey and the organization were mutually parting ways. While the timing may have surprised some with spring training just around the corner, the reality is that this relationship has been drifting toward a breakup for quite some time. When the Twins finally won their first playoff series in decades during the 2023 season, the organization looked like a franchise that had turned a meaningful corner. Payroll sat around $160 million, and ownership had committed to building around cornerstone players. Carlos Correa was locked into a long-term deal. Pablo Lopez was acquired and extended to anchor the rotation. The message was clear. The Twins were done treading water and intended to push their competitive window well into the next decade. That momentum never carried forward. Payroll has steadily dropped since that high point and now sits just over $100 million projected for the 2026 season. The drop has been stark not only in numbers but in perception. Instead of supplementing a playoff core, the front office was forced into cost-cutting moves that chipped away at depth and flexibility. Two disappointing finishes in 2024 and 2025 followed, and the sense of progress evaporated. At times, the Twins looked less like a team building on success and more like one trying to stay afloat. Nothing symbolized the disconnect more clearly than the Carlos Correa situation. The Twins are paying him $10 million per season to play for the Houston Astros for the next three years, an outcome that would have been unthinkable when the deal was signed. That decision reflected a franchise that had lost its direction and a front office operating within tighter constraints than ever before. The strange handling of Falvey’s role only added to the confusion. His promotion from President of Baseball Operations to President of Business and Baseball Operations was framed as a massive vote of confidence, especially following a disappointing season. Across Major League Baseball, only a handful of executives hold that level of power, overseeing both sides of the organization. Yet it never truly felt like Falvey was running the business side. Dave St. Peter shifted into an advisor role roughly a year ago but remained highly visible around the team throughout last season. While St. Peter was expected to focus on facilitating the sale of the franchise, the process dragged on, and Falvey never appeared to fully take control of the broader operation. Instead of clarity, the Twins operated in a gray area where authority felt shared, but accountability did not. That kind of structure rarely lasts, especially when on-field results are slipping, and financial commitment is shrinking. Ownership change only accelerated the inevitable. Tom Pohlad officially took over the ownership role from Joe Pohlad earlier this winter, and Falvey’s departure may be the first major domino tied to that transition. Tom brings a strong business background from running other family enterprises, and it seems increasingly clear that his vision did not align with Falvey’s. Whether it was philosophy, spending priorities, or long-term strategy, the two sides were no longer moving in the same direction. From Falvey’s perspective, the calculus is understandable. There are only so many top front office jobs across Major League Baseball, but what incentive did he really have to stay? Early in his tenure, payroll growth made it easier to envision sustained competitiveness in the AL Central. Lately, the opposite has been true. The current ownership group appears more likely to hold the club until a new CBA is approved before exploring a sale at a price they find acceptable. That limbo offers little appeal to a baseball executive tasked with building a winner. Leaving now is far from ideal with spring training on the horizon, but staying was starting to make even less sense. The reasons that once made Minnesota an attractive long-term project were steadily disappearing. By this winter, the writing was no longer subtle. The breakup had been coming, and this offseason finally brought it to a head. What are your thoughts on Falvey leaving? Has this been coming for some time? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

In a shocking turn of events, the Minnesota Twins and general manager Derek Falvy have decided to mutually part ways. Jeremy Zoll will take over as general manager at a time where the Twins as an organization have a lot of questions to answer.View the full article

Miami Marlins prospect and Sydney Blue Sox superstar Eric Rataczak has been announced as the Australian Baseball League's Helms Award Winner, bestowed upon the league's most valuable player. In 38 regular season games, Rataczak slashed .336/.411/.571 with seven home runs and three stolen bases. He tied for the league lead with 19 extra-base hits. The Helms Award was voted on by ABL team representatives, officials and media members. The other award finalists were Nick Ward and Robbie Perkins, two ABL veterans in their early 30s. Rataczak's Blue Sox team posted the league's best regular season record, but fell in the ABL Championship Series. Drafted by the Marlins in 2024 out of Niagara University, Rataczak received a modest $75k signing bonus. He has appeared in 101 minor league games across three levels, slashing .238/.350/.345 with six homers, 17 steals and a 107 wRC+. The vast majority of his MiLB defensive reps have come at the corner outfield spots, but the Blue Sox used him exclusively at first base. Rataczak was one of 22 players in the Marlins organization who participated in fall/winter league leagues during the 2025-26 offseason. Rataczak, who turned 25 earlier this month, will attend minor league camp this spring. He's likely to return to Double-A Pensacola, where he spent the final month of the 2025 MiLB campaign. View the full article

For the most part, the players who find themselves on a 26-man Opening Day roster entered spring training as members of the 40-man roster. However, we usually at least one non-roster invitee rise above the rest to break camp with the big league team, or earn a spot shortly after the season begins. One of the most famous Miami Marlins examples was José Fernández in 2013. A first-time NRI at just 20 years old, he joined the MLB starting rotation in early April and quickly established himself as an elite pitcher. We saw a more traditional example last year with Janson Junk, who signed with the Marlins as a minor league free agent and made a strong impression during spring training. He was initially promoted when long relief help was needed and never went back down, finishing third on the club with 110 innings pitched in 2025. On Thursday, the Marlins announced a list of 31 non-roster invitees who will get the opportunity to prove themselves in Jupiter this spring. The following names are worth watching very closely because of their talent and potential roster fit. Fish On First's number three prospect Robby Snelling will be right at the top of this list with the Marlins recently trading Edward Cabrera (Chicago Cubs) and Ryan Weathers (New York Yankees). Between Double-A and Triple-A last season, Snelling posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 10.99 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9 in 136 innings pitched. Snelling's AAA stint really set him apart, with a 1.27 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 11.45 K/9 and 2.40 BB/9 in 63 ⅔ innings pitched. The Marlins can gain an extra year of service time with the left-handed starter by delaying his debut until mid-April. On the other hand, there is nothing left for him to prove in the minor leagues. Also, as a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect, he is eligible to earn a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick for the organization. A strong spring training could force the hand of president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Thomas White is the consensus top-ranked prospect in the organization. Across three MiLB levels, he posted a 2.31 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 14.55 K/9 and 5.12 BB/9 in 89 ⅔ innings pitched. White's biggest issue has been command/control. If he can show the Marlins he has addressed that throughout the course of spring training, the 21-year-old could contribute right away. Beyond that, though, his limited workload in the past hasn't prepared him to be a full-season starter in 2026. Expect White to be called up later in the season. Relievers Josh Ekness (FOF #27) and Nigel Belgrave (unranked) have been successful in the minors ever since the Marlins selected both of them with late-round draft picks in 2023. This will mark Ekness' second invite to major league camp while for Belgrave, this will be his first. In 2025, Ekness posted a 4.17 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 11.33 K/9 and 4.33 BB/9 in 54 innings pitched. A main reason for the inflated ERA and FIP are due to his struggles when he got up to AAA, only making three appearances, surrendering nine runs in that span. With Pensacola, he had a 2.73 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 11.28 K/9 and 3.59 BB/9. Ekness' fastball velocity is a major standout along with a slider's ability to miss bats. If injuries come up impacting other bullpen options, there is a chance he can make the trip to Miami on Opening Day before even establishing himself at AAA. Belgrave between AA and AAA posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 12.18 K/9 and 3.84 BB/9 in 68 innings pitched. His ceiling may be lower than Ekness', but his history of dominating right-handed batters makes it easy to envision him contributing in the big leagues immediately. Switching over to the hitting prospects, Kemp Alderman is knocking on the door. During a breakout campaign in 2025, he slashed .285/.338/.482/.819 with 22 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. Alderman has incredible power to all fields. Being right-handed helps his case given how left-handed-heavy the Marlins outfield is, but consistency will be key with a prospect like this. Jacob Berry slashed .261/.348/.394/.742 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 104 wRC+ during a full season in Jacksonville. His offensive production ticked up as the year progressed. Berry was used in the outfield by his Puerto Rican Winter League team, but he is currently listed as an infielder by the Marlins. Ongoing defensive struggles make him unlikely to find a role on the roster. Brendan Jones was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Ryan Weathers trade. Last season between High-A and AA, he slashed .245/.359/.395/.754 with 11 home runs, 69 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a 126 wRC+. His ability to play all three outfield spots, speed, strikeout rate of 19.9% and walk rate of 14.9% make him a strong option for the Marlins if he finds early success in his first taste of AAA. Infielder Jesús Bastidas stands out amongst Miami's minor league free agent signings. Last season at AAA between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros orgs, he slashed .262/.352/.440/.792 with 16 home runs, 80 RBI and a 109 wRC+. That momentum carried over to winter ball. Defensively, Bastidas has played primarily second base and shortstop, but has experience at third base as well, so he does provide some versatility, which the Marlins are always searching for. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins and top baseball executive Derek Falvey are parting ways, the team announced to staff in a stunning internal email Friday morning. Falvey, 42, ran baseball operations for Minnesota for nine seasons. The team issued a press release announcing the move shortly after sharing it internally. Falvey began his career with Cleveland, worked his way through a variety of front-office roles, and ultimately rose to assistant general manager. He joined Minnesota in the fall of 2016 as the Twins’ top baseball decision-maker, with a background built on process, research, and analytics (particularly in regard to pitching) and emphasizing relationships and culture. The Twins hired Falvey to lead a reset after a 103-loss season, and much of his early impact came behind the scenes. Under his leadership, Minnesota invested in technology and information, modernizing how they integrated pro scouting, player development, medical/performance, and research. That foundation helped fuel competitive peaks, including a quick return to the postseason in 2017, and the 2019 breakout, when the Twins won 101 games with their Bomba Squad. With success came some bold roster bets: signing Josh Donaldson, committing long-term to Byron Buxton, aggressively pursuing Carlos Correa, and trading Luis Arráez for Pablo López. He also developed the pitching pipeline the fans were promised, with somewhat middling results. More to come. View the full article