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Padres Mission's top 20 prospect rankings continue for the 2026 season. Be sure to check out previous editions here: Nos. 16-20 Nos. 11-15 No. 10: Kale Fountain No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 8: Ty Harvey (Lake Elsinore Storm) One of the higher upside prep catchers in last year’s draft class, Ty Harvey, finds himself as the number eight prospect in the San Diego Padres' farm system going into the 2026 season. A catcher who graduated from Inspiration Academy out of Bradenton, Florida, Harvey was a Florida State commit before the Padres took him in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Harvey’s scouting report before the draft showed plenty of power in his swing for an 18-year old kid. The Friars thought highly enough of him to pay him more than triple his slot value ($1.5 million signing bonus) in order to break his commitment to FSU. In summer showcases and the MLB Draft Combine, Harvey had plenty of home run swings that traveled over 400 feet as well as exit velocities reaching anywhere from 100-110 MPH. But prep catchers are a hard group to bank on maintaining their power from the time they’re drafted up until they reach the upper levels of the minors. Harvey’s seven-game sample size in 2025 showcased the challenge in adjusting to power in the pros from high school pitchers, as he didn’t have a single home run over his 30 plate appearances in Low-A. In fact, Harvey was only 4-for-23 with 12 strikeouts and seven walks. Any player's numbers in their first seven games in pro ball are not enough to judge what their future will be. In Harvey’s case, what we can draw is the makings of decent plate discipline, with a need to fix the holes in his swing that opposing pitchers were able to get via those 12 strikeouts. Harvey will return to Low-A Lake Elsinore to begin his 2026 season and have a runway there all season to work on his strengths and weaknesses at and behind the plate. The key thing to follow will be his power numbers. If he can hit anywhere from 15-20 home runs this season, he will be in good shape to climb up the rankings of the Padres’ farm system. If he doesn’t show that much power, then it’ll be a matter of whether he trades that for more contact and a higher walk rate than he's previously shown capable of producing. Defensively, Harvey had one of the better throwing arms among prep catchers in his draft class. The sample size of how he calls games and stops bad pitches is still not enough to merit how strong his defense will be long term, but belief is strong that he'll stick behind the plate as he climbs the ladder. Harvey will turn 20 on July 28 and has a good opportunity in front of him for his first full season in pro-ball. With Ethan Salas still holding the title of the Padres’ best catching prospect, it allows the organization more time to develop Harvey into their liking and not rush him up the system. In a best-case scenario, Harvey won't be MLB-ready until 2028 or 2029. If he crushes the pitching at Low-A, then it’s likely he moves up to High-A Fort Wayne by the end of this year. If Salas doesn’t turn out to be the MLB star he’s been projected to be, then Harvey will likely be the Padres' next chance at developing an All-Star-caliber catcher behind the plate for the long term. View the full article

Spring training battles are starting to heat up with Opening Day just a little more than two weeks away. Non-roster invitees are being sent to minor-league camp with more regularity. This won't cover the Milwaukee Brewers players who are in the World Baseball Classic; it will only focus on the players who are in camp. As a reminder, don't take anything in this recap too seriously. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. In Cactus League play, the Crew improved to 8-7 by sweeping all three games in this period, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 Friday, the Los Angeles Angels 7-1 Saturday, and the Seattle Mariners 6-3 Sunday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Brandon Woodruff In the first start of what is probably his final spring with the Crew, the right-handed starter looked solid in his two innings vs. the Angels. Woodruff allowed two hits and no runs, walking one and striking out three. How he looks over his next two starts will go a long way to determining whether he begins the season in the rotation or perhaps with a brief stay on the injured list following his lat injury from last season. It also wouldn't be surprising for the Brewers to be creative if he is on the Opening Day roster, perhaps deploying him more as an opener, going three innings and building up over the first month or so of the season. Jesus Made At this time next year, we could be talking about Made being on the Opening Day roster somewhere on the infield. But for now, Brewers fans will have to watch as the 18-year-old shortstop puts up big numbers in the minors. That potential was evident as he went 4-for-7 in two games. He drove in four runs in those two games, scored once, and stole a base. In his first major-league spring camp, Made is batting .320 (8-for-25) with a triple and six RBIs. He has been humbled with eight strikeouts, but his eight hits are tied for second-most on the Crew this spring. Trevor Megill In his second outing this spring, Megill gave us the full experience, allowing two hits but striking out three against the Angels. He followed Woodruff by pitching the third inning, striking out Mike Trout and Jorge Soler to begin the frame. Then he surrendered a single to Vaughn Grissom and a double to Jeimer Candelario, then bore down and struck out Travis d'Arnaud with three straight 97 mph four-seamers. Who's Not? 🧊 Kyle Harrison After a splashy spring debut in which he unveiled his new kick change, Harrison took a small step back in his second outing. Very, very small. Against the Mariners, the left-handed starter did strike out eight, which was great, but he did walk two, and only 37 of his 60 pitches were strikes. He remains a top contender for a rotation job, so don't get too worried about this outing. The eight strikeouts are very encouraging. Brock Wilken The 2023 first-round draft pick hasn't had a smooth path at this point in his pro career, but the third baseman is still on track to start the season at Triple-A. He was hit in the face by a pitch in 2024 and had a knee injury in 2025. Still, he hit 22 homers in 2025 in a little more than half a season. He has gotten a long look this spring, his third in major-league camp. In two games, he went 0-for-4, dropping his Cactus League average to ,222 (4-for-18). He has gone deep once. His power is what the Brewers are banking on, in addition to his ability to play third base. Jeferson Quero Another big prospect, the catcher has had a slow spring offensively. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts while also scoring a run vs. the Mariners. He is just 2-for-16 (.125) in Cactus League play. This will be a big season for Quero, who has one minor-league option remaining, thus putting him as a likelihood to be on the Opening Day roster next year if not the starter, depending on whether William Contreras is still with the Crew. View the full article

Spring training always sparks the same debate: Who will make the Opening Day roster? Which prospects or veterans will secure a spot or be squeezed out? The conversation can dominate the entire spring. Fans and analysts pore over roster projections while every exhibition lineup gets dissected. A bench player starting a Grapefruit League game can suddenly spark speculation about a roster battle. Meanwhile, injured players are racing the calendar, hoping to be ready by the time the regular season begins. Opening Day carries a certain weight. It represents the first real snapshot of a team’s roster construction. The lineup card becomes a symbol of the organization’s plan for the year ahead. But history shows that a snapshot can be misleading. Players get hurt, veterans lose playing time, and prospects can arrive faster than expected. Sometimes Opening Day starters become footnotes by October, while unexpected names seize brief opportunities. As we reflect on recent Twins seasons, several once-prominent names in Opening Day lineups have since faded from memory. Noticing these surprises reveals how quickly the roster landscape shifts from year to year. Let’s revisit five Opening Day starters from recent Twins history who might have slipped your mind, illustrating how initial expectations often shift as the season progresses. 2024: Manuel Margot (DH) When the Twins acquired Margot, the expectation was that he could provide depth behind Byron Buxton in center field. Margot had spent most of his career as a capable defensive outfielder and seemed like a logical insurance policy if Buxton needed days off. It quickly became clear that his days as an up-the-middle defender were largely behind him. Ultimately, Margot filled a different role during the 2024 season. He shifted to designated hitter and sometimes played corner outfield. Notably, he started at DH on Opening Day. Although he remained on the roster for most of the year, his offensive production failed to develop. Margot appeared in 129 games but finished with a .238/.289/.337 (.626) slash line, good for a 76 OPS+. His season also included a strange bit of baseball trivia as he went 0 for 30 as a pinch hitter, setting a Major League record for the most hitless pinch hit appearances in a single season. He briefly resurfaced with Detroit in 2025, appearing in only a handful of games. With his playing time dwindling, it appears his Major League career has likely come to an end. 2023: Nick Gordon (2B) Gordon entered professional baseball carrying significant expectations as a highly regarded shortstop prospect. The Twins selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft and envisioned him as a long-term piece of their infield. His development path turned out to be slower than anticipated. Gordon battled health problems and inconsistency in the minor leagues and did not make his Major League debut until he was 25 years old. Things finally clicked during the 2022 season when he became a valuable utility option for Minnesota. He played all over the field while posting a 111 OPS+ across 136 games. That performance helped earn him a spot in the Opening Day lineup at second base in 2023. Unfortunately, that momentum did not carry over. Injuries limited Gordon to just 34 games that season, and he struggled when he was on the field, finishing with a 35 OPS+. With his role shrinking, Minnesota ultimately moved on and traded him to Miami before the 2024 season in a deal that included reliever Steven Okert. 2020: Jake Cave (CF) The 2020 season remains one of the most unusual campaigns in baseball history. The pandemic shortened the season, changed routines across the sport, and created a number of unusual roster situations. One small detail that is easy to forget is who actually started in center field for the Twins on Opening Day that year. It was Cave, not Buxton. Cave had quietly become a useful contributor after arriving from the Yankees in a trade that sent pitching prospect Luis Gil to New York. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, he showed legitimate offensive value, combining for a 112 OPS+ across 163 games. That stretch earned him the Opening Day assignment in center field when the 2020 season began. His production declined over the following years, however. Across his final three seasons with Minnesota, he posted a 71 OPS+, falling well below league average as his role diminished. 2018: Logan Morrison (DH) Morrison’s time with the Twins began with a bit of late offseason intrigue. Coming off a career year with Tampa Bay in 2017, Morrison hit 38 home runs while producing a 133 OPS+ and roughly three wins above replacement. Despite those numbers, the market for first basemen was slow that winter, and Morrison remained unsigned deep into February. Minnesota eventually brought him aboard on February 28, only weeks before Opening Day. While the move created some excitement at the time, the on-field results never followed. Morrison, unable to find consistency at the plate, finished the season with a 74 OPS+ across 95 games. His tenure with the Twins ended after that season, and his big-league opportunities quickly faded. Morrison played just 34 more Major League games after leaving Minnesota. 2015: Jordan Schafer (CF) Schafer may be the easiest name on this list to forget. Minnesota claimed Schafer off waivers from Atlanta late in the 2014 season, and he actually provided a brief spark down the stretch. In 41 games, he posted a surprising 100 OPS+, which stood well above his career average. With Buxton still developing in the minor leagues, Schafer entered the 2015 season as the Twins' Opening Day center fielder. The opportunity did not last long. Schafer struggled early and often, appearing in just 27 games while producing a 42 OPS+. His overall performance dipped below replacement level, and the Twins released him in June. He never appeared in another Major League game. Reflecting on these lineups, their significance in the moment is undeniable. They reflect months of preparation but, as we’ve seen, offer only a snapshot before reality quickly reshapes a team’s fortunes. Players emerge unexpectedly, injuries reshape rosters, and prospects arrive to change a team's trajectory. As a result, some of the names that appear in that first lineup card fade quickly from memory. These five players are a reminder that even starting on Opening Day does not guarantee a lasting place in Twins history. Sometimes it simply reflects a brief moment in time before the long season unfolds. Which names had you forgotten about? Are there other recent Opening Day starters that were surprises? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Connor Prielipp entered the spring as one of the most intriguing arms in the Twins’ system, but the early results haven’t followed. So what’s actually behind Connor Prielipp’s slow start this spring? View the full article

In an exclusive interview with Talk Sox, 2025 10th-round pick Maximus Martin talks about how his first spring training has gone, his time in college, and his first moments as a professional baseball player. He also talks about how he played for multiple teams during his time in college. View the full article

On Sunday, after the Royals' 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City announced moves regarding three position-player prospects who were non-roster invitees. That included catchers Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez, as well as outfielder Carson Roccaforte. Much like the pitching moves, these transactions do not come as a surprise. Mitchell, Ramirez, and Roccaforte were likely to begin the year in the Minor Leagues, and their experience this spring was more to get them experience with the big league club. With many of the Royals' stars in the World Baseball Classic, and Opening Day approaching, it made sense for the Royals to assign the three talented prospects to Minor League camp. All three had their share of struggles in Cactus League play, albeit in limited samples. In 10 plate appearances, Mitchell slashed .125/.300/.250 with a .550 OPS. While the Royals' No. 2 prospect had a 20% walk rate, he also had a 30% strikeout rate. The 2023 first-round pick still has potential, but he will need to cut down the strikeouts and improve in the power department in order to compete for playing time in Kansas City in 2027 or 2028. Mitchell could begin the year in High-A or Double-A, depending on the catching situation in Northwest Arkansas. Ramirez was an even bigger long shot to make the Royals squad, especially since he hasn't played beyond Low-A Columbia. In 9 at-bats, the 20-year-old slashed .111/.273/.111 with a .384 OPS. He did score two runs and had two hits in his short Cactus League stint. It is likely that Ramirez will begin the year in High-A Quad Cities. Lastly, Roccaforte had the best spring of the trio, slashing .200/.385/.300 with a .685 OPS in 10 at-bats. The 23-year-old showed strong plate discipline with three walks and two strikeouts. He also stole a base and hit a double. Roccaforte will likely make the move up to Triple-A Omaha, competing for playing time in the outfield with John Rave, Kameron Misner, Drew Waters, Tyler Gentry, and Gavin Cross, according to Roster Resource. View the full article

I'm not sure if the Twins will be strong in left field this year. I do feel confident they will be interesting. You've got Trevor Larnach trying to make his last stand, with his presence on the roster feeling almost obstructive at this point. You've got Austin Martin trying to build off his solid finish in 2025 and resurrect a career that's been veering off track. Minnesota invested heavily in acquiring and developing these two former first-rounders, and would surely love to see an eventual payoff. But the front office is already prepared to chart a new course if needed. They acquired Alan Roden in the controversial Louie Varland trade last year, and James Outman in the less controversial (but odd) Brock Stewart trade. Neither has any business going to Triple-A, and in fact Outman is out of options. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Rodriguez is dazzling everyone this spring with his exciting skill set, and left field appears to be his most viable entry point to the majors. Much like at first base, I have a hard time predicting exactly how the playing time share is going to shake out in left with all these moving parts. But below I'll do my best to touch on different scenarios while sizing up the good and bad. TWINS LEFT FIELDERS AT A GLANCE Starter: Trevor Larnach Backup: James Outman Depth: Alan Roden, Austin Martin, Luke Keaschall Prospects: Emmanuel Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Kala'i Rosario Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 6th out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 20th out of 30 THE GOOD Larnach is a nice floor-setting bat. That's what the Twins value in him, and why they ponied up $4.5 million to keep him around via arbitration rather than non-tendering as some expected. He's a reliably good hitter against right-handed pitching, and has earned trust in that regard — no Twins player appeared more often in the top four lineup spots last year. He's not alone in this boat, but Larnach surely recognizes the personal stakes coming off a disappointing season that puts his future with the Twins in doubt. He might be making his case for other teams, given the crowding of the outfield as he enters his second-to-last year of team control, but he's making his case nonetheless. He'll be plenty motivated to leave it all on the field this year. Will he be actually playing in the field, though? That's a big unknown that makes it difficult to analyze this position. The Twins heavily preferred to use Larnach at designated hitter last year, both to preserve his health and limit the impact of his below-average defense. Derek Shelton might have the same preference this year, but Josh Bell and Victor Caratini will also demand DH at-bats so the path to getting Larnach a majority of starts there isn't quite as straightforward. If Larnach does end up at DH regularly, or he gets traded before Opening Day (still plausible), then one of Roden or Outman could step into the starting LF role against righties. Otherwise, those two are contending for a part-time, pseudo-bench role on a roster that already would have three lefty corner bats in Larnach, Matt Wallner and Kody Clemens. If elevated to a starting role, there are things to like about both of the 2026 deadline acquisitions. Roden has dominated at Triple-A and is on fire this spring. Outman brings outstanding athleticism and is (ostensibly) a true backup center fielder, which the Twins otherwise lack. Either one would offer a substantial defensive upgrade over Larnach in left. One thing's for sure: none of these three should be getting at-bats against left-handed pitching if the Twins can help it. That's where Martin comes in. He's the team's best bet for a righty-hitting platoon partner, and really the only good option at this point, which is the main reason he feels like a safe bet to make the roster. Martin batted .282 with a .374 OBP and 11 steals after his post-deadline call-up last year, and has the skills to claim more playing time in left field if he's bringing that same energy. Each of the short-term candidates has something to potentially offer, but the biggest cause for enthusiasm here is Rodriguez. The 23-year-old top prospect is on the doorstep of the majors, having spent most of last season in Triple-A, and he's been showcasing his game this spring: big home runs, stolen bases, slick plays in the outfield. Rodriguez would be a viable pick to sneak his way onto the Opening Day roster if not for the crowded state of the LF depth chart. Only a matter of time, though. THE BAD All of the aforementioned upside within the group of Larnach, Roden, Outman and Martin is really more theoretical than proven, and none of these guys are all that young anymore. Larnach, who just turned 29, has a 101 career OPS+ and has been a net-negative when playing the field regularly. Roden has been great this spring but he was great last spring too, and flopped in his major-league debut (.556 OPS in 156 PA). Martin's non-existent power will inherently cap his value at an offense-driven position. I struggle to summon any real optimism around Outman, who's been one of the worst hitters in the majors over the past two years and — to my eye at least — hasn't been impressive in the field. If the Twins keep him around it'll strike me as a move motivated by preserving depth and not exposing him to waivers. But maybe there's still a switch to be flipped for the 28-year-old. He was a really good player when he first came up in LA. There's reason to be bullish on these guys. But when you're talking about players who are 26, 27, 28 years old, it becomes less relevant to talk about what could be. If they are what they are, according to their MLB track records, then none are really starting-caliber left fielders. We'll have to wait for the system to produce one. THE BOTTOM LINE The Twins have given themselves a lot of options in left field, with newcomers brought in to challenge Larnach and Martin. Hopefully it'll be a healthy competition that yields fruitful results. Either way, it seems like the current group is only vying to keep the seat warm for a wave of prospects that includes Rodriguez and Gabriel Gonzalez. Even Walker Jenkins could use LF as an entry point alongside Byron Buxton. I'm not the most confident about left field from a short-term perspective, but I feel very good about its outlook in the big picture. The Twins just need to work their way through this current logjam and figure out what to do with Larnach. 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 View the full article

#3 Jett Williams (Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Syracuse Mets) Williams joined the Brewers organization in the Freddy Peralta trade with the Mets, and immediately stands out because of his unique profile. The organization is more than willing to look past a player’s height, and Williams is the latest example of that. He had a very strong 2025 in the Mets organization, between Double-A and Triple-A. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 572 127 34 7 17 .828 136 .375 22.9% 13.3% 9.9% 25.0% 45.0% 23.2% 31.8% 25.6% 31.8% 42.5% 33.8% 34 9 79% What to Like Despite standing just 5-foot-7, Jett Williams generates more power than his size might suggest. He combines average or better raw power (his 103.4 MPH 90th-percentile exit velocity is close to the league average) with a swing built to lift the ball to the pull side, giving him the ability to drive the ball in the air consistently. That combination of strength and swing path gives him legitimate long-term power potential, with the tools to produce 20 home run seasons at the major-league level at his peak. His offensive profile also includes a playable hit tool. While evaluations vary, the underlying data and game action suggest a hitter capable of making enough contact to support his power and speed. There is some swing-and-miss in his game, but not at a level that should significantly limit his overall production. The combination of contact ability, pull-side power, and bat speed gives him a solid offensive foundation. Speed is another major part of Williams’s profile. He possesses plus-plus speed that impacts the game in multiple ways. His quickness allows him to pressure defenses on the bases and gives him the potential to steal at least 20 bases annually in a regular role. That speed also increases his defensive value. Defensively, Williams offers versatility. His glove is playable at shortstop, and he has the athleticism to handle several positions around the field. If he remains in the infield long term, second base would seem to be the most natural fit, where his range and athleticism could play well, but he could handle third base as well, and that might be his best chance at a big-league role in 2026. His physical tools also create the possibility of transitioning to the outfield. With continued improvement in his reads and jumps, his speed could allow him to handle center field, adding another path to regular playing time. What to Work On The biggest question in Williams’s profile is the consistency of his hit tool. While he has the ability to make solid contact and produce power, his offensive approach does still include some swing-and-miss. Continued improvement in pitch recognition and overall swing decisions will be important to ensure his contact ability supports his power production at higher levels. Defensively, while he has some versatility, Williams does not yet have a clear long-term position. While he can handle shortstop, his overall fit there may depend on continued defensive development. Refining his defensive actions and improving consistency will help determine whether he remains in the infield or ultimately shifts to the outfield. If he transitions to the outfield, further development will be required, particularly in his reads and routes. His speed gives him the physical ability to cover ground, but additional experience will be necessary for him to become a reliable defender in center field. Determining his best defensive home will be an important step in deciding his long-term role. What’s Next Williams could compete for a spot on the major-league roster in the near future, especially following the Caleb Durbin trade. However, he is likely to begin the season at Triple-A Nashville, where the focus will be on refining his defensive skills and establishing consistency at whichever position the Brewers view as his best long-term fit. With strong performance and continued development, he could position himself for a call-up early in the season. What are your thoughts on Williams? What are you hoping to see from him in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

We continue our look at the Chicago Cubs' top 20 prospects today, with our eighth-ranked prospect, outfielder Kane Kepley. For a quick refresher, make sure you check out our other articles in the series: Prospects #20-16 Prospects #15-11 Prospect #10 - James Triantos Prospect #9 - Josiah Hartshorn #8 - Kane Kepley (University of North Carolina) The Cubs selected the North Carolina native and former Tar Heel with the 52nd overall pick of the 2025 draft. The 22-year-old signed for $1.4 million and became the second outfielder the Cubs selected in as many rounds. The left-handed outfielder was viewed as a high-floor, defensive-minded player with plus speed. Standing at only 5-foot-8 and weighing 180 pounds, Kepley will not be among the Cubs’ power-hitting prospects, but is one of their best at putting the ball in play. He ranked as the 84th-best prospect in the draft, per mlb.com. What to Like The first aspect of Kepley’s game to highlight is the hit tool. As mentioned earlier, he's probably never going to be much of a home run threat, but he excels at making contact and getting on base. Originally a walk-on at Liberty, Kepley hit .310 with a .457 OBP as a freshman, then .330 with a .482 OBP as a sophomore. Upon transferring to UNC, Kepley slashed an impressive .291/.451/.444 against superior competition in the ACC. He has an excellent eye, and rarely swings and misses. Throughout his college career, he drew 136 walks with only 71 strikeouts. Last season with Low-A Myrtle Beach, he hit .299 with a .914 OPS in 131 plate appearances. He walked 25 times with only 15 strikeouts. According to mlb.com, Kepley is the only player in the pipeline except top prospect Moisés Ballesteros with a 60-grade hit tool. Competition will get much tougher as he works his way through the minors, but the bat has worked at every level for him so far. Kepley’s defense is another strength. He is a natural center fielder with great instincts. Although he doesn’t have the strongest arm, his plus speed allows him to track down difficult fly balls. His speed also translates to the bases as well. His 45 stolen bases in 2025 were good for fourth in all of Division I ball. Once he arrived in A ball, he swiped 16 bags in only 25 games. He should be able to use his contact ability plus his speed to beat out ground balls for infield hits and turn bloops into extra bases. He could fit the “table-setter” description perfectly. What to Work On The 5-foot-6 Jose Altuve has 255 career home runs, and has hit at least 30 twice in his career. We shouldn't, then, blame Kepley's lack of power entirely on his size. He has a flat swing and can hit the ball to all fields, but in 2025, he lifted the ball a bit more than a player without power should. Per FanGraphs, he had a 38.3% fly-ball rate, which is above the major-league average of 35%. For comparison's sake, let's take the fly-ball percentage of two very different hitters: Shohei Ohtani and Luis Arraez. Ohtani has a career fly-ball rate of 37.9%, while Arraez’s is 30.4%. Arraez has been the best high-contact, low-power player in baseball over the last half-decade, and is the type of hitter Kepley should strive to be. He will need to work on his launch angle to produce more line drives, though, and perhaps fewer unproductive, routine flies. What’s Next Kepley is currently with the Cubs in Arizona. In parts of eight games, he’s collected three hits in 12 at bats, walking twice. Last week against the Dodgers, he put his speed on display, legging out this triple on a well-hit ball in the gap. He will surely be sent to minor-league camp in the next week or so, and will continue to develop. He proved himself last season in Low A, though, and could find himself in High A or even Double A to begin the 2026 campaign. According to mlb.com, his major-league ETA is in 2028, which tracks for a college draftee who hasn't played even 30 professional games. By the time Kepley arrives, the outfield could look a lot different. Both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are free agents after this season. Randy Arozarena looks like he will be the top free-agent outfielder in the 2027 class, at 32 years old. Kevin Alcántara and 2025 first-rounder Ethan Conrad will get chances to prove themselves before Kepley, but the point is, there will be room in this outfield for Kepley by the time he's ready—although center field is spoken for. It's not uncommon for hitters with three years of college experience to reach the majors quicker than they're projected to, when they first enter the pros. Should Kepley continue to hit for a high average and draw walks as he progresses through the minors, we could see him end up in Triple-A by the end of this season, potentially setting him up for a 2027 debut. There is some skepticism regarding Kepley's MLB future, mainly because of his size and lack of power, but even if he doesn't become a starter, his defensive prowess and speed would be a great asset off the bench. View the full article

We continue our look at the Chicago Cubs' top 20 prospects today, with our eighth-ranked prospect, outfielder Kane Kepley. For a quick refresher, make sure you check out our other articles in the series: Prospects #20-16 Prospects #15-11 Prospect #10 - James Triantos Prospect #9 - Josiah Hartshorn #8 - Kane Kepley (University of North Carolina) The Cubs selected the North Carolina native and former Tar Heel with the 52nd overall pick of the 2025 draft. The 22-year-old signed for $1.4 million and became the second outfielder the Cubs selected in as many rounds. The left-handed outfielder was viewed as a high-floor, defensive-minded player with plus speed. Standing at only 5-foot-8 and weighing 180 pounds, Kepley will not be among the Cubs’ power-hitting prospects, but is one of their best at putting the ball in play. He ranked as the 84th-best prospect in the draft, per mlb.com. What to Like The first aspect of Kepley’s game to highlight is the hit tool. As mentioned earlier, he's probably never going to be much of a home run threat, but he excels at making contact and getting on base. Originally a walk-on at Liberty, Kepley hit .310 with a .457 OBP as a freshman, then .330 with a .482 OBP as a sophomore. Upon transferring to UNC, Kepley slashed an impressive .291/.451/.444 against superior competition in the ACC. He has an excellent eye, and rarely swings and misses. Throughout his college career, he drew 136 walks with only 71 strikeouts. Last season with Low-A Myrtle Beach, he hit .299 with a .914 OPS in 131 plate appearances. He walked 25 times with only 15 strikeouts. According to mlb.com, Kepley is the only player in the pipeline except top prospect Moisés Ballesteros with a 60-grade hit tool. Competition will get much tougher as he works his way through the minors, but the bat has worked at every level for him so far. Kepley’s defense is another strength. He is a natural center fielder with great instincts. Although he doesn’t have the strongest arm, his plus speed allows him to track down difficult fly balls. His speed also translates to the bases as well. His 45 stolen bases in 2025 were good for fourth in all of Division I ball. Once he arrived in A ball, he swiped 16 bags in only 25 games. He should be able to use his contact ability plus his speed to beat out ground balls for infield hits and turn bloops into extra bases. He could fit the “table-setter” description perfectly. What to Work On The 5-foot-6 Jose Altuve has 255 career home runs, and has hit at least 30 twice in his career. We shouldn't, then, blame Kepley's lack of power entirely on his size. He has a flat swing and can hit the ball to all fields, but in 2025, he lifted the ball a bit more than a player without power should. Per FanGraphs, he had a 38.3% fly-ball rate, which is above the major-league average of 35%. For comparison's sake, let's take the fly-ball percentage of two very different hitters: Shohei Ohtani and Luis Arraez. Ohtani has a career fly-ball rate of 37.9%, while Arraez’s is 30.4%. Arraez has been the best high-contact, low-power player in baseball over the last half-decade, and is the type of hitter Kepley should strive to be. He will need to work on his launch angle to produce more line drives, though, and perhaps fewer unproductive, routine flies. What’s Next Kepley is currently with the Cubs in Arizona. In parts of eight games, he’s collected three hits in 12 at bats, walking twice. Last week against the Dodgers, he put his speed on display, legging out this triple on a well-hit ball in the gap. He will surely be sent to minor-league camp in the next week or so, and will continue to develop. He proved himself last season in Low A, though, and could find himself in High A or even Double A to begin the 2026 campaign. According to mlb.com, his major-league ETA is in 2028, which tracks for a college draftee who hasn't played even 30 professional games. By the time Kepley arrives, the outfield could look a lot different. Both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are free agents after this season. Randy Arozarena looks like he will be the top free-agent outfielder in the 2027 class, at 32 years old. Kevin Alcántara and 2025 first-rounder Ethan Conrad will get chances to prove themselves before Kepley, but the point is, there will be room in this outfield for Kepley by the time he's ready—although center field is spoken for. It's not uncommon for hitters with three years of college experience to reach the majors quicker than they're projected to, when they first enter the pros. Should Kepley continue to hit for a high average and draw walks as he progresses through the minors, we could see him end up in Triple-A by the end of this season, potentially setting him up for a 2027 debut. There is some skepticism regarding Kepley's MLB future, mainly because of his size and lack of power, but even if he doesn't become a starter, his defensive prowess and speed would be a great asset off the bench. View the full article

Brendon Little had an up-and-down 2025 season. Before August, among relievers with at least 20 innings, his xERA and K-BB% percentile rankings were 85th and 82nd, respectively. However, for the balance of the regular season, Little’s xERA and K-BB% percentile rankings slipped to 32nd and 7th, respectively. During Toronto’s postseason run, manager John Schneider used Little in only six of the Blue Jays’ 18 playoff games, including just once in the World Series. In those six outings, Little posted an 11.89 FIP, 3.00 WHIP and -0.84 WPA. Clearly, Little was much better before the calendar turned to August. So, which Little should we expect to witness in 2026? To answer that question, let’s dig into what happened in 2025. The table below is a good starting point. For the 2025 regular season, Little’s 72nd percentile xERA ranking was good, and his FIP (86th) was even better. And there are a few other points of interest. First, throughout 2025, Little’s BB% was near the worst among MLB relievers. As a result, his WHIP percentile ranking was negatively affected by the high walk rate. Second, Little’s K% percentile ranking was elite before August, but slipped to 37th after July. Games xERA FIP xFIP K% BB% K-BB% WHIP Before August 1 95th 85th 90th 94th 96th 2nd 82nd 39th After July 31 98th 32nd 57th 35th 37th 3rd 7th 3rd 2025 (1) 99th 72nd 86th 81st 90th 2nd 59th 29th (1) Before August 1, relievers with at least 20 innings (249 relievers); after July 31, relievers with at least 10 innings (261); and, for the season, relievers with at least 30 innings (244). Regular season only. Source: FanGraphs Let’s drill down to pitch type for a better understanding of Little’s performance. The table below has the details. His arsenal before August was a knuckle curve (48%), sinker (46%), cutter (5%), and a four-seam fastball (1%). After July, there was a noteworthy change: knuckle curve (39%), sinker (45%), cutter (15%), and four-seamer (1%). From a throwing-strikes perspective, it is understandable why Little reduced his use of the knuckle curve in favour of the cutter. After July, Little’s knuckle curve found the strike zone just 24% of the time, which was surpassed by the in-zone percentage of his cutter (60%). Furthermore, in the post-July period, Little’s cutter had the highest chase rate of his three main pitches, and the knuckle curve’s chase rate fell from 39% before August to 25% after July. Pitch Mix% Whiff% Zone% Swing% In-Zone O-Zone In-Zone O-Zone Knuckle Curve Before August 1 48 56 25 75 69 39 After July 31 39 55 24 76 76 25 Sinker Before August 1 46 36 48 52 49 23 After July 31 45 21 45 55 63 18 Cutter Before August 1 5 32 24 76 64 35 After July 31 15 28 60 40 61 29 2025 MLB 25 51 49 67 28 Source: Baseball Savant Concerning the metrics of his three most-used pitches, the next table shows, from a K% perspective, that only Little’s knuckle curve was elite throughout 2025. Regarding BB%, his knuckle curve’s walk rate spiked to 17.1% after July, and the sinker produced higher-than-average walk rates. An interesting stat is that Little’s post-July sinker K% was zero, despite his throwing it nine times (11% of pitches in two-strike counts). Overall, Little’s sinker was ineffective, mainly because that offering had a minus-9.5 K-BB%, compared to the average reliever's positive 13.5 K-BB%. On a positive note, all three pitches generated lower-than-average barrel/PA rates. K% BB% xwOBA Barrel /PA% K% BB% xwOBA Barrel /PA% Knuckle Curve Cutter Before August 1 55.7 6.6 0.181 3.8 Before August 1 8.3 16.7 0.336 0.0 After July 31 45.7 17.1 0.288 2.9 After July 31 27.3 9.1 0.292 0.0 2025 53.2 9.2 0.207 3.5 2025 17.4 13.0 0.315 0.0 Sinker Before August 1 14.3 20.2 0.373 4.8 After July 31 0.0 16.7 0.354 2.4 2025 9.5 19.0 0.367 4.0 MLB Reliever 22.8 9.3 0.311 5.3 Source: Baseball Savant One last table showing some of Little’s in-zone and out-of-zone metrics. The highlights from this table are as follows: Both in-zone and out-of-zone, batters did not hit for power against Little (better than average xISO numbers). Little’s in-zone K% was near the MLB average. However, while his pre-August 55.0% out-of-zone K% was elite, it was below average after July. Furthermore, Little’s post-July out-of-zone BB% soared to 50.0%. The change in out-of-zone K% and BB% numbers was consistent with the decline in batter chase rates from pre-August (33%) to post-July (22%). Despite Little’s better-than-average xISO, the elevated post-July .403 out-of-zone xwOBA is explained by the K% decline and BB% increase. An interesting factoid is that before August, Little had two walks called despite the pitch being located in the strike zone. xwOBA xISO K% BB% In-Zone O-Zone In-Zone O-Zone In-Zone O-Zone In-Zone O-Zone Before August 1 0.314 0.226 0.167 0.043 16.7 55.0 2.0 24.0 After July 31 0.283 0.403 0.065 0.003 16.9 30.0 0.0 50.0 2025 0.304 0.280 0.137 0.031 16.8 47.5 1.4 31.9 MLB 0.325 0.297 0.208 0.051 16.6 34.2 0.8 23.6 Source: Baseball Savant So far, I have identified three factors that contributed to Little’s performance slip after July. The struggle to locate his pitches in the strike zone. Batters chased Little’s pitches at a lower rate than before August. These two factors contributed to Little’s K-BB% falling from its pre-August heights of 20.4% to a mere 4.5% after July. Continued heavy usage of his sinker, an ineffective pitch (.367 xwOBA). The fourth and last factor that added to Little’s poor post-July performance woes appears to be fatigue. For the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons, including the 16 outings he had in Buffalo in 2024, Little had the fifth-most outings (144) and threw the sixth-most pitches (2,281) among relievers. Furthermore, John Schneider used Little a lot on short rest. For example, Houston’s Steven Okert posted a 2.63 xERA in 68 reliever outings in 2025. Of those outings, 72% (49) occurred on zero to two days' rest, and 49% (33) on less than two days' rest. On the other hand, of Little’s 79 outings, 90% happened on zero to two days' rest (71), and 59% on less than two days' rest (47). Little was a tired lad by the end of the 2025 regular season. Given the four noted factors that contributed to Little’s post-July underperformance, why should one expect Little to return to his pre-August self? Clearly, Little needs to make some changes, which Mitch Bannon of The Athletic discussed with the lefty (and covered in his February 14, 2026, article, Blue Jays bullpen bites: Brendon Little’s lessons, Tyler Rogers to WBC and more). The highlights from the conversation are as follows: Because Little was primarily a two-pitch pitcher, his catchers and opposing hitters knew that he tended to throw the knuckle curve when he was ahead in the count and the sinker when behind. The data support Little’s contention. When he was ahead, Little threw the knuckle curve 81% of the time (he used the sinker and cutter at 13% and 6% rates, respectively). When he was behind in the count, Little used the sinker 66% of the time (he threw the knuckle curve and cutter at 24% and 10% rates, respectively). Accordingly, Little told Bannon that he was adding a four-seam fastball and slider to his arsenal. In two outings this spring training, Little’s pitch mix (52 pitches) has comprised the knuckle curve (28.8%), four-seamer (21.2%), sinker (30.8%), and cutter (19.2%). It is noteworthy that, according to Baseball Savant, Little has not thrown a slider thus far. Hence, if Little can offer more competitive pitches in all count situations, the likelihood of better performance should increase. Furthermore, Little opined that the four-seam fastball and slider are easier to command, which should lower last season’s 15.3% BB%. To address the fatigue issue, Little noted that last season he often threw too many pitches in his pre-game or warmed up too quickly in the bullpen. He plans to conserve energy this season. Also, with Toronto’s addition of Tyler Rogers, and with a full season from Louis Varland, Schneider will have more reliever options, thereby reducing Little’s number of outings and giving him more rest between appearances. The Last Word Little has above-average stuff, which is what makes him so attractive as a pitcher. In 2025, the overall Stuff+ mark was 117, but his Location+ was only 81. If Pete Walker can work his magic, as he did with Robbie Ray, then through the addition of two easier-to-command pitches (four-seamer and slider), Little can hopefully improve his Location+. Nevertheless, one should expect Little to have a relatively high walk rate, but he can lower it to a more competitive level, which, combined with his high K%, should generate a well-above-average K-BB% score. Furthermore, Little has superior barrel/PA numbers, which will lead to a top-tier xERA (all things being equal). Lastly, a less fatigued Little in 2026 should perform better this season. Regarding the question of whether Little can replicate the best part of his 2025 season, the answer is yes. Will he? We will have to see! View the full article

Ceddanne Rafaela had an impressive 2025 that was filled with ups and downs, as the phenomenal defender won his first of what should be many Gold Gloves in center field. However, there were times that let fans rather upset with his inconsistency at the plate. With the loss of Alex Bregman, Rafaela is expected to pick up some of the offense slack as he looks to build off of his 2025 season. Just how much should the fanbase look towards him for anything more than sterling defense? There is no denying that Rafaela is a very streaky hitter when it comes to his offensive capabilities, an effect of his sometimes overly aggressive approach at the plate. While able to cut back on the strikeouts from his rookie season into his sophomore year, Rafaela also managed to increase his walks, even if it was only from 15 to 28 total free passes. Rafaela is one of the freest swingers in all of baseball, putting up a chase rate of 42.2% last season, putting him in the second percentile league-wide. If Rafaela wants to swing, he’s going to. In some at-bats, it will frustrate fans as he’ll sometimes put himself into a hole he can't climb out of. But that streakiness comes with some upside too. Rafaela was one of the best hitters for Boston in June and July as he had 12 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 29 RBIs across 49 games. The offensive spark helped keep the offense afloat as they dealt with an injury to Alex Bregman and the surprise Father’s Day trade of Rafael Devers. Unfortunately, this was the peak of his offensive season, as he appeared to tire down the stretch. In 28 games in August, he hit just .208/.266/.317 with eight doubles, one home run and seven RBIs. Realistically, it might not be best to expect the production Rafaela supplied in June and July for a full season. Last season, it was reported that during the season Rafaela was struggling to keep weight on which could have been a cause of his August drop-off. Should he be able to avoid a similar situation in 2026, the Red Sox centerfielder could possibly be in line for his first 20-20 season in his young career, which would be more than enough to supplement his brilliant glove work. Then again, that's probably a best-case scenario given his tendencies at the plate; while Rafaela could run into huge hot streaks, he has the odds of going on just as long cold spells as showcased across his first two seasons. Should he cut back on his chase rate and continue to improve his patience at the plate, perhaps those numbers could increase even more. Defensively, this is a different story. Fans should expect nothing less than Rafaela’s usual defensive capabilities. The outfielder is just entering his prime, as this will be his age-25 season after posting 22 Outs Above Average and a 22 Fielding Run Value last year, the former being in the 99th percentile. Everything about Rafaela is a positive when it comes to his glove, being near the top of the league in all defensive metrics. Fans should expect the same defensive highlights from him manning center field as his defense will help save games. Rafaela still has some growth and maturity to achieve, but right now he’s in a good situation of being able to bat near the bottom of the order and provide the team with a streaky yet serviceable bat. Fans should expect to see more of the same from Rafaela this time around, with the hope that he improves upon the marginal chase rate improvement (46.4% to 42.2%) he made in 2025. At the very least, there’s no denying that Rafaela is a clutch hitter, as he delivered key hits down the stretch for the Red Sox. Though he may never be an All-Star without a well-timed hot streak, Red Sox fans know a thing or two about the importance of having one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. Rafaela enters 2026 firmly in that camp. View the full article

Trades at the deadline can seem sudden. A contender needs pitching. A rebuilding team moves veterans. In hours, deals are done and players introduced. Yet, most conversations start months before. That was the case for the Twins and Blue Jays last summer. Long before the trade deadline approached, Toronto had already begun checking in with Minnesota about reliever Louis Varland. According to reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Blue Jays began making inquiries roughly three months before the deal was finalized. Minnesota’s front office was assertive in talks. The Twins set a high price, asking for young arms Trey Yesavage and Kendry Rojas. Yesavage, seen as a top Blue Jays pitching prospect, was not available. Still, those talks shaped the final package. At the deadline, Minnesota traded Varland and Ty France to Toronto for outfielder Alan Roden and left-hander Kendry Rojas. The deal is now shaping the Twins' roster decisions in camp. Alan Roden: Pushing for an Opportunity Roden joined as an advanced hitter known for his strike zone control. He quickly became a notable new position player after last year’s deadline and is now poised to make an immediate impact. During spring training, Roden has found himself in the mix for a starting job in the Twins outfield. In his first six spring games, he went 7-for-17 (.412 BA) with a home run, five RBI, and three runs scored. Minnesota's outfield remains unsettled, giving Roden a chance to break in. Even if he starts in the minors, the team sees him as a near-term contributor. Kendry Rojas: A Power Arm with Upside While Roden could help sooner, Rojas may ultimately carry the highest ceiling from the deal. The 23-year-old left-hander has been one of the more talked-about pitchers in Twins camp thanks to a fastball that can reach the upper 90s. The raw stuff has always been enticing, but his development will hinge on improving command. Last year showed more work lies ahead. Rojas struggled in 32 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2025, allowing too many baserunners and posting a 15.9 BB% after the trade. The Twins still see potential for him as a starter and plan to keep developing him there. At the same time, some evaluators see a future in which his power arsenal plays in high-leverage relief situations. If the Twins decide to bring him to the majors later this season, a bullpen role could offer a natural transition. It would allow Rojas to get his first taste of big league competition without completely closing the door on his long-term potential in the rotation. The Varland trade was the product of months of dialogue between two front offices. What started as early-season check-ins eventually turned into a deadline deal that sent a pair of intriguing young players to Minnesota. Spring training has already offered a glimpse of what the Twins might gain from that patience. Roden is fighting for a roster spot in the outfield, while Rojas is flashing the kind of velocity that turns heads around the back fields. Much like many deadline trades, the full impact of this deal may not be known for years. Still, the proactive conversations that began early last season are already shaping the Twins as they prepare for 2026. View the full article

You can never have too much starting pitching. The Brewers have experienced that adage firsthand in each of the last two seasons. Including openers and bullpen games, both the 2024 and 2025 Brewers used 17 different starters during the regular season. Last season, an immediate bout of injuries left them starting Elvin Rodríguez and Tyler Alexander in April. Given that history, the length of Milwaukee’s depth chart entering 2026 is no coincidence. The Brewers are poised to open the regular season with up to 14 capable starting candidates on their 40-man roster. Non-roster arms like Tate Kuehner, Drew Rom, and (eventually) a healthy Gerson Garabito bring the count to 17. Over the winter, the club traded away Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers and lost Jose Quintana to free agency, but it added nearly twice as many starters. Brandon Sproat came over in that Peralta trade, and the club traded its entire big-league depth chart at third base to the Boston Red Sox for southpaws Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan. Meanwhile, Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser worked their way back to full health, and Rom and Gerabito joined waiver claim Sammy Peralta as upper-minors depth. As spring training got underway, it seemed that the organization would have more starters than starts, both in the big leagues and in Triple-A. Matt Arnold welcomed that potential logjam, but did not expect it to arise. “We know we’re going to have injuries,” Arnold said after the Brewers acquired Harrison and Drohan. “You guys saw what we were dealing with at the start of last year, when not everybody’s 100%. That’s going to happen again, and we know that.” It’s not a Brewers-specific trend brought on by an unusual number of injuries. The modern starter works fewer innings, meaning teams need more starters to cover a season. In 2010, 273 pitchers started an MLB game, 74 made at least 30 starts, and 45 pitched at least 200 innings. Last season, there were 369 different starters; 53 made at least 30 starts, and three logged at least 200 innings. “The game today, it takes a lot,” Pat Murphy said last month. “200 innings? Unheard of. It takes a lot. 150 is a lot. So you need depth.” That means clubs must construct rotation mixes of more than six or seven pitchers. Seventeen starters may have seemed like aberrations in back-to-back seasons, but it’s more likely to become the new normal. The Brewers are planning accordingly. “It’s no longer a five-man rotation, all five guys are getting 30 starts,” Murphy said. “That didn’t happen anywhere [in 2025], I don’t think … I don’t think it’s being built to be that way. I think it’s more about, 'Hey, we’re going to use 20 pitchers, and all 20 are going to contribute.' That’s kind of how staffs are being built.” Murphy has also made a spring mantra of reminding media that pitching injuries are seasonal, on which the data back him up. Here's a month-by-month three-year survey of injured list placements, for position players and pitchers, via Baseball Prospectus. The need for that many arms is already playing out as the Brewers anticipated, partially because they're being so cautious to combat the springtime pitching injury risk. Brandon Woodruff purposely slow buildup has him questionable for Opening Day, and Quinn Priester appears likely to begin the year on the injured list due to a nagging wrist injury that has muddied his outlook in camp. That means there could be at least two rotation spots up for grabs. Several of the Brewers’ younger and newer arms have initiated solid bids early in camp. Logan Henderson’s new curveball has looked like a legitimate breaking ball that could add needed balance to his arsenal. Sproat has flashed an extra tick of velocity and turned his short slider into a mid-90s cutter that he can throw in the strike zone as a secondary pitch. A new grip has given Harrison’s kick changeup outlier depth. Drohan induced whiffs on 38.3% of swings in his Cactus League debut. The Brewers didn’t just prepare an emergency plan for hits to their rotation depth; they expected those hits to come. They could quickly be rewarded for that planning. View the full article

With Opening Day quickly approaching, preseason coverage across the baseball media landscape is about tying up loose ends. Nearly every major national outlet has released its farm system rankings for the 2026 season. These offer a snapshot: Where does each organization stand in terms of long-term control over young talent? These lists always combine projection, preference, and philosophy. Some outlets emphasize high-end upside. Others value depth throughout the system. Health history and proximity to the major leagues can also shift how a system is viewed. So can a simple disagreement on a particularly important and high-variance player. All of these factors lead to wide-ranging opinions on the Minnesota Twins organization. Across six prominent outlets, Minnesota lands almost everywhere on the spectrum. Three publications rank the Twins in the top 10; two put them in the middle; and others place them near the bottom third. These differing opinions highlight both the upside and uncertainty that define the organization's prospect pipeline. Why the Twins Would Be Considered Top-10 Three outlets placed the Twins comfortably inside the top 10 systems in baseball. ESPN and Baseball Prospectus both ranked Minnesota eighth overall, while MLB Pipeline slotted the organization ninth. Some of that positive outlook stems from how Minnesota handled last summer’s trade deadline. With the club moving veterans and looking toward the future, the front office used the opportunity to inject new talent into the organization. Those moves brought in several prospects, with five of them now appearing on most of the Twins' Top 30 lists and strengthening the system’s overall depth. Eduardo Tait stands out as the biggest addition from those deals. The young catcher already earned top-100 prospect recognition and gives the organization another potential middle-of-the-lineup bat at a premium position. Kendry Rojas and Hendry Mendez also came over in those trades and now rank in the upper tiers of the system, adding more young position-player talent to the mix. Ryan Gallagher and Enrique Jiménez add depth, increasing the farm system’s value. Still, the system’s ultimate upside hinges on a pair of familiar names. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez remain the most dynamic offensive prospects in the organization. If they can finally string together healthy seasons, both players have the kind of bat that could quickly anchor the next competitive Twins lineup. Why the Twins Would Be Considered Middle-of-the-Pack Not every outlet is quite as bullish. FanGraphs and Baseball America both landed on the same number for Minnesota, ranking the system 12th overall. That placement reflects a system with plenty of intriguing talent, but one that still carries a number of unanswered questions. Minnesota’s 2025 draft class has not had time to significantly influence the rankings. That group includes a low-floor but athletic shortstop in Marek Houston, along with one of the most fascinating upside bets in the entire class in Quentin Young. The Twins also selected Riley Quick, a college arm some evaluators believe has the highest ceiling among pitchers in the draft. Those players could eventually reshape the system. Now, however, they remain largely projections. The other factor keeping Minnesota closer to the middle tier is the health history of several top prospects. When your best players spend significant time on the injured list, evaluators tend to hesitate before pushing the entire system higher. Jenkins starting this season with another balky hamstring won't help matters. Why the Twins Would Be Considered in the Bottom Tier At the other end of the spectrum, The Athletic (in rankings compiled by Keith Law) places the Twins much lower. In those evaluations, Minnesota checks in as the 21st-ranked farm system in baseball. Again, the main concern is health. The Twins would likely rank higher if their top prospects could stay on the field. Two of the organization’s top three prospects have missed multiple seasons with injuries, creating hesitation among evaluators. Even so, the offensive potential remains difficult to ignore. Jenkins and Rodriguez still project as impact bats if they can put together full seasons. Their ceilings alone make it hard to completely write off the system’s upside. Beyond the top names, the Twins system leans toward position players. The second tier includes several pitchers. They offer intrigue, but none are fully established yet. If a few of those arms take a step forward, the system’s perception could change quickly. That outcome will depend on health. For now, the Twins' farm system exists somewhere between potential and proof. The next wave of prospects will determine which side of those rankings ultimately proves correct. How do you feel about Minnesota’s farm system entering the 2026 season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Sunday morning in loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins, was an exciting one as the Dominican Republic, which hit three homers, defeated the Netherlands by a final score of 12-1. Toronto Blue Jays star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a big reason, driving in three runs. Guerrero, who is participating in his first World Baseball Classic, took Netherlands pitcher Eric Mendez deep in the bottom of the third inning to extend the lead, 4-1. The ball left Guerrero's bat at 102.1 mph and went 381 feet to left field. He would finish the night going 2-4 with a home run and three RBI. He drove in the game's first run on an RBI single with a 106.6 mph exit velo. "I feel super happy. When I was touching second base, I began to cry," Guerrero told reporters following the game. "This is just a thing that in this moment I look into the stands, and I see the fans, it's something that makes you want to come out and play, no matter in what mood you are." The 26-year-old first baseman is coming off a 2025 season where he slashed .292/.381/.467/.848 with 23 home runs, 84 RBI, and a 137 wRC+ in 156 games played. In the postseason alone, he hit eight home runs and posted a 1.289 OPS in 18 games. The Blue Jays fell to the Dodgers in the World Series. Guerrero revealed that he was under the weather, unsure if he would play on Sunday, but after looking at the Dominican Republic jersey, he felt like he had to play. "I need to play for my country. I give everything I have for my country, and I'd die on this field for them." It's been just two games so far for the Dominican Republic, but their offense is 21-59 with six home runs, 17 walks, and they are posting a batting average of .356 with a .500 on-base percentage and a 1.212 OPS. They have scored a total of 22 runs. The Dominican Republic will once again take the field on Monday in the noon game, this time against Israel, who will play Nicaragua on Sunday at 7:00 pm. Kevin Barral is on-site in Miami covering the World Baseball Classic for DiamondCentric. View the full article

Sunday's move to daylight saving time not only sprang the clock ahead an hour, but also took the Milwaukee Brewers a step closer to Opening Day. And with that, another round of players being removed from major-league camp. The most notable move announced Sunday was optioning right-hander Coleman Crow to Triple-A Nashville. Two left-handers in camp as non-roster invitees, Tate Kuehner and Drew Rom, were reassigned to minor-league camp. There are 52 players left in camp. Crow, in his first big-league camp since 2023, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels, pitched six innings in three appearances, including one start this spring. He posted a 4.50 ERA with no walks and three strikeouts. The 25-year-old, acquired in December 2023 in a trade for right-hander Adrian Houser and center fielder Tyrone Taylor after having Tommy John surgery, was a long shot to make the Brewers' starting rotation this spring, but is likely to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. Crow made 10 of his 12 starts in 2025 at Double-A Biloxi, with the other two at Triple-A Nashville. At Biloxi, he had a 2.51 ERA in 43 innings, walking eight and striking out 52. He had a 7.71 ERA in his two starts with the Sounds. Kuehner turned a few heads in his two spring appearances, striking out four over three scoreless innings. He had a 2.51 ERA in 21 starts at Biloxi in 2025, and a 5.59 ERA in two Nashville starts. Rom struck out six and walked four in 3⅓ innings over three appearances for a 2,70 ERA. View the full article

Sunday's move to daylight saving time not only sprang the clock ahead an hour, but also took the Milwaukee Brewers a step closer to Opening Day. And with that, another round of players being removed from major-league camp. The most notable move announced Sunday was optioning right-hander Coleman Crow to Triple-A Nashville. Two left-handers in camp as non-roster invitees, Tate Kuehner and Drew Rom, were reassigned to minor-league camp. There are 52 players left in camp. Crow, in his first big-league camp since 2023, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels, pitched six innings in three appearances, including one start this spring. He posted a 4.50 ERA with no walks and three strikeouts. The 25-year-old, acquired in December 2023 in a trade for right-hander Adrian Houser and center fielder Tyrone Taylor after having Tommy John surgery, was a long shot to make the Brewers' starting rotation this spring, but is likely to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. Crow made 10 of his 12 starts in 2025 at Double-A Biloxi, with the other two at Triple-A Nashville. At Biloxi, he had a 2.51 ERA in 43 innings, walking eight and striking out 52. He had a 7.71 ERA in his two starts with the Sounds. Kuehner turned a few heads in his two spring appearances, striking out four over three scoreless innings. He had a 2.51 ERA in 21 starts at Biloxi in 2025, and a 5.59 ERA in two Nashville starts. Rom struck out six and walked four in 3⅓ innings over three appearances for a 2,70 ERA. View the full article

The designated hitter role could be more fluid for the Twins than it first appears. With Josh Bell and Trevor Larnach both likely to rotate through the spot, the numbers suggest the decision might come down to which alignment gets the most out of their bats. A closer look at their splits reveals why the DH spot could be one of the more interesting lineup decisions this season. View the full article

You've heard it plenty of times: spring training performance doesn't matter. That's mostly true, but it doesn't mean we can't draw meaningful conclusions from the games, and the decisions that go into them. I find myself paying attention more to the names on the lineup card than the stats next to them in the box score. Who's getting in-game reps at which positions? Which pitchers are entering earlier in games, and getting a chance to face more legitimate big-league competition? Who's being stretched out and who's tracking toward shorter relief stints? These usage trends can offer real insight into the team's plans for when the games start mattering, especially as the regular season draws closer and the preparation ramps up. We're more than halfway through the spring schedule, with 17 games down (including the unofficial exhibitions against the Gophers and Team Puerto Rico) and 16 to go (including the "Spring Breakout" prospect showcase). Here's how the starts have been allotted so far at each position, along with a few thoughts on what to make of each. Catcher Ryan Jeffers: 7x Victor Caratini: 5x Alex Jackson: 4x Noah Cardenas: 1x No surprises here. Jeffers is expected to get the bulk of a timeshare, with Caratini starting every third game or so. The big question, of course, is whether the Twins will be able to stash Jackson in Triple-A by passing him through waivers at the end of camp. The depth drop-off to Cardenas is pretty steep. First Base Josh Bell: 8x Eric Wagaman: 4x Kody Clemens: 2x Victor Caratini: 2x Aaron Sabato: 1x I've been operating under the loose assumption that Clemens would get a majority of time at first base, where he played regularly in the second half last year, but this makes me question that. Bell has been the, ah, bell cow at this position after making just 32 of his 129 starts at first base last year with Washington. Maybe it's just a matter of the Twins feeling like they know what they have in Clemens at first? Second Base Kody Clemens: 7x
 Luke Keaschall: 6x Tristan Gray: 2x Orlando Arcia: 1x Kaelen Culpepper: 1x This certainly catches my eye. Clemens has started more games at second than even Keaschall, who figures to be the everyday starter. He's being evaluated as the top backup, but I can't imagine he'll be starting or even subbing in here often if Keaschall's healthy. Which raises the question: how is Clemens going to find his way into the lineup? Not at third base apparently... Third Base Royce Lewis: 5x Gio Urshela: 5x Eric Wagaman: 2x Tristan Gray: 2x Orlando Arcia: 1x Ryan Kreidler: 1x Jake Rucker: 1x Lewis missed a bit of time with a minor health hiccup, opening up more opportunities to assess the depth behind him. Six other players have started a game at third base this spring, and very notably, none of them are Clemens. He's listed right behind Lewis on the depth charts at FanGraphs and even the team's official site, but there's no actual evidence that the Twins have any interest in playing him at the hot corner. If he's not an option at third and not starting at least semi-regularly at first, you really have to wonder what utility Clemens is bringing to this roster. Shortstop Brooks Lee: 9x Orlando Arcia: 4x Tristan Gray: 2x Ryan Kreidler: 2x This tracks. Lee is going to be the everyday starter, if healthy, and the other three are competing for an infield bench spot behind him. (Which apparently will also involve being the top backup at third?) Arcia, who's also gotten starts at second and third, could have the insight track. Or maybe the Twins are just feeling more urgency to take a long look, since Kreidler and Gray have minor-league options. Left Field Austin Martin: 6x Trevor Larnach: 5x Alan Roden: 2x Emmanuel Rodriguez: 2x Gabriel Gonzalez: 1x Luke Keaschall: 1x Striking to see Martin getting so many starts here, even against right-handed pitchers. He's almost certainly going to make the roster and he might be more of a regular in left than people are expecting. Martin definitely does bring something different to the lineup when he's in it. I'm a little stunned that James Outman has not made one single start in left field this spring. Center Field James Outman: 5x Byron Buxton: 4x Alan Roden: 3x Austin Martin: 2x Ryan Kreidler: 1x Walker Jenkins: 1x Emmanuel Rodriguez: 1x To make room for them on the roster, the Twins need Outman or Roden to be viable options in center, so it makes sense they've been the top recipients of playing time with Buxton away for the WBC. They'd love it if they could count on Martin there in a pinch, though he seems more stretched than others. Fun to get a glimpse of the future with Jenkins and Rodriguez. Right Field Matt Wallner: 7x Alan Roden: 4x James Outman: 2x Trevor Larnach: 2x Ryan Kreidler: 1x Gabriel Gonzalez: 1x With Martin getting the largest share of starts in left field, Outman and Roden have mixed more often in center and right. A sign of things to come in the regular season? This will be interesting to keep an eye on since my assumption has been that Wallner would be out in almost every day. I have a hard time believing the Twins prefer Larnach in left to Wallner in right. Designated Hitter Larnach: 2x Bell: 2x Wallner: 2x Buxton: 2x Urshela: 2x Caratini: 1x Jeffers: 1x Lewis: 1x Keaschall: 1x Rodriguez: 1x Gonzalez: 1x Mendez: 1x Tough to draw any real conclusions here since the DH position has mostly been used to give guys a partial day off. The position does figure to see a fair amount of day-to-day change during the season, with Bell and Larnach both factoring prominently. The way that actually shakes out will have a big influence on left field and first base. What do you make of Derek Shelton's spring lineup decisions so far? Let us know. We'll check back in next week with an update, as well as some notes on pitcher usage as the decisions start to carry more weight. View the full article

MIAMI, FL—For a second straight day, a Miami Marlin has homered in the World Baseball Classic. On Friday, it was from an unexpected source: Venezuela's Javier Sanoja. On Saturday, a more traditional power hitter did the honors. Canada's Owen Caissie hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning off of Colombia pitcher Austin Bergner. "Give the boys a little push start. It never really hurts. And really just get on the board first in these tournaments really matters," Caissie said following the game. Caissie hit it 403 feet with an exit velocity of 99.7 mph. Otto Lopez started alongside Caissie, hitting fifth and playing shortstop. Lopez went 0-for-3 and worked a walk. In the bottom of the third inning, he was hit by a pitch in the right wrist area, but remained in for the rest of the game. Canada defeated Colombia by a final score of 8-2. Jakob Marsee and Italy played their first game of the tournament, defeating Brazil by a final score of 8-0. Marsee, who led off and played center field, went 0-for-4, working a walk and scoring a run. In Great Britain's second game, Ian Lewis Jr. went 0-for-2 with a walk in their 9-1 loss against the United States. Team USA starter Tarik Skubal struck Lewis out. The 23-year-old Bahamian continues to be used at shortstop. Entering Sunday's slate, the only Marlins on WBC rosters who have not appeared in games are Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic), Agustín Ramírez (Dominican Republic) and Liam Hicks (Canada). View the full article

"It's 'yes' or 'no' from pitch to pitch," Pat Murphy said. He waited almost a full fortnight into Cactus League play before putting an ABS challenge system strategy into action for his team, but the activation was not the slow turn of a dimmer dial. It was a hard flick of the switch. Beginning Thursday afternoon at Salt River Fields, Brewers batters no longer had free rein to feel out the system and test-drive it at their leisure. Two Brewers coaches were assigned to use colored cards to signal whether the situation justified a challenge on a borderline call or not, and every player in the lineup was expected to heed the signals. One day later, the league had issued a hard flick of its own, thwarting that particular version of dugout-to-player communication on the premise that it falls outside the spirit of the new structure. Players are supposed to make challenge decisions without the help of the dugout; that's been one of the key principles of the system since the league began testing it in the minor leagues. It's a flimsy and misbegotten prohibition, though, and it will have little effect. The Brewers' system wasn't in place to tell batters (or catchers) to challenge or not; it was just a way to communicate when a challenge is contextually appropriate. There are really two layers to every challenge decision, which is the major source of complexity in this new system. A player has to quickly gauge their own confidence that a call that went against them was wrong, but then, they also have to figure out whether the count, base-out situation and game state dictate that flipping that call is worth the risk of a failed (and thereby lost) challenge. The card system was one of several possible ways to quickly tell players whether they had the go-ahead to issue a challenge based on all those factors beyond the question of their confidence about having been wronged. In that sense, it doesn't really violate the spirit of the new rule. Communicating that information to players also isn't something the league will have any luck preventing teams from doing. Banning cards from dugout railings will stop players from being able to do a quick check after a call and before a challenge, but the team can still relay signals to the batter via the base coaches that contain that information, before each pitch. The league won't be able to prove that's what any team is doing, and even if they could, they shouldn't care. So, despite an early setback, the wheels of the Milwaukee ABS Challenge Machine are in motion. Murphy described a "huge" session in his office Thursday to devise the plan, which goes much, much deeper than signal cards, anyway. "We probably had one, two, three, four, five R&D guys in here with our baseball staff, saying, 'How are we gonna present this?'" Murphy said. "'Does this make sense?' 'What are you worried about from a strategy standpoint?' 'Here's what we're worried about from an implementation standpoint.'" Murphy said the hope and expectation is for hitters (especially) to learn when challenges make sense or not themselves, anyway, rather than relying on any guidance from the bench. He also emphasized that, even if the league had allowed cards in the dugouts, the system was bound to become "way more complicated than [yes or no]." "I don't want to reveal our strategy," Murphy said, but "The key is not to lose challenges early, but it's also not to have challenges left at the end of the game." That's the delicate balance all teams will have to learn to strike, and by forcing players to make their decisions about whether to challenge in the heat of battle on the field, the league is compelling them to become a high-functioning collaborative organism. Each player has to attune themselves to the variables that determine whether a given call is a good challenge or not, including things far beyond how strongly they feel that the umpire was wrong. Maxfield Lane and Owen Riley, who work together under the name Oyster Analytics, developed an app that models all those variables and the resulting changes within a game, with startling results. Say Sal Frelick takes the first pitch of the game, a good two inches off the outside corner. Should he challenge? The answer is clear: No. The odds that Frelick saw the ball well enough and will win his challenge are roughly 5:3, which isn't bad. Given the count (0-0; a pitch either way matters, but isn't decisive), the score (by definition, 0-0), the lack of anyone on base, and the long time left in the game, the Oyster model estimates that he'd need to be more like 9:1 certain to make the challenge worthwhile. Now, however, imagine that it's the sixth inning, with the tying run on second base and two outs, in a 2-2 count. It's a no-brainer again, but going the other way. The yellow borders in each of these visuals show you the rough boundaries outside which a batter should challenge, given all the variables plugged in. That's the break-even boundary. Here, even if Frelick were only about 20% sure he was right, he should issue the challenge. Though these are two relatively extreme examples, they're far from the most extreme. There are cases in which the same two pitches can demand even more obvious 'yes' or 'no' challenge decisions—and there are also plenty in which it's something very close to a toss-up. Look what happens if there are runners on the corners with nobody out in a tie game, in the third inning, with a 2-1 count on the batter and just one challenge remaining, rather than two. This is why the Brewers tried to start with a simplistic binary—not to effectively simulate their plan for the season ahead, but to begin the long learning process that will prove inevitable. Murphy has talked multiple times about not wanting to put too much into hitters' heads as they go to the plate, and this system threatens to do that almost constantly. Each player will need to learn to intuit some of these variables' impacts, so they don't have to compute them as they make decisions in the box. Otherwise, they won't be sufficiently focused on their actual task: hitting. So much, too, will depend on the keystone skill of every hitter: vision. "It still comes down to the players, which is what I love about the rule," Murphy said. "It comes down to the players dictating it. They have to become really efficient, at knowing situations and—more importantly—at knowing what is a strike. First, what is a strike in the heart of the plate, and what is a strike when the ball is actually one [ball's width] on, or what's not a strike that's actually one ball off, or way off?" On Feb. 28, long before Murphy was ready to implement a system team-wide, the club lost both of their challenges in the first inning. In his typically wry form, Murphy said he wished he "could have tased some of them, when they do that," but the prime directive of the early Cactus League games was for players to get a feel for the system by practicing. That plate vision comes from sheer acuity, but also from a good approach and a proper plan. Calibrating it, however, requires focused practice. The Trajekt machine is a vital tool for that development and calibration. Though multiple Brewers hitters expressed some skepticism about it in their own experience, Murphy is insistent that Trajekt is the only way (other than live reps) to steadily gain a better sense of the edges of the zone, especially vertically. In addition to being programmed to deliver pitches that mimic those of any pitcher a batter might face, that machine allows the operator to set the specified strike zone of each batter, so players can practice discerning when the ball is (and isn't) in their new, unique zone. Murphy and the Brewers will give greater leeway to hitters who show facility with the zone both in games and in practice settings than to those who consistently lose challenges or seem to make poor swing decisions when they let the system factor into their at-bats too much. Trajekt can inform that, but so can data the Brewers have on players' responses to the ball, which aren't publicly available—or, in some cases, even well-understood by the players themselves. Using early hand movements as proxies, the team can estimate when hitters tend to see the ball and how early they make their swing decisions against certain pitcher types—based on handedness and arm slot, especially. That data can be used to coach players, but it can also be used as a scouting/grading tool—and to help them decide how free the player's hand should be to issue challenges. The front office, the coaching staff and the players themselves will be in constant communication throughout the season. The ABS system will be a subject in most pre-series hitter meetings and a constant source of feedback from the analytics team to Murphy and company. It will change the game too much not to work strenuously to do well with it, for a team that relies on winning on the margins. Doing that will mean a patient (but urgent), collaborative and comprehensive embrace of complexity. View the full article

Walker Jenkins is the crown jewel of the Minnesota Twins organization. Ranked as the Twins’ top prospect and the 14th overall prospect in the latest MLB Pipeline Top 100, Jenkins has quickly established himself as one of the most intriguing young players in baseball. So let’s not bury the lead: Walker Jenkins will be the 2026 American League Rookie of the Year. It won't happen because of a lack of competition; the American League is loaded with incoming talent. Samuel Basallo headlines Baltimore’s next wave. Cleveland’s Travis Bazzana and Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle bring advanced contact skills and polished offensive approaches. Carter Jensen made noise in September with Kansas City. On the pitching side, Boston features high-upside arms in Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, while Toronto’s Trey Yesavage turned heads with a dominant postseason run. There will be no shortage of legitimate candidates. Jenkins won’t win the award on reputation alone. But Rookie of the Year isn’t awarded for prospect rankings. It’s earned through everyday opportunity and immediate, bankable production. And that’s where Jenkins’ profile becomes especially compelling. His offensive game is built for sustainability. He controls the strike zone and he doesn’t rely on one primary tool that has to carry his entire profile. He doesn’t need a 10-homer heater to stay relevant in the race. Instead, his value shows up in quieter ways: competitive at-bats, line drives into the gaps, not chasing out of the zone, and steady defense in the outfield. In the grind of a baseball season, that kind of consistency matters. Opportunity is the other half of this equation. Outfield depth rarely survives a full season untouched. If someone like Byron Buxton misses time, the Twins will need a reliable everyday option. Jenkins will be firmly in that conversation alongside Emmanuel Rodriguez. The difference is stylistic. Rodriguez offers loud power but comes with more swing-and-miss risk. Jenkins is beyond his years as a pure hitter, making him easier to insert into a lineup without living with extreme volatility. For a team trying to win games in the middle of an up-for-grabs division, that stability may be just what the Twins are looking for. Jenkins is close enough to the majors that he won’t feel rushed. He’s polished enough that he won’t look overwhelmed. And he’s well-rounded enough that even modest across-the-board production becomes extremely valuable over a full season of at-bats. The statistical foundation supports that projection. At Double-A in 2025, Jenkins hit .309 with a .426 on-base percentage across 235 plate appearances. More importantly, he showcased growth. His walk rate climbed to 14.5 percent, reflecting a hitter who was adjusting as pitchers adjusted to him. That type of development is what you want to see from a future impact bat. The late-season promotion to Triple-A presented a tougher challenge. Across 101 plate appearances, he hit .242 with a .324 on-base percentage, collecting nine extra-base hits and four stolen bases. His strikeout rate ticked up, marking the only stop in his minor league career where swing-and-miss became a noticeable storyline. For a 20-year-old facing older, more experienced pitching, simply holding his own at that level is encouraging. It wasn’t dominance, but it didn’t need to be. It was exposure to the final layer of adjustments before the big leagues. And here’s the key: he doesn’t need to overhaul anything to win this award. He just needs incremental improvement. If Jenkins trims his swing rate slightly and forces pitchers to attack him, his on-base skills could jump another tier. His power likely settles in the 15-20 home run range in the short term. That may not scream “superstar,” but paired with a strong average, power to the gaps, and competent defense, it creates a player who contributes in multiple ways every single night. Rookie of the Year campaigns often reward players who are ready, not just electric. There will be rookies in 2026 with louder tools. There will be stretches where a young pitcher strings together six dominant starts and captures the spotlight. There will be power surges that drive headlines for a month. But over the course of a season, steady production accumulates. Quality at-bats add up. Defensive reliability builds trust. Managers keep writing the same name into the lineup card. Jenkins’ game is built on that kind of trust. His track record shows a hitter who adjusts quickly and rarely lets one rough stretch spiral. In a race that will likely feature plenty of upside and volatility, his steady, well-rounded profile might ultimately be what separates him. He doesn’t have to be perfect. He simply has to be what he has consistently been throughout his minor league career: a mature, adaptable hitter with a clear runway to everyday at-bats. That combination of tools plus opportunity is powerful. And in 2026, it’s going to put Walker Jenkins at the front of the American League Rookie of the Year conversation. View the full article

Kansas City Royals reliever Luinder Avila wasn't supposed to be in loanDepot park. In fact, the Royals didn't originally approve Avila to play in the World Baseball Classic, but after Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez underwent Tommy John surgery, the Royals and the Caracas native had a conversation and eventually agreed that he could replace Lopez's spot. "In November, Omar (Lopez) called Kansas City, and they were in conversations, but Kansas City said no," Avila said in Spanish. "Up until the end of spring training, the team called me to the office, and when Pablo got hurt, they told me that Venezuela still wanted me on the team. They had their meetings and decided that I would be in the World Baseball Classic." In his World Baseball Classic debut against the Netherlands, Avila went two innings, allowing one run (unearned) on one hit, walked three, and struck out two. That marked Avila's World Baseball Classic debut. His two strikeout victims were Chadwick Tromp and Druw Jones. Avila's fastball topped out at 96.6 mph and generated three whiffs, all with his curveball. "They put me in the game when it was 2-1, so I just wanted to keep the game right there," Avila said. "I wanted to give the guys a chance to hit. Simply, I didn't try to do too much, just be myself and try to get outs." Venezuela still has games against Israel and Nicaragua before facing the Dominican Republic, which many are considering the biggest game of the tournament. It is unclear if Avila will be pitching in that game, but he does expect a packed house on March 11. "We just need both sides to do their job and may the best team win," Avilas said. The Royals called up Avila to make his MLB debut in August of 2025, and in 13 games pitched, he posted a 1.29 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 10.29 K/9, and 3.86 BB/9 in 14.0 innings pitched. "I'd say it was perfect," Avila said regarding his first stint in the majors. "I had a month that I wish I could have all the time and perform the way I did. I came in relief during my major league stint after being a starting pitcher in the minor leagues for the past eight years, and I'd say I did very well, but I can always do better." It is unclear whether Avila will pitch again in the World Baseball Classic, but when it comes to Avila in 2026, expect him to compete for a starting rotation job, and if he doesn't get that, he can be a major piece out of the bullpen, helping out in a multi-inning relief role. Kevin Barral is on-site in Miami covering the World Baseball Classic for DiamondCentric. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have announced their 40-man Spring Breakout Roster pool. Before it is trimmed down to the official roster later in March, here is your crash course on all things Kaelen Culpepper (former first-rounder), top backstop Eduardo Tait, Connor Prielipp, and Riley Quick. View the full article