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Today we continue on with breaking down the top-20 prospects (as voted on by North Side Baseball staff) by looking at our sixth-ranked prospect, Ethan Conrad. Don't forget to catch up on our previous pieces before you jump into our next installment! Prospects #20-16 Prospects #15-11 Prospect #10 - James Triantos Prospect #9 - Josiah Hartshorn Prospect #8 - Kane Kepley Prospect #7 - Pedro Ramirez No. 6: Ethan Conrad (Wake Forrest) Ethan Conrad was the Chicago Cubs' first-round pick in the 2025 Amateur Draft. Conrad, most recently at Wake Forest, transferred to the Atlantic Coast baseball power from Marist University. At Marist, the eventual top pick was stellar in his sophomore year, posting a .389/.467/.704 line while smashing nine round trippers in over 220 plate appearances. A shoulder injury would cut Conrad's junior year short, but he was on pace to destroy his previous career highs, already with seven home runs in under 80 PAs. What to like: Ethan Conrad, despite only playing a partial season last year, was looking like an absolute monster at the plate. He had improved across the board, walking more, hitting for more power, and seeing both his SLG and OBP increasing over his previous numbers at Marist. While we should expect a player to get better as he ages up, Conrad did so while taking a massive jump in competition quality. One massive green flag right off the bat? Conrad posted a 92% contact rate in-zone in 2025. A hitters' ability to make consistent contact in the zone is something that continues to translate to higher levels. At times, hitters strikeout rates can be hidden against lower-quality players even if they run low in-zone rates, but Conrad is not one of those. He's both patient and displays a plus hit tool. Add in the power ability and you have the foundations of a hitter who could be very special. Speaking of his power, Conrad posted some impressive batted ball data while at Wake Forrest in his truncated season. He posted a max exit velocity over 109mph on the year, showcasing what kind of damage the left-handed hitter does when he makes contact. Many times players who run ridiculously high contact rates sacrifice power for hits, but not Conrad. As you can see in his profile above, he was at the top of the percentile rankings across the board. Conrad does all of this with a simple and mechanically clean set-up. There's not a lot of moving parts, the leg kick isn't overly exaggerated, he creates good lift, and everything looks very smooth. Other draft prospects have things you'd need to clean up (for example, Josiah Hartshorn's left-handed swing has a few too many moving parts for my liking), but once again, not Conrad. It's very repeatable. Defensively, there's a real reason to think Conrad will end up in a premium position down the road. Baseball America calls him an "above average" runner and raves about his athleticism. It's likely that the Cubs will give him runway to play center field early in his career. Not to be too forward thinking when it comes to the Cubs' new golden goose, but even if he has to move to a corner (if, say, Pete Crow-Armstrong is still manning center) his bat will more than play there, too. What to work on: Health, health and health. Shoulder injuries aren't great, and keeping him healthy and maintained throughout the 2026 season is important. It may force the Cubs to give him some time at first base (which he has played in the past at Marist) or as a DH more often than you'd like, but you'd rather have a healthy Conrad over everything. There's a reason a hitter as good as the 21-year-old was there for the Cubs to pick at 17, and that he eventually signed under slot value. Because of his 2025 season, it's also important to note that when he eventually makes his on-field debut in 2026, he'll have essentially gone from playing at Marist University to professional full-season baseball with very little game-time in between. It's not impossible for a player to jump into the deep end like that, but it also means that Conrad may not come out of the gates ripping and roaring as he takes a pretty major step up in competition quality right away. One thing BA mentioned in their scouting report: Conrad doesn't pull the ball enough yet, and a handful of his home runs went the opposite way. That both speaks to the potential thump he possess, but also an area of polish that's needed: getting him to turn on the ball a little more often. Higher level pitching will turn opposite field home runs into fly outs if you don't get the barrel out in front. It's fixable, especially with his clean mechanics, but it is a point to watch as he grows as a hitter. Lastly, like all players with some projection left in his body, Conrad needs to make sure that he remains at a good size with conditioning and hard work. He looks like a brick house leading up to the season, so this concern is more theoretical in keeping him in center for as long as possible than a real-world concern right now, but it's something to continue to work on for the prospect as he moves forward. What's next: Ethan Conrad will debut professionally this spring in either Myrtle Beach or South Bend. Developmentally, he may be more suited to High-A South Bend, though at times the Cubs have started their college products at Myrtle Beach in April to avoid weather issues. Coming off a shoulder injury, it wouldn't be shocking to see him start in Low-A to see the warmer weather in South Carolina should afford over Northern Indiana only to make the jump as temperatures rise over a few weeks. Beyond that, it's a lot of maintaining of his health while he shows why people are so excited for him. Conrad is the type of prospect who has the same kind of "quick-mover" profile to him that former first-round picks like Cam Smith and Matt Shaw had. Seeing him rocket through the system to where he's ready to debut in Iowa by the start of 2027, and eventually making his way to Chicago later that summer, isn't off the table as a potential outcome. We shouldn't, however, expect that. If Conrad ends with a cup-of-coffee in Tennessee, he'll be well on his way and will likely have had a very successful season. It seems likely that the Cubs may lose two starting corner outfielders in free agency at the conclusion of the season, but Conrad isn't the Cubs' savior at the position for the '27 campaign, so him ending up in Double-A would be a good outcome. He doesn't need to be MLB ready by April next year and we should avoid putting that type of pressure on him as a prospect. With the Cubs likely to graduate a few prospects, coupled with Conrad's upside, there's probably a good chance he ends up the consensus top prospect in the system next year. And even if he's not quite at that level, he's got a good shot to feature on various Top 100 lists around the media. Conrad is an exciting prospect and has a lot of the hallmarks of a potential steal. Watching him develop will be among the most exciting things the Cubs' have going for themselves down on the farm over the next year. What do you think of Ethan Conrad? Did we rank him in the correct place? Are we too high? Or too low? Let us know in the comment section below! View the full article

Andruw Monasterio may have been a relatively unknown quantity that came over in the trade that brought Caleb Durbin to Boston, but his spring training performance has thrust him into the Opening Day roster conversation. He has quickly established himself as a go-to option for Alex Cora and that should bode well for him as we get closer and closer to the start of the regular season. Offensively, Monasterio has been better than anyone imagined. Through his first eight games, he’s slashing .389/.522/.611 with one home run and two steals. Dive a bit deeper, and you'll come across a 194 wRC+ and a walk rate (17.4%) that's quadruple his strikeout rate (4.3%). He’s been incredibly dependable at the plate when he’s in games and has handled left-handed pitchers with ease. It’s that last fact that makes his presence on the Opening Day roster likelier right now, as Romy Gonzalez is still dealing with a shoulder injury that may require surgery. If Gonzalez misses significant time, and that is looking more and more likely as time goes on, the team will need someone to platoon across the infield who can handle multiple roles in the infield. Monasterio is making his case on the defensive side of the ball as well. He has made multiple appearances at first, short, and third. He’s widely been believed to pencil in as Marcelo Mayer’s platoon partner at second base this season, but he’s yet to see time there during Grapefruit League. We’re hedging our bets here a bit, but his work at first base is what makes him far more likely to make the Opening Day roster than anything else right now. Alex Cora is giving him some runway to prove himself across the infield, but being able to slot in behind Willson Contreras as a capable defender at first while providing speed on the base paths late in games is going to be crucial for the success of this team. It’s looking like the team will be without Triston Casas through at least part of April, so there needs to be someone on the roster who can cover first base. Gonzalez was a passable, if unimpressive, first baseman last season, but Monasterio has the potential to be better than that. He’s only logged 36 1/3 regular season innings at the cold corner, but the early returns are promising. He’s committed no errors and turned five double plays at the position. He’s spent the bulk of his professional career at third (671 innings), second (398 1/3 innings), and shortstop (236 innings). Adding regular playing time at first will make him even more valuable as Cora puts daily lineups together. If and when Gonzalez gets healthy this season, there will be some difficult conversations that will have to be had in regards to playing time. Monasterio has minor league options remaining, as does Gonzalez, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa was signed for $6 million this season, which all but guarantees he’s going to stick on the roster as long as he’s healthy too. Having too many capable infield platoon options isn’t a bad problem at all, but it’s going to be tough to choose between a returning Gonzalez and a potentially even more adaptable Monasterio at some point this season. Craig Breslow has proven to be a shrewd president of baseball operations when it comes to swinging trades that improve the organization as a whole. If Andruw Monasterio continues to be impactful on both sides of the baseball, he could go down as the best sleeper addition that Breslow has made during his tenure in Boston. View the full article

Trey Yesavage and Ricky Tiedemann are two of the Blue Jays' top pitching prospects. Yesavage will play a key role for Toronto in 2026. Tiedemann could make an impact of his own. Yet, with just over two weeks left until Opening Day, neither has pitched in a spring training contest. The Blue Jays are taking things extra slow with Yesavage to increase the chances that he's strong and healthy when the games matter most. That has meant keeping him out of Grapefruit League play thus far. However, MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reported on Tuesday that the young right-hander will pitch two innings in a minor league spring training game later today. It remains unclear what the plan is after that, but at least Yesavage will finally see some game action. As much as the team wants to protect him, pitching in actual competitive spring training baseball games is necessary if he's going to be ready for the start of the regular season. Meanwhile, Tiedemann was shut down with elbow soreness in late February. Tests came back negative for anything serious, but considering he hasn't pitched since July 2024 (Tommy John surgery), the Jays weren't going to take their chances. The lefty is on the 40-man roster now and has a very good chance to join Toronto's bullpen at some point in 2026, but rushing him back to the mound (and rushing him up to the majors) would be short-sighted. The good news is that, according to Matheson, Tiedemann started throwing again on Monday. He'll need time to ramp up safely, but this is a step in the right direction. He has already been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, so it's safe to say he's officially ruled out for Opening Day. Still, it might not be long before we see Tiedemann on the mound at the Rogers Centre. View the full article

Joe Ryan has become the most important pitcher in the Minnesota Twins organization. He's coming off the best season of his career, earning an All-Star selection while anchoring Minnesota’s rotation. His command, ability to miss bats, and consistency have made him one of the most reliable starters on the roster. With Ryan under team control through the end of the 2027 season, the team has a modicum of time to decide how to handle his future. While this means Minnesota doesn't have to rush into an extension, recent league activity suggests there may be a window to get creative. One deal in particular stands out as a potential template. Earlier this week, the Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander Jesús Luzardo agreed to a contract extension that could guide teams hoping to lock up frontline starters before free agency. Luzardo, originally set to reach free agency after the 2026 season, will now have five guaranteed years beginning in 2027, worth $135 million. The deal also includes a $32.5-million club option that could increase based on performance. Luzardo can boost that option by $2 million with each top-five finish in Cy Young voting, potentially raising the value as high as $42.5 million. The contract also contains a $1-million assignment bonus each time he is traded, until he reaches 10 and 5 rights at the end of the 2029 season. Luzardo was already set to earn $11 million in 2026, after avoiding arbitration with the Phillies earlier this offseason. Had he played out the season and reached free agency at age 29, he likely would have been in line for a massive payday. Instead, he chose the security of locking in a long-term deal now. Over the next six years, including his 2026 salary, Luzardo is positioned to make $146 million. The circumstances around the deal are interesting, when compared to Ryan’s situation. Ryan is actually about three months older than Luzardo, and is similarly in the late stages of team control. Like Luzardo, he profiles as a reliable starter who has demonstrated the ability to pitch near the top of a rotation when healthy. If Ryan continues pitching at an All-Star level, his value will only increase as he moves closer to free agency. For the Twins, this situation might feel familiar. In recent Twins history, the Derek Falvey-led front office once had a similar opportunity with José Berríos. The Twins developed Berríos into one of the better starters in the American League and had multiple chances to explore a long-term extension. Ultimately, the two sides never got close to a deal. Instead, Minnesota traded Berríos to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for Simeon Woods Richardson and Austin Martin. Both players remain part of the organization and figure to be part of the Twins’ plans for the 2026 season. Woods Richardson has exceeded expectations in recent years and looks like a steady mid-rotation starter who can give Minnesota quality innings. Martin’s path has been less straightforward. Once considered one of baseball’s elite prospects, his stock has dipped since arriving in the Twins organization. He still has tools that intrigue evaluators, but he now sits among a group of post hype prospects for whom the 2026 season could prove critical. From a broader perspective, the Berríos situation highlights the balancing act teams face with pitchers approaching free agency. Players who sign extensions a year or two before hitting the market often sacrifice some potential upside in exchange for long-term security. The numbers behind these deals provide some context. Dating back to 2017, the largest extension for a pitcher with between five and six years of service time was the seven-year, $131-million deal Berríos signed with Toronto. Like Luzardo, Berríos was heading into his age-28 season and would have reached free agency before turning 29. He also posted numbers that consistently hovered around a 3.50 ERA while offering exceptional durability. Berríos signed his extension before settling on a salary for his final arbitration season. When factoring in the $11 million Luzardo will earn in 2026, the Phillies left-hander is now set to make $146 million across the next six years. Deals like that offer a glimpse into what a potential Ryan extension might look like if the Twins decide to explore it. Ryan has established himself as one of the club’s most valuable pitchers and a foundational piece of the rotation. If he continues to perform at an All-Star level, his price will only climb as he gets closer to free agency. The Twins have time on their side, but recent extensions around the league suggest an opportunity to act early. Minnesota’s owner, Tom Pohlad, has spoken openly about investing in the roster, and with the team interested in pitchers like Framber Valdez, locking up Ryan now would require a significant investment. However, it could provide long-term stability for a rotation that will need it in the coming years. Minnesota’s previous experience with Berríos presents a dilemma: should they act now to lock up Joe Ryan and secure long-term stability in their rotation, or risk repeating the uncertainty that came from not extending Berríos? The main takeaway is that extending Ryan early could provide the Twins with organizational security and help avoid a repeat of past challenges. Should the Twins extend Ryan with a similar deal to Luzardo? Did the Berrios deal work out for Minnesota? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

While Opening Day roster construction is underway, today we'll focus on three under-the-radar Twins prospects who sit outside of the team's top 15 (per MLB.com). John Klein has a chance to turn a hometown story into the ultimate rise to stardom, C.J. Culpepper's potential remains as high as his health will allow, and Enrique Jimenez has some sneaky pop to watch for in 2026. View the full article

One surefire way to earn the scorn of a big-league player or manager is to take spring training results seriously. They don't matter, and although fans' instincts are often to hunt for the rare times and places when they do matter, players and teams roll their eyes at such efforts. Front offices, coaches and managers do have to evaluate players during Cactus and Grapefruit League games, and players do have to find ways to measure success and progress, but they're unanimous in their disinterest in doing so based on wins and losses, runs scored or allowed, or individual statistics. For those fans who do flinch when they see an ugly stat line even in March, though, it's been a rough couple of days around the Cubs. Shota Imanaga continues to get hit hard in Arizona. Matthew Boyd gave up three runs (and two homers) in Team USA's win over Novena México on Monday night. On Tuesday, should-be ace Cade Horton was the latest to run into some worrisome hard contact, giving up three homers and walking two over 3 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers in a Cactus League game at Surprise Stadium. Horton's outing is the most important one to understand, and the surest way to distinguish signal from noise in spring training appearances. He gave up not only three homers, but eight balls hit at 100 miles per hour or harder, so the Rangers were locked in on his stuff. He did get seven whiffs on 29 swings, but when Texas batters connected, there was trouble. Because the one knock on Horton during his superb rookie season was a lack of high-end swing-and-miss skills, seeing batters do damage when they connect feels a bit ominous. Here's why it isn't. These are the pitch movement scatterplots for each of Horton's three spring outings to date: These tell a pretty clear story, if you know how to read them. First, look at the first appearance he made in the Cactus League, last month against the Rockies. That day, he only threw 26 pitches, and his emphasis was on commanding his hard, cut-ride fastball. He threw all five of his pitches, but not in their usual mixture; he just wanted to establish the heater and his slider. Last week against Team Italy, Horton's focus was on bringing out and gaining a feel for his changeup, the fourth pitch in his arsenal when he came up last year but a staple for him against left-handed batters by the end of the season. Note, too, though, that his fastball shape was quite inconsistent that day. It's good to be able to manipulate the fastball, but Horton was really not commanding that pitch in the Cubs' exhibition contest with Italy ahead of the World Baseball Classic. That brings us to Tuesday's game, on the right in the graphic above. Horton threw 60 pitches, and showed more consistent feel for the shapes of both his fastball and his slider. The two pitches that should draw your attention most, though, are the sinker and the curveball. Horton threw each about twice as often as he normally would, at the expense of his changeup, fastball and slider. He leaned hard on that sinker to righties and on the curve to lefties. His velocities and shapes on all five offerings are similar to what they were last year; he just got funky with usage on Tuesday. When pitchers talk about "working on stuff" during spring games, this is what they mean. Horton did get hit hard, and most of the damage came on his cutter/four-seamer. However, much of that was because he spent the day focused on gaining a feel for his sinker and his curve, which require slightly different feel and which he consciously threw more than was competitively optimal, in order to better prepare himself for the season ahead. Horton might experience some regression this season, after that dazzling first ride of the senior circuit last summer. However, his spring numbers need not concern anyone, because getting outs isn't his top priority right now. Instead, piece by piece, he's assembling the version of himself that can be ready to throw 85-plus pitches during his first regular-season start, with feel for all five of his offerings and the best ways to use them. To do that, he has to do some things during preparatory games that aren't consistent with putting up great numbers. That's why spring training is valuable, but also why it can be misleading for fans reading too much into the results. View the full article

In the Brewers' spring training clubhouse in Maryvale, there's a back exit that takes players to the weight room, batting cages and other key areas for morning work. It's in the lefthand corner of the large room, which creates a high-traffic corridor between an island of three lockers just in front of the bathroom and the row that lines the back wall. There's plenty of space to pass through, though—unless Luke Adams and Brock Wilken are getting dressed at the same time. Adams, 21, occupies the last locker in that little row of three, putting him on one side of the aperture through which players and coaches must pass to get to their next destination after the clubhouse. Wilken, 23, happens to be assigned the locker just on the other side of that gap, against the back wall. The two are each listed at 6-foot-4, with Adams tipping the scales at 233 pounds and Wilken coming in at 237. Right next to Wilken is Garrett Mitchell (6'2", 229), and the last locker in the corner belongs to Cooper Pratt (6'4", 210). For a team famous for their diminutive stars, that cluster is a reminder that they have some bigger, stronger could-be stars on the way. Adams and Wilken each put up stellar numbers in 2025. Each spent the entire season at Double-A Biloxi, though neither actually played the full season. Adams was sidelined by a shoulder contusion for nearly two months; Wilken injured his knee in a celebration of the team's first-half championship. However, when on the field, Adams batted .231/.417/.436 in 72 regular-season games, and then .333/.471/.569 in 16 games and 68 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League. Wilken batted .226/.387/.489 in 344 plate appearances over 79 games. Those batting averages aren't especially encouraging, for minor-league competition. However, the Southern League is a tough hitting environment, and neither player had a catastrophic strikeout rate. Wilken's (27%) was a bit higher than you'd like, but his power and plate discipline more than made up for it. Adams, meanwhile, struck out just 20% of the time. More importantly, look at those on-base percentages, and the walk (and hit-by-pitch) rates that powered them. Wilken walked or was plunked in a whopping 20.9% of his plate appearances, but Adams somehow topped that, at 23.9%. The two have almost unimaginably low swing rates, each coming in under 35% last year in Double-A. In their fistfuls of plate appearances in the Cactus League this spring, each is swinging even less—around 30% of the time. That's untenable, but it might also be what makes each a productive big-leaguer. Wilken doesn't shy away from the fact that his patience is integral to his approach. "It's just kind of how it panned out," he said, reflecting on the significant drop in his swing rate from 2024 to 2025. "Some guys like to swing a lot. I'm a guy that doesn't need to swing a lot—in-game, out of game, whatever. So I just kind of took that and was having some success with it, so I kept rolling with that." Being that reluctant to swing, paradoxically, means lots of two-strike counts, as called strikes balance out balls and lead hitter and pitcher together into the deep water of a long at-bat. Wilken believes dynamic favors him, even if it means a good number of strikeouts to go with his big walk and extra-base hit totals. "I don't really have an issue hitting with two strikes," he said. "I think hitting with two strikes helps me ultimately be a better hitter. I have a lot of homers with two strikes, so I'm not scared to hit with two strikes; I'm not scared to get in those deep counts." The less powerful Adams can't afford to strike out as much as Wilken does, but he also shows a better feel for the zone—and gets a big added boost from getting hit by pitches at a shocking rate. Last season, he was plunked 28 times. In his professional career, he's been hit in over 7% of his plate appearances, a higher rate than any big-leaguer in the history of the game. "It's just being smart about where you're getting hit," Adams said, discussing the challenge of staying healthy while being hit so often. "If it's below the knees or above the shoulders, probably not, but anywhere else is ok." Watching Adams this spring, it's easy to see how he's hit so often; his load phase takes his hands and arms almost into the strike zone even when he doesn't ultimately swing. Pairing that trait with an extraordinarily patient approach has kept his on-base percentage over .420 as a professional; the only question is whether that success can translate against the best pitching in the world. Wilken remains a viable third baseman, while Adams has essentially transitioned to first base. The two will each have to be productive hitters to thrive in the majors, though, because neither is likely to deliver much defensive value. With Wilken's power beginning to blossom and Adams establishing such a high floor for OBP, there's real hope for each—but this season will determine the directions of their careers. This fall, the Brewers will have to decide whether to add both players to the 40-man roster, or expose them to the Rule 5 Draft. Thus, they'll need both of them to get significant time at Triple-A Nashville, and if either has the breakout the team is hoping for, they'll even be up for a late-season audition with the parent club. On the other hand, another injury-disrupted year (or a major struggle to adjust as they face tougher pitching and dial up the aggressiveness in their respective approaches) could leave one or both on the outside looking in come November. Pat Murphy has liked what he's seen from each of his young sluggers this spring, but he tries to stay in the present and focus on the players who will be vital to the team in the coming year. Though he expects to have some input when the front office makes the decision about each player after the season, he hasn't focused on either during camp. Although this might be his best opportunity to evaluate them, it's not in his nature to look that far down the road. For Adams, that's just fine. "I'm not really thinking about that," Adams said. "Just trusting God every day, just going out, competing, and then just letting whatever happens be up to Him." Watch these two sluggers' swing rates this year. They'll have to tweak their approaches to prepare themselves for big-league pitching. For now, though, they're uniquely disciplined and fascinating hitters, and if either has a full year of good health in 2026, they could put themselves back into the top tier of Brewers prospects, thanks to those marvelous on-base skills. As is true in the clubhouse, out on the field, it's hard to miss them. View the full article

After a delayed start to spring training due to back tightness, Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan finally took the mound in game action for the first time on Tuesday. He faced the Tampa Bay Rays, the organization that originally drafted him back in 2018. Despite some apparent rust, Ryan delivered three scoreless innings, showcasing both his full arsenal and his ability to attack hitters with confidence. Ryan’s outing was efficient and controlled, though not necessarily flashy. He threw a total of 48 pitches over his three frames, allowing just two hits and two walks, but he also recorded no strikeouts. Of those pitches, 31 found the strike zone, indicating that while Ryan wasn’t missing bats in this first spring appearance, he was effectively challenging hitters. Notably, only four of Ryan’s 48 pitches were thrown to right-handed hitters, so the bulk of his work came against lefties. Given that he struggled more against left-handed hitters last season, it was valuable for him to get early reps against a predominantly left-handed lineup. The Twins’ ace set the tone early. After needing just four pitches to record his first two outs, he navigated a two-out double and a walk before finishing the inning unscathed. His second inning was his most efficient, a 10-pitch 1-2-3 frame, before he closed out the third inning by working around another two-out base hit and a walk. While the surface stats may not jump off the page, Ryan’s ability to manage base runners and escape trouble is emblematic of the pitching intelligence that has made him a cornerstone of Minnesota’s rotation. Ryan’s pitch mix was on full display during the outing, but he's far from midseason form. His four-seam fastball had an average velocity of 92 MPH and reached a peak of 93.5, only slightly below his 2025 average of 93.7. It had decent movement, generating over 12 inches of run and 14 inches of rise on average, keeping hitters off balance and setting up his secondary pitches. By consistently locating his fastball up in the zone, Ryan was able to manipulate the lower portion of the strike zone with his breaking and off-speed pitches. His splitter generated all three of the whiffs he got on the day. Meanwhile, both the sweeper and curveball consistently landed near the bottom of the zone with sharp glove-side movement, keeping hitters guessing and preventing them from sitting on one pitch. It's normal to see a pitcher work slightly below their in-season averages during their first game or two of spring training. but it's impossible to ignore the fact that Ryan's stuff was down on Tuesday. Across the board, he was missing about 2 MPH on each of his offerings, relative to last season. To compare apples to apples, let's line up his averages Tuesday with his spring training numbers from the last two years. 2024 2025 2026 Pitch Type Velocity Hor. Mvmt. Ind. Vert. Break Velocity Hor. Mvmt. Ind. Vert. Break Velocity Hor. Mvmt. Ind. Vert. Break Four-Seamer 93.2 12 13.9 92 12.3 13.3 92 12 14 Sinker 92.2 16.4 9 90.6 15 7.7 90.1 17 8 Splitter 87.8 14.5 0.9 86.6 14.2 -1.1 85.7 15 6 Slider 86.2 -2.4 3.8 85.6 4.1 3 84.3 -3 6 Sweeper 80.7 -14.8 2.1 79.1 -18.4 -0.5 78.2 -15 -2 Curveball 77.4 -14 -10 His fastball was right where it was last year, but note how down the velocities on his splitter, slider and sweeper are. For the balance of the spring, those numbers will be worth watching. Looking ahead, the expectation is that Ryan’s velocity will return to normal as he continues his spring ramp-up. If that happens, his secondary pitches should play better, generating more swings and misses and making him an even tougher assignment for opposing hitters. For the Twins, having their ace healthy and executing his repertoire effectively early in spring is a critical step toward maintaining a strong rotation in 2026. All things considered, Joe Ryan’s first outing of 2026 spring training can be viewed as a success. He demonstrated poise, command, and the ability to attack hitters while showcasing his full arsenal. There are several boxes he didn't check, but it was his first taste of competition. If his stuff ticks up as he gets into the routine of the Grapefruit League, he should be the same frontline starter he was throughout 2025. View the full article

Strictly for entertainment purposes, I would like to alert you to Tuesday's unique performance by the Miami Marlins pitching staff. In a 7-5 loss to the Washington Nationals, eight Marlins arms combined for 19 strikeouts, the highest total ever logged for the franchise in a single spring training game (since at least 2006). The previous record was 18, which came against the Houston Astros on March 24, 2023. Every position player in the Nats starting lineup—including All-Stars James Wood and CJ Abrams—punched out at least once. Overall, the Marlins K'd 45.2% of the batters they faced. As is typically the case in the Grapefruit League, this took a group effort—starting pitchers get stretched out gradually, particularly in Marlins camp. Right-hander Eury Pérez (7 K in 3.0 IP) was relieved by Anthony Bender (2 K in 1.0 IP), Andrew Nardi (3 K in 1.0 IP), Pete Fairbanks (1 K in 1.0 IP), John King (3 K in 1.0 IP), Michael Petersen (1 K in 0.2 IP), Gabe Bierman (0 K in 0.1 IP) and Stephen Jones (2 K in 1.0 IP). Fun fact: Nardi also appeared in the 18-strikeout game from 2023. This game was not televised and Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium's center field camera was unavailable for media access. But an announced crowd of 2,059 had the pleasure of witnessing this historic "achievement"...even if they were oblivious to it in real time. In lieu of video, here are the approximate locations of every strikeout pitch courtesy of Baseball Savant (key word approximate, because I spot at least one technological hiccup): Pérez, Fairbanks and King are considered locks for the Marlins Opening Day roster, as is Bender if deemed fully healthy coming off a shin injury. Nardi (left finger blister) is likely to make it, though he can be optioned to the minor leagues if the club wants to slow-play things with him following a lost 2025 campaign. Petersen is squarely on the roster bubble. Next up for the Fish, they'll host the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Wednesday. Max Meyer's first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. View the full article

Spring training often offers players on the roster bubble an opportunity to force their way into the conversation. For right-hander Travis Adams, the 2026 camp was shaping up as a chance to earn a role in the Minnesota bullpen. However, rather than moving closer to that goal, his spring has hit pause. The Minnesota Twins announced Sunday that Adams has been diagnosed with right elbow inflammation and will not resume throwing until at least next weekend. According to Matthew Leach of MLB.com, Adams first experienced soreness on Friday, prompting the club to run additional tests. The good news, though, is that the initial imaging provided some relief. An MRI revealed no structural damage in the elbow. Even so, the Twins are taking a cautious approach by shutting Adams down from throwing for at least seven days. Adams originally felt the issue while warming up for a scheduled appearance on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. He was scratched from that outing and later evaluated by the medical staff. While the absence of structural damage is encouraging, any elbow concern for a pitcher during spring training is enough to slow the process. The timing is not ideal for Adams, who entered camp as a contender for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. The 26-year-old has the type of versatility that teams value during the long season. He is capable of pitching multiple innings and bridging the gap between the rotation and the late-inning relievers. That flexibility was part of what made Adams an interesting developmental case for the Twins last season. Adams appeared in 18 games for Minnesota during the 2025 season. Across 33 2/3 innings, he posted a 7.49 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP and a 5.39 FIP. The strikeout and walk numbers told a similar story, as he recorded a 19.6 K% with a 10.8 BB%. His performance at Triple-A was more encouraging. Pitching in the hitter-friendly environment of the International League, Adams produced a 3.93 ERA with a 19.6 K% and a more manageable 7.9 BB%. Those numbers helped keep him on the radar for a larger role entering 2026. Part of Adams’s development also came within a unique pitching structure the Twins used throughout the minor leagues last year. When certain pitchers did not fit neatly into a traditional rotation slot, the organization placed them on a consistent four-day schedule. Instead of traditional starts, these pitchers would throw shorter outings more frequently. The idea was that fewer pitches with quicker turnaround could provide better overall volume while helping pitchers recover more effectively. In those outings, Adams would typically face a lineup once or twice after a traditional starter before turning the game over to the bullpen. That approach allowed the Twins to continue building Adams’s workload while keeping him flexible for a variety of roles. Entering this spring, it appeared likely that Minnesota would test Adams in shorter one or two-inning stints at the major league level. The hope was that his stuff might play up in shorter bursts, giving the bullpen another option capable of covering multiple frames when needed. For now, that plan will have to wait. The immediate focus is simply getting Adams back on the mound and healthy. With no structural damage found, the Twins will hope the inflammation subsides quickly and allows him to resume throwing soon. If that happens, Adams could still work his way back into the conversation at some point during the season. Spring training roster battles can change quickly, and injuries often reshape the competition. For Adams, the priority is making sure this brief scare stays just that. If his elbow responds well over the next week, he will have plenty of time to show the Twins what he can offer later in the year. View the full article

Caleb Freeman was getting ready to start the 2026 campaign in the Mexican League before the Blue Jays came calling. After seven years in the White Sox organization, Freeman elected free agency this past fall. He spent a few months on the open market before he landed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes, but it turns out he won't be playing in Mexico after all. According to his transaction log on MLB.com, the right-hander signed a minor league contract with Toronto earlier this week. Freeman, 28, made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2025, facing 16 batters over five appearances and recording 10 outs. He struck out three, walked one, and gave up two earned runs on five hits. While the sample was tiny and the results were mediocre, the righty hit 97 mph with his fastball and flashed a genuinely nasty slider against same-handed hitters. With that said, raw stuff has never been the problem for Freeman. His command has always been shaky, and he owns a 14.2% walk rate in his six minor league seasons. While he only walked one of the 16 batters he faced at the big league level in 2025, his 15.7% walk rate in 43 games between Double and Triple A suggests his control issues haven't gone away. Freeman has already been assigned to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, so he will presumably begin the year at Double A. He's an arm to keep in mind should the Blue Jays need a short-term stopgap in the 'pen, but he'll have to cut down on the walks if he wants an extended look in Toronto. View the full article

The college baseball season has just begun, but draft discussions are already taking shape. As conference play begins nationwide, scouts are evaluating players and identifying early favorites for July’s MLB Draft. That timing has become the unofficial launch point for the year's first mock draft. This week, Baseball America released its Mock Draft 1.0 for 2026, offering an early snapshot of how the top of the class could unfold. At this stage, the focus is on identifying talent tiers rather than matching teams to players. Teams are already evaluating which prospects need the most scouting focus in the coming months. For the Minnesota Twins, the early projection is exciting. Holding the third overall pick in the 2026 draft, Minnesota is positioned to add another elite prospect to a farm system that has recently seen several waves of talent graduate to the major league level. According to the mock draft, the Chicago White Sox are projected to select UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick. Cholowsky entered the spring as the consensus top prospect in the class and has drawn comparisons to other elite shortstops, further supporting his status as a top choice, while maintaining his strong narrative during the opening weeks of the season. Through his first 15 games, Cholowsky has been electric at the plate. He is slashing .309/.461/.818 for a massive 1.279 OPS while launching eight home runs and adding four doubles. It is the kind of early-season performance that only strengthens his case to go first overall. With the second pick, the Tampa Bay Rays are projected to choose prep shortstop Grady Emerson. High school prospects can be unpredictable this early, and Emerson has his entire senior season to solidify his status. That leaves the Twins on the clock at number three. Baseball America’s projection has Minnesota selecting shortstop Justin Lebron from the Alabama Crimson Tide. If his early-season production is any indication, Lebron could be one of the fastest-rising players in the entire class. In 17 games this spring, Lebron is hitting .302/.458/.730 with a 1.188 OPS. He already has eight home runs and three doubles while adding another dimension with his speed. Lebron is a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts and has shown strong plate discipline with 14 walks compared to just 12 strikeouts. That combination of power, speed, and on-base ability is exactly the type of profile that tends to move up draft boards as the season progresses. If Lebron continues producing at this level against SEC competition, there is a real chance he could push his way into the conversation for the top overall pick. Many other contenders remain in play near the top. Several college hitters have drawn early attention: Jackson Flora, Drew Burress, Ace Reese, AJ Gracia, and Chris Hacopian. The high school class also features promising prospects beyond Emerson. Jacob Lombard and Erick Becker could all factor into the top of the draft, depending on how their spring performances develop. It is important to remember that March mock drafts are only the starting point. Performances will fluctuate, injuries can change the landscape, and scouting opinions often evolve as teams see players more frequently throughout the spring. Still, these early projections offer a useful snapshot of the talent pool. By July, the draft board will look different in many ways, but the Twins will likely choose from a group that includes several names already near the top of this mock draft. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins held what was described as a routine media availability earlier this week. By the end, the organization had successfully redefined one of baseball’s most foundational concepts, while introducing a bold new framework for competitive spending that relies almost entirely on belief. Speaking from a lectern adorned with what appeared to be several laminated pie charts labeled 'Culture Metrics', Tom Pohlad addressed questions about the team’s long-term payroll outlook by first asking reporters to consider whether payroll exists in any meaningful sense at all. “We think it's important to challenge traditional assumptions about money,” Pohlad said. “When you really sit with it, payroll is less of a number and more of a mindset. Spending is about vibes. Spending is about growth. Spending is about how committed you are internally to the idea of improvement.” Pohlad went on to explain that the organization has made significant investments this offseason in non-monetary areas, including belief infrastructure and emotional liquidity. “We have spent a lot this winter,” Pohlad continued. “We spent time. We spent energy. We spent several afternoons discussing whether financial limitations are self-imposed barriers created by outdated thinking. That is where real progress happens.” Sources inside the room confirmed that the front office unveiled a new proprietary metric designed to measure fiscal effort without actually requiring the movement of currency. Known internally as Win Probability Intention, the stat attempts to quantify how seriously a team has considered acquiring an impact player before ultimately deciding against it. General manager Jeremy Zoll later clarified that the Twins have not ruled out increasing payroll in the future, but that any such move would need to align with the club’s long-term vision of sustainable imagination. “There are a lot of ways to get better as a baseball team,” Zoll said. “You can sign free agents. You can make trades. Or you can foster an environment where improvement feels possible. We think the third option has been underutilized across Major League Baseball.” At one point during the press conference, the Twins presented a slide comparing their actual payroll to what they described as their aspirational payroll, which exists primarily as a concept. The gap between the two was characterized as an opportunity. Team officials emphasized that the organization remains committed to contending in the American League Central and believes its current roster is well-positioned to compete—so long as fans are willing to engage with a more flexible understanding of investment. “Winning is not always about who spends the most,” Pohlad said. “Sometimes it is about who spends the most time thinking about spending.” When asked whether this philosophical approach would extend to future contract negotiations with star players, Pohlad nodded. “We think our guys understand that value is subjective,” he said. “And frankly, if you ask around the clubhouse, the vibes are fully funded.” The Twins are expected to continue exploring new avenues for resource allocation throughout the season, including several initiatives focused on generating late-inning offense and visualizing healthy pitching depth. Opening Day remains on schedule. Payroll remains a feeling. View the full article

Things haven’t gone according to plan this spring for Justin Topa. With loud contact piling up and the bullpen competition getting crowded, his path to the Minnesota Twins Opening Day roster is suddenly looking very uncertain. View the full article

Brewers no. 6 prospect Andrew Fischer has been on a tear ever since he had his name called in the 2025 MLB Draft. In just a couple of weeks, the former Tennessee Volunteer has swatted a home run in spring training and on the World Baseball Classic stage. He is also one of the main players in Team Italy's 2-0 start to group play. When will the Milwaukee Brewers call this powerful third baseman up? We answer that question in this video. Enjoy! View the full article

For the second time since signing with the San Diego Padres, utility man Sung Mun Song is set to miss some time with an oblique injury. He was lifted from Thursday’s game after aggravating the injury that he’d originally sustained back in January. As Song continues to sit, it opens up a couple of questions around his status for Opening Day and what it could mean for the bench picture at large. Song is projected to log heavy time all over the field for the Padres. A second and third baseman by trade, the Padres plan to move Song all over the field. He’ll get some time at the hot corner when Manny Machado serves as the designated hitter or flip over to the keystone when Jake Cronenworth needs a day or is shifting over to first base. The team is also exploring getting him some reps on the outfield grass, leaving a chance that he could play virtually every day for the Padres depending on off days and injuries (for what it’s worth, FanGraphs projects him to log time at five different positions in 2026). The good news is that the injury itself doesn’t appear serious. While oblique injuries can linger, Opening Day is not yet in question, and Craig Stammen made an assertion that it’s less worrisome that it came as a result of work more broadly – with his removal on Thursday falling under “precautionary” – than having occurred on a specific swing. That speaks more to a soreness than an acute injury, which should help the team to navigate this over the next couple of weeks. There’s enough time before March 26 that Song could very well be back in action with additional reps before the regular season begins. Nevertheless, it’s still important to consider what impact an injury to Song that lands him on the injured list to start the year could bear on a somewhat crowded bench picture over these next couple of weeks. The wide assumption to this point is that the Friars’ bench was going to be comprised of Song, Luis Campusano as the No. 2 catcher, and whichever of Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos, or Miguel Andujar were not split starting between a corner outfield spot, first base, or designated hitter on a particular day. Which means that the Padres had, essentially, one spot with which to work. That could shift a bit if Song was to become IL-bound to start the year. With only one spot remaining, the Padres would have to make a choice between a likely group of Bryce Johnson, Mason McCoy, Will Wagner, Ty France, and Jose Miranda. The former three are each on the 40-man roster. Johnson, however, is out of options while McCoy & Wagner each still have multiple to their name. Which means that the decision, if we’re sticking to this group of five, could come down to Johnson, France, and Miranda. Each brings something just a little bit different while offering a strong showing at the plate thus far in the spring exhibition season. As of publishing, Johnson is hitting .320 with a .346 on-base percentage and a homer to his credit in spring training. As an outfielder on a team that lacks a clear fourth option on the grass, he might’ve been the favorite. At the same time, each of Miranda (.370/.452/.630) and France (.375/.444/.500) are off to torrid starts and have a bit of versatility in their respective toolboxes. If the Padres were comfortable with Sheets, Castellanos, or Andujar in an outfield corner for a spell while Ramón Laureano slides over to center when Jackson Merrill needs a day, then it’s possible that one of those bats could’ve earned a spot. A Song absence might allow them to keep the outfield steady with Johnson and retain one of the two non-roster invitees in Miranda and France. Or they could keep Miranda and France because of their bats and designated the out-of-options Johnson for assignment. Either way, they’d be afforded that flexibility in the wake of an extended absence for Song. Ultimately, though, it’s not any kind of a given that the Padres would find themselves in such a scenario. Song’s oblique might be holding him out now, but we have no reason to think (at this point, at least) that it’ll hamper his chances of an Opening Day appearance. The roster squeeze will remain as it is, but the Padres do at least have contingencies should a longer-term absence manifest for their KBO convert. View the full article

Spring training is used as a ramp-up period to knock off the rust for big league players before the regular season gets underway, but for prospects, it's a chance to demonstrate their value first hand to their future managers and coaches. It's also just exciting for fans to get a sneak peak of players that can help the team down the road. One of the Chicago Cubs' younger prospects with loads of potential is showing that he may need consideration to join the big-league roster sooner than expected. Jefferson Rojas is having an incredible start to spring training this year. Rojas is a 20-year-old middle infield prospect (SS/2B) that is taking full advantage of his opportunities to play this spring. He is batting .259/310/.593 (118 wRC+) with two home runs and six RBIs in 12 games, and those stats are a bit muted following a couple of less impactful appearances. One of his home runs traveled a staggering 438 feet, demonstrating a level of power that is a pleasant surprise. Rojas has been widely considered as an above-average defensive shortstop prospect that could handle second base duties as well. His play this March is reinforcing that notion, but it's his evolution at the plate that really stands out. The Cubs currently have nine infielders listed on their 40-man roster and Rojas is not one of them. Dansby Swanson (SS) and Nico Hoerner (2B) are positioned to be the starting middle infielders when the regular season gets going later this month, with the talented Matt Shaw pushing for playing time whenever possible after the Cubs signed Alex Bregman this offseason to be their everyday third baseman. Ben Cowles (3B), Pedro Ramirez (3B/2B), and James Triantos (2B/OF) are also listed on the 40-man roster along with first basemen Michael Busch and Tyler Austin. Rojas is younger than all of the players listed above and will likely need more time to develop in the minors, but the results from this small sample in spring training are very encouraging. Having too many talented infielders is a great problem to have for any organization. The Cubs boast the luxury of not needing to rush players through their minor-league levels because their major-league roster is filled with veteran players that are ready to compete for a deep playoff run this year. Sustained success requires other players waiting in the wings for their number to be called, that can step in and carry the torch when needed. Rojas honing his craft in the minors for the time being is great for the health of the roster down the road, especially with Hoerner facing the prospect of free agency next offseason. Rojas has risen up the Cubs’ prospect rankings and his breakout performances of late are supporting those evaluations. As a bit of a spoiler alert, he'll appear soon in the top five of North Side Baseball's top-20 Cubs prospects rundown. In the meantime, he is a player to track throughout the remaining spring training games and into the new season. If he continues to perform like he has up until this point, he will become a household name among Cubs fans for good reason. View the full article

Owen and Jesse debate whether or not it's time to be concerned that we haven't seen Trey Yesavage yet in spring training, before breaking down Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer's hot starts. They then get into Addison Barger's hot spring, particularly his success against left-handed pitching. Next, Owen and Jesse talk about Canada's struggles in their first two WBC games, before praising the Dominican Republic's loaded roster. They finish with a spring training statistic leaders game. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

Eloy Jiménez was once a promising rookie, blasting 31 home runs in his MLB debut in 2019, but injuries and poor production since then have made him an afterthought. He spent last season in Triple A, mainly with the Tampa Bay Rays' affiliate. He was released in July and signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in September to play in Triple-A Buffalo. The now-29-year-old played in six games with the Bisons before the season ended. Over 215 combined plate appearances last season, he hit three home runs, scored 17 runs, and knocked in 30. Despite his 82 wRC+ in the minors last season, the Blue Jays decided to bring him back for another year. Jiménez has been hot this spring, slashing .321/.367/.536 with a 131 wRC+ over 30 plate appearances. However, even with that strong start, he will likely begin the season in Triple A. According to Blue Jays insider Arden Zwelling of SportsNet, Jiménez is open to that possibility. Zwelling said on his podcast, At The Letters, "It's my understanding that [Jiménez] doesn't have an opt-out at the end of spring training, so he can just go straight to Triple A. And he told me he would go to Triple A." Barring an injury, this is the best move for the Blue Jays. Jiménez has no clear path to playing time as part of the 26-man roster right now. He is a right-handed bat who can play the corner outfield and possibly learn to play first base, but Toronto already has two righty bats on the bench in Davis Schneider and Myles Straw. There's also switch-hitting backup catcher Tyler Heineman, which would make adding a fourth right-handed bat highly problematic for lineup flexibility. Schneider has two options remaining, but he is the only bench infielder currently projected to make the 26-man roster. That said, he could be sent down to open a spot on the bench for Jiménez with the thought that Addison Barger or Ernie Clement could be the infield utility option if needed. Straw is in the last year of the five-year, $25 million contract he signed in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians. He has too much MLB service time to be sent down to the minors. That makes Nathan Lukes, who has one option year remaining, the only other player Jiménez could replace. Lukes is a left-handed hitter, though, and the Blue Jays would have very little left-handed depth on the bench if Lukes were sent down, besides the switch-hitting Heineman. So, Jiménez replacing Lukes likely won't happen. The only way for Jiménez to make the Opening Day roster that really makes sense is if we see Schneider sent down to Triple A and Jiménez takes his spot. However, before the 29-year-old could be considered for a job in MLB again, he needs to get his home run swing back. One home run and two RBIs over 30 spring plate appearances isn't the way to prove that you're ready to play at the highest level. View the full article

After surprisingly receiving a major-league contract this offseason, right-hander Daison Acosta is headed back to the minors before the season begins. The San Diego Padres announced Monday that the 27-year-old reliever had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso. It had not been previously known that it had been designated for assignment. This leaves the Padres' 40-man roster at 39. Also, catcher Ethan Salas, the Friars' top position player prospect, was reassigned to minor-league camp. Salas had been a non-roster invitee to major-league camp. Acosta, who signed a one-year contract for the MLB minimum of $780,000 in early December, has spent his previous eight seasons in the minors, the first six with the New York Mets and the last two with the Washington Nationals. The Padres gave him that deal after Acosta finished the season with a 0.90 ERA in 26 games, striking out 46 in 30 innings at Double-A. But that came after he opened the season at Triple-A and put up a 5.57 ERA in 19 games. It could portend an outside addition or adding a non-roster player to the 40-man roster. The Friars also have another 40-man move to make before Opening Day, with Yu Darvish not pitching this season. View the full article

For many years, the Minnesota Twins' front office felt compelled to prioritize a backup center fielder who'd be capable of stepping into the starting role, for long stretches, at a moment's notice. After being bitten by having to play guys like Gilberto Celestino and Nick Gordon in center way too much during the 2021-22 seasons, the Twins made it a point to target Michael A. Taylor, Manuel Margot and Harrison Bader in successive winters. This year, they noticeably snapped the trend. That's not because they have any great in-house options to back up center field. Buxton's health has become an afterthought rather than a constant concern, while top prospects are on the verge of big-league readiness, and that's why center field projects as the biggest strength on the Twins roster. TWINS CENTER FIELDERS AT A GLANCE Starter: Byron Buxton Backup: James Outman Depth: Ryan Kreidler, Alan Roden, Austin Martin Prospects: Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Brandon Winokur Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 5th out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 4th out of 30 THE GOOD Just a few short years ago, it would have been hard to believe: Buxton in the starting lineup for Minnesota's first official spring game on February 21st, gearing up to participate in the World Baseball Classic. As his injury woes crescendoed in his late 20s, the Twins had no choice but to handle Buxton carefully, often easing him into spring action gradually. Taking part in the WBC would've been completely out of the question. But coming off two of his best and healthiest seasons, the two-time All Star is no-holds-barred and all-systems-go. Buxton narrowly missed a top-10 finish in the AL MVP voting last year, filling the stat sheet in 126 games: 35 home runs, seven triples, 97 runs scored, 24 stolen bases (on 24 attempts) and an .878 OPS. In his age-31 season, he remained one of the fastest players in baseball, with a 100th-percentile sprint speed exceeding 30 ft/sec. Buxton is an outstanding center fielder and the definition of a two-way star. Under contract for three more years, Buxton will at some point probably have to move off center field, but that day does not feel particularly close. Not if he has his way. The fact that Buxton is being used exclusively in center field for Team USA, despite the presence of Pete Crow-Armstrong, speaks to his well-earned reverence at the position. He's not going to relocate willingly if he's still tracking down balls that others can't, and for now, that is. It's possible that the emergence of top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez will create a tension if they clearly surpass the former Platinum Glover in defensive value, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, Jenkins and Rodriguez are excellent assets to have on hand in the event that Buxton does get injured again. You never want to lose your best player, but it would open the door for one of those two to play every day in the majors if they prove ready — and Rodriguez arguably already is. THE BAD Buxton's chronic knee issue seems to have finally been solved, but that hardly makes him immune to getting injured in other ways, as last Friday's HBP scare in the World Baseball Classic opener reminded. In his healthiest season ever last year he still started only 118 of 162 games in center field. Jenkins and Rodriguez are intriguing potential successors, if they prove to meet the high bar for MLB-caliber defense in center. They'll never reach Buxton's level, but few can. At this time, though, the top outfield prospects are fairly inexperienced at Triple-A, and they've had their own injury issues. (Jenkins is out this spring with a hamstring strain.) The lack of a real short-term safety net behind Buxton, as the Twins have had in recent years, could rear its head if a need emerges early in the season. Ryan Kreidler is probably the best defensive backup if he's on the roster; he was the Opening Day starter in center for the Tigers last year. James Outman's chances of making the team hinge on his viability in center, which has looked questionable at best. Roden and Martin have gotten run this spring, but should be viewed more as emergency options than candidates to start regularly. Center field is a hard position. It's tough to find players who truly excel there defensively, and even harder to find ones who can do that and also hit. Buxton has spoiled us. Hopefully he keeps spoiling us. THE BOTTOM LINE Healthy at last, Buxton has claimed his rightful place as one of the game's elite center fielders. It's a distinction corroborated by his All-Star nod, Silver Slugger, and starting spot on Team USA. His presence lends instant credibility to the Twins lineup. At some point age will start to catch to him but for the moment he's mostly outsprinting it. Down the line, some of the very best prospects in the Twins system will be aiming to overtake the reins in center field. Here in 2026, moving Buxton off the position doesn't seem to be on the front office's mind. His goal this season is to keep it that way. Catch up on the rest of our roster preview series: Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Catcher Twins 2026 Position Analysis: First Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Second Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Third Base Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Shortstop Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Left Field View the full article

Is there still a chance that the Boston Red Sox trade for veteran corner infielder Isaac Paredes? In this video, we dive into Paredes' skillset, Alex Cora's plan with both Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer, and the most sensible time for Boston to pull the trigger on a potential deal for the Astros' current third baseman. View the full article

Which statistics hold the most weight for the Cubs in 2026? Today, we review the following: stolen bases, home runs allowed, walks, runners left on base, and defensive errors. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson, and Shota Imanaga will be among the most important players in helping the team excel in these categories. View the full article

As spring training enters its final stretch, roster decisions accelerate. For the Minnesota Twins, Monday brought further clarity as the club trimmed nine players from big-league camp. The group included several names with at least some path to the Opening Day roster, as well as a few prospects whose strong springs made the timing a little surprising. With less than three weeks until the regular season begins, the Twins are now narrowing their focus to the players who will make the final push. Among the pitchers sent out of camp, Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya were probably the closest to legitimate Opening Day roster consideration. Both pitchers have already reached Triple-A and could have potentially filled bullpen roles if the Twins wanted to bring a young arm north. Prielipp, however, is still being stretched out as a starter and did not do enough this spring to earn more time in camp. Across three Grapefruit League appearances, he pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits, including two home runs. He also finished with six strikeouts and six walks. The raw stuff is still intriguing, but the command will need to sharpen as he continues building innings. Raya’s outing this spring was even more difficult. Last season was already a challenging one as he posted a 6.02 ERA across 98 2/3 innings at Triple A. Now transitioning into a relief role, Raya allowed five runs in just 2 1/3 innings this spring while issuing five walks and striking out only two. Both pitchers still appear likely to factor into the major league picture at some point during the season. For now, though, they will head back to the minor leagues to continue refining their roles and consistency before Minnesota calls again. The same can be said for Andrew Morris and John Klein. Morris struggled during Grapefruit League action, giving up four runs on seven hits across 6 2/3 innings. He currently sits as the seventh or eighth starter on the organizational depth chart, so he will be in Minnesota at some point this year. Klein appeared in only a single game during camp, limiting his evaluation. However, the Twins added him to the 40-man roster this winter, making him a call-up candidate when the need arises. The most surprising move from Monday’s cuts was the demotion of top outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez. There was never a strong expectation that Rodriguez would break camp with the Twins, but the timing still stands out considering how well he performed during exhibition play. In 11 Grapefruit League games, Rodriguez slashed an impressive .421/.476/.789 (1.265). He collected a double and two home runs while drawing two walks and striking out nine times. Rodriguez already has experience at Triple-A after posting an .853 OPS in 52 games there last season. Capable of playing center field, he continues to look like one of the organization’s most dynamic offensive talents. The next step in his development remains familiar. Rodriguez does an excellent job commanding the strike zone and has often produced walk rates north of 20 percent. The issue is that the strikeouts remain high as well, with the outfielder still striking out close to one-third of the time. If he can trim that rate while staying healthy, the Twins may not be able to keep him in St. Paul for very long. Another hitter sent out at the same time was Gabriel Gonzalez, who also enjoyed an impressive spring. Gonzalez homered on Monday and finished camp 9-for-18 (.500 BA) with three doubles and a home run. If he can carry that momentum into the regular season, he could quickly put himself into the conversation for a corner outfield role. Hendry Mendez remains a bit further from the big league picture, while catcher Patrick Winkel profiles primarily as organizational depth behind the plate. Kendry Rojas, however, is a name that could become important again this season. The left-hander is expected to serve as part of the starting pitching depth at Triple-A, a role the Twins leaned on heavily a year ago. Rojas was part of the reason Minnesota felt comfortable moving Louie Varland at last year’s trade deadline. A fringe Top 100 prospect at the time, the young left-hander flashed impressive velocity and the type of strikeout ability that caught the organization’s attention. This spring, Rojas allowed seven runs on seven hits in Grapefruit League action, but the underlying numbers were encouraging. He recorded seven strikeouts compared to just one walk, continuing to show the swing-and-miss ability that has long made him intriguing. A strong start at Triple-A St. Paul could quickly put him back on the radar as a promotion candidate. For the Twins, these latest cuts help finalize the Opening Day roster and strengthen organizational depth. Players sent down Monday are still key for 2026, and could return if there are injuries or new opportunities, making them important to follow in the coming months. View the full article

There's plenty of ceiling for Quentin Young entering his first year of pro ball, but there is also a very low floor. What type of player can Quentin Young be in 2026 as he finds a permanent positional home on the infield? View the full article