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Let's continue our coverage of the Padres' top prospects with the 15th-ranked pipeline talent down to no. 11, as determined by our Padres Mission writers. This is a crash course on the highs, lows, and trajectory of Tirso Ornelas, Garrett Hawkins, Lamar King Jr., Jorge Quintana, and Romeo Sanabria. View the full article

Enjoy new episodes of our Miami Marlins livestreams throughout 2026 spring training. Every week, Fish On First staffers answer your questions and provide in-depth analysis of the team leading up to Opening Day. Thursday's show was co-hosted by Jeremiah Geiger and Ely Sussman. The following topics were covered: Adam Mazur's season-ending elbow surgery Updated look at the Marlins starting rotation depth chart Notable performances by Marlins players in World Baseball Classic pool play Bold predictions submitted by the FOF audience You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. The WBC resumes on Friday. Expect Owen Caissie and Otto Lopez to both be in Canada's starting lineup for their quarterfinals matchup against Team USA (first pitch at 8:00 p.m. ET). Sandy Alcantara started for the Dominican Republic in their victory over Venezuela on Wednesday. If they advance deep enough into the tournament, he is interested in making another appearance. View the full article

All offseason, the Boston Red Sox were looking for a left-handed reliever to add to their bullpen, and with the regular season just two weeks away the team has signed one. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report that the Red Sox and free-agent reliever Danny Coulombe came to an agreement Thursday night on a one-year deal. The contract is said to be a major-league deal, meaning he'll join the 40-man roster. The contract is worth $1 million according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. Coulombe had a season of two halves in 2025. Beginning the season with Minnesota, the reliever was one of the best left-handers in the game as he appeared in 40 games and tossed 31 innings. In that span, he allowed just four earned runs on 21 hits and nine walks. He also struck out 31 batters. However, after getting traded to Texas at the trade deadline, he didn’t perform as well. Appearing in 15 games, he struggled in 12 innings as he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits and nine walks. Prior to 2025, he spent two seasons in Baltimore where he was once more a dominant bullpen arm. In 94 games with Baltimore, he tossed 81 innings and allowed just 23 earned runs. He also walked just 17 batters and struck out 90 in that span. With the Red Sox's 40-man roster full, the team will need to make an additional move to clear a roster spot. The most likely move at the moment would be for the team to move Triston Casas to the 60-Day Injured List as he continues his rehab. View the full article

Kyle DeBarge showed plenty of strength with his speed in 2025, but can he develop more with his hit tools in 2026? View the full article

Let the Royals Keep top 20 prospects breakdowns begin! In this video, we break down the 20th down to the 16th ranked prospect in the Royals system, based on our writers' votes. Watch along to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and overall projections of Frank Mozzicato, Warren Calcaño, Michael Lombardi, Blake Wolters, and Carson Roccaforte. 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 2026 Detroit Tigers. The Tigers finished second in the AL Central and secured a Wild Card spot, defeating the Guardians 2-1 in their opening playoff series before being eliminated by the Mariners in a five-game Division Series. This offseason brought about a series of significant moves for Detroit, as they attempt to attain October for the third straight season. Notable Subtractions Chris Paddack (starting pitcher) Tommy Kahnle (relief pitcher) Alex Cobb (starting pitcher) Alex Lange (relief pitcher) Andy Ibáñez (lefty masher) Justyn-Henry Malloy (third baseman/outfielder) Notable Additions Framber Valdez (starting pitcher) Justin Verlander (starting pitcher) Kenley Jansen (relief pitcher) Drew Anderson (swingman) Looking at these transactions, it appears the additions outweigh the subtractions for the Tigers. Specifically, Framber Valdez, a playoff-caliber starter, signed a lucrative three-year deal to slot in behind two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, Tigers legend Justin Verlander returns on a one-year deal, bringing valuable experience to fortify the rotation. Verlander will strengthen a rotation dealing with injuries, though given his age and recent track record, he could be among the injured at times. Drew Anderson is also joining as a depth rotation option, while Kenley Jansen is set to fill the primary closer and high-leverage bullpen role. Three key players who had at least a chance of going elsewhere have also returned. Starter Jack Flaherty exercised his player option for 2026; second baseman Gleyber Torres accepted the qualifying offer of $22.025 million; and trade deadline acquisition Kyle Finnegan hit free agency but ultimately re-signed for two years. Injuries Jackson Jobe - returning from Tommy John surgery Troy Melton - slowed by elbow inflammation in spring training; will start on 60-day IL Reese Olson - out for the year Key Players C Dillon Dingler - 3.1 bWAR in 2025 1B Spencer Torkelson - 2.3 bWAR in 2025 2B Gleyber Torres - 2.9 bWAR in 2025 3B Zach McKinstry - 2.8 bWAR in 2025 LHP Tarik Skubal - 6.5 bWAR in 2025 Skubal, embarking on a defense of two straight Cy Young Awards and trying to position himself for a historic free-agent payday, is the most obvious center of gravity for the team, but last year, the club thrived because of its balance. They ranked 11th in runs, 10th in home runs, 12th in OPS, and 16th in batting average last season. Their 61 steals, however, were last in MLB. Top Prospects: Kevin McGonigle - SS Max Clark - OF Josue Briceno - C/1B Bryce Rainer - SS Thayron Liranzo - C/1B Observers are especially optimistic about Kevin McGonigle, a likely early-season call-up—if he's not on the Opening Day roster. Max Clark, taken just before Walker Jenkins in the 2023 MLB Draft, will be compared to Jenkins as their careers unfold in the AL Central. Spring Storylines (and beyond): Verlander's triumphant return and Skubal's potentially imminent exit loom large, but the team is trying to establish a winning identity that will stretch beyond this year and those two players. At 25, Riley Greene is expected to continue progressing toward stardom. Emerging talents like Colt Keith, McGonigle, and Clark could shape the Tigers’ future core. When and how well Jobe returns from Tommy John surgery will be a major storyline, too. Beyond Jansen, Finnegan and Vest line up for late innings. However, the work of the pen will be spread very evenly. A.J. Hinch has earned considerable praise for his nimble usage of an often motley relief crew. What he dubbed 'pitching chaos' during the 2024 playoffs has been an effective tack for keeping order over the last year and a half, leading to two straight overachieving seasons. The Tigers are expected to remain competitive in the AL Central in 2026. Projected Lineup Parker Meadows - CF Gleyber Torres - 2B Riley Greene - LF Spencer Torkelson - 1B Kerry Carpenter - DH Dillon Dingler - C Colt Keith - 3B Matt Vierling/Wenceel Pérez - RF Zach McKinstry - SS Note: Javier Báez is an option off the bench with this lineup—and could sometimes be the starting shortstop, with McKinstry shifting to third base, like he played last year. Projected Rotation Tarik Skubal - LHP Framber Valdez - LHP Justin Verlander - RHP Jack Flaherty - RHP Casey Mize - RHP Projected Record PECOTA: 2nd place, 83-79 Fangraphs: 1st place, 85-77 If everyone stays healthy, the Tigers are the favorite to win the Central this year. They seem to have improved overall in the offseason, and are looking for the young core group to take a step forward and see if they can get past the Division Series. 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 2026 Detroit Tigers. The Tigers finished second in the AL Central and secured a Wild Card spot, defeating the Guardians 2-1 in their opening playoff series before being eliminated by the Mariners in a five-game Division Series. This offseason brought about a series of significant moves for Detroit, as they attempt to attain October for the third straight season. Notable Subtractions Chris Paddack (starting pitcher) Tommy Kahnle (relief pitcher) Alex Cobb (starting pitcher) Alex Lange (relief pitcher) Andy Ibáñez (lefty masher) Justyn-Henry Malloy (third baseman/outfielder) Notable Additions Framber Valdez (starting pitcher) Justin Verlander (starting pitcher) Kenley Jansen (relief pitcher) Drew Anderson (swingman) Looking at these transactions, it appears the additions outweigh the subtractions for the Tigers. Specifically, Framber Valdez, a playoff-caliber starter, signed a lucrative three-year deal to slot in behind two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, Tigers legend Justin Verlander returns on a one-year deal, bringing valuable experience to fortify the rotation. Verlander will strengthen a rotation dealing with injuries, though given his age and recent track record, he could be among the injured at times. Drew Anderson is also joining as a depth rotation option, while Kenley Jansen is set to fill the primary closer and high-leverage bullpen role. Three key players who had at least a chance of going elsewhere have also returned. Starter Jack Flaherty exercised his player option for 2026; second baseman Gleyber Torres accepted the qualifying offer of $22.025 million; and trade deadline acquisition Kyle Finnegan hit free agency but ultimately re-signed for two years. Injuries Jackson Jobe - returning from Tommy John surgery Troy Melton - slowed by elbow inflammation in spring training; will start on 60-day IL Reese Olson - out for the year Key Players C Dillon Dingler - 3.1 bWAR in 2025 1B Spencer Torkelson - 2.3 bWAR in 2025 2B Gleyber Torres - 2.9 bWAR in 2025 3B Zach McKinstry - 2.8 bWAR in 2025 LHP Tarik Skubal - 6.5 bWAR in 2025 Skubal, embarking on a defense of two straight Cy Young Awards and trying to position himself for a historic free-agent payday, is the most obvious center of gravity for the team, but last year, the club thrived because of its balance. They ranked 11th in runs, 10th in home runs, 12th in OPS, and 16th in batting average last season. Their 61 steals, however, were last in MLB. Top Prospects: Kevin McGonigle - SS Max Clark - OF Josue Briceno - C/1B Bryce Rainer - SS Thayron Liranzo - C/1B Observers are especially optimistic about Kevin McGonigle, a likely early-season call-up—if he's not on the Opening Day roster. Max Clark, taken just before Walker Jenkins in the 2023 MLB Draft, will be compared to Jenkins as their careers unfold in the AL Central. Spring Storylines (and beyond): Verlander's triumphant return and Skubal's potentially imminent exit loom large, but the team is trying to establish a winning identity that will stretch beyond this year and those two players. At 25, Riley Greene is expected to continue progressing toward stardom. Emerging talents like Colt Keith, McGonigle, and Clark could shape the Tigers’ future core. When and how well Jobe returns from Tommy John surgery will be a major storyline, too. Beyond Jansen, Finnegan and Vest line up for late innings. However, the work of the pen will be spread very evenly. A.J. Hinch has earned considerable praise for his nimble usage of an often motley relief crew. What he dubbed 'pitching chaos' during the 2024 playoffs has been an effective tack for keeping order over the last year and a half, leading to two straight overachieving seasons. The Tigers are expected to remain competitive in the AL Central in 2026. Projected Lineup Parker Meadows - CF Gleyber Torres - 2B Riley Greene - LF Spencer Torkelson - 1B Kerry Carpenter - DH Dillon Dingler - C Colt Keith - 3B Matt Vierling/Wenceel Pérez - RF Zach McKinstry - SS Note: Javier Báez is an option off the bench with this lineup—and could sometimes be the starting shortstop, with McKinstry shifting to third base, like he played last year. Projected Rotation Tarik Skubal - LHP Framber Valdez - LHP Justin Verlander - RHP Jack Flaherty - RHP Casey Mize - RHP Projected Record PECOTA: 2nd place, 83-79 Fangraphs: 1st place, 85-77 If everyone stays healthy, the Tigers are the favorite to win the Central this year. They seem to have improved overall in the offseason, and are looking for the young core group to take a step forward and see if they can get past the Division Series. View the full article

The Cubs delegation to the World Baseball Classic has represented the team admirably. Pool play eliminated Novena México, but that was no fault of Javier Assad, who pitched eight solid innings for them. Meanwhile, Daniel Palencia, Alex Bregman and Matthew Boyd went along for the ride as Team Venezuela and Team USA advanced—and Pete Crow-Armstrong did something more akin to dragging the United States through to the quarterfinals, going 3-for-10 with two walks, two home runs and a double. Though the U.S. squad was almost ousted, it was Crow-Armstrong's two homers that enlivened the team late in their lone loss of the round, to Team Italy. Because of his heroics, they were safe from elimination by the midpoint of the next day's game between México and Italy. A sputtering second half last season had the baseball world wondering whether Crow-Armstrong could really sustain what he flashed in the first half of 2025. Those questions aren't answered, but he's been thoroughly impressive. For a short time, Jaxon Wiggins was the talk of Cubs camp back in Mesa. He was never going to start the season with the parent club, though, so it was no surprise when he, Justin Dean, Luke Little and Ryan Rolison were optioned to the minors (or, in Wiggins's case, simply returned to minor-league camp). Those moves did begin to tighten the scope of battles for the team's final roster spots, and those four players can now turn their attention to being ready when an opportunity arises for them later this year. Despite a shaky appearance in the World Baseball Classic, Matthew Boyd earned Counsell's nod as the starting pitcher when the Cubs begin their season on Mar. 26, against the Nationals. Opting for the coveted Opening Day start, Boyd turned down an extended run into the WBC and has returned to Arizona. In a deep rotation with a couple of more electric arms, Boyd nonetheless won Counsell's trust, thanks to his steady performance last season. Cubs camp hasn't been especially buzzy this spring, because the team feels mature, and complete. As the regular season draws near, though, it's getting easier to feel the excitement. Once the games count, the talent of this team will begin to spur more energy—and more anxiety. View the full article

Dan Gladden has been a fixture on Twins radio broadcasts since 2000. Recently, he was named a 2026 inductee into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Gladden came to the Twins organization just before the 1987 season began. He is often referred to as the sparkplug that helped the Twins to World Series championships in 1987 and 1991. His final play with the Twins came in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. He hit a hustle double, advanced to third on a bunt, and scored on Gene Larkin's "single" to give the Twins the 1-0 win. He continued to play for a few more years, including time in Japan. In 2000, he began his time in the Twins radio broadcast booth. He became the full-time analyst in 203. He has worked in the booth with Herb Carneal, John Gordon, Cory Provus and now Kris Atteberry. In fact, it was Provus who was able to tell Gladden about his latest career honor. The honor clearly means a lot to Gladden who got emotional responding to Provus. He thanked Dave St. Peter for giving him an opportunity. He said, "I didn't even cry when Rod Carew called me (to tell him he'd made the Twins Hall of Fame)." Gladden joined the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2022. Join us in congratulating Dan Gladden on this terrific honor. View the full article

Spring training schedules can change quickly this time of year, and that is exactly what is happening for Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan. Minnesota’s right-hander is departing Twins camp and joining Team USA following the quarterfinal round of the World Baseball Classic. The move comes after Team USA needed to adjust its pitching plans late in the tournament. According to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Ryan will take the roster spot originally held by veteran starter Clayton Kershaw once the quarterfinal stage concludes. Team USA’s immediate focus is on its quarterfinal matchup with Team Canada. That game is scheduled for Friday night in Houston. If the Americans advance, they would move on to the semifinal round on Sunday against the winner of the matchup between Team Korea and Team Dominican Republic. For Ryan, the next step is to throw a bullpen session on Saturday as part of his normal spring progression. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa confirmed that Ryan is expected to report after the quarterfinal round. That timing would make it extremely difficult for Ryan to be available in Sunday’s semifinal game. Throwing a bullpen on Saturday would effectively rule him out of pitching the following day. That leaves one realistic opportunity for Ryan to see game action in the tournament. If Team USA reaches the championship game, he could potentially be available either in relief or as a spot starter, depending on how the pitching situation develops. Ryan has made it clear he would love to contribute if the opportunity arises, but the situation remains fluid. At this point, he would be joining the team more as a depth option rather than with a guaranteed role in the rotation. Even a small role would be meaningful for the Twins starter. The World Baseball Classic has become one of the sport’s premier international events, and the chance to represent the United States on that stage carries plenty of appeal. Of course, Minnesota also has its own calendar to consider. Opening Day for the Twins is approaching quickly, with the club set to begin the season on the road against the Baltimore Orioles on March 26. That leaves roughly two weeks between the end of the Classic and the start of the regular season. If Ryan ends up pitching briefly in relief during the championship game or never appears at all, he should remain on track to start Opening Day in Baltimore. However, if he were to start the championship game, the team could adjust its rotation plans. In that case, another Twins pitcher might take the ball for the opener while Ryan would slide back a few days and make his first start later in the series against the Orioles. From Minnesota’s perspective, the preference is obviously to have Ryan lined up for the first game of the season. At the same time, the organization understands the significance of the opportunity and has expressed support for his potential participation. For now, everything hinges on how Team USA performs in the quarterfinal round. If the Americans keep advancing, Ryan’s spring could suddenly include one of the biggest stages in baseball. View the full article

Though he surrendered five hits and a walk, Bailey Ober allowed just one run and struck out two over 2 2/3 innings Thursday, in his second appearance of the Cactus League season. He threw 53 pitches, of which the Red Sox swung at 24, and induced seven whiffs. Five of those seven whiffs came on his signature pitch: the changeup. There were encouraging signs, then, but there were also some red flags. Ober's fastball sat around 89 MPH in the first inning (though he reached 90.7 on one sinker in that frame). By the third, he was barely sitting 88. The story of Ober's 2025 was an inability to consistently show his usual, excellent command, which was a result of nagging injury issues. However, another manifestation of those hip and other problems was diminished velocity, and with Ober, any loss of speed reduces his margin for error almost to zero. When he's commanding his whole arsenal well, he can maneuver within even that zone of necessary perfection. He's dependent not on power, but on precision and execution. He has to be able to produce the pitch shapes he wants and hit his spots, more than he needs to have the ability to overpower hitters or put them on the defensive. Even last year, in an otherwise frustrating campaign, there were a few days when he was brilliant, because a pitcher who can manipulate the ball as deftly as Ober often can is a dream to watch and a nightmare to face. Some of that was on display Thursday. Ober showed good command of his changeup, which has long been the most important part of his arsenal. He induced five whiffs and got one called strike on 19 total changeups. Three of the whiffs came against one batter, the utterly stumped Marcelo Mayer, but it was still a positive sign. Ober's changeup showed great depth, and he was able to both land it in the zone and throw the strike-to-ball version designed to induce chases outside the zone. The other two whiffs came against right-handed batters, though, and so did his lone called strike with that pitch. Of the 36 total pitches he threw to righties, 12 were changeups. That's an important development. For each of the last three years, Ober has thrown the changeup a little more than a third of the time to lefties, and a little under a quarter of the time to righties. Holding those usage rates constant might work, but ideally, he could ratchet each up slightly this year, without overexposing the pitch. He needs to better protect his fastball, which doesn't miss bats the way it did two years ago and looks very unlikely to start doing so again. However, Ober's slider was a major problem last year, and doesn't look like a reliable pitch for him against either lefties or righties at this stage. His sweeper is better against righties; his curve works better against lefties. But neither of those pitches can be his main alternative to the fastball, if he wants to reduce his reliance on that offering. Throwing the changeup a bit more to lefties shouldn't be a problem, if he has command of it the way he did on Thursday. (If he doesn't have that command, he's in big trouble, anyway.) Going to the changeup in right-on-right matchups, however, is often uncomfortable for pitchers. It's easy to understand why. The natural movement of that pitch is down and in toward a same-handed batter, so if the pitch isn't well-located, it runs right into an opponent's barrel. Because it's usually a pitch used to move off the outside corner to opposite-handed batters, it can also be hard for a pitcher to get used to starting the ball in a different place. A good changeup to a same-handed batter needs to start lower but farther toward the glove side, so its movement will keep it on the plate but get below the zone. Running it off the edge the way one does against an opposite-handed batter makes for an easy take (and sometimes a relatively painless trip to first base for the batter, via plunking). Leaving it in the lower, arm-side third of the zone, the way one often does to opposite-handed batters, makes for mashed taters. Here's where Ober threw his changeups against lefty batters last season. The difference between that distribution and the same plot for righty batters is subtle, but it's there. When Ober's on (as he was Thursday), he can manipulate that changeup well enough to attack hitters on both sides with it. He changes start lines on the pitch; he changes its shape; and he still finds his targets. However, it's hard to count on having such good feel for that pitch as often as he will need to in 2026. For fans, how well he can utilize the changeup—especially to righties—is the thing to watch from start to start all spring. For Ober, the tough task ahead is to establish a new level of consistency with that offering, to make up for the diminishment of much of the rest of his repertoire. View the full article

Every franchise wants to believe it has been among baseball’s elite over the last quarter-century. A new set of rankings from The Athletic attempts to answer that question by putting a number on sustained success across Major League Baseball. Each year, the publication releases its MLB Franchise Rankings, measuring how teams have performed over the last 25 seasons. The system rewards postseason success while also accounting for division titles and long stretches of losing seasons. It is designed to measure consistency rather than simply rewarding a single championship window. The Athletic’s formula, adapted from Bob Sturm’s football system, fits baseball’s postseason: nine points for a World Series win, six for runner-up, three for losing in the Championship Series, two for Division Series, one for Wild Card loss. Additional adjustments include a point for division titles and a deduction for consecutive 90-loss seasons. Unlike many rankings that focus on recent performance, this system does not give extra weight to the most recent seasons. The goal is to capture the entire 25-year stretch from 2001 through today and determine which franchises have consistently found ways to stay competitive. Twins Land at No. 14 Minnesota ranked 14th overall with 25 total points over the 25-year period. That position places them in the top half of baseball but just barely, reflecting a franchise that has experienced bursts of success mixed with frustrating postseason outcomes. Within the American League, only six teams ranked higher than Minnesota. The teams ahead of the Twins include the New York Yankees at second overall, the Boston Red Sox at fourth, and the Houston Astros at fifth. Those franchises have combined for multiple championships and deep playoff runs during the ranking period. A few more familiar American League rivals also finished ahead of Minnesota. The Cleveland Guardians ranked tenth, the Texas Rangers placed eleventh, and the Los Angeles Angels came in twelfth. For Twins fans, the ranking feels both fair and frustrating. Minnesota has been competitive in several stretches over the last two decades, but postseason success has been harder to come by. A few deeper October runs could have pushed the franchise comfortably into the top ten. A Steady Climb in Recent Years Even though the Twins sit in the middle of the pack today, the trend line has been moving in the right direction. The franchise ranked 14th in 2025 with 24 points. In 2024, Minnesota ranked 15th overall with 22 points. The year before that, they were down at 17th with 19 points. Just a short time ago, the franchise was much closer to the bottom half of baseball. The biggest jump came between 2022 and 2023. In the 2022 rankings, the Twins placed 22nd with only 11 points. At that point, the organization was still feeling the impact of several losing seasons and limited postseason success during the ranking window. Since then, the club has slowly climbed back toward the middle of the league. It is not a dramatic rise, but it shows that recent competitive seasons have helped stabilize Minnesota’s standing. What Comes Next While the recent climb is encouraging, these rankings may soon be challenging for the Twins. The system uses a rolling 25-year window, so Minnesota’s best seasons from the early 2000s will eventually drop out. When those years fall off, the Twins could lose points that now keep them mid-standings. The team will need new postseason appearances and division titles to maintain or boost its position. Fortunately for Minnesota, the path to those points might not be overly complicated. The American League Central has frequently been one of baseball’s most competitive but unpredictable divisions. No team has completely dominated the division in recent seasons, leaving opportunities for a club that gets hot at the right time. For now, the latest rankings paint a clear picture of the franchise over the last quarter-century. The Twins have not been among baseball’s true powerhouses, but they also have not fallen into the category of long-term struggling organizations. Instead, Minnesota sits right where the numbers say it belongs. Solid, competitive, and still searching for the October breakthrough that could change the entire conversation. View the full article

Major League Baseball has spent the last few seasons trying to bring the stolen base back into the spotlight. The league limited pitchers' pickoff attempts and step-offs as part of the implementation of the pitch timer in 2023. The bases were made larger. It wasn't solely about boosting steals, but that was part of the plan. The strategy is working. Stolen bases are up across the league, and teams are increasingly willing to push the envelope. The Minnesota Twins joined that trend during the second half of last season. Following the trade deadline, no American League team stole more bases than Minnesota, with 59. During that stretch, Austin Martin and Royce Lewis led the club with 11 steals each. Luke Keaschall swiped nine bags, while Byron Buxton added seven. The more aggressive approach raises an interesting possibility: Will the Twins have another 20-homer, 20-steal player in 2026? It's not something that happens often in Twins Territory. The Twins have seen just eight 20-20 seasons, from seven different players. Torii Hunter accomplished the feat twice in 2002 and 2004. The others to reach the milestone include Buxton in 2025, Brian Dozier in 2014, Corey Koskie in 2001, Marty Cordova in 1995, Kirby Puckett in 1986, and Larry Hisle in 1977. With the current roster construction and the organization encouraging more activity on the bases, Minnesota could have multiple candidates. Byron Buxton 2025 Totals: 35 home runs, 24 steals 2026 ZiPS Projection: 24 home runs, 14 steals Buxton cruised to his first career 20-20 season last year, with room to spare. His 35 home runs and 24 stolen bases were career highs. He even stole third base for the first time in his major-league career, an example of the Twins encouraging more aggressive baserunning. It also ended a long drought for the organization. Buxton became the first Twins player to reach the milestone in over a decade. What is standing in the way of a repeat? The answer has always been health. Buxton has battled injuries throughout his career, but the Twins hope the last two seasons prove to have been a turning point. He has now appeared in more than 100 games in back-to-back years, something that once seemed difficult to imagine. If Buxton stays on the field for another full season, he remains the most obvious candidate to reach the mark again. Royce Lewis 2025 Totals: 13 home runs, 12 steals 2026 ZiPS Projection: 14 home runs, 9 steals Early in his career, Lewis was not much of a factor on the bases. From 2022 through 2024, he stole only six total bases. Injuries certainly played a role in that limited production, but it also seemed like his running game had taken a backseat. That changed in 2025. Lewis swiped 12 bags across 106 games and showed a willingness to run when the opportunity was there. A full healthy season could push that number even higher. Reaching 20 steals is not unrealistic for an athletic infielder who has always possessed above-average speed. The bigger question is the power. Lewis has hit at least 13 home runs in each of the last three seasons despite never playing more than 106 games in a year. He revamped his swing during the offseason in an effort to create more consistent contact and power output. What is stopping him from joining the club? Offensive consistency. If the swing adjustments help him tap into more power while staying on the field, Lewis has the athleticism to threaten a 20-20 season. Luke Keaschall 2025 Totals: 4 home runs, 14 steals 2026 ZiPS Projection: 7 home runs, 17 steals Keaschall might be the most intriguing player on this list. Across three minor-league seasons, he hit .294 with 125 runs, 19 home runs, 72 RBI, and 49 steals in 585 at-bats. His approach at the plate has always stood out. He walked at a 13.6% clip, while keeping his strikeout rate at a manageable 16.9%. The Twins promoted him to the majors last season despite only 28 games at Triple-A, because the team had multiple injuries in the infield. Over his final 163 at-bats in the big leagues, Keaschall hit .294 with 21 runs, four home runs, 26 RBI, and nine stolen bases. The speed component of a 20-20 season is clearly within reach. If he plays regularly, 20 steals are well within the range of outcomes. What’s stopping him from joining the club? The question revolves around his power. Some evaluators believe his swing mechanics may limit his ability to reach 20 home runs. A season in the 12-15 home run range feels more realistic at this point. Still, if Keaschall finds another gear in his power development, he could become a surprising entrant into the conversation. A New Era of Aggressive Baserunning For years, the Twins were not known as a particularly aggressive team on the bases. The second half of last season suggested that the mindset may be shifting. With the league encouraging stolen bases and the roster featuring several athletic players, Minnesota has the personnel to take advantage. Buxton already proved he can reach the milestone. Lewis has the athletic profile to join him if his power continues to develop. Keaschall represents the wild card, a player whose speed is already an asset but whose power ceiling will determine just how high his offensive value can climb. The 20-20 club remains a rare achievement in franchise history, but the conditions might be lining up for another entry. If the Twins continue pushing the tempo on the basepaths in 2026, more than one player could find himself chasing a place alongside some of the most dynamic seasons the organization has ever seen. Will any of this trio reach the 20-20 mark in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

MIAMI—Sandy Alcantara found himself in an unfamiliar setting prior to his start on Wednesday night in Miami. While the Dominican Republic was set to face off against Venezuela in his home ballpark in Little Havana, Alcantara warmed up in the visiting bullpen at loanDepot park—something he had only done once before: during his start in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, which also came against Venezuela. Despite an uneven outing from Alcantara, the Dominican Republic lineup did what it has done all tournament long—show off the “plátano power.” By the end of Wednesday night’s marquee pool play matchup, the Dominicans added four more home runs to their tally, bringing their tournament total to 13. The most home runs hit by a team in a single Classic is 14, set by Mexico in 2009, according to Sarah Langs. Several members of the Marlins organization were also in attendance to watch Miami’s ace take the mound. Manager Clayton McCullough was joined by players Esteury Ruiz, Eury Pérez, Xavier Edwards, Christopher Morel, Deyvison De Los Santos and Ronny Henriquez at loanDepot park for the matchup. In front of a boisterous, sold-out crowd in Miami, the “visiting” Dominicans got off to an electric start in the top of the first inning. Outfielder Juan Soto launched a mammoth two-run shot, sending the DR fans into a frenzy. The home run was the first of two allowed by Venezuelan starter Eduardo Rodríguez. Given early run support, Alcantara was unable to deliver a shutdown inning in the bottom half of the frame. Following a single by Maikel García and a walk to Luis Arraez, Willson Contreras delivered an RBI single to cut the Dominican lead in half. As they have throughout the tournament, the Dominican lineup answered with more fireworks in the third inning. All-Star Ketel Marte crushed a 403-foot solo shot to restore the two-run lead. Later in the inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a two-run homer to give the DR a 4-1 advantage. Alcantara ran into trouble during what would be his final inning of work. After issuing a leadoff walk to division rival Ronald Acuña Jr., the Dominican right-hander surrendered back-to-back doubles, allowing two more runs to score for Venezuela. Alcantara’s final line: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO on 44 pitches (28 strikes)—a stat line strikingly similar to his lone previous WBC start on March 11, 2023. “I thought he threw the ball well,” Dominican manager Albert Pujols said postgame. “I think the early run support let him breathe a little bit, but he unfortunately ran into a little bit of trouble in the third.” The right-hander told reporters postgame that he plans to be available for his country in whichever way they may need him. “I’ll be available to start or relieve, you name it,” Alcantara said. “We are here for one cause: to represent our country, the Dominican Republic...I’m here.” Fortunately for Miami’s ace, the Dominican offense continued to provide breathing room. In the top of the fourth inning, Fernando Tatis Jr. joined in on the fun, crushing his second homer of the tournament—a three-run shot that extended the DR lead to 7-3. The score held until the ninth inning, when Venezuela made things interesting. Three consecutive walks issued by Abner Uribe brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Arraez, who lifted a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to three. Moments later, Contreras chopped a ball toward new pitcher Elvis Alvarado, who misfired a throw into center field. The error cut the lead to 7-5 and brought the potential winning run to the plate with just one out. However, Salvador Pérez grounded into a game-ending double play to seal the victory for the Dominican Republic. The Dominicans finish atop Pool D and will face South Korea in the quarterfinals on Friday night. Venezuela, the runner-up in the group, will take on defending champion Japan on Saturday night. View the full article

Michael Busch has only challenged two calls this spring under the new ABS system, but he's won both times. Just as importantly, he's mounted them, even though (based on the array of pitches he's seen and taken) Statcast's model for predicting how many challenges each hitter would utilize only expects him to have challenged 0.8 pitches—and to have won 0.5 of those 0.8. Meanwhile, only one challenge has been issued against him, and it was lost. Obviously, the data set is far to small to say for certain that Busch has a skill when it comes to challenging. Besides, the magnitude of added value we're talking about here is quite small. Busch flipped called strikes on an 0-1 and a 1-1 pitch to balls, and saw one 2-1 pitch stay a ball despite a challenge. The total number of added calls in his favor, relative to the model's expectation, is 3.5, which isn't a big deal, unless the calls in question are hugely high-leverage. There's a bit of bonus value in taking away one of the other team's challenges by getting them to challenge in error, but that, too, is a small thing. So, why is this worth discussing? Firstly, it seems virtually certain that someone will benefit significantly from the ABS system this year, both at a team level and at an individual one. Last season, Triple-A players successfully overturned 4,628 calls, which is a lot of accumulated impact, even if it came in tiny increments. The value of those changes will accrue unevenly, based on good plate discipline for batters, good command by pitchers, and (yes, still) good framing by catchers, plus great gameplanning and strategic communication by teams and their coaches. Secondly, though, there's some reason to believe that Busch will be uniquely good at utilizing this system. First, he's 5-foot-11, which appears to be an advantage in a world with an ABS system. Pitchers will go through an adjustment period to recalibrate the top of the zone, but it's lower under ABS than it often was before that system went into effect, and for shorter hitters, that will include an especially apparent shift. Furthermore, though, Busch has a particular combination of stance and movement in the batter's box that could make the system very valuable to him. Though it's subtle, Busch hits from a moderate crouch. (See the first image above, on the left.) That won't determine where his strike zone stops and starts, as it would have in the past—ABS sets an identical zone based on height for each batter. It does, however, set the pitcher's sights a bit, and it's still likely to influence the umpire somewhat. Once Busch gets moving, an even more pronounced effect happens. Though he's not a huge leg-kick guy and starts with his feet only moderately far apart, he takes a longish stride. By his contact point (see the middle image), the center of his front foot is over 3 1/2 feet in front of the center of his back foot. Combine the crouch and the length of his stride, and Busch gets very deep into his legs. Again, refer to that center image, and note how low his left shin gets to the ground. That's part of his natural stroke, but it sets a low bottom rail for his zone, visually. Though his knees are bound to be lower than those of the towering Oneil Cruz, when you compare a composite animation of those two players' swings, you can immediately see that more than height separates them. The umpire isn't consciously looking at the way Busch's body moves into his hitting position when they decide whether the pitch is at the knees or below them, but there's a sense impression happening even in that instant of ball reaching mitt and a call needing to be made. This hasn't been a huge problem for Busch, but because he also dips that back leg and sinks into his hitting position even on takes (see the image on the right, above), he sometimes gets balls called strikes just below the zone. akQ5ZVpfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0JWUlJYUUlNQlFzQUFGQUhYd0FIVkZJRUFBTURWRmtBQ3dCWFV3Y05Vd1pkVmxFSA==.mp4 This year, Busch will get a chance to challenge those. On the rare occasions when an umpire is fooled, the sharp-eyed Busch can rectify the problem, knowing his own zone and what distortion might have led to a bad call. On the other hand, the catcher is in position to get fooled more than the umpire—which could be great for the Cubs. It's not a natural thing to think of much in terms of the ramifications of implementing this system, but Busch took 109 pitches for balls along the bottom edges of the zone last year that were actually balls, but not by much. He has a patient approach and a good feel for that part of the zone. He could frustrate opposing pitchers and catchers, though, because they often thought they deserved a strike, even when they didn't. NHlNNU9fWGw0TUFRPT1fQndNQVhBQldYMWNBV1ZzSFZBQUhWQVJRQUZsWFZ3SUFWQUZVVkZVRlZGSlZVbE5m.mp4 Some of that is just Busch's great approach, but another piece is the way he stands in the box and moves toward the ball, even on non-swings. He's going to draw a higher-than-average number of mistaken challenges this year, and each lost challenge by an opponent has big value for the team. Even one such loss forces the other side to get more conservative in their challenges, and a second one robs them of the right to challenge at all the rest of the way. We've only really talked about the bottom of the zone, because the effects at the top of the zone seem fairly straightforward. There, too, though, Busch will get the benefit of some calls, because he strides so low that even more pitches look high than actually are. He might draw some bad challenges that way, too, since (again) the top of the ABS zone is a ball's width or so lower than most players are used to. The Cubs have to be good at the little things this year. Winning more challenges and/or inducing bad challenges by opponents will be one way to carve out the advantages they need. Busch looks like one of the players best positioned to do just that. View the full article

A look at what makes Emmanuel Rodriguez one of the best centerfield prospects in baseball and why the Twins should bring him up as soon as possible. View the full article

When spring training started, the San Diego Padres could pencil in three names to their 2026 starting rotation for Opening Day: Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove. The other two spots? A few question marks. At that time, barring anything unforeseen, Musgrove was the only one with slight concerns about his status, as the right-hander was coming off Tommy John surgery, which took place after making his lone postseason start in October 2024. The timeframe of him returning from the procedure to the Friars' active roster made it very possible that March 26 vs. the Detroit Tigers was in play. But every road has a slight curve(ball). Now, as we sit two weeks from Opening Day at Petco Park, the normal things that happen in spring training are happening to the Padres' starting rotation. And it begins with Java Joe's status. Following his start last week in a World Baseball Classic exhibition against Great Britain, his first appearance in a game this spring, Musgrove hasn't recovered as expected, with the Friars giving him extra time before making his second start. Teams usually ease pitchers back into action following Tommy John surgery, but Musgrove threw 60 pitches vs. Great Britain. Several days later, Musgrove said of his right arm: "It feels like I had surgery." It is not unusual for any pitcher, much less one coming back from a significant surgery, to experience arm issues in spring training. Right-hander Nick Pivetta, the presumed Opening Day starter, had his start Sunday skipped due to arm fatigue, but threw a "touch and go" bullpen Tuesday. He has another bullpen session scheduled for Thursday. Presuming that goes well, Pivetta will return to the rotation over the weekend. So, where does all of this leave the Padres' starting rotation? King is still a lock as he appears fully healthy after being limited to 15 starts in 2025 due to a rare nerve issue in his right shoulder and then knee inflammation. Fellow right-hander Randy Vasquez has been the best starter this spring, putting a stranglehold on his place in the rotation. Provided Pivetta comes out of Thursday's bullpen fine and keeps making starts in spring training, that is three spots spoken for. Right-hander German Marquez, the former Colorado Rockies ace signed as camp started, has turned in a solid first two appearances this spring and is the default option having signed a major-league contract. That leaves it up to Musgrove's status to determine the final starter. With right-hander Griffin Canning, like Marquez signed to a major-league contract, still making his way back from a ruptured left Achilles sustained in June and ticketed for the injured list to begin the season, the next logical candidate is former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler. Signed to a minor-league contract, Buehler has been encouraging in his first two starts this spring. He recently said he was pain-free following his own Tommy John surgery that affected how he pitched last year for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. His pedigree, as long as his stuff holds up, would fit very nicely into the Friars' starting give. If not, Buehler does have the ability to opt-out of his contract if not included on the Opening Day roster. Another option, if Musgrove is able to go Opening Day but not quite built up to where he needs to be, would be carrying an extra starter. This would bode well for someone like left-hander Kyle Hart, who has been building up his innings this spring as a "bridge" reliever, as first-year manager Craig Stammen said. Hart's chances are also bolstered if another left-hander, Yuki Matsui, is not available by Opening Day due to his strained left groin. Regardless, the Friars seem to be in a decent position to absorb whatever happens to Musgrove and Pivetta between now and Opening Day. View the full article

If you were to have Braiden Ward and Usain Bolt (at his peak) race, some Boston Red Sox fans may say that the former would have a chance to win that matchup. As hyperbolic as that sounds, that’s just how exciting Ward has looked while on the basepaths this spring. Nearly halfway through march, Ward has taken advantage of the ample playing created by virtue of the Red Sox having so many players (including all the outfielders expected to be on the Opening Day roster) participating in the World Baseball Classic. As of this writing, Ward has appeared in 15 games and managed to utilize his speed to produce otherworldly numbers; he’s hitting .448/.543/.483, good for a 180 wRC+. Using his speed to get on base, Ward has immediately shown the kind of threat he can be on the basepaths, racking up 16 stolen bases, including two during Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. With those 16 stolen bases, Ward leads all of baseball during spring training and it isn’t close — Jared Oliva of the San Francisco Giants currently sits in second place with seven. Entering the 2021 Draft, Ward was viewed as not just the best athlete out of the Pacific Northwest, but very likely the fastest player in the entire draft class. Dating back to his 2019 season in the Cape Cod League, Ward had been clocked at 6.20 seconds for a 60-yard dash. When he was running out of the box, he would regularly post times between 4.0 and 4.1 seconds. If he began running mid-swing, his times typically clocked in between 3.8 and 3.9 seconds. In conclusion, he's fast. Ward himself proves that the old adage "speed makes errors" is absolutely correct with how he's terrorized teams on the basepaths this spring. Ward was acquired for Brennan Bernardino in what many viewed as a trade with the Colorado Rockies to simply clear up a 40-man roster spot. Now, with his performance so far in spring training, Ward may be earning a long-term place within the organization. The outfielder may not have much power (just one double in 29 at-bats this spring), but his game was never built around being a slugger. Instead, he’s known for his contact skills thanks to a short swing that is direct to the ball. Each time he comes to bat, he attempts to put the ball in play and let his speed create chaos, something he’s been able to do this spring. Prior to being traded, Ward had spent five seasons in the Rockies organization, appearing in 414 games and hitting .275/.395/.382 with 53 doubles, 18 triples, 14 home runs and 118 RBIs. He also stole 211 bases during that span, including 57 just in 2025. Ward isn’t just about his speed, capable of playing great defense in center field as well. Since being drafted, he’s showcased defensive versatility as he’s been able to play all three outfield positions along with some second base and third base. With the Red Sox, he’ll likely stick to just the outfield with Worcester barring injuries, since his speed and athleticism help him display great range on the grass. Though he's not quite a big-league caliber hitter just yet, Ward is very much a candidate to help the team down the stretch, much like fellow outfielder Nate Eaton did last year. Given Ward’s speed, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see him on the major-league roster once they expand to 28 players in September. His speed is so valuable to have at a moment's notice, and he would fill the same role the likes of Quintin Berry and Dave Roberts provided in the playoffs: a speedster off the bench to put pressure on the opposing team late in the game. Someone like Ward could be a weapon off the bench that could impact games even without getting an at-bat. Between his speed and defense, Ward is the kind of player teams look for once September, and more importantly, October, roll around. Indispensable with the different combinations they provide to a manager in the late game, his presence would give the Red Sox another path to generating runs if the offense is stagnating. Ward is going to spend most of the year with Worcester, but don’t be surprised when his name is announced as an eventual call-up. It may not be for a long stint, but seeing him run around the outfield grass and bases at Fenway Park will be a highlight for fans in 2026. View the full article

We're looking for front-page contributors to write Red Sox content for the 2026 season! If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Red Sox 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. Right now, our primary need is minor-league coverage and major-league analysis. If this is the kind of baseball talk that interests you, please reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@talksox.com or reply to this article. 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 Red Sox content as a side job, please share this with them! View the full article

It’s been a good few days of baseball to start the week for the Twins. After a tough 9-8 loss on Monday against the Braves, they followed it up with a 6-5 win over the Rays on Tuesday and a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Tigers on Wednesday. Wins and losses don’t carry a ton of weight this time of year, but the individual performances behind them can still be telling. With the calendar moving deeper into March, outings are getting longer, and players are starting to build real rhythm as roster battles continue to take shape. With that in mind, here’s a quick temperature check from the past few days of Twins action. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Luke Keaschall The Twins’ second baseman has had a great start to the week, going 3-for-5 with a double and a triple, along with a stolen base. Keaschall has made consistent hard contact throughout the spring, and that trend has continued over the past few days. If he can keep it up, he has the potential to be one of the most impactful bats in the Twins’ lineup this season. Matt Wallner Wallner had a very slow start to the spring, but he might just be starting to find things at the plate. He has two hits over his last four at-bats, including a home run on Tuesday and a hard-hit single on Wednesday. Both came off the bat at 108 mph, showing the kind of impact contact he’s capable of when he squares one up. There’s still some swing-and-miss present, but it’s encouraging to see him starting to drive the ball again. Taj Bradley The battle for a starting rotation spot has been fierce this spring, and Bradley showed Wednesday exactly why he deserves one. He needed just 69 pitches to get through five innings, allowing only one run on three hits and two walks while striking out seven. His fastball topped out at 98.8 mph and showed some sharp horizontal movement throughout the outing. Most notably, he limited hard contact as well as he has all spring against a lineup that featured several Tigers regulars. It was a strong performance for Bradley and another reminder that he has the kind of stuff to make a real impact in the Twins’ rotation. Josh Bell It’s been a good start to the week at the plate for Josh Bell. In six plate appearances, he’s gone 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair of walks. Three of the four balls he’s put in play have come off the bat at 95 mph or harder, classifying them as hard contact. There’s no need to read too much into Bell’s spring performance either way, given his long MLB track record. But it’s always nice to see a key piece of the lineup hitting the ball hard. Who’s Not? 🧊 Eric Wagaman It hasn’t been a great stretch for Eric Wagaman this week, and the timing isn’t ideal. He’s 0-for-6 with a pair of strikeouts, and none of the balls he’s put in play have left the infield. Wagaman’s defensive versatility is something that could really help the Twins, but a disappointing spring at the plate might make it harder for him to stick around. Zebby Matthews I considered leaving Zebby Matthews out, but his outing in Monday’s loss ended up being a costly one. He was pulled midway through the first inning after allowing three earned runs, leaving with the bases loaded and two outs. The reliever who came in allowed all three inherited runners to score, inflating Matthews’ final line. Because of spring training rules, Matthews was able to re-enter the game in the bottom of the second inning and eventually finished the fourth before being taken out for the second and final time. Over 3 ⅔ total innings, he allowed six earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five. While he looked better after re-entering the game, it wasn’t the outing Matthews needed at this point in camp, especially with the Twins likely facing some tough decisions about the final rotation spots in the coming weeks. Spring training is ultimately about progress, and the Twins are starting to see clearer signals from both sides of the roster. Some players are building momentum at the right time, while others are still trying to find their footing before decisions start getting finalized. With Opening Day getting closer, the next couple of weeks will likely go a long way in shaping how the roster comes together. View the full article

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 San Diego Padres prospects for the 2026 season, as voted on by our staff writers, is nearing the top five. Check out prior entries in the ranking here: No. 8: Ty Harvey No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 7: Humberto Cruz (Low-A, Lake Elsinore Storm) Humberto Cruz was frequently linked to the San Diego Padres during the build up to his international free agent class, but then the Friars blew $4.2 million on Leo De Vries. In order to facilitate a Cruz signing, the front office traded Blake Dickerson to the Tigers for international signing money, convincing the teenage right-hander out of Mexico to join the organization on a $750,000 signing bonus. Since then, Cruz hasn't pitched much for the Padres. He made two truncated appearances in the Arizona Complex League in 2024 and opened the 2025 campaign at the same level. Though the results were far from pretty (8.31 ERA, 6.57 FIP), the Padres pushed him up to Low-A Lake Elsinore. He made 14 total starts covering 38 innings across both stops, but Cruz's season ended prematurely when he went down in mid-August with an elbow injury. It later required an internal brace procedure, knocking him out potentially for all of 2026. That surgery, in conjunction with his poor results last year — 7.58 ERA, 6.78 FIP, 20.5% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate — paints a grim picture for the 19-year-old. However, his raw talent remains tantalizing, and he's got a lot of time on his side. Last measured at 6'1", 170 pounds, Cruz is stilling filling out his lanky frame. He'll certainly put on more bulk throughout his rehab process, lending hope that he'l eventually have the build to withstand a starter's workload over a full season. Cruz's fastball is viewed as run of the mill at the moment, possessing mid-90s velocity with an average amount of run. A little more spin and two-seam action would help it play up better in the zone, as would another jump in velocity upon his return from injury. His best pitch is undoubtedly his slider, which has a lot of vertical brake and is much closer to a slurve than a sweeper. That pitch generated a 58% whiff rate in Low-A last year, which suggests even the 55-grade it has received may be a bit outdated. If he can elevate his fastball more frequently, Cruz could find himself in a situation where he simply abuses even the best hitters down in the zone with his slider. He accentuates his arsenal with a fading changeup designed to get lefties out, which has shown good shape but inconsistent location. It'll be a key developmental piece for him down the road — with three above-average offerings, Cruz can remain in the rotation. Otherwise, his fastball-slider combo will function nicely in a high-leverage bullpen role. Expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season as he rehabs his elbow, Cruz's timeline has taken a hit since the start of last year. The potential to become a mid-rotation starter remains, but he'll need to prove healthy and capable of ascending quickly if he hopes to remain on the top-prospect radar in the future. However, seeing as he won't turn 20 until December, the Padres have no incentive to rush him back. View the full article

Bailey Ober’s 2025 season looked rough on the surface. But the underlying reasons for the struggles might actually make him one of the Twins’ best bounce-back candidates this year. View the full article

One of the best pure hitters in the 2025 MLB Draft class, JoJo Parker offers an exciting blend of both a solid floor and upside. View the full article

Acquired in the Freddy Peralta trade, Jett Williams is quickly turning heads in the Brewers organization and could fill an assortment of different roles for the team in 2026. View the full article

One of the best prospect hitters, Moises Ballesteros, is primed to help a Cubs team in win-now mode in 2026. How exactly does he fit in? View the full article