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Major League Baseball games are right around the corner. A week today, the games will count, the statistics will count, and the Kansas City Royals’ quest to return to postseason baseball will begin in Atlanta. Now is the time when fans want to see their players get into a groove and look ready to face MLB-caliber pitching. As always, these spring training statistics don’t matter, but here is one of the final looks at the hot and cold performers in Royals camp. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Bailey Falter Acquired at last year's trade deadline from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Falter struggled to find his footing in a Royals uniform. After turning in a 7-5 record with a 3.73 ERA and 1.18 in Pittsburgh over 22 starts, the wheels fell off following the trade. In four appearances (two starts), Falter went 0-2 with an ERA of 11.25 and a WHIP of 2.25. Opponents hit .370, and Falter walked seven batters across 12 innings. With a clean slate this spring, Falter has been up-and-down, but the left-hander’s last outing gave belief that Falter could have a role on this team when camp breaks next week. Falter threw three shutout innings, allowing no hits, no walks, and striking out five. With Mason Black and Ryan Bergert being optioned to Omaha earlier this week, the door has opened for Falter to claim a long relief role in the Royals’ bullpen. If injuries do strike, Falter has put himself in a position to be an option to fill a role, based on his career ERA of 4.58. Daniel Lynch IV Lynch IV continues to build on a strong 2025 campaign this spring. Through seven spring outings, Lynch IV has pitched to a record of 1-0, an ERA of 2.35 and a WHIP of 1.17. In the left-hander’s most recent outing, Lynch IV struck out the side, requiring only 16 pitches to set the Rangers aside. Last season, Lynch IV went 6-2 with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.36 over 57 outings. With the trade of fellow left-hander Ángel Zerpa during the winter, Lynch IV could be in line for more opportunities to continue to grow as a left-hander coming out of the Royals’ bullpen. Kyle Isbel Isbel got hot at the right time. After struggling through the earlier portions of camp, Isbel is making sure he finishes strong. Over his last three games, Isbel is 5-for-8, with one double, one triple, two RBIs, and one walk. Isbel’s spring slash line now sits at .276/.382/.379, while also chipping in two steals. If Isbel can provide this level of offense, to go along with his great defense, the Royals would be over the moon about the 29-year-old’s production. Last season, Isbel batted .255 with four home runs and 33 RBI’s, to go along with an OBP of .301. A raised OBP could help allow Isbel to challenge his career high of 11 stolen bases, set back in 2024. Who’s Not? 🧊 Nick Mears Spring training has been a struggle for Mears, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason. The 29-year-old has appeared in seven games, posting an ERA of 10.80 and a WHIP of 2.10 across 6 ⅔ innings. Mears has struggled with both giving up hits and control, allowing nine hits and walking five. Last season, Mears was a key piece of the Brewers’ bullpen, going 5-3 with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 0.97. Opponents struggled to hit off Mears, generating an average of .213, while also only walking 13 in 56 ⅔ innings. With the regular season around the corner, the Royals are going to need Mears to find his stride to be a key piece in what could be a strong Royals bullpen. Noah Cameron Cameron put together a very nice rookie season in 2025. Over 24 starts, Cameron went 9-7, posted an ERA of 2.99 and a WHIP of 1.10, finishing fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. This spring, over five games (four starts), Cameron has gone 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. After holding opponents to a .214 average against during his rookie campaign, teams have been able to hit .343 off the left-hander, which is a concerning development. Cameron last pitched against the Cleveland Guardians on March 19, where the lefty went 4 ⅓ innings, allowing four runs on five hits, two home runs, two walks, while also hitting a batter. Having Cameron find his stride as the regular season opens could be one of the biggest storylines for the Royals, who could field one of the stronger rotations in MLB in 2026. Isaac Collins Collins, like Mears, was also acquired from the Brewers in the trade that sent Zerpa to Milwaukee. After batting .263 with nine home runs and 63 RBI’s and a .368 OBP with the Brewers last year, Collins has struggled to find his footing in his new home this spring. Through 21 at-bats this spring, Collins has batted .095 and posted an OBP of .174. The Royals’ outfield struggled to produce last season, so the acquisition of Collins was hoped to fill a hole that had persisted for much of the 2025 campaign. With four spring training games remaining on the exhibition schedule, players will want to start seeing results as the statistics begin to count in a week's time. View the full article

The Twins entered the week looking to bounce back from a winless weekend, and they did just that with a 5-1 win over the Pirates on Monday. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to build much momentum from there, dropping a 2-0 game to the Phillies on Tuesday and a 4-2 contest to the Red Sox on Thursday. They did, however, cap things off with an impressive 9-3 win over the Phillies in Thursday’s Spring Breakout game, bringing them back to .500 on the week. While the results themselves don’t carry much weight in spring training, the way players are performing within those games can still be telling. At this point in camp, roles are starting to come into focus, and these outings can offer a clearer sense of who’s finding their stride at the right time and who may still be trying to put things together. With that in mind, here’s a quick temperature check from the past few days. Who’s Hot? Emmanuel Rodriguez: Rodriguez put together, arguably, the most impressive individual performance of the Spring Breakout game. He opened things up with a 115.6 MPH single in the third inning — which was not only the hardest-hit ball of the game, but the third hardest-hit ball by any Twins hitter since the start of the 2024 season. He followed that up in his next at-bat with a 113 MPH triple to left-center field, continuing to show off the kind of raw power that’s always made him such an intriguing prospect. The tools have never been in question. If he can stay healthy and continue to string together results like this, there’s a lot to be excited about. Joe Ryan: After a solid first spring outing, Ryan turned things up a notch on Monday. Over four strong innings, he allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out six. He generated nine whiffs on 68 pitches (48 strikes), and his fastball sat just below 93 MPH. It’s also a good sign that he’s already getting his pitch count that high in just his second outing of the spring. Ryan is lined up to start Saturday to get one last tune-up outing before (presumably) taking the hill on Opening Day. Gabriel Gonzalez: It was an impressive showing in big league camp for Gonzalez, and he carried that momentum into the Spring Breakout game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, including a 105 MPH RBI single that highlighted his ability to drive the ball with authority. It’s been a strong overall spring for Gonzalez, and if that continues into the regular season, he may not be far off from putting himself in the conversation for a call-up. Matt Wallner: Wallner has quickly turned a slow start into a very productive spring. Over his limited opportunities this week, he’s gone 3-for-5 with a double and two walks, continuing to show a much more disciplined approach at the plate. He’s now up to eight walks this spring and owns a 1.022 OPS, a strong indicator of how well-rounded his offensive performance has been. With consistent at-bats near the top of the order, Wallner looks like someone the Twins will be counting on to carry this momentum into the regular season. Who’s Not? Royce Lewis: Spring numbers don’t mean everything, but it’s getting harder to ignore the slow start from Lewis. After a hitless start to the week, he’s now just 3-for-33 this spring with 11 strikeouts, dropping his average below the .100 mark. The underlying contact quality hasn’t been particularly encouraging either, with an average exit velocity of 88.4 MPH and a hard-hit rate below 40 percent. For a player with Lewis’s talent, it’s still not quite time to full-on panic. But it would certainly be reassuring to see him square some balls up over the next few days. Josh Bell: After trending in the right direction just last week, Bell has cooled off considerably. He’s 0-for-6 with three strikeouts over the past few days, and the contact he’s made hasn’t been especially loud. Given his track record, this isn’t something that should raise major concern. But with the season right around the corner, you’d still like to see him finish camp on a stronger note. James Outman: This has been a tough stretch at a time when Outman could least afford it. He’s 1-for-8 this week with four strikeouts, and his lone hit came on a soft blooper. After putting himself firmly in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot earlier in camp, he now sits at 8-for-37 with 15 strikeouts this spring. With time running out, he’ll need a very quick turnaround if he has any chance of getting back into the conversation. Spring training always comes with the usual caveats, but there’s still value in looking at how players are trending. A few Twins are clearly building momentum as camp winds down, while others haven’t quite clicked yet. With only a handful of games left, these final performances could play a big role in shaping both the roster and early-season expectations. View the full article

Suddenly, the San Diego Padres have just four Cactus League games left. The dog days of spring were covered up by the World Baseball Classic, but now everyone is focused on the finer things in order to get ready for Opening Day. That includes a couple of split-squad games Friday before wrapping things up with their co-tenant at the Peoria Sports Complex, the Seattle Mariners, on Monday. Then, the fateful return to San Diego. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars won three in a row to improve to 14-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the San Francisco Giants 3-1 Monday, the Seattle Mariners 9-6 Tuesday and the Chicago White Sox 13-6 Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Walker Buehler With the door clearly open for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, the two-time World Series champ is doing his best to walk through it. Buehler had his best outing of the spring, going five shutout innings against the Giants, allowing three hits and two walks, while striking out seven. He threw 45 of his 77 pitches for strikes and got 11 swings and misses, all while topping out at 94.4 mph on his four-seamer. Buehler's numbers from 2025 weren't pretty, but he was much better in his final seven games as he completed his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Matt Waldron The right-hander was the subject of a lot of jokes when he required hemorrhoid surgery early in camp. While that threw off his chances of making the Opening Day rotation, he has come back and showed his value in what is a crucial season for him. Waldron threw two innings vs. the Mariners, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He was optioned to Triple-A this week, where he will build up his innings before a potential call-up. Waldron was a key part of the rotation in 2024, but only appeared in one MLB game in 2025. Rodolfo Duran An afterthought as camp began, the 28-year-old catcher has played quite a bit during Cactus League action. That is in part to Blake Hunt, who likely entered spring as No. 3 on the depth chart, sustaining an oblique injury. Duran, yet to make his MLB debut, has seized the opportunity with a .263/.462/.632 slash line in 14 games and 26 plate appearances. He has a pair of homers, six RBIs and six walks. With Luis Campusano's iffy defensive skills and spring struggles, does Duran make the Opening Day roster as the No. 2 catcher? At worst, he'll head back to Triple-A as the next man up. Who's Cold? 🧊 Michael King Still in the mix to be the Opening Day starter, the right-hander gave up six runs in five innings vs. the White Sox. Three came in the first and the other three in the fourth. King gave up three home runs, a pair to LaMonte Wade Jr. and the other to Curtis Mead. He allowed nine hits while walking two and striking out three. It was the second game in a row King allowed six runs, leaving his ERA at a problematic 10.19 in five games, with opponents hitting .351 against him. This cannot continue into the regular season if the Friars want any chance of surviving the NL West gauntlet. Ramon Laureano To be fair, the left fielder hasn't struggled that much, but he does lead the team with 15 strikeouts this spring in 33 at-bats. When he does make contact, he has put up a .273/.368/.515 slash line with one homer and three RBIs. The Friars would certainly take that average this season, especially if he can repeat his 24 homers, which tied his career high, from a year ago. Laureano will be a key to how the bottom half of the order performs this season, perhaps hitting as high as sixth and being counted on to drive in runs. Manny Machado After going 6-for-20 in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, the superstar third baseman returned to the Padres and has picked up right where he left off before the WBC. In other words, he has not good. Machado had been just 2-for-9 this spring (both hits homers in a single game) before the WBC. In his first game back, Machado went 0-for-3 and is now hitting .167 this spring. That was just one game after his two-week stint with the Dominican Republic, so hopefully the bat shows some life this weekend as Opening Day approaches. View the full article

Fish On First LIVE unpacks the highlights and lowlights from Marlins prospects who played on Thursday and wonders why more fans don't attend Spring Breakout. View the full article

On the most recent Fish Unfiltered, one of my five bold predictions was that Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards will win the National League batting title. He's looking to join Hanley Ramírez (2009), Dee Strange-Gordon and Luis Arraez (2023) as the only Marlins players to achieve that. The 2025 NL batting title champ was Trea Turner, who posted a .304 batting average in 141 games. Edwards finished 11th among qualified hitters and slashed .283/.343/.353/.695 overall with three home runs, 43 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 95 wRC+. Entering his second full-length MLB season, I see the potential for him to improve. Edwards will likely continue to lead off for the Marlins. He puts immediate pressure on opposing defenses because he puts the ball in play a lot, as reflected in his 14.2% strikeout rate in 2025, which was 12th-lowest in the NL. Combining his contact skill with his 75th-percentile sprint speed, it makes sense that Edwards was tied for fourth in MLB last season with 33 infield hits. He is an outstanding bunter and that's a weapon he should consider using more often to break out of slumps like the ones he experienced at the beginning and end of 2025. When it comes to the mental side of the game, it should help Edwards that he is now a full-time second baseman. He opened 2025 as the Marlins starting shortstop, even though it was clear he was overmatched. Not surprisingly, his defensive struggles negatively impacted his all-around performance. He batted only .263 at SS, but .291 following the transition to 2B. After being a Gold Glove finalist at the position, he can fully focus on his work at the plate. Although Edwards is a switch-hitter, he had large platoon splits last season—he was great against right-handed pitching (.306/.368/.391/.758), but disappointing against lefties (.236/.289/.275/.564). All indications are that he will get everyday starts for the foreseeable future. However, if it's more of the same from him during the first half of 2026, the Marlins may eventually limit his exposure to LHP, which could boost his overall average while still getting him enough plate appearances to be a qualified hitter. Turner's .304 mark was unusually low for a batting champ. In predicting Edwards to win the title this season, I'm counting on him to finish somewhere above .310. View the full article

While competing with the back-to-back champion juggernaut that is the Los Angeles Dodgers is tough, the San Diego Padres have been aggressive enough to enter that conversation. Here is the route the Padres must take to challenge for the NL West title in 2026.View the full article

Jack and Spencer react to the Brewers' latest roster moves as Opening Day nears. Will Brandon Lockridge make the roster, and what to think of Blake Perkins, Tyler Black, and Logan Henderson returning to minor-league camp? Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The Chicago Cubs are undergoing somewhat of a changing of the guard at the catching position. Carson Kelly, coming off a career year, is a season away from a mutual option. Miguel Amaya showed more pop in 2025, but he lost some playing time to Kelly. Moises Ballesteros, the top prospect and man with the most years of control, passed the eye test in a small sample size this year. What's the future of this position? We dive into that exact question in this video. View the full article

The Twins’ Spring Breakout Game gave us an early look at some of the organization’s most intriguing young talent. From standout performances to a few subtle storylines that could matter later, there was a lot to take in. Here are the biggest takeaways you need to know.View the full article

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 prospect in the San Diego Padres' organization comes to a conclusion with the No. 1 prospect, as voted on by our writers. Check out all of the other entries in the ranking here: No. 2 : Kash Mayfield No. 3: Kruz Schoolcraft No. 4: Bradgley Rodriguez No. 5: Miguel Mendez No. 6: Jagger Haynes No. 7: Humberto Cruz No. 8: Ty Harvey No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 1: Ethan Salas (San Antonio Missions) Despite being born in Kissimmee, Fla., Salas qualified as an international free agent with family ties to Venezuela. As a 16-year-old, he was the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, signing with the Padres for a $5.6 million bonus, at the time the largest handed out in the current capped system. Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB 2023 17 -7.4 San Antonio TL AA SDP 9 33 28 2 5 1 0 0 3 0 1 4 8 .179 .303 .214 .517 6 1 1 0 0 0 2023 17 -5.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 9 37 35 3 7 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 .200 .243 .229 .472 8 0 0 0 0 0 2023 17 -4.2 Lake Elsinore CALL A SDP 48 220 191 35 51 11 2 9 35 5 2 24 57 .267 .350 .487 .837 93 3 2 0 3 0 2024 18 -4.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 113 469 412 38 85 27 2 4 53 10 3 47 98 .206 .288 .311 .599 128 4 3 0 7 0 2024 18 -4.2 Peoria AZFL Fal 23 107 92 14 21 6 0 4 21 4 1 13 27 .228 .327 .424 .751 39 1 1 0 1 0 2025 19 -5.0 San Antonio TL AA SDP 10 41 32 5 6 1 0 0 5 2 0 6 5 .188 .325 .219 .544 7 0 1 1 1 0 Salas, who played with players twice his age in the Venezuelan winter league just months before signing, made his debut in the Padres organization two days before his 17th birthday, playing for the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm. Coming from a baseball family—dad Jose Salas Sr. played catcher in the Atlanta system, his paternal grandfather and his dad's brother played in the minors and Ethan has two brothers currently in the minors (Jose Jr. with the Minnesota Twins and Andrew with the Miami Marlins)—Salas had a wealth of knowledge that helped elevate his prospect status. Plus, being a 6-foot-2, 185-pounder who would have had to wait another year or two before being drafted doesn't hurt, either. He was a rare catcher that not only had elite defense, but had a good approach at the plate as a left-handed hitter. He has a proclivity for hitting the ball to all fields and was scouted with plus power. Salas showed those skills at Lake Elsinore. In his first 48 professional games, Salas had a slash line of .267/.350/.487 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and five stolen bases. Defensively, he had just one error and threw out eight of 37 steal attempts. As the Padres are wont to do, Salas was quickly promoted to the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. He wasn't there very long, playing in just nine games with Fort Wayne and struggling offensively with a .200/.243/.229 slash line. With the season coming to an end, the Padres surprisingly moved Salas up again, this time to the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he spent another nine games. There, he had a slash line of .179/.303/.214. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each had Salas ranked as the No. 8 prospect in baseball as he returned to Fort Wayne to start the 2024 season as a 17-year-old, the youngest player in the Midwest League. This time, he stuck around for 113 games, but the offense he showed at Lake Elisnore wasn't there. Salas put together a .206/.288/.311 slash line with four homers, 53 RBIs and 10 steals, playing against players who on average were 4.3 years older than he was. He threw out 28 of 111 runners attempting to steal in 67 games at catcher. With a full season under his belt, the Friars sent him to the Arizona Fall League, a prospect showcase. The offense was still a work in progress as he finished with a .228/.327/.424 slash line, but he did pop four homers and drove in 21. The lack of offense started to dampen Salas' prospect luster, as Baseball America dropped him to No. 31 and MLB Pipeline to No. 33 entering 2025. Now 18 years old, Salas went up to Double-A, where he was five years younger than the average player in the Texas League. But just 10 games into the season, Salas' campaign came to an abrupt end with a stress reaction in his lower back. Salas, now 19, is likely returning to San Antonio to begin 2026. He participated in major-league camp this year, but went just 2-for-11 (.182). He slid further in the prospect rankings, tumbling to No. 90 in the Baseball America list and not being included in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. Some outlets even moved Salas to No. 2 in the Padres' system, behind last year's first-round draft pick, left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft. All of this adds up to making 2026 a key year for Salas. The defense is still there, with improvements made to his throwing process to better cut down runners. His approach at the plate has been considered simple (in a good way, with fewer moving parts) and he had an 86% in-zone contact rate in 2024 and his brief stint in 2025 before being hurt. He improved his strikeout rate by about five percentage points from 2023 to 2024 even though he didn't fare well against breaking balls. How the Friars treat Salas if he has success offensively will be something to watch. Double-A pitching is sometimes better than Triple-A pitching due to the number of prospects at the second-highest minor-league level, so any development on that front would be a huge boon for the best catcher in the system. While he was out injured last year and continuing this offseason, Salas worked with a number of people who have catching experience in the Padres' organization, including A.J. Ellis, Scott Servais and Mike Borzello, a current advance scout with a lot of experience on championship-winning teams as a bullpen catcher and catching coach. It helped Salas with game-planning and other items to sharpen him defensively. He is now up to 215 pounds (and down to 6-foot-1 in revised measurements) and worked to shorten his swing to improve his offense. "Cerebrally he’s advanced for his age, and for as little as he’s played, he absorbs the information really well," Borzello told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Now it’s just about playing and getting reps." Added Salas: "I think that’s why I didn’t see last year as the biggest negative in the world. I just took a lot of time to reflect, kind of make a plan starting forward and how I want to start going about things and I want to start playing and taking care of my business." With better health, Salas could make a loud return to top prospect lists around the league in 2026. Hard as it is to believe, he's still just a teenager, as he won't turn 20 until June. View the full article

It's an exciting time around baseball for prospect watchers and fans looking towards the future, as MLB's Spring Breakout is coming soon, with top prospects from every team suiting up and putting on a showcase. The Blue Jays' prospects will face the Phillies' prospects on Saturday, March 21 at 1:05 p.m. E.T., on the road in Clearwater at BayCare Ballpark. Here is the Blue Jays' 2026 Spring Breakout roster: Pitchers RHP Austin Cates LHP Javen Coleman RHP Daniel Guerra LHP Adam Macko RHP Landen Maroudis RHP Carson Messina RHP Nolan Perry RHP Grant Rogers RHP Gage Stanifer Catchers Edward Duran Aaron Parker Brandon Valenzuela Infielders 3B Cutter Coffey SS Josh Kasevich 3B/1B Sean Keys 3B/1B Charles McAdoo SS Arjun Nimmala SS JoJo Parker 3B Tim Piasentin SS Josh Rivera 3B Juan Sanchez Outfielders Jace Bohrofen Blaine Bullard Jake Casey Eddie Micheletti Jr. Yohendrick Pinango RJ Schreck And here are some key things to pay attention to during the game: Debuts for Some High-Profile 2025 Draftees JoJo Parker was the Jays’ first-round pick, as they used the eighth overall pick on him, but he has yet to make his professional debut. In spring training, he was in the minor league camp, which hid him from the general public. This will be the first time that Jays fans will get to see him live on a broadcast. Parker is still only 19, and despite the advanced hit tool, this will be his first look at professional pitching in a game setting. High schoolers Tim Piasentin, out of Alberta, and Blaine Bullard are also making their debuts in this Spring Breakout game. They’re definitely more raw than Parker is, but the Jays shelled out big bonuses for both of them of $747,500 and $1,697,500, respectively. Juan Sanchez wasn’t drafted in 2025, but was signed out of international amateur free agency and had a breakout 2025 in the Dominican Summer League. This will be his first time in action with Statcast data publicly available, and hopefully, fans will get to see his plus power and advanced physicality. Return of the Injured Players Nolan Perry was a 12th-round pick in the 2022 draft for the Blue Jays, and in his age-20 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays, he pitched to a 2.93 ERA in 14 starts with a 27.5% K-rate, although he walked batters 18.8% of the time. Despite his lack of command, he was positioned for a breakout before heading to the injured list due to Tommy John surgery, making him miss all of the 2025 season. This will be his first time pitching in a game since he had the surgery, and it will be nice to see him back in action. Carson Messina is the brother of Rockies prospect Cole Messina, and unlike his brother, he pitches instead of catching. Signed out of high school for a $550,000 bonus, he was shelved for the 2025 season with elbow inflammation, but is back and throwing again. If he gets into this game, we’ll get to see him in pro action for the first time since his one appearance in the Complex League in 2025. He reportedly hit triple digits in that appearance, and hopefully, he’s healthy enough to do so again. Landen Maroudis had a lost 2025 season after returning from Tommy John surgery, showing reduced stuff, velocity and command. Reportedly, he’s back sitting where he was in the first Spring Breakout game: the mid 90s. If Maroudis has returned to his pre-Tommy John form, he’ll return as a breakout candidate for the Blue Jays. The 2027 Spring Breakout event will be modified to be a tournament-style bracket, but in 2026, it will just be a singular exhibition game. This will mean that some players won't be able to get in the game, due to the limited number of innings and teams wanting to protect the health of their prospects. Still, this is a great day for all prospect watchers across every organization and should provide great insight into the future of the Blue Jays. View the full article

Team USA, coming off a joyless silver medal finish in the World Baseball Classic where they had no fun of any kind, has some advice for fans on how to best enjoy MLB's Opening Day next week. Twins Daily got a sneak peek: First things first: On the way to the game, get in a fight with your son. Assert dominance. He'll appreciate it later in life. At the ticket gate, thank the ushers for their service. During the National Anthem, scout the crowd for insufficient patriotism. That pregnant woman who's remaining seated? Get in her face. The youths that have their hands clasped instead of one over their hearts? An open-palmed headslap will set them straight. Box the ear. If you notice someone wearing the visiting team's gear, politely but firmly tell them you will fight them right now, in the concourse. Dump a beverage on them to encourage retaliation. You are in the right. They are human garbage. Treat them as such. At the concession stand, make a point to let everyone working and in line behind you know that you don't tip. They'll admire you for your principles. When the grounds crew drags the infield between innings, loudly critique their methods. They appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to be better. This is a tough one. Umpires are technically troops, so you must respect them. However, they also miss a call that goes against your team on occasion. It's important for accountability that, because you respect them, they must fight you right now. Unless they're soft. During the 7th-inning stretch, the stadium often plays God Bless America. If they do, the same National Anthem rules apply. If you see a father and son in line for Dippin' Dots instead of paying their respects, shove the father. His son will respect you and call you dad instead. If the stadium doesn't play God Bless America, find the organist and rain blows upon them unless/until the song is played. If the game ends in victory, make sure that no one congratulates the visiting team or fans on a good game. They must be humiliated. If the game ends in a loss, remove your shirt and just begin whaling on the nearest person. God has abandoned us. Virtue is a myth meant to weaken you. Draw blood. If you paid for your ticket, they technically can't arrest you. Enjoy the 2026 season! But not too much. We will find out. View the full article

Last year, the Royals fielded 16 different players in left and right field. After Mike Yastrzemski’s arrival in July, he solidified a spot in right field, but he has since left for free agency, joining the Atlanta Braves. Despite his struggles at the plate, Jac Caglianone hopes to make right field his own in 2026. With prospects like John Rave, Drew Waters, and Tyler Tolbert unable to make a meaningful impact, the Royals decided to look elsewhere to round out the outfield by trading for Isaac Collins and signing Lane Thomas as a free agent. The Royals also brought in veteran outfielder Starling Marte to provide additional depth. Royals Corner Outfielders At A Glance Starters: Jac Caglianone, Isaac Collins Backups: Lane Thomas, Starling Marte, Nick Loftin, Michael Massey Depth: Tyler Tolbert, John Rave, Kameron Misner, Drew Waters Prospects: Gavin Cross, Carson Roccaforte Royals fWAR Ranking Last Year: 30th out of 30 in LF, 30th out of 30 in RF Royals fWAR Projection This Year: 23rd out of 30 in LF, 20th out of 30 in RF The Good Most importantly, the Royals made changes to address their biggest weakness this offseason. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte have proven track records of MLB success, and Isaac Collins is coming off an excellent season where he finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Jac Caglianone has looked good in spring training with a slash line of .400/.550/.733 in 20 plate appearances. Caglianone has also impressed with Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, slashing .364/.563/.727 in 16 plate appearances. Most notably, Caglianone has shown improved plate discipline, walking more often than striking out in his combined appearances in spring training and the WBC with nine walks against six strikeouts. Caglianone is also hitting the ball hard this spring. He represents the 100th percentile in both 90th percentile exit velocity and max exit velocity. While it may be easy to get excited about his strong spring training, it is important to remember that Caglianone had a strong spring last year with an OPS of 1.776. While the circumstances of his call-up in 2024 were not ideal, being rushed up to replace underperforming players, Caglianone was not able to translate his good spring into MLB success last season. Another positive going into 2025 is flexibility. The Royals have a lot of flexibility in platoon options and positioning. Thomas and Marte can provide relief against left-handed pitching when needed for Caglianone and Collins (who has struggled against left-handed pitching despite being a switch-hitter). Thomas can also be a platoon bat for Kyle Isbel in center field. Marte Will also factor in at designated hitter. Michael Massey and Nick Loftin are primarily infielders, but more can be options in the outfield if needed. Ideally, with their current depth, Loftin and Massey won’t be needed in the outfield as often as they were last season. The Bad There are question marks surrounding all three outfield additions when it comes to health and availability. Collins had a delayed start to spring training after receiving injections this offseason to address tendonitis in both of his knees. On March 13th, there was also a report that Collins was dealing with minor back tightness, which has caused the Royals to be more cautious with his playing time. As the likely starting left fielder, it will be important for Collins to stay healthy and not have to test the Royals’ outfield depth and flexibility right when the season starts. Thomas has also suffered injury issues in 2025, playing only in 39 games. He is only a couple of years removed from a season where he slashed .268/.315/.468, but Thomas will need to prove that he can both return to that level of production and stay healthy for a long stretch of the season. Marte has not dealt with significant injuries recently, but he is entering his age-37 season and is past the point in his career where he can be counted on as an everyday contributor. Marte has not eclipsed 500 plate appearances since 2022, but when he does play, he has proven to still provide an above-average bat, posting a wRC+ of 112 last season. After the top four anticipated contributors, there are a lot of players who have not yet been able to make a meaningful impact at the major-league level. Tyler Tolbert, John Rave, Kameron Misner, and Drew Waters all have struggled to impress in their limited time in the big leagues. While there is still time for any of them to grow into contributors in MLB, the Royals will hope that their services won’t be necessary in 2026. The Bottom Line The Royals were the worst team in MLB when it came to production from the corner outfield positions in 2025, and they made an effort to improve their outlook for 2026. The Royals are also assuming a lot of risk in relying on Caglianone to take the next step in his development, and that Thomas and Collins perform despite their injury concerns. If everything goes right, the Royals will be applauded for their shrewd business in the offseason to target sensible improvements to raise their floor. If injuries or regression hit, however, the Royals might be looking at a repeat of the woes from 2025. Previous Installments: Second Base Position Analysis Catcher Position Analysis First Base Position Analysis View the full article

The catching position is as involved as any in baseball, seeing that whoever is behind the plate factors into every single pitch. The Chicago Cubs’ catching position has everything from a grizzled veteran who is coming off of a career year to up-and-coming talents with varying levels of upside. Here is a full breakdown of the North Siders' backstop situation heading into the 2026 season. Cubs Catchers At A Glance Starter: Carson Kelly Backup: Miguel Amaya Depth: Moises Ballesteros Prospects: Christian Bethancourt, Casey Opitz, Ariel Armas Cubs starting catcher fWAR last year: 11th out of 30 Cubs fWAR ranking projection this year: 16th out of 30 The Good Regardless of what the Cubs were expecting to get out of Carson Kelly in his first season with the team, he exceeded those standards. Chicago’s veteran backstop posted career marks in batting average (.249), hits (92), RBI (50) and runs scored (48), among other statistics. Arguably the most awe-inspiring figure was this: Kelly logged just 4.1 WAR over the first nine years of his career. In 2025 alone, he logged 3.6. One of the reasons Kelly had a breakout season at the plate was his plate discipline. His strikeout rate (19.0) and walk percentage (10.7) both beat the league-average marks, and it allowed him to capitalize in a crucial way: the pull-side air raid. While the majority of Kelly’s balls in play were to left field, he found a way to get out in front of pitches at a remarkable rate this year. The 31-year-old catcher capitalized on a career-high in Pull AIR%. Kelly wasn’t the only player who put up a career year, though. Miguel Amaya hit a personal-best .281 with a .500 slugging percentage that eclipsed his previous career-high of .359. Furthermore, after hitting just eight home runs across 117 contests the year prior, Amaya swatted four long balls in just 28 games. Call it hunger for more playing time if you want, but the 6-foot-1, 230 pound catcher found his power stroke in the 2025 season. Moises Ballesteros, while very young, flexed his hitting abilities as the team’s top prospect in his debut last year. The 22-year-old Venezuelan has always been a standout talent for his elite bat-to-ball skills, and the 60-grade hit tool on his scouting report reinforces that narrative. Very possibly the Cubs catcher of the future if his defense can hold up, Ballesteros registered a .298 batting average with an .868 OPS. He throttled a pair of home runs and served as a shot in the arm for an at-times anemic Cubs offense in the second half. The Bad It’s a rare sighting to see a player on the other end of 30 years old put up career numbers. Even if Kelly were to replicate his incredible 2025 season, he has a year left on his contract before a mutual option kicks in. That places a plethora of pressure on Amaya, who simply didn’t play a ton in 2025. In fact, Amaya’s 96 at-bats were the lowest total of any of his three seasons in the big leagues so far. Take the small sample size with a grain of salt, but his strikeout rate (21.4%), whiff rate (26.0%) and chase rate (36.8%) all left much to be desired in that time. The pop is clearly there. Now, it comes down to pitch identification and plate discipline, something that catchers of all people should have an advantage in. Given that those skills develop with more repetitions, it's a problem that Amaya's injury history is growing concerningly long when factoring in his time in the minors. Ballesteros, on the other hand, gets to swing freely as the projected starting designated hitter. When a 22-year-old is being projected to play at DH, though, that should tell you all you need to know about their defensive skills. The Bottom Line There’s a very clear changing of the guard happening here. With Kelly’s short-term contract nearing its end, it’ll be up to Amaya and Ballesteros/a prospect to slide up a spot in the team’s depth chart. Their power could be the calling card for a lineup that had to say goodbye to Kyle Tucker (22 home runs in 2025) after just one season. If both of these up-and-comers are hits? Chicago may have its answer for the foreseeable future, especially if they can find a veteran replacement for Kelly to pair with Amaya. Those are longer-term problems, though. For 2026, the Cubs are well positioned to run out a competent group of backstops. View the full article

For three straight years, the Brewers intended to start the regular season with Garrett Mitchell as their starting center fielder. Mitchell started up the middle on Opening Day in 2023 and 2025, and he would have in 2024, had he not broken his hand in the final days of spring training. It became apparent that they wanted Mitchell to return to that spot for the 2026 opener. They've certainly given him every opportunity to claim the position. While Jackson Chourio, Blake Perkins, and Brandon Lockridge have all gotten starts in the outfield corners this spring, all eight of Mitchell's Cactus League appearances have come in center field. The club has taken things slowly with the injury-prone Mitchell, though, and has only recently ramped up his playing time. Pat Murphy rehashed those durability concerns to reporters in Arizona earlier this week, officially raising the possibility that the 27-year-old might not make the Opening Day roster if the Brewers believed he was not ready for regular playing time. Ultimately, though, the Brewers did not reach that point. By optioning Perkins to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, the club effectively locked Mitchell and Lockridge into its Opening Day outfield mix. While Mitchell could still receive frequent days off to manage his health, he'll presumably take most of the playing time up the middle to open the year. The choice apparently came down to Lockridge vs. Perkins, but it arguably could have been Mitchell on the outside looking in. There are still concerns about how productive he'll be when healthy, given the flaws in his profile—concerns that have only been exacerbated by his frequent and extended absences and unsuccessful attempts to close those holes. Because his playing time has been so disjointed due to injury, it's been impossible to determine whether Mitchell is actually a viable big-league hitter. His elite bat speed and swing decisions give him one of the highest offensive ceilings in the organization, but the holes in his swing have produced a bloated 33.9% strikeout rate in 443 career plate appearances. Mitchell has hit .254/.333/.433 (114 wRC+) in the big leagues, but with a far less inspiring deserved line of .208/.289/.355 (80 DRC+), according to Baseball Prospectus. Mitchell can hit fastballs at or below the belt, and he has destroyed hanging breaking balls, but he's been a near-automatic out against anything elevated. For his career, he has whiffed on a whopping 52.1% of swings on fastballs within the top third of the strike zone or higher. He'll never need to crush those pitches to succeed, and with a 39.1% swing rate against them (including just a 14.4% swing rate against fastballs above the zone), Mitchell has done a decent job of forcing pitchers back into his hot zones. However, he must prove he can make some contact with elevated velocity. He's made it a focus, but his efforts have not yielded much improvement. Earlier this spring, Mitchell experimented with raising his hands in his stance before switching back to his usual setup. He's since looked caught in-between in many of his Cactus League plate appearances: gearing up for the fastball, but still missing it, while being ahead of softer stuff. The sample is still very small, but Mitchell has whiffed on 37.5% of swings against fastballs this spring, including a 52.6% whiff rate against high heaters. For his career, Mitchell has posted a capable 79.6% contact rate against in-zone breaking balls, with most of his whiffs coming on pitches below the zone. In Arizona, he's whiffed on 53.8% of in-zone breaking balls. Most alarmingly, Mitchell has been hopelessly in front of slower pitches moving away from him, whiffing on 71.4% of swings against offspeed pitches. In 30 Cactus League plate appearances, Mitchell entered Thursday hitting just .080/.233/.240 (24 wRC+) with a 50% strikeout rate. He's still flashed his upside when putting the ball in play, launching a 462-foot home run earlier this month for one of his two hits, but after sporadic time on the field last year, his bat does not look big-league ready with Opening Day approaching. Meanwhile, Lockridge has showcased tangible improvements at the plate. Clearly, Mitchell can make an impact for the Brewers at some point in 2026, but between his uneven production, injury history, and how his bat currently looks, they should be prepared for other options to take a healthy share of reps in center field. For now, though, Mitchell has the opportunity to dial himself in by Opening Day and establish himself up the middle. View the full article

Opening Day is about fresh starts, renewed hope, and finding your people again after a long offseason. This year, the Twins Daily Social Club is adding something a little extra to that tradition: a keepsake fans will be raising all season long. Every attendee at our Opening Day Watch Party at BlackStack Brewing will receive a free 2026 Winter Meltdown pint glass. If you’ve been to a Meltdown before, you already know: these aren’t just pint glasses. They’re part of the experience. They end up on shelves, in cabinets, and back in your hand on game days—a small but meaningful piece of Twins Daily history. And this year’s design is no exception, created by the incredibly talented Brock Beauchamp, whose work once again brings personality and creativity to a fan-favorite collectible. So how did a Winter Meltdown glass become an Opening Day giveaway? When this year’s Winter Meltdown was unexpectedly canceled, it left us with a stash of these freshly designed glasses. Rather than let them sit, we figured there was no better place for them than in the hands of Twins fans on Opening Day. All you need to do to claim yours is RSVP on Eventbrite ahead of the event. Once you check in at the watch party, your glass is yours. You’ll be raising it with fresh pours from BlackStack, surrounded by fellow fans as the Minnesota Twins open the season against the Baltimore Orioles. So grab your glass, fill it up, and find your spot in the crowd. Share a drink, swap some stories, and settle in for the start of something new. A new season is here. And now, you’ve got the perfect glass for it. EVENT DETAILS RSVP: bit.ly/4sgSTnG What: Twins Daily Social Club's Opening Day Watch Party Cost: Free When: 1 pm, March 26, 2026 Where: Blackstack Brewing, 755 Prior Ave N, St Paul, MN View the full article

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings for the 2026 season has nearly reached the top as the final two are unveiled, featuring a young arm making some Top-100 noise after pitching in the postseason last year with Boston. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Part 5 (No. 8) Part 6 (No. 7) Part 7 (No. 6) Part 8 (No. 5) Part 9 (No. 4) Part 10 (No. 3) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 4 Connelly Early The 2025 season saw the Boston Red Sox's pitching development finally pay off in a big way, as their young pitchers helped get the team through the final month of the season and back into the postseason for the first time since 2021. One of those pitchers was Connelly Early, a 2023 fifth-round draft pick. Early, who made his MLB debut in September, pitched admirably down the stretch as he made four starts and struck out 29 batters in 19 1/3 innings. He walked just four and allowed five earned runs; his performance led manager Alex Cora to hand him the ball as the starting pitcher in the win-or-go-home game three of the Wild Card series. Prior to that, Early split 2025 between Portland and Worcester, going 10-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 21 games, 18 of them starts. He threw 100 1/3 innings in that span and struck out 132 batters. Early, who throws from the first-base side of the rubber, has some effort in his delivery but manages to repeat it with a consistent release point. Like most pitchers that the Red Sox have targeted in the past few years, he also has plus extension during his release. Early relies on a five-pitch arsenal that is made up of a fastball, changeup, slider, curveball and sweeper. His fastball, while averaging just 92-95 mph, topped out at 97 mph and there was an increase in velocity from 2024 that saw the pitch sitting in the low-90s. It has shown more bat-missing ability as he runs up the radar gun, but it's always been designed to help set up his changeup. That off-speed offering is an above-average pitch thanks to having arm-side run and his low release height. Typically in the mid-80s, he uses a kick-changeup grip and has advanced feel in the pitch, as he throws it often to both left-handed and right-handed batters. When at its best, the pitch will tumble out of the zone, generating whiffs. His slider averaged 84-87 mph in 2025 and he’s able to land it in the zone. Despite that, it doesn’t miss many bats and is instead used to generate weak contact from opposing batters. His curveball tends to sit in the low-80s at best and has more vertical break. It isn’t consistent, however, sometimes flashing plus movement and other times wobbling toward the plate. Both breakers have above-average qualities but aren't considered in that realm just yet. His sweeper is his newest pitch, having started working on it in 2024, and it improved as the season went on. It averaged around 80-83 mph and is mainly used against left-handed batters. Much like the curveball, it can show bat-missing ability, but he needs to gain more consistency with it in terms of landing it in and around the strike zone. Entering the 2026 season, Early is seen as a mid-rotation starter who flashes the upside of a number two or three starter. If he can gain consistency on his three weaker pitchers, that ceiling could rise. The biggest question mark for Early so far is if he can keep the velocity up as he goes deeper into games and across an entire season. The fact he can throw three to four pitches for strikes consistently helps his case in the immediate term. While many would love to see Early in Boston to open the year, due to their depth the team acquired over the offseason, he is likely headed to Worcester. If the Red Sox keep Early in Worcester for five weeks to open the season, they’ll gain an extra year of control on Early. This would keep him from becoming a free agent until after his age-30 season, something that could change rotation plans down the road. Regardless of where Early starts the season, he’ll be up in Boston as one of the first pitching-related promotions and will end up playing a huge role in how the 2026 season goes down. View the full article

Howie Rose, long-time Mets broadcaster and staple of the radio booth of the last 20 seasons, has announced that this season will be his last. While he noted in his video that he still plans to spend some time with the team, those used to his boy-like charm and encyclopedic knowledge will have to tune in to the next generation. Rose began with the Mets in 1987 while also doing a show for WFAN, finally joining the radio booth as the play-by-play man in 1995. Rose briefly moved to television alongside Gary Cohen in 1996 before the creation of SNY. At that point, Rose returned to radio where he has served since, and better served with his ability to find a voice of summer perfect for nights on the porch. In 2023, Rose revealed a bladder cancer that had sidelined him for parts of the 2021 season. As he contemplated retirement in recent years, Rose had skipped away games while manning the Bigelow Tea Radio Broadcast booth back in Citi Field. In 2023, the Mets inducted Rose alongside Gary Cohen into their Hall of Fame. Rose, like Vin Scully before him, has remained an expert storyteller, but especially as a fan. While Scully understood neutrality, Rose has never let his boyhood team’s excitement escape him—he grew up in Bayside and went to Queens College. He used to eat at the old Hamburger Coach before games. The acclaim for Rose will always go back to his encyclopedic knowledge of Mets history. If something unique was happening in a game, Rose remembers an equivalent game from the 1978 season as if it happened yesterday. At the same time, Rose has never dismissed analytics or felt the team was playing the wrong way—unless they were losing, of course. More so, Rose never felt the need to keep his distaste of the Wilpons out of the public air (in one old interview, he told fans, “Stop going to the games. Just stop. Don’t buy the merchandise. Don’t feed the Wilpon beast.”). He also spent two decades calling games for both the New York Islanders and Ranger, including the iconic 1994 Double Overtime win by the Rangers in Game 7 against the Devils that sent them to the Stanley Cup Finals: Rose captures what is best about baseball, and particularly Mets fandom. I feel few will forget his monologue after the magical 2024 season, when it seemed certain that the Dodgers would take the NLCS and make it to the World Series: And of course, there was that magical Alonso call: Rose’s retirement joins a number of famed radio broadcasters making generational handoffs. Rick Rizzs announced this will be his final season with the Mariners, while Rose’s Bronx colleague John Sterling stepped away following the end of the 2023 season (with a brief stint in the World Series booth in 2024). Most old schoolers find their way out of the booth one way or another. Rose found a way to remain not just relevant, but welcomed all these years. But after this season, it will be time to put Rose in the books. View the full article

Jays Centre is counting down the top 50 Blue Jays in franchise history. Check out prior entries in the series here: Introduction 50 to 46 45 to 41 40 to 36 As we continue our countdown of the top 50 players in Blue Jays franchise history, spots 35 to 31 feature a mix of players from every era: a power bat from the early years, a fiery pitcher from the 2010s, and even an active player still climbing the franchise leaderboards. No. 35: Willie Upshaw First base 1978, 1980-1987 Blue Jays Career Stats: .265/.336/.426, 112 HR, 478 RBI, 50 SB Willie Upshaw may be the most underrated player from those early 1980s Blue Jays teams. Originally drafted by the New York Yankees in 1975, Upshaw joined the Blue Jays in the 1977 Rule 5 draft, one of two players the club selected that day. Although his rookie season was underwhelming (.602 OPS), he became the Blue Jays' regular first baseman by 1982. From there, Upshaw produced the best stretch of his career from 1983-85. In that three-year span, he averaged a .287/.354/.477 line with 20 home runs and 84 RBI. His best season came in 1983, when he slugged 27 home runs and became the first player in franchise history to reach 100 RBI in a season. He was a key part of the Blue Jays' first AL East title in 1985. Upshaw battled with injuries and a slight decline through the ‘86 and ‘87 seasons, and with first base prospects Fred McGriff and Cecil Fielder in the wings, he was traded to Cleveland, ending his tenure with the club. Off the field, Upshaw was widely respected within the organization. After he was traded to Cleveland, Pat Gillick stated, “He’s a real class guy. He gave great service to the club.” Gillick even mentioned Upshaw directly in his Hall of Fame speech, telling a story of what it was like drafting him. Post-playing career, Upshaw took up coaching and, most famously, served as the Giants' first base coach in 2007 when Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756, breaking the all-time record. Upshaw's Blue Jays career: Games played - 8th (1,115)* Hits - 11th (982) Home runs - 21st (112) RBI - 13th (478) Triples - 4th (42) Intentional bases on balls - 4th (46) *Upshaw and Rance Mulliniks both finished with exactly 1,115 games played, tied for eighth place in franchise history No. 34: Marcus Stroman Starting pitcher 2014-2019 Accolades: All-Star, Gold Glove Blue Jays Career Stats: 789.2 IP, 47-45 3.76 ERA There may not have been a more unique pitcher in Blue Jays history than Marcus Stroman. Stroman was drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2012 draft and quickly became one of the prized prospects in the system. He made his major league debut in relief on May 4, 2014, and by the end of the month, he was inserted into the rotation. Stroman’s strong rookie year set the stage for 2015, as he was going to be a key part of an emerging Blue Jays rotation. But during spring training of that year, while fielding a bunt in practice, he heard a “pop” in his knee and tore his ACL. Initial reports suggested that his 2015 season was over. Stroman didn’t let that stop him; he’s always had a chip on his shoulder, saying things like “heart doesn’t measure height” as a motivational tool for people who thought he couldn’t be good because he stood 5-foot-7. He used that chip to fuel a quicker-than-expected recovery from his injury and, surprisingly, returned to the mound that September. His return helped fuel a division title in 2015, and the Blue Jays reached the ALCS in back-to-back seasons. As the Blue Jays were coming off their run of success, Stroman was traded to the Mets at the trade deadline in 2019. After spending time with the Mets, Cubs, and Yankees, he is still on the lookout for his next team. Off the field, Stroman built a strong personal brand. He had “height doesn't measure heart,” or HDMH, trademarked, and has partnered with Nike, Biosteel, and Rogers to create apparel featuring his logo. He also appeared in music videos alongside his friend and former Duke teammate Mike Stud. Marcus Stroman was many things, but for the mid-2010s Blue Jays, he was a key part of the effort, and you will still see many Stroman jerseys around the park today. Stroman's Blue Jays career: Innings pitched - 15th (789.2) ERA - 10th (3.76) Wins - 17th (47) Strikeouts - 15th (635) FIP - 5th (3.60) No. 33: Alejandro Kirk Catcher 2020-present Accolades: Two-time All-Star, Silver Slugger Blue Jays Career Stats: .268/.345/.398, 51 HR, 263 RBI Alejandro Kirk is still building his resume and is quietly shaping up to be one of the best catchers in franchise history. Kirk was originally signed as an international free agent at the age of 17. After spending his first three seasons at various stops in the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut in 2020. He initially joined the taxi squad during the shortened season, but he made his debut on September 12, getting his first major league hit that same day. Kirk has relied on his immense bat-to-ball skills at the plate, and in 2022, he put together his best season, posting a .786 OPS and earning an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger Award. After two subpar years with the bat, Kirk rebounded in 2025, set a career-high in home runs (15), and was a key part of the Blue Jays' World Series run, though the season ended with him grounding into a double play in the 11th inning of Game 7. The Blue Jays value Kirk so much that they gave him a five-year extension at the start of 2025. By the time Kirk’s career is over, he’s likely going to rank much higher on this list, as he is entering his age-27 season. An argument could be made that the best years of his career are still to come. Off the field, Kirk and his wife, Sofia, welcomed their daughter into the world in 2023. Kirk's Blue Jays career: Games played - 41st (564) Hits - 47th (489) Home runs - 50th (51) RBI - 38th (263) No. 32: Rance Mulliniks Third base 1982-1992 Accolades: World Series Champion Blue Jays Career Stats: .280/.365/.407, 73 HR, 435 RBI If there was ever an underappreciated Blue Jay from the era of the team's first division title and first World Series championship, there's a good case to be made that it was Rance Mulliniks. Mulliniks joined the Blue Jays in a trade with the Kansas City Royals in 1982 and became part of a third base platoon with Garth Iorg. Over the next six seasons, Mulliniks was the model of consistency: His OPS+ was between 125 and 127 in four of those seasons, and even the other two years (103 and 143) weren’t far off that level of production. Mulliniks was the type of player who might be even more appreciated in today's game, where versatility and on-base ability are highly valued. Pair that with the ability to play multiple positions, and it's exactly the type of player that fans and managers love to have on their team. Mulliniks also made his mark in the 1985 postseason, going 4-for-11 with a home run in Game 3 of the ALCS against two-time Cy-Young winner Bret Saberhagen. Mulliniks battled injuries and inconsistencies in the final stretch of his career and retired after the 1992 season, going out as a World Series champion. Off the field, Mulliniks is still very much in the Blue Jays world. He served as part of the Rogers Sportsnet broadcast team from 2005 to 2010 and still appears on Blue Jays podcasts from time to time to discuss the team. He now offers partial coaching and public speaking, which you can book online through his personal website. Mulliniks's Blue Jays career: Games played - 8th (1,115)* Hits - 21st (853) Home runs - 36th (68) RBI - 20th (389) WPA - 10th (8.1) Bases on balls - 8th (416) *Upshaw and Mulliniks both finished with exactly 1,115 games played, tied for eighth place in franchise history No. 31: Shannon Stewart Outfield 1995-2003, 2008 Blue Jays Career Stats: .298/.360/.440, 115 HR, 580 RBI, 196 SB A true all-around player, who combined batting average, defence and speed, Shannon Stewart was a staple for the late '90s/early 2000s Blue Jays. Stewart was one of those players whose value you didn't fully appreciate until you watched him every day. Using his speed and contact skills, he was a mainstay at the top of the Blue Jays' order for several years. From 1998-2003, he averaged .305/.370/.452 with 13 home runs and 25 stolen bases per year. In 2001, he became just the fourth Blue Jay to record 200+ hits in a season, and he remains one of only five to accomplish the feat. His best performance came in that ‘03 campaign, when he posted an .823 OPS and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. Stewart has always been a personal favourite of mine, as he hit the first big league home run I ever remember seeing in person, which holds a special place in every baseball fan's heart. After his original stint with the Blue Jays, he spent some time with the Twins and Athletics. He returned to the Blue Jays as a 34-year-old and got into 52 games before calling it a career. Post-playing career, he has stayed out of the public eye, but according to his Instagram page, he’s a husband and father of three kids, which likely keeps him plenty busy these days. While Stewart was a steady presence at the top of the lineup during the late 1990s and early 2000’s, the next group in our countdown will feature players whose peaks left an even bigger imprint on franchise history. Stewart's Blue Jays career: Games played - 19th (907) Hits - 7th (1082) Home runs - 32nd (74) RBI - 22nd (370) Batting average - 4th (.298) Doubles - 6th (222) Stolen bases - 5th (166) View the full article

Enjoy new episodes of our Miami Marlins livestreams throughout 2026 spring training. Every week, Fish On First staffers answer your questions and provide in-depth analysis of the team leading up to Opening Day. Thursday's show was hosted by Jeremiah Geiger and featured panelists Ely Sussman, Kevin Barral and Alex Carver. The following topics were covered: Javier Sanoja and Team Venezuela winning the World Baseball Classic Notable prospect performances from the Marlins' Spring Breakout game Where Esteury Ruiz, Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández stand in the club's Opening Day roster plans Braxton Garrett and Miami's alternatives for the final starting rotation spot You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Barring any injuries over the next week, there appear to be 29 players (bolded below) in the running for the 26 Marlins active roster spots. It is a good problem to have considering that all of the players who are "on the bubble" have minor league options left, so they won't be booted from the organization unless the front office receives a compelling trade offer. Our next FOF livestream will be a two-hour countdown to Marlins Opening Day from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 27. View the full article

When it rains, it pours. A day after the Toronto Blue Jays announced that José Berríos would miss the start of the season after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow, manager John Schneider told the media that right-hander Trey Yesavage will open the season on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. The Blue Jays had slowly been building Yesavage up in spring training, as the 22-year-old had yet to pitch in a game during the exhibition slate. Last season, the young righty took the baseball world by storm, joining the Blue Jays in September before becoming a major piece of the team’s run to the World Series. Yesavage started the season with Single-A Dunedin and made quick stops in Vancouver, New Hampshire and Buffalo before joining the Blue Jays on September 15. He pitched 112 regular season innings between the minor and major leagues. In the playoffs, the first-round pick from 2024 added 27 2/3 more frames, bringing his season total to 139 2/3. During the regular season with the Blue Jays, Yesavage made three starts, going 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.43 WHIP, striking out 16 batters over 14 innings. The playoffs brought on a whole new Yesavage; he pitched to a record of 3-1, an ERA of 3.58, and a WHIP of 1.05. He struck out 39 batters in 27 ⅔ innings and held opposing hitters to a .188 average. The Blue Jays’ starting rotation picture is becoming clearer due to the injury bug. With no Berríos, no Yesavage and Shane Bieber still building up after dealing with forearm fatigue, the five spots now appear to have worked themselves out. Kevin Gausman has the Opening Day assignment. Offseason acquisition Dylan Cease will likely slot in behind Gausman, followed by fellow acquisition Cody Ponce, veteran Max Scherzer and left-hander Eric Lauer. Scherzer has looked very impressive this spring. The 41-year-old has appeared in two games, allowing no runs over 8 ⅔ innings and holding opposing batters to an average of .074. Scherzer, who signed on March 2, made it clear he would be ready for Opening Day, and Blue Jays fans are sure thankful for that now. With Lauer most likely shifting to the rotation, the door is now open for another reliever to slot into the Blue Jays’ bullpen. Tommy Nance is out of options, and after putting together a strong 2025, he could claim the role when the season opens. Two other options that remain are Rule 5 draft pick Angel Bastardo, who needs to be on the roster or be offered back to the Boston Red Sox, and right-hander Lázaro Estrada. The Blue Jays’ depth will be tested right away as the club hunts to return to the World Series and claim their first title since 1993. View the full article

As spring training gets closer to concluding, the Boston Red Sox have continued to shape their Opening Day roster. On the first day of March Madness, the team optioned and reassigned multiple players to the minor leagues. The team wound up optioning two players, including one member of last year's roster in Nick Sogard. He was joined by Tsung-Che Cheng. Sogard appeared in 30 games last season for Boston, providing defensive versatility for the organization while also securing a few clutch hits at the plate. Overall, he hit .260/.317/.344 with eight doubles and nine RBIs. Sogard also played a big role in the Red Sox's Game 1 win over the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Series. Cheng, who was selected off waivers from the Nationals, is only 24 years old and made his debut last season with the Pirates. He went hitless in seven at-bats. Cheng was never expected to compete for a roster spot and instead will serve as depth in Triple-A. Players who were reassigned to minor league camp include utility players Max Ferguson and Tyler McDonough, infielder Mikey Romer, outfielder Allan Castro, and first baseman and catcher Nathan Hickey. View the full article

The San Diego Padres will be stuck in the Mud for a few more years. In this case, that's actually a good thing. Television analyst Don "Mudcat" Grant has agreed to a multi-year extension with the Friars, keeping one of MLB's top announcing teams together. The move was reported Thursday by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Don Orsillo, the team's play-by-play announcer for TV games, signed a multi-year extension last spring. Grant is a former right-hander pitcher who spent parts of four (1987-90) of his eight MLB seasons in a Padres uniform. He has been an analyst for Friars television since 1996, following his last in 1993. The Union-Tribune said Grant had been operating on a series of one-year deals. Orsillo has been calling Friars games since 2016. Together, they form not only an informative tandem, but a hilarious one as well. Grant is either providing most of the humor or the subject of it. They are scheduled to call their first game of the spring tonight at 6:10 p.m. on Friars.tv as the Padres play the Chicago White Sox. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers made their first significant camp cuts this spring on Thursday, optioning right-handed starter Logan Henderson and center fielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville. First baseman-outfielder Tyler Black was also optioned to Triple-A, with shortstop Cooper Pratt reassigned to Nashville. Perkins' demotion means that center fielder Brandon Lockridge has likely made the Opening Day roster with Garrett Mitchell. The moves leave 34 players in major-league camp. That means Henderson is out of the mix for the Opening Day rotation. Henderson reported a sore elbow last week and is scheduled to pitch two or three innings Friday, perhaps against the Arizona Diamondbacks or on the back fields. He has made just two Cactus League appearances thus far, with a 2.25 ERA in four innings, with no walks and one strikeout. The Brewers still have plenty of competition for the three rotation spots after right-handers Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick, who were previously named to the Opening Day rotation. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff could be in the rotation, but he hasn't pitched in a game this spring since March 7, when he threw 32 pitches over two innings. Woodruff, still on the mend from the lat injury that sidelined him for the last two weeks of the regular season and the postseason, was scheduled to pitch four innings in Thursday night's game vs. the Texas Rangers. That leaves left-handers Kyle Harrison and Robert Gasser, as well as right-hander Brandon Sproat, as rotation candidates. In another possibility, Aaron Ashby, a valuable left-hander out of the Crew's bullpen, could be in a starting role. Even with Ashby in the rotation, the Brewers could still have at least three lefties out of the 'pen in Angel Zerpa, Jared Koenig, DL Hall, and Rob Zastryzny in contention. Perkins' demotion is surprising only in the fact that he returned from a fractured right shin in spring training to become the primary center fielder in the second half of last season. While defense is his forte, he put up only a .226/.298/.348 slash line last year with three homers, 19 RBIs, and seven stolen bases. He did strike out in 27.5% of his plate appearances. The left-handed hitter had been having a solid spring, with a .290/.343/.323 slash line in 35 plate appearances, with no homers, four RBIs, and one stolen base. Lockridge, a right-handed hitter, made a nice debut with the Crew after being acquired from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in the Nestor Cortes deal. In 20 games, Lockridge had a .261/.308/.370 slash line, no homers, six RBIs, and two steals. The speedy outfielder showed up to camp this year looking to tap more into his power and has produced a .314/.442/.686 slash line with four homers, seven RBIs, and three steals. Mitchell, a left-handed hitter, has had a slow spring, going just 2-for-25 for a .080/.233/.240 slash line. He has struck out 15 times in those 25 at-bats while drawing five walks. The 2020 first-round draft choice has put up some solid offensive career numbers (.254/.333/.433), but has only played in 113 games over the last three full seasons due to a variety of injuries. View the full article

WEST PALM BEACH, FL—For the first time since the inception of MLB's Spring Breakout prospect showcase, the Miami Marlins had to leave the friendly confines of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Their top farmhands traveled 15 minutes south to West Palm Beach on Thursday afternoon to face the Houston Astros prospects. "This is the future of our organization," said acting manager Jeff Conine following the game. "They are a bunch of good kids, work hard and I think on the pitching side we just didn't have it today in the strike zone, but we gave them a good effort." Here are the takeaways from the 7-6 loss. Mr. Marlin the skipper Jeff Conine, who is a special assistant to Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman, was the acting manager for the game after Juan Pierre assumed the role in 2025. Although rumored as a managerial candidate in the past, this opportunity arrived unexpectedly. Conine enjoyed the afternoon, but the Marlins Legends Hall of Famer is content with where he is. “This is a one-and-done,” Conine said. “Unless they ask me to do this again next year.” Milbrandt dominant in start Karson Milbrandt, who is Fish On First’s 13th prospect, went three innings, striking out six (all swinging). His fastball velocity topped out at 97.1 mph and averaged 95.6 mph. Milbrandt executed his strategy perfectly, elevating heaters and burying his breaking stuff, including his relatively new gyro slider, which he developed quickly last season. It has emerged as his best pitch. Milbrandt's slider generated five whiffs and recorded three strikeouts. His first slider strikeout victim was Astros No. 5 prospect Walker Janek. "It's quickly become one of my favorite pitches," Milbrandt said. "I like to throw it a lot. Today the feel was a little bit off, but the movement was good, so looking forward to getting that pat down." A slight lapse in control aside, Milbrandt looked fantastic. Multi-hit day for Alderman Starting designated hitter Kemp Alderman (FOF #10 prospect) went 2-for-3 on Thursday. His single was clocked at an 87.4 mph exit velocity into center field. In the top of the fourth inning, Alderman singled again to drive in Starlyn Caba and Dillon Lewis, extending the Marlins' lead to 6-1. Last season between Double-A and Triple-A, Alderman slashed .285/.338/.482/.819 with 22 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. He was named the 2025 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year. This spring, Alderman was with the big league club, and in 11 Grapefruit League games, he went 4-for-24 with one home run. He was reassigned to minor league camp on March 15. As Alderman rounds out his development in the minor leagues and matriculates to the big leagues, a major focus will be put on his ability to continue to limit strikeouts and boost his walk rate. If both of those factors work out in the 6’3”, 200-pounder’s favor, he could reach a fairly high ceiling as a four-tool threat. A righty-hitting outfielder, Alderman could fill a need for the Marlins sooner rather than later. He will be a name to follow closely as he starts the season with Triple-A Jacksonville. Mack continues to impress behind the plate Second-ranked prospect Joe Mack went 1-for-3 at the plate, but it was what he did defensively that impressed. In the bottom of the first inning, with Milbrandt on the mound, Mack threw out Astros top prospect Kevin Alvarez trying to steal second. "Joe Mack is polished back there," Conine said following the game. "You see the way he commands the strike zone with his framing and his release down to second base and his discipline at the plate. He's close, very close." In nine spring training games with the big league team, Mack went 3-for-24 with one home run and four RBI. The Marlins optioned Mack to Jacksonville on March 15. He slashed .257/.338/.475/.813 with 21 home runs, 58 RBI and a 120 wRC+ between AA and AAA. Walks, then walk-off Overall, it was a rough afternoon for Marlins’ pitching control-wise. As a unit, Miami’s hurlers issued an astounding 18 walks. For context, Miami affiliates had just one game with 16+ walks in 2025; it was a 22-walk game by the Jupiter Hammerheads on April 8 which broke MiLB records. Aiden May stranded the bases loaded in both of his innings. The Marlins also stranded the tying run in scoring position in the eighth. Their early lead held up until the bottom of the ninth. Cannon Pickell walked two and allowed a single to load the bases once again for Caden Powell, who walked it off for the Astros. 4cf159bd-66814055-2befe09e-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 Final pitching lines Karson Milbrandt: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO Aiden May: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO Hayden Cuthbertson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO Grant Shepardson: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO Jake Clemente: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO Cannon Pickell: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO View the full article