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Major League Baseball on Wednesday announced and informed teams of the updated slot values and bonus pools for the 2026 MLB Draft taking place in Philadelphia, July 11-13. All pick values saw a 2.5 percent increase from 2025, which comes from the overall growth in MLB’s revenue year to year. Coming into the 2026 draft, per Jim Callis of MLB.com, the Chicago Cubs have an $9,644,100 bonus pool. That ranks 20th among all 30 teams this year. The Cubs have the 23rd pick in the first round of the draft. Slotted at No. 23 in round one, they have a slot value of $3,947,600. Because they were a playoff team in 2025, they were ineligible to move up in the lottery since their team was not impacted by other teams. Moving down to No. 25 from No. 17 in 2025, their slot value is $803,200 less than in 2025 for that round one pick. In 2025, the Cubs selected outfielder Ethan Conrad with their 17th overall pick. Conrad was drafted out of Wake Forest and still had a high upside despite dealing with a shoulder injury. Moving on to the second round, the Cubs’ No. 62 pick has a slot value of $1,487,200. They will then select at No. 75 with a free-agent compensation pick. That pick is worth $1,120,900 and is in exchange for Kyle Tucker, whom the Dodgers signed in January to a four-year, $240 million deal. The Cubs will select at No. 98 in round three, which has a slot value of $800,000. In round four, they will select at No. 126, with a slot value of $609,200. Round five, their slot value for pick No. 159 drops to $441,300, with round six (pick No. 188) at $344,400. As the draft continues, pick No. 217 in round seven has a value of $272,000, and round eight decreases to $224,100 for pick No. 247, followed by round nine (Pick No. 277) at $204,100, and pick No. 307 (tenth and final round) at $193,300 as they round out their draft. Because the Cubs have a lower pick, it is likely they will spend more than teams with higher picks and higher slot values. Heading into the draft, the Cubs are predicted to have an offensive-heavy draft, targeting college-level athletes. Prospects they’re said to be targeting include middle infielder Eric Becker out of Virginia, Zion Rose out of Louisville, and second baseman Chris Rembert from Auburn. Becker is a player with fast bat speed and great instincts at the plate. Rose is a physical, plus-hitter with a lot of power. A Chicago native, Rose would be right at home in Chicago. Rembert out of Auburn is another target of Chicago’s. He’s a pure hitter with great ability. The Chicago White Sox have the No.1 pick and will be on the clock on July 11 when the MLB draft begins. They have a slot value of $11,350,600. View the full article

The New York Mets found out Thursday just how much their attention to the major league roster will affect them in this summer's MLB Draft. MLB allotted the club $6.731 million to sign its picks, according to a league announcement. That figure is the third-lowest pool total in the draft and about three times smaller than the $19.1 million in pool money available to the top club, the Pittsburgh Pirates. More than half the Mets' bonus pool was dedicated to their first-round bonus slot: $3.47 million for the 27th overall selection. New York is picking 27th as a penalty for exceeding the second Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) surcharge threshold last season, with an estimated $347 million tax payroll. This is familiar territory for the club; It is the fourth year in a row MLB has dropped the Mets 10 spots for exceeding CBT thresholds. Last year, the team's first selection was 38th overall. The Mets chose University of Michigan two-way player Mitch Voit at that spot and signed him to a $1.75 million bonus. The club's 2026 draft was further compromised in February when it agreed to sign free-agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract. Bichette had received a qualifying offer from his previous club, the Toronto Blue Jays, meaning the Mets had to forfeit their second- and fifth-round selections for signing him. Barring any trades for supplemental-round picks between now and the draft, the Mets will pick 27th overall and then not again until 92nd, their pick in the third round. They received a compensatory pick after the fourth round for the Dodgers' signing of free-agent closer Edwin Diaz. The Mets made a qualifying offer to Diaz, who rejected it. The 2026 MLB Draft will be held July 11-12 in Philadelphia, the site of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. The Chicago White Sox have the first overall selection; they're expected to take the consensus No. 1 draft prospect, UCLA infielder Roch Cholowsky. 2026 MLB Draft bonus pools Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700 Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300 Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100 Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600 St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300 Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000 Atlanta: $15,870,800 Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600 San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400 Athletics: $13,840,300 Houston Astros: $13,712,700 Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100 Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000 Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900 Washington Nationals: $12,278,300 Miami Marlins: $11,960,100 Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400 Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500 Texas Rangers: $10,219,200 Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100 San Diego Padres: $9,479,000 Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100 Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200 Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200 Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900 Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000 New York Yankees: $7,342,800 New York Mets: $6,730,900 Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100 Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900 View the full article

The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that right-handed reliever Garrett Acton has been traded to the Minnesota Twins. In return, they received right-handed reliever Logan Whitaker. The Marlins claimed Acton off waivers from the Colorado Rockies in February and optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville last month. Prior to being designated for assignment, he made two scoreless relief appearances for the Jumbo Shrimp, leaning almost entirely on his mid-90s four-seam fastball and high-80s slider. He spent the vast majority of 2025 (his age-27 season) with Triple-A Durham, where he performed solidly (3.68 ERA and 4.01 FIP in 58.2 IP). Acton has also made seven major league appearances (all as a reliever), posting a 10.80 ERA and 11.19 FIP in those 6 ⅔ innings pitched. Turning 25 next month, Whitaker split last season between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita. He spent nearly two months on the injured list, which limited him to 38 ⅓ innings pitched (25 G/0 GS), but he was highly effective when available, posting a 2.11 ERA and 2.90 FIP. That includes a 1.21 ERA if you ignore his season debut. He also worked three scoreless innings in Grapefruit League games this spring. Selected in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of North Carolina State University, Whitaker is listed at 6'6", but only gets approximately six feet of extension during his delivery. He attacks hitters using his four-seamer and changeup, with occasional sliders and cutters mixed in. Whitaker should be joining Double-A Pensacola's roster this weekend. Through six games in 2026, the Marlins bullpen has been phenomenal. It's unclear who would be first in line for a call-up in the event of injury or overuse, as both left-hander Cade Gibson and right-hander Josh White have looked shaky for the Jumbo Shrimp through one week of action. View the full article

The New York Mets didn't need a new #LOLMets viral moment this early in the season, but here we are. The fact a team leader produced it makes it worse. Now, there are more questions about whether the club's culture has improved at all after an offseason roster overhaul. By now, you've probably seen the blunders Francisco Lindor committed Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The shortstop forgot how many outs there were in the first inning and turned a routine double play into an embarrassing fielder's choice. Cameras caught Lindor tapping his chest afterward, claiming accountability. Fortunately for Lindor and the club, Freddy Peralta pitched around it and put up a zero. The play didn't directly factor into New York's eventual 2-1 loss in 11 innings, but, as Lindor noted after the game, Peralta had to throw more pitches and that needlessly shortened his start. "I forgot the outs,” Lindor said in response to a question by SNY's Steve Gelbs. “Unexcusable," he added. Manager Carlos Mendoza was brief, too, saying in his postgame presser Lindor "knows" he messed up. Lindor's other blunder did affect the final score, though. In the top of the sixth inning, he was picked off first base without so much as an attempt to get back to the bag. He was completely caught napping. Three pitches later, Juan Soto blasted a home run that would have prevented the game from going to extras had Lindor still been on base. Just over a week into a pivotal season for the club, the world can feel that all is right in it because the Mets are doing bad fundamentals again. Lindor's critics get another chance to gloat and troll. They can claim again that Lindor was never captain material. They can pile it onto the other dramas -- his reported tension with Juan Soto, the rumors Lindor disliked Brandon Nimmo for his politics (Lindor denied this one, telling the New York Post he "loves" his "brother"), his on-field issues with Jeff McNeil, the thumbs-down to booing fans. The league's media outlet had its own takes Thursday. MLB Network analyst Jake Peavy said on "MLB Now" that the team's vibe may still be off after it tries to move past last year's collapse. MLB Network analyst Kevin Millar said on "Intentional Talk" that mental errors are inexcusable and players show a lack of respect for the game when they commit them. Lindor tried to be a hero in spring training. He sped up his rehab from hamate surgery to be ready for Opening Day. He made it and started the first six games of the season, but he's off to another slow start: a .712 OPS inflated by seven walks, and just three hits. He needs to lock back in. Maybe Mendoza could give him a night off -- issue a suspension disguised as maintenance. If, instead, Lindor is in the lineup for every game against the Giants in San Francisco, then it'll be clear the people who matter have already moved on. It'll be left for the fans to chew on it and once more experience the bitterness that comes from rooting for a franchise that specializes in boneheaded moves. View the full article

Shortly after the Twins left Kansas City following a 5-1 win over the Royals on Thursday afternoon, the team announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Garrett Acton from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league righty Logan Whitaker. Acton will report to St. Paul this weekend. This might just be another case of an arm that the Twins can use their five options per season on as they need pitchers to move up and down throughout the season. The 28-year-old has a combined 31 days of MLB service time, and he's got two years of minor-league options remaining. There may be some value in that information. Acton is a native of Illinois and was the 35th round pick of the White Sox way back in 2016. He decided not to sign and instead went to the University of St. Louis. After missing the 2018 season, he transferred home to pitch two seasons at the University of Illinois. Of course, in that 2020 season, he only pitched in six games before the season ended abruptly. In those six innings, he tossed 6 2/3 innings and recorded six saves. Late that summer, he signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Oakland A's. In 2021, e combined for 34 games between the two Class A levels. In 2022, he split the season between Double-A and Triple-A. In 2023, he went 5-2 with a 5.59 ERA over 29 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas and posted an ERA of 12.71 in 5 2/3 inning of big-league action. He missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. In December of 2023, the Rays signed him to a two-year minor-league deal. In 2025, he made 45 appearances for the Rays Triple-A ballclub and went 5-1 with a 3.68 ERA over 58 2/3 innings. He pitched one inning for the big-league club. The Rays DFAd him after the 2025 season completed and the Rockies claimed him. In early February, the Rockies DFAd him and the Marlins claimed him. He made two appearances this weekend for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. and had four strikeouts in 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Acton's average fastball is about 95 mph, and he also throws a changeup 8-10 mph slower, as well as a slider. Logan Whitaker is a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher. The Twins made him their 19th round pick in 2025 out of North Carolina State. He pitched in two games for the Mighty Mussels in 2024, and last year, he combined for 25 games between Cedar Rapids and Wichita. He went 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA. In 38 1/3 innings, he had 33 strikeouts and 10 walks. He was set to begin his 2026 season with the Wind Surge. To make room on the Twins 40-man roster, David Festa was transferred to the 60-Day Injured List. View the full article

It wasn't a dazzling first week for Cubs designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros. The rookie only batted .167 during the team's season-opening homestand, with two walks but no extra-base hits. He looked great in limited playing time last year, so it would make no sense to jump to conclusions based on this, but big-league pitchers will adjust as they get a longer look at the young could-be slugger. The main difference in pitcher attack toward Ballesteros is an increased amount of breaking pitches. Last year, he saw fastballs 53% of the time, and breaking balls 18%. This year, however, pitchers are dealing with him differently, throwing an equal number of breaking pitches and fastballs (37%). He's only 1-for-9 on breaking pitches in the early going. It also seems the youngster is making an effort to elevate the ball more, tapping into previously unseen power. His fly ball rate, pull rate, and especially balls pulled in the air (20%, up from 4% last year) point to those efforts. However, the balls hit in the air are not at a high velocity, leading to routine flies, pop outs, and happy pitchers. The samples are all tiny; we have to be cautious. But so far, he's not getting the juice, despite his firmer squeeze. This is a major shift from what Ballesteros showed in the minors. He was an extreme line-drive hitter, capable of hitting the ball to all fields with occasional power. In the minors, he never exceeded 19 home runs. There has been a subtle change in the tilt of his swing (2°), but we can't yet evaluate that datum. It's a slight adjustment, not an overhaul, and it might just be a response to the way he's being pitched. The swing is just a little bit longer as well. It seems, in this minuscule sample, that he's made changes to improve his power production. Ballesteros has seen an uptick in whiff rate, chase rate and strikeout rate. With more experience (and more reps—again, sample size is an obstacle to analysis here), this should work itself out. There was no issue with these things in the minor leagues, even though he was consistently young for his level. There's not enough data to support concern about his pitch recognition, especially when the conditions were far less than ideal for most of the games this week. Manager Craig Counsell went to the team's hitting coaches this spring with a simple instruction when it comes to Ballesteros: "Leave him alone." Presumably, they'll hold to that advice. There should be no need for a swing change. Most of his changes are subtle, and it's far too early to make sense of the data noise. The leash for Ballesteros will be long, but it's not infinite. Seiya Suzuki's return looms in the next couple of weeks, and though the plan will be for him to play right field most of the time, some of his at-bats could come as the DH, reducing the playing time available to Ballesteros. He could, in turn, pick up the occasional start at catcher, but the Cubs have two other backstops on the roster and have yet to deploy Ballesteros there in the regular season. It's early, and the adjustments could pay off in the end. It's just been one week. Ballesteros is in no imminent danger of being optioned to Iowa, but if he doesn't hit at all over the next week or two, they could reconsider on that front once Suzuki returns. Time in Iowa would mean reps at catcher, which could finish off Ballesteros's development at that position. For now, just monitor his work. The team is invested in and dedicated to Ballesteros emerging as a regular, and they're unlikely to give up on him easily—but the right confluence of performances by him and a few teammates could still result in a sojourn in Des Moines later this month. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins may have found something pretty special behind the plate—not this year, and maybe not even in the next year or two. But when you start looking at the long-term picture, it’s hard not to keep coming back to one name: Eduardo Tait. Ranked as the Twins’ No. 4 prospect according to Twins Daily, Tait has quickly become one of the most exciting pieces in the organization. Alongside Mick Abel, he was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies at last summer’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Jhoan Duran the other way. It was a move that raised some eyebrows at the time, but the early returns are giving the Twins plenty of reasons to feel good about it. While he might not be the flashiest catching prospect in baseball, Tait has quietly put together a skillset that checks a lot of boxes. Let’s start with his bat. Tait isn’t ranked this highly because he projects to hit 35 to 40 home runs at the major-league level; he’s not Cal Raleigh. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t power here. In fact, we saw him rip a ball 112 MPH off the bat in the Twins’ Spring Breakout game against his former team, so his ability to impact the ball is very real. The interesting part is how his power shows up. Up to this point, it hasn’t come from consistently lifting the ball in the air. Instead, it’s been more about hard contact, line drives, and a hit tool that’s advanced well beyond his years. That brings us to, arguably, the most impressive part of his profile: his age relative to his performance. Most 18-year-olds are finishing their senior year of high school. Tait, at 18, was hitting .250 at High-A. At first glance, that might not jump off the page. But to put it into context, Marek Houston—the Twins’ first round pick from last summer—hit just .152 at High-A as a 21-year-old after being drafted. That’s a massive difference in both age and production. Overall, across Low-A and High-A in 2025, Tait slashed .253/.311/.427, with 32 doubles, a triple, and 14 home runs. It’s a well-rounded stat line that reflects exactly what he is right now: a balanced offensive player with room to grow. If there’s one area to keep an eye on, though, it’s his plate discipline. Tait has extremely strong bat-to-ball skills, and sometimes that can be a double-edged sword. Because he’s so good at making contact, there were some stretches (especially after his promotion to High-A) wherein he expanded the zone more than you’d like to see. In 37 games at that level between the Phillies and Twins organizations, he drew just six walks. That’s a noticeable drop from the 30 walks he posted in 75 games at Low-A. It’s not uncommon for young hitters to go through that adjustment phase, especially when they know they can put the bat on the ball. But as he continues to develop, becoming more selective and more willing to take pitches will be key. It should also help boost his on-base percentage, which dipped to .286 at High-A. Defensively, there’s also a lot to like. Tait has a strong arm and a solid presence behind the plate, with MLB Pipeline grading his arm as a 60 on the 20-80 scale. The tools are there for him to develop into a solid defensive catcher, and the foundation is already in place. That said, there’s still some refinement needed. After posting a respectable 32% caught stealing rate at Low-A, that number dropped to below 10% once he reached High-A. That’s a pretty significant shift, but again, it speaks more to where he is in his development than to any long-term concern. The arm strength is there, and the frame is there. Now it’s about consistency, mechanics, and continuing to grow into the position. That’s really the theme with Tait, as a whole: there’s a lot to like, and a lot to be optimistic about. But it’s also important to keep everything in perspective; he’s only 19 years old. Realistically, he’s probably not going to be major league-ready until 2027 or 2028, and even that might be an aggressive timeline. More likely, you’re looking at 2029 before he’s fully established at the big-league level, assuming everything continues trending in the right direction. A lot can change in that time. Prospects develop, some stall out, and others take unexpected leaps. But if Tait keeps progressing the way he has so far, his ceiling is pretty clear. This is someone who could realistically develop into the Twins’ starting catcher for the next decade or longer once he arrives, and that’s what makes him so interesting. He might not have the headline-grabbing power, but he does a little bit of everything. And at his age, that’s exactly what you want to see. As the season gets underway, he’s absolutely a name worth keeping an eye on. Because the Twins’ catcher of the future may very well be in the system already. View the full article

The finger issue that lingered for part of 2024 and all of 2025 got most of the headlines, but in truth, William Contreras dealt with multiple nagging injuries last year. They didn't stop him from being a productive hitter, and hard work on his accuracy when throwing to second ensured that he improved at controlling the opposing running game. He remains a solid framer, though he hasn't quite bloomed into the major difference-maker it looked like he might be when the team's cadre of catching coaches first got hold of him in 2023. Nothing was operating quite at full steam, though, because when you're hurt, you're unavoidably incomplete. You end up being slightly selfish, even when that's the last thing you're disposed to be, as a person or player. You can't spend as much time or attention in service to your teammates, because your body demands some of your attention, and maintaining and treating those injuries demands a great deal of your time. Contreras is the antithesis of a selfish player, but he was unable to lead and augment his teammates last year the way he wanted to. This spring, with a cleaner bill of health to begin the campaign, he's a different player—one as dynamic and multi-faceted as he was in 2023 and 2024, but made wiser by the adversity he overcame in 2025. He's altered his batting stance. In the past, he was the rare hitter who could be said to be stepping in the bucket, without losing value to that habit. He started in a fairly neutral stance, used a high leg kick, and strode wide-open, looking to pull the ball. It often looked like this. d2VXb0FfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1V3bFNVVk1HQlFRQUFGRUhWUUFIQ1FkU0FBQldBbE1BVTF3QUJRUUdWUUFEVTFjQw==.mp4 This year, he's starting with a more closed stance, and his feet are farther apart. He's gone, if you will, halfway from the way he used to set up and get moving toward the ball to the way teammate and fellow Venezuela native Jackson Chourio does so: a wider base, a deeper bend (in Contreras's case, crouching has become part of his load), and a more direct stride. Even when he's swinging with exactly the same intent, it looks more like this. SzRCVmVfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlZKVUJ3QUNBQUlBRGdZTFZ3QUhBQUFBQUFCWEJsVUFVRk1BQVZkVVYxVmRVVkZU.mp4 However, Contreras is also getting back to doing something he used to do more often, perhaps prompted by the time he spent last month with the man for whom he wears No. 24 and who did it singularly well, Miguel Cabrera. Sometimes, even in advantage counts, Contreras simply anticipates the pitch that's coming, cuts down his swing, and hits the ball cleanly to a spot he knows offers a guaranteed hit. Those moments look like this. TkFObmJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFOUVVWRURBZ0VBQUZzS1VnQUhWVkFBQUZsV1cxZ0FCZ01IVWxFRFYxWUJBbEVE.mp4 That full-fledged change of timing signature and swing path to generate a key hit (even at the cost of any chance to generate power) is one example of Contreras being an excellent team player. He's also showing the attention to detail and the acute awareness of the moment required to secure wins behind the plate. He's been excellent as a framer so far this year, and not just as a framer—as a challenger, too. Tuesday's win offered a terrific example. Contreras challenged a 3-2 pitch to Junior Caminero by Brandon Woodruff in the first inning, even though there was already one out and no one base. With so much game left and a relatively non-dangerous situation at hand within the inning, by the models, he needed to feel very confident to make that challenge. Contreras hasn't been especially aggressive with those challenges this year, so it was surprising to see him try it. But that challenge was about more than the leverage index of the pitch. It was also very much about Woodruff, who had given up a home run already and didn't have his best stuff yet. The catcher rolled the dice for his pitcher, knowing it would be a huge pick-me-up for him, as well as feeling that he was in the right. He was, and a walk became a strikeout before our eyes. Later in that game, Contreras showed a similarly excellent nous for the system and its implications for the personalities he manages from 60 feet away. The Rays had the tying run at the plate, despite being down 5-2, and Abner Uribe was struggling to finish what initially looked like it would be an easy inning. The vibes were getting unfortunately tense; Contreras needed a way to lock his pitcher back in. There's already been much talk this spring about his favorite way to do so with some pitchers, by firing the ball back to them with extra authority after a pitch. With Uribe, though, that isn't always the right way to deliver the message, and indeed, the message needs to be a bit different. On a borderline 0-0 pitch, a ball was called to Richie Palacios, but Contreras challenged again. He was successful again, putting his hurler in the driver's seat for a crucial at-bat. Uribe got out of the inning unscathed. NHlLWnhfWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdKWVVnSlhYd1lBREZJRkJ3QUhCUUVDQUFBRFdsVUFCMTBFQVFZRkFGQURWbEFE.mp4 Contreras is leaning more heavily into catching with his right knee down, and his stance has been modified a bit behind the plate, as well as in the batter's box. He's making lots of small but important changes, as he tries to be the well-rounded star and centerpiece of this team again. That's who he was in 2024, and it's who he wants to be in 2026. It's not easy, but because he's healthier this year, it's at least possible—so he's attacking the task with tenacity. View the full article

Before Thursday's series finale against the Twins, MLB Insider Francys Romero reported that the Royals were planning on calling up Luinder Avila from Omaha. Avila had an excellent MLB debut in 2025 with the Royals. In 14.1 IP, he posted a 1.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 17.9% K-BB%. He also sported a 2.10 FIP and 28.6% K% with strong TJ Stuff+ marks, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. In addition to a 102 TJ Stuff+, he also generated a 28.3% chase rate, a 27.2% whiff rate, and .253 xwOBACON. His zone rate left a bit to be desired at 44.7%, but his chase and whiff rates made up for that slightly below-average zone rate. Avila started the season in Omaha despite putting up a 2.25 ERA in four innings of work in Cactus League play. The Venezuelan-born pitcher represented his country and won a championship at the World Baseball Classic, posting a 0.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 4.1 IP. In his lone start in Omaha this season, Avila allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three in three innings of work. No official word has been shared with the Royals about Avila, and he is still slated to start tonight's outing against Wichita at 6:35 p.m. at Werner Park in Omaha. View the full article

Before Thursday's series finale against the Twins, MLB Insider Francys Romero reported that the Royals were planning on calling up Luinder Avila from Omaha. Avila had an excellent MLB debut in 2025 with the Royals. In 14.1 IP, he posted a 1.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 17.9% K-BB%. He also sported a 2.10 FIP and 28.6% K% with strong TJ Stuff+ marks, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. In addition to a 102 TJ Stuff+, he also generated a 28.3% chase rate, a 27.2% whiff rate, and .253 xwOBACON. His zone rate left a bit to be desired at 44.7%, but his chase and whiff rates made up for that slightly below-average zone rate. Avila started the season in Omaha despite putting up a 2.25 ERA in four innings of work in Cactus League play. The Venezuelan-born pitcher represented his country and won a championship at the World Baseball Classic, posting a 0.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 4.1 IP. In his lone start in Omaha this season, Avila allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three in three innings of work. No official word has been shared with the Royals about Avila, and he is still slated to start tonight's outing against Wichita at 6:35 p.m. at Werner Park in Omaha. Update (11:20 PM): Ethan Bosacker replaced Avila in the Omaha rotation on Thursday evening in their 9-7 win over the Buffalo Bison (the Toronto Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate). Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that Luinder Avila will replace Michael Wacha on Friday, as Wacha's start will be pushed back due to illness. It will be interesting to see what roster move the Royals will make. Alex Lange and Bailey Falter could be candidates to be replaced by Avila after rough outings on Wednesday, but they are out of Minor League options and would need to be DFA'd. The Royals could also add someone to the IL, though Wacha doesn't seem likely to need a stint despite his illness. The Royals will make the move before their 6:40 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Brewers, who come to Kauffman Stadium 5-1 and are atop the NL Central division. View the full article

Box Score SP: Taj Bradley - 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K. 100 pitches, 65 strikes (65%) Home Runs: Matt Wallner, Kody Clemens, Royce Lewis Top 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (0.40), Kody Clemens (0.12), Kody Funderburk (0.11) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins wrapped up their series with the Royals on Thursday, playing a 1:10 PM finale after a late finish the night before. With a different-looking lineup and a quick turnaround, the focus was simple: get more length from Taj Bradley and find just enough offense. They got both. BRADLEY SETTLES IN After an inefficient first outing that saw his pitch count climb quickly, Taj Bradley looked much more in control this time around. He worked six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and just one walk while striking out three. More than the line, though, was how he got there. Bradley was far more efficient early, needing just 27 pitches to get through two innings. He mixed in his cutter effectively and did a better job getting ahead, even if his first-pitch strike rate still wasn’t perfect. When he ran into trouble, he adjusted. The fourth inning was his biggest test, as he loaded the bases with two outs. But he reached back and got a swing-and-miss on a cutter out of the zone to escape. It wasn’t as dominant as his first start from a pure stuff standpoint. He generated fewer whiffs and gave up plenty of hard contact. But this was a different kind of outing; one built on navigating traffic, limiting damage, and giving the Twins exactly what they needed after getting just four innings from Joe Ryan the day before. And this time, it held up. SCRATCHING EARLY, BREAKING THROUGH LATE The Twins didn’t exactly jump on Royals starter Cole Ragans, but they made him work. A 24-pitch first inning set the tone, and multiple long at-bats followed, even if the runs didn't pile up. Their first run came in an unusual way. In the second inning, Kody Clemens reached base and eventually scored on a failed pickoff attempt by Salvador Perez, who threw the ball into center field. It wasn’t pretty, but any runs in a game like this matter. From there, chances were limited. There was some traffic, but nothing consistent enough to break things open. It felt like a one-run game that could flip at any moment—until the endgame. A Josh Bell walk, a Royce Lewis double and a Byron Buxton sacrifice fly got a run home in the top of the eighth, and after the bullpen avoided letting the lead slip away in a nervous bottom of the eighth, the offense gave them some breathing room in the top of the ninth. Matt Wallner got things started with a missile to right-center, a 405-foot drive that came off the bat at 107 MPH. A few batters later, Clemens jumped on a backdoor slider and sent it into the bullpen in left. Then Bell made it three in the inning, launching a hanging slider into the seats in right field. Just like that, a tight game turned into a comfortable one. BULLPEN SLAMS THE DOOR With Bradley through six, the Twins turned it over to the bullpen, and they delivered. Kody Funderburk handled the seventh cleanly, working around a loud foul ball to post a zero. Cole Sands ran into some trouble in the eighth, allowing a run on a sacrifice fly, but limited the damage and avoided a bigger inning. Taylor Rogers came in to finish the frame, stranding a runner and picking up a key strikeout, and Justin Topa closed things out in the ninth. Even with a little traffic to start the inning, Topa induced a double play and ended the game with a strikeout. It wasn’t flawless, but the bullpen was effective. Despite some iffy defense, they held the lead. There were a few smaller moments that stood out along the way. Victor Caratini was active behind the plate, successfully challenging multiple calls early in the game. Luke Keaschall made one key, unorthodox defensive play, picking a low throw as he arrived at the keystone for a pivotal out in the eighth. And while the lineup wasn’t the usual group, it found a way to produce when it mattered most. That’s what this one came down to. What’s Next? The Twins head to Minneapolis for their home opener tomorrow, where they’ll open up a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Bailey Ober is set to make his second start of the year, and Joe Boyle will take the hill for the Rays, with the action getting going (after some season-opening pomp and circumstance) at 3:10 PM CT or so. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon! Bullpen Usage Chart SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Abel 0 81 0 0 0 0 81 Kent 0 0 0 0 47 0 47 Funderburk 13 0 26 0 0 15 54 Laweryson 0 0 0 0 36 0 36 Banda 15 3 0 0 12 0 30 Topa 12 0 10 0 0 13 35 Orze 21 0 0 0 0 0 21 Sands 16 0 0 0 0 11 27 Rogers 0 0 14 0 0 4 18 View the full article

TRANSACTIONS No moves were made on Wednesday. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 4, Worcester 5 Box Score Andrew Bash: 4 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: Emmanuel Rodriguez (1) Multi-hit games: Orlando Arcia (2-for-3, BB), Alex Jackson (2-for-4, R) An early lead dissipated for the Saints on Wednesday. Walks need not appear: one day after walking a ghastly affiliate-record 20 men, the Saints found grace in the right shoulder and arm of Andrew Bash, who didn’t offer a free pass to the Red Sox in his four innings of work. His immediate relief—John Brebbia—didn’t walk a batter either. Manager Brian Dinkelman must have been euphoric in the dugout. Two scoreless innings begat a third-inning skirmish. Alex Jackson singled, Tanner Schobel struck out, Walker Jenkins cracked a hit to right, Kaelen Culpepper flew out, and Alan Roden walked to set up Emmanuel Rodriguez with the bases loaded and two men out. He spat on a slider in the dirt before unleashing a hellacious hack at a hanging breaker, crushing the offering deep to right-center for a grand slam, his first since 2024. Worcester responded with a run the following half-inning, a premonition of things to come. Two empty middle-inning frames melted into a shaky seventh inning, in which Grant Hartwig labored on his way towards allowing a run—a fine outcome given that the righty allowed three walks and a hit. Drew Smith wasn’t much better. He surrendered a third Red Sox run in a game that was suddenly uncomfortably close. Another quiet frame from St. Paul’s hitters ushered in Marco Raya in a critical save situation. He netted an easy first out before running into trouble. Allan Castro walked, and Matt Lloyd sent a single up the middle to send Castro to third. Sensing a chance to tie the game, Tsung-Che Cheng dropped a perfect bunt, far enough to force Raya to make the play, yet close enough to home to make the throw awkward. Castro slid home safely. Matt Thaiss sharply singled to right to give Worcester the lead. The Saints fell 1-2-3 in the ninth. Catcher Alex Jackson overturned three balls in the game. Alan Roden holds a .542 OBP through 24 plate appearances. Boston’s 13th-ranked prospect, Mikey Romero, collected three hits in five at-bats. Wind Surge Wisdom The Wind Surge will play their first game on Thursday, April 2nd. Kernels Nuggets The Kernels start their season on Friday, April 3rd. Mussel Matters The Mighty Mussels are scheduled to open their season on Thursday, April 2nd. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – John Brebbia Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Emmanuel Rodriguez PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 1-5 R, K #2 – Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 0-4, BB #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - 1-4, HR, R, 4 RBI, BB #15 – Marco Raya (St. Paul) - 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K View the full article

On Wednesday, MLB notified teams of their bonus pool and pick values for the 2026 Draft. The Red Sox rank 23rd with a total of $8,219,000 across nine picks. Their first round selection (20th overall) accounts for more than half of that value ($4,373,900). Round Pick Slot Value 1 20 $4,373,900 CB-B 67 $1,317,300 3 96 $815,700 5 156 $454,100 6 185 $352,900 7 214 $278,700 8 244 $227,200 9 274 $205,400 10 304 $194,000 As a brief refresher, two of the Red Sox’s offseason moves impacted their spending power. The Red Sox received the 67th pick in the supplemental second round (CB-B) in the Caleb Durbin and Kyle Harrison trade. After signing Ranger Suarez five-year, $150 million contract, they lost their second and fifth picks and $1 million from their international bonus pool. The 2026 MLB Draft is scheduled for July 11 to 13. View the full article

As the San Diego Padres try to replenish their farm system, the Friars will have the 21st-most money in their draft bonus pool for 2026. MLB informed clubs of the slot values and bonus pools for this year's draft, which is July 11-12. For the Padres, whose prospect list has gone down in overall quality due to a variety of trades in recent years, that means having a bonus pool of $9,479,000. The bonus pool for each team covers the first 10 rounds. In 2025, the Friars' bonus pool was $6,569,100. The Padres have the No. 21 pick in the first round after having No. 25 each of the last two years, when they selected left-handed starters Kash Mayfield in 2024 and Kruz Schoolcraft in 2025. The slot value for this year's 21st pick is $4,224,700. The Pittsburgh Pirates have the largest bonus pool at $19,130,700, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have the smallest at $3,951,900. The Dodgers were one of four teams that had their top pick moved back 10 spots as a penalty for surpassing the second threshold in the competitive balance tax. The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick, with a slot value of $11,350,600, and the No. 3 bonus pool of $17,592,100. Each slot value went up 2.5% based on increased MLB revenue. 2026 MLB Draft bonus pools Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700 Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300 Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100 Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600 St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300 Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000 Atlanta: $15,870,800 Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600 San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400 Athletics: $13,840,300 Houston Astros: $13,712,700 Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100 Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000 Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900 Washington Nationals: $12,278,300 Miami Marlins: $11,960,100 Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400 Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500 Texas Rangers: $10,219,200 Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100 San Diego Padres: $9,479,000 Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100 Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200 Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200 Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900 Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000 New York Yankees: $7,342,800 New York Mets: $6,730,900 Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100 Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900 View the full article

Major League Baseball dropped another sign that draft season is officially here on Wednesday, announcing updated bonus pools and slot values for all 30 clubs. Minnesota enters the 2026 draft cycle with a total bonus pool of $16,929,600, the fourth-largest in the sport. Only the Pirates, Rays, and White Sox sit ahead of them, putting the Twins in a position to be aggressive, flexible, and maybe even a little opportunistic when July rolls around. Holding the third overall pick certainly helps. That selection alone carries a slot value of $9,740,100, giving Minnesota a massive chunk of spending power right at the top. It is the kind of pick that can shape an entire draft class, whether the Twins choose to go with the best player available or try to manipulate the board with an underslot deal. The next key checkpoint comes at pick 43, where the assigned value sits at $2,333,200. That is another meaningful piece of the puzzle, especially for a front office that has not been shy about moving money around the board in recent years. Add in the Competitive Balance Round B selection at 74th overall, valued at $1,138,600, and the Twins suddenly have multiple pressure points to build out a deeper strategy. Around the league, the headlines start at the very top. The White Sox landed the No. 1 overall pick and with it a record-setting slot value of $11,350,600, the largest since the bonus pool system was introduced in 2012. Despite that, it is the Pirates who control the biggest overall pool at $19,130,700, another record and a reminder that volume still matters as much as position. This year’s increases were modest but notable. Slot values rose by 2.5% across the board, a reflection of the game’s continued revenue growth. In total, the 30 clubs combine for $358,662,500 in bonus pool money, up from $350,357,700 a year ago. Of course, teams rarely treat those numbers as strict guidelines. The system is built for creativity. Each pick in the first 10 rounds comes with an assigned value, and exceeding the total pool triggers penalties, but there is plenty of room to maneuver within those boundaries. If a player in the top 10 rounds does not sign, his slot value disappears from the pool entirely, raising the stakes on every negotiation. That is where things get interesting for teams like Minnesota. Clubs picking near the top often look to save money on their first selection, signing a player for less than slot value and redistributing those savings to later picks. It is a strategy that can turn a strong class into a deep one, especially when paired with extra selections like the Twins have this year. Recent spending trends suggest teams are more willing than ever to push the limits. Clubs handed out $392,533,711 in signing bonuses in 2025, shattering the previous record set just one year earlier. The Orioles led the way with a staggering $21,150,840, showing just how aggressive teams can be when the right opportunities present themselves. All of this sets the stage for a fascinating summer. The Twins are not just picking high. They are picking often, and they have the financial flexibility to take risks. In a draft that rarely follows a script, Minnesota has the resources to be creative with their spending. View the full article

After a tremendous 2025 regular season in which they had MLB's best record, the Milwaukee Brewers won't have a lot to work with regarding a 2026 draft bonus pool. But when has that ever mattered to the Crew? The Brewers were informed that they will have $8,042,900 in their pool this year, which ranks 25th among the 30 MLB teams. They also have the No. 25 pick in the draft, which moved up due to four teams being penalized for eclipsing the second competitive balance tax threshold. The slot value for the Crew's top pick is $3,696,000. Last year, when the Brewers picked 20th and selected corner infielder Andrew Fischer, their pick had a value of $4,268,100. The top bonus pool belongs to the Pittsburgh Pirates at $19,130,700, while the smallest pool goes to the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of those four teams who had their top pick moved back 10 spots as a CBT penalty. The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick, which has a slot value of $11,350,600. They also have the No. 3 bonus pool of $17,592,100. Each slot value went up 2.5% based on increased MLB revenue. 2026 MLB Draft bonus pools Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700 Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300 Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100 Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600 St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300 Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000 Atlanta: $15,870,800 Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600 San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400 Athletics: $13,840,300 Houston Astros: $13,712,700 Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100 Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000 Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900 Washington Nationals: $12,278,300 Miami Marlins: $11,960,100 Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400 Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500 Texas Rangers: $10,219,200 Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100 San Diego Padres: $9,479,000 Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100 Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200 Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200 Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900 Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000 New York Yankees: $7,342,800 New York Mets: $6,730,900 Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100 Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900 View the full article

Three of the most intriguing arms in the Twins system are on the verge, but who gets the call first? Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, and Andrew Morris are all pushing the timeline, and the answer might come down to who forces the issue. View the full article

Joe Ryan struggled Wednesday night against the Royals. That had something to do with the weather, and it's not worth worrying much about him; the 2026 Twins give you plenty of more urgent things about which to stress out. However, as Taj Bradley takes the mound for the series finale on Thursday afternoon, he does so with a window opening for him. This guy might just be the Twins' new ace, and not because Ryan had a minor wobble or because Pablo López is hurt. He might have the upside to compete for the American League Cy Young Award—not in a few years, but right now. He could, of course, take it on the chin Thursday and make this sound quite foolish. But before he starts, let's take a moment to consider just how real the possibility is. Bradley struck out nine in his season debut Saturday in Baltimore. He did it with a four-pitch mix that has undergone some slight but important improvements since last year. His fastball sat at 97.4 miles per hour, touching 99. Despite his high arm slot, he showed impressive depth on his splitter, and what was previously a cutter has been reengineered. It's now a true slider, serving as a halfway point between his high-rise heater and a sharp knuckle-curve. All four of his offerings rated better than average, by a healthy margin, according to Baseball Prospectus's StuffPro metric. The values that make up the scale on the left are runs per 100 pitches thrown, so (for instance) for every 100 heaters like the ones he threw Saturday Bradley throws, he reduces the expected number of runs an opponent will score by 0.7. As you can see, both the splitter and that cutter-turned-slider are more than a run better than average per 100 thrown. It wasn't like this last year, or the year before that. Stuff this dominant is new, and it's special. Here are his pitch-by-pitch StuffPro values since 2024. Season StuffPro Pitch Type 2024 2025 2026 4-Seam Fastball -0.2 -0.1 -0.7 Cutter/Slider -0.3 -0.5 -1.3 Curveball 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Splitter -0.9 -0.1 -1.4 Sinker 0.4 It's not just about Bradley improving, though. Only one starter has a better StuffPro so far this season, and it's Brewers superstar Jacob Misiorowski. Bradley can't quite hope to keep pace with him, but he's ahead of everyone else in the league—at least through one start. It's a bit more plausible that Bradley could perform the way Dylan Cease or Hunter Brown do over a full season, and that would be plenty. Cease and Brown are both high-slot right-handed hurlers with arsenals similar to Bradley's. If you wanted to distinguish them, you'd be forced to admit that Cease throws even harder and that Brown has a plus sinker, but you could also note that Bradley's splitter is better than any form of changeup thrown by either of the other two. Cease got a $200-million contract from the Blue Jays this winter. Brown finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2025. Bradley, 25, isn't even arbitration-eligible yet, so if he emerges as a credible ace, it would be franchise-altering for the Twins. This is a bit of a López situation. Bradley doesn't quite have the same demonstrated upside, but he's young; he's under long-term team control; and being with the Twins has already made him better. Don't scoff too confidently at the notion that he could be the next López, or that the Twins might move to extend him now, on a deal even more team-friendly than López's. Of course, if he gives up six runs against the Royals in a few minutes, do feel free to mock me, but there's real evidence of a breakout afoot. View the full article

The New York Mets are in the midst of a seven-game road trip that opened with them dropping two games to the St. Louis Cardinals. Now, they head to San Francisco for four games against the Giants. The Mets' offense has not been great in the early going outside of Opening Day, but one of the biggest takeaways from the Cardinals series was how good Kodai Senga was in the second contest. Last season did not end well for Senga, with the Mets having to send him to AAA to end the season. Now, Senga looks like a new man. While it was just one start during what is now coined as overreaction week, the veteran right-hander looked really good in his outing against the Redbirds. He pitched six innings, giving up just two runs -- which you can argue would not have scored if Luis Robert Jr. did not misplay two balls in center field -- while striking out nine. He used his fastball and cutter more than any pitch, which set up the forkball as a true out-pitch. His velocity topped out at 99.2 on his fastball, which is a strong explanation for how he generated a 30.4% whiff rate on the pitch. But velocity only gets you so far; perhaps the most impressive statistic from his start was the average launch angle against his fastball, which sat at -4° during the outing. By consistently attacking the upper third of the zone with that upper-90s heat, Senga forced hitters into weak, rolled-over contact, preventing them from squaring up the barrel. This vertical approach created the perfect tunneling effect for his fork ball which naturally drops out of the same plane. Because hitters were so focused on catching up to the increased velocity of the heater and the horizontal movement of his cutter, the forkball's 38 inches of vertical drop became nearly impossible to track, leading to a chase rate well above his career average. Senga's performance was good to see for a Mets team that needs him as much as anybody. For New York to be successful in 2026, they are going to need all their starters behind Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean to do their part. In his first start, Senga did; it was the first time he went six innings in an outing since June 6 last year. Availability is the best ability, and Senga being able to give innings on a consistent basis will be a big deal for the Mets, trickling down to their bullpen which got worn down in 2025 because of starters not going deep into games. It's one game, but the data supports the impressive results. Now, he'll have to prove capable of replicating this performance over the course of a full season again. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays won't have a ton to work with during the 2026 MLB Draft. Of course, that's for the best of reasons. As the 2025 AL pennant winners, the Jays were originally slated to make their first pick in the 29th slot. However, because their luxury tax payroll was more than $40 million above the CBT threshold last season, their first pick dropped down 10 spots to 39th overall. As MLB revealed on Wednesday, the 39th overall pick this summer has a slot value of $2,571,700. That's $698,500 less than the 29th overall pick ($3,270,200) and, just for context, $8,778,900 less than the first overall pick ($11,350,600), which belongs to the Chicago White Sox. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays sacrificed their second-highest selection by signing a free agent who received the qualifying offer (Dylan Cease) this past winter. So, after picking 39th overall, they won't have another chance until pick No. 103 (slot vlaue $762,900). Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Draft Order and Slot Values Here's when the Blue Jays will make their picks through the first 10 rounds of the draft, along with the slot value for each of those picks: No. 39: $2,571,700 No. 103: $762,900 No. 131: $581,100 No. 164: $421,300 No. 193: $330,300 No. 222: $262,300 No. 252: $219,500 No. 282: $202,100 No. 312: $191,900 Picks from the 11th to 20th rounds are governed by a slightly different system. A player drafted between rounds 11 and 20 can sign for as much as $150,000 without counting toward his new team's bonus pool. Any amount over $150,000 will count toward the bonus pool. Players taken in the first 10 rounds can also sign for more than their assigned slot value, but teams cannot spend more than the value of their bonus pool (the combined slot value of their top 10 picks) without facing harsh penalties. That means that to sign one player to an "over-slot" bonus, a team must sign at least one other player to an "under-slot" bonus – unless that team is willing to pay a high overage tax and possibly sacrifice future draft selections. If a player does not sign at all, his slot value is subtracted from the bonus pool of the team that drafted him. The Blue Jays will have a $5,543,100 bonus pool at their disposal this year. That's the second-lowest bonus pool in the draft, ahead of only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,951,900). The Pittsburgh Pirates have the largest bonus pool at $19,130,700, while the Tampa Bay Rays have the largest bonus pool in the AL at $19,009,300. Elsewhere in the AL East, the Orioles have a $13,114,000 pool, the Red Sox an $8,219,200 pool, and the Yankees a $7,342,800 pool. In 2025, the Blue Jays had the eighth overall pick in the draft and a $10,314,600 bonus pool to work with. They signed 18 of their 19 picks, including first-rounder JoJo Parker ($6,200,000 bonus). The year before, Toronto had the 20th pick in the first round and an $8,987,000 bonus pool. Their top selection was Trey Yesavage ($4,177,500 bonus), and they also signed third-rounder Johnny King well over-slot ($1,247,500 bonus, $767,200 slot value). All told, the Jays came to terms with 19 of their 21 selections in 2024. Although slot values are up by 2.5% compared to 2025, the Blue Jays' high payroll and high finish last season (plus their signing of Cease) mean they'll have less to spend than in recent years. I doubt anyone is complaining, considering why the team is in this position, but it could make this summer's draft a little less exciting than we've come to expect. The front office will have to work a little harder and a little smarter if the Jays are going to strike gold. View the full article

Bonus pools were announced for the 2026 MLB Draft on Wednesday. The Minnesota Twins are in great shape ahead of July, for what promises to be a class rich in both impact talent and depth. The Twins have the fourth-highest bonus pool total, at $16,929,600, behind only the Pirates, Rays, and White Sox. Slot values have increased 2.5% from 2025. The Twins' bonus pool is heavily weighted toward the No. 3 overall pick, which comes with a slot value of $9,740,100. In a strong class, Minnesota is likely to have several good options, including prep shortstop Grady Emerson, UC Santa Barbara ace Jackson Flora, or impact college bats like Justin Lebron, Vahn Lackey, or AJ Gracia. Listed below are all 11 of the Twins' slotted picks with their allotted bonus values. 1st Round, 3rd pick: $9,740,100 2nd Round, 43rd pick: $2,333,200 Comp B, 74th pick: $1,138,600 3rd Round, 79th pick: $1,052,700 4th Round, 107th pick: $733,100 5th Round, 139th pick: $536,900 6th Round, 168th pick: $406,800 7th Round, 197th pick: $319,600 8th Round, 227th pick: $253,300 9th Round, 257th pick: $215,400 10th Round, 287th pick: $199,900 Teams can spend up to $150,000 on player bonuses in rounds 11-20, with any amount spent over $150,000 being counted toward their bonus pool. Teams are permitted to spend up to 5% over their total bonus pool, incurring only a tax penalty on the overage. The total they have to spend can be spread around however they'd like, though, so (for instance) if the wealth of options at No. 3 gives them the leverage to sign someone for $7.7 million instead of $9.7 million, they can use the remainder on one or more of their other picks. Typically, teams at the very top of the draft do at least some of this. Last year, the Mariners saved $700,000 against the slot value of the third pick. Over the last four drafts, the top three picks have delivered their teams an average savings of $937,000. However, when the Twins picked fifth in 2023, they were so happy to have Walker Jenkins fall to them that they signed him for the full slot allotment. If you were picking for the Twins today, who would you select at number three overall? View the full article

For the second time this young season, Matthew Boyd stepped onto the bump against an inferior opponent. Unlike his first one, however, the Chicago Cubs were able to put said opponent to bed. Rather than needing to overcome Boyd in doing so, they did so on the strength of this year's Opening Day starter. After his first start, Matthew Trueblood examined Boyd's outing. There was a lot of good to take from it. Most notably, he generated a high rate of whiffs against the Washington Nationals (20 on 37 swings to be exact) but was unable to avoid opposing barrels. As Trueblood pointed out, five pieces of contact came off the bats of Nats hitters at a speed of at least 103.8 MPH. It was chalked up in the piece as a sequencing issue above all, as Washington was able to key in on specific pitches in between the whiffs. The second time around, against the Los Angeles Angels, Boyd didn't have quite the dominance across individual pitches. But he was able to keep opposing hitters off balance enough to run up the strikeout column on his line while minimizing damage in a way that he couldn't in start No. 1. Here are the particulars in that first start on Opening Day: We've already noted the positive of the whiffs, but Boyd clearly got too reliant on his four-seam. Even for a player that had a 24 percent gap between that and his most-used secondary pitch (the changeup) in 2025, 67 percent is still screaming sequencing issues. That's much too reliant on one pitch type, especially because he only threw it 47 percent of the time last year. That's how you get a 100.8 MPH average exit velocity and four of the seven total hard hit balls in the start. Obviously, feel matters on a cold day at Wrigley, but the results are the results. The second start, though, offered a far more sensible plan of attack: The four-seam is the primary pitch. He's always going to lean on it. But throwing it at a clip 12 percent under his first start, especially given the effect of the changeup on the day, is encouraging. There was a tradeoff with fewer whiffs against the former, but the changeup came in strong by running that rate up on its own. As a result, Boyd cut his hard contact against in half (more than half, technically) with only three pieces of hard contact against him and a cumulative average exit velocity against of just 90.1 MPH (his total figure in the first start was 98.6 MPH). Against the fastball specifically, Angels hitters went for an average exit velocity of 94.8 across a similar number of batted ball events. Boyd was also able to avoid the barrel entirely, not ceding a single piece of barrel contact after allowing it one-third of the time in his first outing. The stuff itself is playing just fine. Boyd's K% through a pair of starts is at 45.9 and trails only Kevin Gausman here in the early going. His 21.1 percent swinging strike rate is behind only Jack Leiter. We already knew the first start wasn't an issue with the stuff itself, but the predictability of it. A little more variety can go a long way, as Boyd's two-run line in his second start can attest. View the full article

Fish On First LIVE discusses how Marlins catcher Liam Hicks has raised his offensive ceiling after adding strength during the 2025-26 offseason. View the full article

If you like prospects, more specifically San Diego Padres prospects, Lake Elsinore will be the place to be this summer. The Storm, a member of the Low-A California League, will sport seven of Padres Mission's top 20 prospects to begin the season. Lake Elsinore begins its season Thursday against the Ontario Tower Buzzers, a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate. Three of the Padres' four farm teams opened against Dodgers affiliates. Ontario is a new entry in the Cal League after the Modesto Nuts moved to San Bernardino and set off an affiliate shuffle. Left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft leads the Storm's prospect parade. He was the Padres' first-round draft choice last year. Outfielder Ryan Wideman, at No. 9, and corner infielder Kale Fountain, at No. 10, are other top-10 prospects on the Lake Elsinore active roster. Of note, two-way player Sean Barnett's transaction page shows him being assigned to the Storm, but he does not appear on the roster. Ethan Long, a 2023 undrafted free agent, had previously been a first baseman, but is listed on the roster as a right-handed pitcher. Pitcher (14) Bryan Balzer, RHP Javier Chacon, LHP Winyer Chourio, RHP Nick Falter, RHP Joseph Herrera, LHP Jamie Hitt, LHP Landry Jurecka, RHP Brandon Langley, RHP Ethan Long, RHP Carlos Medina, RHP Rordy Mejia, RHP Daichi Moriki, RHP Tyler Schmitt, RHP Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP (Padres Mission's No. 3 prospect) Catcher (2) Ty Harvey (No. 8 prospect) Truitt Madonna (No. 17 prospect) Infield (8) Luke Cantwell Kerrington Cross Justin DeCriscio Victor Duarte Kale Fountain (No. 10 prospect) Bradley Frye Jorge Quintana (No. 12 prospect) Jose Verdugo Outfield (3) George Bilecki Conner Westenburg Ryan Wideman (No. 9 prospect) Other (3) RHP Humberto Cruz, restricted list (No. 6 prospect) LHP Matt Lachappa, 60-day injured list RHP Mario Zabala, 60-day injured list View the full article

The Minnesota Twins hosted their annual Taste of the Twins event Tuesday, ahead of Friday’s home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. The event acts as a preview of what’s to come at Target Field for the upcoming season, including enhancements to the fan experience. It also allowed attendees to taste-test the new food and beverage options. As has long been true, Target Field offers some of the best ballpark fare that you will find in all of Major League Baseball, and they’re adding excellent options to an already impressive list. What I particularly enjoy about the food offerings is that so many of them come from small, locally-owned businesses around the Twin Cities. Whether it’s a sausage from Kramarczuk’s, a slice from Pizza Luce, or street tacos from La Tapatia, Target Field has made it a point to give fans variety and an opportunity to support a local haunt. This season will be no exception. In addition to new local vendors (such as a soon-to-open Japenese restaurant called Izakaya Kazama or exican cuisine from La Madre), Red Cow adds a popular burger to their kitchen in section 223 that previously could only be found in their brick-and-mortar restaurants. Moreover, Target Field will have additional gluten-friendly and vegan options to create a more inclusive set of food offerings. So, without further ado, let's get into the specifics of the new food and beverage options at Target Field. Double Barrel Burger from Red Cow Red Cow brings their Double Barrel Burger to Target Field in 2026, featuring two 4-ounce beef patties, white American cheese, and grilled onions. However, what sets this burger apart from the rest of the menu (and made it my favorite savory item at the event) was the burger butter and horseradish cream sauce slathered between the beef patties. Even if horseradish isn’t your jam [Ed. note: it really is more of a sauce; I can't make the case that it's a jam], I can’t recommend trying this burger enough. Mixed with the burger butter, it adds a creamy, tangy flavor to the burger and isn’t overpowering as horseradish can sometimes be. You can find this burger at their normal location, in section 223 on the center field porch. Elote from La Madre Disclaimer: I LOVE me some elote (or Mexican street corn), so trust me when I say this: the elote from La Madre was rather bland. With a booth in section 110, La Madre will offer the following varieties of the popular corn-based dish. After slathering it in mayonnaise, you can choose to coat your corn on the cob in cotija cheese, tajín and arbol spice, crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, or crushed “hot blue” corn chips. As someone who would be hard-pressed to bypass the traditional toppings of mayo, cotija cheese, and chili powder, I took this opportunity to try the two unique offerings coated in crushed chips. I found both the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and “Hot Blue” corn chips to lack the flavor punch that I expected. Additionally, with the way the event is set up, the dish had been sitting for an extended period of time, causing the mayo to make the chips less crunchy—a texture I thought would be a nice touch to a normally creamy dish. Now, I’m not saying the elote was bad, but it was a little underwhelming. It’s definitely something I’d like to try again when the toppings are added at the time of ordering. Mac and Yes Please A new vendor to Target Field, Mac and Yes Please can be found in section 113, where you will find a plethora of options to level up your bowl of mac and cheese. With a base of cavatappi pasta and a creamy white cheddar sauce, fans will have the option to add buffalo chicken, brisket, blue cheese crumbles, shredded cheddar, green onion, bacon bits, sliced hot peppers, fried onion crisps, a buffalo ranch sauce, and/or a barbecue drizzle. If you’re looking for something simpler, they also offer a kids mac and cheese. I had the opportunity to try a bowl that included brisket, green onion, peppers, blue cheese and BBQ. In short, it was phenomenal. The brisket was tender, the green onion and sliced hot peppers added just the right amount of kick, and the drizzle pulled it all together. I will say, as someone who likes blue cheese, I found it to be very overpowering in this dish. If you like blue cheese but don’t love it, I’d recommend you skip that choice of topping; swap it out with the shredded cheddar. Chocolate Fish on a Stick from Izakaya Kazama Holy. Smokes. This was by far my favorite item at the event and will be a must-have item every time I visit Target Field. Chef Matthew Kazama of Izakaya Kazama (a restaurant opening soon at the corner of 34th Street and Nicollet in south Minneapolis) deep-fries a fish-shaped waffle filled with a sweet, chocolate filling. It's served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Found in Town Ball Tavern, the flavor and texture of this dish were absolutely divine. The outside of the waffle is crisp, while the inside is soft and gooey with the sweet chocolate filling. The waffle, which is placed on a pair of chopsticks, could stand by itself as a 10/10 dish, but then you elevate it with the ice cream and chocolate drizzle, and hoo boy. What you get is one of the most delectable desserts you’ll find in the Twin Cities…served at Target Field Justin’s Candied Popcorn Bar Sticking with the sweet treats, new to section 106 will be fresh-popped popcorn that you can top with upwards of a dozen different toppings. From Reese’s Pieces and M&Ms to Nerds clusters or mini marshmallows, there are a plethora of combinations to add to satisfy that salty and sweet craving at the ballpark. Other Inclusive Offerings Target Field continues to add to its expansive cuisine offerings by introducing the Grand Slam Shawarma (section 114), a Mediterranean bowl or wrap that includes steamed rice topped with chicken shawarma, diced red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce. For those who may have dietary restrictions, you can find a variety of gluten-free options, whether it be an entree, a snack, or a beverage. In section 112, you’ll find No Gluten Way, which offers a beef burger with white American cheese, grilled onions and a “bistro” sauce or an all-beef hot dog with grilled onions, both served on a gluten-free bun. I tried the burger, and it was very good, though the bun was a little dried out (again, could have just been the way the event was set up, having it sit under a warmer for an extended period). They also feature gluten-free cookies (chocolate chip and oatmeal cherry coconut) from the local Atuvava Bakery. Look, we’re north of 1200 words, and I’ve only covered the featured items at the Taste of the Twins and didn’t even touch on the beverage menu. Lately, there haven't been a lot of good things to say about the Minnesota Twins. However, if there is one thing that has rung true for years, it’s that they more than make up for the struggles on the field with triumphs on the concourse. A new season may not bring newfound hope, but it does bring new food that’s worth the price of admission. (Just keep in mind that you also have to pay for the food itself.) What new food item are you looking forward to trying at Target Field this year? Join the conversation in the comments! View the full article