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Now we know the full picture of why the Minnesota Twins are calling up two of their top pitching prospects. In a big blow to the starting rotation, the Twins will be placing right-hander Mick Abel on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The move will be made before Tuesday's series opener against the New York Mets. On Sunday, news broke that left-handers Kendry Rojas and Connor Prielipp were joining the team in New York. One part of the equation as to whose roster spots they would take was another left-hander, Kody Funderburk, is set to go on the paternity list. Rojas and Prielipp are both already on the 40-man roster. The Abel injury answers the other half of that. Abel, 24, has appeared in four games, including three starts, this season with a 3.98 ERA. He has been especially sharp in his last two starts, tossing 13 shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. He struck out 16 in those two games, including 10 Tuesday vs. the Red Sox. Abel joins star right-hander Pablo Lopez, who is out for the season after having his right UCL repaired in late February. View the full article

The Twins suffered a major loss on an off day Monday, as they're set to place right-handed starter Mick Abel on the 15-day injured list. Dan Hayes of The Athletic broke the news on Twitter. The initial diagnosis—inflammation in his throwing elbow—isn't the worst news you could hear about a player hitting the injured list between starts, but it's awfully close. The extent of Abel's injury won't be clear until the team provides further updates about any imaging taken on the arm, but right away, one must worry about a long-term absence. Inflammation isn't an injury in itself; it's a symptom of fatigue and/or damage, which has some cause. Finding out the cause of the inflammation will tell us whether Abel will be out a few weeks, the rest of the season, or somewhere in between. No matter what, though, it hurts the team badly to lose him now. Abel, 24, has a 3.98 ERA and a 24.7% strikeout rate through his first four appearances of the season, but that undersells what has been a thrilling upward trend over his last two outings. His dominance of the Red Sox last week at Target Field (7 innings, 4 hits, 10 strikeouts, no walks) felt like a step toward legitimate mid-rotation status, and Abel came out of that outing feeling great. Abel was scheduled to start Tuesday night in Queens. The team could turn, instead, to left-handed pitching prospect Connor Prielipp, who was on the taxi squad for the trip, anyway. Barring that, it's likely to be a bullpen day, but the team's roster isn't built for that right now. Short-term and long-term, this is a daunting disruption of the team's plans. They can only cross their fingers while they (and we) await more news on Abel's prognosis. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 2-4 Runs Scored Last Week: 19 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 34 Standings: 4th in AL East 4.5 GB First Place Transactions: 04/14/26; Red Sox selected the contract of RHP Jack Anderson from Worcester Red Sox. 04/14/26: Red Sox Transferred RHP Johan Oviedo from 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Right elbow strain. 04/15/26: Everyone changed number to 42. 04/16/26: Everyone changed numbers back to original from 42. Scores: Game 16 (4/13): BOS 6, MIN 13 Game 17 (4/14): BOS 0, MIN 6 Game 18 (4/14): BOS 9, MIN 6 Game 19 (4/17): BOS 1, DET 0 Game 20 (4/18): BOS 1, DET 4 Game 21 (4/19): BOS 2, DET 6 Series Breakdown/Highlights Twins Series: For as much went right in the Milwaukee and St. Louis series last week, that much went wrong in the series against the Twins. Garrett Crochet turned in the worst start of his career in the first game, lasting only 1 ⅔ innings while giving up 11 runs, ten earned, with zero strikeouts, and three walks. The offense came alive later in the game, but it was too little too late. Heading into game two, Sonny Gray was trusted to steady the ship against the Twins and he failed to go more than four innings after being tagged for five earned runs while walking one and striking out one. Finally, Connelly Early turned in arguably his best start of his young career. He went six innings, only allowing one earned run while walking two and striking out five. Perhaps most promising, though, Roman Anthony seemed to wake up this series. He went 5-10 during the three game stint and was far more selective with his swing decisions than he had been previously in the season. It’s the little things when the season is going the way it currently is. Tigers Series: In a weekend series that goes through Marathon Monday, we have the rare week in review that will be written before the series concludes. Game one was a classic pitcher’s duel that saw Ranger Suarez turn in his best performance in a Red Sox uniform. He tossed eight scoreless innings, giving up zero runs, walking one, and striking out four. He flashed his defensive abilities a couple of times and looked as poised as he could be in the first Fenway Greens game of the season. In classic Greens fashion, the win was secured on a walk off bouncing single from Masataka Yoshida, who grinned from ear to ear as he rounded first. Games two and three were less fun. The Red Sox had reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal on the ropes a couple of times but failed to capitalize with ducks in the pond. Against such a dominant pitcher, not being able to push those runs across to chase him off the mound earlier in the game. In game three, Crochet seemed to be on the right track through the first four innings, throwing his fastball options better than he did against the Twins but things went off the rails in the fifth. His eight strikeouts are promising, but he’s hardly throwing his sweeper at all. It was his best out pitch last season, and one of the best breakers in the league, but he seems to not trust it at all right now. In good news, Willson Contreras launched another homer early in the game. Website Highlights The Red Sox Have Been MLB’s Least Successful ABS Team (Ryan Painter) Never Trust the Numbers: Greg Weissert Turning Season Around Following Homer-Laden Start (Adam Samrov) Trading Places: Should A Trevor Story-Marcelo Mayer Position Swap Be on the Sox’ Radar? By Ryan Salvaggio The Red Sox Still Have a Trevor Story Problem (Alex Mayes) Looking Ahead April 20: Tigers (Jack Flaherty) @ Red Sox (Sonny Gray): 11:10 AM EDT April 21: Yankees (Luis Gil) @ Red Sox: 6:45 PM EDT April 22: Yankees (Max Fried) @ Red Sox: 6:45 PM EDT April 23: Yankees (Cam Schlittler) @ Red Sox 6:10 PM EDT April 24: Red Sox @ Orioles: 7:05 PM EDT April 25: Red Sox @ Orioles: 4:05 PM EDT April 26: Red Sox @ Orioles: 1:35 PM EDT View the full article

You could call the Cubs' rash of injury troubles a bug, but lately, that feels insufficient. With the club's fiery closer Daniel Palencia the latest to go down with an oblique strain, the "bug" this squad is up against is more akin to one of Godzilla's adversaries than a gnat you swat away while waiting for the Purple Line. Fortunately, there have been signs of lift from the sleeping giant that was the Cubs' offernse over the first two-plus weeks. With Javier Assad taking the ball for the Cubs in the first of their three-game set versus the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park last week, the lineup awoke. The Cubs scratched seven runs across the plate in that contest. The trouble is, the home team tallied 13. Craig Counsell's pitching staff labored, surrendering runs to Philadelphia in all but two innings. Former Cubs hero Kyle Schwarber had no hesitation in making life difficult for his former squad, launching a three-run homer that set the tone early. As Schwarber well knows, success is the perfect revenge, and the North Siders exacted theirs in the middle game of the series. Chicago erased an early 3-0 deficit on the strength of a balanced offensive output from the visitors—especially Nico Hoerner and Carson Kelly, who combined for six RBIs. Hoerner, with his consistently elite play at both the plate and second base, is the clear leader of this club and the driving force behind his team's recent success. Suddenly needed to be something like an ace again, Shota Imanaga is either on the cusp of his 2024 All-Star form or already there. It's not that he doesn't surrender the long ball anymore, like the solo shot he gave up early to Trea Turner in the rubber game of last week's set, but his penchant for recovery is impressive. He takes any blemish personally. Imanaga went on to tie a career-high in strikeouts, with 11 of them over six solid innings. The Cubs used four scoring innings, showing both power and situational hitting. Hoerner racked up 5 RBIs with a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Matt Shaw, who has been on an upward trajectory, enjoyed his best offensive day of the year with a 3-for-4 outing, collecting three doubles. It was the rare case this season in which the offense not only rolled, but the Cubs also were terrific defensively, allowing virtually zero meaningful scoring opportunities for the Phillies. The 11-2 romp earned the North Siders an impressive series win on the road. The team rode that wave back to Wrigley Field, for a weekend set against the Mets. Edward Cabrera took the bump for his fourth start as a Cub. His teammates plated four runs in the opening frame, giving him some margin for error. Moisés Ballesteros and Hoerner both homered in an easy 12-4 win to open a seven-game homestand. Their loss Friday was the Mets' ninth in a row; they're often beating themselves. With Freddy Peralta returning to Wrigley Field—a place that became his personal house of horrors in October 2025—that trend didn't change. Even though the Cubs only took this contest by a 4-2 score, it's how they did it that made spectators take note. Ian Happ's solo homer off of his old adversary sparked the home crowd, but it was Kelly's pinch-hit, three-run blast in a tie game in the sixth inning that got the party started in earnest. Having already secured the series win, the North Siders took the field Sunday in search of their first sweep of the 2026 regular season. In the eleventh hour, they found it. Bouncing back from a laborious start earlier in the week, Javier Assad cruised through the first third of the game with relative ease. A solo shot from the Mets' MJ Melendez was the only disruption to what was otherwise a dominant showing from Assad. Though held scoreless through the first eight innings of this contest, the North Siders frequently put runners on base, most notably via a leadoff triple from Pete Crow-Armstrong to kick off the third. Pinch-hitting in the bottom of the ninth inning, Michael Conforto laced a double into the corner in deep right field, scoring pinch-runner Scott Kingery to tie the game against another former divisional foe, Devin Williams. A gutsy 10th-inning relief appearance from newly-minted closer Caleb Thielbar set the stage for the home team to deliver walk-off magic. With one out and the zombie runner Crow-Armstrong standing 90 feet away, Hoerner came through with a game-winning sacrifice fly. The dramatic finish not only marked the club's fifth straight win, but vaulted them three games over .500 and out of the cellar of the National League Central. Good teams find ways to win. At the outset of a four-game series with the Phillies at Wrigley, this feels like a good team, despite its many injury issues. They've benefited from some good luck and they've beaten themselves once or twice this year, but after a tough start, they're finding their groove a bit. If they can survive the pitching crisis and get their key hitters out of early funks, they'll really be on to something. View the full article

Dylan Cease has been off to an excellent start this season, posting a 1.74 ERA over 20 2/3 innings. His 36.0% strikeout rate (32 strikeouts) leads AL pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched. Although, it's not all pretty, as his 5.23 walks per nine innings would be his second-worst rate over his eight-year MLB tenure. Free passes have been an issue for Cease throughout his career, 3.84 per nine innings. Though he struggles with walks, the righty is posting a career-best strikeout percentage in his first season in Toronto. Another aspect Cease brings to the table is his durability. He has made at least 32 starts in each of the last six seasons. Healthy starting pitchers are something the Blue Jays greatly need right now. They currently have Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, Shane Bieber, and Cody Ponce on the injury list to start the season, and Ponce is likely out for the season due to an ACL injury. However, Yesavage and Berríos have made rehab starts and are close to returning. Cease has been considered a strikeout pitcher throughout his career, but his increased success this season is not a fluke. In the last four seasons, he was primarily a two-pitch pitcher. Although he has six pitches in his arsenal, he threw his four-seam fastball and slider over 80 percent of the time in each of those four seasons. Hitters could sit on a certain pitch, and when it came, they could hammer it. This season, Cease has varied his pitches more often. He only throws his four-seam fastball and slider a combined 65.5 percent of the time, and his other four pitches are thrown between eight and 10 percent of the time. The inclusion of his offspeed pitches at a higher rate keeps batters off balance. Especially with his slider, changeup, knuckle curve, and sweeper sitting in the mid-to-high 80 mph range, while his fastball and sinker hit 96 to 98 mph. The 30-year-old throwing pitches at similar speeds is significant because they all have different movement profiles, either to the arm side or glove side. This craftiness prevents batters from sitting on a specific pitch, as in years past. Below is a breakdown from Baseball Savant. The pitch characteristic stats are all from 2026. Total Movement (in inches) 2025 2026 Pitch Type Avg. MPH Avg. Vertical Drop Avg. Horizontal Break Usage % Whiff % Usage % Whiff % Four-Seam FB 98 9.7 3.6 arm side 42.1 25.7 36.9 33.8 Slider 89.6 30.5 0.5 glove side 40.8 42.9 28.6 55.7 Changeup 85.2 22 9.5 arm side 1.2 46.7 9.4 77.8 Knuckle Curve 83 54.4 2.4 glove side 8.3 37.1 8.8 27.3 Sweeper 84.6 46.8 10.8 glove side 3.5 26.7 8.3 33.3 Sinker 96.8 15 12.0 arm side 3.9 12.9 8.1 7.1 The deception Cease has added by throwing more types of pitches more often shows in the increase in whiff percentage the righty has accrued this season versus last. Every pitch except his sinker and his knuckle curve has a higher whiff percentage, while his overall whiff rate has climbed from 33.4% to 41.0%. These high numbers show that his various offspeed pitches, thrown at similar speeds to one another, are working to keep hitters guessing. Although the sample is small, with only four games under his belt, you can't discredit the fact that Cease's adjustments have made a massive difference this season. The Blue Jays should have an exceptional top trio of starting pitchers with Kevin Gausman, Cease, and, eventually, Yesavage, who all possess similar swing-and-miss pitches. Fans can expect to see a ton of strikeouts in each of these fireballers' games. View the full article

Elite raw power as a left-handed hitting catcher does not grow on trees, but Jensen did not get there overnight. A look at Carter Jensen's power progression and why he is such an exciting rookie. View the full article

Breaking down the ridiculously high ceiling of Luis Peña and why his slow finish to 2025 is not something to be concerned about. View the full article

Owen and Jesse lament the sixth straight series loss for the Toronto Blue Jays, but take some solace in the series finale victory before getting into Jeff Hoffman's continued struggles. They both have emotional thoughts about Eric Lauer's comments to the media about his thoughts on pitching behind an opener. The guys finish with some positives, crediting Kazuma Okamoto and Nathan Lukes with strong series performances in Arizona, and preview the upcoming series in Los Angeles against the Angels. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

A great first pro campaign capped by a historic postseason for the Blue Jays makes it difficult to compare Trey Yesavage to other prospects. It's clear he creates a very unique look that is tough on hitters at any level. View the full article

Jack and Spencer discuss Trevor Megill's status in the bullpen, the level of concern for the left side of the infield, Coleman Crow's MLB debut, and more. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2TdiHeartRadio: 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

Joe Ryan didn’t need a complete overhaul, but the tweaks he made are changing things for the better. A closer look at how his revised arsenal is making an already reliable starter even tougher to solve. View the full article

Jarren Duran has faced a difficult start to the 2026 season. Offensive contact has been one of the key components to his poor performance; however, there are a few things that could be key factors in this early slump. There's hope, though, as he's been a key performer with clutch moments. View the full article

There is now a full year of evidence that Agustín Ramírez does not provide major league-caliber defense behind the plate. Fish On First LIVE discusses what comes next for him.View the full article

In isolation, the record-shattering sale of the San Diego Padres is a head-scratcher. Why would Jose E. Feliciano's group pay $3.9 billion for the franchise? That price is more than 60 percent higher than the $2.42 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020, and it's 25 percent more than the $3,1 billion Forbes magazine estimated the club to be worth last month. But if you look at Forbes' estimates of the top-tier clubs -- and the Padres are in that upper echelon -- you'll notice that it's not an outrageous overpay and Feliciano sees value. For example, Cohen's investment has appreciated nicely over the past six years. The Mets are now worth $3.5 billion in Forbes' estimation. That's sixth-highest in MLB. There's no sign Cohen wants to flip the club, but business is business -- and the baseball business is booming. Robust league revenues fueled by surging fan and sponsor interest is a tide lifting all yachts. The teams ahead of the Mets are all well ahead: the New York Yankees ($8.5 billion), Los Angeles Dodgers ($7.8 billion), Boston Red Sox ($5.75 billion), Chicago Cubs ($5 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($4.05 billion). Seventh through ninth are the Philadelphia Phillies ($3.4 billion), Atlanta Braves ($3.35 billion) and Houston Astros ($3.2 billion). The mid-market Padres, with their gem of a stadium, ideal weather, and huge payroll, are 10th. To put the franchise inflation into greater focus: The Baltimore Orioles were sold for $1.73 billion in August 2024 to a group led by billionaire David Rubenstein. A year and a half later, Forbes pegged the franchise as being worth $2.1.billion. There's a good chance, then, that the Penner Sports Group had a lot more than civic pride in mind when it bought 40 percent of the Colorado Rockies from the Monfort brothers this month. Forbes estimated the Rox at $1.68 billion, 25th in the league. If the cash infusion gets the club out of the mud -- and if the 30 team owners can avoid a damaging labor dispute next year -- then everyone would stand to benefit. Contrast that transaction with the Penner group buying the NFL's Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion, then a record for a North American pro sports franchise in 2022. (The Washington Commanders sped past the Broncos a year later when a group led by Josh Harris bought them for $6.05 billion. Then, the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers changed hands for a $10 billion valuation in 2025.).Last November, Forbes estimated the Broncos' franchise value at $6.8 billion, 13th-highest in the NFL. If one of the NFL's marquee franchises were to go on the market, the bar would be reset much higher. The Dallas Cowboys topped Forbes' rankings last year at $13 billion, followed by the Los Angeles Rams ($10.5 billion) and New York Giants ($10.1 billion). Just a reminder that MLB represents a desirable neighborhood but isn't the exclusive community the NFL is. Buying into an MLB franchise now practically guarantees a strong positive return on investment within a few years' time. The Padres are getting a wealthy owner who shelled out a gobsmacking total for them, but don't expect their record sale price to stand for long. View the full article

Nolan Santos' comeback is complete. The former seventh-round pick who missed all of the 2025 season threw a career-high five innings for the Kernels tonight. He surrendered one run, but it was unearned. Sticking with the pitchers, Jose Olivares made his 2026 debut with three perfect innings in a rehab outing with Fort Myers. On the hitting side, Kala'i Rosario smashed a huge go-ahead homer late for Wichita, and Eric Wagaman filled the stat sheet for St. Paul. View the full article

The Mets' farm went 1-2 on Sunday as the Syracuse Mets' game was postponed. Binghamton was no-hit 4-0 by Akron despite Jonathan Santucci striking out five over four innings. Brooklyn lost 6-4 to Greensboro in 10 innings after Dakota Hawkins struck out four in three scoreless innings of relief. St. Lucie crushed Daytona 13-4 behind Elian Peña's three hits and three RBIs, with Christian Rodriguez striking out five across 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief. Mets Transactions No Roster Moves Syracuse Mets' Game Postponed The Syracuse Mets' scheduled Triple-A game was postponed. Rumble Ponies No-Hit In 4-0 Loss To Akron The Binghamton Rumble Ponies were no-hit and shut out 4-0 by the Akron RubberDucks on the road, failing to produce a single base hit (that's the definition of a no-hitter, but you already knew that). Jonathan Santucci took the loss, going four innings while allowing two runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out five. Kevin Gowdy followed with one inning of work, giving up one run on one hit, walking one, striking out one, and allowing one home run. Matt Turner followed with one inning, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout. Saul Garcia tossed a scoreless inning. Zach Peek closed with a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out two. Akron scored one run in the bottom of the first, added two more in the fifth, and tacked on one more in the sixth. At the plate, Binghamton drew six walks, with Chris Suero drawing two walks and Wyatt Young also drawing two walks. Marco Vargas and Jacob Reimer each drew one walk. Jose Ramos, The Rumble Ponies finished with zero hits, six walks, eight strikeouts, and left six runners on base across the nine-inning contest. Player AB R H RBI BB K A.J. Ewing 4 0 0 0 0 1 Marco Vargas 3 0 0 0 1 1 Jacob Reimer 3 0 0 0 1 2 Chris Suero 2 0 0 0 2 0 Eli Serrano III 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jose Ramos 4 0 0 0 0 2 Kevin Parada 3 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Lorusso 3 0 0 0 0 0 Wyatt Young 1 0 0 0 2 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Santucci 4 4 2 2 2 5 0 Kevin Gowdy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Matt Turner 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 Saul Garcia 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Zach Peek 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Cyclones Fall In Extras After Scoring Three In First The Brooklyn Cyclones lost 6-4 to the Greensboro Grasshoppers at home in 10 innings, surrendering a three-run first-inning lead in what became extra baseball. A.J. Minter opened with 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit. Jonathan Jimenez followed with 2 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Tanner Witt pitched three scoreless innings with one strikeout while walking two. Dakota Hawkins added three scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit. Felix Cepeda took the loss after one inning in the 10th, giving up three runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout. John Bay led the offense with a home run, two hits, three RBIs, and one run scored. Heriberto Rincon added two hits and drove in a run. Corey Collins went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in the cleanup spot. Brooklyn took a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Greensboro tied the game with three runs in the second. The score remained 3-3 through nine before Greensboro plated three runs in the 10th and Brooklyn answered with one. The Cyclones finished with six hits, two walks, struck out 10 times, and left five runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 5 0 0 0 0 1 Antonio Jimenez 4 1 0 0 1 2 Ronald Hernandez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Corey Collins 2 1 1 0 1 1 John Bay 4 1 2 3 0 0 Yohairo Cuevas 4 0 0 0 0 2 Diego Mosquera 4 1 0 0 0 1 Kevin Villavicencio 4 0 1 0 0 2 Heriberto Rincon 4 0 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR A.J. Minter 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Jonathan Jimenez 2 1/3 5 3 3 2 2 0 Tanner Witt 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 Dakota Hawkins 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Felix Cepeda 1 2 3 2 2 1 0 Elian Peña Drives In Three As St. Lucie Routs Daytona The St. Lucie Mets bashed their way to a 13-4 road win over the Daytona Tortugas behind 14 hits and a six-run fifth inning. Jose Chirinos started and worked three innings, allowing two runs on four hits with one walk, five strikeouts, and one home run. Dylan Ross earned the win with an inning of relief, allowing one unearned run on no hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Nate Lavender contributed a scoreless inning with a walk and two strikeouts. Luis Alvarez got one out in the sixth but allowed one earned run on no hits with four walks and one strikeout before Christian Rodriguez took over. Rodriguez delivered 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with five strikeouts. Ernesto Mercedes closed with a scoreless ninth, striking out three. Elian Peña led the attack from the leadoff spot with three hits, a walk, three RBIs, and one run scored. Julio Zayas contributed two hits and two runs scored with one RBI. JT Benson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Vladi Gomez added two hits, a walk, and two runs scored. Sam Robertson reached base three times with a hit, two walks, and two runs scored. St. Lucie scored four in the third, one in the fourth, the decisive six in the fifth, one in the seventh, and one in the eighth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 5 1 3 3 1 1 Chase Meggers 6 1 1 1 0 1 Randy Guzman 4 1 1 0 1 2 Julio Zayas 4 2 2 1 0 0 AJ Salgado 5 1 1 1 0 2 JT Benson 4 2 2 2 0 2 Sam Biller 5 1 1 0 0 2 Sam Robertson 3 2 1 1 2 1 Vladi Gomez 3 2 2 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Chirinos 3 4 2 2 1 5 1 Dylan Ross 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 Nate Lavender 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Luis Alvarez 1/3 0 1 1 4 1 0 Christian Rodriguez 2 2/3 1 0 0 0 5 0 Ernesto Mercedes 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 View the full article

For the week, Nashville (5-1) and Wisconsin (3-2) were series winners. Wilson (3-3) pulled off a draw and Biloxi (2-4) fell just short. Transactions: 1B/OF Tyler Black activated from AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list RHP Craig Yoho sent on rehab assignment to AAA Nashville C Andrick Nava transferred to Nashville’s Development List Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Worcester 4, Nashville 2 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Win Streak Snapped in Sunday's 4-2 Loss to Worcester The linked game recap by Nishant Brahme does a solid job covering this relatively low-scoring Sunday affair, during which opening RHP Peter Strzelecki (3-up, 3-down 1st inning) and bulk LHP Shane Drohan (5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks; 80 pitches) could have benefited from more run support. Early season injuries to Tyler Black (last played April 5) and Craig Yoho (made 2026 debut in this game) likely cost them some MLB opportunities over the past 2 weeks, but they’re back and the spotlight is on them for a potential near-term call-up. Yoho issued a walk and a hit-by-pitch (on a 72.3mph sweeper) in a scoreless 7th inning, while Black grounded out twice and popped out before his 9th inning 105mph double to center field. Black’s RBI double prompted Worcester to call upon 100mph-throwing closer Tayron Guerrero, against whom C Jeferson Quero impressively smacked an RBI single to right field before the comeback fell short. Sounds’ Extras: After 3B Jett Williams doubled to open the bottom of the 1st inning (and was stranded), the offense only produced 2 singles over the next 7 frames. LHP Drew Rom (1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 Ks) unfortunately allowed an earned run in his 4th consecutive relief outing, but LHP Brian Fitzpatrick (2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 Ks) and RHP Joe Corbett (1 IP, 0 R, 2 Ks) did their part to keep Nashville within striking distance. Congrats to OF Jheremy Vargas on his first AAA hit, a single to center field in the 3rd inning. Next week’s outlook: Nashville (11-9) hits the road for a 7-game series at White Sox affiliate Charlotte (9-11), with the opening game set for 12:05pm on Tuesday. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Columbus 10, Biloxi 8 (in 12 innings) Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Shuckers Drop Heartbreaker to Clingstones in 12 Innings With only 14 active pitchers on the roster, RHP Stiven Cruz (3 2/3 IP, 4 Ks) looked like the last man standing as he heroically retired 11 straight batters from the 9th through the 12th innings, even keeping the Manfred Men from scoring in the 10th and 11th frames. Unfortunately, Columbus eventually got to Cruz with a 2-out, run-scoring single to tie the game in the bottom of the 12th before following with the walk-off homer. That’s a tough break, but also a reminder of why relievers typically don’t have to face an opposing lineup a second time. Before the lock-down late-game pitching, both offenses were humming along, with Biloxi scoring in 5 of the first 7 innings and taking a 7-6 lead on 2B Dylan O’Rae’s RBI single. Unfortunately, O’Rae was thrown out trying for 2nd base, one of two Shuckers thrown out on the basepaths in that frame. O’Rae and SS Jesus Made combined for 6 hits, 3 RBIs, 2 walks and 2 stolen bases to lead the offense alongside OF Mike Boeve (3-for-4, double, 2 walks), who did well to break out of a recent slump. Starting 20-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez (4 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 K) wasn’t able to replicate his solid Tuesday outing (4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 6 Ks), as he allowed 3 home runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings to cough up an early 3-0 advantage, exiting down 4-3. Shuckers’ Extras: Rather than risk 1B Blake Burke smashing yet another homer (he has 7 on the young season), Columbus chose to intentionally walk him with 2 outs in the top of the 10th inning, after which OF Tayden Hall popped out. Unfortunately, Hall compounded his woe by being picked off of 2nd base as the Manfred Man in the 11th inning. LHP Mark Manfredi Sr. stranded 2 inherited baserunners in the 6th inning, but was not immune to the high-scoring affair as he conceded his first run of 2026 on a 2-out single in the 7th inning. He also walked the next 2 batters to load the bases, but escaped via a ground ball force out. The 26 at-bats with runners in scoring position may have been the second-most in Shuckers’ history (per the linked game report), but 3-for-26 production with RISP will need to improve. Here’s the 2-out RBI single off the bat of OF Jordyn Adams, who was nearly credited with the game-winning hit. Next week’s outlook: Biloxi (7-8) returns home to battle Angels’ affiliate Rocket City (7-8), with RHP Ryan Birchard (9 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 12 Ks in 3 games) listed as the starter for the series opener on Tuesday. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Peoria 11, Wisconsin 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Rattlers Fall Behind Early and Drop Series Finale to Chiefs Despite the defeat, Wisconsin’s terrific media team has put together video highlights: We’re also treated to the insightful post-game podcast by Chris Mehring and Jonathan Timm, providing 13 minutes of discussion and featuring Manager Nick Stanley Having already captured the series with Saturday’s victory, perhaps the Timber Rattlers took their eye off the ball in this one, as Peoria put up a 4-spot in the 2nd inning and added more runs in most innings thereafter. Starting RHP Yorman Galindez had been solid through 2 outings (4 IP, 1 R, 5 Ks), but a full count walk and hit-by-pitch to open the 2nd inning set the stage for the 3-run homer, followed by a walk, wild pitch and another earned run. Four walks for Wisconsin in the bottom of the 2nd inning gave them a chance to immediately get back into the game, but the breakthrough hit didn’t come so only 1 run came home. Timber Rattlers’ Extras: While the wide margin may jump out to most readers when looking at the box score, our attention is drawn to the early exit of C Marco Dinges, who played only 2 innings after flying out in the 1st frame. If and when we receive an update on his status, we’ll be sure to post it in the Minor League Forum. Each of the Timber Rattlers’ four relievers conceded at least one earned run, with RHP Yerlin Rodriguez (2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 K) issuing 3 walks and a hit-by-pitch and RHP Braylon Owens (3 IP, 4 R, 4 Ks) allowing 6 hits and 4 walks. Despite the blow-out, 8 of 9 Wisconsin position players reached base via hit or walk in the contest, highlighted by 2B Daniel Dickinson (1-for-3, walk), OF Josiah Ragsdale (1-for-3, walk) and DH Andrew Fischer (1-for-4, double). Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin (8-5) travels to Fort Wayne, Indiana to take on the Padres’ affiliate (6-9), which is stocked with a number of their top prospects as mentioned in the podcast. Final: Wilson 5, Hill City 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Anderson Home Run Propels Warbirds to Walk-off Win After striking out in his first two at-bats (including with the bases loaded to end the 5th inning), OF Jose Anderson played hero to deliver a 2-out RBI single to give Wilson its first lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the 7th inning before blasting the no doubt 2-run walk-off homer to win the game. The team can thank starting RHP Tyler Renz (4 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 Ks; 1.93 ERA) and impressive middle reliever LHP Anfernny Reyes (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K; 0.00 ERA) for keeping the game close while the offense tried to warm up in 59-degree weather. C Yannic Walther (1-for-3, double, walk) delivered Wilson’s first hit of the game, a double to open the bottom of the 5th inning, scoring on a first-pitch swinging single off the bat of SS Brady Ebel (1-for-4, walk, RBI) to cut the deficit to 2-1 at that point. RHPs Joshua Quezada (2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) and Ayendy Bravo (1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks) faced a bit of traffic in the final 3 frames, but limited the damage by recording a combined 6 strikeouts. Warbirds’ Extras: Anderson now leads the team with 3 homers (second place has 1) and 18 RBIs (second place has 8) in 14 games played. Anderson also stole his 2nd base in the contest. Congrats to OF Nick Monile on his first official minor league hit, a bunt single to start the 7th inning rally. Recognition also goes to OF Handelfry Encarnacion (1-for-3, 2 walks, RBI) and 3B Luis Lameda, who extended his hitting streak to 6 games while adding a stolen base. Next week’s outlook: Wilson (6-9) heads over to Maryland to take on Orioles’ affiliate Delmarva (4-11) for 6 games. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Monday, the affiliates have a travel day and the Milwaukee Brewers are also off before commencing their series in Detroit on Tuesday. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Weekly Snapshot: Record Last Week: 4-2 (Overall: 12-9) Run Scored Last Week: 26 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 26 Standing: 3rd in NL Central Game 16 (4/14) | TOR 9, MIL 7 Game 17 (4/15) | MIL 2, TOR 1 Game 18 (4/16) | MIL 2, TOR 1 Game 19 (4/17) | MIL 7, MIA 5 Game 20 (4/18) | MIL 5, MIA 2 Game 21 (4/19) | MIA 5, MIL 3 Game 16 | Blue Jays 9, Brewers 7 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K) Top Performers: Brice Turang (3 H, RBI) Gary Sánchez (H, BB, HR, RBI) Jake Bauers (H, HR, 3 RBI) The Brewers' now-distant losing streak was pushed to six games on Tuesday, in ugly fashion. It wasn’t through the fault of Jacob Misiorowski, however, as he turned in another strong start, twirling 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball. It was the bullpen that let the contest slip, with Trevor Megill getting tagged for 3 runs and blowing the save in the 9th, and Grant Anderson coughing up a pair of runs in the 10th. That implosion wasted timely home runs from Gary Sánchez and Jake Bauers, and a game-tying hit from Brandon Lockridge in the 9th. Jake Bauers’ 3-run bomb (+19.5 WP%) Game 17 | Brewers 2, Blue Jays 1 MIL Starter: Chad Patrick (6.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K) Top Performers: Aaron Ashby (1.0 IP, H, BB, 0 ER, 3 K) Abner Uribe (1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, K, SV) William Contreras (2 H, RBI) Wednesday was a return to form that saw the Brewers snap their skid behind Chad Patrick, turning in their (then-)longest start of the year. That took the pressure off the bullpen, which put up a zero behind Patrick, while the offense used their signature death-by-paper cuts approach to plate two runs in the eighth inning. Finally, the Brewers were back to their winning ways. William Contreras' game-tying single (+30.0 WP%) Game 18 | Brewers 2, Blue Jays 1 MIL Starter: Brandon Sporat (6.2 IP, 4 H, BB, ER, 6 K) Top Performers: Trevor Megill (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K) Gary Sánchez (2 H, BB, 2B) The rubber match mirrored the previous day, with Brandon Sproat turning in his best outing as a Brewer and, like Patrick, turning in the longest start of the Brewers' young season. On the offensive side, the Brewers took small ball to the extreme, using a walk and three consecutive bunts to score all the runs they needed before Ángel Zerpa shut the Jays down in the 9th. Milwaukee plays small ball (again) Game 19 | Brewers 7, Marlins 5 MIL Starter: Coleman Crow (5.1 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Luis Rengifo (2 H, 2B, RBI) Garrett Mitchell (2 H, 2B, 3 RBI) Gary Sánchez (H, 3 BB) Coleman Crow earned his first major-league start, though the minor maladies of Kyle Harrison paved the way for it. Under the Miami sun, Crow turned in exactly what Pat Murphy and the Brewers were looking for. There were some bullpen struggles behind him, though, with a late Marlins rally sending the game to extra innings. Fortunately, some timely poor defense from Miami and a Garrett Mitchell knockout punch put the game away. Garrett Mitchell knocks in a pair of runners Game 20 | Brewers 5, Marlins 2 MIL Starter: Brandon Woodruff (7.0 IP, 3 H, BB, ER, 4 K) Top Performers: Brice Turang (2 H, 2 BB, 3 RBI) Garett Mitchell (H, 3 BB) Joey Ortiz (H, 2 BB) Saturday's contest was as smooth a game as the Brewers have had in some time, with an efficient Brandon Woodruff being the first Brewer to complete seven innings all season. With the bats, Brice Turang led the way with a 2-run home run, while the rest of the team drew six walks against the usually pinpoint former Cy-young award winner Sandy Alcantara. Brice Turang’s two-run homer (+20.6 WP%) Game 21 | Marlins 5, Brewers 3 MIL Starter: Jacob Misiorowski (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 R, 1 ER, 9 K) Top Performers: Carlos Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 2 H, O ER, 3 K) Gary Sánchez (H, 2 RBI) Jacob Misiorowski's rough start in the series finale looked like it was all the Marlins were going to need to avoid a sweep, as a 3-run first inning was more than enough cushion for Marlins hurler Eury Pérez, who tossed six innings of one-run ball against the Brewers' lineup. Misiorowski did manage to labor through five innings, though, striking out nine Fish along the way, and that set the stage for the Brewers to make the game interesting late—although the comeback did eventually fall short. Miz's nine K's Transactions: 04/18/26 - Optioned RHP Coleman Crow to AAA Nashville. 04/18/26 - Recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from AAA Nashville. 04/17/26 - Recalled RHP Coleman Crow from AAA Nashville Sounds. 04/17/26 - Optioned RHP Easton McGee to AAA Nashville. 4/15/26 - Traded RHP Junior Fernández to Milwaukee Brewers. 04/14/26 - Placed LHP Rob Zastryzny on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain. 04/14/26 - Placed LF Christian Yelich on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain. (Retroactive to April 13, 2026) 04/14/26 - Selected the contract of RF Greg Jones from AAA Nashville. Notes: The timeline for Christian Yelich's return is mid to late May. Greg Jones took his place on the roster. Looking Ahead: Tuesday, 4/21 - Brewers @ Tigers - 5:40 PM CDT Wednesday, 4/22 - Brewers @ Tigers - 5:40 PM CDT Thursday, 4/23 - Brewers @ Tigers - 12:40 PM CDT Friday, 4/24 - Pirates @ Brewers - 6:40 PM CDT Saturday, 4/25 - Pirates @ Brewers - 6:10 PM CDT Sunday, 4/26 - Pirates @ Brewers - 1:10 PM CDT View the full article

Expectations can be tricky in baseball. One year, a player bursts onto the scene and looks like a foundational piece. The next, the league adjusts, and suddenly, nothing comes easily. That’s what Luke Keaschall faces early in his sophomore season with the Twins. After an impressive rookie season where he slashed .302/.382/.445, Keaschall's sophomore start hasn’t been as smooth. Through Sunday, he is hitting just .209/.258/.279. On Saturday, manager Derek Shelton moved him down in the lineup for the first time this season, shifting him from third to fifth. On Sunday, with right-handed hurler Brady Singer on the mound for the opposing Reds, he slid to sixth. That move tells part of the story. Shelton began the season with confidence in Keaschall as a table-setter near the top of the order. The adjustment now signals a need to reset and a chance to take pressure off a young hitter still finding his footing at the big league level. Friday’s game against the Reds might have been the epitome of his struggles. Keaschall batted with the bases loaded in the third inning, two runners on base in the fifth inning, and two more runners in the seventh. None of those runners scored. In those three at-bats, Keaschall struck out on a called third strike, grounded into his first double play of the season, and hit an inning-ending groundout. After the game, he gathered with the team’s hitting coaches to break down his swing and his at-bats. “We’ll get it back,” said Keaschall after the game. “We’re a tick off. It can change quickly. That’s what I keep on thinking, and it’s going to happen soon.” That belief is shared inside the clubhouse as well. “Luke Keaschall has hit at every level. I mean, I can’t go back to his Little League stats, but I guarantee he raked there,” Shelton said. “It’s early in the season, and it’s also the first year he’s started the year in the big leagues. A lot of guys put more emphasis on that.” There’s a mental side to this as much as a physical one. Shelton acknowledged that moving Keaschall down in the lineup was designed to ease the burden, as Shelton felt Keaschall was putting “a little extra on himself.” As Keaschall looks for answers, he said his focus is on getting the most out of each day. “I think it’s just being in control of your movements and executing plans,” Keaschall said. “Right now, we’re not doing that the best. All you can do is get a little bit better each and every day.” The underlying numbers explain why the results haven’t been as strong. His 85.0 mph exit velocity and 24% Hard Hit rate both sit in the bottom 7% of the league. His exit velocity is down 1.2 mph compared to last season, and his hard-hit rate has dropped by 6.6%. That lack of authoritative contact has limited his ability to cause damage, even when he puts the ball in play. Pitchers have also adjusted their approach. He is seeing fewer fastballs, down 4% from last season, and he hasn't punished them when he gets them, posting just a .302 slugging average despite an xSLG that sits more than 100 points higher. That gap suggests there may be some bad luck involved, but it also highlights missed opportunities. Instead of fastballs, Keaschall is seeing a heavier dose of offspeed pitches. Last season, he torched those offerings to the tune of a .407 average and a .556 slugging, though the expected numbers hinted at regression. That regression has come quickly. This year, he is hitting just .211 against offspeed pitches and has yet to record an extra-base hit against them. Still, this is not a profile completely devoid of optimism. Keaschall continues to show strong plate discipline. His chase rate, per-swing whiff rate, and strikeout rate all rank in the 82nd percentile or better, and his 27.2% Squared-Up rate sits comfortably above league average, meaning he's getting his fair share of exit velocity from below-average bat speed. Those are indicators of a hitter who is not overmatched, but rather one who is just missing his best contact by a small margin. Sometimes, that margin is everything. Moving down in the lineup could give Keaschall space to recalibrate. Rather than setting the tone early, he can focus on simple at-bats and build momentum one swing at a time. For a Twins team that has leaned on young talent to exceed expectations, getting Keaschall back on track is an important piece of the puzzle. The foundation is still there. The approach remains sound. Now, it's about turning those underlying positives into production. If history is any indication, that turnaround may not be far away. What are your thoughts on Keaschall's sophomore performance? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Week in a Nutshell After going 3-4 last week, the Royals needed at least a respectable showing in this road trip to Detroit and the Bronx this week. Thinking they were going to win the week was going to be a tough challenge, especially considering their offensive woes. However, it was entirely plausible that the Royals could've gone 3-3, or at least 2-4, and kept their head above water before returning home to Kauffman Stadium. Unfortunately, the optimism proved to be for naught. The Royals went 0-6 this week and were outscored by the Tigers and Yankees by a combined 21 runs. As a result, the Chicago White Sox are ahead in the standings. For those who can't read between the lines, that means the Royals are in last place in the American League Central. It's one thing to have a slow start to the season. But even with 140 games remaining, it seems like the Royals are in the midst of not just a disappointing campaign, but perhaps a nightmarish one, especially considering all the negative vibes from the Salvador Perez drama surrounding his benching on Saturday. 'The Royals have a bad offense, bad bullpen, bad record, and honestly, bad vibes right now in the clubhouse, with the Salvy and Carter Jensen "sleeping in" incidents being the prime examples. One has to wonder when and how the Royals will turn around the momentum after such an awful week of play in Detroit and New York. Record this Week: 0-6 Run Differential for the Week: -21 Record for the Year: 7-15 Run Differential for the Year: -32 Standing: 5th in the AL Central Game 17: DET 2, KC 1 It wasn't the prettiest Cole Ragans start, as he walked four and only struck out one in six innings of work. However, he allowed only one hit and zero runs, and Matt Strahm held the lead in the seventh. Unfortunately, Nick Mears allowed two runs in the eighth. Game 18: DET 2, KC 1 Seth Lugo and Jack Flaherty both battled in this one, with Lugo going 6.2 innings and striking out seven, while Flaherty also struck out seven in six innings. The Royals tied it up in the fifth after relinquishing an early lead. However, Eli Morgan was unable to keep the game tied in the eighth. Game 19: DET 10, KC 9 Kris Bubic had a tough start, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks in 4.2 innings of work. Even though the Royals were down 6-1, they scored six runs in the top of the seventh before the rain hit and caused a delay. Despite getting some insurance in the top of the ninth on a Vinnie Pasquantino home run, Lucas Erceg was unable to hold a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth. Game 20: NYY 4, KC 2 Michael Wacha gave the Royals six strong innings and only allowed two runs on three hits and three hits while striking out six. Pasquantino hit his second home run of the year and had two hits. However, like the Detroit series, the Royals were unable to keep the game tied, as Alex Lange allowed a two-run home run to pinch-hitter Ryan McMahon. Game 21: NYY 13, KC 4 Noah Cameron struggled in the Bronx, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings of work. Mitch Spence wasn't much better, as he allowed six runs on four hits and five walks in four innings of work. Carter Jensen hit his fifth home run of the year. Game 22: NYY 7, KC 0 The Royals' bullpen didn't allow a run in 3.2 innings of work. Also, Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits. However, it was a brutal game otherwise. Ragans did his best "Nuke Laloosh" impression, walking eight, striking out six, and allowing seven runs in 4.2 innings of work. News and Notes Early in the week, Stephen Kolek started a rehab assignment with Omaha. He's had a couple of outings and has a 2.16 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 8.1 IP. On April 15th, Bailey Falter began his own rehab assignment. He had a 6.00 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 3.0 IP with the Storm Chasers. He looked much stronger in his most recent outing on Sunday against Indianapolis. The biggest move the Royals made was on Sunday. They called up catcher Elias Diaz and pitcher Mason Black from Omaha and sent down Spence and utility player Tyler Tolbert to Triple-A. Furthermore, they added James McArthur to the 60-Day IL to make room for Diaz on the 40-man roster. Highlights Some of the Royals' struggling hitters showed some life at the plate this past week, which should help fans feel encouraged about their outlook for the remainder of the season. In 15 at-bats, Jac Caglianone hit .400 with a .971 OPS. That included six hits, a triple, and an RBI. Pasquantino only hit .167, but he launched his first two home runs of the season and posted a .700 OPS in 24 plate appearances. Jensen continued to show strong discipline at the plate this week, with his power on display in the Bronx. In 17 at-bats, he hit .235, walked three times, and posted an OBP of .350 and an OPS of .762. He also launched his fifth home run of the year on Saturday, which leads the team. On the pitching end, Lugo had the strongest performance of the rotation this past week, striking out seven and allowing only one run, five hits, and no walks. In four starts this year, Lugo is posting a 1.48 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 24.1 IP. Despite the Royals' struggles, the 36-year-old is looking more like his 2024 self. A reliever who had a nice week and didn't melt down was Daniel Lynch IV. In two appearances, he struck out two and didn't allow a hit, walk, or run in 1.1 IP. The TJ Stuff+ is still a bit below-average (99 overall TJ Stuff+), but he's been producing excellent chase, whiff, and xwOBACON metrics so far this season, as illustrated below. Lowlights To be frank, there are a lot more lowlights than highlights for the Royals this week, which isn't surprising for a team that went 0-6 this week. Here are some of the team stats from this week for Kansas City. Their .581 was the second-worst mark in baseball. Only the New York Mets, who have lost 11 times in a row, had a worse OPS at .534. Their .208 average was the fifth-worst mark in baseball this week, and their .256 OBP was the second-worst mark as well. The Royals' pitching staff's 6.66 ERA was the worst mark in baseball over the past week (somewhere, Dayton Moore is cringing). Their 1.66 WHIP was the second-worst mark in baseball this past week. They also issued 33 walks, the third-most walks over the same time period. Lastly, the pitching staff allowed 11 home runs, tied for fifth-most in baseball over the past seven days. Yep. That's rough. In terms of individual performances, Maikel Garcia had a brutal week at the plate. In 24 at-bats, he hit .125 with a .327 OPS. He also struck out seven times and walked only once. On April 11th, Maikel was hitting .328 with a .911 OPS. After his lackluster week, he is now hitting .256 with a .718 OPS. On the pitching end, Ragans struggled immensely, with some wondering if he'll ever match that 2024 form again. In two starts and 10.1 IP, Ragans posted a 6.10 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. He also walked an astonishing 12 batters while allowing just five hits and striking out seven. Frankly, Ragans' control has been a problem this year, and his inability to find the zone has led to a drop in chase and lackluster xwOBACON metrics. This is despite strong overall TJ Stuff+ numbers and whiff rates, as seen below. In 21 IP this year, Ragans has a 6.00 ERA, 7.34 FIP, and 1.67 WHIP. He's generating a 23.9% K%, which isn't as good as years past, but is still solid. However, his K-BB% is 4.3%, thanks to his 19.6% BB%. Those poor numbers explain his high FIP metrics. Furthermore, a decline in extension (down 0.2 feet from a year ago) could also be a reason why he's struggling to find the strike zone (45.5% zone rate) this season. Looking Ahead On a positive note, the Royals return to Kauffman Stadium for a weeklong homestand against the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels. The Royals are 5-5 this year at home, much better than their 2-10 record on the road. Baltimore should be an easier matchup on paper. The Orioles are 10-12 and have had issues with starting pitching this season. They rank 18th in starter ERA and 25th in WHIP. Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt, whom the Royals are supposed to face this week, have ERA marks of 4.91 and 6.19. Thus, if the Royals want to win this series against the Orioles, they will have to chase Baltimore's pitching early. Gunnar Henderson (119 wRC+) and Taylor Ward (136 wRC+) are two hitters who will lead the Orioles on the offensive end. "Los Angeles" (come on, they're in Anaheim, which is in Orange County) will be a tougher challenge, though it has its flaws. The Angels are 11-12 and have lost two in a row after taking three of four in the Bronx earlier last week. They have a lot of guys who can mash, as Mike Trout (171 wRC+), Zach Neto (138 wRC+), Jo Adell (115 wRC+), and former Royals Jorge Soler (136 wRC+) and Adam Frazier (171 wRC+) are off to great starts. In fact, the Angels have the second-most home runs in Major League Baseball. However, the pitching is a bit shakier. The Angels rank 17th in ERA at 4.17, but their 5.14 BB/9 is the third-worst mark in baseball. The Royals also miss ace Jose Soriano in the weekend series at Kauffman, and Yusei Kikuchi, who likely will face Kansas City on Friday, has struggled this year with a 5.63 ERA. If they can set the tone against Kikuchi, the Royals could have a good shot against rookie Walber Urena on Saturday and Reid Detmers on Sunday night (they play a national game on NBC). View the full article

Strictly speaking, we've seen Brewers hitters quite a bit hotter than Brice Turang is right now. After 22 games, the second baseman is batting .300/.437/.571, which is mightily impressive, but during his bid to win back-to-back National League MVP Awards, Christian Yelich had stretches of this length during which his OPS eclipsed 1.500. It's not just Yelich (or famously raucous runs like the Linsanity version of Eric Thames), either. Keston Hiura had a stretch this long that was hotter. So did Yasmani Grandal. So did Gerardo Parra, way back in 2015. Try not to let yourself forget that this is still only theee and a half weeks of baseball, and that Turang has been great, but human. That said: how long has it been since you felt as good watching a Brewers hitter at bat as you do when watching Turang right now? You probably do have to drift back to the pre-pandemic edition of Yelich. It's not just results, right now. Turang's process feels immaculate, and incorruptible. That's not quite the reality; baseball will always humble you. But that's how it feels. Turang's game has gotten better each year of his career, and this season, the improvements are more pronounced than ever. First, of course, there's the bat path. No hitter in baseball has increased the average tilt of their swing more from 2025 to 2026 than has Turang—who had also increased his average tilt from 2023 to 2024, and from 2024 to 2025. He came into the league as a flat swinger, according to Statcast (29°, against a league average of roughly 32°), but he's now quite steep in his average approach to the ball (36°). It's a subtle-sounding difference, and it can be hard to see from one swing to the next, because hitters naturally adjust their swings based on what they're trying to do; what pitch type they anticipate, and what type they see out of the hand; and where the pitch is. To isolate it, then, let's look at four swings Turang has put on 1-0 four-seam fastballs in the middle vertical band of the zone, from right-handed pitchers with roughly average velocity—one each from 2023 through this year. Here's the 2023 case for study. QVlCenhfWGw0TUFRPT1fVWdZRVVRVUdVMVFBWEFFRFZBQUFCZ0pRQUFOWEFWY0FDMUpYVkZFTUFBcFdWZ1pY.mp4 I picked one of the rare times that Turang let it eat that year. Partially, that's because he didn't see that many pitches that fit these criteria that year, and partially, it's so we can all marvel at what a wandering babe he was back then. This really feels like looking at home movies of your kid, already, doesn't it? That version of Turang got beaten pretty easily by even pedestrian heat; there's a reason he hit .218/.285/.300 that season. Ok, here's 2024. YUs5TkFfWGw0TUFRPT1fRDFRRVZRZFdYbE1BQ2dOUVV3QUFCZ0FDQUZnREFnSUFVMU1NVVFVRVZBWURCQU5U.mp4 This ia a version of Turang that has learned to take an assertive hack without finding himself off-balance, but the limitations on his power are obvious here. He gets a better piece of this pitch, but still fouls off something hittable, in an advantage count. On to 2025. Nnk5ajJfWGw0TUFRPT1fRHdaWEJWRUNBQXNBQUFNQkJ3QUhDVlFIQUFNTld3TUFWZ0VDVWdGV1VGVUJCUVJl.mp4 I hope you can see some differences between those two clips. They're small, to be sure, but they're there. Turang found more bat speed in 2025, and took a more dangerous hack. He still fouled the ball off to the left side, but it was less because he was late and more because he was slashing through the ball, if you will, missing it slightly off the upper and outer side of the barrel. Now, let's look at a similar pitch earlier this year. TkFObmJfWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdrRkFnWlNWMVFBV2dGVUJBQUhCUWNIQUFBQkIxY0FWZ0JVVkFjRkFRRUFWRllE.mp4 Admittedly, choosing a homer for comparison serves my argument well, but it's part of the point I'm making. Turang has gotten much more efficient with the barrel this season, thanks to his improved bat path. At every level of the zone height-wise, his swing is steeper than it was even late last year, when he was starting to generate power. He's making a meaningfully different move to the baseball than he used to. To help you see that better, I've taken still frames of the moment just before his bat gets to the ball on each of the pitches above. I've also highlighted his bat position in each. Notice that the lines get both steeper (more tilt in the swing) and longer (he's getting the barrel out more before the ball arrives) as we move from the past to the present. Turang's raw, Statcast-reported bat speed is not meaningfully up this year, but the fact that it's almost exactly where it's been in the past with a steeper plane amounts to a boost in bat speed. He's not pulling the ball very much this season, but when you swing with a steeper bat path, you leave yourself more ways to make solid contact to the opposite field, if you don't get around the ball and yank it to the pull field. That's especially true for left-handed hitters, and it's something Pat Murphy and Brewers coaches have been nudging Turang toward understanding since this time last year. Selectivity has also paid off for Turang. The strike zone is a bit smaller this year, which has contributed to a drop in the share of pitches he sees being in the zone. Last season, 52.7% of opponents' pitches to Turang were in the zone. This year, that number is down to 46.4%. Accordingly. Turang's swing rate (which was just under 48% in 2023 and 2024) has dropped, from 44.3% in 2025 to 36.7%. Thence come his incredible 17 walks in 88 trips to the plate, with both that total and his walks-inflated .437 OBP ranking second in the National League. Meanwhile, the Brewers are doing exactly what they did last year with their infield defense, funneling as many balls into Turang's sphere of influence as possible, and he's continued to justify their faith. You can pick nits with his game—his speed is slightly diminished, and he's gotten more conservative on the bases; he has yet to utilize the ABS challenge system, missing a few chances to better his position within an at-bat—but it would seem ungrateful to do so. Turang has made a series of adjustments that make him one of the toughest outs in baseball, partially because he's also gotten more dangerous at the plate. Unlike hitters who have been similarly hot in recent memory, though, Turang also delivers baserunning and defensive value. He's carrying the Brewers offense, during a stretch in which the team is missing three of the five hitters on whom they were most relying coming into the season. He had one star turn when he suddenly launched 13 homers after August began last summer. He enjoyed another in the World Baseball Classic. In total, going back to the start of August, Turang is batting .297/.384/.538, in over half a season's worth of playing time. That's giving him credit for his showing in the WBC, but it also folds in his disastrously bad 2025 playoff stats. He's hit like an elite corner outfielder for the last nine months, coming out of an offseason even hotter than he was before it. Concrete changes tell us he's genuinely maturing into that dangerous a hitter, and he's still a plus defender at an up-the-middle position. The Brewers are watching as yet another player blossoms from solidity to stardom on their watch. View the full article

Since Seiya Suzuki’s return from injury on April 10, the Chicago Cubs’ offense has started to figure things out. Heading into action on that day, the North Siders had a 95 wRC+, according to FanGraphs, meaning that the offense was five percent worse than the league average. Since then, they've hit to the tune of a 136 wRC+. Of course, both the 'before' and the 'after' here are small samples, and this jump is not entirely (indeed, not even mostly) due to Suzuki’s presence. The Japanese outfielder has logged just one extra-base hit since returning, though he's still cobbled together a respectable 94 wRC+. That extra-base hit was this double from the game against the Mets on Friday: WERaNVhfWGw0TUFRPT1fQlZWVVZnQUhVMU1BQ1ZWVFVnQUhBZ0ZYQUZoUUJsVUFCMU5YVlFJREExY0RDRllB.mp4 We’ll all take that result—Suzuki included. Doubles don’t grow on trees. However, a double into the right-field corner is not the Seiya Suzuki we’re all used to seeing. Last season, he managed just six extra-base hits to the opposite field, according to Baseball Savant. None of them looked like that thing. Four of them were to right-center, really. One was a fly ball in West Sacramento last March that just kept carrying over a short wall in the corner. The other was this... thing. NXkyNDFfWGw0TUFRPT1fRDFjRFhRVUVVRlFBRGdSV1ZnQUhVZ0pmQUZnR1dnQUFDMXhYQmxaWENWRlZDQW9G.mp4 Hitting the ball hard has never been an issue for Suzuki. His average exit velocity has been in the top half of baseball every season since he came over from Japan, and in the top quarter for each of the past three seasons. While it's down so far this year, I'm not concerned about that rebounding some time soon. Suzuki broke out two seasons ago, and turned in a career high in home runs last season—when he started hitting more of those hard-hit balls in the air to the pull side of the field instead of on the ground, or to straightaway center field: Year Ground Ball % Fly Ball % Pull Air % Straight Air % 2022 40.7% 25.5% 9.7% 22.8% 2023 43.6% 24.0% 14.8% 24.2% 2024 33.7% 34.0% 15.2% 32.0% 2025 31.8% 34.7% 24.3% 24.8% The one extra-base hit that Suzuki has managed isn’t overwhelmingly concerning by itself, even if it is to the opposite field. Again, any extra-base hit is a good one. It's concerning that it is the only one, though, and it's indicative of the overall issue for the slugger so far this season: he has only pulled one ball in the air so far. That, alone, explains the complete lack of slug. Last season, hitters slugged 1.338 on fly balls to the pull side, and just .284 on fly balls to the opposite field. So how has he managed not to be an abject disaster at the plate? A 14.6% walk rate has yielded a .366 on-base percentage, which will do the trick. He still rarely chases, which is good. His approach doesn’t appear to have changed much. He did admit to Craig Counsell that the strike zone is a little "fuzzy" to him, though, according to the Cubs' broadcast team, and his swing reflects that struggle to see it well. When you have a guy who can’t pull the ball, that usually means there is a timing issue. This makes sense for a guy who had the start of his season derailed by an injury. Suzuki is playing like a guy who's still preparing for Opening Day. Let’s hope he starts to warm up soon. View the full article

Top left-handed pitching prospects Kendry Rojas and Connor Prielipp will travel with the Twins to New York this week, as the team takes on the New York Mets in Queens. Rojas, 23, will officially be added to the team's roster to replace fellow southpaw Kody Funderburk, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Funderburk will go on the paternity list, and could meet the team in St. Petersburg for their weekend series against the Rays. Prielipp, 25, is on the taxi squad, a COVID-era invention still utilized by teams to keep fresh players ready during road trips when there's some belief that they might need them. For Twins fans who mentally entered rebuilding mode as soon as the team undertook a selloff at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, Rojas and Prielipp have taken on outsized significance as symbols of the team's future. Rojas, at least, now looks to be part of their present, though his stay on the roster could be brief. The Twins have a travel day Monday before taking on the reeling Mets beginning on Tuesday. Some chance exists, of course, that the addition of Rojas (or even that of Prielipp, which isn't yet a true call-up but puts him at the ready for one) will prove permanent. A few weeks in, it's become suddenly clear how much the Twins need to upgrade their bullpen if they hope to remain competitive. After climbing to 11-7, they've lost four straight, and on Saturday and Sunday, they lsot consecutive games which they led by multiple runs after six innings. Justin Topa, Funderburk, Eric Orze and Cole Sands—the closest thing the team currently has to an 'A' bullpen—blew their lead one run at a time over the final three frames on Saturday. In Sunday's series finale, manager Derek Shelton tried to get a two-inning save from rookie Andrew Morris, who went to pieces in the second of those frames, giving up three runs to flip the score in the top of the ninth. Shelton hadn't trusted Garrett Acton enough to turn to him until the horses left the barn in the ninth, but he then stuck with Acton (amid a defensive meltdown) rather than turn to Anthony Banda against a left-handed batter in the Reds' three-run 10th. The Twins face a major deficit of trustworthy, bat-missing relievers. At their best, Rojas and Prielipp are eminently capable of ameliorating that. Rojas sits on the high side of 97 miles per hour with his fastball. If he makes his debut amid an electric New York atmosphere, he could touch 100 MPH. He also has a changeup and a slider that could be plus, if he can locate them well enough. So far, consistency—in location, for sure, but even in shape and broader execution—has proved too much to hope for with Rojas, but his arm is one of the system's most electric. He was the co-headliner of the Louis Varland trade with the Blue Jays last summer, and is certainly the higher-upside of the two prospects the team acquired in that deal. Prielipp is homegrown, and though he's older and doesn't throw quite as hard, he might have an even higher ceiling. Even on the other side of multiple surgeries, he flashes a top-of-the-scale slider. The two-plane curveball he's added to the mix this spring shows tremendous promise. In the long run, the Twins would like both Rojas and Prielipp to stick in the starting rotation. However, their track records with regard to both health and performance suggest that their best roles could be in the pen. For now, Rojas will be asked to reinforce a bullpen that hasn't garnered much confidence from Shelton. How long that remains his job might depend not only on when Funderburk returns, but on how Rojas and several of the incumbent arms in the pen perform in the days ahead. View the full article

The 2026 season has been a rollercoaster of a ride for the Boston Red Sox. Their offense has been anemic at times, and their pitching has been wildly inconsistent. Of course, there's always a few bright spots to highlight, including a particular duo in the bullpen. The front office did little to mess with a (mostly) successful formula over the offseason, and the results have been mixed. There have been some disastrous outings (ahem, Greg Weissert), but the group has also been the most stable unit on the team thus far. Specifically, Alex Cora has been able to turn to Jovani Morán and Garrett Whitlock when needed, and more often than not, they’ve come through for him. Of course, with anything in life, there are moments where a sure thing falters, but with the current state of the Red Sox's bullpen, these two may be Cora’s most trusted relievers, save for Aroldis Chapman, who continues to handle the ninth inning during save opportunities. Whitlock's success is hardly surprising. In 2025, he was Cora’s best option out of the pen after struggling early in the season. By the end of the year he was lights out, tossing 72 innings and striking out 91 batters. So far in 2026, the strikeout numbers are even more impressive, as he's punched out 35.3% of opposing hitters while only allowing five hits and two earned runs. The right-hander has kept batters at bay despite having a career high 14.7% walk rate. That’s thanks in part to holding opponents to a .172 batting average. He's especially succeeding terms of contact quality. Over half of the balls in play against him have been on the ground this year, and less than 30% of that contact has been of the hard variety. His sudden inability to get hitters to chase outside the zone has led to the aforementioned spike in his walk rate, but even this less-whiff-heavy version of Whitlock has proven capable of dominating. As for Morán, the left-hander entered the season as a huge question mark, as he spent 2025 recovering from surgery. While he did make a cameo with Boston, Morán was not a certainty to make the Opening Day roster. And after winning one, he’s continued to excel out of the bullpen for Boston. In six outings, Morán has provided length for the Red Sox, as he’s tossed 13 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs on five hits and six walks. He’s also struck out 15 batters thanks to his five-pitch arsenal (with three of them being his main pitches). Tossing a fastball, changeup, cutter, sweeper and curveball, Morán has been able to keep batters guessing and away from hard contact. Entering the week, Moran ranks near the top of major league baseball (93rd percentile) in whiff rate at 36.8% and is in the 91st percentile when it comes to hard-hit rate at 26.7%, hence how he's keeping opposing batters to a minuscule .111 batting average. His FIP is nearly two runs higher than his ERA (1.35) at 3.20, so it can be questioned if he’s been getting a little lucky so far in the season. Then again, he’s still striking opposing batters out at a 29.4% rate, so whatever good fortune he's getting is at least somewhat earned. Having a closer as sturdy as Chapman is valuable for the most obvious reasons. It's the bridge guys who have to keep games close in the middle and late innings that are often the unsung heroes of a win. The presence of Whitlock and Morán in the bullpen is a huge one as the team continues to navigate the loss of Justin Slaten and inconsistency from not just Weissert, but also Ryan Watson and Zack Kelly. View the full article

The New York Mets' farm system remains loaded with notable prospects, and now that Grand Central Mets' Top 20 rankings have reached the top ten, we can really hone in on those with huge upside and long-term star potential. If you missed any of the prospects ranked 11-20, you can find them here (11-15) and here (16-20). No. 10 Nick Morabito (Syracuse Mets) Morabito is an outfielder who the Mets drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Gonzaga College High School. He’s definitely a speed and defense first outfielder with little power, but has shown to be a solid contact hitter in the minors. In seasons where he has logged at-least 475 at-bats, his isolated power has not exceeded .112 and has been as low as .086. His 70-grade speed is by far his best tool and it’s shown so far. He totalled 59 stolen bags in 2024, and stole 49 last year. His smaller frame of 5’10”, 185 pounds fits his style of play well. He’s shown defensive versatility and has played all three outfield spots in the minors. Since making his affiliated debut in 2022 with the FCL Mets, he has steadily climbed through the system logging time at every affiliate in the Mets system. So far across five minor league seasons, he’s got a slash line of .293/.383/.391 with 56 doubles and only 12 home runs. In 2024 at High-A, he posted a .294 batting average with a 18.7% strikeout rate. Last year in Double-A, his batting average dropped to .273, while his strikeout rate climbed to 23.4%. Morabito was assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets this season, where he’s looked good so far. Entering his age-23 season and showing that he can play at all levels, he is projected to debut in the majors sometime this season after being added to the 40-man over the winter. No. 9 Mitch Voit (Brooklyn Cyclones) Voit was the Mets' first-round draft pick last summer, selected 38th overall out of the University of Michigan. He spent three seasons with Michigan, two of them as a two-way player. He decided not to pitch anymore during his junior year, after undergoing internal brace surgery on his throwing arm in 2024. After being drafted last summer, he later made his affiliated debut with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he appeared in 22 games, proving below-average offensive results. He only collected three extra-base hits including a home run, while hitting for a .235 average with a 89 wRC+. His poor .059 isolated power tells us that he didn’t hit for much power at all. He did show solid plate discipline walking 13.1% of the time, but he did strike out at a 24.2% clip as well. By stealing 20 bags, he also provided some nice value on the basepaths. He’s a very versatile defender, and appeared at every position except catcher while in college. So far while in the Mets system, he’s only logged innings at second, third, and short. His arm strength is considered a plus tool. Even though he showed minimal power in his first minor-league season, it is something that will come with time and development. He’s got 50-grade power and hit 35 home runs while in college. This year, entering his age-21 season, he was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the High-A Mets affiliate. He is projected to make his major league debut around 2028. His defensive versatility could help him climb faster through the minors, opening more opportunities at various levels. No. 8 Elian Pena (St. Lucie Mets) Pena was the No. 3 ranked international prospect in the class of 2025 per MLB Pipeline, behind only Roki Sasaki and Josuar Gonzalez. He was signed by the Mets as a 17-year old and to a deal worth $5 million. Pena was given an overall grade of 60 and has five average-to-above average tools, his best being his hit tool, but he’s also really talented defensively. Pena is a lefty batter who throws right, and still has some growing to do. He stands 5’10” weighing 180 pounds, signaling he still has room to add muscle to his frame. Last year, Pena was assigned to the Dominican Summer League to play for the DSL Mets Orange during his age-17 season. He showed signs of being an all-around offensive player as he hit for average and power, hence his .236 ISO, while being a threat on the basepaths and drawing walks. Across 55 games, Pena posted a slash line of .292/.421/.528 while hitting nine home runs and thirteen doubles. His plate discipline is what really elevates his game, though; he walked and struck out 36 times each, giving him an elite 16.1 strikeout percentage and walk percentage. Pena also swiped 21 bags, only being caught four times. This year, Pena was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets, which is the Single-A affiliate of the organization. Still only 18 years old, he is just about three years younger than the average player in Single-A this season, making him far ahead of schedule in his development. Francisco Lindor is a free agent after the 2031 season, which is a little after Pena is projected to debut in the majors. If he keeps developing and producing, he’s on track to be the Mets' shortstop of the future. No. 7 Jack Wenninger (Syracuse Mets) Wenninger has spent four seasons in the Mets' minor-league system since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB draft out of the University of Illinois. He was part of a Mets draft class including notable arms Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat. He stands 6’4” with a high arm angle, making him an intimidating presence on the mound. He’s moved through the minors as a starting pitcher with 47 of his 54 outings coming as a starter. Wenninger features a four-pitch mix headlined by his nasty splitter, as well with a four-seamer, curveball, and slider. His fastball has sat around 95 mph, but has touched 98. His deadly splitter is part of what has fueled his 10.3 SO/9 ratio in the minors. After being drafted in 2023, he made his affiliated debut later in the year but only pitched 2.1 innings across two games coming at rookie ball and Single-A. Wenninger split the 2024 season between Single-A and High-A. His ERA was high at Single-A at 5.90, but improved to 4.57 with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Between both levels, he struck out an impressive 11 batters per nine. He also did a great job of not allowing home runs, only allowing 11 across 150 innings. Last year, we saw him spend the whole season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Mets' Double-A affiliate. He had a really good year spanning 26 starts, pitching to an impressive 2.92 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. His theme of tons of strikeouts and limiting long balls continued, which was really good to see at a higher level of play. In 2024, Wenninger’s FIP outpaced his ERA, but last year in Double-A, his 3.36 FIP was the higher of the two. Now 24 years old and starting this season in Triple-A, he is on track to debut at some point this year or next year in the majors. He is projected to be a middle-to-back end starter at the big-league level. Even though he’ll likely be major-league ready at some point this year, it might be hard for him to find his way on the roster considering that Jonah Tong and Christian Scott are also sitting in Triple-A. Wenninger will also be Rule 5 eligible this winter, making him a near-lock to be added to the 40-man in the offseason if he has to wait until 2027 for his debut. No. 6 Jacob Reimer (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) Reimer is a first and third baseman whom the Mets selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Yucaipa High School in California. Reimer was committed to the University of Washington, but instead got drafted and signed for $775,000. Since then, he’s seen time at all minor league levels except for Triple-A. He is a 22-year-old standing six feet and weighing 205 pounds. He hits for power with an average hit tool, but has below average speed and defense. Reimer saw brief minor-league action in 2022 appearing in seven games for the FCL Mets, posting an .892 OPS while walking more than he struck out. He’s since bounced around spending time at multiple levels each season. He spent the 2023 season across three levels from rookie ball to High-A while hitting for a .265 average and a .774 OPS. That year, he drew a good amount of walks while maintaining an average strikeout rate. His 2024 campaign was delayed due to a hamstring injury he suffered during spring, training limiting him to only 25 games. His batting average fell to .218 , and didn’t hit for much power. His wRC+ sat at a league-average 100. He had a great bounce-back season last year, bringing his prospect stock back up. He split the season between High-A and Double-A playing in 61 games at each level. He mashed in High-A posting a 163 wRC+ with eight homers; he saw a slight dip at Double-A with a 150 wRC+, but did hit nine home runs. His power returned with an impressive .209 ISO mark, coming from 32 doubles, five triples, and 17 homers. Overall last season, he had a solid 11.1 walk percentage and a 21.5 strikeout rate, with an above-average .338 BABIP. If Reimer builds on his success from last year, a call-up to Syracuse should be in his near future. Like Wenninger, he will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and will have to be added to the 40-man roster by then if the Mets don't want to potentially lose him to another club. View the full article