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Spring training is now in full swing, and almost every player has had an opportunity to get at-bats or innings pitched. Which players have stood out with good or bad performances over the past few games? As a reminder, don't read too much into spring training performances. Sample sizes are small, competition levels vary, and players may be working on specific adjustments that don't necessarily translate to traditional stats. This post is only meant to inform and summarize what has happened in the past few games. Who’s Hot? 🔥 First of all, check out a post from yesterday to see which three non-roster invitee hitters are making their case in Royals camp with hot starts this spring. Jac Caglianone Caglianone has started hot this spring with a .400 average and a 1.283 OPS. He is starting to show signs of increased plate discipline with three walks in his four plate appearances on Saturday against the Rockies. With below average walk and chase rates last season, already having five walks is a good sign for Caglianone’s plate discipline heading into the 2026 season. He is also seeing the ball well and hitting it hard when he makes contact. Caglianone has five hard-hit balls in his last two games, including a 120.2 mph double on Friday against the Diamondbacks. For perspective, only two balls were hit harder in all of MLB last season. If Caglianone can sustain his excellent batted ball skills with an improvement in plate discipline, then he is showing the traits of a true middle-of-the-order bat. Michael Massey Massey is also off to a hot start with a Spring batting average so far of .538 and an OPS of 1.446. He has successfully reached base five times in his last two appearances while only striking out once. His average exit velocity in those two games was 92.26 mph, which is up from his average exit velocity of 87.5 mph last season. Massey is positioning himself for a larger share of playing time at second base over Jonathan India, who is so far not off to a great start this spring. If he can return to his 2024 form, which was cut short by injury, he will make manager Matt Quatraro face a tough decision about who to give the majority of the innings at second base. Cole Ragans Ragans made his first appearance of spring on Saturday against the Rockies, pitching two innings with three strikeouts while only allowing one hit and one hit batter. The Rockies hitters also struggled to make contact with Ragans, inducing 11 whiffs in his two innings. He allowed some hard hits when the batters were able to make contact with three hard hits in his four batted balls. His fastball averaged 97.0 mph and topped off at 98 mph, which is definitely a positive sign following his injuries last season. His pitch mix appeared balanced, with both his slider and changeup also grading well with Stuff+ over 100. His only pitch that did not grade well was his knuckle curve, which he only threw twice and allowed his lone single on. With this level of performance, Ragans showed that he should be the ace of this rotation if he can stay healthy. Who’s Not? 🧊 Carlos Estevez Estevez showed worrying signs in his second appearance this spring. He allowed two hits, one of which was a home run, and two earned runs in one inning against the Athletics on Friday. Including his first appearance on Tuesday, he has allowed four earned runs on four hits (three home runs) and eight hard-hit balls. Opposing batters are squaring up the ball at an alarming rate against Estevez. Estevez has also yet to throw a pitch faster than 89 mph, which is a very worrying sign from the player whom everyone had locked in as the closer at the end of the Royals’ bullpen. Statcast data shows that Estevez has not yet thrown a fastball this spring, but reports indicate that his fastball is registering as a changeup due to its lower velocity so far. In previous seasons, his fastball has needed time to ramp up, but these are still worrying measurements. The Royals will certainly hope that this is a case of ramping up rather than regression. If his fastball velocity does not increase, then the Royals will have reason to worry. Isaac Collins Collins got his first hit, a double, on Sunday against the Brewers, ending an 0-8 spell with four strikeouts. His batted balls have also not been particularly hard-hit, with an average exit velocity of 87.26 mph, a slight drop-off from his 88.8 mph average in 2025. There is still plenty of time for Collins to hit his stride this spring. Being slated to be the starting left fielder after being traded this offseason, there will be pressure to produce, since the position was a major weakness for the Royals last season. Collins’ start this spring was delayed since he received injections in both knees this offseason to address patella tendinitis that he was dealing with at the end of last year. While there is plenty of time this spring for Collins to hit his stride, his fitness will be something to keep an eye on moving forward. Salvador Perez Perez was featured a week ago as a player who had a strong start to spring, but he has since gone quiet this spring. Perez appeared on both Friday and Saturday and hit a combined 0-4 with a walk. He also failed to register a batted ball of at least 95 mph in his four at-bats. Perez will soon head off to the World Baseball Classic to captain Team Venezuela. The Royals will hope that his meaningful at-bats at the WBC will help him regain his form and return to the Royals at full form. View the full article

Despite all that's happened over the last 19 months, the Twins intend to compete for playoff spots—not just in the future, but this season. Owner Tom Pohlad was so clear on that imperative that he was willing to lose president of baseball operations Derek Falvey over it. That makes the situation surrounding Pablo López one of the more fascinating long-term decisions the front office will face in the coming months. López will miss the entire 2026 season following Tommy John surgery. It will be the second such procedure of his career; the first came more than a decade ago. When he returns, the calendar will read 2027, which also happens to be the final season of the four-year extension he signed after Minnesota acquired him. The Twins got López from the Miami Marlins in the Jan. 2023 trade that sent Luis Arraez to Miami. Since that deal, he has been everything Minnesota hoped for at the top of its rotation. Across three seasons, he posted a 3.68 ERA with elite underlying numbers, including a 26.8 K%, 5.8 BB%, and a ground ball rate north of 43%. ERA estimators SIERA and FIP suggest he was even better than the surface-level production indicates. His 2025 campaign looked like another step forward before injuries began to pile up. López opened the year with a 2.82 ERA through 11 starts, before a Grade 2 teres major strain in early June cost him roughly three months. He returned in September for three sharp outings before finishing the season on the injured list with a minor forearm strain. Minnesota acknowledged at the time that López could have pitched through the issue, had the club been in a playoff race. With the season already lost, however, they chose to play things safe. Unluckily, it didn't matter. Now, the Twins must decide whether to wait for proof of health in 2027 or take a more proactive approach. A recent blueprint exists. The Cleveland Guardians worked out a short-term deal with Shane Bieber that guaranteed him $10 million for 2025, with a $16 million player option for 2026 and a $4 million buyout. The structure allowed Cleveland to maintain upside if Bieber returned to form, while also giving the pitcher financial security as he rehabbed. Bieber was traded to the Blue Jays last summer and exercised his player option in the fall. Minnesota could pursue something similar for López that covers the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Pros of Extending López Financial security for the player matters. A new deal would protect López against the uncertainty that comes with returning from a second Tommy John, while also rewarding someone widely viewed as one of the team’s most respected leaders. From the club’s perspective, there's an opportunity to buy low. Extending him now rather than after a successful return could result in surplus value if he regains his pre-injury form. There's also an element of organizational culture to consider. Extending a player who has embraced the organization both on and off the field would reinforce the message that performance and leadership are valued internally. For an ownership group that has talked about competing annually, backing López would be a tangible sign of that commitment. Cons of Extending López There's an obvious medical risk tied to any pitcher returning from a second elbow reconstruction. Minnesota would be committing future payroll to a player who will be 22 months removed from their last prolonged period of health and availability when next season begins. Waiting until he proves healthy in 2027 may provide more clarity, even if it comes at a higher price. In the meantime, the Twins will need to allocate resources elsewhere across a roster that already has several key contributors approaching arbitration raises or free agency. Still, this is the type of decision that reveals how an organization views its competitive timeline. If the Twins believe their window to contend remains open beyond the next two seasons, then extending López now could stabilize the top of the rotation for years to come—while supporting a player who has become one of the franchise’s most trusted voices. Should the Twins approach López with an extension? Does the Bieber extension fit a potential López deal? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

On Sunday, the Dominican Republic held its first team practice at loanDepot park ahead of the World Baseball Classic, set to begin on Wednesday, March 4, when Chinese Taipei and Australia face off in the Tokyo Dome. The biggest story for this team, led by manager Albert Pujols, is San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, who was named captain for the Dominican Republic. This will mark Machado’s third WBC, participating with the DR in 2017 and 2023, two years in which they were not able to win it all. He is coming off a season with the Padres in which he slashed .275/.335/.460/.795 with 27 home runs, 95 RBI, and a 123 wRC+. In the last World Baseball Classic, Machado played in four games, going 4-17 with two home runs and four RBI. The Dominican Republic could not make it past the pool play round, going down as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament. “I don’t even think about that,” Machado told reporters. “That’s all in the past. We are thinking about the team that we have right now and just play our game.” Machado mentioned multiple times how much of an honor it will be to represent the Dominican Republic for a third time in the tournament, but noted that “the most important thing is to win.” “That is what we in the clubhouse want,” Machado said. “At the end of the day, that is the most important thing.” The Dominican Republic will play two exhibition games in Santo Domingo, with Luis Severino starting game one and Brayan Bello starting the second game. Both games will be against the Detroit Tigers. “That’s going to be something special,” Machado said. “I don’t even have words to explain what that moment will be like. I think a lot of people are going to be happy about it. To play in front of fans who always support us, who may not have the chance to watch us here in the United States and play in front of them, it’s something special.” Pool D play will begin on Friday, March 6, with the Dominican Republic playing in the night game at 7:00 pm against Nicaragua. For the DR, it’ll be Christopher Sanchez taking the mound, and for Nicaragua, Erasmo Ramirez will start. View the full article

Identifying the top prospects in a thin farm system such as the San Diego Padres' is as difficult as choosing from the prospects in a deep system. In each case, lots of hair-splitting happens as players are assigned spots. San Diego team president and general manager A.J. Preller cleared out the pipeline last summer in his deadline trades for Mason Miller, Ramon Laureano, Ryan O'Hearn and Freddy Fermin. Top prospect Leo De Vries led the group of players who were shipped out. It's time to list the best of what's left. Here's a look at the first set of prospects in Padres Mission's 2026 preseason Top 20 ranking -- the players ranked 16th through 20th. These rankings were voted on by the writers. 20. Francis Pena, RHP (El Paso Chihuahuas) Pena, 25, was ranked 17th on this list at the end of 2025, but his Triple-A numbers pushed him to the bottom of this list. ERA FIP xFIP IP G GS SV BS K% BB% K-BB% HR/9 SwStr% Whiff% WHIP BABIP LOB% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB 4.99 5.23 5.50 52.1 43 0 0 4 19.8 14.3 5.5 0.69 10.3 28.1 1.61 .307 65.9 20.5 55.6 23.8 38.9 11.1 The Dominican-born reliever appeared to be on a fast track after his 2024 season that saw him speed through three levels. But he stalled at El Paso and spent the entire 2025 season there. The regression showed up in his walk rate (26th percentile of Triple-A pitchers) and strikeout rate (33rd percentile). But there was some deep red, too, namely in exit velocity allowed (83rd percentile) and hard-hit rate (76th percentile). He kept the ball in the yard, allowing just four home runs. That helped the FIP, but it was still ugly at 5.23. Pena relies on a hard sinker and slider that are delivered from a 44.5-degree arm angle. The sinker averaged 95.4 mph, 11 inches of arm-side run, and five inches of vertical break last year. The slider clocked in at 87.3 mph and had little depth. Those two pitches made up 86.6 percent of his arsenal. He mixed in a four-seamer (94.7 mph) and cutter (89.3 mph) the rest of the time. (Stats per Prospect Savant.) He showed enough to earn a non-roster invite to spring training for a second consecutive year, but a return to El Paso in 2026 seemed inevitable because of the Padres' bullpen depth. 19. Eric Yost, RHP (Fort Wayne TinCaps, San Antonio Missions) Yost, 23, cracks the top 20 three years after being drafted by the Padres in the 17th round out of Northeastern University. He earned the spot with a breakout at High-A that earned him a late-season promotion to Double-A. ERA FIP xFIP IP G GS SV BS K% BB% K-BB% HR/9 SwStr% Whiff% WHIP BABIP LOB% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB 3.75 3.92 4.09 124.2 25 25 0 0 20.8 11.0 9.8 0.43 8.5 -- 1.40 .305 68.3 23.7 50.0 26.3 24.7 6.5 He made eight starts for San Antonio, and his stats there showed that the move challenged him. Contact and pull rates were higher than what he allowed in the Midwest League, and the swing rate decreased. He struggled badly with command as he faced better hitters, posting 26 strikeouts to 27 walks in 37 1/3 innings. That underwater ratio contributed to a 5.00 FIP (5.79 xFIP). Inconsistency was another problem; his first two Double-A starts were excellent, but five of his last six were poor. Overall, two splits stood out: Left-handed batters' OPS against him was 95 points higher than what right-handed batters produced, and opponents' OPS with runners on base was 110 points higher than their OPS with the bases empty (all splits via Baseball Reference). One thing in his favor: left-handed hitters' OPS was inflated by a .353 BABIP, a sign bad luck was involved. Yost's fastball sits in the low-to-mid-90s, but his combination of curve and slider/sweeper are graded highly by Prospect Savant. If he can't get his velocity higher, his pitchability will need to be elite. 18. Deivid Coronil, 3B/SS (Padres Gold) Coronil, 18, is one of eight players in our top 20 who made their professional debuts in 2025. The Venezuela native was a highly sought-after January international free agent. San Diego landed him with a $900,000 signing bonus. MLB.com ranked him 35th in its international prospects top 50. A few months after signing, he saw regular action with Padres Gold in the Dominican Summer League. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% SB CS SB% 174 26 2 1 0 .542 56 .306 27.0 12.1 20.5 -- 57.6 27.2 15.2 18.4 43.7 37.9 8 0 100.0 A big part of his appeal is his reputation as an elite fielder. MLB.com has already assigned him a 65 field grade on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. His four errors in 14 games at shortstop and eight errors in 27 games at third base last year look like the work of a young player at the start of his pro career. His arm, run and hit grades are listed at 50 each, and his power grade is 35. The slug could emerge once he grows into his body; he's listed as 6-3 and 162 pounds. And his running grade might be a bit low after his 8-for-8 on steal attempts. The Padres are famous for rushing young prospects through their system, but they might need to be patient with Coronil after a middling debut. 17. Truitt Madonna, C (Lake Elsinore Storm) Madonna is another of the 2025 debutants in the top 20. He was chosen by the Padres in the 11th round of the July draft out of Ballard High School in Seattle. The club gave him a $654,000 signing bonus, more than four times above slot, to break his commitment to UCLA. A strong showing in the spring-summer MLB Draft League boosted his stock. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% SB CS SB% 60 10 3 1 0 .544 55 .270 38.3 10.0 18.6 -- 23.3 23.3 53.3 16.1 61.3 22.6 0 0 0.0 Madonna made his pro debut two weeks before the end of the California League season with Lake Elsinore. He started seven games at catcher and two games at first base. Contact was a big issue, noted by his 38.3 strikeout rate and a 61.3 percent ground-ball rate in 60 plate appearances. There were hiccups on defense, as well. Madonna went 1-for-14 in throwing out base stealers, a seven-percent success rate. He was also charged with two passed balls. Power is Madonna's signature tool. Prospect Savant pegs it at 50 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. The hit tool is 40, as is the run tool. His arm tool is 50 and his field tool is 40. Madonna already has size -- he's listed at 6-3 and 215 pounds -- and he'll turn 19 on March 12. There's a lot of room for growth in both his body and his game. 16. Kavares Tears, OF/1B (Lake Elsinore Storm) Tears was 11th in our post-deadline Top 20 last summer, but a rocky debut season at Low-A dinged him this year. More was expected from a toolsy player who came from a collegiate powerhouse in the University of Tennessee. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% SB CS SB% 475 93 22 2 13 .705 96 .339 29.1% 12.2% 16.6% -- 41.7% 23.7% 34.5% 24.6% 46.0% 29.4% 6 5 54.5% San Diego took him in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft as the compensation for Josh Hader, but the organization waited until 2025 to start his career. His debut was pushed back further, to April 15, because of a hamstring injury. He then was limited to DH duty until late July. For the year, he started 29 games in the outfield and three games at first base. Four of his five scouting grades from Prospect Savant speak to his athleticism -- 60 throw, 55 run, 55 field, and 55 power. The fifth grade is a 40 hit tool. The left-handed hitting Tears slashed .227/.320/.385 (.159 ISO, 96 wRC+) in the hitter-friendly California League. He hit .188 in 72 games from June 1 through the end of the season. At least his 12.2 percent walk rate was encouraging, On top of that, he posted extreme home-road splits -- .782 OPS, 22 extra-base hits home; .625 OPS, 15 extra-base hits road -- and large reverse splits: .805 OPS vs. left-handers against a .676 OPS vs. right-handers. There's a lot to monitor as Tears enters Year 2 of his development. What stands out from Nos. 16-20 on our list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! View the full article

While the Chicago Cubs' minor-league depth has taken a hit with recent graduations and trades, there are still a handful of interesting prospects to be found outside the top 10 names on our list. You can find Part 1 (prospects #16-20) right here. #15: Will Sanders (Triple-A) Will Sanders may not be the most exciting prospect in the Cubs' system, but sometimes players like him can fly under the radar because the things they do well don't immediately stand out. Our 15th-ranked prospect is not a stuff monster, nor does he induce a ton of swing-and-miss. What he does offer is steady pitchability and a kitchen-sink approach. Baseball America's scouting report has Sanders sitting 92-94 mph (touching 97) on his fastball, but with below-average shape. Sanders also throws a splitter, a slider, and a curveball. The Cubs pitcher of whom Sanders most reminds me is Colin Rea. That's not a bad thing—quite the opposite, really. Rea doesn't overwhelm hitters with stuff, but confuses them by throwing enough pitches that separate themselves to stay one step ahead of his opposition. That's probably the path forward for Sanders: continuing to refine a deep repertoire of good-enough offerings and moving between long relief and the rotation as needed. Those types of arms can be your saving grace in the dog days of a 162-game season. By the end of last season, Cubs fans were clamoring for more Colin Rea. As the team stumbled down the stretch with pitching fatigue and injuries, Rea was ever available, steady and capable. While Sanders may not excite anyone, if he can continue to grow in a similar fashion, he can carve out a long and valuable career. #14: Kaleb Wing (Scotts Valley High School) Kaleb Wing is a different type of pitcher than we've seen the Cubs draft recently: an over-slot, high-upside prep arm. Lanky and projectable, the right-handed pitcher has both stuff and pedigree. He's already hitting 94-96 mph (though sitting 90-92 on average) on the gun as a teenager, and his father pitched in the White Sox organization. Wing saw his draft stock soar in the lead up to the draft—enough to impress the Cubs' brass, who gave him a $1.5 million signing bonus. According to BA, Wing already throws four pitches. It'll be interesting to see how the Cubs continue to develop that arsenal. Wing has yet to make his professional debut, but should see time with Myrtle Beach in 2026. He's probably a year or two away from reaching the upper tier of Cubs prospect lists, but it's clear that the organization likes the pitcher a lot. #13: Angel Cepeda (Myrtle Beach) Angel Cepeda had an uneven season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, but ended the campaign the way you'd hope to see a prospect do so: on fire. Cepeda is another former six-figure international free-agent signing and had a strong year overall, posting a 116 wRC+ in his stop at Low-A, but those numbers bury the lede. Over his final 132 plate appearances, Cepeda posted a blistering 157 wRC+, with a .331 batting average, four home runs, six doubles and two triples. Perhaps the best part of that torrid stretch was that the right-handed hitter saw a significant reduction in strikeouts, dropping from a 33.7% strikeout rate before the warm-up to a 26.6% rate after. One of the biggest green-flag indicators a hitter can wave is to make more contact, and Cepeda was able to do that as a 19-year-old in a very tough hitting environment. Obviously, there are still things to work on, but Cepeda offers a bit of a projectable frame and the kind of bat that could survive at third base. While he's played a lot of shortstop, it's likely that the 6-foot-1 teenager will eventually have to move off the position as he adds weight. He uses a pretty simple setup at the plate, so if his pitch recognition skills continue to get better, he shouldn't have many flaws mechanically. It shouldn't surprise anyone if, at the end of the season, Cepeda jumps into a lot of internal top-five rankings. #12: Cole Mathis (Low-A) Cole Mathis was supposed to be one of the fastest movers from the 2024 Cubs draft class, but sadly, that has not been the case. Mathis had some of the best batted-ball data from his class, and had already shown success in the Cape Cod League with wooden bats, so the hope was that as he transitioned from a two-way player at the College of Charleston, he would take off immediately in pro ball. Instead, 2025 was a year where Mathis struggled with injury (as he came off Tommy John surgery) and to be productive in the lineup. While he did post a 121 wRC+ during his time in Myrtle Beach, his .221 batting average left a lot to be desired. Also, when put in the context that Low-A is usually a level college hitters cruise through (Kane Kepley,. the Cubs' 2025 second-round pick whose bat was not considered his calling card, posted a 180 wRC+ there), Mathis just didn't crush the level like you'd have thought he could. This caused Mathis to get some run during the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a more encouraging .280/.439/.400 line—though that was still somewhat lacking in the power department. The hope with Mathis is that the elbow injury and recovery sapped his power, because the approach was clearly there. Mathis walked 13% of the time at Myrtle Beach and had 15 free passes while in the AFL. If he can show the power that his batted ball data in college suggested he may be able to produce, he can be someone who refills his prospect balloon with helium in the 2026 campaign, If he doesn't show that, however, he'll have to hope his glove improves rapidly at the hot corner. #11: Brandon Birdsell (Triple-A) Brandon Birdsell entered the 2025 season with hopes of making his MLB debut, but those were quickly dashed. Despite being a non-roster invitee to camp, he was placed on the 60-day IL before he ever really got going. He was eventually able to get back on the mound in June, pitching a few times in the Complex league and then moving his way up to Iowa, making his season debut at Triple-A in mid-July. Things seemed back on track for the righty, but was again shutdown after a start on August 7. By the end of the month, the team announced the devastating news: Tommy John surgery was on tap for the Cubs' pitching prospect. Injury is nothing new to the right handed pitcher, as in 2021, a rotator cuff injury dropped his draft status and Birdsell opted to return to Texas Tech for another year. Prior to this, the righty had Tommy John once prior, requiring the surgery as a sophomore in high school. A long injury history is never a great thing and all of these were reasons the talented pitcher was even available to be selected by the Cubs to begin with. For 2026, it's pretty unlikely we'll see him take a mound. While it's unknown whether or not he required a full UCL reconstruction or a a brace (similar to Justin Steele), it's probable that 2026 will be a full-on rehab season for the 25-year-old, with the prevailing hope that he can rebound in 2027. Coming back from a second TJS puts his future in doubt; he was never an overpowering guy, but always got results that were better than you'd expect due to a funky delivery. He was a fun, under-the-radar type, but his future now is pretty murky. If he can bounce back with authority, he won't be so old that it'd be impossible for the organization to find a pathway to the majors for him. But he'll have a lot to prove once healthy. What do you think of this batch of prospects? Which on is your favorite? Do you think someone missed the cut? Let us know in the comment section below! View the full article

A big key for the Royals last year was the improvement in the bullpen from 2024 to 2025. While the bullpen improved after the Trade Deadline acquisition of Lucas Erceg, it was an inconsistent group in 2024, and the metrics proved it. Royals relievers ranked 20th in bullpen ERA (4.13), 28th in K/9 (8.06), 23rd in K/BB ratio (2.36), and 26th in SIERA (4.02). It's honestly amazing that the Royals won 86 games and made the playoffs with a bullpen that mediocre. In 2025, thanks to the acquisition of Carlos Estevez and the improvement of some other relievers, Kansas City's bullpen showed some growth in terms of results. They ranked 7th in bullpen ERA (3.63), 19th in K-BB ratio (2.46), and 21st in SIERA (3.99). However, the only blemish for this bullpen was the lack of strikeouts, as they actually ranked worse in K/9 with a 7.76 mark (which ranked 29th). Thus, Royals GM JJ Picollo made it a priority to acquire relievers who could get strikeouts and whiffs. Trades for Philadelphia's Matt Strahm and Milwaukee's Nick Mears confirmed that priority. That said, one intriguing Minor League signing this spring has been Helcris Olivarez, who pitched in the San Francisco Giants organization a season ago. In four outings and four IP, Olivarez has a 2.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 3.87 FIP, and 3.00 K/BB ratio. The strikeouts haven't been great, as he has a 16.7% K% so far in Cactus League play. That said, he's limited the walks (5.6% BB%), something that has plagued him in the past in the Minor Leagues. For context, in 37 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A combined last year, he had a 24.6% BB% and 1.7% K-BB%. Safe to say, those kinds of numbers aren't going to cut it in the Majors. However, what has been different with Olivarez so far this spring? What kind of role could Olivarez have in the Royals' bullpen in 2026? What are some recent Royals bullpen success stories that are similar to Olivarez? Let's break down those questions using Fangraphs and TJ Stats data and applications. Olivarez's Four-Seamer and Curve Have Been Key This Spring The 25-year-old Dominican lefty hasn't generated a ton of strikeouts this spring, with only three strikeouts so far. That said, he's producing a decent chase and whiff, while minimizing hard contact, as illustrated by his reasonable xwOBACON. Those metrics can be seen via his TJ Stats summary of his performance this spring below. When it comes to TJ Stuff+, there's a lot to be encouraged about with Olivarez's profile. While his overall TJ Stuff+ is 100 and he has only one pitch with a TJ Stuff+ over 100 (his curve, which has a 106 mark), all four of his offerings have pitching grades over 50. That shows that he has a balanced profile, and he does have one elite pitch in his curveball, which has a pitching grade of 64 and a whiff rate of 66.7%. Olivarez hasn't generated an outstanding chase rate (28.6%), and his whiff rate has been below average (21.4%). That said, his four-seamer chase has been solid (31.6%), and he's been limiting hard contact on his fastball, with his four-seamer posting a .362 xwOBACON and his sinker posting a .107 xwOBACON. I believe a reason for the lower chase and whiff rates is due to his erratic control, as he has a 44.4% zone rate so far this spring. Below is Olivarez's pitch chart from yesterday's Cactus League game. Notice that it was feast or famine for him when it came to locating his pitches against the Rockies on Saturday. Once Olivarez is able to find the strike zone more this spring, the more effective his chase and whiff rates will be. His most thrown pitch this spring has been his four-seamer, and it's typically been a good pitch for him in terms of TJ Stuff+ and whiff profiles. Here's a look at his TJ Stats summary from last year in Triple-A Sacramento, and take a look at the data on the four-seamer from a season ago. The four-seamer not only averaged 97.3 MPH, but it also had a 99 TJ Stuff+, 52 grade, 36.5% whiff rate, and .248 xwOBACON. So, what can we say about that data on the fastball from last season? Yes, it is. Conversely, it had a 39.8% zone rate and 18.4% chase rate. Considering he threw the pitch 47.8% of the time, that erratic control of the four-seamer probably led to his 24.4% BB% in Sacramento. What's interesting about Olivarez's four-seamer is that it doesn't sport the characteristics of a normal four-seam fastball. It only had a 13.1 iVB and an 11.7 HB. Thus, it's more of a horizontal moving pitch with more armside movement than typical for a four-seamer. One can see that in the pitch below from his time in Double-A Portland (when he was in the Red Sox organization), which hovers on the line being a sinker (though I don't have the exact metrics of the pitch). Despite that unique profile, Olivarez located it up, which one would do with the typical four-seamer. Based on the TJ Stats heatmap data, the approach worked for Olivarez in Sacramento last season. He produced a 33.3% CSW, 21.7% whiff rate, and .230 xwOBACON against lefties and a 29.8% CSW, 41.1% whiff rate, and .258 xwOBACON against righties. Thus, his four-seamer was a better strike-generating pitch against lefties but a better swing-and-miss pitch against righties last year in Triple-A. Let's see how that heatmap data looks so far this spring. The location hasn't been quite as sharp for Olivarez, based on his heatmap. His four-seamer has been located more in the middle of the plate than it was a season ago, when it was located up and armside against both lefties and righties. Against lefties, whom he has a 55.6% four-seamer usage against, it's produced similar trends with a 26.7% CSW and 0.0% whiff, but .269 xwOBACON. Against righties, it's been even better when it comes to generating strikes (36.8% CSW) and whiffs (42.9%), but it's been hit a lot harder, as illustrated by a .487 xwOBACON. The four-seamer will be key for Olivarez this spring because it can effectively set up his curve, which may be his best put-away pitch. Here's a look at the TJ Stats heatmap data this spring on his primary breaking offering, especially against lefties. He's only thrown it 22.2% of the time against lefties (and 5.6% against righties). However, against lefties, it's been a stellar offering with a 33.3% CSW, 40% O-Swing (chase), and 66.7% whiff. He hasn't located it all that well either, with the curve being located more up and in than typical. Here's a look at his curveball heatmap data from 2025 with the Triple-A Rivercats. Olivarez located the curve primarily away and glove-side against lefties and righties last year. It was far more effective against righties with a 28% CSW, 57.1% whiff, and .120 xwOBACON. Command of the pitch is probably the reason for that difference, as his curve against righties was located more in the lower zone 7 portion of the strike zone, while against lefties, it was more up in zone 6. The curve breaking hard and in on hitters foot is always going to lead to more whiffs. It would be nice to see Olivarez get to commanding that curveball back in that area of the strikezone this spring in Cactus League play, but he would likely need his four-seam command to improve first so he can get in more ideal counts to utilize his effective curveball. What Kind of Role Can Olivarez Play in the Bullpen? The Royals lack lefty depth on the 40-man roster. The only lefties who could pitch out of the bullpen are Strahm, Daniel Lynch IV, and Bailey Falter. That said, Falter is more of a starter and only moved to the bullpen after struggling initially with the Royals last season. Lynch has looked solid this spring, with his stuff playing more up than it did a season ago, as illustrated by his TJ Stats summary in Cactus League play. Thus, Strahm and Lynch could probably hold things down in the bullpen from a lefty perspective. However, as for Falter? I'm not quite as sure, though the TJ Stuff+, his pitch extension, and xwOBACON have been fine so far in Spring Training, as illustrated below. It would be nice for the Royals to get one more lefty in the bullpen, especially with Angel Zerpa going to Milwaukee this offseason (in the Mears and Isaac Collins trade). Strahm is a workhorse, but he is another year older. Lynch IV has produced good numbers so far, but his 4.76 FIP was much higher than his 3.06 ERA last year. Thus, the former 34th overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft could be due for regression in 2026. Olivarez is far from dependable, considering his track record. That said, he's a lefty with velocity and swing-and-miss stuff who could give the Royals the punch from the left side they desperately need in 2026, as long as he is able to harness the control a bit better. What Are Some Similar Situations to Olivarez? I don't think Olivarez will make the Opening Day roster. However, he still has a Minor League option, and he's still under-the-radar, so I don't think there will be a tremendous market for him to opt out (he likely wouldn't make another club's Opening Day roster either). However, while he will start the year in Triple-A Omaha, he has a chance to be a Royals reliever who started the year in the Minors but later became a key contributor to the Royals bullpen. Two examples of that archetype are Sam Long in 2024 and Taylor Clarke last year. Neither made the Royals' Opening Day roster that season. However, they ended up being key relievers for Kansas City when they got called up. Here's a look at what Long did in 2024. In 42.2 IP, Long posted a 3.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with a 15.3% K-BB%. He ended up being the Royals' most dependable left-handed reliever that season, with some key innings in the postseason. Like Olivarez, Long has control issues, as evidenced by his 45.7% zone rate. However, he generated strong chase (30.2%) and whiff rates (27.5%), and his four-seamer was his most effective pitch with a 55 grade. Long fell apart a bit in 2025, but the Royals would take a similar campaign from Olivarez in 2026. Now, let's take a look at Clarke, who returned to the Royals after being traded away after the 2023 season. Clarke didn't have a great four-seamer (97 TJ Stuff+ and 50 grade), but his slider was elite with a 108 TJ Stuff+ and 59 grade. The breaking offering that he threw 39.7% of the time also had a 50.9% zone rate, a 33.1% chase-and-whiff rate, and a .312 xwOBACON. As a result, in 55.1 IP, he posted a 3.25 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 3.97 FIP, and 17% K-BB%. It may be unfair to compare Olivarez to either Long or Clarke, mainly because Olivarez's control issues are way worse than those of the two former Kansas City relievers. However, both are examples of pitchers who weren't taken seriously by fans in the offseason, had good Spring Training campaigns, started in the Minors, and parlayed that success into strong Major League campaigns. Success may look a little different for Olivarez in 2026. However, if the stuff continues and if he can continue to hone his command and control with each and every outing, both in Spring Training and in the Minor Leagues to begin the year, then it wouldn't be surprising to see Olivarez turn into some kind of dark-horse impact reliever for the Royals by mid-season. Hopefully, if that happens, he can have a longer, more successful tenure in Kansas City than Long or Clarke. View the full article

#8 Andrew Fischer (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) Andrew Fischer entered pro ball after being selected in the first round of the 2025 draft, with some within the Brewers’ scouting team viewing him as the top collegiate hitter in the class. He got 87 plate appearances in High-A and showed some of what he’s capable of. PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 87 23 5 1 1 .848 141 .401 25.3% 12.6% 14.0% 28.8% 51.9% 25.9% 22.2% 22.6% 24.5% 52.8% 21.4% 8 2 80% What to Like Fischer’s offensive profile is built around a swing designed to create hard contact in the air, particularly to the pull side. That approach was immediately evident during his brief professional debut with the Timber Rattlers, where he pulled the ball 52% of the time and produced a 52% fly-ball rate on balls in play. The swing path is clearly geared toward driving the ball with authority, and the batted-ball profile supports the potential for strong power production. While the early results did not fully display his potential game power, that performance came while Fischer was dealing with a wrist injury that limited his ability to access his raw strength. Wrist issues often affect a hitter’s ability to combine bat speed with barrel accuracy, which likely contributed to the lower-than-expected power output. With improved health, the power should show up in games more consistently. Fischer’s hit tool also stands out. His swing is relatively direct to the baseball, and he shows the ability to drive pitches to his pull side while maintaining enough bat control to make consistent contact. The profile points toward a hitter capable of producing solid offensive numbers through a combination of hard contact and controlled strike-zone management. While the tool may not project as elite, it has a strong foundation to be average or a bit better. An average-or-better hit tool, with power that could be plus, makes for a valuable big-league hitter. Defensively, Fischer’s early work at third base was encouraging. After playing primarily first base during his time at Tennessee, he transitioned to third in his first month of professional baseball. He showed more comfort at the position than initially expected. His movement to his glove side looked natural, and he grew more comfortable handling backhand plays as he gained experience. His arm strength and overall athleticism suggest that he can handle it. What to Work On While Fischer’s offensive approach is designed to generate impact, the swing path introduces some risk that will require monitoring as he advances. His uppercut swing is built to produce lift and pull-side contact, but it may leave him vulnerable in certain areas of the zone. During his time at Tennessee, he showed some holes against those elevated fastballs, particularly when they reached the mid-to-upper-90s. Showing he can handle himself up there will be important against big-league pitching. There is also some risk that the swing path could struggle against offspeed pitches located on the outer half of the plate. Strike zone coverage and adjusting to higher-level sequencing will be key factors in determining how consistently he can produce at the highest levels. Defensively, Fischer remains a work in progress at third base. While the early results were encouraging, his experience at the position is still limited, and that lack of experience does show from time to time. Charging slow rollers and handling plays moving forward remain difficult for him. His footwork and reads in those situations will require continued work. The arm strength, range, and athleticism are already present, but consistency and defensive instincts at the position are still developing. If Fischer doesn't remain at third base, a move to first base would place greater pressure on his offensive production. First base-only profiles typically require significant offensive output to provide value. What’s Next Likely to begin back in High-A, Fischer’s 2026 season will focus on getting to his power in games more often and continuing his defensive development at third base. Assuming full health following his wrist injury, improved exit velocities and increased power production are reasonable expectations. If the game power emerges as projected, his offensive profile could quickly stand out within the system. If both the offensive production and defensive development trend positively, Fischer has the potential to move quickly through the system. With continued progress, a major-league debut as early as 2027 remains a realistic outcome. What are your thoughts on Fischer? What are you hoping to see from him in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

There's a lot of risk involved using high draft picks on prep pitchers, which is why it's not something the Minnesota Twins often do. They made an exception in 2023 with Charlee Soto, selecting him as a 17-year-old out of Reborn Christian Academy in Florida with the 34th overall pick and signing him to a $2.48 million bonus. We've seen some of that risk play out since. In his first season (2024), Soto struggled to a 5.23 ERA in 21 appearances for Low-A Ft. Myers while having his workload heavily managed, and in his second season (2025) he was limited to just 13 innings by arm issues. A triceps strain sidelined Soto after just three starts in Cedar Rapids, and in August he had a procedure to remove a partially detached bone spur in his elbow. The good news is that there was no structural damage, and this spring Soto is healthy and back in action. His extraordinary potential earns him a spot on the back end of Twins Daily's top 10 despite the unignorable question marks. Charlee Soto Age: 20 (DOB: 8/31/05) 2025 Stats (A+): 13 IP, 1.38 ERA, 10.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 1.00 WHIP ETA: 2028 2025 Ranking: 4 National Top 100 Rankings BA: NR | MLB: NR | ATH: NR | BP: NR | ESPN: 94 What's To Like While the Twins realized the risks of investing in young pitching talent, they've already also witnessed some of the upside. Soto, well built at 6-foot-3, is a stellar athlete with a premium arm. He was reaching the upper-90s by the end of his first full season in 2024, and was touching triple-digits early last year before going down with the triceps injury. His 1-7 record and 5.23 ERA from 2024 don't cast an accurate portrayal of Soto's first season in the minors. He more than held his own as an 18-year-old at Fort Myers, striking out 87 in 74 innings and allowing just six home runs. Last year Soto appeared well on his way to taking the next step, throwing absolute gas through his first three starts at High-A Cedar Rapids with a 15-to-4 K/BB ratio and just two runs allowed in 13 innings. The velocity on Soto's fastball is eye-catching, and he's got a solid slider as well, but the signature offering is his changeup. Buzzing in at up to 90 MPH with a ton of arm-side drop, it's viewed as one of the best changeups in all of the minors, and should help him suppress left-handed hitters if he can spot it. There's sort of an "out of sight, out of mind" dynamic at play with Soto since we didn't see him pitch after April last year. As such, he's a trendy breakout pick among prospect heads and he'll be one of the most exciting players in the Twins system to follow in 2026. What's Left To Work On Velocity isn't everything for a fastball. Even a 100 MPH heater will be punished by advanced hitters if it lacks shape and movement. That's been one of the knocks on Soto, whose fastball tended to come in pretty straight and has been susceptible to hard contact when not placed with precision. The righty started working in a sinker variant to supplement his four-seamer, and that could give his overall arsenal a significant boost, but it remains a work in progress. Generally speaking, the quality of stuff is not in question here. Soto has struck out 102 hitters through 87 pro innings as a teenager, and still feels like he's revving up and settling in. Health is going to be the big hurdle to overcome. Missing almost an entire season due to arm issues before turning 20 is far from ideal, but hardly damning. It does leave Soto with some work to do in order to build up as a starter and establish a stamina baseline. If all goes well for him this year it wouldn't be a shock to see Soto reach Double-A by September, but it will likely take some time for him to develop physically and emerge as a factor in the big-league plans. What's Next Hopefully, a fully healthy season to showcase what he can do. Soto's mission will be to keep on refining while reliably taking the mound each turn and hopefully surpassing 100 innings. The crew from Destination The Show recently remarked on Soto's wide range of outcomes, which spans from frontline starter to volatile reliever to injury flameout. We should get a much better idea this year of where the 20-year-old will land. Catch Up on the Rest of Twins Daily's Top 20 Prospects (Part 1) 20. James Ellwanger, RHP 19. Khadim Diaw, C/CF 18. C.J. Culpepper, RHP 17. Kyle DeBarge, 2B/SS/CF 16. Hendry Mendez, OF (Part 2) 15. Marco Raya, RHP 14. Quentin Young, SS 13. Brandon Winokur, SS/CF 12. Andrew Morris, RHP 11. Riley Quick, RHP 10. Charlee Soto, RHP View the full article

Understandably, Fish On First is mainly focused on roster battles taking place within Miami Marlins camp. However, with three weeks of spring training games remaining, let's check in with the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, who selected Zach McCambley and Matt Pushard, respectively, in the 2025 MLB Rule 5 draft. Both right-handers have already demonstrated that they can be effective against Triple-A competition. Will they get their first taste of the big leagues this season? It's remarkable that Pushard has even made it onto a 40-man roster given his background. He went undrafted in 2022 after spending six seasons at the University of Maine, then struggled in the rookie-level Florida Complex League as a 24-year-old. But over the last three seasons, he led all Marlins pitchers with 129 minor league appearances, posting a 3.19 FIP (2.96 ERA) while reliably throwing strikes and inducing soft contact. The Cardinals have deployed Pushard only once in the Grapefruit League thus far. In his one inning of work on Saturday, his average four-seam fastball velocity was 93.3 mph. He also showed his slider, changeup and curveball. The New York Mets' MJ Melendez hit a wind-aided home run off of him. Since the Rule 5 in December, the Cardinals have made several trades confirming that the franchise's long-term sustainability is a far higher priority than maximizing wins in 2026. Beyond JoJo Romero, Riley O'Brien, Ryne Stanek and Matt Svanson, it seems their bullpen plans are fluid. That bodes well for Pushard. McCambley, on the other hand, was a prominent Marlins prospect from the beginning. A third-rounder out of Coastal Carolina, he was invited to big league camp for the first time way back in 2021. Miami attempted to develop him as a starter during his first two MiLB campaigns. His transition to the bullpen was rocky—his walk rate stayed uncomfortably high in 2023, then soared even higher in an injury-shortened 2024. As discussed with Corey Seidman of Sports Illustrated, McCambley found his groove with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville last season in part thanks to the addition of a cutter. He describes it as a "bridge pitch" between his mid-90s four-seamer and signature sweeper. The Phillies are approaching 2026 with a "deep playoff run or bust" mindset and the investment they've made in their roster reflects that. It's atypical for a 96-win team with a payroll over a quarter-billion dollars to make room for a Rule 5 guy. While Pushard doesn't face much resistance in his pursuit of an Opening Day opportunity, McCambley really needs to earn his. Controlling his fastball will be crucial; through three spring innings, the 26-year-old has already issued five walks (all of them fastballs that missed low or away or both). Due to Rule 5 restrictions, McCambley and Pushard cannot be optioned to the minors at any point during the 2026 season. If their teams no longer feel that they merit active roster spots, they have to be designated for assignment, then offered back to the Marlins for $50,000 if they clear waivers. What is the likelihood that these former Fish wind up back with their original organization by season's end? I estimate there is a 70% chance of McCambley being returned, with Pushard at 33% (1-in-3 chance). View the full article

When the Blue Jays welcome the Athletics to the Rogers Centre on March 27, there’s one man who deserves to throw the first pitch: Kevin Gausman. For the last four years, Gausman has been the steady anchor of Toronto’s pitching staff. Since he joined the team on a five-year, $110 million deal, he has made 125 starts, plus another seven in the playoffs. He has been the picture of durability, consistency, and excellence. Yet, Gausman has never started for the Blue Jays on Opening Day. In 2022, it was José Berríos. Alek Manoah received the honour in 2023. Then it was Berríos again the next two years. Last September, Gausman made the best start of his career. He stayed hot into October, giving the Blue Jays 30.2 innings with a 2.93 ERA. If he hadn’t already earned the 2026 Opening Day start before his dominant showing down the stretch, he had certainly earned it when all was said and done. In all likelihood, John Schneider will make the right choice and tab Gausman for the season opener. But just for fun, I decided to consider the cases for his other candidates. Dylan Cease Gausman was better than Dylan Cease last year. He’s been better than Cease over the last three years, the last five years, and throughout their respective careers. However, the realities of the aging curve tell us that Cease is more likely to be the better pitcher in 2026. Gausman turned 35 in January. Cease just turned 30 in December. Every projection system at FanGraphs – ZiPS, Steamer, ATC, THE BAT, THE BAT X, and OOPSY – has higher expectations for Cease than Gausman. Cease is also Toronto’s shiny new toy. The righty signed the most expensive free agent contract in Blue Jays history this winter, kicking off a thrilling, high-spending offseason. He's the only pitcher other than Gausman with a realistic shot to win the Opening Day start. Trey Yesavage You have to admit, it would be fun. Trey Yesavage is the Blue Jays’ ace of the future. There’s no one the fanbase is more excited about right now. Has he “earned” the Opening Day start? No, probably not. But what a way it would be to continue his remarkable story. From Single A to the majors to the playoffs to Game 1 of the World Series to Opening Day starter in less than 365 days. I can’t think of any better way to keep last year’s momentum alive than giving Yesavage the ball for the team’s first game back in the Rogers Centre since the World Series. Cody Ponce Only one Blue Jays pitcher was an All-Star last year: Cody Ponce. Only one Blue Jays pitcher won a Triple Crown last year: Cody Ponce. Only one Blue Jays pitcher was an MVP last year: Cody Ponce. Of course, all those achievements come with a caveat. Only one Blue Jays pitcher played in the KBO last year: Cody Ponce. Still, his 2025 season was undeniably stellar. If Ponce had stayed in Korea, there’s no question he’d be starting on Opening Day. The Blue Jays could honour that by giving him the Opening Day start in Toronto instead. José Berríos Is there a good case for José Berríos to be the Opening Day starter? Of course not. It wasn’t so long ago that we were wondering if he’d make the rotation at all. Yet, Berríos beat Gausman for the Opening Day start in 2022, ‘24, and ‘25. So why not this year too? After all, Gausman was the better pitcher in 2021… but Berríos got the nod in ‘22. Gausman was the better pitcher in 2023…but Berríos got the nod in ‘24. Gausman was the better pitcher in 2024…but Berríos got the nod in ‘25. Season Pitcher W-L ERA IP WAR 2021 Kevin Gausman 14-6 2.81 192.0 4.8 2021 José Berríos 12-9 3.52 192.0 4.0 2023 Kevin Gausman 12-9 3.16 185.0 5.3 2023 José Berríos 11-12 3.65 189.2 2.9 2024 Kevin Gausman 14-11 3.83 181.0 3.0 2024 José Berríos 16-11 3.60 192.1 1.1 2025 Kevin Gausman 10-11 3.59 193.0 4.1 2025 José Berríos 9-5 4.17 166.0 1.3 So, as well as Gausman pitched in 2025, and as much as Berríos struggled down the stretch, history tells us we can’t rule out another José Berríos Opening Day start in 2026. Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber I’ve lumped Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber together because neither of them is actually going to be ready to pitch on Opening Day. The team has already confirmed that Bieber will begin the season on the injured list. Scherzer signed late, and there’s a good chance he’ll need extra time to ramp up – and the Jays have every incentive to give him as much time as he needs. Yet, if either one of them were healthy, their cases would be pretty clear. Scherzer may not be an ace anymore, but he’s a no-doubt future Hall of Famer who could be entering his final season. Bieber is Toronto’s other Cy Young winner. If he can get back to full strength, there’s a real possibility he proves himself to be this team’s best starting pitcher. Eric Lauer Everyone else gets hit by a bus. Lazaro Estrada Eric Lauer also gets hit by a bus. View the full article

We’re back with our second installment of the 2026 Top Prospects Rankings. If you missed the first round, catch up on them right here and then come back to be up to date before we crack open the top 10. As a reminder, these were voted on by the Talk Sox writers. No. 15: Yoeilin Cespedes (Greenville Drive) Cespedes was signed as an international free agent in 2023 to the largest bonus of the entire IFA class. He was technically promoted to Salem last year but failed to see any game action as he was scratched from his debut with hand soreness; eventually, he would be placed on the injured list with a broken hamate bone that ended his season. Cespedes is a bat-first shortstop who may not stick there as he climbs up the system, as his defense isn’t up to par with guys ahead of him at the higher levels. He may end up sliding over to second base, which would help extend his time in Boston’s system, but he’s eligible for the Rule 5 draft in 2027. Thus, it wouldn’t come as a shock to see him included in a trade package at some point over the next year unless he has a breakout year in Salem, where he should begin the season. No. 14: Henry Godbout (Greenville Drive) Godbout was selected by the Red Sox in the second competitive balance round in 2025 out of Virginia. He is technically a second baseman in the system but has spent time at third previously and was announced as a shortstop, even though it remains to be seen if he will see any time there as a pro. He slashed .341/.473/.477 over 13 games with the Drive last year. His right-handed bat will help satisfy lineups that lean lefty heavy up and down the system, but he needs to find a bit more power in his swing to be considered anything more than a future backup. He’s a contact-first bat that should play well at second base, but if he were to move off second for another position, then an uptick in offensive impact will be necessary. He passes the eye test at the keystone but leaves a bit to be desired in terms of flashy defensive plays. No. 13: Johanfran Garcia (Greenville Drive) The last remaining Garcia brother in the Red Sox’s system, Johanfran is a catcher who projects to have a ton of power as he climbs prospects rankings. On top of that, he’s proven to be a capable defender who isn’t afraid to get in the dirt to block balls and make plays. He’s a decent framer, for what that’s worth with the league-wide adoption of the ABS system, and could possibly be making noise as a backup to Carlos Narvaez as quickly as next season if everything clicks. Garcia features a great arm behind the plate and will likely lean on Narvaez as he grows in the system to best utilize that strength to throw out would be base stealers. He slashed .249/.327/.428 with nine home runs over 46 games last season. No. 12: Jake Bennett (Worcester Red Sox) Bennett came over from the Washington Nationals in a rare, one-for-one, prospect-for-prospect trade during the offseason. Headed back to the Nats was highly touted RHP Luis Perales, so Bennett has some big shoes to fill. So far, he’s doing just that. As of this writing, he’s appeared in one spring training game for the Red Sox and he looked absolutely dominant during that outing. His fastball was up to 98 mph, faster than he’s previously thrown. He has the size, extension, and control that Andrew Bailey loves in a starter and should be a contributor in Worcester from Opening Day. Expect him to remain in the rotation there, but you could see him as a late season call-up to add depth to the bullpen too. No. 11: Miguel Bleis (Greenville Drive/Portland Sea Dogs) Bleis has been a mainstay on top prospect rankings for the Red Sox since he was acquired as an IFA in 2021, but his time to make good on that distinction is quickly ticking away. He has the potential of a standout outfielder but, so far, has failed to put it all together to make much of an impression. He’s dealt with injuries in every season of his pro career and is flirting with carrying the dreaded ‘chronically injured’ designation that every player hopes to avoid. Putting together a healthy and productive 2026 would go a long way toward establishing him as a player to watch moving forward, but his hit tool is so streaky that it’s incredibly hard to project how impactful he’s going to be moving forward. He’s eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft this coming December, so if there’s any indication he’s progressing, the team is either going to have to trade him away or protect him on the 40-man roster if they don’t want to risk him being selected with no compensation in return. What stands out in the 11-15 ranked prospects to you? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

On Sunday, after the Royals' 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Matt Quatraro announced that Luinder Avila will be joining Team Venezuela for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Avila will be joining Team Venezuela along with Royals teammates Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia, who were announced to the roster earlier in the offseason. In addition to those three, Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Wacha will be joining Team USA; Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone will be joining Team Italy; Seth Lugo will be starting for Team Puerto Rico; and Carlos Estevez will be pitching for Team Dominican Republic. Michael Coyle had a breakdown of all participants in the World Baseball Classic on February 5th here at Royals Keep. Avila ranks 13th on our Top 20 preseason Royals prospects list. He had a strong MLB debut, posting a 1.29 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 13 appearances with the Royals. He also posted a 28.6% K% and had a 2.09 xERA in his first stint against MLB competition. In Royals camp, he's been in competition for not just a roster spot, but perhaps a spot in the Royals' rotation. Quatraro mentioned in a press conference in Spring Training that Avila had "frontline starter" potential. Prior to his call-up, the 24-year-old primarily pitched as a starter in the Minor Leagues, posting a 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 53.1 IP with the Storm Chasers last season. However, he still posted a 28% K%, a 17.7% K-BB%, and a 4.38 FIP, indicating he was better in Omaha than his ERA suggested. This spring, Avila has been off to a strong start in Cactus League play. In 4.0 IP, he has a 2.25 ERA and 1.75 WHIP. His K% and K-BB% are a little low at 21.1% and 10.5%, respectively. That said, his TJ Stuff+, chase, and whiff metrics have still been strong, as seen below via his TJ Stats summary. Avila has a 100 overall TJ Stuff+ but has four pitches with marks of 100 or higher and grades of 54 or higher. His curveball has been his best pitch this spring on a TJ Stuff+ end, with a 59 grade, but it has only generated a 20% whiff and chase rate. On the flip side, his sinker, his worst pitch in terms of TJ Stuff+ (93 and 45 grade), but it's been his best offering in terms of generating chases (66.7%) and whiffs (53.8%). His slider and changeup have shown promise, but he's only thrown them one time each this spring. The Venezuelan righty will likely pitch out of the bullpen for Team Venezuela in the WBC. Carlos Hernandez was the last Royals pitcher to pitch for Team Venezuela in 2023 and had a solid showing. In 2.2 IP, he struck out five batters and allowed no runs, no walks, and only three hits. Hernandez's solid performance in the WBC helped him get off to a strong start in 2023, as he posted a 3.83 ERA, a 2.65 FIP, a 28.8% K%, and 22% K-BB% in 44.2 IP in the first half. His strong first half prompted the Royals to trade away established closer Scott Barlow to San Diego at the Trade Deadline. Unfortunately, Hernandez regressed sharply in the second half, posting a 7.82 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 7.16 FIP, 21.1% K%, and 5.7% K-BB% in 25.1 IP. Let's hope that Avila not only gets valuable experience competing in the WBC but also has a solid performance that can be parlayed into another step forward in pitching development in 2026. Avila has a lot more upside than Hernandez, and he will be needed, especially with Stephen Kolek straining his oblique and likely starting the season on the 15-Day IL. The World Baseball Classic kicks off with pool play on Thursday, March 5th, and will conclude on March 17th. Venezuela is in Pool D with the Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, and the Netherlands. More information about the World Baseball Classic can be found on its website. View the full article

On Friday, former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini received a sentence of life in jail. He was found guilty of murdering his father-in-law, attempted murder of his mother-in-law, and burglary. During the hearings, Serafini continued to say he was innocent. He called himself a "broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes." The Twins drafted Serafini out of Juniper Serra High School in San Mateo, California., in 1992. Ten years earlier, Barry Bonds was drafted out of the same school. In 1985, the Mets drafted Gregg Jefferies out of the same school with the 20th overall pick. In 1995, the Expos selected catcher Tom Brady in the 18th round. (I believe he went to college in Michigan. I wonder what he's been up to the past 30 years?) Players currently at Minnesota Twins spring training from the high school include outfielder James Outman and relief pitcher Julian Merryweather. Serafini debuted with the Twins as a 22-year-old in 1996. Over parts of three seasons with the Twins, he made 14 starts and pitched in 35 games. He went 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA. He pitched for the Cubs in 1999. He split the 2000 season between the Pirates and Padres. He pitched in the minor leagues in 2001 and then pitched in China in 2002. He came back to the States in 2003 and got into 18 games for the Reds. He then pitched in Japan for three seasons. In 2017 as a 33-year-old, he got into three more big-league games with the Rockies. From 2008 through 2013, the southpaw pitched for various teams in Mexico in both summers and winters. He played a couple of seasons of independent ball in the Atlantic League. He was also a part of Team Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics. Serafini will serve out his sentence at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. View the full article

Last season, Reese McGuire saved the Chicago Cubs from what felt like onrushing disaster. In a game in Cincinnati in late May, Miguel Amaya suffered an oblique strain that would sideline him for almost three months, leaving the team completely dependent on co-starter Carson Kelly. McGuire had been stashed at Triple-A Iowa, whence he was rushed to the banks of the Ohio River to fill in for Amaya. He responded with two homers in his first game with Chicago, and stuck around for the balance of the season. McGuire, who turns 31 on Monday, went on to hit nine home runs in 44 games and 140 plate appearances for the Cubs, and was excellent at throwing out runners trying to advance on errant pitches or steal bases. His pitch framing graded well, too. The Cubs non-tendered him in November, which was to be expected. After that, though, McGuire expected to field at least a couple of big-league offers from other teams. None came. With spring training looming (and knowing that any catcher hoping to make a team needs to be in camp as early as possible), McGuire agreed to a minor-league deal with Milwaukee on Jan. 28. At least, he figured, he would have a decent chance to claim the backup role to William Contreras, with the optionable and inexperienced Jeferson Quero as the only obstacle in his path. Two weeks later, Milwaukee signed veteran catcher Gary Sánchez to a big-league deal. McGuire is now in camp with a team that has two roster-locked big-leaguers at catcher and a top prospect who will be the top priority at Triple-A Nashville. It's not a great spot to be in, for a guy who felt that he took such a step forward last year. You could forgive McGuire for feeling pretty put out about it all, and he admitted to feeling upset—but his attitude about the circumstance in which he finds himself could hardly be better. "I was absolutely hoping, you know, for a guaranteed deal, and I felt like, coming off one of my better years at the plate and being on a successful, winning team with the Cubs and producing when the moments mattered, I was actually pretty shocked that I didn't have a guarantee," he said. "It's upsetting, you know, you work hard and—but at the same time, you've gotta be able to just turn the page, and just realize that it's a 162-game season and things happen, and just be ready for that opportunity like I was last year." Admittedly, even McGuire's ostensible breakout—his nine home runs were a career high, and the only time he's posted an OPS+ higher than last year's 94 was in 2019, when he had even fewer plate appearances and played only 30 games—was not a tour de force at the plate. He did generate good power, but he walked a platry 2.9% of the time and had an appalling .245 on-base percentage. Still, he did what was asked of him, and more, and if the league had taken a bit more note of his defensive improvements, he might have gotten that guaranteed deal. As it is, teams rarely pay for the defensive chops of backup catchers, even though that's the trait for which they select players to fill that role. Guys like McGuire thus end up in a (forgive the pun) Catch-22. "When you're on that catching train and you're the backup catcher—you're in that realm—whether you're in Double A and you're destined to do that or whether you're [used to starting], it's a survival position," manager Pat Murphy philosophized. "Whatever breaking balls are thrown at you, you spit at them and you say, 'Hey, I'm still here.' You don't bite for that, you know? I think that's where [McGuire]'s at. He sees a real possibility here, and we're happy to have him." So far, he's not only had to find time between starts by Contreras and Sánchez, but sometimes had to be the guy who comes in along with the shock troops from the minor-league side in the sixth or seventh inning of Cactus League contests. With Contreras departing to play for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, McGuire will get more meaningful looks in games over the next fortnight, but he knows that his real opportunity in Milwaukee depends on an injury, so he's trying to focus on locking in the improvements he made as a thrower and a receiver last year. When the subject is the craft of catching itself, he's animated by a passion that will be good for the organization even if it's relegated to working with Quero in Nashville. "Last year was kind of the second full year of the right-knee-down method that we've seen across the league," McGuire said, referring to the newly prevailing catcher stance league-wide, "so last year, I was definitely more confident in starting in that position, but also modifying it and being able to pop up quicker and get my right knee off the ground and be able to use it." McGuire learned not to be "stagnant" on the ground, even in a stance designed for the stability that engenders optimal pitch-framing. He felt that better timing of his weight-shift in preparation for a throw, especially on steal attempts, led to better throws. "But also, you do have to just credit the pitching staff as well, for being quicker to the plate," he added. "The Cubs were very in tune with runners and times to the plate, and there was some opportunity for me to be up on two feet, instead of having a right knee down. When I'm up on two feet, I definitely feel at my best, so there were times where that was the case. "And then, up the middle, honestly, Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner are two of the best taggers in the game, so when I would just put it anywhere near second base, they would pick it up off the ground, at times, and help me out a lot." Although he deeply appreciated his time in Chicago, McGuire also watched with admiration when they played the Brewers. That helped him decide between the minor-league offers he got in January, and it goes beyond the tagging skills of Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz. "Being in this clubhouse around these guys, it's a great group. It's a hungry group," he said. "It's very much my style of baseball, very grind-it-out, one-run games, move a guy over, get him in. Sometimes it's not flashy, but at the end of the game you look up and you're like, 'Man, they beat the crap out of us.'" Nor is he missing the opportunity to work with Charlie Greene, Nestor Corredor and a deservingly vaunted Brewers catching instruction group. "Yeah, we've been working on a ton of defensive stuff, receiving," McGuire said. "Every day, I feel like I'm getting better at something. I mentioned that when I first came here: It's fun to think that I've been in the game for over 13 professional years now, and I'm still learning, still finding ways to increase, whatever it is. It's been a great camp so far." Make no mistake: this isn't the circumstance McGuire wants to be in. However, he's learned not to let that make him ungrateful for the place he's in, or the chances that still lie ahead of him. It's a long season, and although no Brewers fan is likely to find themselves rooting for McGuire to make the roster (which would mean an injury having befallen at least one of Contreras, Sánchez and Quero), if he does end up being part of the club, he's well-positioned to contribute. 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This isn't an endorsement of small-sample fodder, nor an argument that spring training statistics correlate to the ensuing MLB regular season. In the case of the Miami Marlins, though, their primary catcher of the present and presumed primary catcher of the future have produced a stark contrast in results through the first third of the Grapefruit League schedule. This understandably is drawing even more attention to the already-present narrative that the inevitable transition from Agustín Ramírez to Joe Mack behind the plate should be expedited. The Marlins number two prospect per our rankings, Mack has thrived in his 11 plate appearances thus far, hitting .333/.455/.667/1.122. Meanwhile, Ramírez is off to a feverishly slow start, going 0-for-14 with six strikeouts. No other player in the sport has accrued as many plate appearances as the 24-year-old without reaching base safely. When does the conversation shift to Mack potentially breaking camp with the big league club? "Joe Mack is going to play for us at some point. When that is, I don't know," noted Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. Mack, renowned for his defensive prowess, seemed to realize some of the potential thrust upon him in the batter's box, hitting 21 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, OPS'ing a career-best .813. If Mack brought even three-quarters of that offensive output with him to Miami, in tandem with his defense, he would become the franchise's best all-around backstop of the post-J.T. Realmuto era. As for Agustín, there are multiple ways one could approach this. He was one of just four rookies in 2025 to hit 20-plus home runs, finishing sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. This isn't to ignore the red flags in his profile, though, as Ramírez walked in just 6.2 percent of his 585 plate appearances (MLB average is 8.4%). He was also considerably better in games started at designated hitter, when he could apply his full focus to his offensive responsibilities. On the whole, his 92 OPS+ made him a below-average hitter. Despite catching in just 73 games last season, Ramírez's 10 errors led all MLB catchers, as did his 19 passed balls. According to Fielding Bible, only Salvador Perez (-15) put up a worse defensive runs saved total than Ramírez's minus-14. His work ethic earns praise from Marlins leadership, yet the early returns this spring are underwhelming. In all likelihood, the Marlins won't budge on their conservative plan unless Mack sustains this pace for the remaining three weeks of exhibition games. The expectation is still that Ramírez and Liam Hicks will form their Opening Day catching tandem. A 2024 Rule 5 draft pick out of the Tigers system, Hicks showed promising plate discipline, OBP'ing .346 across 390 plate appearances. While not known for his defense behind the plate, Hicks certainly feels safer behind the dish than Ramírez, graded out as about an average defender according to DRS, while also appearing in parts of 28 games at first base. Regardless of where he opens 2026, there's a sense that we're on the precipice of seeing Joe Mack impact the Marlins at the major league level. The Game at Hand Chris Paddack made his second spring start for the Marlins on Sunday, tossing two scoreless innings in the club's 3-0 victory over the Nationals. Originally drafted by Miami in 2015, Paddack would be traded to the Padres in the deal that netted Fernando Rodney in 2016. Debuting in the majors in 2019, Paddack owns a 4.64 lifetime ERA over parts of seven seasons. In 2025, his first season post-Tommy John surgery, Paddack pitched to a 5.35 ERA across 158 innings between Minnesota and Detroit. "Really good day for Chris...Really good day to build off of," noted McCullough. Speaking of his experience with the Marlins thus far, Paddack reflected on the highs and lows of his career, spoke about the early discussions he had when meeting with the club prior to signing. "Something I think we all need to be reminded of, even at this level is, 'Hey man, you're really good. Believe in yourself.' That's something that was told to me in that first Zoom call, and that we're not on the phone to fill a roster spot—we think you can contribute...and we want to help you find that ceiling," remarked Paddack. News From Around Camp - Thomas White, the club’s top prospect, has a Grade 1 right oblique strain. McCullough stated that White experienced some discomfort in his spring debut on Thursday. The timeline for his return to play is 3-4 weeks. Setback aside, White appears to be a name who could impact the big league roster at some point in 2026. - Bradley Blalock, acquired by Miami over the offseason from Colorado, is the only healthy arm in big league camp who has yet to make a Grapefruit League appearance. He's slated to make his spring debut in the next couple of days, per McCullough. - Christopher Morel and Griffin Conine swapped spots on the defensive side of the ball, with Conine making his spring debut at first base, and Morel in right field. Morel, while in line to be the club's primary first baseman, is expected to see time at both third base and the outfield at points this season. In 105 games with Tampa Bay last year, he hit .219 with a .684 OPS. View the full article

Max Scherzer will need a 40-man roster spot once his signing becomes official, and the Blue Jays freed up that spot this weekend by designating Ben Cowles for assignment. The Cubs, his former team, swooped in to claim him back. Over the past six months, Cowles has been DFA'd by the Cubs and claimed by the White Sox, DFA'd by the White Sox and claimed by the Cubs, DFA'd by the Cubs and claimed by the Blue Jays, and DFA'd by the Blue Jays and claimed by the Cubs. Talk about a whirlwind. The reason the Cubs DFA'd Cowles in February was to make room for free agent signing Shelby Miller on the 40-man roster. Today, they made room to re-add Cowles by placing Miller on the 60-day IL. I wrote about the Blue Jays claiming Cowles in mid-February, explaining why I liked the addition, minor as it was. With that said, Cowles never had a great chance of making much of an impact for Toronto, so it's not particularly surprising he was the casualty for Scherzer. Cowles went 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in five Grapefruit League games. He'll now head to Arizona to play in the Cactus League with the Cubs. View the full article

FORT MYERS — Joe Ryan’s spring training ramp-up will continue in Twins camp, but his World Baseball Classic debut with Team USA will wait at least a little longer. Twins GM Jeremy Zoll said Sunday that Ryan will not participate in the WBC pool play round (or the exhibition games leading into it), but will be eligible to join Team USA later in the tournament if the Americans advance. Zoll described the decision as a collaborative one involving Ryan, his agent, Team USA, and the Twins, emphasizing that the goal is to make the “smartest and best” choice for everyone while keeping a close eye on how things look once pool play concludes. Ryan’s build-up after a scratched start last weekend appears to be back on track. Ryan said he’s been feeling “really good all week,” and threw a bullpen session on Saturday. He said the session shifted from delivery-focused cues into more pure execution as the session progressed. He said a few things still need refining, but he was pleased with how his work translated. “I felt really good about it,” he reflected. His next steps are lined up: another live session in the coming days and then hopefully a game appearance after that. Whether or not he joins Team USA depends on how those go, and what their needs are as they (hopefully) advance to elimination rounds. Byron Buxton, who left today to join Team USA, said yesterday that his understanding is that Ryan is “in a great spot” based on what they’ve discussed. He added that while Ryan wants to be with Team USA, “we also know what’s important and what’s at stake,” and he expects Ryan to join the team at some point. What’s at stake for the Twins is pretty simple: they can’t afford to have setbacks with Ryan’s timeline, because the rotation has already taken hits and the margin for error is shrinking fast. With Pablo López lost to Tommy John and Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and David Festa already needing early-spring monitoring and modified build-ups, the Twins’ best-case scenario is getting to Opening Day with as many dependable, prepared starters as possible. View the full article

The San Diego Padres have tried to ensure decent fourth and fifth starters will fill out their 2026 rotation by signing the likes of German Marquez, Walker Buehler, and Griffin Canning. The low salaries on each of their contracts limit the risk of those pitchers not working out — and the Ruben Niebla factor could turn the risk into an actual benefit. Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla has no control over pitchers incurring additional injuries, but he can address inconsistencies of some of the pitchers not retained by their previous teams. Overcoming those inconsistencies also allows additional recovery time for those pitchers who are injured since the additional depth will negate the need to hasten the return of injured pitchers. A pitching coach who can address inconsistencies and turn around a struggling pitcher is not unprecedented in Padres history. A good pitching coach can also help a young pitcher develop early in his career. Norm Sherry was the Padres’ pitching coach in 1984 when the team reached the World Series for the first time in team history. Sherry was also the team’s pitching coach in 1982 and 1983. Between trades for young pitchers and a farm system which developed young arms, the Padres had a pleasant problem during spring training prior to the start of the 1984 season: more than five pitchers were qualified to be starters. In August 1983, the Padres traded veteran pitcher John Montefusco to the New York Yankees for a two players to be named later. Left-handed pitcher Dennis Rasmussen was one of those players. Rasmussen joined the major-league team immediately, started one game while relieving in three in September 1983, and posted a 1.98 earned run average in 13 2/3 innings. By the end of spring training in 1984, the Padres had to figure out what to do with six potential starting pitchers. Rasmussen was traded back to the Yankees for veteran third baseman Graig Nettles, who had played for San Diego High School and San Diego State College before his professional activity. Rasmussen joined the Yankees’ rotation, and in 1986 he posted an 18-6 record for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees traded Rasmussen to the Cincinnati Reds in August 1987, and between the two teams he posted a 13-8 record that year. Rasmussen struggled at the start of the 1988 season. In 11 starts with the Reds. he was 2-6 with a 5.75 ERA. Jack McKeon, who was the Padres’ general manager when Rasmussen was first acquired, was still the team’s general manager in 1988. On June 8 of that year, McKeon traded rookie middle relief pitcher Candy Sierra, who had a 5.70 ERA in 15 games with the Padres, to the Reds for Rasmussen. Sierra would pitch in only one major-league game with the Reds. Rasmussen completed his season with a 14-4 record for the Padres, posting a 2.55 ERA in his 20 starts which included six complete games. McKeon would later remark that he knew Rasmussen had the potential he showed during his Padres portion of the 1988 season. McKeon added that the task was acquiring Rasmussen when he was 2-6. The Padres had a new pitching coach for 1988. Pat Dobson would also have that role in 1989 and 1990. Although Rasmussen didn’t match his 1988 season in either of those two years, he won 10 games in 1989 and 11 games in 1990. Due to the Padres’ 1987 finish, they had the first overall pick in the June 1988 draft. They chose University of Evansville pitcher Andy Benes. The Padres let Benes pitch the remainder of 1988 for the United States in the Olympic Games, so he did not see minor-league activity until 1989. He was assigned to the Padres’ Class AA team in Wichita to start the 1989 season. In his 16 Wichita starts, Benes was 8-4 with a 2.16 ERA. He was promoted to the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas and had a 2-1 record in five starts, albeit with an 8.10 ERA. In August 1989, the Padres chose to promote Benes to the major-league roster. The decision was, in par,t due to the ability of Dobson to coach Benes. The strategy worked; in ten Padres starts during 1989, Benes posted a 6-3 record and a 3.51 ERA. The team's history is littered with even more examples. In July 1987, a seven-player trade brought San Francisco Giants pitcher Mark Davis to the Padres. Davis, who had been both a starter and a reliever with the Giants, was converted into a full-time reliever with the Padres. His ERA for the Padres’ portion of his 1987 season was 3.18. Dobson helped turn Davis into the Padres’ closer. Davis had an ERA of 2.01 for the 1988 Padres along with 28 saves, and he made the All‑Star team that year. In 1989, Davis had 44 saves and a 1.85 ERA. Davis not only made the 1989 All-Star team but also received the Cy Young Award. The Padres were unable to sign Davis after the 1989 season, and the free agent joined the Kansas City Royals. The Padres were able to sign Craig Lefferts to be the team’s new closer, and with Dobson’s assistance. Lefferts was 7-5 with 23 saves and a 2.52 ERA. Davis didn’t fare as well in Kansas City that year, completing the season with a 2-7 record, six saves, and a 5.11 ERA. A good pitching coach can work with a pitcher to help him overcome inconsistencies. That creates the problem of having to assign some pitchers to the minor leagues, but it assures that the major league club will have sufficient pitching including if one or more pitchers is injured and needs to be replaced. The availability of the pitchers the Padres signed near the end of the offseason may indicate warnings about those pitchers, but if the issue is inconsistency rather than health, the coaching skills of Ruben Niebla may make those low-cost signings beneficial for the Padres. View the full article

When pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers, the optimism surrounding the Minnesota Twins' rotation was grounded in numbers. This was supposed to be a strength built on both established major leaguers and emerging upper-level prospects knocking on the door. Instead, the depth chart has become something of a stress test before the calendar even flips to Opening Day. The Twins had eight pitchers in contention for five starting spots when pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers. However, Pablo Lopez is out for the year following Tommy John surgery, and David Festa is expected not to be ready for Opening Day as he deals with a shoulder impingement. That reality has reshaped the conversation around the starting staff this spring. Rather than debating which young arms might have to open the year in Saint Paul, the Twins are now figuring out how many inexperienced starters they can realistically carry while still positioning themselves to compete in a winnable division. The current pitchers in play for starting jobs are Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, and Mick Abel. Beyond that group, there are Connor Prielipp, Andrew Morris, Kendry Rojas, and John Klein. Minnesota showed this winter that payroll flexibility exists, most notably in its aggressive but unsuccessful pursuit of Framber Valdez. Even so, the current trajectory suggests the organization is prepared to move forward with its six in-house rotation options while keeping its yet-to-debut pitching prospects as the next wave of reinforcement. “We see a lot of upside,” Twins General Manager Jeremy Zoll said. “We'll use spring to see what's going on everywhere. Usually, you see a lull in action for a bit as teams settle in.” The Case for Trusting the Depth There is a legitimate argument that the Twins should allow this group to sink or swim on its own merits. Ryan and Ober have proven capable of handling major league workloads when healthy, while Woods Richardson showed flashes of mid-rotation stability last season. Bradley brings electric stuff that could translate immediately, and both Matthews and Abel represent the kind of upside that teams often spend years trying to acquire externally. Younger pitchers also come with a sense of developmental urgency. Minnesota has invested years in shaping these arms at the minor league level. Blocking their opportunity with a short-term veteran might preserve depth on paper while simultaneously delaying the growth of pitchers who need to face big-league hitters to reach their ceilings. “You're trying to find that right balance of ensuring you have enough depth and creating the right opportunities for guys to step forward,” Zoll said. “In a lot of cases, these guys have proven a lot in Class AAA already. You don't want to have guys in AAA just to say we did. But you never know what's going to pop up next and constantly are weighing those things.” The Case Against Standing Pat Of course, the downside is obvious. Betting on depth is easier when it has not already taken two major hits before March. Lopez was supposed to anchor the rotation, and Festa represented a high-probability early-season contributor. Removing both from the equation places enormous pressure on pitchers who are still adjusting to the demands of a full major league season. The remaining options on the free agent market include Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell, Patrick Corbin, Tyler Anderson, and Nestor Cortes. While none project to replace the frontline production Minnesota hoped to get from Valdez or the innings stability they lost with López, there is something to be said for a veteran capable of absorbing starts across a full season. That reality leaves the front office weighing a familiar dilemma between protecting developmental pathways for its young arms and adding a more proven option to stabilize the rotation early in the year. Spring has made one thing clear. Minnesota can trust its pitching depth, but doing so is no longer a philosophical preference. It is quickly becoming a necessity. Whether that necessity turns into a breakthrough season for the next wave of starters or exposes how thin the margin for error has become may ultimately define the Twins’ 2026 campaign. Do the Twins need to sign a veteran pitcher? Or should the front office trust the team’s rotational depth? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Because he'll (probably) take up the spot on the Opening Day roster vacated by Andruw Monasterio, and because he was traded (in part) for Monasterio, David Hamilton risks being viewed much the way Monasterio was during his time with the Brewers. If you had to describe his role in a couple of words, you would say, "utility infielder," and that's also how you might encapsulate what Monasterio was for the 2023-25 teams. However, there are some crucial differences between the two, as well, and manager Pat Murphy sees Hamilton not only as having a much larger version of Monasterio's role, but as the guy most likely to take what Murphy likes to call "a quantum leap" this season. "I think he can take his offensive game to a whole other level," Murphy said. "There's so much in there offensively. We gotta get it out of there, and it's not going to be easy, You can't just change habits [in the snap of a finger], but man, is it something." Hamilton will open the season as the backup shortstop, and also figures to find playing time at third base and (as needed) at second or in the outfield. Nominally, that's similar to what Monasterio brought to the table, but expect Hamilton to play more—much more. For one thing, he bats left-handed, whereas Monasterio is a righty hitter. For another, he's a more adept defender, with all the tools to be a plus shortstop. "I can see Hamilton playing against right-handers," Murphy said. "All the time. That much—so he's not a Mona." Monasterio, indeed, often wouldn't start for two weeks at a time, making only occasional appearances as a defensive substitute or pinch-hitter. He only had 135 plate appearances, despite spending the vast majority of the season with the Crew. The role Murphy outlined for Hamilton could easily involve three times that many trips to the plate. That leaves two important questions hanging in the air: Why? And how? Let's tackle them in that order. Murphy emphasized the offensive upside he and the staff see in the lefty-batting infielder. That upside lies in a couple of different areas. Firstly, he brings elite speed, and a track record of deploying it aggressively. He's stolen 57 bases in his short big-league career, and taken the extra base on teammates' hits over 60% of the time; the league averages under 50%. When Hamilton gets on base, he scores 37% of the time, another mark about 10 percentage points higher than the league's. Though he got just 317 plate appearances in 2024 and 194 in 2025, he ranks ninth for those two seasons in Net Bases Gained, according to Statcast, which apportions responsibility for steals and times caught stealing among runners, pitchers and catchers and turns it into a counting stat that also functions as a de facto value metric for runners. Of the 521 players who had at least 200 stolen-base opportunities over the last two seasons, Hamilton had the fourth-highest attempt rate. His legs make a difference once he's on base. Of course, the hurdle he has to clear is getting on base, to begin with. On that front, 2025 was a grim step back, as he ran a .257 OBP that cost him the larger role the Red Sox envisioned for him when the season began. Thus, as is true of so many exceptional athletes trying to cross the bridge to become exceptional ballplayers, Hamilton's fate hinges on hitting. The good news is that, as Murphy noted, there's some upside to tap into. Under the influence of a Red Sox development infrastructure focused on adding bat speed, Hamilton showed that he could do that, but he's also learned that his fastest swing is not automatically his best. This winter, his work was focused on a simple objective. "I worked on, pretty much, just hitting line drives," Hamilton said. "That really plays into what [the Brewers] see for me, what they want to do, so it worked out." That's what every hitter is trying to do, of course, but Hamilton is a good candidate for a rededication to it. His line-drive rate dipped substantially in 2025, as his bat path flattened out. He hit more grounders, made less hard contact and didn't generate any more contact in 2024—an easy explanation for the fact that his numbers cratered. Fixing that doesn't need to mean overhauling his swing, though. Murphy talked about changing what Hamilton is looking for at the plate; so did the man himself. "You want to have a good approach when you're at the plate, but it also comes down to the path you're swinging on," he said. "I'm just really focusing on hitting the top of the baseball, and hopefully good things will happen." That might sound like a recipe for a deleterious number of ground balls, but for big-league hitters, looking for the top of the ball is often a way to ensure that they don't go too far the other way, popping it up or whiffing on it. Hamilton has been hard at work with (among others) hitting coach Dan Vogelbach this spring, with bat path at the center of the discussions. He's only had 13 balls in play this spring, but his average exit velocity is over 89 MPH, up from a career average of 87 MPH, and he's whiffed on just two of his 25 swings. Meanwhile, hitting the top of the ball hasn't led to wanton worm-burning; he's hit just three of those 13 batted balls at launch angles below 7°. A player with this much speed, a reasonably patient approach and even a modicum of juice in his bat can be a big help on offense, especially from the left side. That's plenty on the question of why the manager is excited about him, then. Let's tackle the thornier query: How—or, rather, at whose expense? In short (no pun intended), it might be Hamilton who first threatens the playing time of incumbent shortstop Joey Ortiz, rather than Jett Williams or Cooper Pratt. Murphy has seen some of what he hoped for from Ortiz this spring, and he'll now get a chance to pick the brains of other good players on Novena México in the World Baseball Classic. However, while the organization remains broadly high on Ortiz, Hamilton's left-handedness and his strong defensive chops make him a candidate to play in Ortiz's stead at times. He'll get most of his playing time at third base, splitting those duties with Luis Rengifo, but to match Murphy's lofty vision, he'll have to take some time from Ortiz, too. Murphy dislikes straightforward platoons, except in unusual and specific situations. Unless he sees no real utility for a right-handed batter except against lefties (and trusts that player to succeed in a very difficult role), he prefers modified platoons wherein he can use the right player for a given matchup every day, balancing the playing time. For instance, if he were to give Hamilton the long side of a platoon at third base, it would marginalize Rengifo—whom the team likes best from the right side, but not exclusively there. The team will use inputs far beyond handedness to make playing-time decisions, setting it day to day based on things like swing path against the opposing starter and defensive alignment behind their own. "That's where, I have a lot of information coming at me before a series, saying, 'Hey, when this guy starts, this might be the better guy'," Murphy said. "But the other thing to think about is, the way the game's evolving, the starting pitcher is not going three times around very often. So it's kind of futile to just say, 'This is how we're gonna play it,' because you gotta also plan for the last five innings. The last five innings become crucial that you're set up right." Hamilton's playing time has to come from somewhere, and it's likely to be mostly on the left side of the infield. That's bad news for Ortiz and Rengifo, but Murphy's philosophy about platoons and playing time could be good news for all three players. Hamilton will have to do more to earn his at-bats than the others, but he's already done some of that work this spring. The imperfect platoon plan, by the way, might also be the team's answer to the question of how to divvy up time between Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers this year. Their depth is more obvious on the pitching side, but if you see Bauers, Hamilton and Brandon Lockridge the way Murphy and the Brewers do, it becomes just as impressive with the hitters. View the full article

The standings don’t mean much in late February, but a six-game skid still isn’t ideal. Since our last check-in, the Twins have dropped six straight and now sit at 2-7 overall this spring. It’s early, workloads are being managed, and plenty of pitchers are still building up — but this past week wasn’t exactly clean baseball. The stretch included a pair of Tuesday losses (10-5 to Baltimore and 12-1 to Tampa Bay), a 5-3 loss to Boston on Wednesday, a 6-4 defeat against Pittsburgh on Thursday, a 17-5 blowout by the Yankees on Friday, and a 13-8 loss to the Red Sox on Saturday. The results don’t matter much this time of year, but individual performances are worth monitoring. With that in mind, here’s the latest temperature check. Who’s Hot? Alan Roden: I’m not sure anyone has helped themselves more this spring than Roden. He’s 7-for-12 with a home run, and the contact quality has backed it up. He’s recorded multiple 100+ MPH exit velocities and hasn’t looked overmatched in any situation. It’s not just the production, it’s the at-bats. He’s controlling counts and squaring up pitches he should be driving. When a hitter pairs contact ability with impact like that, it stands out. Gabriel Gonzalez: As if there wasn’t already enough traffic in the outfield picture, Gonzalez is forcing his way into the conversation. Since our last check-in, he’s 4-for-6 with a pair of batted balls over 104 MPH. That’s loud contact by any standard. He’s shown he can handle different pitch types and hasn’t looked rushed at the plate. With all of the left-handed outfielders in the Twins’ system, a productive right-handed bat like Gonzalez could make things interesting if this continues. Kody Clemens: Clemens has swung the bat well early on. He’s 3-for-10 with two walks and, notably, no strikeouts. For a player whose value is tied heavily to power, that kind of zone control is encouraging. All three balls he put in play Saturday were over 100 MPH, and he’s hit a few others hard that turned into outs. Clemens likely projects as infield depth, particularly on the right side, but he could carve out a bigger role if he keeps controlling at-bats and hitting the ball this hard. Who’s Not? Marco Raya: Friday against the Yankees was a tough one for Raya. He recorded just one out while allowing five earned runs on one hit and four walks. He threw only 16 of 31 pitches for strikes, and command was clearly the issue. His fastball touched 97.8 MPH, so the raw stuff is there. But when you can’t consistently land pitches in the zone, velocity doesn’t matter much. For a pitcher who’s battled command issues in the past, this wasn’t a step forward. Justin Topa: Topa’s outing on Wednesday against Boston flipped that game. He needed 31 pitches to get two outs, allowing four earned runs on two hits and three walks. Two of the four balls put in play against him were hit over 104 MPH. Even more concerning was the strike throwing; just 11 of 31 pitches landed in the zone. Topa entered camp looking like a strong bet for a bullpen spot, but outings like this open the door for competition. Andrew Morris: The young righty drew the start on Tuesday against Baltimore, and it didn’t go well. Over 1 ⅓ innings, he allowed four earned runs on six hits, with no walks and no strikeouts. He threw 25 of 40 pitches for strikes, but too many of them caught too much of the plate. The velocity dip stood out. After sitting 95-96 MPH last year, his fastball was 92-93 in this outing. That could simply be part of ramping up, but with less margin for error, hitters were able to square him up. Morris allowed more hard contact in 2025, and that trend showed up again in his first spring appearance. It’s still early. These games often turn into minor-league scrimmages by the middle innings, and a bad week in February doesn’t define anyone’s season. But if we’re taking an early pulse, a few bats are trending up, and a few arms are still trying to find their footing. View the full article

FORT MYERS - For years, when we saw Byron Buxton in the lineup as a designated hitter, it was bad news. It meant that Buxton and the team were trying to figure out some way (usually, futilely) to keep him healthy. This spring, Buxton has already been the designated hitter twice, including in Saturday’s game against the Red Sox, but now it’s good news. He’s playing designated hitter because he and the Twins are playing him in back-to-back games early this spring, so he’s ready for the World Baseball Classic. “It's something we talked about when I first got down here,” said Buxton, who leaves the team on Sunday to join Team USA. “Feel good. Ready.” He started preparing a month earlier than usual this offseason. He’s also already played in three back-to-back games this spring, even though it’s not yet March. That’s necessary because he wants to be ready for the competitive environment that is inherent in the WBC. But it’s also because he could be away from camp through March 17th if Team USA advances to the finals. View the full article

Welcome to the tenth and final edition of North Side Baseball’s offseason series covering the 1918 Chicago Cubs. You can find the first nine parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Last time, we dove into the first three games of the 1918 World Series. The Cubs find themselves down 2-1 and are headed to Boston for the final four games of the series against the Red Sox. A Potential Strike? According to The Society of American Baseball Research, the players were upset about the new revenue sharing plan set to begin with this World Series. Before the season began, the National Commission agreed to share some of the gate receipts from the first four World Series games with the top four teams in each league. Because of this new rule, the reduced ticket prices, and low attendance due to the ongoing war, these shares were set to be much smaller than previous years. The players wanted a guarantee of their shares, and were set to meet with the commission after the fourth game when they knew what the full revenue was going to be. Game Four The Red Sox were sending Game 1’s winner, Babe Ruth, to the mound to go up against the Cubs’ Game 2 starter, Lefty Tyler. The game was tied in the fourth inning with men on first and second and two outs. Babe Ruth, still hitless in his World Series career, stepped up to the plate. Tyler, electing to pitch to the slugger, fell behind 3-0. After coming back to bring the count full, Ruth got a pitch to hit, and let it rip. “Ruth’s smash soared high over Flack’s head and Max was so flustered that at first he took a few steps forward before he realized that the ball was soaring past him,” the New York Times wrote at the time. A triple brought home two runs, and the Red Sox took a 2-0 lead. The score stayed there until the eighth inning. After a leadoff walk to Bill Killefer, which was followed by a single from Claude Hendrix, who hit for Tyler, the Cubs found themselves in business. A groundout from Charlie Hollocher scored the first run, and then a two-out single from Les Mann brought home the tying run, giving the Cubs some life. With Tyler out of the game, the Cubs brought Phil Douglas in to pitch the bottom half of the eighth inning. A leadoff single from Wally Schang, coupled with a passed ball, gave the Red Sox a runner at second with nobody out. Harry Hooper laid down a bunt, and in attempting to throw him out at first base, Douglas threw the ball away, allowing the go-ahead run to score, and the Red Sox to take a 3-2 lead. Even still, the Cubs wouldn’t go away quietly. Fred Merkle began the ninth with a single, and after a walk to Rollie Zeider, Red Sox manager Ed Barrow took Ruth out of the game and put him into the outfield and instead inserted Bullet Joe Bush to pitch. A bunt from Chuck Wortman forced Merkle out at third, and then a ground ball double play from Turner Barber ended the game. The Cubs found themselves just one loss away from losing this World Series. Game Five The players, still seeking a resolution to their shares of the revenue, remained in the locker room after the game was supposed to begin. The game would eventually start an hour late. “The players of both clubs went on a strike because the National Commission refused to guarantee the prize money provided for under the new agreement which gives $2,000 to players of the winning club and $1,400 to those of the losing club. The players were willing to compromise at $1,500 and $1,000, but the receipts of the first four games, in which the players share, leaves only $890 for the winning players and $535 for the losers,” the Times reported. It was agreed upon to reopen the discussion after the series and play the game, which pitted Hippo Vaughn against Sad Sam Jones. In the fourth, Hollocher walked, stole second, and scored on a double from Mann, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The Cubs would eventually extend the lead to 3-0 in the eighth, when Dode Paskert ripped a double to score Flack and Hollocher. From there, Hippo Vaughn did the rest. Vaughn threw another complete game, this time a shutout. He allowed just five hits, one walk, and struck out four. Following nine innings of one-run ball in Game 1, and nine innings of two-run ball in Game 3, this meant that Vaughn had pitched 27 innings in six days and allowed just three runs. What an incredible performance to extend the series for the Cubs, who were still behind 3-2. Game Six The Cubs, still desperate to keep Babe Ruth out of the Red Sox’s lineup, sent the left-handed pitching Lefty Tyler to the mound. This meant that each of the first six games of this series had been started by only Tyler or Vaughn. The Red Sox sent out their Game 3 starter, Carl Mays. The game began with nothing more than a few two-out runners until the bottom of the third. Tyler walked both Mays and Dave Shean, and with two on and two outs, George Whiteman hit a line drive to Flack in right field. According to the Times, “he caught up to the rapidly descending ball and had it entirely surrounded by his hands. Tyler was offering thanksgiving for crawling out of a bad hole when the ball squeezed its way through Flack’s buttered digits. As the ball spilled in a puddle at Flack’s feet, both Mays and Shean were well along on their way home before Flack’s alarm clock went off and woke him up.” The Cubs, with their backs against the wall, notched a lead off single in the top half of the fourth, and after a one out hit by pitch, they had two runners on with just one out. However, Mann was picked off of first base. After a walk to Paskert and an RBI single from Merkle, the Cubs trailed just 2-1, though the inning as a whole felt like a lost opportunity. The Cubs would go down the rest of the game without much incident, managing just one baserunner on a walk after that fourth inning rally. With a 2-1 loss in Game 6 of the 1918 World Series, the Cubs’ season was over. Aftermath Because of the war, there was such little fanfare around this World Series, with the Times reporting in their recap of Game 6 that “baseball’s valedictory this afternoon should have been played to the weary strains of Chopin’s Funeral March. The smallest gathering that ever saw the national game’s most imposing event sat silently about and watched Boston win and Chicago lose. There was no wild demonstration of joy when the last man went out.” The war, it was clear, had taken its toll, and it would take a toll on more than just the atmosphere of this World Series. The previously agreed upon revenue sharing remained, with Cleveland, both New York teams, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Washington all receiving shares, according to the Times. Per SABR, the winning shares ended up being $1,108.45 for the Red Sox, which is the lowest amount ever awarded to the World Series champions. The Cubs received $671 per player. Thankfully, World War I would end just a couple of months later, on November 11. Baseball players returned home, and the 1919 season was shortened to 140 games to accommodate those returning players. Of course, Grover Cleveland Alexander was among those players, as he joined Hippo Vaughn atop the 1919 Cubs’ pitching rotation. Some have since wondered if there was a fix in the 1918 World Series in the aftermath of the Black Sox scandal in the 1919 World Series. John Thorn, the official historian for Major League Baseball, was quoted by the Seattle Times in 2011 that “it seems more likely that there would have been a fix than there would not have been.” A court deposition that was displayed at the Chicago History Museum from Eddie Cicotte, one of the members of the 1919 Black Sox, would suggest that the series was. Cicotte mentioned that his teammates had discussed that “one or several” Cubs were offered $10,000 to fix the series. There were certainly some very costly misplays and errors that ended up costing the Cubs dearly, Flack’s misplay among them. Of course, we’ll never know for sure. The 1918 season was ultimately a successful one for the Cubs, even if they came up short at the end. It was a wild ride that I am sure gave so many fans something to think about other than the happenings in Europe. View the full article

On Saturday afternoon, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that the Kansas City Royals had agreed to a deal with outfielder Starling Marte, pending a physical. Yancen Pujols, via El Extra Base's Daniel Alvarez-Montes, reported early this morning that Marte and the Royals had progressed in talks and were close to signing a deal to bring him to Kansas City. The Royals have shown interest in Marte before. Last year, a possible deal at the Winter Meetings would've brought Marte to Kansas City in exchange for reliever Hunter Harvey. However, the deal couldn't be finalized. Marte was also a free agent this winter, and there were rumblings that he fit what the Royals were looking for in the outfield for 2026. Marte has a career 35.9 fWAR and is a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove award winner. He's been beset by injuries over the past few years, as he hasn't had more than 370 plate appearances in a season since 2022, his first season with the Mets. Last season, in 329 plate appearances, he slashed .270/.335/.410 with a .326 wOBA, 112 wRC+, and 0.7 fWAR. He also had nine home runs, 37 runs scored, 34 RBI, and seven stolen bases. In terms of his Statcast percentiles, he showed a decent 90th percentile exit velocity and ranked in the 52nd percentile in strikeout rate. However, he is definitely a player in the later stages of his career, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary from 2025 below. Despite this declining skill set, it's likely that Marte will be a platoon bat who will rotate among all three outfield positions with Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel, and Jac Caglianone. MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers reported that Marte, who is coming to Kansas City on a one-year deal, will be utilized mostly as a depth piece off the bench, but he could earn more playing time if he produces like he did last year or in 2024 (103 wRC+). It sounds like Marte will be receiving a Major League deal, which means that the Royals will likely DFA someone on the 40-man roster to make room. Outfielders Dairon Blanco and Drew Waters seem like prime candidates, especially Waters, who is out of Minor League options and posted a 66 wRC+ in 219 plate appearances last season. View the full article

The Miami Marlins have announced that their 2025 first-round draft pick and top shortstop prospect Aiva Arquette underwent core muscle surgery on Friday. Being 4-6 weeks away from resuming baseball activities, he is all but certain to open the 2026 season with a stint on the injured list. MLB.com's Christina De Nicola explains that Arquette initially suffered a left groin injury during offseason workouts in his native Hawaii. The decision to undergo surgery was made when he continued to experience discomfort in spring training. Unrelated to this latest injury, Arquette's collegiate career was interrupted by knee surgery and a broken hand. However, he was fully healthy during his draft year. The Marlins selected him with the seventh overall pick and paid him the largest signing bonus in franchise history. Arquette made his professional debut last summer. In 27 games with High-A Beloit, he slashed .242/.350/.323 (103 wRC+) with one home run and seven stolen bases. He took all of his defensive reps at shortstop and played well there. Arquette enters this season as a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect (Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and The Athletic each consider him a top-50 talent). He ranks seventh on the Fish On First Top 30. Even with immaculate health, it was unlikely that Arquette would reach the big leagues in 2026. This further diminishes those odds. Barring setbacks during the rehab process, the 22-year-old should be returning to minor league games by the end of April. Starlyn Caba (FOF #8) could be a beneficiary of Arquette's injury, potentially serving as Beloit's full-time shortstop early in the season. View the full article