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Get ready, Milwaukee Brewers fans. It is less than a month until the three-time defending NL Central champions are back at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Official report dates were announced, with the Crew pitchers and catchers due Feb. 12 and the first full-squad workout Feb. 17. Players in the Brewers' system who are playing in the World Baseball Classic have report dates of Feb. 11 and Feb. 12, respectively, regardless of their organization. Players often report early, especially those bouncing back from injuries or just wanting to get extra work in. The first Brewers exhibition game is March 21, when they host the Cleveland Guardians. The Brewers also host WBC participant Great Britain on March 3, while the annual prospect showcase, Spring Breakout, will feature the Brewers traveling to the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Ariz., on March 20. The Brewers' last home game in Arizona is the next day, March 21, against the San Diego Padres, with March 22 vs. the Chicago Cubs the last game in the desert at Mesa, Ariz. The Brewers will face the Cincinnati Reds in two exhibition games in Milwaukee on March 23-24. Opening Day for the Crew is March 26 vs. the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. View the full article

They are the four best words in baseball: pitchers and catchers report. Why? Because that signals the official start of spring training, bringing Opening Day that much closer. The San Diego Padres open camp in Peoria, Ariz., in just over three weeks, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 11 and the first full-squad workout Feb. 15. Oftentimes, players report early, depending on if they are coming back from injury or just want to get some extra work in with the coaching staff, but those are the mandatory report dates for the two groups. Those players who are participating in the World Baseball Classic have slightly earlier report dates. Pitchers and catchers, regardless of MLB organization, must report by Feb. 11 (same as the Padres) and position players by Feb. 12. The Padres' first exhibition game is Feb. 20 against the Seattle Mariners, the same team the Friars share the Peoria Sports Complex with. Technically, the Friars are the road team in that game, with their first home game Feb. 22 against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The final exhibition game will take place in Peoria also against the Mariners on March 23. Opening Day for the Friars is March 26 vs. two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers. View the full article

On Thursday, the 2026 international signing period opened and the Miami Marlins inked deals with 21 players, highlighted by shortstops Santiago Solarte and Ronny Muñoz. They each received a $1M bonus, per sources. This is the organization's second international signing class since David Hernandez-Beayne was named director of international scouting. The following players officially signed Thursday on their first day of eligibility, with more to follow in the coming days: Santiago Solarte ($1M) Solarte, a 17-year-old out of Caja Seca, Venezuela, is ranked 16th on MLB Pipeline's Top 50 international prospects list. He's a 50-grade prospect overall with 45-hit, 65-power, 55-run, 50-arm and 55-field tools. "Physical specimen type of build with raw explosiveness and top-of-scale strength," said one scout. "Advanced body control and athletic actions for someone that size and age." VIDEO-2026-01-06-22-06-52.mp4 Solarte briefly participated in Venezuela's professional summer league (LMBP), where the average player was more than a decade older than him. In nine games with Samanes de Aragua (mostly off the bench), he slashed .143/.250/.143 with one hit, one walk, two strikeouts and one stolen base. Solarte has been trained at Academia Carlos Guillén. New Marlins outfielder Raunny Figueredo ($350k bonus) trained at that academy as well. Ronny Muñoz ($1M) hkh_A0kSYyaeKTZT.mp4 Muñoz, who ranks as the #27 prospect on MLB Pipeline, is another 50-grade prospect (55-hit, 55-power, 60-run, 60-arm and 45-field). "He's probably the most talented player in this class," said David Hernandez-Beayne. "The way that I would describe him as short as possible would be traits-based prospect. Very tooled up, explosive and athletic. He's very strong within his frame. He's a plus runner, he's got a plus arm, he's got plus impact, plus hand speed. He's one of those guys that, for us, in terms of the raw tool package of having that skill set to be able to progress, improve, get better, become that impactful prospect we think he can, he has it all." Muñoz had already seen action in what are called "committed games," hitting a home run to straightaway center field. Eliezer Peralta ($275k) Eliezer Peralta.mp4 The Marlins view Peralta as this class' top international pitching prospect. The 17-year-old pitcher out of the Dominican Republic throws a fastball which sits 90-92 mph with a spin rate between 2,176-2,220 rpm. His changeup averages 82 mph with a spin rate between 1,601-1,834 rpm. His final pitch, a 77-80 mph slider, has a spin rate between 2,239-2,341 rpm. "We have a lot of things that we look for when it comes to pitching," said Hernandez-Beayne. "Obviously, a big part of it is the size, projection and athleticism. We believe heavily in biomechanics traits that create outliers for pitchers being able to bend pitches and generate future velocity. There's a lot of specific things that we care about, but makeup is also very important." Maikel Acosta ($225k) Maikel Acosta.mp4 One Marlins scout called Acosta the most underrated signing of the class. His exit velocity already averages 90 mph. He has a 40-yard dash time of 4.96 seconds. He possesses a strong arm at shortstop, averaging 90 mph on max-effort throws (the MLB average at the position is 85.7 mph). Ben Badler of Baseball America adds, "The foundation of his right-handed swing works well, and he has a knack for putting the ball in play, so getting stronger will be key to do more damage on contact." Acosta will be making his professional debut as a 16-year-old. Francisco Del Campo ($400k) dxvsov.mp4 Out of the four catchers that the Marlins signed, Del Campo seems to be the best of the bunch. "He recognizes pitches well, has good bat-to-ball skills and strength, though with a flatter path that doesn’t lend itself to much loft yet," Badler writes. "His hands work well behind the plate, he has a clean transfer and his arm strength has ticked up considerably over the past couple years to become at least an average tool." He represented Mexico in the 2024 U-15 World Cup in Colombia. More recently, Del Campo trained with the Mexican League's Leones de Yucatan. He appeared in one game for them last summer. Other standouts Right-hander Batista already spins his fastball above 2,500 rpm. He signed for $100k. "Batista is an interesting case, because very rarely do you find players that are slight frame like he is," said Hernandez-Beayne. "He's 6'0", 130 pounds right now...He's truly a unique case, a real outlier, someone we're incredibly excited about." Onardi Santos, who stands at 6'5" and is a left-handed pitcher, signed for $220k. Right-hander Evan Da Souza, a native out of Nicaragua, signed for $250k, though his deal was not officially announced on Thursday. Da Souza's agent brought him to the Dominican Republic to give him more exposure and that is when the Marlins discovered him at a big showcase in Punta Cana. "Immediately stood out by the guy with elite size, elite frame, high projectability traits, unique outlier pitch characteristics and that ability to really calm the strike zone, and so all those elements made teams really want to get involved within that process," said Hernandez-Beayne. View the full article

After two-and-a-half months, the Boston Red Sox have finally signed a free agent. They improved upon their already strong rotation by bringing in Ranger Suárez on a five-year, $130 million contract. Suárez, who made his major league debut back in 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies, will slot right into the rotation as the number two to ace Garrett Crochet. Suárez originally signed with the Phillies as an international free agent out of Venezuela back in 2012 as a 16-year-old. The left-handed pitcher worked his way through the system and by 2018, made his Double-A, Triple-A, and major-league debut. In his short sample in the majors, Suárez made four appearances, three of them starts as he tossed 15 innings, had a 5.40 ERA and struck out 11 while walking six. The 2019 campaign saw Suárez opening the year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, ranking as the team’s number 10 prospect at the time. Suárez wound up making a couple brief call-ups in June before receiving his final promotion on June 20. Unlike in 2018, Suárez was used exclusively out of the bullpen as he made 37 appearances. The then-23-year-old wound up tossing 48 2/3 innings as he struck out 42 batters while walking 12. Thanks to his strong performance out of the bullpen, there was belief he would contend for a rotation spot in 2020, but his season was derailed from testing positive for COVID-19 right before Opening Day. By the time he was allowed to leave quarantine and begin rehabbing, it was already late August. In order to get him back sooner, the team moved him to the bullpen where he would make just three appearances, though he struggled mightily. In four innings, Suárez allowed nine earned runs and four walks compared to just one strikeout. The 2021 season was more of the same for Suárez. The Phillies decided to have him open the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he didn’t make a single appearance before being recalled to the Phillies. His role changed across the season, originally serving as a multi-inning reliever. Suárez was eventually asked to fill in as the closer after the Phillies attempted to use two other relievers and they both struggled. Fortunately for the Phillies and Suárez, the team acquired Ian Kennedy at the trade deadline to become the closer while Suárez was moved once more, now into the rotation. Upon that transition back to starting, Suárez was dominant. The left-hander made 12 starts and tossed 65 2/3 innings where he allowed just 11 earned runs. In that span, he struck out 65 batters and walked just 19. On the season as a whole, Suárez appeared in 39 games and threw 106 innings to the tune of a 1.36 ERA. From that point on, he has been in the Phillies' rotation permanently. He made a career-high 29 starts in 2022, and then would go on to make 22, 27, and 26 starts respectively over the next three seasons. Since 2022, however, Suárez has missed time each season due to low back spasms in 2022, a left elbow strain and a right hamstring strain in 2023, lower back soreness in 2024, and lower back stiffness in 2025. Despite the injuries, Suárez is a performer on the mound. As a starter with the Phillies, Suárez made 119 starts, going 42-32 with a 3.45 ERA. In total he tossed 666 innings while striking out 619 batters, also securing an All-Star appearance in 2024. More importantly, he allowed just 60 home runs in that span, showing an ability to keep the ball in the park during his career. While the southpaw's durability is a genuine concern (his career high for innings is 157 1/3, which he set in 2025), the quality of his innings has no debate. And to add to it, he’s performed excellently in the playoffs. To this point in his career, Suárez has appeared in 11 games in the playoffs with a career record of 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA across 42 2/3 innings. He's struck out 44 batters, walked 13 and allowed just three home runs. The veteran pitcher will now slot into the rotation as the number two starter the Red Sox have wanted for more than a year. Whether he pitches after Crochet is unknown, however, as manager Alex Cora may choose to break the pair of lefties up and slot fellow rotation addition Sonny Gray between them. There is no doubt, however, that Suárez will serve as the bona fide No. 2 after Crochet, regardless of the rotation order. Of course, as with all big free-agent contracts, there is a chance that he’ll fall off as the years go by. The fact that he doesn’t throw hard and relies on his sinker along with movement from his secondaries could (and probably will) delay that fact. By the time it does happen (as it invariably does for everyone), it shouldn’t be an issue for him to become the number four or five arm as the Red Sox will (hopefully) be relying on Crochet, Payton Tolle, and Connelly Early to carry the rotation. The Red Sox can expect around 25 to 29 starts from Suárez based on his track record of health. And with those starts, they can expect All-Star worthy outings, as his worst season as a starter came in 2023 when he dealt with two injuries including an elbow strain. When healthy, there’s no denying he can be one of the top pitchers in baseball, as shown by the fact that he is tied for the 14th-highest fWAR since 2023 for starting pitchers. To say he’s expected to take the ball every fifth day with the intent to win is the obvious statement. However, with his presence he will be able to help shoulder the load with Crochet and the younger pitchers. Last season, there were signs that Crochet was tiring down the stretch, but he pushed through as the team needed him. Now, he’ll have someone in the rotation to back him up when the toughest stretch of the season begins. He’ll also be able to provide postseason experience to the pitching staff. Yes, the team made the playoffs last season, but they played in three games. Crochet pitched one, Early pitched one, and Brayan Bello pitched the other. They didn’t get much experience from it, and Suárez can provide that in spades for the entire staff. He’ll be the guy the Red Sox send out in Game 2 hoping to either close out a series or take control of one. Craig Breslow greatly improved the team with this signing. In a world of baseball where a pitcher isn’t needed to go seven innings anymore thanks to analytics and great bullpens, Suárez should be able to give the team great quality and length. The team is stronger and now has arguably one of (if not the) best rotation in the American League when you factor in their depth. Teams won’t want to face the two-headed beast that is Crochet and Suárez in the playoffs and so long as the Red Sox improve their offense, they may emerge as the clear-cut favorite in the Junior Circuit behind their pair of southpaws. View the full article

Entering the 2022 MLB regular season, the Minnesota Twins' 10-pitcher(!) bullpen was a smorgasbord of reliever archetypes, ranging from established, veteran arms Tyler Duffey and Joe Smith to inexperienced, high-upside prospects Josh Winder and Jhoan Duran. The team stumbled and sorted through 26 different relievers that season, finishing with the 18th-best bullpen in baseball. However, the club unearthed its next closer in the aforementioned Duran, with the hard-throwing righty occupying the role for the next two-and-a-half seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies last July. Minnesota finds itself in a similar position now. They're projected to enter the 2026 regular season with a hodgepodge of trustworthy veterans in Justin Topa and Cole Sands and young, high-ceiling arms in John Klein, Marco Raya, and (most notably) Connor Prielipp. Twins decision-makers would love for the organization’s next star closer to develop internally. Klein, Raya, and Prielipp could be the first crop of young arms to receive that opportunity, with Prielipp possessing the stuff and arsenal necessary to quickly develop into that caliber of relief ace. Selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Prielipp started two games in A-ball before needing to undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2023 season. The Alabama product pitched minimally in 2024 before breaking through last season, with a 4.03 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and 98-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 82 ⅔ innings pitched at Double A and Triple A. The organization deployed the then-24-year-old almost exclusively as a starting pitcher last season. However, the front office has already admitted that Prielipp could transition into a relief role in 2026; he could be part of the club’s Opening Day bullpen. Prielipp separates himself from Klein, Raya, and other contemporaries by possessing three of the most effective pitches in the Twins system, in his four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup. He complements his near-elite three-pitch mix with a sinker, a fastball variant the lefty added to his arsenal last season. A primary reason Duran and (to a lesser degree) Griffin Jax developed into prized high-leverage arms was that they were able to maximize the shape and velocity of their pitches while maintaining the four-to-five pitch arsenal of a starting pitcher. Being left-handed, Prielipp is a different pitcher than Duran and Jax. His breaking ball isn't quite as devastating, because he will face many right-handed batters and have to lean more on his changeup—though he did show the ability to change the shape of the slider last year, based on batter handedness. Still, Prielipp has the swing-and-miss stuff necessary to make the same transition as Duran and Jax. Sitting around 95 MPH as a starter, the lefty’s four-seam fastball is inferior to Jax’s, let alone Duran’s. Once transitioned into a short relief role, though, he should add extra velocity and clean up the shape of his four-seamer, potentially reaching 97 or 98 MPH. If Prielipp can add velocity to his four-seam fastball, continue developing his sinker, and lean on his elite slider and plus change, he could join the ranks of San Diego’s Adrián Morejón and Seattle’s José A. Ferrer, becoming one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball and Minnesota’s next All-Star-caliber closer. View the full article

With spring training less than a month away, minor-league free agents are finding homes. Three have now landed with the San Diego Padres. Utility man Nick Solak, left-hander Omar Cruz. and right-hander Justin Yeager have signed minor-league deals with the Padres, according to Baseball America. Those deals likely include invites to spring training. Solak, who turned 31 last week, has had trouble sticking in the majors primarily because of his defense. He mainly plays second base and third base and has 259 games of MLB experience. Solak played in four games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025, after playing in just two games with different teams (Atlanta and the Detroit Tigers) in 2023. He did not get a call-up in 2024 while at Triple-A for the Seattle Mariners. A second-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2016 out of Louisville, Solak was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays early in 2018 in a three-team deal, then shipped by the Rays to the Texas Rangers at the 2019 trade deadline for Pete Fairbanks. Solak made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2019 and had a slash line of .293/.393/.491 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 33 games. He played the full 2020 season with the Rangers, seeing action in 58 of 60 games with a .268/.326/.344 slash line and two homers and 23 RBIs. In 2021, he played in 127 games and posted a slash line of .242/.314/.362 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs. Solak then only played in 35 MLB games in 2022. That offseason, he bounced between three teams before landing with Atlanta, where he began at Triple-A. He played in one game for Atlanta and was designated for assignment in June and claimed by the Tigers. He played in one MLB game for the Tigers and was DFA'd again in August, went unclaimed and went back to Triple-A. In 2025 with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate, Solak had a .332/.411/.492 slash line with 14 homers and 73 RBIs. Cruz, about to turn 27, returns to the Padres technically for a third time. Originally an international signee in 2017, the left-hander was part of the package the Friars sent to the Pirates for right-handed starter Joe Musgrove before the 2021 season. The Padres brought him back after the 2023 season as a minor-league Rule 5 selection. He made the Padres' Opening Day roster for 2025 and appeared in two games. He did have a late-May call-up, but didn't pitch before going back to Triple-A El Paso. The left-hander has mainly been a reliever in recent seasons, but struggled to a 4.75 ERA in 33 games, 11 starts, covering 83⅓ innings in 2025. He became a free agent after the season, but is now back again. Yeager, soon to turn 28, has strictly been a reliever since being a 33rd-round draft choice in 2019 by Atlanta out of Southern Illinois. Yeager has spent the last three years in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization after being included in the three-team deal that landed William Contreras in Milwaukee and Sean Murphy in Atlanta. He split time between Double-A and Triple-A, compiling a 2.04 ERA in 49 games covering 57⅓ innings. Yeager's time at Triple-A in 2025 was his first at the level, and he's yet to make his MLB debut. View the full article

It's been a very good off-season for the Chicago Cubs, and now they are rewarding three members of their front office. Jordan Bastian of MLB.com shared an official communication from the Chicago Cubs, announcing Garrett Chiado being promoted to assistant general manager, Ben Martin being promoted to assistant director of Major League development, and Brad Moylan being promoted to coordinator of Major League Video and Technology. Chiado previously held two titles, Director of Pro Strategy and Director of Pro Analytics. Per the release, he will "we're closely with executive leadership on broader organizational strategy and acquisition initiatives." Martin, previously the assistant Director of player develop, will "lead evidenced base planning and analysis for Major League position players, while ensuring alignment with the Player Development department", per the release. Moylan, who was the International Scouting Data and Technology assistant, will "oversee the club's instant replay process, providing video and technology support, and assisting with advanced logistics." What do you think of these promotions? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan told Sportsnet Central that the Blue Jays "have really been the only team that has shown the willingness to go as deep as 10 years, potentially," on a contract for top free agent Kyle Tucker. ESPN had previously reported that the Jays made "a long-term offer" to Tucker, and Passan's latest comments offer a bit more insight into what "long-term" could mean. The Mets, likely Tucker's other top suitor, seem to prefer a shorter-term deal. Most recently, the New York Post's Mike Puma reported that the Mets had "a four-year offer on the table" for Tucker. While Tucker's free agency has been a slow-moving process to this point, Passan mentioned that the All-Star outfielder could be ready to sign by the end of this week. Then, this morning, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported that Tucker could sign "as soon as today." Featured image courtesy of David Banks, Imagn Images. View the full article

Signing Alex Bregman was primarily about adding a missing ingredient to the Cubs' batting order. Since Bregman agreed to a deal Saturday night, we've covered his fit into the lineup and his new home park, and we've dissected how well he approaches at-bats in big situations. Bregman also has an important defensive role to play, though. He'll be the team's starting third baseman for the foreseeable future. Thus, it would be wise for us to get to know him as a fielder. Bregman has consistently rated as an above-average defender at the hot corner. That's the headline. In nine of his 10 seasons in the majors, he's been average or better, according to both Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) from Sports Info Solutions and Deserved Runs Prevented from Baseball Prospectus. Somewhat surprisingly, he's even gotten better as his career has progressed. Whereas most players' defense peaks in their early 20s, Bregman won his first Gold Glove in 2024, at age 30. Two of his three best seasons by DRS came in 2023 (5) and 2024 (6), and he posted 1 DRS in 2025, despite missing a significant chunk of the season. The key to his unusually late peak has been improving steadily on plays down the third-base line, even as he's lost a bit of his ability to range to his left and take plays away from his shortstops. Plays Saved Season To His Right Straight On To His Left 2016 0 0 6 2017 -5 0 4 2018 1 -3 3 2019 1 2 8 2020 -1 1 0 2021 -3 1 4 2022 -2 0 -5 2023 5 -2 2 2024 8 0 -2 2025 1 -1 1 That might come as a minor surprise, to some, because Bregman is small for a third baseman (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and doesn't have an elite arm. One way for third basemen to guard the foul line is the step-and-a-dive plan, but Bregman doesn't make many of those plays, and lacks the length for them. He does throw harder, on average, than Dansby Swanson or Nico Hoerner, and is right near shortstops Trea Turner and Bo Bichette on Statcast's arm strength leaderboards, but those are the guys whose arms put them at risk of having to move off short. For the long throw from the line behind third to first base, most players need above-average raw arm strength. That was the one strength of Christopher Morel, during his stint at third. A lack of arm strength prompted Nick Madrigal to play close to the line and deep, so that his throws could come with as much momentum toward first as possible. Playing deep was also Matt Shaw's way of providing more time to process the ball off the bat and cover ground; it allowed him a gentler transition from his previous homes in the middle infield. How, then, has Bregman gotten better at closing down the plays to his right, without completely compromising his ability to range to his left? Firstly, he's moved a step closer to third, on average. Here are his average depth and angle (relative to second base, where 45° would be right at third base and 0° would be right at second) of positioning, based on handedness and infield alignment, since 2021. For a stylistic comparison, I've also included Matt Shaw's positioning data for 2025. RHB LHB No Shift/Shade Shift/Shade No Shift/Shade Shift/Shade Season Depth (ft.) Angle (deg.) Depth (ft.) Angle (deg.) Depth (ft.) Angle (deg.) Depth (ft.) Angle (deg.) 2021 118 36 120 38 105 28 130 12 2022 118 36 119 37 101 29 131 13 2023 117 36 117 37 104 27 129 23 2024 120 36 122 37 102 28 129 22 2025 117 37 117 37 104 28 128 21 Matt Shaw - 2025 122 35 122 37 112 27 125 21 Remember, after 2022, the rules changed and severely restricted where teams could move infielders. Bregman was one of the players whose role significantly changed at that point. When the shift was allowed, the Astros used it extremely heavily, and Bregman was often playing a de facto shortstop against left-handed batters. Over the last three years, he's experimented with different ways to have an impact on the game, continuing to view himself as a shortstop-caliber defender even though he hasn't officially played there since 2019. Compared to Shaw, Bregman plays shallower, except when the infield plays a lefty to pull. In 2025, he also played a bit closer to the line in his default position against righties than he had before, whereas Shaw cheated slightly more toward the hole. In general, smaller players play deeper at third base, trying to use their speed to cut off the ball and leaving as much space as possible to get up to speed before it reaches them. Bregman is the exception. Like any good defender, he has figured out how to use his immutable traits to his advantage, rather than let them hurt him. Exceptionally quick with the first step, he doesn't need the extra five or 10 feet he could often have to get to balls a few steps to either side of him. Because he's not tall, he's often able to field the ball without much bend, partially because he plays shallow. A sharply hit ball will often be at the peak height of its first bounce when Bregman encounters it, and that means he can play it waist-high. The way he addresses the ball increases the utility of his arm; he can get off throws faster and with less wasted movement than most third basemen. NHlNOU5fV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0FWQUhBZ0FNVTFRQVd3TldBZ0FIVndRSEFBQURVRk1BVVYwTUJGY05BRkFCQlZBSA== (1).mp4 That doesn't mean he's incapable of getting down for balls when he needs to. Moving closer to the line last year made that easier, not just because he had reduced the ground he needed to cover before getting down but because he was doing so under greater body control, making it easier to get back up and fire the ball across the diamond quickly. WEQyT05fWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdnQVVBSlhWVk1BREZJQVVBQUhBUThFQUZoWFZ3Y0FWRkJYVkZJSEExZFRVd0VG.mp4 That doesn't mean he's a perfect defender at third, or that moving toward the line hasn't cost him anything. Ranging toward shortstop now requires a bit more of his speed, and he's not always as smooth as he needs to be when embarking on those long journeys to his left. Shaw excelled at this last year, which helped cover for the slow diminishment of Swanson's speed and arm. Bregman and Swanson will have to develop a good rapport that allows them to know which is best-positioned to make a play on each and every ball hit into the hole, to make up for a dearth of the sheer athleticism you see from most good duos on the left side of an infield. WnhyNE9fWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFVQ1ZGQUhVVmNBRFZBR0FnQUhBd1FDQUFNR1Z3QUFBd0ZYQUF0VEJ3ZFdBZ1lG (1).mp4 On balance, though, Bregman is much more of a playmaker than Shaw, Madrigal, Morel, Patrick Wisdom, or any other Cub who has consistently manned third base in this century. Much of it shows up against left-handed batters, because he moves much closer to shortstop than Shaw did and can make plays like a true shortstop. WU9rNFdfWGw0TUFRPT1fQVFRQ0JRWUFWMUVBREZVQ1VnQUhWdzVlQUFNQVUxTUFWd2RSQVZJRVVBUmRCZ1Jl.mp4 It also has to do with the smaller things his sure hands and high baseball IQ bring to the table, though. Bregman loves to play shallow and take away the bunt, and part of that is being willing and able to take down the lead runner when a batter tries a sacrifice. It's fundamentals, but between positioning, footwork and the chutzpah to try it, many defenders cop out and throw to first when they have a play at second in the modern game. Not Bregman. NXlhUktfWGw0TUFRPT1fRDFJQVV3WUJVbEFBQ2xJRUJ3QUhWMUpSQUFNRkFRSUFVd0VCVlZVREF3QlJBVk5U.mp4 Chicago's defense will need to adapt a bit. They not only shaded left-handed batters about a third less often than did the Red Sox last year, but weren't as aggressive about pulling Shaw toward the middle of the diamond to make plays as the Sox were with Bregman. If Craig Counsell, Bregman and Swanson are on the same page, this move can augment the team's defense, as well as its offense. Bregman is not your typical third baseman, and he's not your typical 32-year-old. There is value left in his leather. View the full article

Highlights of five key prospects who signed with the Marlins on Thursday: SS Santiago Solarte (Venezuela), SS Ronny Muñoz (Dominican Republic), C Francisco Del Campo (Mexico), RHP Eliezer Peralta (Dominican Republic) and SS Maikel Acosta (Dominican Republic). View the full article

Even at this late stage of the offseason, the San Diego Padres have a depth problem. While the team's addition of Sung Mun Song helps to quell some concerns over the infield depth and lengthens the bench, the fact that there are at least two unsettled spots in the team's lineup (first base and designated hitter) lends itself to the idea that more help is needed on that front. Even with Song's versatility, we saw in 2025 how a dearth of stability with respect to the reserves can derail a team over the course of a 162-game season. The 2025 Padres relied primarily on Jose Iglesias as their guy off the bench. Beyond him, it was a rotating cast of characters that at various points included Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, Tyler Wade, Yuli Gurriel, Oscar González, Brandon Lockridge, Trenton Brooks, and Mason McCoy, some for much shorter spells than others. None of those players completed the year still in the organization, with the exception of Iglesias, whose value was purely in his versatility rather than any semblance of production off the bench (73 wRC+). It was a group unable to compensate for injuries to regulars such as Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts as the season wore on, in addition to its inability to provide relief, when needed, in shorter stints for someone like Fernando Tatis Jr. So, while Song provides legitimate offensive upside at multiple positions — and could end up allowing the team to rotate Jake Cronenworth in at first base while holding down the keystone himself over long stretches — the inevitability that injuries will arise feeds directly into the need for additional upside off the bench. Considering the lack of offensive talent at the upper levels of the minors and that most of the team's minor-league deals thus far have come on the mound, it seems certain that the Friars will explore further additions with the little bit of time that still remains this offseason. However, any discourse around the team's bench configuration at present may be overlooking a player they believe to be a valuable part of their roster: Bryce Johnson. A former San Francisco Giants draftee, Johnson was a former Padre at one point, albeit very briefly. He left as a free agent via a non-tender prior to 2025 but was quickly reacquired for catcher Brett Sullivan in April. Johnson wouldn't appear in a game for San Diego until June and only notched 55 games worth of playing time throughout last year. Despite the small sample for a player without much prospect pedigree, there was something of an indication that some value may lie in what he brings to the table. In Johnson's most extended big league action (84 PA), he posted a slash that included a .342 average and a .383 on-base percentage. His wRC+ checked in at 135 and he added four steals. That all came in addition to his league-average defense across all three outfield spots. Up against the rest of the players that rotated through the Padre bench, it's pretty masterful production. The biggest issue with Johnson's output from 2025, though, is that it came on the strength of a .446 batting average on balls in play. His strikeout rate came in above 22 percent while his walk rate sat just under four. His contact rates and trends are relatively uninspiring. And yet, as much as there is to indicate that such production is not repeatable, there are at least a couple of things working in Johnson's favor. For one, he hit line drives at a 33.3 percent clip. Line drive contact begets favorable BABIP rates, which was the case for him last year. His .298 xBA still would've been an upper-percentile figure had he enough plate appearances to qualify. Such contact came largely against breaking pitches (42.9 percent) and fastballs (35.3 percent). There appeared to be an adjustment in the approach at play that led to these results, as well. Johnson swung at 11 percent fewer off-speed pitches, which were often a source of struggle (his xBA, hard-hit rate, and line-drive rate have largely all been at their lowest against that pitch type), historically. Given that, there's at least some semblance of hope that he can replicate those numbers on some level, even if at not quite the same gaudy pace. Johnson isn't an especially flashy or tools-y bat off the bench. He also doesn't offer much of anything on the power side (.092 ISO). But if you can get a keen approach that emphasizes those pitches against which he succeeds, there's enough contact and on-base ability in there to allow him to become a valuable part of the bench rotation, especially when you factor in the ability to steal a base and provide steady glove work on the outfield grass. Of course, even another successful year from Bryce Johnson doesn't offset the need for more help in the depth department. The Padres will certainly need to add a bit of extra power off the bench. At the same time, we shouldn't discount Johnson's role in upgrading the unit as a regular reserve player with a much larger sample than the one he saw last year. View the full article

This multi-part series talks about how the Brewers got to the World Series and offers a timeline of the 1982 campaign, including player profiles, game recaps, and other events that affected the season. Part 1 Part 2 Off to a Good Start in May The Brewers began May with two wins in Minnesota, after losing the first game of their three-game series on the last day of April. Trailing 4-1 late in the game to Minnesota on May Day, the Brewers tallied five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Twins, 6-5. Gorman Thomas hit his first homer of the year to key the big inning. The next day, the Brewers romped 11-4, behind another homer by Thomas and a pair of homers by Ted Simmons. Milwaukee returned home and lost two out of three to the Kansas City Royals, including a 10-inning loss in which Rollie Fingers was tagged with his third defeat. The mustachioed closer gave up two hits and one walk in a two-inning stint, one of his 26 multi-inning outings during the season. Minnesota came to town for a long weekend four-game series, but the Brewers were harsh hosts, sweeping the series to improve to 16-10, still 2 ½ games behind Boston. Things were starting to look up for the Brew Crew. Two Weeks of Struggles Far from continuing upward toward first place, though, the Brewers traveled to Kansas City and lost three straight, including another loss for Fingers. This time, he got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth, before giving up a lead-off, walk-off home run in the ninth to Amos Otis. They split four games in Chicago against the White Sox before heading home again. California, Seattle, and Oakland came to County Stadium for the next week-plus, but Milwaukee won only two of eight games, dropping to 20-21, 7 1/2 games behind Boston and in fourth place in the AL East. The Brewers then left the friendly confines of County Stadium for a 10-game road trip to the Left Coast, playing the same three teams that just trampled them at home. “I hope getting away for a while will help us,” manager Buck Rodgers commented to the Wisconsin State Journal. Little did Rodgers know that he wouldn’t return with the team in early June. On the West Coast swing, the Brewers split the first six games but dropped to sixth place in the AL East, seven games behind new leader Detroit. They won a one-run game on June 1, but it was not enough to save Rodgers’s job. General Manager Harry Dalton fired Rodgers and installed hitting coach Harvey Kuenn as interim manager. “I excused the early part of the slump (14 losses in 21 games) because of the injuries to (Pete) Vuckovich and (Bob) McClure,” Dalton said in a telephone interview with Bill Brophy of the Wisconsin State Journal. “But when they returned and we still didn’t play well, I had to ask why.” Harvey Takes Over Kuenn addressed the players after his hiring. “Don’t expect any trick plays from me. You guys can flat-out hit, so go out there and hit,” he said. It didn’t take long for the Brewers to tap into their power potential. The Brewers won their last four games of the West Coast swing and finished 7-3 in their 10-game trip, which moved them up to third in the standings. Milwaukee scored 33 runs in those four games, powered by nine home runs. In an 11-3 win over Oakland on June 5, the Brewers got homers from Robin Yount, Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, Simmons, and Thomas. The next week was a roller coaster ride for the Brewers, as they went 3-5 against two top AL East teams, Baltimore and Detroit. In three games at Memorial Stadium, the Brewers and Orioles each won a game, lost a game, and tied a game. The tie was halted twice by downpours, including a 65-minute delay in the ninth inning. The game would be rescheduled for the last weekend of the season, which would include a doubleheader among four games October 1-3. On their way back home, the Brewers beat Detroit four times at Tiger Stadium. They beat the Yankees twice at County Stadium, before falling to New York in the final contest of the three-game set. Milwaukee finished the month of June by winning five of six in New York and Boston. In the final game against New York, Thomas hit a two-run homer in the top of the 12th to get the victory, with the team improving to 42-31, just two games out in second place in the AL East. In their first 26 games under Kuenn, the Brewers won 19, while hitting 40 home runs. Through June, Cooper led the team in batting with a .332 mark. Thomas and Oglivie each had 19 homers, Cooper had 16, and Yount had 11. Vuckovich had nine wins against three losses, on his way to the AL Cy Young Award. Fingers rebounded from a slow start to earn 16 saves in his first three months. Coming soon, part 4: The weather heats up and so do the Brewers. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have been busy this offseason and still don't seem to be done, with rumors swirling about Kyle Tucker. Entering the winter, the bullpen was a massive area of need; however, Tyler Rogers is the only MLB-ready addition the front office has made. Chase Lee, Jorge Alcala, and Nic Enright were acquired but will likely begin the season in the minor leagues. The Jays also selected Spencer Miles in the Rule 5 draft. He'll need to be rostered for the entire season or be offered back to the San Francisco Giants for $50,000. Last season in the bullpen, Jeff Hoffman struggled as the closer, posting a 4.37 ERA and blowing seven of his 40 save opportunities. Home runs were an issue, as he gave up homers on 20 percent of his fly balls, which was his highest rate since 2019. Hoffman's 0.81 ground outs-to-air outs ratio was his second-worst in that same time span. An upgrade at the closer role would be a massive boost going into the upcoming season. Due to injuries, Eric Lauer was needed in the starting rotation for much of last year, so Brendon Little was the only consistent lefty presence in the bullpen for the majority of the season. Mason Fluharty and Justin Bruihl made appearances but struggled. Lauer and Little will return to the bullpen in 2026, but another high-leverage left-hander for depth to relieve the workload would be ideal. There are also questions surrounding José Berríos. He expressed his displeasure at being moved to the bullpen in late September. With the addition of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce this offseason, there's no room for Berríos in the starting rotation. So his status for the upcoming season is up in the air. He could be a possible trade chip. There are still a few quality arms available in free agency to address the left-hander need. Danny Coulombe is 36, but still possesses the skills to get left-handed batters out. He's posted an ERA under 3.00 in each of the last three seasons, and last season, he threw 43 innings, holding batters to a .203 batting average. He excels when it comes to limiting hard contact, with just a 36.8% hard-hit rate and 5.6% barrel rate over the past three years. Andrew Chafin, 35, is also still on the market. He threw 33 2/3 combined innings last season for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels. He posted a 2.41 ERA and 3.40 xERA, while holding batters to a .238 batting average (and left-handed batters to a .136 batting average). Although his velocity has diminished, the 12-year MLB veteran continues to find ways to get batters out. Another lefty option is Justin Wilson, who is 38. Last season for the Boston Red Sox, he posted a 3.35 ERA and 3.67 xERA, holding left-handed batters to a .212 batting average. He struck out 27.5% of the batters he faced and gave up just three home runs. Wilson has the most big league experience of these three, with a career 3.59 ERA in 648 appearances dating back to 2012. Any of Coulombe, Chafin, or Wilson could be a great depth signing to help combat left-handed batters. Regarding the closer replacement, the team's best option may already be on the roster. Louis Varland could be the answer. He posted a 2.97 ERA and 3.95 xERA last season but struggled after coming over from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. In 23 2/3 innings with Toronto, he posted a 4.94 ERA and 4.52 xERA; however, he struck out a career-best 10.65 per nine innings, despite walking a career-worst 3.42 per nine innings. He doesn't have experience closing games, but his stuff can be electric, as he demonstrated in the postseason. Even though he didn't have the best results in his regular season Toronto debut, he might be worth a look if the Blue Jays decide that Hoffman needs to be replaced. Despite the bullpen not being fully addressed yet, the Blue Jays have definitely taken a step forward in vying for another World Series trip – though hopefully with a different result. Whether Hoffman is replaced or not, another left-handed reliever would be ideal, especially if the Los Angeles Dodgers are again the foe. That would give John Schneider another weapon to combat the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and the other left-handed bats of the two-time reigning World Series champions. View the full article

The Twins' projected lineup is a testament to the team's commitment to building from within, and to the success of their scouting and development pipeline. Seven of the nine projected starters were drafted and developed by the organization, and every one of those seven was selected in either the first or second round. In a vacuum, that kind of alignment feels like a win. Draft well, develop well, and let those players carry the roster. But context matters. The team hasn't made the playoffs in either of the last two years, and this season doesn't look likely to break that pattern. Is this lineup a sign that the Twins are maximizing value from premium draft picks, or is it a reflection of financial realities pushing inexpensive, controllable players into everyday roles? The answer, as is often the case, likely lies somewhere in between the extremes. The Case for Optimism There is no denying the upside in what the Twins have built. First- and second-round picks are supposed to become core players. Many do not. Minnesota has managed to turn a long list of those selections into legitimate big-league contributors and, in some cases, foundational pieces. Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Ryan Jeffers, and Luke Keaschall all project as everyday starters. That group spans more than a decade of drafts, from Buxton in 2012 to Keaschall in 2023. The timeline alone suggests this is not a one-year fluke, but rather the product of sustained investment at the top of the draft. According to FanGraphs, the Twins' projected lineup against right-handed pitchers is: CF Byron Buxton (1st Round- 2012) 2B Luke Keashall (2nd Round- 2023) 1B Josh Bell (Free Agent) RF Matt Wallner (1st Round- 2019) C Ryan Jeffers (2nd Round- 2018) DH Trevor Larnach (1st Round- 2018) 3B Royce Lewis (1st Round- 2017) SS Brooks Lee (1st Round- 2022) LF Austin Martin (Trade) Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey sees that through the lens of process. “What I think it says is that we’ve had a run of guys that we’ve identified in the draft, near the top,” Falvey said. “No one is going to bat 1.000 in the draft—we all know that—but we have a number of picks who have found a way to contribute at the big-league level. It speaks a lot to our development process, too.” There is also value in cost certainty. These players are producing while still under team control, allowing the Twins to allocate resources elsewhere if ownership allows the front office to spend. When draft picks turn into everyday players, the return on investment is significant. The Counterargument The other side of the conversation is less comfortable. While the lineup is filled with former high draft picks, it is notably light on proven, impact bats acquired from outside the organization. Only Josh Bell and Austin Martin project to start after coming over from another team at any point, and Martin arrived in trade while still a prospect. That absence is not just philosophical. It is financial. Minnesota is projected to operate with a payroll in the league’s bottom third, and the lineup reflects it. Cheap players are not just nice to have. They are (unfortunately) necessary. It's hard not to draw parallels to the Metrodome era, when the Twins routinely fielded rosters built around young, inexpensive talent because they had little choice. Those teams developed well, but they also often lacked the external reinforcements needed to push from mere respectability to contention. Falvey has acknowledged that roster building cannot rely on a single path. “I don’t think there is one-size-fits-all for any team,” he said. “You need to have some homegrown players. There have been stretches of time where we’ve had a bunch of acquisitions on our team. Two of the pitchers at the top of our rotation were traded for, Pablo and Joe, at different stages of their careers. Jhoan Duran was a trade, but he was in [Class A] and we grew him up through the minor leagues.” The concern is whether the current balance is intentional or forced—and whether the team's development infrastructure is good enough to make the most of this homegrown approach. With the exceptions of Buxton and Jeffers, the homegrown hitters holding onto lineup spots have interspersed flashes of brilliance into long periods of either struggle or injury-related absence. Development Versus Ambition Falvey has consistently stressed the importance of blending acquisition methods, rather than shutting any doors. “You don’t want to shut off any valves to potentially get talent into your system,” he said. “Probably the best teams overall, over time, find a way to blend all of that. They get their top draft picks, they pick out a few guys later in the draft. In our case, that’s a Bailey Ober or a Griffin Jax converting himself from an up-and-down starter to a good reliever. We need more of that.” The Twins have done much of that work already. The question is what comes next. If this lineup represents a foundation that will be supplemented aggressively when the time is right, it's easy to view it as a positive sign. If it represents the ceiling imposed by payroll limitations, the optimism dims. A Familiar Crossroads League-wide, no team projects more first- and second-round homegrown position players in its starting lineup than the Twins. That is an accomplishment worth noting. At the same time, projections do not see Minnesota as a clear contender. Thus, the lineup becomes a Rorschach test. It can be read as evidence of strong drafting and development finally paying off. It can also be read as a reminder of past Twins teams that survived on efficiency, rather than ambition. Perhaps the truth is that it's both. The Twins are getting real value from their earliest draft picks. Whether that value is being leveraged into something more meaningful will determine how this era is ultimately remembered. Are the Twins seeing the payoff of strong drafting and development, or are these players in the lineup more because they are affordable than because the roster is complete? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Alex and Maddie say goodbye to Alex Bregman and welcome the newest member of the Boston Red Sox, Ranger Suarez, to the team. They talk through 2026 roster projections and make some predictions on how the rest of the offseason will play out by focusing on some outside-the-box trade targets to fix the hole at second base. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View the full article

In an exclusive interview with Talk Sox, Hayden Mullins discusses his time in college, where he dealt with injuries leading up to the draft, along with his time in the Red Sox organization. Mullins goes over his pitch repertoire along with how the Rule 5 draft went for him this offseason. View the full article

For the first time in a handful of years, the Chicago Cubs entered an offseason with year-over-year certainty behind the plate. While there are still some questions about the long-term projectability of the catcher spot, the team knew that they'd have a tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya holding down the position in 2026. Such certainty is largely due to the late-stage breakout from the former. Kelly's career-high 421 plate appearances did stem largely from Amaya working his way through multiple injuries. He was also able to spin such heavy work into career marks just about everywhere you look on the stat sheet, if not something very close to resembling one. Each of his .249 average and 9.6 percent barrel rate sat atop his output in each, while his .179 isolated power and 40.3 percent hard-hit rate each checked in as his best work since 2019. His .333 on-base percentage was his best since 2021. At no point over a full season has Kelly's fWAR been higher than the 2.6 figure he posted in his debut with the Cubs. That 2025 output from Kelly has him firmly in the driver's seat to get the majority of the timeshare over Amaya, even with the latter's growth over the last couple of years. Each of FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus project him for 55 percent of the time at catcher to Amaya's 40. Projections thus far, however, don't love him. Each available model bears some level of regression virtually everywhere. Which leads to questions as to what Kelly did that made him so successful as a hitter in 2025 and whether it's something he can duplicate throughout the 2026 campaign. There were a few factors at play that allowed Kelly to discover the offensive success he had in 2025. The first was in his discipline. His 21.9 percent chase rate was his lowest in six years, while his 20.6 percent whiff rate was his best in seven. He also zeroed in on breaking and off-speed pitches, both of which represented his two highest rates of hard contact (42.2 percent for breaking pitches & 40.0 percent for off-speed). In addition, there weren't necessarily mechanical changes at play, but there was at least one notable timing development: The negative indicator before the number indicates the pull side. Kelly leaned heavily into pull-side tendencies, which is logical considering the lower velocity at which those pitch types are approaching the plate. His Pull% grew from 41.4 percent in 2024 to 45.4 percent in 2025. As a timing mechanism, it's not something that's always going to be in a hitter's control. But if Kelly can continue to maintain the approach that allows him to turn around on pitches that are easier to pull as a general operating standard, then there's reason to believe in some carryover, especially given the fly-ball tendencies that increased along with his newfound love for pulling the ball. Kelly's Pull% and fly-ball rate didn't necessarily grow in step with one another. But he did bump the fly-ball rate up about three percent (42.7). Those two factors resulted in a PullAIR% of 23.9, a figure that ranked 47th among 251 qualifying position players. The lead-up to it makes it repeatable; Kelly attacked breaking and off-speed pitches rather than relying on fastball contact that more so begets hard contact. That he's attacking those types of pitches lends itself to the notion of being replicable, even if you're worried about the bat slowing down from catcher that'll be 32 in July and is coming off his highest volume of work at the plate. The other things that Kelly did well are things he's always done. His 19.0 percent strikeout rate was a notch below the 20.2 percent mark for his career. His walk rate, at 10.7 percent, was in the neighborhood of a career 9.9 percent one. He's always been a relatively disciplined hitter relative to the position he plays. The difference is that he was able to parlay that discipline into something of actual value. And given that we're not talking about a hitter jumping all over fastballs or doing something vastly different on the mechanical side, it doesn't seem at all unrealistic for him to do it again in 2026. View the full article

The Cubs have made some big splashes this offseason that have gotten the attention of baseball fans everywhere, including Royals ones. First, they acquired pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Marlins in exchange for their No. 1 prospect (Owen Caissie), No. 11 prospect (Cristian Hernandez), and an 18-year-old infielder who played in the Complex League last year (Edgardo De Leon). Then, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer signed third baseman Alex Bregman last weekend to a five-year, $175 million deal. The deal is one of the biggest in franchise history and include no-opt outs over the duration of the contract, a significant commitment to a player who will be 32 during the 2026 season. The Bregman deal was unexpected (he seemed more tied to the Red Sox and even the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason), and it has also put their infield in flux. With the arrival of Bregman, incumbent third baseman Matt Shaw has been moved off the starting position for now (according to Roster Resource). However, the Cubs have a decision to make about second baseman Nico Hoerner, who will be a free agent after 2026 and could be tough to retain long-term. Already, it's been reported that many clubs have inquired about Hoerner, including the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees. That said, trading Hoerner would be a tough move for a Cubs team that's looking to not just return to the postseason, but topple the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central division. Hoerner is one of the top defensive second basemen in the game, has an excellent plate approach (109 wRC+; 0.80 BB/K ratio), and accumulated a 4.8 fWAR last year and has a career 20 fWAR in 704 games, according to Fangraphs. At 28 years old, the Cubs should be looking to extend Hoerner, not trade him away. Unfortunately, that makes Shaw the odd man out, unless they are content using him as a super-utility player. While that's not a bad strategy for 2026, Chicago could leverage Shaw's situation and former top prospect value in a trade that could net the Cubs some present and long-term assets. The Royals are one of those teams that could be the ideal trade partners with the Cubs, especially with the holes they have right now in the lineup and infield for 2026 and beyond. Why Shaw Would Make Sense for Kansas City Matt Trueblood of North Side Baseball published an article on Wednesday on how the Royals are a trade suitor with whom Chicago could work on a possible Shaw deal. According to Trueblood, the Cubs and Royals would make sense as trade partners given their mutual interest in each other's players, including Shaw (the Royals were rumored to be interested in drafting him at No. 8 in the 2023 MLB Draft, but they selected prep catcher Blake Mitchell instead). Here's a snippet from Trueblood's piece that illustrates why the Royals would be interested in Shaw for 2026 and beyond. In addition to India, the Royals also trotted Michael Massey out at second base in 2025 to lackluster results. Massey posted a 57 wRC+ and -0.4 fWAR in 277 plate appearances last season. India was only a shade better than his 27-year-old counterpart last year. The former Red posted an 89 wRC+ and -0.3 fWAR, with most of his value weighed down by mediocre baserunning (-2.6 BsR) and poor defense (-11.8 Def). Shaw was inconsistent as a rookie, but he still would be a considerable upgrade over Massey and India in 2026. The 24-year-old Maryland product hit 13 home runs, stole 17 bases, scored 57 runs, posted a 93 wRC+, and accumulated a 1.5 fWAR in 437 plate appearances. The exit-velocity and batted-ball metrics were questionable from Shaw last year, but he showed some promise in his plate discipline metrics, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary profile below. Now, Shaw isn't as elite in plate discipline, especially compared to India. The former Florida Gator had an exit velocity and hard-hit profile similar to show, but India ranked in the upper percentiles in O-Swing%, K%, Z-Contact%, and Whiff%, as demonstrated in his own TJ Stats summary. In terms of pure hitting profile, India is a little better than Shaw. However, India is also 4 years older, will be a free agent after 2026, and lags significantly behind Shaw in defensive value (India posted a -6 OAA, while Shaw posted a -1 OAA last season). Thus, the Royals would benefit from having Shaw as the regular second baseman, with Massey as a backup who could give Shaw a spell (and see some time in the outfield, since Massey is a much better defensive outfielder than India). Shaw also should transition well offensively to Kauffman Stadium, especially with the modified dimensions. Even with the old dimensions, the Cubs infielder would have had 12 xHR at the K last season, which is only one fewer than his total 2025 mark. His spray chart also shows a pull-heavy approach that would lead to many extra base hits, especially at home in Kansas City. Lastly, the Royals would have a controllable, affordable asset in Shaw who could help them with salary stability over the next couple of seasons. Shaw is not arbitration-eligible until 2028, and he won't be a free agent until 2032. That kind of long-term control is valuable, especially for a small-market team like the Royals, which has to be judicious with its spending each offseason. What Would the Royals Give Up for Shaw? According to Trueblood, the Cubs could be interested in both long-term and short-term assets. In terms of the former, the Cubs could benefit by beefing up their farm system a bit, especially after the lower levels, after the Cabrera trade. Trueblood points out recent draft picks Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond as possible options, especially since it was reported that the Cubs were interested in selecting them in last year's draft. It's hard to imagine the Royals parting with either of those two prospects, especially after just drafting them. Still, as prep prospects, they carry a bit of risk, especially compared to most college players who have lower ceilings but higher floors. If it means that Kansas City could get a young, budding player like Shaw (at a position where there's not a lot of great organizational depth), then the Royals could be convinced to let go of one of those promising recently drafted teenagers. Another prospect who could be traded is Mitchell, our No. 2 in the system. He had a rough 2025 (due to a hand injury) but had a strong Arizona Fall League campaign and could be the Cubs' catcher of the future if the chips fall right. Trueblood also mentions that some pieces that could affect the Cubs' MLB roster could also be desired. That includes Nick Loftin, a utility player who seems a bit blocked or out of favor with the Royals, and Kris Bubic, who has long been liked by the Cubs' coaching staff, according to the article. Loftin should be an easy one to deal away from the Royals' perspective, especially since he has failed to gain hold of the "utility" position the past couple of seasons. While he remains unsigned, it wouldn't be surprising to see Kansas City bring back Adam Frazier on a one-year deal for 2026. That would only guarantee Loftin another long stint in Omaha. With the Cubs, he could at least get an opportunity to prove that he belongs on an MLB roster. As for Bubic, a couple of months ago, he may have made sense for the Cubs. However, their rotation is looking deep after the acquisition of Cabrera. Roster Resource projects Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon to be the No. 4 and 5 starters in the rotation, and talented but inconsistent pitchers Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks are slated to begin the season in Triple-A Iowa. That said, Imanaga regressed a bit last year (4.86 FIP) and could be due for more based on how his 2025 ended (4.70 ERA in the second half). Taillon pitched under 129.1 IP, nearly 36 fewer innings than his mark in 2024. Taillon also had a mediocre FIP at 4.65, which could make him another regression candidate in 2026. Bubic has struggled to accumulate innings, but he's been effective when healthy. Thus, the Cubs could perhaps slow-play him into the rotation, initially in a hybrid role. If Imanaga or Taillon struggle or go down, the Stanford lefty can fill in and be productive. His TJ Stats Statcast summary profile showed that he not only has excellent stuff, but a strong ability to generate strikeouts and whiffs and limit hard contact. The only issue with Bubic is that he'll be a free agent after 2026. Thus, if the Royals want to get Shaw, they may need to include a top prospect like Gamble, Hammond, or Mitchell. Should JJ Picollo not be willing to do that, it may be Bubic, Loftin, and another asset, whether a mid-level prospect or player (India would be the ideal, but his $8 million deal may be too much for the Cubs to take on). Is a Shaw to Kansas City Deal Realistic? Shaw certainly would be an intriguing player, especially with his home run and stolen base upside. With another year of at-bats, it's easy to see Shaw develop into a 20-20 HR-SB player. That said, projections are a bit torn on his outlook for the upcoming season. Below are the ones from Steamer, the BAT X, and OOPSY. Steamer: .161 ISO, .317 wOBA, 105 wRC+ The BAT X: .127 ISO, .290 wOBA, 86 wRC+ OOPSY: .167 ISO, .318 wOBA, 105 wRC+ Steamer and OOPSY are optimistic about Shaw's outlook for 2026. The BAT X is not, and by a considerable margin, as illustrated by the 19-point difference in wOBA. While Shaw is talented, he may not be a sure thing in the upcoming season by any stretch. While India's ceiling isn't as high as Shaw's, at least the Royals know what to relatively expect (unless India continues his freefall for a second-straight season, like Hunter Renfroe from 2023 to 2024). Furthermore, the likely ask from the Cubs for a player of Shaw's pedigree probably would be just too high for Kansas City. The Royals want to get better from now until Opening Day. While Shaw would help them do so, especially at the keystone, it would require the Royals to part ways with not only Bubic (not that big a deal) and a talented prospect. The latter is a much bigger concern, especially since Picollo and Scouting Director Brian Bridges have worked hard to build up the system since the 2024 MLB Draft. Trading from their top prospect capital now would be foolish, especially since Shaw still has some development to do. Trading a prospect for a player like Jarren Duran or Brendan Donovan is one thing, especially since they're so established. Shaw isn't anywhere close to that level just yet. Nonetheless, while Shaw's move to Kansas City may not be realistic, it's an interesting proposal, and Shaw's stock will certainly be worth watching. He could be a buy-low candidate at the Trade Deadline if he's still with the Cubs and not getting much playing time behind Bregman and Hoerner. If India is not getting the job done by then, the Royals could pounce and be more willing to deal from their prospect capital midseason for Shaw. View the full article

Tomorrow we'll reveal this year's Winter Meltdown pint glass, available only at the year's Winter Meltdown. It will be the 12th pint glass Brock Beauchamp has designed, and I thought it might be fun to look at the first 11 and how they related to the history of the Winter Meltdown. 2014 - Year One - A New Idea The first year's pint glass is unique - because we had no idea what we were doing. But we knew what had happened the year before, which we now refer to as Year 0 of the Meltdown. We had purchased a keg at Hubert's across the street from the Metrodome, and invited anyone who read Twins Daily to stop by and have a beer on us after Twins Fest. We were swamped. Well over 100 people showed up, and we recognized that all those digital eyeballs that we had seen on Google Analytics belonged to real eyeballs that wanted to connect. So in 2014, we planned ahead a bit. We booked Scott Erickson and Dave St. Peter, Brock designed a pint glass based on a memorable Twins’ moment, 612 Brew provided the beer, and most of us (including Erickson) stayed way too late in the night talking Twins. A tradition had started. 2015-2020 - Years Two Through Seven - The Baseball Years We kept going strong, getting more and more attendees and more prominent guests over the next six years. Alumni like Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer, and Kent Hrbek joined us, and we had over 400-600 people attend a few of these events. We decided we wanted different designs for the pint glasses every year, and there were only so many iconic moments that we could capture, so the pint glasses switched their designs to the old-timey Twins playing winter baseball. They captured the Meltdown’s vibe: a mix of winter and fun, which seems quaint given what came next. 2021-2022 Year Eight and ??? - COVID Hits COVID meant no events for the next two years, but the first year we leaned into it with a special isolation-themed pint glass that you could order online, and the proceeds went to charity. The second year we ... didn't. And it looked like the Winter Meltdown might be doomed. 2023 - 2025 Years Eight Through Eleven - Pint Glasses for the Fans But we did not going to go gently into that good night. We bounced back with Glen Perkins and Patrick Reusse in 2023, and started including current players the next year when Minnesotans Matt Wallner and Louis Varland joined us. Since we had already broken the ice on the pint glasses reflecting the mood of the fan base, we kept going down that path, too: the 2022 season ended amid a slew of injuries the 2023 season ended with the Twins breaking the playoff loss streak the 2024 season ended with the team for sale. Which brings us to the 2025 season, a season that ended with a fan base trying to process just what the hell happened to their beloved franchise. We'll reveal that design tomrrow, but you're welcome to give your thoughts below. Or better yet, make sure you get your glass by becoming a Twins Daily caretaker and getting your free tickets, and grabbing up to three more tickets for your crew. See you on Friday for the reveal! View the full article

Now that Alex Bregman's exit has been analyzed, scrutinized, and coped with in every possible way, it's time to move onto something far more productive: figuring out how on earth the Boston Red Sox can go about replacing his production. As a disclaimer, it's worth noting that the real answer to that question is "they can't." Bregman, a three-time All-Star, brought such a special mix of intangibles and superstar-caliber production to the team on a daily basis that asking anyone else to fill those shoes — even Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette — is a fool's errand. However, it'd be even more foolish to admit that, throw our hands up in the air, and give up on the search. Marcelo Mayer is the internal candidate most likely to see time at the hot corner in the wake of Bregman leaving (he did so last year when Bregman went down with a quad injury), but he's largely unproven at the top level and is also a candidate to fill the team's wide-open second base job. Instead, let's direct our attention to perhaps the best trade fit still available to the Red Sox: Isaac Paredes. A two-time All-Star in his own right, the soon-to-be 27-year-old comes with two remaining years of team control via arbitration. He's also a legitimate power-hitting threat, hitting 90 combined home runs over the past four years while posting an ISO above .200 in three of those campaigns. He's also patient (11.1% career walk rate) and isn't all too prone to whiffs, chases, or strikeouts. It's a pretty advanced offensive profile for someone who's just now entering his physical prime. So, what's the downside? Well, he doesn't hit the ball particularly hard, nor does he barrel or square it up very frequently. His contact metrics and batted-ball data are all rather sour on his ability to provide impact at the plate in any meaningful form. Which begs the question: Where does his power come from? This won't be some deep-dive statistical analysis on a player who is currently slated to spend the next two years in Houston. If the Red Sox acquire him in a trade (as has been oft-rumored since Bregman packed his bags for the Windy City), then we can get into the nitty-gritty behind what Paredes does and doesn't do well, and what we should expect from him in Boston. For now, let's just appreciate something he does better than perhaps any hitter in the sport: pulling the ball in the air. *Chart courtesy of Baseball Savant That is such an absurd batted-ball profile, and also a ridiculously tantalizing concept when one considers that the Green Monster is 310 feet down the line. Even the fabled Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Daikin Park are a good five or ten feet beyond that (even if they aren't quite as high as the Monster). Paredes isn't just a pull hitter — he pulls the ball down the line as often as anyone else in the league. For reference, Bregman ranked 37th in the league last year in pull air rate (24.4%). If you're wondering why that stat matters, take it from Baseball Savant: "From 2022-24, while only 17.5% of batted balls that were 'pulled airballs,' that subset was responsible for 66% of all home runs. Pulled airballs in that time produced a .547 average, 1.227 slugging percentage and .733 wOBA, making them an extremely valuable outcome. Airballs that were not pulled, by comparison, had a .319 average, .527 slugging percentage and .353 wOBA, considerably less valuable." Seems like a good thing to be good at, right? Well, Paredes ranked first in the league with a 38.5% pull air rate, 0.1% ahead of Cal Raleigh, who led the sport with 60 home runs last year. For his career (2020-25), Paredes' frequency of pulling the ball in the air (32.2%) is nearly double the league average in that time (16.7%). Even if the height of the Monster would knock down a few of his homers, it's not difficult to imagine him leading the league in doubles every year. Now, beyond that superlative skill, there's a lot of places where Paredes falls short of Bregman. He's a far worse defender. He strikes out more and walks less. He's run reverse splits in multiple seasons. And, of course, he doesn't bring the pedigree nor leadership of a two-time World Series champion to the clubhouse. But, with Bregman (and Nolan Arenado) off the board, third base options have grown scarce — the team will almost certainly have to settle for a downgrade in at least one way or another. Upside must be prioritized, even at the expense of some serious pitfalls or red flags. And as far as extreme profiles go, there's hardly one that fits Fenway better than Paredes'. View the full article

On Wednesday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays formally announced that they've signed five free agents to minor league contracts: left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, right-hander Jorge Alcala, outfielder/DH Eloy Jiménez, and utility players Rafael Lantigua and Carlos Mendoza. All five will be invited to major league spring training. Jays Centre previously covered the signings of Plassmeyer, Mendoza, and Jiménez. Alcala is a seven-year MLB veteran who spent the 2025 season with the Twins, Red Sox, and Cardinals. Lantigua played in Toronto's minor league system from 2017-24 before spending 2025 in the Phillies organization. Two more notable players the Blue Jays have reportedly signed to minor league deals are Josh Winckowski and Nic Enright, though neither contract has been confirmed yet. The Jays also signed Rodolfo Castro to a minor league deal earlier this winter, but they recently released him so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan. Featured image courtesy of Aaron Cobb/Toronto Blue Jays, Imagn Images. View the full article

The Twins affiliates announced their coaching staffs this morning. Without further ado, here are the 2026 Twins Minor League Coaching Staffs. St. Paul Saints Toby Gardenhire was the Saints manager during their first five seasons affiliated with the Twins organization. He joined the big-league coaching staff as the Major League Field Coordinator. Brian Dinkelman, 42, moves up to Triple-A from Double-A Wichita. He first managed in Cedar Rapids in 2019 and since then his teams have won 56% of their games (443-348). Drafted by the Twins in 2006, he spent eight seasons as a player including some big-league time in 2011. In his MLB career, he is a lifetime .301 hitter! After being the Kernels hitting coach for three seasons, he became the team’s manager in 2019. In 2023, he led the Kernels to the Midwest League championship and was named the Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America. Last year, he made the move up to Double-A. Shawn Schlecter, 35, is returning for his third season the Saints. He is the lead hitting coach. This is the Burnsville native’s seventh season in the Twins organization. He’s been a hitting coach in Cedar Rapids (2022) and Wichita (2023). He played ball at North Iowa Community College and then spent six years as a coach at the school. He joined the Twins organization in 2020. CJ Baker is entering his third season in the Twins organization after coaching nine seasons in the college ranks. Most recently, he was in charge of Video, Technology, and was the Analytics Coordinator at Stanford for two years. He has a master’s degree from the University of Washington. He will be the Hitting and Development Coach for the Saints this season. He’s been the hitting coach in Cedar Rapids the past two seasons. Carlos Hernandez is back for his second season as a Saints pitching coach. The 45-year-old former big leaguer is now in his ninth season in the Twins organization. You may recall that the southpaw pitched for the Astros in the early 2000s. Ryan Ricci, 29, has quickly moved up the Twins coaching ladder. He joined the organization in 2024 and coached pitchers in Fort Myers. In 2025, he was with the Wichita Wind Surge. And with Jonas Lovin moving into a coordinator role, Ricci grabs the open pitching coach spot with the Saints in 2026. Before joining the Twins, he was a pitching coach at George Mason University. Before that, he held that role at Lafayette College for two years. He pitched at George Mason and then spent a season in the Diamondbacks minor leagues. He returned to college as a graduate assistant. Wichita Wind Surge For the second straight season, the Wind Surge will have a new manager. Last year, Brian Dinkelman replaced Ramon Borrego after he was promoted to the big leagues. Dinkelman will manage in St. Paul. The Wind Surge manager in 2026 will be Nico Giarratano.This is his fourth season in the Twins organization. He was a development coach his first two seasons with the Twins organization, and last season became the manager of the FCL Twins. He was drafted by the Giants in 2017 out of the University of San Francisco and played through the 2021 season. He spent one year as the Mariners DSL manager. Andrew Cresci is back for his second season in the Twins organization, and his second season as the Wind Surge hitting coach. Prior to joining the Twins, he coached for three years in the Houston Astros organization. In the spring of 2021, he was the hitting coach for Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN, and then joined Driveline for a short stint before the Astros hired him. He played club baseball at Sacred Heart University and graduated in 2014. He then went to Rome (yes, the one in Italy) to continue his education at John Cabot University. In 2017, he played for S.S. Lazio Baseball Club in Italy. He also serves as the hitting coordinator for the Italian Softball Federation. Julian Gonzalez is also in this second season with the Twins organization. Last year, he was a hitting and development coach in Cedar Rapids. He spent the past two seasons in the Orioles organization, spending a year in the DSL and then 2024 in the FCL. Before joining the O’s, he had spent the previous two years as a high school hitting and outfielder coordinator in Jacksonville, Florida. While studying at the University of North Florida, he was a volunteer assistant on the softball team. Jesus Sanchez returns to Wichita for the second straight season. It is his fourth season in the organization. A native of Venezuela, Sanchez pitched 15 years in minor-league baseball, reaching Triple-A. Stephen Ridings is not only new to the Wind Surge staff and the Twins organization. 2026 also marks his coaching debut season. He spent the 2025 season with Oklahoma City, the Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers though he pitched in just one game. Originally, he was drafted by the Cubs out of, you guessed it, Haverford College. He spent time in the Cubs, Royals, Yankees, Mets and Dodgers organization as well as spending 2024 with Frank Viola’s High Point Rockers of the independent Atlantic League. The highlight of his career likely came in 2021 when he pitched in five big league games for the Yankees. In his MLB debut, he struck out DJ Stewart and Pedro Severino before giving up a hit. He responded by striking out Pat Valaika. His second game was a bullpen game. He entered with two runners on and two outs. He got the final out and then had a one-two-three inning. In his third outing, he went one inning and struck out the side, just like in his debut. He started by striking out Cal Raleigh and Jake Fraley. Dylan Moore singled, and then Ridings struck out Jake Bauers to end the inning. Cedar Rapids Kernels Brian Meyer was the manager in Fort Myers for his first four years in the organization. Last season, he moved up to Cedar Rapids as their manager. 2026 will be his second season with the Kernels. He had spent 13 years coaching in college before joining the Twins organization, including five seasons at Tulane and three seasons as an assistant at Butler. Hunter Townsend joined the Twins organization last offseason and will again be a pitching coach of the Kernels. He pitched at the University of Charleston in West Virginia from 2016 through 2020. He transferred to East Tennessee State for the 2021 season. He began working as a Performance Coach at Tread Athletics in Charlotte, North Carolina. Erick Julio has been with the organization since the 2022 season. He worked in the DSL in 2023 and 2024. Last year, he came to the States as a pitching coach for the FCL Twins. The 29-year-old from Colombia played professionally from 2014 through the 2021 season.That year, he pitched for Team Colombia in the Olympic Qualifiers. Danny Marcuzzo joined the Twins organization last offseason. He was the hitting and development coach for the Saints in 2025. This season, he will be working with the Kernels hitters. He coached in the Arizona Fall League earlier this offseason. A native of Omaha, Marcuzzo spent two seasons at Coffeyville Community College before playing two seasons at Western Illinois. He later earned his Masters Degree at Central Oklahoma where he also helped the baseball program. He returned to Coffeyville as the assistant coach in 2019. In 2020, he started a four-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. Most recently, he was the assistant coach at the University of Akron. He is touted for his defensive coaching as well as hitting. Yeison Perez will return for his second season as the Hitting and Development Coach for the Surge. Perez played for the DSL Twins in 2016 and 2017 and in the GCL in 2018. He spent two seasons as a coach in the FCL before joining Cedar Rapids in 2023. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels New to the organization in 2026 is Jordan Smith, and he will manage the Mighty Mussels. He has spent the past 14 seasons in the Guardians’ organization. The last three, he’s been the team’s High-A manager. Smith grew up in Willmar, Minnesota, and went to St. Cloud State for two years. He was the league’s Freshman of the Year his first season, and the league’s Player of the Year his second season. He was a ninth-round pick in that 2011 draft and played eight seasons of minor-league ball, seven with Cleveland. He reached Triple-A. His final pro season, he spent a little time with the St. Paul Saints. A former outfielder, Smith will be helped by a veteran pitching coach. Richard Salazar returns to the Mussels for the fourth straight season. He’s been in the organization for the past nine years. He coached in Cedar Rapids the two previous seasons. He came to the States to attend Miami Dade College, got drafted by the Orioles in 2001, and then spent 17 years playing pro baseball. Dylan Hawley will be the second pitching coach. Hawley is in his third season with the organization. He worked with Dominican Summer League pitchers the past two seasons. He is from Minnesota and had been working at Driveline the previous three years. In 2022, he was the pitching coach for the Excelsior Legion Baseball team. Carlos Lara will be the Mussels hitting coach. He has been the DSL Twins hitting coach the past two seasons. Lara has also with the Twins' baseball technology group in the past. FCL/FTM Complex Tristan Toorie will be taking on the role of FCL Twins manager. He spent the past two seasons in the FCL as a hitting and development coach. Previously, he had been an assistant coach at some small colleges, and he worked for MLB helping scouts and coaches. He played ball at Augusta State University and made his coaching debut in 2013 with the St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League. There will be three pitching coaches for the FCL Twins: Dan Urbina returns to his roots, working with pitchers in the lower levels of the minor leagues. He was a pitching coach with the Saints a year ago. It is his seventh season in the Twins system. He was a pitching coach in Wichita for three seasons before joining the Saints last year. He came to the Twins from the Pirates organization. He was the pitching coach for their Venezuelan Summer League team for 11 seasons and then for seven more seasons with their Dominican Summer League team. Before that, he pitched for three seasons in the Dodgers organization. Matthew Hartshorn joined the Twins organization in November. Prior to working with the Twins, he worked as a pitching coordinator at Rockland Peak Performance in New Jersey. He also had an internship as a Pitcher Development intern at Cressey Sports Performance. He pitched for Rider University in 2020 and 2021 but then took on the role of Student Manager and Director of Baseball Analytics. Ryan Meisinger Carter Kessinger will again be the Twins Rehab Pitching Coach after joining the organization before the 2025 season. He pitched at Yale for five years and spent a lot of time as the team's Director of Analytics. Steven Cardona joins the FCL group as a hitting coach. He held the same role for the DSL Twins the past two seasons. Cardona previously was working as a hitting instructor at Infinite Hitting. He has worked in a variety of roles, from sales, to data entry, to ESL instructor in the Mets, Marlins, Rays, and Blue Jays organizations. Emilio Guerrero is starting his fifth season with the FCL Twins as a hitting coach. He signed as an infielder with the Blue Jays in 2011 and played in their organization through the 2019 season. He actually attempted pitching the last couple of seasons. From 2006 through 2016 (11 seasons), Jairo Rodriguez represented the Minnesota Twins organization as a player. He was usually the #2 (or #3) catcher on whichever roster he was on. He topped out at Triple-A. He has been coaching in the organization since the end of his playing career. He was with the Kernels in 2021 and 2022. He went back to the DSL for the 2023 season and came back to the Kernels in 2024. Last year, he worked with the FCL Twins and will do so again in 2026. DSL/Dominican Complex For the fifth season in a row, Rafael Martinez will manage the DSL Twins. Two new coaches in the organization will be working with the DSL Twins hitters. Ozney Guillen, the son of the White Sox legend Ozzie Guillen, has held a ton of roles in Venezuela, Colombia and elsewhere. Also new to the Twins is Zach Simmons. He comes to the Twins from Driveline. Former Twins minor leaguer Ruben Santana returns for his fifth season coaching in the DSL. He originally signed with the Twins in September of 2015 and was a player in the organization through the 2021 season. He has been responsible for hitting, base running and infield work through his tenure. Alex Wright joined the Twins organization last offseason and will be in his second season as a pitching coach in the Dominican Summer League. He was a student at the University of South Carolina from 2016-2020. As a freshman, he applied for an internship with the Gamecocks as a video analyst. He became a student manager as well. His second year, the school invested in Trackman, Rapsodo and other technology and he dove in head first. After school, he joined Ascent Athlete, a sports performance facility in Pennsylvania that focuses on baseball and softball player development. Gabriel Garcia will be the other DSL Twins pitching coach. This is his first season in the organization. Player Development Staff: Jeremy Zoll: VP, General Manager Alex Hassan: Assistant GM Drew MacPhail: Director of Player Development Brian Maloney: Director, Minor League and High Performance Operations Amanda Daley: Director of Player Education Tommy Bergjans: Director, Minor League Pitching Development Frankie Padulo: Assistant Director, Player Development Josh Ruffin: Director, Applied Analytics Jason Davila: Senior Manager, Minor League Operations Lisa Maria Tolentino: Coordinator of Minor League Operations Chad Raines: Coordinator, Player Development Coordinators: Kevin Morgan: Minor League Field Coordinator Seth Feldman: Complex Coordinator Ehire Adrianza: Assistant, Player Development. Nat Ballenberg: Pitching Coordinator Jonas Lovin: Assistant Pitching Coordinator Argenis Angulo: Complex Pitching Coordinator Bryce Berg: Director, Minor League Hitting Development Ryan Smith: Assistant Hitting Coordinator Tucker Frawley: Catching Coordinator View the full article

Owen and Jesse start the show by breaking down the latest in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, including the Mets' reported offer of $50 million AAV, and the guys debate the pros and cons of different contract structures for Tucker. The guys take a look around the league and break down the Red Sox' reported deal with Ranger Suárez and the Cubs' deal with Alex Bregman, before digging into the Blue Jays, who will be playing in the World Baseball Classic, including Ernie Clement, Kazuma Okamoto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The second half of the episode is spent recapping the offseason acquisitions of Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and Okamoto, analyzing ZIPS projections, and setting up the current roster for when pitchers and catchers report on February 11th. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

The Twins' current front office, led by Derek Falvey, has been fixated on value since the day they took over. Getting the most out of your investment is a necessary skill in baseball, given the finite supply of resources—especially for the Twins in recent years. However, there comes a point at which value becomes the primary pursuit, at the cost of success. The Twins appear to have reached that point. Value can be subjective, and each team has its own definition, shaped by its beliefs and intentions. The best example of this came during the 2025 trade deadline. The Twins have been steadfast in their belief that relief pitchers are the least valuable position on the roster and are easily replaceable. As a result, they traded away years of controllable, high-level relief pitchers for what they believed to be better value. In this case, they saw more value in emptying the bullpen to bring in players who would add to several existing logjams on the roster, including starting pitching and left-handed corner outfielders. The case for the Twins making these moves is clear: Potential starting pitchers and regular position players almost always produce more value than relief pitchers. The problem is that, despite this truism, great relief pitchers are still a necessary part of a successful MLB roster. This decision to pursue value at last year’s trade deadline may have left the team in a situation where the payoff is irrelevant. Is it really a savvy move, if the result is a flawed and unsuccessful roster? The Twins could have set themselves up to turn the 2025 selloff into a nimble reallocation of resources, but it appears value is currently getting in their way again. Relief pitching can indeed be more easily replaced than many other positions. That being said, impactful relievers don’t grow on trees. After parting with the entire top of the bullpen hierarchy last season, it seemed they would need to bring in several high-leverage options to fill the void and give themselves a chance in 2026. The Twins clearly didn’t see the value in doing so. As the relief pitching market has steadily moved along, the Twins haven’t been involved at all. Despite their dire need for back-end relievers, they seem to be employing their typical strategy of waiting out the market to the very end, hoping to get a modest discount on players that 29 other teams aren’t interested in paying up for. These aren’t the actions of a team looking to win on the field, but rather one looking to win in the dollars per win department at season’s end. It’s incredibly disappointing. The path to fielding a successful bullpen in 2026 has narrowed significantly, as the Twins have sat on their hands throughout the offseason. It was a credit to them to hold onto core players such as Joe Ryan and Pablo López this winter, but their pursuit of value this offseason may have them weighing those aces' value at the 2026 trade deadline. The ownership and payroll situation has contributed, but the front office's philosophical rigidity is becoming more difficult to ignore. Getting the most out of every dollar is the top priority. Until the team shifts its priorities to fielding a winning roster, it seems we’re doomed to try to find solace in small wins on the margins of the roster rather than on the field. View the full article

For much of this winter, one of the storylines around the Chicago Cubs was the sheer lack of bodies. They spent several weeks with eight or nine open spots on their 40-man roster. Even during the offseason, that's extremely unusual. With the signing of Alex Bregman and the pickups of outfielder Justin Dean and left-handed reliever Ryan Rolison on waivers in the last fistful of days, though, the team is now up to 39 players on their 40-man roster. They've filled the slate, with a combination of trades, several small signings, and the Bregman deal, which feels like a capstone to a great offseason. As we know, though, the offseason isn't over. The team is weighing its options with Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner in the wake of signing Bregman, who gives them a crowded infield to go with their crowded starting rotation and a bullpen that (if not quite overloaded) is a bit short on flexibility. Let's run through the roster, reaching beyond the 40-man, even, to understand what the team has, what it needs, and what lies ahead for them. Locked-in Regulars This category includes only the players who have an ironclad role on the team for the coming season. We know not only that they will be on the team come Opening Day, but roughly what they'll be doing. They're expected to be trusted members of the core all year, if they're healthy enough for that. Position Players Miguel Amaya Tyler Austin Moisés Ballesteros Alex Bregman Michael Busch Pete Crow-Armstrong Ian Happ Carson Kelly Seiya Suzuki Dansby Swanson Starting Pitchers Cade Horton Shota Imanaga Matthew Boyd Edward Cabrera Jameson Taillon Relief Pitchers Daniel Palencia Phil Maton Caleb Thielbar Hoby Milner Hunter Harvey Jacob Webb This is a large group, given that it's only the middle of January. Trading for Edward Cabrera and signing Bregman clarified the plan for Moisés Ballesteros to serve as the regular designated hitter, pushing Seiya Suzuki to right field. The big moves created uncertainty for some individuals, as we'll discuss next, but they brought the vision of a playoff-caliber team into focus. The Displaced Five incumbent Cubs players are left with more questions than they had before, after adding Bregman and Cabrera to the mix but losing Owen Caissie. At least two have become prominent trade chips; at least one probably just got a step closer to his dreams. Nico Hoerner - Like it or not, the team has had serious discussions about trading Hoerner in three of the last four major transaction windows (offseasons and the run-up to the July trade deadline). That doesn't mean they've ever been especially close to dealing him, or that they'll do so now, but they've had chances to quash any such talk and head off rumors, and they've never really taken them. Because of Hoerner's limitations as a player (especially his lack of power at the plate), they've always understood his to be one place in their lineup where an upgrade was possible, even though they've also always loved him for what he does on the field and who he is in the dugout and the clubhouse. All of that remains true. Matt Shaw - Bregman directly knocked Shaw out of his comfortable nest at third base. He could be left to drift and figure things out on the fly, backing up both Hoerner and Bregman, or he could be installed as the second baseman in the wake of a Hoerner trade. He could also be traded, to any of a handful of interested teams, if the price is right. Kevin Alcántara - COVID and injuries conspired to give the Cubs a fourth option year on Alcántara, who is really starting to feel wasted in Triple A. That doesn't mean he'll be a star in the majors, though, and indeed, there's plenty of doubt both inside the Cubs organization and throughout the industry that he'll ever harness his tools well enough to be a regular. That might finally break in his favor this year. With Caissie off the roster, there's a more open path to a bench role for Alcántara, platooning with Pete Crow-Armstrong and (indirectly) with Ballesteros. Given that he looks increasingly like a fourth outfielder, anyway, the Cubs might feel it's the right time to give him some opportunities in the majors and not to prioritize him playing every day in Iowa. Then again, they could prefer to keep him in a rhythm, in case an injury forces them to turn to him full-time for any stretch. Colin Rea - When he signed an extension with the Cubs, Rea probably thought he had a firmer grasp on a rotation spot than he'd had when he signed with them for 2025. No such luck. After Shota Imanaga accepted the qualifying offer and the team dealt for Cabrera, Rea is now on the bubble. He'll only pitch in the rotation if someone gets hurt or the team elects to use six starters. It's more likely that he'll fill a swingman role all year, starting when needed and working in flexible, medium-leverage relief. Javier Assad - Still able to be optioned to the minors, Assad could spend much of his age-28 season in Des Moines. That's not really fair to him, but the injuries that sidelined him throughout last season put him out of sight and out of mind when the team drew up its plans. He's their seventh starter entering camp, and even if attrition renders him their fifth for a while, Justin Steele is slated to return during the summer and Jaxon Wiggins will start knocking loudly on the door by the trade deadline. Optionable Big-League Depth To their credit, the Cubs have accumulated quite a few plausibly useful big-leaguers (especially pitchers) whom they can send to the minors to maintain roster flexibility all year. Position Players Justin Dean - Picked up on waivers from the Giants, after they'd picked him up on waivers from the Dodgers, Dean is a great story. He scrapped for a decade, often playing independent ball and in the Mexican League, before getting to the majors for the first time last year—with the World Series-winning Dodgers. He's already set to receive a championship ring. The Cubs snagged him with an eye on his good speed and defense; he's extremely light-hitting. As a righty batter behind a fairly left-handed collection of outfielders, though, he could spend some time on the big-league roster as a fifth outfielder. He can be optioned and stashed, which makes him useful on a team light on outfield depth. James Triantos Pedro Ramírez - Both Triantos and Ramírez were added to the 40-man in November to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. They're the current depth options, should the Cubs trade either Hoerner or Shaw, but it's most likely that even if Hoyer moves one of his would-be starters, he'd bring in someone to fill that bench role, leaving these two to ready themselves for the majors in Triple A. Pitchers Ben Brown - It's not going to work as a starter. The Cubs essentially acknowledged that much by the end of last season. Yet, Brown could begin the season as a starter in Iowa, stretched out to forestall calamity. By midsummer, if the depth in the rotation appears likely to hold, he should be converted to short relief, permanently. Porter Hodge - On one hand, the Cubs would love if Hodge asserted himself as a legitimate setup man again. On the other hand, he'd then become a de facto locked-in guy, like Palencia, where the availability of an option doesn't actually help. They need flexibility, to survive the heavy usage every bullpen runs into at some point in the long season. Hodge, the up-and-down guy, at least comes with some pedigree and upside when it's his turn to rotate through the final reliever slot. Gavin Hollowell Luke Little Riley Martin Jack Neely Ethan Roberts Ryan Rolison Jordan Wicks - Useful because he can deliver long relief or make a spot start, Wicks is nonetheless disappointing. A first-round pick taken for his high floor, he's turning out to have a floor of being the 11th-best starter in a contending depth chart and the eighth-best lefty reliever in that mix. Not on the 40-Man, But Could Be Minor-league signings shield a team from both injuries in camp or early in the season and the thorny roster rules that make it so hard to rotate enough solid relievers through the bullpen. The Cubs have made five important ones, and one that probably won't matter. Position Players Christian Bethancourt - With Ballesteros as the only third catcher on the 40-man, it's vital to have a trustworthy veteran backstop you can keep around in Triple A in case of an injury. Reese McGuire proved the value of this role last summer, though Bethancourt is not as good as McGuire was. Scott Kingery - This is the one that shouldn't matter. Unless the team trades one of Shaw and Hoerner and doesn't do anything to replace them, he's just filler, keeping spots warm in Des Moines and being ready in case of emergency. Pitchers Tyler Beede Jeff Brigham Corbin Martin Collin Snider - None of these four have minor-league options, so once they go onto the 40-man, they have to stay with the big-league team. That makes it most desirable that at least one pitches well this spring, doesn't make the roster, but agrees to go to Iowa and wait for a shot. At least three of these four have the right to opt out of their deal if not added to the 40-man by a certain date, so expect them to compete for the final spot in the pen. The Cubs can still make other additions this winter, but they might need to come with subtractions. Picking up Rolison (the sixth lefty reliever on the 40-man, counting Wicks) leaves them teeming with fringy arms, any one of whom they can cut if the need arises and an opportunity to improve presents itself, but this group has a lot of utility. If the season started tomorrow, the Cubs would be ready. View the full article