DiamondCentric

Since William Contreras came over in a three-team trade back in December 2022, catcher has been a stable position for the oft-churning Milwaukee Brewers. His health and production are critical to the Brewers’ success in 2026, and reuniting him with an old friend as a backup should provide a very capable duo behind the plate. BREWERS CATCHERS AT A GLANCE: Starter: William Contreras Backup: Gary Sánchez Depth: Reese McGuire* Prospects: Jeferson Quero, Marco Dinges *On a minor-league deal; may opt out if not added to active roster by a certain date Brewers fWAR Ranking Last Year: 6th out of 30 Brewers fWAR Projection This Year: 5th out of 30 THE GOOD A two-time All-Star with two Silver Sluggers in his cabinet, Contreras appeared in 150 games for the Brewers last year, hitting .260/.355/.399 with 17 home runs. Those numbers were down from the past three seasons, as his OPS was the lowest he's had with the Brewers. However, his production still wasn’t bad. Contreras was an above-average hitter, with an OPS+ of 111 (100 is average; higher is better). Much of the decreased production traces to a fractured left middle finger that he played through for much of the 2025 season. Defensively, Contreras was good in 2025. His throwing accuracy improved, and his framing and blocking were also above-average. Now, with the injury issues (hopefully) behind him, Contreras will look to get back to his previous level of offensive output. A fellow two-time All-Star (although those honors came in 2017 and 2019), Gary Sánchez returns to the Brewers after a year away in Baltimore. Like Contreras, Sánchez dealt with injuries last year. He was sidelined with wrist inflammation early in the season, and had a severe knee sprain that forced him onto the 60-day IL in early July. Sánchez is well past his peak offensively. He was just below average when last he played for the Crew, with a 94 OPS+ via a slash line of .220/.307/.392 and 11 home runs in 280 plate appearances. Defensively, Sánchez grades out considerably worse than Contreras, but he's playable there. He will provide most of his value with his bat in 2026 and will look to contribute on Contreras’s days off behind the plate—as well as in occasional spots in the designated hitter role. Reese McGuire is the third veteran catcher in the organization, and could see a role in 2026. I wrote about him potentially contributing in the home run column before the Brewers signed Sánchez, and that still could be an option if one of the two names above goes down with an injury—and if McGuire remains in the organization. McGuire had a career year in 2025 with the rival Cubs, hitting nine home runs in 44 games. However, McGuire has never played more than 89 games in a season, so don’t expect him to hit that number this year unless disaster strikes. The 31-year-old is adequate catching depth, and that's the role he could play in 2026 for the Brew Crew. THE BAD There aren’t a lot of downsides for this position group outside of injuries, but one thing to keep an eye on is opponents stealing bases. The Brewers have done a good job containing the running game (.49 stolen bases allowed per game in 2025, 2nd-fewest in MLB), and they will look to continue that in 2026. However, Contreras gave up a bit of sheer arm strength to be more accurate this season. If he continues to lose steam and an inexperienced pitching staff struggles to hold runners, they might lose that elite standing in steals prevention. THE BOTTOM LINE This position group has the highest-ranking fWAR projection of any department of the Brewers roster, for good reason. Contreras is a key cog in the Brewers’ winning machine. Keeping him on the field and healthy should be a priority. Looking ahead, he won’t be a free agent until after 2027, but developing a successor should be a priority. Jeferson Quero and Marco Dinges are both top-10 prospects in the Brewers’ farm system, according to MLB.com. However, short-term success relies purely on Contreras, and the most likely outcome is that he is one of the best catchers in MLB this season. All other considerations are mere emergency fallback plans. View the full article

In the five weeks since Minnesota Twins pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in Ft. Myers, the most closely monitored position group has been the bullpen, with fans and pundits interested in how the eight-pitcher collective will look as the team travels to Baltimore to face the Orioles on Mar. 26. Right now, Cole Sands is a lock to be part of the Opening Day group. Veteran southpaws Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and Andrew Chafin are strong candidates to join Sands, with 35-year-old righty Justin Topa also likely earning a spot. However, three spots remain in flux, with spring training set to conclude in just over a week. Lefty Kody Funderburk is a strong candidate to fill one of those three spots. Because they're already lefty-loaded and Funderburk can still be optioned to the minors, though, the front office could send him to St. Paul to begin his 2026 campaign at Triple-A, to maximize depth. Righty Eric Orze, 28, is in the same boat as Funderburk; the team still holds the right to option him. Liam Hendriks has an automatic opt-out clause in his contract, but the Twins could add him to the 40-man roster only to move him to the injured list to begin the season. Prioritizing depth with Funderburk and Orze and health with Hendriks, Minnesota could be poised to hand one of its final bullpen spots to Dan Altavilla. Signed to a minor-league contract in mid-December, the 33-year-old Altavilla joined Minnesota after strong persuasion from new bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins. Hawkins is a “big fan” of Altavilla, and expects the veteran to be “a big asset for [the Twins] this year.” That piece from Zone Coverage ran on Feb, 19. The hard-throwing righty has only improved his case over the past month, performing like one of the club’s best relievers this spring. Over three innings pitched, Altavilla has a 0.00 ERA, a 2.34 FIP, and a 22.2% strikeout rate. Spring results don't matter, of course, and three innings' worth of spring results matter even less. Yet, his impressive performance this spring comes off a 2025 campaign with the Chicago White Sox in which he posted a 2.48 ERA, 4.66 FIP, and a 21-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 29 innings. Altavilla’s alarming underlying metrics and well-below-average walk rate suggest he should have performed worse last season. Still, he managed to induce an incredibly low hard-hit rate and average exit velocity when attacking the zone, resulting in a near-elite ground ball rate (50%; the league averages roughly 43%). With an above-average sinker and slider, Altavilla has a profile roughly similar to that of Topa. Topa has regressed since joining Minnesota, and those who follow the Twins shouldn’t expect Altavilla to sustain a sub-2.50 ERA if he pitches for the club this season. Still, if Altavilla could perform at a similar rate to Topa’s 2025 campaign (wherein he netted a 3.90 ERA and 3.04 FIP while generating weak contact), he'd give them a harder-throwing insurance policy against further injury or regression by Topa himself. Currently pitching for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Altavilla fits a comparable archetype to Chafin and Hendriks, in that he's a veteran brought in on a minor-league deal who is out of minor-league options. After a solid Grapefruit League look and two innings in which he's surrendered one homer but struck out four and walked just onee in the WBC, there's little chance Minnesota would be able to stash him at Triple A to begin the 2026 campaign. Altavilla would likely refuse his assignment, enter free agency, and join a different organization. Instead, Twins decision-makers would be wise to prioritize organizational depth and add the sturdy righty to the 40-man roster, awarding him a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. View the full article

Investing heavily in a high school pitcher is always risky. Pitchers are fragile, their development can take longer than planned, and injuries are common. The Twins accepted those risks when they picked Charlee Soto with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Now, the early portion of Soto’s professional career has served as a reminder of that risk. According to MLB.com reporter Matthew Leach, Soto is behind schedule this spring as he continues to recover from bone spur surgery that took place last summer. The Twins Daily No. 10 prospect will open the 2026 season on the injured list, though there is some encouraging progress. Soto is expected to begin throwing live batting practice in early April, which could put him on a path toward returning to game action sometime later in the spring. Though not ideal, the delay is just another twist in Soto’s development. The Twins rarely use early picks on prep pitchers because it’s a volatile profile, often preferring college arms or position players at the top of the draft. Soto was an exception. The 17-year-old right-hander out of Reborn Christian Academy in Florida had the type of electric arm talent that made the gamble worthwhile. Minnesota signed him for a 2.48 million bonus and immediately placed him among the most intriguing young arms in the system. Since then, however, the results have been mixed. Soto made his professional debut in 2024 and spent the year with Fort Myers. The Twins managed his workload carefully, which is common for young pitchers in their first full season. Across 21 appearances, he posted a 5.23 ERA while showing flashes of the raw stuff that made him such an appealing draft target. His fastball velocity and overall athleticism remained impressive, but consistency proved difficult to maintain. The following season brought even more frustration. In 2025, Soto managed only 13 innings before injuries interrupted his year. A triceps strain sidelined him after just three starts with Cedar Rapids. As he worked his way through that recovery process, another issue emerged. In August, Soto underwent a procedure to remove a partially detached bone spur in his elbow. The positive news was that doctors found no structural damage in the elbow itself. For a pitcher, that distinction matters. Structural issues involving ligaments often lead to lengthy recoveries and, in some cases, major surgery. Soto avoided that scenario, which allowed the Twins to remain optimistic about his long-term outlook. This spring represents the first step toward putting those health questions behind him. Even though Soto will begin the season on the injured list, the expectation is that he will gradually build up his workload once he returns to the mound. Live batting practice in early April is typically one of the final checkpoints before pitchers resume competitive innings. If everything progresses as planned, Soto could see game action not long after that. Soto’s talent has never been the primary concern. His fastball already flashes the type of life that scouts dream about when projecting future big-league starters. His secondary pitches still require refinement, but the foundation of a legitimate pitching arsenal is there. What the Twins need to see now is durability and repetition. That means building innings. After throwing only a small number of frames over the last two seasons, Soto’s goal in 2026 should be to push past the 100-inning mark. Reaching that threshold would represent a meaningful step in his progression and help answer some of the durability questions that currently surround him. Equally important will be his ability to refine his command and pitch sequencing. Young pitchers often rely on raw velocity early in their careers, but long-term success requires learning how to navigate lineups, adjust during games, and consistently locate pitches in competitive counts. If Soto can combine improved health with those developmental gains, his prospect stock could rebound quickly. For now, patience remains the key. His 2026 season may begin later than expected, but it will offer another opportunity for Soto to show why the Twins believed in his potential in the first place. If he can return to the mound, stay healthy, and steadily build his workload, the narrative surrounding his development could start to shift again. For a pitcher with Soto’s ceiling, simply getting back on the field and logging consistent innings would be a meaningful step toward the future the organization envisioned on draft day. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have spent the past three seasons watching one of the most talented prospects in baseball climb through their farm system. Now, after a brief injury scare this spring, Walker Jenkins appears to be getting back on track. According to Matthew Leach of MLB.com, Jenkins is “tracking well” to be available for Opening Day with the St. Paul Saints. The update came Sunday from Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll, offering a positive outlook for the organization’s most important young player. Jenkins suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain on February 28, an injury that forced the Twins to slow his spring workload. Fortunately for both the player and the organization, the strain was considered mild, and his recovery has gone smoothly. The 21-year-old outfielder is expected to begin appearing in Minor League games by the end of the upcoming week as he continues ramping up his activity. His availability for the Twins’ upcoming Spring Breakout showcase on Thursday remains uncertain, and the club is unlikely to rush him into that event if he is not fully ready. Even without the Spring Breakout appearance, the most important goal for Jenkins is simply returning to a regular schedule before the Minor League season begins. Jenkins is widely considered the top prospect in the Twins system and one of the best prospects in baseball. Baseball America ranks him as the no. 9 overall prospect, a reflection of the tools that made him the fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Last week, Twins Daily profiled him as the organization’s top prospect. Since entering professional baseball, Jenkins has done little to challenge those expectations. Scouts praise his advanced hitting approach, elite bat-to-ball skills, and the type of plate discipline rarely seen from a player his age. His combination of athleticism and offensive potential has led many evaluators to project him as a future cornerstone in the middle of the Twins' lineup. The Twins believe the best path forward is allowing Jenkins to start the season with St. Paul, where he can continue facing upper-level pitching while adjusting to the grind of a full professional season. Triple-A will provide the final developmental stage before a potential big league opportunity. That timeline also gives the organization flexibility. If Jenkins performs well and stays healthy, the Twins could view him as a legitimate option for the major league roster during the second half of the season. For now, the most important step is simply getting back on the field. A return to Minor League games in the coming days would represent another step in Jenkins’ steady climb through the system. If everything continues trending in the right direction, the Twins may soon have one of baseball’s brightest young talents knocking on the door of the big leagues. View the full article

Spring training stats don't matter, but usage trends do, especially at this stage of the game. We're now only 11 days from the season opener in Baltimore. The Twins roster has been whittled down and Derek Shelton is increasingly obligated to operate with — to borrow a word he likes — intentionality. This is no longer just about getting guys their reps and experimenting. As Opening Day approaches, players needs to start acclimating to their planned roles, and final decisions need to be informed. So it's worthwhile to keep a close eye on lineup construction and pitcher deployment, which we track in this space. Last week we checked in who's been playing where in the first half of camp. Here's an update seven days later with a few quick notes on what stands out. Total starts are listed next to each player, with their number of starts in the past week (Monday through Sunday) listed in parentheses. Catcher Ryan Jeffers: 10x (3x) Victor Caratini: 7x (2x) Alex Jackson: 6x (2x) Noah Cardenas: 1x No surprises here. The top three catchers are splitting reps evenly. But the Twins aren't really breaking in anyone as a third-string catcher for the event that Jackson doesn't make it through waivers. Cardenas, who's presumed to fill that role, has seen plenty of action as a sub. First Base Josh Bell: 10x (2x) Eric Wagaman: 6x (2x) Kody Clemens: 4x (2x) Victor Caratini: 3x (1x) Aaron Sabato: 1x The balanced usage here reinforces my belief that first base will be heavily rotated. I don't expect Wagaman to make the Opening Day roster, but would guess he'll see plenty of action there over the course of the season. Second Base Luke Keaschall: 9x (3x) Kody Clemens: 7x
 Tristan Gray: 4x (2x) Orlando Arcia: 3x (2x) Kaelen Culpepper: 1x I mentioned last week that I was surprised to see Clemens getting so many spring starts at second base (and so few at first). Since then he's made two starts at first and zero at second. Third Base Royce Lewis: 9x (4x) Gio Urshela: 5x Ryan Kreidler: 3x (2x) Tristan Gray: 3x (1x) Eric Wagaman: 2x Orlando Arcia: 1x Jake Rucker: 1x The injury scare that got Lewis scratched from the lineup a couple weeks ago now appears to be completely in the rear-view, which is good news. He's been starting at his set position as consistently as anyone else of late. Still no appearances at third base for Clemens, even as a sub. Shortstop Brooks Lee: 13x (4x) Orlando Arcia: 5x (1x) Tristan Gray: 3x (1x) Ryan Kreidler: 3x (1x) Lee leads the team in starts at a single spot this spring with 13 at short, as the Twins continue to evaluate his three backup options. This position has perhaps the worst starter and the worst depth on the roster. Left Field Austin Martin: 7x (1x) Trevor Larnach: 6x (1x) Luke Keaschall: 3x (2x) Alan Roden: 2x Emmanuel Rodriguez: 2x James Outman: 2x (2x) Eric Wagaman: 1x (1x) Gabriel Gonzalez: 1x Keaschall getting two more starts in left field was the most eye-catching development in camp over the past week. It's starting to look less like a novelty and more like something the Twins could actually implement at times (although he hasn't looked the sharpest out there). If Keaschall, Martin, Larnach, and Outman or Roden are all options in left field, the Twins will have plenty of matchup flexibility. Note that Larnach was originally scheduled to play left field on Sunday against the Red Sox, but was scratched shortly before game time with left side soreness, so that will be something to keep an eye on. If he has to start on the injured list, the door is flung wide open for Roden, who continues to produce this spring. Center Field James Outman: 6x (1x) Byron Buxton: 4x Austin Martin: 5x (3x) Alan Roden: 5x (2x) Ryan Kreidler: 2x (1x) Walker Jenkins: 1x Emmanuel Rodriguez: 1x The candidates to back up Buxton have all been getting plenty of looks while he's away at the World Baseball Classic. Among that trio, Outman is the truest center fielder, but the Twins are taking every opportunity to evaluate the viability of Martin and Roden, who got five of seven starts. Right Field Matt Wallner: 10x (3x) Alan Roden: 6x (2x) Trevor Larnach: 4x (2x) James Outman: 2x Ryan Kreidler: 1x Gabriel Gonzalez: 1x I continue to believe that Wallner will be the starter in right field almost every day. Unlike left, the Twins aren't really setting up platooning possibilities at the position, with lefty hitters starting 23 of 25 games, including all seven last week. One related note: On Sunday, Martin made (I believe) his first spring appearance in right field, sliding over in the middle innings after starting in left. Designated Hitter Bell: 5x (3x) Wallner: 3x (1x) Larnach: 3x (1x) Urshela: 3x (1x) Lewis: 2x (1x) Buxton: 2x Caratini: 1x Jeffers: 1x Keaschall: 1x Rodriguez: 1x Gonzalez: 1x Mendez: 1x About what you'd expect: the three clear bat-first players on the roster getting a majority of DH time. If Larnach misses time that could shake things up here. The Pitching Carousel As we march toward Opening Day, it becomes increasingly interesting to follow the pitching usage. Who's starting, in what order, and how are they mapping toward the first series of the season? On the relief side, who is entering in the early part of games? Generally, you expect the pitchers who are going to be in more significant roles to be the first ones in — you're never guaranteed to face high-end competition in spring training, especially at home, but you're far more likely to throw against legit MLB hitters if you're coming in for the fifth or sixth versus the eighth or ninth. Here's how the starters lined up over the past seven days, along with the first and second relievers to enter (not including the stock arms who enter to finish the last inning for a starter): Monday – Zebby Matthews (Liam Hendriks, Andrew Morris) Tuesday – Joe Ryan (Cole Sands, Zak Kent) Wednesday – Taj Bradley (Taylor Rogers, Andrew Chafin) Thursday – Bailey Ober (Hendriks, Sands) Friday – Mick Abel (Kent, Cody Laweryson) Saturday – Simeon Woods Richardson (Rogers, Hendriks) Sunday – Zebby Matthews (Eric Orze, Matt Bowman) Here are a few observations based on what I'm seeing above. Take them with a grain of salt because observations and extrapolations is all they are. Joe Ryan should be in line to start on Opening Day. He made his first official spring start on Tuesday and threw 48 pitches over three innings. From there it sounded like his next appearance might come for Team USA in a potential WBC championship game this coming Tuesday, but this plan has been nixed. With Ryan staying in camp, my assumption is that he'll start Monday against the Pirates (75 pitches?), then again on Saturday against the Rays (90?), setting him up pitch in Baltimore on March 26th with a standard four days' rest. Simeon Woods Richardson could do it too, though. Woods Richardson pushed all the way to 79 pitches in his latest start on Saturday, so he's ahead of Ryan in terms of build-up. And if the Twins were following a standard five-man starting cycle from here forward (one game on, four games off), Woods Richardson's turn would be up on Opening Day. I bet he's the backup plan if Ryan can't go for any reason. Liam Hendriks and Taylor Rogers poised to split closer duties? If you look at earlier spring game usage as an indicator of expected role leverage, then Hendriks and Rogers are tracking toward claiming late-inning spots, alongside Cole Sands, who we know is going to be the de facto fireman. One might surmise that Hendriks and Rogers will be the go-to ninth-inning options depending on matchups. This is more or less what I would've expected — both offer a great deal of closing experience, if not a ton of upside at this stage of their careers. Zak Kent trending toward a bullpen role. The Twins are trying to get a look at their latest reliever acquisition against reasonably decent competition. Claimed off waivers on February 26th to fill the 40-man spot vacated by Pablo López, Kent has been getting some valuable opportunities and making the most of them. He was the second reliever in on Tuesday and the first in on Friday. In 4 ⅔ innings across four total appearances, he has allowed two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. I have to imagine Kent is either going to make the roster or be DFA'ed to make room for a Hendriks or Andrew Chafin, so it makes sense the Twins are giving him some real chances to show what he's got. Time for back-to-backs. Unless I'm mistaken, we still haven't seen a reliever pitch on back-to-back days yet. It's a key aspect of spring ramp-up, and is especially important for someone like Hendriks who needs to prove himself physically coming off an injury-ravaged stretch. Keep an eye on that in the coming week. Anything catching your eye in terms of usage trends and decision-making as we march into the latter portion of camp? Sound off in the comments and let us know where you'll be focusing in the final full week of spring training. View the full article

We're looking for front-page contributors to write Mets content for the 2026 season! If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Mets takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. If this is the kind of baseball talk that interests you, please reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@grandcentralmets.com or reply to this note. It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort. If you know someone who might be interested in creating Mets content as a side job, please share this with them! View the full article

Welcome to an all-new front page here at Grand Central Mets! Along with being a long-running forum for fans of the Mets, we will now provide fans with thoughtful articles from fellow fans and writers. It is all part of an ongoing effort to create a one-stop-shop, a community for passionate Mets fans. Before we discuss the articles, you will notice that the forums are still complete and in mostly the same spot as before. It’s all still there. The only addition you may notice is that there is a new forum for commenting on the front-page articles. So, what can you look for and expect from the front-page articles of Grand Central Mets? To answer that, I’d like to encourage you to click on our sister site, Twins Daily, for what you might see over time. Here is what you may find over time: Deep statistical analysis on a player or topic. For those who enjoy looking into baseball's many advanced statistics, some articles may help provide reasons for team or managerial decisions, situational analysis, and more. Minor league articles. The plan is to have daily minor league reports on the Mets affiliates throughout the minor league season. You will see how the teams did, how the players performed, some highlights, and more. In addition, we will provide prospect rankings and more. Player profiles on major-league players or minor league players. As relationships are developed, we hope to do some player interviews and stories. Maybe there will be stories on current minor leaguers, big leaguers, or even former big leaguers who call New York home. News articles from the day. If a player gets hurt, we will try to analyze how the front office will adjust the roster and maybe how the manager will alter lineups, rotations, roles, etc. Trade or free agent analysis. Draft coverage before, during, and following the MLB Draft. Historical articles digging into some of the great (or not-so-great) Mets teams since the formation of the team. But the history of baseball in New York is incredible, and we'll look back at aspects of it. Video! In the coming days, we’ll roll out our video section, which will feature short videos about Mets' major and minor league players. We are not looking to duplicate Twins Daily. This community is already so very strong, so passionate. We want to add to that community and provide more options for Mets fans to connect to their favorite team. The articles, much like the writers, will likely evolve, and that’s a good thing. What if I want to write for Grand Central Mets? That’s a great question. I’m glad you asked. First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@grandcentralmets.com or contact any of the other writers and express interest. But, you will also note that the user blogs page exists (top of every page, giant "Blogs" link). If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Mets takes, this is the perfect place. We will frequently be monitoring the blogs, and if we see quality writing and interesting topics, we may reach out to you about writing on the front page. It is also noteworthy that we will be paying our front-page article writers. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort. We ask that you support our writers by clicking on their articles, reading them, and leaving comments, questions, and feedback on the topics. This is just an extension of the forums and another means of enjoying following the Mets. I am seriously looking forward to knowing much more about the Mets, their farm system, and more. View the full article

The New York Mets executed the first blockbuster deal of MLB's offseason, trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien. One-for-one swaps involving All-Star veterans are rare, especially in the modern era, making this one of the more attention-grabbing in recent memory. Still, despite the grandiose nature of the trade, there will be meaningful on-field implications for New York and Texas. Nimmo will step in as the Rangers' everyday left fielder, a position primarily patrolled by budding star Wyatt Langford the previous two seasons. Langford will shift over to right field, a position higher on the defensive spectrum, which should suit the rangy corner outfielder well. Evan Carter will remain in centerfield. The trio will create one of the best outfields in the American League, with intentions of guiding Texas back to the postseason after missing it the past two seasons. Nimmo should continue to perform at an above-average rate for Texas. Yet, this two-player swap could prove to be much more beneficial for the Mets, who now pencil in Semien as their everyday second baseman. Since acquiring Francisco Lindor from Cleveland in 2021, the star shortstop's primary middle-infield partner has been Jeff McNeil, with the left-handed hitting veteran netting 426 starts at the position over the past five seasons. Luisangel Acuña netted 434 1/3 innings at second base last season, signaling the organization was soft-launching a permanent move off the position for McNeil. New York trading for Semien solidifies McNeil's move off the position, with the long-time Met expected to replace Nimmo as the club's primary left fielder. Despite being a productive hitter and commendable defender at second base over the past eight seasons, the rollercoaster nature of McNeil's performance has limited the upside of New York's middle-infield, despite rostering the best shortstop in baseball in Lindor. Last season, the Mets produced the second-most Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR) at second base (4.8), trailing only the Toronto Blue Jays. The club also netted the fourth-most fWAR (6.3) at shortstop, landing behind the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Kansas City Royals. Combining these two positions, New York finished third in fWAR generated by middle infielders (11.1), trailing only Philadelphia (11.2) and Arizona (11.8). Arizona's Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo were baseball's most productive middle infield last season, an unsurprising result given that Marte is a top-five hitter in the sport (and an above-average fielder) and Perdomo is one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball. Trea Turner carried much of Philadelphia's middle infield production at the plate. Yet, Bryson Stott provided value at second base by being one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball, netting +7 Outs Above Average (OAA). After guiding Texas to its first World Series championship in 2023, Semien struggled at the plate the past two seasons, hitting .234/.307/.379 (96 wRC+) over a combined 1,252 plate appearances. Still, looking at his underlying metrics, the hard-hitting righty could manufacture another campaign similar to his 2023 one, wherein he hit 29 home runs and posted a 128 wRC+ over 753 plate appearances. The 35-year-old is also still one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball, evidenced by his posting +7 OAA at the position last season. Assuming Lindor continues to perform at an MVP-caliber rate and Arizona's middle infield duo undergoes some semblance of regression, a rejuvenated Semien could propel the Mets toward fielding the best middle infield in baseball. View the full article

"Braxton Garrett did WHAT?!" Imagine that it is Sunday, August 23, 2026. All 30 Major League Baseball teams are in action, and with all due respect, outside of Miami, there aren't many eyeballs focused on the series finale between the Marlins (66-64) and Washington Nationals (49-82). The main attraction at loanDepot park today is supposed to be Agustín Ramírez. The sophomore slugger is leading the Fish in OPS this season (.847) and serving as the starting catcher for this game. A crowd of nearly 20,000 fans is expected for his much-anticipated "Gus Bus" bobblehead day. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Garrett is going to be the main character for the day. By 4:14 p.m. ET, he'll be a national trending topic for breaking the all-time MLB single-game strikeout record. The rebuilding Nationals are especially vulnerable at this juncture of the season. They already had one of the league's worst offenses, and that was before trading shortstop CJ Abrams at the deadline. The next week, they placed All-Star outfielder James Wood on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Today, they are wrapping up a three-city, 10-day road trip, mired in a six-game losing streak. Here is Washington's getaway day starting lineup: SS Nasim Nuñez LF Daylen Lile 1B Andrés Chaparro DH Luis García 3B Brady House CF Dylan Crews C Harry Ford 2B José Tena RF Joey Wiemer The Marlins jump out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, in part thanks to Ramírez's RBI double. After three innings, the lead has swelled to 6-0 and Josiah Gray has been sent to the showers. The outcome of the game is pretty much decided, but nobody is in a hurry to leave their seats because Miami's veteran lefty is cooking early. Braxton Garrett certainly isn't known as a strikeout artist. His lifetime 23.1 K% since debuting in 2020 is right on par with the MLB average during that span. His career-high for a single game is 13, which he set more than three years ago (6/22/23). So far in 2026, he ranks third on his own team in strikeouts (trailing Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez). The conditions are ripe for an outlier performance from the 29-year-old. Garrett strikes out the side in the first and Lile has already burned one of the Nationals' ABS challenges after taking a called third strike on a nasty sinker. Garrett strikes out the side again in the second. Ford leads off the third by drawing a walk, but Garrett picks him off, then punches out Tena and Wiemer. First time through the order, the Nats are 0-for-8 with 8 Ks. The no-hitter gets broken up by an infield single in the fourth. After a hit-by-pitch and a passed ball—remember, Ramírez is behind the plate—Washington is threatening with runners on second and third and nobody out. But Garrett leaves them both stranded with three consecutive strikeouts. After four innings, the Marlins lead 8-0. Garrett has 11 strikeouts. After five innings, the Marlins lead 9-0. Garrett has 13 strikeouts. After six innings, the Marlins lead 9-0. Garrett has 15 strikeouts. Ricky Nolasco finally has some company. Garrett's 16th strikeout to begin the top of the seventh ties Nolasco's Marlins franchise record. Chaparro reaches base, though, because the slider he chased in the dirt gets past Ramírez. García follows with a single, then House puts the visitors on the scoreboard with a three-run homer. Recently recalled Bradley Blalock is now getting loose in the Marlins bullpen. Pitching coach Daniel Moskos goes out for his first mound visit of the afternoon. Garrett is nearing the finish line...or maybe not! He responds with back-to-back K's and a groundout to stop the bleeding. After seven innings, the Marlins lead 9-3. Garrett has 18 strikeouts and 106 pitches thrown. It's uncharted territory for the veteran southpaw—who is coming off elbow surgery, mind you—but Blalock has sat down. There's no action in the 'pen. Manager Clayton McCullough sends Garrett back out there for the eighth. The MLB record is 20 strikeouts in a game, shared by Roger Clemens (x2), Randy Johnson, Max Scherzer and Kerry Wood. Garrett joins that exclusive club with two more K's in the eighth. Entering the ninth, it's clear that Garrett will not be finishing this game. He's at 116 pitches and Blalock is warming up again. McCullough is giving him one shot to reach 21. Garrett falls behind 3-0 to Chaparro. His next pitch misses inside for ball four. McCullough is on the verge of stepping out of the Marlins dugout when Ramírez calls for an ABS challenge and gets it overturned! Still alive. The 3-1 pitch is a whiff at a slider. The 3-2 pitch is the same pitch and same result. The celebration ensues. Garrett's final line for this historic outing: 8.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 21 K (122 pitches/89 strikes). It is by no means an apples-to-apples comparison. Bam Adebayo is undisputedly a better player at his sport than Braxton Garrett is at his. But the way that Adebayo, in the midst of his ninth professional season, veered from his usual offensive approach and erupted for the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history reminded me of a finesse pitcher becoming uncharacteristically overpowering. Even on his very best day, Garrett would need a lot of help from factors beyond his control. That wouldn't make the achievement any less legitimate. View the full article

With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Cleveland Guardians this season. The Guardians enter 2026 as the defending AL Central champions. After off-season changes, will they repeat and claim their fourth division title in five years? The big news out of Cleveland this offseason is the extension that third baseman Jose Ramirez signed, keeping him in Cleveland through 2032, which will be his age-39 season. As the face of the franchise, Ramirez sets the pace—when he thrives, so does the club. To understand how Cleveland looks coming into 2026, let's take a look at the additions and subtractions from this offseason. Subtractions OF Lane Thomas RP Sam Hentges RP Jakob Junis SP John Means SP Triston McKenzie OF Will Brennan Additions RP Colin Holderman, 1 year, $1.5 million (controlled through 2028) RP Shawn Armstrong, 1 year, $5.5 million, mutual option for 2027 1B Rhys Hoskins, minor league deal Hoskins, on a minor league deal, is expected to add power at first base and designated hitter. He will look to get back to being an above average hitter who has 30-home run potential. Armstrong, after a strong season in 2025 with the Texas Rangers, will likely take on higher-leverage innings with the departures of key relievers from the Guardians 2025 team. Holderman is a potential bullpen project for Cleveland, a team known for reviving and getting the most out of relievers. On the subtraction side, both reliever Sam Hentges and John Means have joined other teams (the Giants and Royals, respectively) following injury issues in recent years. Jakob Junis, after a solid 2025 season, may be a notable loss from the pitching staff, after signing with the Texas Rangers. McKenzie, limited to 24 games over three seasons since his 2022 breakout, has also signed elsewhere and will look to revive his career in San Diego. The Guardians are a team that always seems to linger in the division race. While their roster may not appear very intimidating at first glance, they maintain competitiveness more often than not. One thing the AL Central has learned over the past few years is to never count the Guardians out, even when everything says to do so. Injuries Andrew Walters, recovering from lat surgery, should return in May and may join the bullpen if healthy. Ben Lively, who pitched well in 2024 and early 2025, will miss 2026 after Tommy John surgery, and will look to return in 2027. Though some may see the Guardians as a team in transition, let's take a look at the current key players as well as who may be contributing at the major league level soon in their top prospects. Key Players 3B Jose Ramirez - 5.8 bWAR SP Gavin Williams - 3.8 bWAR LF Steven Kwan - 3.7 bwAR 2B Daniel Schneemann - 1.9 bWAR C Bo Naylor - 1.5 bWAR Other notable players include Gabriel Arias (SS), Kyle Manzardo (1B/DH), and pitchers Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, and Kolby Allard. Top Prospects 2B Travis Bazzana OF Chase DeLauter SS Angel Genao 1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez LHP Parker Messick Ramirez remains the cog in their lineup, with Williams, Kwan, Schneemann, and Naylor among the main contributors. Arias, Manzardo, Bibee, Cantillo, and Allard are also expected to play important roles in looking to help keep the Guardians competitive in the Central. Bazzana, ranked MLB's No. 20 prospect, nears his debut after representing Australia in the WBC. DeLauter (No. 46 prospect) may break camp with the team and could see regular left-field time. Genao (No. 66) and Messick (No. 95) may debut this year; Velazquez (No. 89) is a 2027 candidate. Key Questions for Cleveland in 2026 1. Who is playing Center Field? For the outfield, manager Stephen Vogt has indicated that all outfielders may rotate between positions. Most likely, Steven Kwan shifts from left to center field, which opens the door for young bats to gain major league experience. DeLauter presents another option in center field if they prefer to keep Kwan in left field. 2. What will the rotation look like? Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee are expected to anchor the first two rotation spots, leaving three open for competition. The performance of those filling these roles will serve as a key indicator of the Guardians' overall success. Young pitching has been a constant for the Guardians for many years. It would not be surprising to see the next wave—Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, and Parker Messick—emerge as average or better major league starters. 3. Will the Guardians be able to rely on Travis Bazzana? Bazzana missed time last year due to an oblique strain, playing in just 84 games, mostly at Double-A and Triple-A. If healthy, he could quickly join the major league roster, possibly by Opening Day. He's an electric player and will look to be a key piece along with Kwan and Ramirez for the foreseeable future. Here's a look at the projected lineup, rotation, and how the Guardians project over a full season. Projected Lineup Steven Kwan - CF George Valera - RF Jose Ramirez - 3B Kyle Manzardo - 1B Rhys Hoskins - DH Chase DeLauter - LF Bo Naylor - C Gabriel Arias - SS Brayan Rocchio - 2B Projected Rotation Gavin Williams - RHP Tanner Bibee - RHP Logan Allen - LHP Slade Cecconi - RHP Joey Cantillo - LHP Projected Record PECOTA: 4th place, 76-86 Fangraphs: 4th place, 76-86 While the Guardians may be projected to finish behind all AL Central teams other than the White Sox, this is not uncommon territory for Cleveland, which has outperformed its projections in recent years. The Guardians were 10.5 games out of first place on Sept 1 this past season and played very well down the stretch, going 20-6 the rest of the way to win the AL Central. The Guardians have proven to be pesky and never out of it, so don’t be surprised if they perform better than many think they will in 2026. View the full article

With a new season around the corner, it's time to update our Minnesota Twins top prospect rankings. Twins Daily contributors have voted, and the new list will be revealed in four installments. Hendry Mendez was voted as a top 20 prospect, but should he have cracked the top 15? Discussed in this video are James Ellwanger, Khadim Diaw, C.J. Culpepper, Kyle DeBarge, and Hendry Mendez. View the full article

The 2026 Major League Baseball season is just a few weeks away. Here are five bold predictions that could define the San Diego Padres in 2026. Jackson Merrill emerges as team captain Watch for a leadership change in the clubhouse from Manny Machado to Jackson Merrill. Machado has been the effective leader of the Padres ever since he joined the team before the 2019 season. Since then, we have seen how Machado-led teams have played out. That is no indictment on Machado — he is a great player, but we've also seen him spare a lot more heart and soul in the World Baseball Classic. Merrill has shown multiple times that he has the ability to be effective in a leadership role. He was the only member of the team who publicly said there was more work to do after the team clinched a postseason spot in 2025. He showed the same leadership quality when he put some life into the offense after going yard to lead off the top of the ninth inning when the Padres were down to their final breath against the Chicago Cubs in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. An evolution off the field for the center fielder would be just as important as any step forward on it. Manny Machado has one last MVP-level season Speaking of Machado, the veteran third baseman was about as productive at the plate in 2025 as he had been in 2023 and 2024. He was good in all three seasons, posting well-above-average metrics in OPS and OPS+. Machado will turn 34 years old this season, and while he is still a very good player, his name seems to have lost some of the luster it had around the baseball world a few years back. Keep an eye on Machado to have a “remember who I am” season, posting similar numbers to his 2022 campaign, when he finished second in the National League Most Valuable Player race. He may not win it this time, because a third straight Shohei Ohtani MVP award feels almost inevitable at this point, but don’t be surprised if he hits 30+ home runs, has a batting average of .300 or above, and posts an OPS in the low-to-mid-900s. Ethan Salas gets traded in another AJ Preller “win now” deal When Leo De Vries got traded to the Athletics, it really showed the baseball world how much AJ Preller and the Padres front office want to win during Machado’s prime and the lengths they are willing to go to do it. De Vries was believed to be an almost-untouchable prospect in the Padres farm system, and Preller packaged him in a deal for Mason Miller at the 2025 trade deadline. Ethan Salas doesn't have the same pedigree after a lost 2025 campaign, which makes moving him for a proven piece anything but far-fetched. Don’t be surprised if Salas gets shipped away in a deal to address an urgent need in a similar fashion to De Vries. What kind of deal he would be included in would be determined by the needs of the team. If there is an urgent need for a starting pitcher, Preller could include Salas in a deal to acquire someone like Joe Ryan of the Twins or perhaps even Tarik Skubal of the Tigers, if either AL Central team finds itself in a position to sell in July. If there is a need for a bat, a move to acquire Bryce Harper from the Philadelphia Phillies could be possible if the Phillies have a bad first half. It was not too long ago that Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski appeared to be subtly taking shots at Harper, alluding to him not being quite the elite player in 2025 that he had been before. Harper has a history of being known as a big-ego guy and might still feel disrespected by what Dombrowski said, so he could find himself wanting out if the aging Phillies show major regression in the first half of 2026. Mason Miller steps into the closer role and leads all of baseball in saves The Padres' closer role became open when Robert Suarez left to join the Atlanta Braves in free agency. Look for Mason Miller to take over the role and dominate. He was very good in 2025, as he posted a 2.63 ERA over 61 2/3 innings. Miller was even better after being traded from the Athletics to the Padres; in 22 games with the Friars, he posted a 0.77 ERA over 23 1/3 innings. He only recorded two saves as a Padre because Suarez got the bulk of the save opportunities after the trade. In a full season working with pitching coach Ruben Niebla, don’t be shocked if Miller puts up around 45 saves and pitches to an ERA somewhere between 2.00 and 2.50. A season of that magnitude from Miller would almost certainly make him a consensus top-three closer in the sport, if he's not there already. Craig Stammen uses his reliever experience to manage bullpen arms better than Mike Shildt One of the biggest criticisms Mike Shildt faced in 2025 was his decision-making regarding when he pulled starters and which relievers he brought in after pulling them. He said publicly that he used the bullpen aggressively in an attempt to win as many games as possible, although many fans speculated that it did a number on the durability of the pitchers’ arms. Craig Stammen, the new manager of the Padres, was a relief pitcher for more than a decade, so he should know first hand how to avoid overworking bullpen arms. View the full article

In a big upset on Saturday night, Team Venezuela beat Team Japan 8-5 in the quarter-finals of the World Baseball Classic. Venezuela will join the USA, the Dominican Republic, and Italy, all of which won their quarter-final matches over the weekend. The Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu had one of the biggest hits in the contest, smashing a three-run home run off Hiromi Itoh in the sixth that gave Venezuela the lead, which they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game. However, it was the Royals' Maikel Garcia who got Team Venezuela back into this game after Venezuela spotted Japan a 5-0 lead in the first three innings. In the fifth inning, after hitting a double earlier in the game, Garcia launched a two-run home run off Japanese lefty Chihiro Sumida that got Venezuela to within one run of the defending WBC champions. As stated before, it wasn't the go-ahead home run for Venezuela. However, it set things up for the Venezuela comeback in the fifth inning. For the game, Garcia went 2-for-5 with one run scored, two RBI, and three hard hits. Garcia Has Been Key for Team Venezuela The 26-year-old Royals infielder has been a key contributor to a Venezuelan lineup loaded with MLB talent. The semi-final-bound squad is loaded with MLB stars like Ronald Acuna Jr., Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suarez, Jackson Chourio, Gleyber Torres, and captain (and fellow Royal) Salvador Perez. And yet, Garcia has been the number-two hitter in Venezuela's lineup and one of their top hitters in the WBC. In 19 at-bats, Garcia is hitting .421 with a .450 OBP, .684 slugging, and 1.134 OPS. His eight hits lead all Venezuelan hitters, and he also leads the squad with three stolen bases as well. Another impressive aspect of Garcia's performance is that he's producing against some of the game's top pitchers. His double against Japan came against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who won the World Series MVP for the Dodgers last season. Garcia was an All-Star last year, so he certainly had a reputation among a loaded Venezuelan squad. Still, it was easy to overlook Garcia's importance going into the World Baseball Classic, especially since last year was his breakout season. Prior to 2025, he had never made an All-Star team and was seen more as a utility infielder than an everyday one who could hit at the top of the lineup. However, Garcia has outperformed other arguably bigger Venezuelan stars on this team. That includes players like Willson Contreras (.558 OPS), Torres (.581 OPS), Suarez (.648 OPS), Chourio (.555 OPS), and even Salvy (.334 OPS). Even though he may not have the MLB track record of other Venezuelan players, the La Sabana native has demonstrated the skills and swagger to lead this team to a possible WBC championship. Is Garcia Ready for a Bigger Role in Kansas City in 2026? Garcia was a breakout star for the Royals a season ago, making good on the faith manager Matt Quatraro and GM JJ Picollo gave him after an underwhelming 2024 campaign. In 666 plate appearances last season, Garcia hit .286 with a .800 OPS. He scored 81 runs, hit 16 home runs, collected 74 RBI, and stole 23 bases. He didn't barrel balls or pull the ball in the air all that consistently. However, he showed excellent contact and plate discipline, as well as a knack for hitting the ball hard frequently, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast profile. Garcia ranked in the 90th percentile in Z-Contact%, 93rd percentile in K%, and 92nd percentile in whiff rate. Furthermore, he also ranked in the 77th percentile in wOBA. That said, he ranked only in the 36th percentile for Max EV, the 25th percentile for barrel rate, and the 22nd percentile for Pull Air%. Thus, his xwOBA (.336) was lower than his actual wOBA (.345) and ranked in the 56th percentile, 19 spots worse than his wOBA ranking. Thus, Royals fans have to wonder if Garcia may be due for regression in 2026. So far, his Spring Training and WBC metrics don't suggest that he is due for a decline anytime soon. There is a lot to like about Garcia's numbers this spring, which don't include his performance tonight. His hard-hit rate and LA Sweet-Spot% are stellar, ranking in the 90th and 86th percentiles, respectively. His Whiff and Z-Contact this spring are nearly identical to what he did last year. Lastly, while his .383 wOBA is better than his .363 xwOBA this spring, his xwOBA actually has a higher percentile ranking (64th) than his wOBA (62nd). It will be interesting to see whether that trend carries over into the 2026 regular season. Of course, Spring Training numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt. That also includes the World Baseball Classic, which is fun, but just a small sample. After all, Arraez is a power hitter in the WBC, a far cry from what he has actually done at the MLB level. Still, there's a lot to be optimistic about with Garcia, who has thrived in the No. 2 spot of the Venezuelan batting order. With Bobby Witt Jr. thriving with Team USA at the top of the order (.294 average and .867 OPS in 17 at-bats), could Quatraro put Witt at leadoff, Garcia in the No. 2 hole, and Vinnie Pasquantino at No. 3, and Salvy at cleanup? Royals fans won't know until Opening Day, of course. That said, with how this WBC has gone for Witt and Garcia, it wouldn't be a bad idea, especially with the need to get more production from the offense in 2026. View the full article

Over the last decade, the Minnesota Twins have experienced multiple waves of highly ranked prospects moving through the organization. At different points, the farm system was considered one of baseball’s best. Those rankings fostered optimism about the future and helped define the franchise's direction during periods of rebuilding and transition. Some of those prospects eventually became core contributors at the big-league level. Others stalled in development or never fully translated their talent to the majors. Looking back at the last 10 years shows how each wave shaped the roster in different ways, and how prospect rankings tell only part of the story. 2015-2016 Wave The Twins entered the 2015 season with one of the strongest farm systems in baseball, ranked third overall by MLB Pipeline. That group stayed near the top of the rankings for multiple evaluations, sitting at fifth during the 2015 midseason update and again entering the 2016 season. Minnesota had spent the previous half-decade near the bottom of the AL standings, which gave the organization access to multiple high draft picks. Those selections created a prospect pipeline filled with high-end talent and national attention. At the top of the list was Byron Buxton, who entered 2015 as the number one overall prospect in baseball. His presence alone helped elevate the system’s national profile. The Twins also had several other prospects ranked inside the top-100. Miguel Sanó was 11th overall, Alex Meyer came in at 29th, José Berríos ranked 32nd, Nick Gordon sat at 33rd, and Kohl Stewart was 36th. The organization had both high-end talent and depth across several levels of the minor leagues. The system continued to evolve heading into 2016. Max Kepler broke out in the minors and climbed to 44th overall on the prospect rankings. Tyler Jay entered the list at 60th, while Jorge Polanco also cracked the top 100 at 97th. When looking back, this wave is most closely tied to the Twins' record-breaking 2019 season. That team won more than 100 games and set the major league record for home runs in a single season. Several players from that prospect class became important parts of the lineup, including Buxton, Kepler, and Polanco. Those same players also remained important contributors when the Twins ended their two-decade playoff losing streak in 2023. While the position players from this group found success, the pitching prospects told a different story. Meyer, Stewart, and several others never developed into consistent big league starters despite the early expectations. 2018-2020 Wave As the previous group began graduating to the major leagues, Minnesota briefly slipped out of the top ten farm system rankings. However, the organization quickly rebuilt the pipeline and returned to the back half of the top ten from 2018 through 2020. By the middle of the 2018 season, the Twins had climbed into the top five again. The system eventually settled around eighth overall throughout much of the 2019 campaign. The centerpiece of this group was Royce Lewis, the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft. He entered the 2018 season ranked as the 20th overall prospect in baseball and quickly became one of the most exciting young players in the organization. Other names also appeared on the rankings. Fernando Romero was listed at 68th overall, with Stephen Gonsalves at 78th and Nick Gordon at 80th. The system’s star power grew even more heading into 2019. Lewis rose to become a top-five prospect in baseball while Alex Kirilloff joined him inside the top ten. Brusdar Graterol also appeared on the list as the 68th-ranked prospect and, at that time, was still viewed as a potential starting pitcher. The Twins continued adding depth over the next year. Trevor Larnach ranked 81st entering 2020, while Jordan Balazovic appeared at 85th. This wave helped sustain the Twins' competitive window. Players from this group contributed to division titles in both 2020 and 2023, though the paths were different from what was originally expected. Once again, the pitching prospects struggled to reach their projected ceilings. Romero, Gonsalves, and Balazovic never developed into reliable major league options. Graterol eventually moved to the bullpen and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deal that brought Kenta Maeda to Minnesota. Injuries also reshaped the outcome for some of the system’s most talented hitters. Kirilloff battled persistent health issues that ultimately forced him to retire earlier than expected. Lewis and Larnach enter the 2026 season still trying to establish themselves as long-term roster pieces. Prospect rankings often create the impression that success at the major league level is inevitable. The Twins' experience over the past decade shows how unpredictable that process can be. Both waves of talent produced impact players who helped the organization win division titles and break a historic postseason drought. At the same time, several highly ranked prospects never reached their projected potential due to injuries, stalled development, or changing roles. Even so, those highly ranked farm systems played an important role in shaping the modern Twins roster. They provided the core position players who powered the 2019 lineup and helped the team remain competitive in the years that followed. As new prospects continue to move through the system, the next wave will aim to deliver what previous groups could not. Ins have repeatedly shown they can build highly ranked pipelines. The challenge moving forward is turning that prospect promise into long-term success at the major league level. What stands out about the previous waves of top prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

It's possible that this is an observation rooted in bias of some sort, but it feels like few moves across the landscape of Major League Baseball have generated more buzz for a team's 2026 prospects than the Chicago Cubs' signing of Alex Bregman. A combination of his offensive profile, defensive stability, and intangible leadership qualities have certainly contributed to that type of vibe. At the same time, we also know that players who sign for significant dollars with a new team are prone to an adjustment period. Year 1 doesn't always roll as smoothly as one's reputation might suspect. Fortunately, we're talking about a player who has not only done the change-of-scenery thing once, but did it recently after spending his entire career in Houston. And, aside from a quad injury that limited him to 114 games, his .273/.360/.462 line and 125 wRC+ with the Boston Red Sox last year indicated that he's well-suited to such an adjustment, especially with an organization that has as much stability at the top level as the Cubs appear to have. With that in mind, what should Cub fans be expecting — and hoping for — out of their new star acquisition ahead of this upcoming season? For one thing, we know the offensive approach is going to yield results. We'll talk about the power in a moment, but for his money, Bregman is one of the most conscious hitters in the league in matters of the strike zone and creating opportunities to reach base beyond just walks. He's run a mere 13.4 percent strikeout rate for his career, courteous of brilliant swing decisions that often yield 90th-percentile finishes in chase and whiff rate. Perhaps "selective aggression" is an appropriate way to label a profile such as Bregman's. While he doesn't figure heavily into the world of bat speed or hard contact by the statistical definition, he squares up contact at an elite rate. His squared-up rate in 2025 finished at 37.5 percent and in the 97th percentile. That's a higher rate than any of the Cubs' regulars from last year, meaning that Bregman offers an upgrade on a profile (read: swing efficiency over bat speed) that the team is already familiar with. Even better, Bregman is also able to parlay that awareness of the zone into plenty of fly balls to the pull side. His 24.5 PullAIR% ranked 37th in the league among 251 hitters. Of course, the caveat in all of that is that Bregman is moving to a park that is among the league's least-favorable for right-handed hitters. Statcast's Park Factors ranks Wrigley Field 27th in the league over the last three years for righties, ahead of only Seattle's T-Mobile Park in its favorability (the Rays and Athletics don't figure into the rankings because they've switched parks). As such, plenty of (digital) ink has been spilt over how well his swing will translate to Wrigley, and much of it has invoked the team's previous right-handed third base addition: Isaac Paredes. The big difference between the two is that Bregman's bat plays much more in the gaps, while Paredes was a hitter more of the dead-pull variety. The former's spray chart should yield far more positive results than one of his predecessors at the position. With all that out of the way, let's look at where the various projection models predict Alex Bregman to fall in 2026: Steamer: .260/.345/.439, 23 HR, 14.3 K%, 11.0 BB%, 121 wRC+ ZiPS: .240/.336/.403, 18 HR, 14.6 K%, 11.4 BB%, 110 wRC+ ATC: .253/.337/.427, 23 HR, 14.0 K%, 10.2 BB%, 114 wRC+ THE BAT X: .252/.333/.425, 23 HR, 14.1 K%, 9.9 BB%, 114 wRC+ OOPSY: .247/.332/.395, 19 HR, 13.8 K%, 10.3 BB%, 106 wRC+ Steamer tends to like veteran players a bit more, so it's logical to see the best production from that model. There's a fair bit of consistency spread throughout otherwise, with the biggest variance manifesting in his potential power output. Even if that element of his game does end up modest in its results, there's enough in his ability to avoid strikeouts and work his way on base that should help to compensate well. Then, there's the matter of his defense. As it turns out, Bregman is pretty good there as well. He's had some years where Outs Above Average grades him as average, but is coming off a season where he posted 3 OAA in Boston. That was top 10 among third basemen in 2025. Interestingly, Bregman also struggled moving to his left, where his OAA fell to -4. Much of that should be helped by having Dansby Swanson playing next to him, indicating that he could be in for an uptick on the stat sheet as far as his glove goes. Ultimately, the excitement surrounding the addition of Alex Bregman for the next five years is something that feels warranted. Even if the projections are a little bit lighter on optimism, the combination of approach, contact, and fly balls to the pull side should help him to be a productive piece of this lineup. There's a certain steadiness to his game that should serve the middle of the Cubs' lineup well, to say nothing of what he brings on the intangibles front. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have had some of the strongest catching tandems in the sport over the past decade, as they have the third-highest fWAR amongst catchers since the 2015 MLB season. They’ve now locked up their star catcher Alejandro Kirk for the foreseeable future, and with some recent trades and development amongst prospects, the Jays should be set for at least the next few years. Toronto Blue Jays Catchers at a Glance Starter: Alejandro Kirk Backup: Tyler Heineman Depth: CJ Stubbs, Robert Brooks, Brandon Valenzuela, Geovanny Planchart Prospects: Valenzuela, Edward Duran, Juan Caricote, Franklin Rojas, Aaron Parker Blue Jays C fWAR rank in 2025: 2nd out of 30 Blue Jays C FGDC Projection for 2026: 2nd out of 30 The Good Alejandro Kirk is at minimum a top-five catcher in the sport, but has an argument to be the second best. The stocky catcher once again showed elite glovework in 2025, trailing only Patrick Bailey in Framing Run Value, and got snubbed from winning his first Gold Glove. Kirk also put it together once again on the offensive end, slashing .282/.348/.421 for a 116 wRC+, which was good for fifth overall among qualified primary catchers. Kirk’s underlying metrics point to even more offensive excellence, as the catcher paired a 91st-percentile hard-hit rate with a diminutive whiff rate, and the projections think that he will either repeat or exceed his last season’s performance. Adding on to the brilliance of Alejandro Kirk, the magician and super-sub Tyler Heineman was incredible in 2025 as well, putting up 2.1 fWAR off the bench. His offensive performance was buoyed by an unsustainable BABIP of .347, but Heiney’s defensive profile makes him a valuable second-string catcher even without carrying a 120 wRC+. Heineman also had a +8 Fielding Run Value, which helped the Blue Jays lead the league in defensive value from the catcher position last season. He is unlikely to come near his offensive production from the 2025 season, but will be a stable presence whenever Kirk needs to sit. The Jays made some high-profile moves around the trade deadline last year to shore up their bullpen, but a trade that seemed to sneak under the radar was their acquisition of Brandon Valenzuela from the Padres in exchange for Will Wagner. Heralded for his defensive chops, Valenzuela showed a plus arm last season, with 33 runners caught stealing in the minors. The Jays might have also found something offensively, as in a tiny sample size in spring training (as of March 13), Valenzuela has started off scorching, making consistent and loud contact. Graphic via @TJStats Lastly, the Jays are lacking a little at the catcher position in the minors, but they just gave out their biggest international amateur free agency signing bonus of the period to a Venezuelan catcher named Juan Caricote. Edward Duran showed flashes in A-ball in 2025 and should be pushing to join the 40-man roster after a good 2026 season, while Franklin Rojas has been one of the better hitters in the Dominican Summer League for the Blue Jays. The Bad With Kirk signed through the 2030 season, the Jays have no pressing need for another starting-caliber catching prospect in their system. Still, there is a glaring talent gap between Kirk and the prospects in the organization. The top catching prospects for the Jays all profile more as backup catchers or third-stringers, and although the Jays have shown a penchant for developing starting catchers (Gabriel Moreno, Danny Jansen and Kirk in recent years), they could be in a tough spot if Kirk is hurt for an extended amount of time. The Jays also lack depth options with MLB experience like they had last season, with Ali Sánchez and Christian Bethancourt having left the org. Instead, Valenzuela will most likely be the main third-string catcher, and he has yet to play an MLB game. If he isn’t available, the next catcher is CJ Stubbs, who has a singular game with the Nationals under his belt. After that, Robert Brooks and recent minor league signing Geovanny Planchart could see game time if worse comes to worst. These are all nitpicky, however, as things will have to go really wrong for these issues to rear their ugly heads, and the Jays value the catcher position heavily, which leads me to believe that these issues can be resolved. The Bottom Line Alejandro Kirk has reclaimed his spot as one of the best catchers in the game, and the Jays’ success at catcher will reflect mostly on his performance. With Bo Bichette leaving the organization, Kirk becomes the Jays’ second most important position player for the foreseeable future, and at his peak, he is one of the best in the game. The depth charts do look a little light without him, and Heineman will not repeat the performance of his previous season, but Toronto still has a solid contingent of defensively capable catchers whenever Kirk needs a rest. Hopefully, the Jays will develop some of their younger catching prospects to be ready when Kirk is a free agent after 2030, but for now, they’re in a great spot. View the full article

We are turning the corner and getting ready to hit the stretch drive of spring training, whatever that is. The San Diego Padres are starting to come together. 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 are now 9-10 in Cactus League play after losing to the Texas Rangers 4-1 Monday, beating the Los Angeles Angels 10-2 Tuesday, and losing to the Kansas City Royals 10-1 in the first night game this spring. Who's Hot? 🔥 Walker Buehler On the surface, allowing two runs in 3⅔ wouldn't qualify as a good start. But it was more about the quality of the outing for the right-hander that earns him this nod. Buehler seemed to find his groove in this 68-pitch outing. While his second Tommy John surgery has dampened his four-seamer velocity, he is learning to pitch with where his stuff is now and the fact that he is finally pain-free. With right-hander Nick Pivetta battling arm fatigue, a typical spring training ramp-up ailment, and Joe Musgrove's status a little bit in doubt as he returns from his own Tommy John surgery, Buehler could find himself in the Opening Day rotation. Otherwise, he has an opt-out at the end of spring training if not on the MLB roster. Ty France The once-former-now-Padre-again infielder continues to make a strong push for a bench spot this spring. France played second and third, going 2-for-5 with a double. He did have a throwing error at third base, a position he has played multiple times this spring, but not in a regular-season game since six games in 2022. He has only played second three times in the last four seasons, but if he is to be part of the Opening Day bench, playing multiple positions will certainly help for last year's AL Gold Glove first baseman. Jeremiah Estrada The more you don't hear about guys like this right-hander, the more you know they are doing their job effectively. Estrada, a key part of the Friars' late-inning bullpen, pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Rangers, walking one and striking out one while not allowing a hit. That kept his sheet clean this spring, having not allowed a run in five innings and yielding but one hit. He has walked six, but countered that with seven strikeouts. Who's Not? 🧊 German Marquez Expected to go four innings in his start vs. the Royals, the right-hander was yanked in the first inning due to the number of pitches, came back for the second, and couldn't get through that inning. The leading candidate for one or maybe two rotation spots, depending on injury situations, Marquez was credited with 1⅔ innings, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks while striking out just one. Only 28 of his 56 pitches were strikes. Miguel Andjuar The infielder-outfielder figures to be a key part of the lineup against left-handers. But after a strong start to Cactus League play, Andjuar has seen his slash line drop to .267/.40/.500 after going hitless in his last nine at-bats. Andjuar's status is pretty safe for Opening Day due to his track record when healthy, so this mini-swoon is nothing to be concerned with. JP Sears It was the type of outing that looked worse than it actually was. But results are results. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits, but did go four innings, including two scoreless after being hit on the bottom of a foot by a comebacker. Sears struck out six and didn't walk anyone. Most of the contact off him wasn't hit hard, and he wasn't helped by his defense. But Sears also had allowed at least one run in all four Cactus League outings, although his ERA improved to 8.44. View the full article

After Team USA clinched a spot in the Quarterfinals round of the World Baseball Classic, speculation was that Joe Ryan would replace Clayton Kershaw on the Team USA roster. Following their quarterfinal win over Team Canada on Friday night, Kershaw officially said that he was retiring. It was quickly announced that Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman was replacing Kershaw. But it was possible there could still be more moves. On Saturday afternoon, we got confirmation that Joe Ryan will be sticking with the Twins rather than joining Team USA in Miami. Selfishly from the Twins perspective, I think it's a good decision. Since he was slowed to start spring training and is still working his way to be ready near Opening Day, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have him push himself to max effort. Paul Skenes is making the start for the USA in Sunday night's semi-final game against the Dominican Republic. The four pitchers added to the USA roster since pool play have all been relievers. Presumably, Ryan could be lined up to make the start for Team USA in the championship game (if the US gets past the DR). Logan Webb has been tremendous for Team USA this year. In two starts, he has thrown 8 2/3 scoreless innings. He was in a similar situation during the last WBC. He wasn't quite 100% and he was about to make some money, so he didn't pitch. Likewise, with a strong, healthy 2026 season, Ryan would line himself up for a lucrative extension with the Twins or with another team. Selfishly as a baseball fan, it would have been fun to watch him pitch for Team USA. Think about it. When the Twins traded Nelson Cruz to the Rays in 2021, Ryan (and Simeon Woods Richardson) was in Tokyo, pitching for Team USA in the Olympics. So had he made the decision to go pitch for Team USA, one really couldn't fault him at all. This is one of those scenarios that doesn't necessarily have one right and/or wrong answer. My hope is simply that Joe Ryan is happy with the choice and then has another All-Star caliber season. View the full article

On Saturday morning, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider announced that right-hander Kevin Gausman will be the club's Opening Day starter when the Blue Jays’ season kicks off on Friday, March 27, at the Rogers Centre against the Athletics. This marks the first time that Gausman has been tasked with the Opening Day role in a Blue Jays uniform, though it will be the third Opening Day start of his big league career. Gausman’s first Opening Day start came in 2017 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, then again in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants. Speaking to the media this morning, Schneider touched on the decision to give the 35-year-old the ball for game one. “Pumped for him, pumped for us. About time he got one, kind of what me and Pete [Walker] told him,” Schneider said (per Sportsnet). “Still figuring out the rest of the rotation, how that lines up, but I'm excited for Kevin to get us going.” Gausman is entering the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract, which he signed on December 1, 2021. Over his Blue Jays’ career, Gausman has pitched to a 48-41 record, while posting an ERA of 3.48. Last season, Gausman was brilliant for the Blue Jays, producing an ERA of 3.59, a FIP of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.06. Across 32 regular season starts, Gausman struck out 189 batters over 193 innings pitched, relying on his devastating splitter to leave hitters in knots at the plate. Gausman held opponents to a .216 batting average, the second-best mark of his career. During the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series, Gausman only got better. In six appearances, he pitched to an ERA of 2.93. The right-hander tossed 30 ⅓ innings, recording 26 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .159 average. As the Blue Jays are dealing with injuries to José Berríos and Shane Bieber, while also slowly bringing rookie Trey Yesavage along, Gausman will be tasked with leading a rotation that is hopefully going to be a strength for the team in 2026. View the full article

With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Kansas City Royals this season. The Royals' offseason was defined by extensions, highlighted by a five-year deal for third baseman Maikel Garcia. Along with Bobby Witt Jr. Garcia will bring star power at the top of the lineup as he looks to build on his stellar 2025, where he was worth 5.8 bWAR. Royals catcher Salvador Perez signed a two-year extension through 2027. Perez has long been the core of the Royals lineup, justifiably earning the captain's "C" and cementing his place as a franchise icon. The last extension was with manager Matt Quatraro, whose new three-year deal runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030. Quatraro has a 224-262 record over his first three Kansas City years, including a 106-loss 2023. In the past two years, he led the Royals to seasons of 82 and 86 wins. The organization has shown confidence in his leadership moving forward. The Royals saw several subtractions this winter, as well as some impactful additions. Here are notable offseason moves in Kansas City, as the Royals look to return to contention in the AL Central. Notable Subtractions: Traded LHP Angel Zerpa to Brewers SP Michael Lorenzen OF Mike Yastrzemski OF MJ Melendez OF Randal Grichuk RP Hunter Harvey RP Taylor Clarke RP Jonathan Bowlan 2B Adam Frazier Notable Additions OF Kameron Misner - acquired from Tampa Bay RP Alex Lange - 1 year, $900,000 OF Lane Thomas - 1 year, $5.25 million OF Isaac Collins and RHP Nick Mears from the Brewers LHP Matt Strahm SP John Means (minor league deal) RP Eli Morgan (minor league deal) Several additions stand out, especially Isaac Collins, who could be an option leading off ahead of Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia. Other possible impact players include OF Kameron Misner, OF Lane Thomas, and North Dakota native LHP Matt Strahm. The Royals also signed former Orioles pitcher John Means to a two-year minor league deal as he rehabs from a torn Achilles. Reliever Eli Morgan could provide useful bullpen depth with his MLB experience. Among the departures, some names stand out, but many were replaced by additions. For example, Angel Zerpa was traded for Collins, while Strahm provides a left-handed relief option going forward. Yastrzemski, a 2025 deadline addition, leaves an outfield spot that Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins will now cover. The Royals appeared to make some savvy moves and will look to make a push at either the AL Central or, at a minimum, an AL Wild Card spot this coming year. Noteworthy injuries include John Means, who will miss significant time recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, and right-hander Alec Marsh, who is likely out for the season with a right shoulder injury. The absence of Means removes a potential left-handed starting option, while the loss of Marsh impacts the team's pitching depth for the year. Here is a look at the key players who will be a big part of the Royals winning the division, if they are to do so. Key Players Bobby Witt Jr.- 7.1 bWAR Maikel Garcia - 5.8 bWAR Noah Cameron - 3.8 bWAR Kris Bubic - 3.1 bwAR Michael Wacha - 2.8 bWAR Vinnie Pasquantino - 2.1 bWAR Carlos Estevez - 2.1 bWAR Other contributors include: Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Kyle Isbel, Salvador Perez, and Jac Caglianone. There is a ton of upside in this group, as well as plenty of depth. Bobby Witt Jr.is a bona fide superstar and face of the franchise. There is plenty of pitching depth, both in the rotation and in the bullpen, as well as some very intriguing young hitters that could take a step forward this season. The top prospects for the Royals include a couple of young catchers, as well as a couple pitchers and a 2025 first round pick. Top Prospects C Carter Jensen C Blake Mitchell RHP Kendry Chourio LHP David Shields OF/2B Sean Gamble Spring Storylines (and beyond): The youth movement with Jensen, and OF/DH Jac Caglianone headlining the young new core of a Royals team looking to return to the top of the AL Central. Jensen will likely split catching duties with Perez and get some time at the DH spot as well, while Caglianone should see time in the outfield and as the designated hitter. Who is hitting leadoff will be another thing to keep an eye out for. The newly acquired Isaac Collins is the favorite to be at the top of the lineup, especially against righties. Other players who may see time in leadoff spot are Bobby Witt Jr and Maikel Garcia, depending on the matchup on any given day. The health of the pitching staff will be something many Royals fans and the rest of the AL Central will keep tabs of this year. Cole Ragans started just 19 games this past year due to injury and will look to throw a full starter's workload closer to 30 starts this year. Kris Bubic also started 20 games while working back from an injury, so he will also look to have a healthy campaign in 2026 as well. Both Ragans and Bubic being healthy will be key in stabilizing the rotation and helping the pitching staff be more effective. The Royals will be looking to win the division and stay competitive in the AL Central throughout the 2026 season. Projected Lineup Maikel Garcia - 3B Bobby Witt Jr.- SS Vinnie Pasquantino - 1B Salvador Perez - C Isaac Collins - LF Jonathan India - 2B Carter Jensen - DH Lane Thomas - RF Kyle Isbel - CF Projected Rotation Cole Ragans - LHP Seth Lugo - RHP Michael Wacha - RHP Kris Kubic - LHP Noah Cameron - LHP Projected Record PECOTA: 1st place, 86-76 Fangraphs: 2nd place, 81-81 While PECOTA projects the Royals as division winners, Fangraphs is less optimistic, placing them second. Examining the roster and depth reveals a high ceiling but also the potential for a record similar to 2025. In an AL Central up for grabs, the Royals should remain competitive this season. View the full article

The San Diego Padres may lack the might they once had in terms of prospect depth, but that doesn’t mean they lack intrigue down on the farm. Having already explored three-quarters of the team’s top 20 prospects – as voted on by our Padres Mission staff – we turn our attention to one whose intrigue might become relevant rather soon. Check out prior entries in the rankings here: 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 Miguel Mendez – Pitcher (San Antonio Missions; Double-A) With so little depth and so few long-term names on the payroll on the mound for the Padres, it might seem there’s little to look forward to. Miguel Mendez might offer a shift in that mindset. Mendez was a quick riser in 2025. He began the season in A-ball, and before 2025 ended, he’d crossed into High-A and made a handful of starts at Double-A. The numbers support such a rapid ascent through the system, too. He made just three starts and threw 11 innings with Lake Elsinore. Therein, he allowed five runs on 11 hits but also struck out 18 hitters. That penchant for swings-and-misses earned him a dozen starts at the next level in Fort Wayne. He built on his early success in posting a 1.32 ERA, a 28.6 percent strikeout rate (70 total), and a 9.8 percent walk rate in 61 1/3 innings. That earned him another call-up. He wrapped 2025 with San Antonio, though the results were not quite as good. His ERA sat over eight in 22.1 innings (5.91 FIP) and a homer-to-flyball ratio up near 17 percent. All told, Mendez pitched 95 innings (22 starts), posted a 3.22 ERA, and struck out 29.4 percent of the batters he faced. One imagines that his clunky stint in San Antonio will have him ticketed for Double-A again to start the year, but one also doesn’t have to stretch to see the potential for a cup of coffee down the road if his trajectory stays on course. What To Like: Mendez doesn’t make this complicated. His stuff is very good. He brings a quality fastball with plenty of movement that he mixes with a slider and a less-used changeup. Baseball America’s scouting report noted the following: "Mendez attacks hitters out of a slightly lowered three-quarters slot with no shortage of arm speed and features a fastball, slider and a changeup. Mendez’s heater sits in the mid-to-upper-90s with both run and ride through the zone. It jumps out of his hand and plays especially well in the top half of the strike zone, which is also where it generates the vast majority of its swings and misses. Mendez’s tight mid-to-upper-80s slider regularly generates empty swings. It flashes plus with sharp two-plane tilt, though against right-handed hitters it will sometimes have more length than depth. Mendez used his upper-80s-to-low-90s changeup just 8% of the time, but its results were encouraging. It garnered a 37% miss rate while flashing effective tumble and fade." Fastball-slider is a devastating combination on its own, especially with the upside of each pitch. If he can harness the changeup to the point where it becomes a viable third pitch, then you’re talking about him in the big-league mix in fairly short order. The most important thing for Mendez thus far, though, has been the growth. In his first stint in affiliated ball back in 2022, he walked hitters at a rate up near 29 percent and struck them out at only half that clip. That number remained high in Low-A in both 2023 and 2024, with walk rates reading 13.3 and 14.9, respectively. That it came down so significantly across the various levels in 2025 is certainly encouraging. Though after that brief trip to San Antonio, it’s the one area where continued improvement will need to be demonstrated. What To Work On: The aforementioned command is, obviously, objective No. 1 for Mendez moving forward. There’s more evidence of him struggling with it than him having it to this point in his professional career. If we’re to assume that this is an aberration wrought by a small sample at a new level, then it’s not overly concerning. Beyond the obvious, Mendez needs to get that changeup into the game at a higher rate. It’s extraordinarily difficult to stick as a starter at the major-league level without a third pitch. That Mendez only threw it eight percent of the time last year – even amid the success he was experiencing – speaks to the lack of comfort he has with that offering. If he’s able to grasp command of the other two pitches more fully, then 2026 will present him with an opportunity to get that pitch to be a factor in the broader arsenal. What’s Next: Double-A seems like the most likely starting point for Mendez this year. If the command demonstrated last year returns, though, he could be on his way to El Paso before long once the new year begins. Beyond that, there are a couple of different routes the Padres could take with him. They could give him a full year of seasoning to harness command and develop the change. That could put him in decent position to grab a rotation spot in camp ahead of the 2027 season (assuming such adjustments are fully realized). There will be opportunities for rotation spots in the same way we’re seeing them this year. The other possibility is that we end up seeing Mendez pitching in San Diego before year’s end, albeit as a reliever. A two-pitch pitcher is much more viable in relief. Even with the depth the Padres have in the bullpen, there might be nothing stopping them from wanting to see his upside as a one- or two-inning reliever as he gets adapted to the big-league level. Either way, there’s an intensely bright future here that should be featured as part of the depth chart for the top club in some form or fashion before year’s end. View the full article

We continue our Royals Keep top 20 prospects list with numbers 15 down to 11. Learn about the upsides, drawbacks, and call-up trajectories that come with Steven Zobac, former top international signee Daniel Vazquez, recently promoted Luinder Avila, Felix Arronde, and 2024 top international signee Yandel Ricardo. Enjoy! View the full article

Eric Wagaman’s versatility could make him a useful piece for the Twins, but his bat hasn’t exactly helped his case this spring. With a ground-ball heavy profile and limited production at the plate, his path to the roster might be getting tougher. View the full article

Spring training is winding down, and urgency is rising. Only a couple of weeks remain for players to make final impressions before the club heads north. The roster for the March 26 opener in Baltimore is coming into focus. For many, the final stretch is about maintaining momentum and health. For others, the next two weeks could decide whether they open in the majors or minors. Some players still have something to prove before Opening Day. Bailey Ober and the Velocity Question The Twins have counted on Ober to be a reliable piece of their rotation over the past few seasons. When he is at his best, the tall right-hander uses deception and command to keep hitters off balance despite not having overpowering stuff. However, his velocity remains one of the most important storylines to watch during the final weeks of spring training. Ober allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out two over 2 2/3 innings in Thursday’s Grapefruit League matchup against the Boston Red Sox. On the surface, the line was fairly modest, but the radar gun numbers drew attention. Ober averaged just 88.8 mph with his fastball in the outing. That number continues a concerning trend. Ober’s fastball sat in the lower 90s early in camp but averaged 89.9 mph during his first spring appearance and dipped even lower in his most recent outing. Last season, his average fastball velocity of 90.3 mph was already a career low, as he posted a 5.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Velocity is not everything for Ober, but it does impact how effective his entire arsenal can be. His approach relies heavily on tunneling and location, and losing even a small amount of velocity can shrink the margin for error. With a rotation spot essentially locked in, Ober’s spring is less about making the roster and more about proving that the declining velocity is not going to become a long-term issue. The Twins will likely monitor his next few outings closely. Brooks Lee and the Search for More Quickness When Lee arrived in the majors, his bat had been his calling card throughout his college and early pro career. The bigger question surrounded his overall athleticism and defensive range. That is why Lee made improving his quickness a priority heading into this year. Observers around camp have noted that his body composition looks different. Lee reportedly weighs about the same as last year, but he appears leaner because his weight is distributed differently. The visual changes have been noticeable during workouts and early game action. There have already been a couple of defensive plays in which Lee has appeared to show better range than he did a year ago. He has also looked slightly quicker running the bases, which could be an encouraging sign for the Twins if it continues. Still, early data does not yet show a measurable difference. According to Matthew Leach and MLB.com research, there is no data to definitively prove Lee is faster than last season. At this point in spring training, samples are very small. The next few weeks are important for Lee. If his added quickness proves real, it could help solidify his defensive profile and expand his infield roles. Zak Kent Making a Case in the Bullpen Of the recent pitching additions, Zak Kent received little fanfare. He did not arrive with the attention of names like Taylor Rogers or Liam Hendriks, but his early camp results have turned heads. Kent is already on the 40-man roster and features a slider that has impressed the Twins’ coaching staff. More importantly, he has shown an ability to miss bats. In three Grapefruit League innings, Kent has yielded just one hit, struck out six, and walked none. He has also produced 13 swings and misses on just 43 pitches. Those numbers stand out for a bullpen that could use another right-handed arm capable of generating strikeouts. The Twins have several relievers who rely on contact management, but power stuff in the late innings always carries value. Kent still has to prove that his success can continue against stronger competition as spring training progresses. If he keeps generating swings and misses at this rate, he could force the Twins to consider giving him a bigger opportunity. Final Days to Make an Impression Every spring brings a few surprises, and the final roster decisions are often shaped by performances in the last two weeks of camp. For the Twins, those evaluations are happening quickly as Opening Day approaches. Ober is trying to show that his declining velocity won't define his season. Lee is working to prove that the adjustments he made to his body will translate into improved quickness. Kent is attempting to turn a strong spring into a legitimate bullpen opportunity. With the opener against Baltimore approaching fast, the margin for error is shrinking. The next handful of games may determine who heads north with the team and who begins the season waiting for another opportunity. What players will you be watching over in spring’s final weeks? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

North Side Baseball's top-20 Chicago Cubs prospects list for the 2026 season is nearing it's conclusion. Today, we'll be focusing on our bronze medalist, Jefferson Rojas. Be sure to check out all of our previous installments in the series here: Prospects #20-16 Prospects #15-11 Prospect #10 - James Triantos Prospect #9 - Josiah Hartshorn Prospect #8 - Kane Kepley Prospect #7 - Pedro Ramirez Prospect #6 - Ethan Conrad Prospect #5 - Jonathon Long Prospect #4 - Kevin Alcantara #3 - Jefferson Rojas (Tennessee Smokies, Double-A) Jefferson Rojas feels like he has always been on the precipice of a breakout without ever truly busting through the glass ceiling, and 2025 had a similar vibe. At first, it looked like perhaps we were seeing the coming out party we had all hoped for, as Rojas was an absolute monster at High-A South Bend. Over 299 plate appearances, the Cubs' prospect slashed .278/.379/.492, which was 45% above average. This showed significant development for the 20-year-old, who somewhat struggled with an 88 wRC+ over his first 419 PA's at the same level the year prior. Things derailed when Rojas got to Tennessee however, which really limited the idea that he truly had broken through. Going homer-less in his first 172 plate appearances, Rojas looked a bit outmatched at Double-A. Much like his first go at High-A, these were productive struggles for a player who was younger than league average, but still, if you were hoping that the year was going to be all sunshine and rainbows, his first look at a higher level likely dampened that outlook. What to like: First off, Rojas has always been very young for his level of competition. Getting to High-A by age 19 and Double-A by age 20 puts him on a much quicker pace than most of his peers. Ethan Conrad, our sixth-ranked prospect, was playing at Wake Forrest at 20 years old, which is a step-below the level of competition in Double-A. Rojas has been cutting his teeth against some really quality opponents. As a player, Rojas has shown a pretty solid ability to keep his strikeouts in check while keeping his walks up. Even struggling in Tennessee last year, the shortstop didn't eclipse a 20% strikeout rate and maintained an 11.6% walk rate. Rojas has a pretty good approach at the plate that maximizes his contact ability without getting so aggressive that he still isn't getting on base. So, despite his 58 wRC+ in Double-A, he maintained an OBP nearly .100 points above his batting average. Rojas, outside of Tennessee, showed improved power last year. His 11 home runs in just under 300 PA's was a career high at any level, and his .214 ISO was double that of his last go at High-A as well. This is great news for his future; hitting the ball with authority is never a bad thing. But it's also good because it shows adaptability; yes, he struggled when he was 19 at High-A, but then he came back out and destroyed the level. If you're worried about him heading into Double-A because of his poor first look, this gives you reason to believe he'll overcome that small setback. What to work on: As much as I want to chalk up his struggles at Double-A to just the idea of productive struggles, a 58 wRC+ is never a good thing on it's own. I'm willing to consider context, but for a prospect who defensively isn't likely to stick at shortstop (which I'll explore more later), he's going to have to hit better than that in 2026. Defensively, Rojas probably won't stick long term at short. As Baseball America describes in his scouting report, Rojas has "average hands and footwork". This probably will not be enough to allow him to stick at a premium position as he begins to fill out as an adult. While this isn't an immediate disqualifier, it means that his bat will have to do more talking to ensure he can stick at a position like third base down the line. The biggest knock on Rojas might be that there isn't a standout tool in his bag. He has a good hit tool, shows the ability to hit double-digit home runs, and he's probably going to be fine at either second or third, but there isn't anything that wows you. Not every player needs a carrying tool, but it can be a concern that without one, he could just be a "jack-of-all-trades" type. It means that he can't really have one aspect dip too far away from average, but so far, this hasn't been an issue, thankfully. What's next: Jefferson Rojas will go back to Double-A and look to improve on his first go at the level. There's reason to be optimistic that last year will be of the "speed bump" variety in Tennessee. First, Rojas showed marked improvement from year one to year two at High-A and repeating that should shock no one. More importantly, however, Rojas has been killing the baseball in spring training. While I'm not in the "spring statistics are meaningful" camp myself, I do think there's reason to believe in this data; he's changed his pre-pitch set up for the better. Compare below a home run he hit this spring to the video posted above. Notice that he is less upright and that his hands have more separation from his body before he launches into his swing. This seems to have loosened him up a bit and given him extra whip through the zone. He's also made most of his hard contact against players who have sniffed MLB relevancy; for someone like Alex Bregman, that would be meaningless, but for someone who hasn't yet seen Triple-A, we can't ignore that fact. A successful year for Rojas likely sees him rocket through Double-A like he did in South Bend last year and end up in Iowa. There's little in the way of blocking him at that level on the infield, so he could continue to get reps at short even if he's unlikely to be a solution for the big-league Cubs there. I also wouldn't be surprised if the roller coaster experience continues; kill the level you repeat, struggle against the newest competition. Getting to Iowa by age 21`, regardless of his outcomes against Triple-A pitching, would put him on track to break through with the Cubs by his 22nd birthday, which is no small feat. Longer term, he probably fits comfortably as a third baseman with 15 (or so) home runs in his bat while also making a good deal of contact. While not a 1:1 comparison, former Cub Zach McKinstry's 2025 campaign feels like a good outcome for Jefferson: a 3.2 fWAR season that was built with a 112 wRC+, 12 home runs, 9% walk rate, and a 21.7% strikeout rate. What do you think of Jefferson Rojas? Are you optimistic about his mechanical changes? What do you think his upside is? Let us know in the comment section below! View the full article