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On Thursday, Mick Abel took the mound for the Twins and — as has often been the case this spring — he put on a show. Averaging 96.2 MPH with his four-seamer and 88.1 with his slider, Abel piled up six strikeouts in 4 ⅔ innings, with Red Sox hitters whiffing on 11 of 42 swings. One day later, it became all but official that Abel will head north with the big-league club, with Zebby Matthews being optioned to Triple-A. A month ago, I wrote that Pablo López's season-ending injury at the start of camp swung the door wide open for Abel to step up and seize a spot on the Opening Day rotation. He went and did just that, with his Grapefruit League numbers reflecting dominant form in five starts: 18 IP, 4 ER (2.00 ERA), 1 HR, 23 K, 3 BB. That last number is perhaps the most important. Control has been Abel's main sticking point as he looks to get over the hump and establish himself in the majors. He walked seven in 14 innings with the Twins last year, and has averaged 5.1 BB/9 in Triple-A. This spring, the right-hander has done an excellent job of staying in the zone; up until he issued a pair of free passes in the fourth inning on Thursday, he'd walked only one hitter through 16 frames. Acquired alongside catching prospect Eduardo Tait (who showed well in the Spring Breakout game earlier on Thursday) in exchange for Jhoan Duran at the 2026 deadline, Abel is one of the biggest reasons for excitement around Minnesota's future rotation outlook. The 24-year-old has been widely viewed as a top pitching prospect in the game, and his high-powered arsenal grades out beautifully according to pitch profiling models. Matthews entered camp with an ostensible leg up on Abel due to his more extensive MLB experience, but at no point has he quite looked like the best version of himself. His stuff is down and he's been hit hard, with seven earned runs allowed on 12 hits in 11 innings. He also issued four walks, straying from his signature strength. Coming off a 2025 season where he struggled and missed time with a shoulder injury, it'd be nice to see Matthews dialing up his peak velocity and missing bats again, but that hasn't really been the case in March. He'll head to Triple-A where he figures to be the top rotation reinforcement waiting in the wings. As Twins fans are all too aware, it usually doesn't take long for a need to emerge in the starting rotation. We could easily see Matthews back up before the end of April. But either way, Abel should have some runway to find his footing in the majors and I'm here for it. The 6-foot-5 righty finished his up-and-down 2025 season on a brilliant note with six shutout innings against the Phillies. He'll now have a chance to pick up where he left off right out of the gates. Abel's talent is such that we could be looking at him as Minnesota's No. 1 starter by year's end, but with a 6.23 ERA through 39 MLB innings thus far, he's got plenty to prove in (hopefully) his first full season in the bigs. How are you feeling about the Twins' rotation? Is Abel over Matthews the right choice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. View the full article

Jays Centre is counting down the top 50 Blue Jays in franchise history. Check out prior entries in the series here: Introduction 50 to 46 45 to 41 40 to 36 35 to 31 No. 30: Álex Ríos 2004-2009 2x All-Star Álex Ríos was selected by Toronto in the first round (19th overall) of the 1999 amateur draft. He would make his debut at the end of May 2004 and stick with the team for five and a half seasons. Before we started working on our lists for this project, I had already penciled a handful of names in: most of the guys still to come on our countdown, and a lot of the ones already covered (plus a few personal favourites that fell outside of the aggregated top 50). I didn’t initially have Ríos on my list. Maybe it was unfair expectations set on Ríos to begin his career that have tainted my recollection, but I just didn’t remember him being as good as he was. He entered that ‘04 season as the No. 1 prospect in the organization and No. 6 in all of baseball (future Hall of Famer Joe Mauer was No. 1). Bobby Crosby would win the Rookie of the Year award that season, but Ríos received the second-most votes amongst position players. He is a two-time All-Star, but almost cruelly didn’t make it off of the bench in the 2006 game and only came in as a ninth-inning defensive substitution in 2007 (though he finished second in the ‘07 Home Run Derby, behind Vladimir Guerrero Sr.). The Jays teams he was a part of never made the playoffs, and at their peak, finished 10 games back of the division (‘06). It’s not Ríos’ fault that he was here for some of the lean years. On top of being a great defender, in ‘07, he led the team in runs (114) and stolen bases (17) and was behind only Frank Thomas for homers (24) and RBI (85). In ‘08, he led the team in runs (91), SB (32) and RBI (79). Those match his two best seasons by Baseball Reference’s WAR with a 5.6 and 5.9, respectively, which rank as the 24th and 28th best seasons for position players in Jays history. It wasn’t all sunshine and daisies, however. Ríos is also the only Blue Jay in history to strike out five times in a (nine-inning) game on more than one occasion. The second time he ‘accomplished’ that feat came in 2009 during a particularly cold streak that was highlighted by an off-field encounter with a fan after a charity event. That it came the year after he signed the second-most lucrative contract in franchise history, making it all the more unpalatable. Ríos would arguably get the last laugh; as a member of the Kansas City Royals in his final season, he would have a hand in eliminating the Jays from the 2015 playoffs, going on to become a World Series champion (though his negative WPA through those playoffs suggests he may not have been the catalyst). Whether you look back at Ríos’ time with the Jays fondly, or with a twinge of disappointment (or worse), you can’t argue that he didn’t command a spot on our list. No. 29: Fred McGriff 1986-1990 Hall of Famer, Silver Slugger, Crime Dog Fred McGriff was selected by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the 1981 draft. He was traded in a package to the Jays the following year, when I was just a few months old, and would make his debut in May of 1986. I had McGriff at No. 16 on my list and was worried that I might’ve been ranking with nostalgia-tainted eyes. Not to say that some of my colleagues don’t suffer from the same bias, but I wasn’t even the highest on McGriff, so I feel justified in my opinion. Fred McGriff was the first Blue Jays player I ever loved. I was young, so a player with a nickname based on an animated crime-fighting dog was right in my wheelhouse. The fact that he could effortlessly crush upper-deck home runs from the left side of the plate was a bonus. His 36 home runs in 1989 were the most of any Toronto player in the '80s not named Barfield or Bell. It was also enough to lead the league that season and helped propel McGriff and the Jays to the only playoff appearance of his tenure and McGriff’s first Silver Slugger Award (he would win one in Toronto and two more elsewhere). McGriff wouldn’t get another shot at the playoffs with Toronto; after missing out in 1990, he was traded in the offseason, in what is still the biggest trade in franchise history. The four-player deal included two future Hall of Famers, two (and at one time three) members of the Level of Excellence, and four guys that were easy fan-favourites while they played here. As a young fan, I absolutely hated the trade, though by the end of the ‘93 playoffs, I had softened on it slightly. Those early '90s Jays teams were powerhouses, and I’d like to think they still win the back-to-backs with McGriff here, but as things worked out, he would only have to wait a couple of extra years before winning a World Series of his own with the Atlanta Braves. Somewhat poetically, McGriff's Hall of Fame bid would go the same way: he fell off the ballot initially, only to be enshrined later by the Contemporary Era Committee in 2023. McGriff is one of a small handful of Hall of Famers whose plaque does not have an identifying team. You could make an argument for him wearing a Jays cap, but either way, his journey started as one of Toronto’s best. He’s 13th all-time for home runs (125) and 12th for walks. That combination of power and eye has McGriff sitting third all-time for both on-base and slugging percentages, and he has the highest mark of any Toronto player for adjusted OPS+ at 153. No. 28: Kelly Gruber 1984-1992 2x All-Star, Gold Glover, Silver Slugger Kelly Gruber is an interesting case. He played nine seasons in Toronto, amassed over 3,000 at-bats (19 more than Bo Bichette and good for 21st all-time), and was the first player in franchise history to hit for the cycle – but when I hear his name, there are only two moments that come to mind. The first is being the guy left holding the ball at the end of the ‘triple play that wasn’t (but really was)’ in Game 3 of the 1992 World Series. The way Gruber ended that play really exemplified his style as a player. It wasn’t nearly as flashy as Devon Whyte’s start to the play (I’m sure we’ll cover him shortly), but it was gritty – a single pump fake and a sprint towards the runner followed by an all-out head-first dive to tag Deion Sanders (Gruber would later reveal that he tore his rotator cuff in the dive, making his bottom of the inning home run all the more heroic). The other play came in the very next game. With Gruber standing on second base and Whyte at the plate, a hit into left field gave Gruber the opportunity to score. The throw was cut off, so there was never a play at the plate, but Gruber, who would rank higher on an ‘all intensity’ list, again went all-out and head-first in a leaping dive towards home plate that would make Vladdy proud. The dive was less than textbook (partly because of that damaged rotator cuff) and resulted in a bloody chin (and probably a concussion) for Gruber, but it was also the winning run for the Jays. And we made it this far without mentioning the mullet! All-time great flow. As one of the longest-tenured Jays, Gruber's name is also littered across the career counting stats leaderboards. He’s 23rd all-time for hits (800), 22nd in runs scored (421), 20th for total bases (1335), 19th for home runs (114), 16th for RBI (434) and 14th for stolen bases (80). Somewhat like Ríos, Gruber’s time in Toronto also ended with some negative feelings after a lucrative extension. In 1991, Gruber signed a three-year, $11 million deal that made him the highest-paid third baseman in the league. In that run to the ‘92 World Series, there was a stretch of the regular season that Gruber spent on the IL with a knee injury. There were also reports that during his time away from the team, he was spotted water skiing and playing tennis near his Muskoka cottage (reports that Gruber denies). Whether there was any truth to those rumours, or if it was just a matter of the accumulated injuries, Toronto cut ties with Gruber after that first championship, sending him to the California Angels in the off-season. Gruber would only play 18 games with the Angels before calling it a career (Luis Sojo, who he was traded for, would only play 19 games with Toronto). We’ve lamented the fact before that there isn’t a standout lifelong Jay. Gruber could have been one. No. 27: Russell Martin 2015-2019 All-Star The 21st Canadian-born player to suit up for Toronto was the most impactful. Russell Martin was born in Toronto, but it wasn’t until he was almost a decade into his illustrious career that he was able to connect with the Jays and join the team in 2015 after signing as a free agent. He would represent the Blue Jays at the All-Star game in his first season with the club and be a large factor in one of the most memorable innings in team history. Everyone remembers Jose Bautista’s bat flip, but it was Martin behind the plate in the top of the inning who had his throw back to the pitcher freak-ricochet and allow an absolute dirtbag to score and tie the game. Martin has commented publicly that he was thankful to be leading off the bottom of the inning, allowing him to atone for the error. Facing starter Cole Hamels, who was approaching 100 pitches, Martin hit one back up the middle in what could have been a groundout, but in the first of soon to be several errors by the Texas infield, Martin beat out the (lack of a) throw. His hustle on the next grounder helped force another error and allowed him to be subbed out for a pinch-runner. That gave him a front row seat to watch the Bat Flip – a moment Martin has tipped as his favourite in a Jays uniform. Martin ranks third all-time amongst Jays catchers for fWAR (11.1) and is second all-time for win probability added, lending to the argument that he was the most clutch Canadian this franchise has seen. No. 26: Paul Molitor 1993-1995 Hall of Famer, World Series MVP, 2x All-Star, Silver Slugger Over a 12-game stretch in the fall of 1993, Paul Molitor racked up 21 hits (four doubles, three triples, three home runs), 17 runs, 13 RBI, a 244 wRC+ and a stolen base. With the exception of the stolen base, all those other stats were the best on the team and propelled the Jays to the second of their back-to-back World Series wins and earned Molitor the second WS MVP in franchise history. Molitor signed as a free agent for that ‘93 season, replacing Dave Winfield as the team’s designated hitter – and hit he did. Molitor led the entire league with 211 hits (he would lead the league three times in his career, once with each team he played for) and finished the season with the fourth best bWAR on the team. The righty batter was with Toronto for three seasons and “only” 1,615 at bats, so he lags behind slightly in some of the career counting stats, but his .315 BA over those three seasons is the best the Jays have ever seen. Those 211 hits in ‘93 are the third-best the team has ever seen in a single season. The 121 runs he scored that same year are tied for the fifth best mark. Molitor would move on ahead of the 1996 season, vacating the DH spot for a player we’ll be covering a little higher up the list, but his impact was felt in the time he was here. It’s hard to look at the playoff run in ‘93 and find a way for the Jays to prevail without him. View the full article

On Friday afternoon, a couple of new stories broke that seemed to clarify what the Kansas City Royals' pitching staff will look like on Opening Day in Atlanta, which is one week from Friday. The Royals have seven days until their 2026 opener and 10 days until their home opener at Kauffman Stadium. Thus, the news with pitching is expected, especially as Kansas City tries to juggle the rotation and pitching matchups for these final spring contests. Kansas City Options Avila and Cruz to Omaha Shortly before the Royals' Spring Training contest against the San Francisco Giants, the Royals announced the optioning of pitchers Luinder Avila and Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha. The move brings the Royals' Major League Spring Training roster to 47. The Royals' decision to option both pitchers isn't totally surprising. Both pitchers have Minor League options and didn't have clear roles going into Spring Training. The Royals still view Avila as a potential starter, and he didn't get a ton of work as expected this spring due to his participation with Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Still, his numbers were pretty stellar when he did pitch in Spring Training. In six innings of work, he had a 1.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 1.82 FIP with 30.4% K% and 21.7% K-BB%. He also had solid TJ Stuff+ metrics, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below. In addition to having a 101 TJ Stuff+ this spring, he had a 33.9% chase rate and 35.3% whiff rate. His .443 xwOBACON was a bit high, and his 43.3% zone rate was the lone blemish on his performance this spring. In a piece posted by Rogers shortly after the Royals announced the moves, the Royals plan to have Avila stretched out so he can seamlessly rotate between the rotation and the bullpen. Furthermore, manager Matt Quatraro emphasized the need for Avila to throw more innings, and that would be easier to do in Omaha than in Kansas City. As for Cruz, it seemed like he was the victim of an option "crunch" in the bullpen, especially with Alex Lange and Bailey Falter being out of options, according to Quatraro. In seven innings of work, Cruz posted a 2.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 1.72 FIP. He also had a 27.6% K% and 20.7% K-BB% and generated some excellent TJ Stuff+ metrics, as seen below. Cruz sported some of the best stuff on the Royals' pitching staff this spring with a 104 overall TJ Stuff+, which included a four-seamer with a 105 TJ Stuff+ and a slider with a 108 TJ Stuff+. The 26-year-old didn't generate the most chase (26.1%), but he flooded the zone well (51.1%), generated whiff (27.1%), and limited hard contact (.226 xwOABCON). If Carlos Estevez isn't ready for Opening Day (and he may not be, especially with his velocity so down), Cruz could be an option to fill in the bullpen if the Royals elect to begin Estevez on the 15-Day IL to begin the 2026 season. First Turn of Royals' Rotation is Set Earlier in the afternoon, before the Spring Breakout game between the Royals and Rangers top prospects, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that the Royals had set their first "turn" of the rotation. That included the Opening Day series in Atlanta and the one against Minnesota in Kansas City. The rotation is not a surprise, especially since this was the expected projected group before Spring Training began. After Ryan Bergert was optioned to Omaha, it seemed like a done deal that Noah Cameron would have the last spot in the Royals' rotation. There was some concern from fans about having three lefties in a row go in the Twins series (Kris Bubic, Cameron, and Cole Ragans). However, Quartraro seemed to downplay those notions and was more concerned about having their best pitchers go, regardless of matchup or order. The Royals' rotation had the seventh-best ERA in baseball in 2025. With a healthy Ragans and Bubic returning, and depth with Bergert, Falter, and Stephen Kolek (who will start the year on the IL), they certainly will have a chance to perform better than last year's mark, even with the changed ballpark dimensions. View the full article

WEST PALM BEACH — Connor Norby joked after Friday’s game that he felt “like a wild horse that they let run free.” It was the 25-year-old’s first game in the outfield as a Miami Marlin, an experiment the team is trying out in order to keep Norby’s bat in the lineup. Norby, a full-time third baseman since arriving in Miami in 2024, has been lackluster in that spot. In each of his last two seasons, he recorded five outs below average at the hot corner, according to Baseball Savant. On Friday against the Houston Astros, he caught all three fly balls hit to him, including one off Jose Altuve on the first at-bat of the game. “You kind of just let your athleticism take over a little bit, and it also helps when you have (center fielder Jakob Marsee) covering your back too,” Norby said. 66rp4p.mp4 It’s that increased freedom of movement that has seemingly injected some life into an already-enthusiastic Norby. “I've had maybe two or three days out there, and I've loved every day so far,” Norby said. “I treat it like recess, almost.” Norby, who was traded from the Baltimore Orioles at the 2024 trade deadline, last played the outfield in 2024 while with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides. He played 77 games between left and right field in 2023 and 2024. Norby's primary position used to be second base, and he had never played third until he joined the Marlins organization. He has also played two games at first base this spring. Despite the struggles at third base and the willingness to play the outfield, Norby maintains he feels most comfortable at third. “I feel great at third,” Norby said. “I feel like my feet are really good right now…I feel like last year, I made really good strides in learning the position and getting better with it. And that's the goal, is to be better there. We have a really good defensive team, especially a defensive infield, and I gotta do my part as well.” Notes -Kyle Stowers left the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness. He missed games earlier in spring with a Grade 1 strain of that same hamstring. -Eury Pérez allowed two runs and four hits in five innings against a Houston Astros lineup that featured most of their starters. -Dillon Lewis hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning. View the full article

With the Milwaukee Brewers optioning Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville, the following outfielders are left: Sal Frelick, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Brandon Lockridge. Perkins and Lockridge were essentially fighting for that final spot; this video breaks down what Lockridge did to separate himself and how much wiggle room he has at the position with Perkins waiting in the wings. View the full article

As the Twins close in on the end of spring camp, it seems a few more of the veterans brought in on minor league deals won’t find their way onto the team. First reported by Dan Hayes of The Athletic, left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin and former Twin infielder Gio Urshela were released from their contracts after learning they would not make the team. This follows on the release of Liam Hendricks this morning. March 20th is the final day for some minor league invites to make the team as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement for players with six years of service time. The Twins can either add the player to the 40 man or release into free agency. Though they have 48 hours to decide, it seems that Jeremy Zoll and the rest of the front office have other ideas and are ready to move on them. Though the bullpen options for the Twins still seem murky, releasing Chafin makes sense for a team with three other left-handed options in Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and Kody Funderburk. Chafin struggled to reach even the high 80s on his fastball while in camp. While the top-line stats looked okay, Chafin’s spring appearances included a 35% hard hit rate, which one would only expect to rise through the season. Veteran presence is always welcomed, but there seemed little reason to have a third, much less a fourth, lefty in the pen. Urshela’s appearance in camp may have made sense a year or two ago, but his lack of defensive prowess as he enters his age 34 season left little space in the infield. While the Twins likely did not need to look at any offensive numbers, Urshela managed five hits in 26 plate appearances and only one for more than a single. With Royce Lewis’s improved role at third base, a defensive back up seemed less necessary than the other options who could also play shortstop—which still includes Ryan Kreidler and Orlanda Arcia, both of whom remain in camp as of publication time. We'll always remember the walk up song. View the full article

With only seven days and four Grapefruit League games to go until Miami Marlins baseball begins its 34th regular season, it’s time for one final Opening Day roster prediction. There have been a few notable changes since Kevin Barral's mid-spring projection. These are the 26 men who I expect to break camp with the big league club on March 27. Position Players Starting nine: Agustín Ramírez (C), Christopher Morel (1B), Xavier Edwards (2B), Connor Norby (3B), Otto Lopez (SS), Kyle Stowers (LF), Jakob Marsee (CF), Owen Caissie (RF), Heriberto Hernández (DH) Bench: Esteury Ruiz (OF), Javier Sanoja (UTIL), Liam Hicks (C/1B), Graham Pauley (INF) Stowers (hamstring) and Pauley (forearm) are both expected to be fully recovered and ready for Opening Day, manager Clayton McCullough said. Nevertheless, with left-hander Kyle Freeland starting the season opener for the Colorado Rockies, I expect Connor Norby to be in the lineup and manning third base. As of late, Norby has been swinging a hot bat, going the other way frequently and raising his spring batting average to .316 (he has yet to draw a walk, however). After positive showings for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, Otto Lopez and Owen Caissie returned to big league camp with confidence. Lopez will be the everyday shortstop, while Caissie is expected to see most of his reps against right-handed pitching. Despite Ruiz’s dreadful spring at the plate, it still feels like he has an inside track to break camp. He offers a right-handed bat in a mostly left-handed-hitting outfield. Additionally, he’s the only other player on the projected roster who can play center field. Sanoja could handle it in a pinch, but the Marlins prefer him in the infield. The four Marlins who I consider to be true everyday players are Edwards, Ramírez, Lopez and Marsee. Just missed: Griffin Conine In a vacuum, it's hard to deny that Conine is more deserving of a big league job than Ruiz. Unfortunately for him, his skill set may be redundant on the Marlins to begin the season, as Stowers and Caissie are expected to lock down the two corner outfield spots. Pitchers Starting Rotation: Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Chris Paddack, Max Meyer, Janson Junk Bullpen: Pete Fairbanks, Calvin Faucher, Lake Bachar, Anthony Bender, John King, Cade Gibson, Michael Petersen, Tyler Phillips The first four spots in the rotation are essentially locked up. The fifth spot was a battle between Junk and Garrett. Even before the Marlins made it official, I foresaw the job ultimately going to Junk. The right-hander is out of minor league options, which worked in his favor. The six bullpen “locks” I identify are Fairbanks, Faucher, Gibson, Bender, King, and Phillips. Bachar suffers from inconsistent control. However, he’s missing plenty of bats and provided some pivotal outs for Miami last season. Petersen, who opted to forego the World Baseball Classic to focus on making the team, has also had a strong spring (3.52 ERA in 7 ⅔ innings). Just missed: Andrew Nardi, Braxton Garrett As McCullough explained on Friday, Garrett has "worked his butt off to get back. He's put in a lot of time to get himself healthy, was throwing the ball well this spring and just felt like to start the year that we had a five that I wanted to go with." Nardi has looked sharp in his return to competitive games after missing the entire 2026 season. Still, I expect Miami to ease him back in by starting him either in extended spring training or with Triple-A Jacksonville. View the full article

JUPITER, FL - On Friday, the Miami Marlins announced that left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. Janson Junk will round out the Marlins rotation as the fifth starter. "I will say that it was a very difficult, and in some ways it's a good thing that it was so difficult," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told the media. "It means that a high number of our potential starters that came into this camp, outside of Adam (Mazur), have stayed healthy, and they've performed well. We like where a lot of our guys are at. (Braxton) has worked his butt off to get back. He's put in a lot of time to get himself healthy, was throwing the ball well this spring and just felt like to start the year that we had a five that I wanted to go with." Garrett, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, made two Grapefruit League starts. After a shaky first one, surrendering two runs on one hit and walking two, he bounced back against Team Israel where in three shutout innings of work, he struck out two. The Marlins never saw Garrett in the bullpen, so it'll allow him to continue building up as a starting pitcher. One caveat is that in Triple-A, it is typically a six-man rotation, so that is something "that will be discussed," per McCullough. "There will also be a number of individuals there that we see as potential bulk options that might not be starting who also need to stay stretched out," McCullough said. "I actually look at this as a good problem to have." Garrett has one minor league option remaining, which will be used up if he spends at least 20 days in the minors this season. It'll be an all right-handed rotation to begin the season with Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Chris Paddack and Janson Junk. Meyer will throw in a sim-game on Tuesday to begin his final build-up and both Paddack and Junk will pitch in Miami before Opening Day on Friday. "Janson (Junk) deserves a chance to be in our rotation to start the season," McCullough said. "Max Meyer as well. I think this move today adds some clarity as to where we're at with starting the year with Sandy, Eury, Max, Paddack and Janson in the rotation. As much that we think Janson can start, if we get to a point where performance or things dictate that we pivot, then we will. That's how I've kind of seen this spring play out." It's a split-squad day for the Marlins on Friday, with Paddack starting in Jupiter (7:10 p.m. first pitch) and Pérez starting in West Palm Beach (6:05 p.m.). View the full article

On Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers hosted a New Food, Beverage, and Hospitality event, providing updates on how the organization plans to enhance the game day experience at American Family Field. The primary focus of the event was the vending experience, in particular, with Vice President of Consumer Experience Tom Hecht announcing new food items and collaborations with local establishments. The organization is expanding its 3rd St. Market Hall Annex and Food Truck Park, promptly titled “The Alley.” The 3rd St. Market Hall is inspired by the downtown Milwaukee food hall of the same name. The 3rd St. Market Hall is one of the nicest parts of downtown Milwaukee, and the Brewers are hoping to replicate those vibes at American Family Field. One of the headlining new restaurants joining the 3rd St. Market Hall Annex is Bebe Zito, a Minneapolis-based ice cream and burger joint that opened its first Milwaukee location less than a year ago. Bebe Zito owner Ben Spangler is excited to expand his business to American Family Field and Milwaukee, saying, “Milwaukee is like all the great parts of Minnesota crammed into one beautiful city.” The company’s menu options include four ice cream flavors (Breakfast Club, Blackberry Butter Birthday Cake, Dat Malt Dough, Strawberry Fields 4 Ever), a variety of dirty sodas, burgers, honey butter chicken tenders, and pistachio chocolate strawberry cups (the honey butter chicken tenders and pistachio chocolate strawberry cups were incredible! I highly recommend them). Another local venue making its American Family Field debut this season is K&L’s BBQ. Their primary menu items are their Brisket Sandwich, Brisket Loaded Waffle Fries, Pulled Pork Sandwich, K&L Smoked Brisket Burger, Brisket Mac, and Pulled Pork Elote. K&L BBQ’s standout dish was their Brisket Mac. It was my favorite item there and genuinely one of the best things I have eaten this year. I will definitely be buying it the next time I visit American Family Field. The other headlining new vending option was “Fair Foods,” a fair-food-themed stand constructed in collaboration with Delaware North Executive Chef Alex Beronja. The headlining Fair Food menu items are Corn Dogs, Cream Puffs, Fried Kringle, and a Nacho on a Stick. I strongly recommend trying the Nacho on a Stick and Fried Kringle. The organization also provided us with Diet Coke, which was very nice of them. Against my best interests, I love diet soda. I drank two of them. Regardless, American Family Field has one of the most expansive and creative vending experiences in MLB, with the 3rd St. Market Hall and Food Truck Park among the more recent, revolutionary in-stadium developments. Milwaukee begins its 2026 campaign against former Brewers pitching prospect Shane Smith and the Chicago White Sox on Mar. 26. Make sure to try the new venue options at American Family Field and let Brewer Fanatic know what you think! View the full article

A week away from Miami Marlins Opening Day, the roster battles are finally getting settled. AJ Ramos, Kevin Barral and Ely Sussman react to the news of Janson Junk earning a starting rotation spot at the expense of Braxton Garrett, who's been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. They also discuss the importance of the Jupiter Academy's recent renovations and AJ's memories of making his first career Opening Day roster in 2013. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Garrett, 28, has one minor league option remaining, while the 30-year-old Junk is out of options. Junk is scheduled to make his final Grapefruit League start on Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals. View the full article

Minnesota’s most notable right-handed bullpen addition of the offseason is no longer in camp. The Twins have granted Liam Hendriks his release, allowing the veteran to pursue an opportunity elsewhere just days before the regular season begins. Hendriks’ contract always made this a possibility. He carried multiple opt-out dates, including one a week before Opening Day, another on May 1, and a final date on June 1. Once triggered, the Twins had a 48-hour window to either add him to the 40-man roster or release him back into free agency. Minnesota ultimately chose the latter, ending what had been a quietly intriguing spring storyline. On the surface, that decision feels a bit surprising. Hendriks showed legitimate progress throughout camp. He allowed just two earned runs across six innings while striking out four and walking three. More importantly, his velocity ticked upward as the spring progressed. After sitting in the low 90s early, he began reaching the mid-90s in his most recent outings, a sign that his arm strength was trending in the right direction. There was a path for Hendriks to matter here. At times, it even felt like more than that. Given the uncertainty surrounding the bullpen, there had been speculation that he could factor into late-inning situations or even work his way into the closer conversation if everything clicked. Instead, the Twins will move forward without him, and the relief picture becomes significantly more complicated. For now, Taylor Rogers appears to be the default option to handle the ninth inning. That alone speaks to the current construction of this group. Rogers is joined by fellow left-handers Kody Funderburk, Anthony Banda, and non-roster invitee Andrew Chafin, giving Minnesota an unusually left-heavy mix of bullpen candidates. The right-handed side offers far less certainty. Cole Sands is positioned to handle the bulk of the late-inning work to open the season, while Justin Topa and Eric Orze project more naturally into middle-inning roles. There are depth options like Travis Adams *(currently hurt) or Zak Kent who could factor into multi-inning spots, but those are hardly proven solutions for a team whose ownership has insisted will be competitive this year. That is what makes this decision linger a bit. Hendriks may not be the dominant force he once was, and there is a fair argument that his best days are behind him. Still, this is a bullpen lacking established right-handed options and defined roles. Passing on a veteran who was showing signs of life in March is a gamble, especially when the alternatives come with just as many questions. Stepping back, the Twins bullpen looks less like a finished product and more like a collection of maybes. There is an imbalance in handedness, limited late-inning experience, and no clear hierarchy beyond Rogers by default. Teams rarely carry four left-handed relievers, let alone a group without elite track records, and yet that is the direction Minnesota appears to be heading. Perhaps the Twins have another move in the works. The week before Opening Day can bring trades of players on the fringes of the roster. There is also a chance that a right-handed reliever will be placed on waivers, and the Twins could claim him for nothing. Still, the Hendriks decision seems short-sighted. Hendriks might be older and past his peak, but he also represented something this bullpen currently lacks: a potential answer. Instead, the Twins will head into the season with a relief corps that feels unsettled, unproven, and, at least for now, a bit of a mess. What are your thoughts on the Twins releasing Hendriks? Can this bullpen be successful as currently constructed? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins made a notable decision as camp winds down, reassigning Zebby Matthews to minor league camp and effectively handing the final rotation spot to Mick Abel. Coming into spring, Matthews looked like the logical favorite. He had more experience at the big league level and appeared poised to build on that foundation. Instead, the right-hander ran into trouble. Over 11 innings, he allowed seven earned runs while striking out nine and walking four. The results were not disastrous, but they were not convincing enough to lock down a job. Abel, on the other hand, forced the organization’s hand. Despite having fewer than 40 innings of major league experience, Abel delivered one of the most electric performances in camp. Across 13 1/3 innings, he gave up just two earned runs while racking up 17 strikeouts against a single walk. It was dominance paired with control, the exact combination teams want to see when evaluating young arms. That showing also served as a reminder of why Minnesota targeted him in last summer’s deal involving Jhoan Duran. The raw stuff has always been there, but this spring offered a glimpse of a pitcher beginning to harness it. With Abel now in place, the Twins’ Opening Day rotation appears set. Joe Ryan will take the ball first, followed by Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, and Abel, rounding things out. Of course, spring decisions rarely tell the full story of a season. Matthews may be heading to Triple-A, but it would be surprising if he stayed there long. Pitching depth is tested early and often, and Minnesota already has questions to monitor. Ober’s velocity has been one of the biggest storylines of camp. The right-hander failed to crack 90 miles per hour in his most recent outing, raising concerns that are difficult to ignore. While the Twins will give him the opportunity to start, it is fair to wonder how sustainable success can be with diminished velocity and no clear explanation. That uncertainty only reinforces a simple truth across the league. Teams do not just need five starters. They need eight or ten. Matthews figures to be at the front of that next wave, and he will not be alone. Arms like Andrew Morris, Connor Prielipp, and Kendry Rojas are waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Each brings upside, and each could find themselves taking meaningful innings as the season unfolds. The Twins made their choice for Opening Day, but the reality is that this rotation is far from finished. It is simply the first version of what will be an evolving group all summer long. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins will hand the ball to Joe Ryan when the regular season begins on March 26 in Baltimore, the club announced Friday. It is a decision that felt inevitable at times this spring, yet briefly seemed uncertain as Ryan worked through an early health scare and an unexpected detour involving Team USA. Ryan’s spring did not begin smoothly. While warming up for his first Grapefruit League start, he experienced lower back tightness that forced Minnesota to pull him before taking the mound. The cautious move not only delayed his buildup but also altered his trajectory for the World Baseball Classic, where he had been in the mix for Team USA consideration. An MRI revealed no structural damage, offering immediate relief for both Ryan and the organization. Still, the timing proved costly. Ryan remained hopeful he could rejoin Team USA later in the tournament and was prepared to do just that. He had his car packed and was ready to drive to Miami in anticipation of pitching in the semifinal or championship round. Ultimately, Team USA informed him that he would not be used, a decision that caught Ryan off guard. He later expressed surprise at the call, while also emphasizing his appreciation for the Twins’ support throughout the process. In a twist that now benefits Minnesota, Ryan’s absence from the international stage allowed the club to keep his schedule intact. That alignment made him the clear choice for Opening Day, especially in light of the circumstances surrounding the rest of the rotation. Ryan is no stranger to the assignment. He previously started Opening Day in 2022 against the Seattle Mariners, allowing two runs across four innings. A first-inning home run by Mitch Haniger proved to be the difference in a narrow 2-1 loss. The outing was brief, but it provided Ryan with an early taste of the spotlight that comes with setting the tone for a season. This time around, he enters with a much stronger résumé. Ryan is coming off his first All-Star campaign, posting a 13-10 record with a 3.42 ERA. He struck out 194 hitters while issuing just 39 walks across a career-high 30 starts, cementing his place as one of the most reliable arms in the American League. The path to this year’s Opening Day assignment became even clearer when Pablo López was ruled out for the season following Tommy John surgery. With the staff ace sidelined, Ryan quickly emerged as the logical choice to lead the rotation. The only lingering question was his health, and that concern has largely been put to rest. After a brief 17-day pause, Ryan has looked increasingly sharp in recent outings. His latest start showed noticeable improvement, with his fastball velocity ticking upward and his command returning. He recorded six strikeouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates after failing to register a punchout in his spring debut, a clear sign that his rhythm is coming back at the right time. What once looked like a disrupted spring has come full circle. Ryan enters the season healthy, aligned, and positioned at the front of Minnesota’s rotation. For a team navigating early adversity, that stability could prove invaluable as the Twins open their season on the road. View the full article

Major League Baseball games are right around the corner. A week today, the games will count, the statistics will count, and the Kansas City Royals’ quest to return to postseason baseball will begin in Atlanta. Now is the time when fans want to see their players get into a groove and look ready to face MLB-caliber pitching. As always, these spring training statistics don’t matter, but here is one of the final looks at the hot and cold performers in Royals camp. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Bailey Falter Acquired at last year's trade deadline from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Falter struggled to find his footing in a Royals uniform. After turning in a 7-5 record with a 3.73 ERA and 1.18 in Pittsburgh over 22 starts, the wheels fell off following the trade. In four appearances (two starts), Falter went 0-2 with an ERA of 11.25 and a WHIP of 2.25. Opponents hit .370, and Falter walked seven batters across 12 innings. With a clean slate this spring, Falter has been up-and-down, but the left-hander’s last outing gave belief that Falter could have a role on this team when camp breaks next week. Falter threw three shutout innings, allowing no hits, no walks, and striking out five. With Mason Black and Ryan Bergert being optioned to Omaha earlier this week, the door has opened for Falter to claim a long relief role in the Royals’ bullpen. If injuries do strike, Falter has put himself in a position to be an option to fill a role, based on his career ERA of 4.58. Daniel Lynch IV Lynch IV continues to build on a strong 2025 campaign this spring. Through seven spring outings, Lynch IV has pitched to a record of 1-0, an ERA of 2.35 and a WHIP of 1.17. In the left-hander’s most recent outing, Lynch IV struck out the side, requiring only 16 pitches to set the Rangers aside. Last season, Lynch IV went 6-2 with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.36 over 57 outings. With the trade of fellow left-hander Ángel Zerpa during the winter, Lynch IV could be in line for more opportunities to continue to grow as a left-hander coming out of the Royals’ bullpen. Kyle Isbel Isbel got hot at the right time. After struggling through the earlier portions of camp, Isbel is making sure he finishes strong. Over his last three games, Isbel is 5-for-8, with one double, one triple, two RBIs, and one walk. Isbel’s spring slash line now sits at .276/.382/.379, while also chipping in two steals. If Isbel can provide this level of offense, to go along with his great defense, the Royals would be over the moon about the 29-year-old’s production. Last season, Isbel batted .255 with four home runs and 33 RBI’s, to go along with an OBP of .301. A raised OBP could help allow Isbel to challenge his career high of 11 stolen bases, set back in 2024. Who’s Not? 🧊 Nick Mears Spring training has been a struggle for Mears, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason. The 29-year-old has appeared in seven games, posting an ERA of 10.80 and a WHIP of 2.10 across 6 ⅔ innings. Mears has struggled with both giving up hits and control, allowing nine hits and walking five. Last season, Mears was a key piece of the Brewers’ bullpen, going 5-3 with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 0.97. Opponents struggled to hit off Mears, generating an average of .213, while also only walking 13 in 56 ⅔ innings. With the regular season around the corner, the Royals are going to need Mears to find his stride to be a key piece in what could be a strong Royals bullpen. Noah Cameron Cameron put together a very nice rookie season in 2025. Over 24 starts, Cameron went 9-7, posted an ERA of 2.99 and a WHIP of 1.10, finishing fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. This spring, over five games (four starts), Cameron has gone 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. After holding opponents to a .214 average against during his rookie campaign, teams have been able to hit .343 off the left-hander, which is a concerning development. Cameron last pitched against the Cleveland Guardians on March 19, where the lefty went 4 ⅓ innings, allowing four runs on five hits, two home runs, two walks, while also hitting a batter. Having Cameron find his stride as the regular season opens could be one of the biggest storylines for the Royals, who could field one of the stronger rotations in MLB in 2026. Isaac Collins Collins, like Mears, was also acquired from the Brewers in the trade that sent Zerpa to Milwaukee. After batting .263 with nine home runs and 63 RBI’s and a .368 OBP with the Brewers last year, Collins has struggled to find his footing in his new home this spring. Through 21 at-bats this spring, Collins has batted .095 and posted an OBP of .174. The Royals’ outfield struggled to produce last season, so the acquisition of Collins was hoped to fill a hole that had persisted for much of the 2025 campaign. With four spring training games remaining on the exhibition schedule, players will want to start seeing results as the statistics begin to count in a week's time. View the full article

The Twins entered the week looking to bounce back from a winless weekend, and they did just that with a 5-1 win over the Pirates on Monday. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to build much momentum from there, dropping a 2-0 game to the Phillies on Tuesday and a 4-2 contest to the Red Sox on Thursday. They did, however, cap things off with an impressive 9-3 win over the Phillies in Thursday’s Spring Breakout game, bringing them back to .500 on the week. While the results themselves don’t carry much weight in spring training, the way players are performing within those games can still be telling. At this point in camp, roles are starting to come into focus, and these outings can offer a clearer sense of who’s finding their stride at the right time and who may still be trying to put things together. With that in mind, here’s a quick temperature check from the past few days. Who’s Hot? Emmanuel Rodriguez: Rodriguez put together, arguably, the most impressive individual performance of the Spring Breakout game. He opened things up with a 115.6 MPH single in the third inning — which was not only the hardest-hit ball of the game, but the third hardest-hit ball by any Twins hitter since the start of the 2024 season. He followed that up in his next at-bat with a 113 MPH triple to left-center field, continuing to show off the kind of raw power that’s always made him such an intriguing prospect. The tools have never been in question. If he can stay healthy and continue to string together results like this, there’s a lot to be excited about. Joe Ryan: After a solid first spring outing, Ryan turned things up a notch on Monday. Over four strong innings, he allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out six. He generated nine whiffs on 68 pitches (48 strikes), and his fastball sat just below 93 MPH. It’s also a good sign that he’s already getting his pitch count that high in just his second outing of the spring. Ryan is lined up to start Saturday to get one last tune-up outing before (presumably) taking the hill on Opening Day. Gabriel Gonzalez: It was an impressive showing in big league camp for Gonzalez, and he carried that momentum into the Spring Breakout game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, including a 105 MPH RBI single that highlighted his ability to drive the ball with authority. It’s been a strong overall spring for Gonzalez, and if that continues into the regular season, he may not be far off from putting himself in the conversation for a call-up. Matt Wallner: Wallner has quickly turned a slow start into a very productive spring. Over his limited opportunities this week, he’s gone 3-for-5 with a double and two walks, continuing to show a much more disciplined approach at the plate. He’s now up to eight walks this spring and owns a 1.022 OPS, a strong indicator of how well-rounded his offensive performance has been. With consistent at-bats near the top of the order, Wallner looks like someone the Twins will be counting on to carry this momentum into the regular season. Who’s Not? Royce Lewis: Spring numbers don’t mean everything, but it’s getting harder to ignore the slow start from Lewis. After a hitless start to the week, he’s now just 3-for-33 this spring with 11 strikeouts, dropping his average below the .100 mark. The underlying contact quality hasn’t been particularly encouraging either, with an average exit velocity of 88.4 MPH and a hard-hit rate below 40 percent. For a player with Lewis’s talent, it’s still not quite time to full-on panic. But it would certainly be reassuring to see him square some balls up over the next few days. Josh Bell: After trending in the right direction just last week, Bell has cooled off considerably. He’s 0-for-6 with three strikeouts over the past few days, and the contact he’s made hasn’t been especially loud. Given his track record, this isn’t something that should raise major concern. But with the season right around the corner, you’d still like to see him finish camp on a stronger note. James Outman: This has been a tough stretch at a time when Outman could least afford it. He’s 1-for-8 this week with four strikeouts, and his lone hit came on a soft blooper. After putting himself firmly in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot earlier in camp, he now sits at 8-for-37 with 15 strikeouts this spring. With time running out, he’ll need a very quick turnaround if he has any chance of getting back into the conversation. Spring training always comes with the usual caveats, but there’s still value in looking at how players are trending. A few Twins are clearly building momentum as camp winds down, while others haven’t quite clicked yet. With only a handful of games left, these final performances could play a big role in shaping both the roster and early-season expectations. View the full article

Suddenly, the San Diego Padres have just four Cactus League games left. The dog days of spring were covered up by the World Baseball Classic, but now everyone is focused on the finer things in order to get ready for Opening Day. That includes a couple of split-squad games Friday before wrapping things up with their co-tenant at the Peoria Sports Complex, the Seattle Mariners, on Monday. Then, the fateful return to San Diego. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Friars won three in a row to improve to 14-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the San Francisco Giants 3-1 Monday, the Seattle Mariners 9-6 Tuesday and the Chicago White Sox 13-6 Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Walker Buehler With the door clearly open for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, the two-time World Series champ is doing his best to walk through it. Buehler had his best outing of the spring, going five shutout innings against the Giants, allowing three hits and two walks, while striking out seven. He threw 45 of his 77 pitches for strikes and got 11 swings and misses, all while topping out at 94.4 mph on his four-seamer. Buehler's numbers from 2025 weren't pretty, but he was much better in his final seven games as he completed his first full season after Tommy John surgery. Matt Waldron The right-hander was the subject of a lot of jokes when he required hemorrhoid surgery early in camp. While that threw off his chances of making the Opening Day rotation, he has come back and showed his value in what is a crucial season for him. Waldron threw two innings vs. the Mariners, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He was optioned to Triple-A this week, where he will build up his innings before a potential call-up. Waldron was a key part of the rotation in 2024, but only appeared in one MLB game in 2025. Rodolfo Duran An afterthought as camp began, the 28-year-old catcher has played quite a bit during Cactus League action. That is in part to Blake Hunt, who likely entered spring as No. 3 on the depth chart, sustaining an oblique injury. Duran, yet to make his MLB debut, has seized the opportunity with a .263/.462/.632 slash line in 14 games and 26 plate appearances. He has a pair of homers, six RBIs and six walks. With Luis Campusano's iffy defensive skills and spring struggles, does Duran make the Opening Day roster as the No. 2 catcher? At worst, he'll head back to Triple-A as the next man up. Who's Cold? 🧊 Michael King Still in the mix to be the Opening Day starter, the right-hander gave up six runs in five innings vs. the White Sox. Three came in the first and the other three in the fourth. King gave up three home runs, a pair to LaMonte Wade Jr. and the other to Curtis Mead. He allowed nine hits while walking two and striking out three. It was the second game in a row King allowed six runs, leaving his ERA at a problematic 10.19 in five games, with opponents hitting .351 against him. This cannot continue into the regular season if the Friars want any chance of surviving the NL West gauntlet. Ramon Laureano To be fair, the left fielder hasn't struggled that much, but he does lead the team with 15 strikeouts this spring in 33 at-bats. When he does make contact, he has put up a .273/.368/.515 slash line with one homer and three RBIs. The Friars would certainly take that average this season, especially if he can repeat his 24 homers, which tied his career high, from a year ago. Laureano will be a key to how the bottom half of the order performs this season, perhaps hitting as high as sixth and being counted on to drive in runs. Manny Machado After going 6-for-20 in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, the superstar third baseman returned to the Padres and has picked up right where he left off before the WBC. In other words, he has not good. Machado had been just 2-for-9 this spring (both hits homers in a single game) before the WBC. In his first game back, Machado went 0-for-3 and is now hitting .167 this spring. That was just one game after his two-week stint with the Dominican Republic, so hopefully the bat shows some life this weekend as Opening Day approaches. View the full article

Fish On First LIVE unpacks the highlights and lowlights from Marlins prospects who played on Thursday and wonders why more fans don't attend Spring Breakout. View the full article

On the most recent Fish Unfiltered, one of my five bold predictions was that Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards will win the National League batting title. He's looking to join Hanley Ramírez (2009), Dee Strange-Gordon and Luis Arraez (2023) as the only Marlins players to achieve that. The 2025 NL batting title champ was Trea Turner, who posted a .304 batting average in 141 games. Edwards finished 11th among qualified hitters and slashed .283/.343/.353/.695 overall with three home runs, 43 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 95 wRC+. Entering his second full-length MLB season, I see the potential for him to improve. Edwards will likely continue to lead off for the Marlins. He puts immediate pressure on opposing defenses because he puts the ball in play a lot, as reflected in his 14.2% strikeout rate in 2025, which was 12th-lowest in the NL. Combining his contact skill with his 75th-percentile sprint speed, it makes sense that Edwards was tied for fourth in MLB last season with 33 infield hits. He is an outstanding bunter and that's a weapon he should consider using more often to break out of slumps like the ones he experienced at the beginning and end of 2025. When it comes to the mental side of the game, it should help Edwards that he is now a full-time second baseman. He opened 2025 as the Marlins starting shortstop, even though it was clear he was overmatched. Not surprisingly, his defensive struggles negatively impacted his all-around performance. He batted only .263 at SS, but .291 following the transition to 2B. After being a Gold Glove finalist at the position, he can fully focus on his work at the plate. Although Edwards is a switch-hitter, he had large platoon splits last season—he was great against right-handed pitching (.306/.368/.391/.758), but disappointing against lefties (.236/.289/.275/.564). All indications are that he will get everyday starts for the foreseeable future. However, if it's more of the same from him during the first half of 2026, the Marlins may eventually limit his exposure to LHP, which could boost his overall average while still getting him enough plate appearances to be a qualified hitter. Turner's .304 mark was unusually low for a batting champ. In predicting Edwards to win the title this season, I'm counting on him to finish somewhere above .310. View the full article

While competing with the back-to-back champion juggernaut that is the Los Angeles Dodgers is tough, the San Diego Padres have been aggressive enough to enter that conversation. Here is the route the Padres must take to challenge for the NL West title in 2026.View the full article

Jack and Spencer react to the Brewers' latest roster moves as Opening Day nears. Will Brandon Lockridge make the roster, and what to think of Blake Perkins, Tyler Black, and Logan Henderson returning to minor-league camp? Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

The Chicago Cubs are undergoing somewhat of a changing of the guard at the catching position. Carson Kelly, coming off a career year, is a season away from a mutual option. Miguel Amaya showed more pop in 2025, but he lost some playing time to Kelly. Moises Ballesteros, the top prospect and man with the most years of control, passed the eye test in a small sample size this year. What's the future of this position? We dive into that exact question in this video. View the full article

The Twins’ Spring Breakout Game gave us an early look at some of the organization’s most intriguing young talent. From standout performances to a few subtle storylines that could matter later, there was a lot to take in. Here are the biggest takeaways you need to know.View the full article

Padres Mission's countdown of the top 20 prospect in the San Diego Padres' organization comes to a conclusion with the No. 1 prospect, as voted on by our writers. Check out all of the other entries in the ranking here: No. 2 : Kash Mayfield No. 3: Kruz Schoolcraft No. 4: Bradgley Rodriguez No. 5: Miguel Mendez No. 6: Jagger Haynes No. 7: Humberto Cruz No. 8: Ty Harvey No. 9: Ryan Wideman No. 10: Kale Fountain Nos. 11-15 Nos. 16-20 No. 1: Ethan Salas (San Antonio Missions) Despite being born in Kissimmee, Fla., Salas qualified as an international free agent with family ties to Venezuela. As a 16-year-old, he was the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, signing with the Padres for a $5.6 million bonus, at the time the largest handed out in the current capped system. Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB 2023 17 -7.4 San Antonio TL AA SDP 9 33 28 2 5 1 0 0 3 0 1 4 8 .179 .303 .214 .517 6 1 1 0 0 0 2023 17 -5.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 9 37 35 3 7 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 .200 .243 .229 .472 8 0 0 0 0 0 2023 17 -4.2 Lake Elsinore CALL A SDP 48 220 191 35 51 11 2 9 35 5 2 24 57 .267 .350 .487 .837 93 3 2 0 3 0 2024 18 -4.3 Fort Wayne MIDW A+ SDP 113 469 412 38 85 27 2 4 53 10 3 47 98 .206 .288 .311 .599 128 4 3 0 7 0 2024 18 -4.2 Peoria AZFL Fal 23 107 92 14 21 6 0 4 21 4 1 13 27 .228 .327 .424 .751 39 1 1 0 1 0 2025 19 -5.0 San Antonio TL AA SDP 10 41 32 5 6 1 0 0 5 2 0 6 5 .188 .325 .219 .544 7 0 1 1 1 0 Salas, who played with players twice his age in the Venezuelan winter league just months before signing, made his debut in the Padres organization two days before his 17th birthday, playing for the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm. Coming from a baseball family—dad Jose Salas Sr. played catcher in the Atlanta system, his paternal grandfather and his dad's brother played in the minors and Ethan has two brothers currently in the minors (Jose Jr. with the Minnesota Twins and Andrew with the Miami Marlins)—Salas had a wealth of knowledge that helped elevate his prospect status. Plus, being a 6-foot-2, 185-pounder who would have had to wait another year or two before being drafted doesn't hurt, either. He was a rare catcher that not only had elite defense, but had a good approach at the plate as a left-handed hitter. He has a proclivity for hitting the ball to all fields and was scouted with plus power. Salas showed those skills at Lake Elsinore. In his first 48 professional games, Salas had a slash line of .267/.350/.487 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and five stolen bases. Defensively, he had just one error and threw out eight of 37 steal attempts. As the Padres are wont to do, Salas was quickly promoted to the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. He wasn't there very long, playing in just nine games with Fort Wayne and struggling offensively with a .200/.243/.229 slash line. With the season coming to an end, the Padres surprisingly moved Salas up again, this time to the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he spent another nine games. There, he had a slash line of .179/.303/.214. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each had Salas ranked as the No. 8 prospect in baseball as he returned to Fort Wayne to start the 2024 season as a 17-year-old, the youngest player in the Midwest League. This time, he stuck around for 113 games, but the offense he showed at Lake Elisnore wasn't there. Salas put together a .206/.288/.311 slash line with four homers, 53 RBIs and 10 steals, playing against players who on average were 4.3 years older than he was. He threw out 28 of 111 runners attempting to steal in 67 games at catcher. With a full season under his belt, the Friars sent him to the Arizona Fall League, a prospect showcase. The offense was still a work in progress as he finished with a .228/.327/.424 slash line, but he did pop four homers and drove in 21. The lack of offense started to dampen Salas' prospect luster, as Baseball America dropped him to No. 31 and MLB Pipeline to No. 33 entering 2025. Now 18 years old, Salas went up to Double-A, where he was five years younger than the average player in the Texas League. But just 10 games into the season, Salas' campaign came to an abrupt end with a stress reaction in his lower back. Salas, now 19, is likely returning to San Antonio to begin 2026. He participated in major-league camp this year, but went just 2-for-11 (.182). He slid further in the prospect rankings, tumbling to No. 90 in the Baseball America list and not being included in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. Some outlets even moved Salas to No. 2 in the Padres' system, behind last year's first-round draft pick, left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft. All of this adds up to making 2026 a key year for Salas. The defense is still there, with improvements made to his throwing process to better cut down runners. His approach at the plate has been considered simple (in a good way, with fewer moving parts) and he had an 86% in-zone contact rate in 2024 and his brief stint in 2025 before being hurt. He improved his strikeout rate by about five percentage points from 2023 to 2024 even though he didn't fare well against breaking balls. How the Friars treat Salas if he has success offensively will be something to watch. Double-A pitching is sometimes better than Triple-A pitching due to the number of prospects at the second-highest minor-league level, so any development on that front would be a huge boon for the best catcher in the system. While he was out injured last year and continuing this offseason, Salas worked with a number of people who have catching experience in the Padres' organization, including A.J. Ellis, Scott Servais and Mike Borzello, a current advance scout with a lot of experience on championship-winning teams as a bullpen catcher and catching coach. It helped Salas with game-planning and other items to sharpen him defensively. He is now up to 215 pounds (and down to 6-foot-1 in revised measurements) and worked to shorten his swing to improve his offense. "Cerebrally he’s advanced for his age, and for as little as he’s played, he absorbs the information really well," Borzello told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Now it’s just about playing and getting reps." Added Salas: "I think that’s why I didn’t see last year as the biggest negative in the world. I just took a lot of time to reflect, kind of make a plan starting forward and how I want to start going about things and I want to start playing and taking care of my business." With better health, Salas could make a loud return to top prospect lists around the league in 2026. Hard as it is to believe, he's still just a teenager, as he won't turn 20 until June. View the full article

It's an exciting time around baseball for prospect watchers and fans looking towards the future, as MLB's Spring Breakout is coming soon, with top prospects from every team suiting up and putting on a showcase. The Blue Jays' prospects will face the Phillies' prospects on Saturday, March 21 at 1:05 p.m. E.T., on the road in Clearwater at BayCare Ballpark. Here is the Blue Jays' 2026 Spring Breakout roster: Pitchers RHP Austin Cates LHP Javen Coleman RHP Daniel Guerra LHP Adam Macko RHP Landen Maroudis RHP Carson Messina RHP Nolan Perry RHP Grant Rogers RHP Gage Stanifer Catchers Edward Duran Aaron Parker Brandon Valenzuela Infielders 3B Cutter Coffey SS Josh Kasevich 3B/1B Sean Keys 3B/1B Charles McAdoo SS Arjun Nimmala SS JoJo Parker 3B Tim Piasentin SS Josh Rivera 3B Juan Sanchez Outfielders Jace Bohrofen Blaine Bullard Jake Casey Eddie Micheletti Jr. Yohendrick Pinango RJ Schreck And here are some key things to pay attention to during the game: Debuts for Some High-Profile 2025 Draftees JoJo Parker was the Jays’ first-round pick, as they used the eighth overall pick on him, but he has yet to make his professional debut. In spring training, he was in the minor league camp, which hid him from the general public. This will be the first time that Jays fans will get to see him live on a broadcast. Parker is still only 19, and despite the advanced hit tool, this will be his first look at professional pitching in a game setting. High schoolers Tim Piasentin, out of Alberta, and Blaine Bullard are also making their debuts in this Spring Breakout game. They’re definitely more raw than Parker is, but the Jays shelled out big bonuses for both of them of $747,500 and $1,697,500, respectively. Juan Sanchez wasn’t drafted in 2025, but was signed out of international amateur free agency and had a breakout 2025 in the Dominican Summer League. This will be his first time in action with Statcast data publicly available, and hopefully, fans will get to see his plus power and advanced physicality. Return of the Injured Players Nolan Perry was a 12th-round pick in the 2022 draft for the Blue Jays, and in his age-20 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays, he pitched to a 2.93 ERA in 14 starts with a 27.5% K-rate, although he walked batters 18.8% of the time. Despite his lack of command, he was positioned for a breakout before heading to the injured list due to Tommy John surgery, making him miss all of the 2025 season. This will be his first time pitching in a game since he had the surgery, and it will be nice to see him back in action. Carson Messina is the brother of Rockies prospect Cole Messina, and unlike his brother, he pitches instead of catching. Signed out of high school for a $550,000 bonus, he was shelved for the 2025 season with elbow inflammation, but is back and throwing again. If he gets into this game, we’ll get to see him in pro action for the first time since his one appearance in the Complex League in 2025. He reportedly hit triple digits in that appearance, and hopefully, he’s healthy enough to do so again. Landen Maroudis had a lost 2025 season after returning from Tommy John surgery, showing reduced stuff, velocity and command. Reportedly, he’s back sitting where he was in the first Spring Breakout game: the mid 90s. If Maroudis has returned to his pre-Tommy John form, he’ll return as a breakout candidate for the Blue Jays. The 2027 Spring Breakout event will be modified to be a tournament-style bracket, but in 2026, it will just be a singular exhibition game. This will mean that some players won't be able to get in the game, due to the limited number of innings and teams wanting to protect the health of their prospects. Still, this is a great day for all prospect watchers across every organization and should provide great insight into the future of the Blue Jays. View the full article

Team USA, coming off a joyless silver medal finish in the World Baseball Classic where they had no fun of any kind, has some advice for fans on how to best enjoy MLB's Opening Day next week. Twins Daily got a sneak peek: First things first: On the way to the game, get in a fight with your son. Assert dominance. He'll appreciate it later in life. At the ticket gate, thank the ushers for their service. During the National Anthem, scout the crowd for insufficient patriotism. That pregnant woman who's remaining seated? Get in her face. The youths that have their hands clasped instead of one over their hearts? An open-palmed headslap will set them straight. Box the ear. If you notice someone wearing the visiting team's gear, politely but firmly tell them you will fight them right now, in the concourse. Dump a beverage on them to encourage retaliation. You are in the right. They are human garbage. Treat them as such. At the concession stand, make a point to let everyone working and in line behind you know that you don't tip. They'll admire you for your principles. When the grounds crew drags the infield between innings, loudly critique their methods. They appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to be better. This is a tough one. Umpires are technically troops, so you must respect them. However, they also miss a call that goes against your team on occasion. It's important for accountability that, because you respect them, they must fight you right now. Unless they're soft. During the 7th-inning stretch, the stadium often plays God Bless America. If they do, the same National Anthem rules apply. If you see a father and son in line for Dippin' Dots instead of paying their respects, shove the father. His son will respect you and call you dad instead. If the stadium doesn't play God Bless America, find the organist and rain blows upon them unless/until the song is played. If the game ends in victory, make sure that no one congratulates the visiting team or fans on a good game. They must be humiliated. If the game ends in a loss, remove your shirt and just begin whaling on the nearest person. God has abandoned us. Virtue is a myth meant to weaken you. Draw blood. If you paid for your ticket, they technically can't arrest you. Enjoy the 2026 season! But not too much. We will find out. View the full article