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When the Minnesota Twins scratched Joe Ryan from his scheduled start on Saturday due to lower back tightness, it was the kind of spring training update that immediately makes an entire fan base uneasy. A few days later, however, the news cycle has already shifted in a much more encouraging direction. Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters that Ryan played catch from 90 feet on Tuesday morning after undergoing imaging over the weekend. The results showed inflammation in his lower back rather than any structural damage. For a team that is already navigating the loss of Pablo López to Tommy John surgery, that distinction matters in a significant way. “He played catch today at 90 feet, so I think that was really encouraging,” Shelton said. “And he was also in the training room doing movement stuff. Encouraging. Trending in the right direction.” At this point in camp, the most important thing for Minnesota is not necessarily how quickly Ryan gets back on the mound, but that he continues to progress without setbacks. Spring training schedules are flexible. A timeline is not. There is still no clear indication of when Ryan will throw his next bullpen session, but the early internal expectation is that this is a short-term interruption rather than something that threatens his availability for Opening Day. That is critical given the Twins' rotation's current state. With López sidelined for the season, Ryan is no longer just part of the front-end mix. He is the front-end mix. If healthy, he becomes the obvious choice to take the ball on Opening Day, setting the tone for a rotation that will lean heavily on Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson behind him. That makes maintaining his health through the remainder of camp one of the most important storylines the Twins will navigate before the regular season begins. Ryan is also scheduled to pitch for the United States in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, though his availability for that event is now less certain. Minnesota may ultimately take a cautious approach if there is any lingering question about his back responding to increased intensity. There should still be enough time for Ryan to ramp back up for the regular season without issue. The bigger unknown now may be how the Twins handle his workload in the short term as they balance competitive commitments in March with the reality that their postseason hopes could hinge on his ability to stay on the mound from April through September. Behind Ober and Woods Richardson, the final spots in the rotation are expected to come down to a camp competition between Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and potentially David Festa. Bradley might have the inside track to a spot since he has thrown over 380 innings at the big-league level. Festa is “gradually ramping up” after ending last season on the injured list. Minnesota has touted its pitching depth, but losing Joe Ryan might have pushed the Minnesota Twins from fringe contender to full-scale rebuild. Without their projected Opening Day starter anchoring the staff, the domino effect would stretch from the top of the rotation to the final bullpen spot, forcing Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson into roles that demand more innings and consistency while accelerating timelines for young arms that were expected to develop more gradually. In a season already shaped by the loss of López, Ryan’s health is not just important to Minnesota’s April outlook but foundational to whether this team spends the summer chasing a postseason berth or reevaluating its long-term direction. View the full article

With Pablo Lopez suffering a torn UCL, Joe Ryan's arbitration years looming and a team earned run average in the bottom 10 last year, the Minnesota Twins need pitching prospects like Dasan Hill to blossom. Here is a full scouting report on the southpaw who was the Twins' no. 7 prospect (per MLB.com) at the end of 2025. View the full article

Very few players around the league embody both promise and frustration quite like Royce Lewis. Entering his age‑27 season in 2026, Lewis remains a tantalizing mix of elite tools and unfulfilled potential. When healthy, he has the power and athleticism to impact the game in ways not many other major-leaguers can. Alas, the past two seasons have underscored a hard truth: raw talent doesn’t guarantee consistent production. With his dominant 2023 campaign (which labeled him as a superstar in the making) now far in the rearview mirror, the central question for Twins fans is straightforward: Can Lewis return to that level of performance, or will injuries and inconsistency continue to limit his impact? On every level, 2025 was a frustrating season. Lewis appeared in 106 games, the most of any season in his career. Yet, he posted a slash line of .237/.283/.388, marking his second straight season with an on-base percentage under .300. Conventional stats paint a bleak picture, but advanced metrics reveal both the reasons behind the struggles and the underlying tools that remain. Compared with 2023, his contact quality dropped. Statcast data shows that his barrel rate fell from 11.7% to 8.7%, his hard-hit rate slipped from 42.0% to 40.3%, and his xwOBA dropped significantly, from .349 to .297. This combination of weaker and less frequent premium contact explains why both his slugging and expected slugging (xSLG) regressed to below-average levels. Injuries played a significant role in that regression. Lewis began 2025 on the injured list with a hamstring strain suffered in spring training, and he re-aggravated the same injury in June. Lower-body injuries are particularly bothersome for hitters who rely on rotational power, and Lewis’s batted-ball profile reflected that. He produced more ground balls and fewer pulled fly balls, demonstrating that even slight physical limitations can severely limit a hitter who relies on torque and explosiveness. Another layer of context comes from his pitch splits. Lewis saw four-seam fastballs on 33.8% of pitches, and his results against heaters were quite underwhelming: a .183 batting average, .337 slugging percentage, and .268 wOBA. Interestingly, he fared much better against breaking balls and off-speed pitches. These splits highlight an unusual (seeming) paradox: a hitter with elite bat speed struggling against the pitch type that typically favors hitters. In previous seasons, Lewis handled fastballs effectively, suggesting that 2025’s struggles were likely tied to health, timing, or mechanical inconsistencies, rather than a permanent skill decline. Despite these struggles, there are reasons for optimism. Lewis’s raw power remains intact. His maximum exit velocity reached 113.7 mph, demonstrating that when he squares up a pitch, he can still drive it with authority. His sprint speed remained respectable, and he swiped 12 bases, signaling that his baserunning ability is still very much there. These tools provide a foundation that, if paired with improved contact quality, could allow him to return to a level of production closer to his 2023 season. His late-season results in 2025 were particularly encouraging. In September, Lewis hit .257 and stole nine bases, which was more than he accumulated from 2022 through 2024. His hard-hit and barrel rates ticked upward, and his batted-ball statistics suggested a cleaner, more direct path to the ball. Expected metrics like xSLG and xwOBA also trended upward, showing that even if conventional stats didn’t fully capture it, his underlying performance was improving. These flashes hint at the potential for a strong rebound if he can carry that quality of contact into a full 2026 campaign. Lineup context for 2026 further underscores Lewis’s potential impact. According to RosterResource projections, he's slated to hit seventh, sandwiched between Trevor Larnach and Victor Caratini. While that projection signals tempered expectations, it still positions him to be a meaningful contributor, especially if the advanced metrics from late 2025 persist. A consistent season could see him provide run production beyond what conventional stats suggest, particularly in high-leverage situations. For Lewis to recreate a 2023-level season, he must consistently square up fastballs and generate premium contact. The raw tools are undeniable, but the challenge lies in translating those metrics into sustained production over 130-plus games. Health, timing, and consistency will all factor heavily into whether he can deliver on the promise he has previously shown. Ultimately, 2026 may not define Lewis’s career, but it will reveal whether he can finally put all the pieces together. If he can stay healthy and maintain the late-season improvements seen in 2025, there’s reason to believe he can return to the kind of well-rounded production that made his 2023 season feel like a new baseline. For Twins fans, it’s a year to watch closely, and a chance to see if Lewis can move from tantalizing potential to a consistent, impactful contributor. View the full article

Shota Imanaga averaged 93 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball in his first outing of Cactus League play Tuesday. That was eye-opening for many, because Imanaga often struggled just to crack 90 MPH late last season. In most of his second-half starts, he averaged north of that number, but not by much—and he rarely even touched 92 or 93 miles per hour. On Tuesday, he lived right around 93 and touched 94. It's easy to imagine how that uptick in velocity might offer relief from the vulnerability to home runs that plagued him down the stretch. Truthfully, though, velocity isn't a big factor for Imanaga. He got hit hard after his return from a hamstring strain last year, but that had much more to do with command and pitch shape than with speed. Whenever something gets out of whack for the southpaw, homers will be the source of the tsuris, because he lives on a fastball with deceptive rising action and a splitter that will get hammered if not well-executed and well-located. When he does have that ride on the heater and is commanding the splitter, though, he can have success even at 89-91 on the radar gun. Alas, last season, Imanaga tried a mechanical tweak that didn't work. and it compromised the shape of his heater and the ability to throw the splitter with the action and the location that makes it play as well as possible. His average arm angle in 2024 was 40°, but in 2025, it dipped to 36°. The result was more run on the four-seamer, but (if anything) less carry, and a splitter that didn't tumble as steeply as it had in his excellent first season with Chicago. On Tuesday, those shapes were back. Imanaga's stuff had more vertical separation, because the fastball was more consistently showing that ride. Here's a comparison between his start in Milwaukee last May (which he left with the injury that would sideline him for several weeks), and the one he had against the Padres this week. Obviously, the splitter and sweeper also dropped less than did the fastball, but on balance, this is a better version of Imanaga. He can stretch the zone vertically more effectively this way, because he can more often tease the top of the zone with that fastball. Imanaga's release point was also slightly higher Tuesday, and his release was closer to the center of the mound. We don't have arm angle data for spring games, but Imanaga seems to have raised his arm slot again. That's good news. Broadly, the league is trending toward lower arm slots, which lend themselves better to some forms of pitch design and deception. In Imanaga's case, though, throwing from a high three-quarters slot (but a low sheer release height, because of his diminutive stature and the way he drives down the mound in his delivery) maximizes the utility of his repertoire. By no means is this a guarantee that the Cubs will have their 2024 co-ace back in full this season. However, it's a good sign that he appears to have corrected what amounted to a flaw in his mechanics, and that his arm is feeling so strong that he's already pushing the mid-90s in February. Imanaga looks likely to be a key contributor over the first stage of the season. On a staff that will try to protect key young arms and that won't have Justin Steele early on, that's exceptionally valuable. Imanaga's good first Cactus League outing was a major step toward a successful first month for his team. View the full article

If there is a singular strength of the San Diego Padres entering the 2026 season, it is most definitely the bullpen. There will be a few relievers who should be on the Friars' Opening Day roster who instead will be suiting up for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. Or maybe another franchise altogether. That is one possibility, as reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Padres, who had one of the best sets of relievers in MLB in 2025, are fielding calls on members of their bullpen, although there are no specifics at this point. With everyone either healthy or on pace to be healthy for Opening Day, relievers who could be on the outside looking in include Bryan Hoeing, Bradgley Rodriguez, Ron Marinaccio, Kyle Hart, Ty Adcock, and Alek Jacob. Hart is the only left-hander in that group. All are right-handers except for Hart, while Marinaccio and Adcock are out of minor-league options. Right-hander Jason Adam (ruptured quad) and left-hander Yuki Matsui (groin) are mending injuries, and their Opening Day status is up in the air at the moment. Where could the Padres be looking to upgrade? They could still be looking for starting depth, even after the in-camp additions of German Marquez, Walker Buehler, and Griffin Canning. A backup infielder capable of playing shortstop is also another area. Of course, prospects are also nice, especially for a farm system that has been depleted through trades. View the full article

FORT MYERS—Starting pitching was supposed to be abundant on this Twins team, but there have been a number of starters we have yet to see in a game. Pablo López is undergoing Tommy John surgery, Joe Ryan is dealing with a sore back, Bailey Ober has been limited to live batting practice sessions, and we haven’t seen David Festa in a game yet, either. So Wednesday’s home game versus the Red Sox had Kody Funderburk take the mound in an “opener” type move. To prepare, he tried to replicate the role of a reliever. “Just tried to keep it as close to a relief appearance as we could," explained Funderburk. “Try to time it out where warm up, in the bullpen, you know, finish up at 1:04. Take the field at 1:05.” It went well enough. Facing three batters who hit left-handed and two who bat right-handed, Funderburk threw a scoreless inning. His spot on the depth chart has become a lot more crowded, as Anthony Banda and Andrew Chafin were both late additions to camp and Taylor Rogers signed earlier as a free agent.. Funderburk doesn’t have the experience either of them has. But he finished last year strong, and unlike other lefty specialists, his five-pitch mix may allow him to keep right-handed batters off-balance, or at least off-balance enough to get by (.751 OPS against in 2025). Funderburk sounds like he’s trying not to think about it—because he messed that up before. View the full article

First baseman and designated hitter Tyler Austin will be out for a prolonged period after a debridement procedure on his knee, the Cubs announced Wednesday. Austin, 34, had been the prospective bench player with the clearest role, outside whichever catcher one cares to count as the backup, and the fact that he now looks unlikely to help them any time before Memorial Day makes a major differeence for the club. Last month, manager Craig Counsell told a Cubs Convention audience that he intended to play Michael Busch every day, after Busch emerged as arguably the best hitter on the team in 2025. That probably wasn't true at the time. Busch is a poor hitter against lefties, and Counsell had Austin as a purpose-built weapon to attack southpaws. Now, however, Busch might get virtually every start at first base, at least early in the season. Prospect Jonathon Long has put up good numbers over the last two seasons and spent all of 2025 with Triple-A Iowa, but he's considered a low-ceiling guy—and he suffered a sprained elbow on a collision at first just a few days before the Austin news. Chicago really doesn't have a backup first baseman, with Austin and Long sidelined. Moisés Ballesteros could try his hand there, but he's not the ideal physical profile for the position. Ditto for Matt Shaw. Carson Kelly has never appeared in a big-league game at first, though he has worked out there at times. If the Long/Austin double-whammy had struck just a bit sooner, the team might have turned to free agent Rhys Hoskins, but earlier this week, Hoskins arrived at Guardians camp as a non-roster invitee. Instead of trying to solve the problem by making a last-minute addition, the Cubs might simply prepare Shaw, Ballesteros and/or Kelly to man first base in a pinch and trust Busch to take that post almost every day for the first half of the year. Almost any way you slice it, now, the team's bench will include Shaw and Conforto. The final spot, vacated by Austin, might now go to any of Chas McCormick, Dylan Carlson, Justin Dean or Kevin Alcántara. The loss of Austin creates lots of extra potential playing time against lefties, in particular, which suits eeach of those four outfielders nicely. Chicago's roster looks like it will be slightly less functional and efficient than they'd hoped, at least when they break camp. However, it might be a higher-upside group, too. Austin's injury is bad news, but it creates as many opportunities as it forecloses. The 2026 Cubs just need to be more opportunistic than last year's iteration was. View the full article

The Twins stated their intention to contend in 2026, but they did so a bit late, and their offseason was troublingly quiet for a mediocre team aspiring to a big improvement. They’ve mostly added on the edges of the roster, rather than making notable upgrades. As a result, it looked as though there would be plenty of incumbents on the Opening Day roster. Early on, however, a few players appear to be in unexpectedly perilous positions. Kody Funderburk The Twins spent much of the offseason with Funderburk as the only left-handed relief option on their roster. Then, they signed Taylor Rogers, traded for Anthony Banda, and inked Andrew Chafin to a minor-league deal. Their bullpen remains less inspiring than it was for the last several seasons, and is now also extremely left-handed. Funderburk ended 2025 as one of the only relief pitchers to make the most of the opportunity they were afforded at the trade deadline. From Aug. 1 forward, he allowed two earned runs in 24 innings and struck out 28% of hitters. It appeared he was a lock to make the roster as one of the more intriguing options in a bullpen that was ripped apart. Instead, he may serve as Triple-A depth, as the Twins can only afford to carry so many left-handed relievers, and Funderburk is the only one with minor-league options remaining. Especially if Chafin makes the team, Funderburk may not make the Opening Day roster, even if it’s easy to argue he’s earned it. Austin Martin The disjointed roster has left the Twins with some difficult decisions to make. Because of their lack of quality options to fill in at shortstop and center field, as well as their self-inflicted surplus of left-handed hitting outfielders, they may have to get creative in a way that results in Austin Martin being left off the roster. Eric Wagaman is splitting time between first base and the outfield, giving the team another option for a right-handed hitter to mix in. Martin suddenly has competition for a role that looked all but locked down. Martin finished 2025 with a 113 wRC+ and appeared to make strides defensively in left field. He also offers some much-needed speed to the roster. Unfortunately, the versatility that he was once praised for has become purely theoretical. The Twins clearly don’t trust him in the infield, and things appear to be headed in that direction regarding his center field defense. The team may be stuck choosing to fill out their bench with a goal of covering as many positions as possible, rather than choosing the best player, and that would be bad news for Austin Martin. Alan Roden Roden’s roster battle has less to do with whom the Twins brought in this winter and more to do with whom they didn’t part ways with. The decision by the front office to target Roden at the trade deadline made it seem like a given that they would non-tender Trevor Larnach, as they already had a logjam of left-handed-hitting corner outfielders and needed as much financial flexibility as possible this winter. Instead, they kept him and barring a last-minute trade to dump his salary, they appear to have no choice but to carry him on the roster. There's probably only one roster spot for Roden or James Outman, the latter of whom is without minor-league options and has more experience in center field. To be fair, there isn’t much of an argument to make for Roden based on his offense at the big-league level. He hasn’t produced, although that's in an extremely small sample. He may be the best defensive option in the outfield outside of Byron Buxton, and has nothing to prove in Triple-A after posting an OPS of over .900 across parts of two seasons. It seemed that Roden became a part of the Twins’ future when they targeted him in the Louis Varland trade. If he doesn’t begin the season with the team as a 26-year-old, it will be difficult not to further question their decision-making at last year’s trade deadline. There are plenty of roster battles going on this spring, but these are just a few of the more surprising ones. Are there any others that are particularly worth keeping an eye on? Let us know below! View the full article

Speaking to the Toronto Star's Mike Wilner, manager John Schneider divulged that the Blue Jays never had any intention of re-signing Bo Bichette to play shortstop. This new information conflicts with the front office's public messaging while Bichette was still a free agent. A week after the World Series ended, The Athletic's Mitch Bannon wrote: "The Jays, [GM Ross] Atkins said, are comfortable with [Andrés] Giménez as their long-term shortstop, if needed...If Bichette is set on a return to shortstop, though, the Jays are open to that configuration, too." Yet, per Schneider's latest comments, the team didn't take long to inform Giménez that he would not be returning to second base. “We communicated that to him in November so he could get physically ready for it,” the skipper explained. It's not surprising that the Jays wanted Giménez to be their shortstop, whether they re-signed Bichette or not. Giménez has been the best defensive second baseman in MLB for the past four seasons, and he proved last fall that he could handle the transition to short. Bichette, meanwhile, was arguably the worst defensive shortstop in the league last year, and he ended up signing with the Mets to play third base. Still, it's interesting to learn that Giménez's full-time move to shortstop was always the plan. Bichette's bat will be missed, but there's no doubt that Toronto's up-the-middle alignment of Giménez, Ernie Clement, Alejandro Kirk, and Daulton Varsho (plus Tyler Heineman and Myles Straw on the bench) will be one of the team's biggest strengths in 2026. View the full article

He wasn’t quite as flashy as his 6-foot-7 fellow rookie, but don’t get it twisted: Chad Patrick played a significant role in Milwaukee’s success in 2025. He posted a 3.53 FIP (the best figure of anyone on the Brewers with more than 80 innings pitched) and accumulated 2.6 fWAR, second only to Freddy Peralta on the team’s pitching staff. To those who didn’t get a chance to follow him very closely, this might come as a surprise, since none of his peripherals are particularly impressive. Outside of a 25.2% strikeout rate, his Statcast metrics are pretty average across the board. So, can he continue his success in 2026, or will opposing hitters finally figure him out, necessitating a decrease in workload or leverage? Chad Patrick’s Strengths Patrick’s primary pitch was his cutter, which he threw 41.1% of the time. Unlike the famous cutter of former Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes, it’s more of a hard slider than a fastball, coming in at an average velocity of just 87.9 mph. As a result, though, it gets significantly more movement than your typical cutter, which allowed him to get a whiff rate of 27.2% on it. It did run into a few barrels here and there, but overall, a hard-hit rate of 39.7% isn’t bad. For context, Drew Rasmussen had the most valuable cutter by Run Value last year, and it had a hard hit rate of 42.3% and a whiff rate of 26.8%. To complement this pitch, Patrick also threw a sinker and a four-seam fastball, which were remarkably similar in both usage (23%) and velocity (94.1 mph). His heater was particularly effective due to its 16.6 inches of induced vertical break and his ability to consistently command it at the top of the zone. His sinker didn’t miss many bats, but it was great at generating soft contact, as is expected. It didn’t stand out compared to other sinkers around the league, but it was an effective tool nonetheless, especially for getting double plays when needed. His trio of fastballs was responsible for most of his production last year. He typically attacked right-handed hitters with sinkers and left-handed hitters with four-seam fastballs, while doling out cutters to everyone. Chad Patrick’s Weaknesses His fastballs are dandy, but his secondary pitches fail to meet the same lofty standard. For the majority of his time in the big leagues, he used his slider against righties and changeups against lefties, but his offspeed stuff was getting battered. He held onto it through the end of the season, but ended up slowly phasing out his slider in favor of a slurve that had encouraging results over a small sample. One of the most challenging aspects of being a starting pitcher is needing to face the entire lineup multiple times. At minimum, a six-inning appearance requires facing everyone in the lineup twice, so the ability to give hitters different looks is necessary for long-term success. This is where Patrick’s lack of a truly effective arsenal of breaking balls really hurts him. When facing hitters for the second time in a game, he holds them to just a .597 OPS. When facing them for the third time, this balloons to an .875 OPS. It’s a significant issue that eventually pushed the team to option him later in the season. If the slurve ends up sticking around for the long haul (and if he’s able to refine his offspeed offerings, in general), he could have a very compelling five-pitch mix. If he enters 2026 still holding onto the stuff that worked in 2025, it may be tough for him to hold down a stable spot in the Brewers’ rotation. What Should Chad Patrick’s Role Be In 2026? In 2024, there was a young hurler by the name of Tobias Myers who posted similarly strong numbers in his rookie campaign, keeping an injury-battered rotation afloat. The next year, he pitched just 50 ⅔ big-league innings, spending the rest of the time in roster purgatory with 12 starts in Triple-A. He was eventually included in the Freddy Peralta trade, the final signal that Milwaukee simply didn’t believe in his ability to sustain the success he found in his freshman season. The possibility that Patrick follows a similar path isn’t out of the question just yet. Milwaukee has an excess of starting pitchers, and most of them are younger than Patrick is, with more upside. Given the return from the Mets and Red Sox trades this offseason, acquiring young starting pitching depth seems to have been the guiding theme for the front office this winter, giving guys like Patrick more competition for a coveted spot in the rotation. For starters (see what I did there?), he probably won’t be in the bullpen. There’s no room there, either, especially since the Brewers already have two long relievers in Aaron Ashby and DL Hall. He’s more than likely going to be a starter, but whether it’s in Milwaukee or in Nashville depends on how he stacks up against his teammates in spring training. With even a slight step forward, he’d be a solid back-of-the-rotation arm, but regression or stagnation could push him far enough down the roster to spend a significant portion of the season in the minor leagues. Thanks to his strong numbers last year, he’s starting (ohp, did it again) with a good reputation, but baseball—like all sports—runs on “what have you done for me lately?” It’s an inquiry that only Patrick can answer, but there’s no doubt that he has the pieces and wherewithal to prove himself at the big-league level. View the full article

Before diving into this article, we recommend reading previous entries in this series, along with an introduction in part one. With that said, let's look at the gold standard Padres starting rotation. Part one: Gold Standard Padres, Infield Edition Part two: Gold Standard Padres, Outfield Edition Part three: Gold Standard Padres, Bench Edition Part four: Gold Standard Padres, Starting Rotation The Bullpen: The Guardians of the Lead This is where the game is won in the late hours. The arms that emerged from the shadows of the left-field fence to shut the door. These aren't just relievers; they are the high-leverage souls who carried the weight of the city on their shoulders when the lights were brightest. RP Mark Davis "The Hammer" "Uncle Charlie" 1989 (4.4 WAR) The Curveball Crown W-L: 4-3 | ERA: 1.85 | SV: 44 | G: 70 | IRS%: 78.4% | WHIP: 1.05 | IP: 92.2 | SO: 92 | K/BB: 2.97 | K%: 24.9% | K-BB%: 16.5% | ERA+: 191 | WPA: 6.1 | aLI: 2.14 NL Cy Young Award Winner | 2x NL All-Star (1988, 1989) | Padres Team MVP | Clyde McCullough Pitcher of the Year Award | NL Saves Leader | NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year | NL Pitcher of the Month (April 1989) | NL Player of the Week (Sept 10, 1989) | Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year The Five Pillars of Uncle Charlie Innovation: Davis relied on a heavy fastball that sat in the mid-90s—dominant velocity for 1989—paired with a sharp vertical snap on his breaking ball, nicknamed Uncle Charlie. That elite command of his signature pitch provided him the rare conviction to throw it for strikes in any count, including high-leverage situations. The innovation lay in the pitch's deadly movement; Davis threw his curveball with the same aggressive arm speed as his fastball. This created a tunneling effect in which the ball stayed on a fastball plane for the first 50 feet, making the two pitches indistinguishable to the hitter before the ball fell off the table in the final 10 feet. This approach kept hitters off balance, as they couldn't simply sit on his high-velocity heat in late-inning situations. By mastering this speed differential, he neutralized both left and right-handed threats. Impact: Davis served as the ultimate safety net for the 1989 Padres, transforming late innings into a foregone conclusion. His presence allowed the starting rotation to pitch with aggression, knowing that any lead handed to "The Hammer" was essentially a guaranteed victory. The statistical weight of his impact is anchored by a then-franchise record 44 saves and an elite 78.4% Inherited Runners Stranded rate. His 6.1 Win Probability Added (WPA) led the entire National League, meaning he shifted the outcome of more games than any other pitcher in the league. This dominance is further highlighted by a 2.14 Adjusted Leverage Index (aLI), which confirms he was consistently deployed in situations more than twice as intense as the league average. By maintaining a 1.05 WHIP and a 191 ERA+, Davis performed 91% better than his peers, holding opponents to a staggering .540 OPS while allowing only 5.9 hits per nine innings (H/9). Legend: In 1989, Mark Davis put together one of the most dominant seasons ever by a relief pitcher, becoming one of the few bullpen arms to ever win the Cy Young Award. By leading the league with 44 saves—a franchise record that stood for nine years until it was finally broken by Trevor Hoffman in 1998—he joined an elite group of only nine relief pitchers in MLB history to earn the honor. His performance was so significant that he finished 6th in the National League MVP voting, a rarity for a closer. This run began in late 1988, when he earned his first All-Star selection and recorded 28 saves, laying the foundation for his historic 1989 campaign. He led the National League with 65 games finished and posted a 1.85 ERA across 92.2 innings. His legendary status was cemented during the final month of the season, where he went a perfect 12-for-12 in save opportunities and stranded all 19 runners he inherited, transforming into the most feared arm in the game for a single, historic summer. Iconic Look: Standing a lanky 6'4", he was most recognizable for a high leg kick that brought his lead knee nearly to his chest before he delivered from a straight over-the-top arm slot. When the bases were empty, he worked from a full, deliberate windup, but he maintained that same motion even when he had to work from the stretch with runners on. He is best remembered in this season for his signature "Uncle Charlie" curveball, which looked like it was falling off a table as it reached the plate. He anchored the bullpen in the 1989 home white jersey with brown pinstripes and the solid brown cap with the orange "SD," often wearing a dark brown leather glove that matched the team’s classic colors. The sight of his frame in those brown and orange tones, using that kick to bury the curveball which gave it its nickname, is the image that defines his 1989 Cy Young season. The "Did You Know Factor": His 1989 season was so dominant that he captured 19 of the 24 first-place votes for the Cy Young Award, beating out legendary starters like Mike Scott and Orel Hershiser. During that campaign, he became the first pitcher in Major League history to record a save on five consecutive days, a record that stood alone for nearly a decade. While he remains the only left-handed reliever in National League history to win the award, his success also triggered a massive shift in how the league valued the closer position. Immediately following his win, he signed a landmark contract with the Kansas City Royals that briefly made him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball. This deal set a new financial ceiling for bullpen specialists, proving that a closer could command the same respect as the league’s most elite starting pitchers. RP Trevor Hoffman "Hell’s Bells" "Hoffy" "Trevor Time" 1998 (4.1 WAR) The Changeup King W-L: 4-2 | ERA: 1.48 | SV: 53 | G: 66 | IRS%: 81% | WHIP: 0.85 | IP: 73.0 | SO: 86 | K/BB: 4.10 | ERA+: 269 | WPA: 5.5 | aLI: 2.04 2x NL Rolaids Relief Man Award Winner (1998, 2006) | 6x NL All-Star (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007) | 2x NL Saves Leader (1998, 2006) | 3x Sporting News NL Reliever of the Year (1996, 1998, 2006) The Five Pillars of Hoffy Innovation: Hoffman was the ultimate master of the palmball, a grip that redefined late-inning dominance after a 1994 shoulder injury forced him to reinvent his power-pitching approach. While he began his career as a high-velocity thrower touching 95 mph, his success in 1998 was built on a mid-70s off-speed delivery that looked identical to his 91 mph fastball in both arm speed and release. This created a devastating tunneling effect where the ball stayed on a fastball plane for the first 50 feet before the bottom fell out in the final ten feet. The pitch was so deceptive that it earned the nickname the Bugs Bunny changeup from teammates and broadcasters alike, as hitters would often be halfway through their swing before the ball reached the plate. Opponents described the sensation as the ball having a parachute on it, forced by the way Hoffman pinched the seam with his thumb and middle finger to kill the rotation and create late, vertical sink. Impact: Trevor was the Padres' competitive anchor for over a decade, but 1998 stood as his statistical peak. He posted a career-best 5.5 Win Probability Added (WPA), meaning he personally shifted the outcome of more games than any other pitcher in the National League that year. Hoffman successfully converted 53 of 54 save opportunities—a 98.1% success rate—and held opposing hitters to a microscopic .165 batting average. This consistency produced an incredible 0.461 OPS against, essentially turning every hitter into a liability. In save situations specifically, his ERA dropped to 0.49, and the Padres finished with a 62-4 record in games he appeared in. Beyond the box score, his 269 ERA+ meant he performed 169% above the league average, making the 9th inning a foregone conclusion for the opponent and providing the edge that fueled the franchise-record 98 wins and a World Series berth. Legend: 1998 was the year Trevor Hoffman transitioned from an elite closer to a true baseball icon. On July 25, 1998, the "Hell’s Bells" phenomenon was born at Qualcomm Stadium; as the opening toll of the AC/DC track echoed through the park, Hoffman emerged from the bullpen to convert his 41st consecutive save, tying the then-MLB record. His dominance that season was so undeniable that he finished 2nd in one of the most controversial NL Cy Young races in history. Hoffman actually received more first-place votes (13) than the winner, Tom Glavine (11), but lost the award on total points because several voters left him off their ballots entirely. Along with finishing 7th in the NL MVP race, he became the face of the franchise’s "Keep the Faith" era, leading the team through the NLCS and into the World Series. This season didn't just cement his Hall of Fame trajectory—it turned "Trevor Time" into the most intimidating entrance in the history of the sport. Iconic Look: During the 1998 season, Hoffman rotated between the Padres' classic navy blue pinstripes, the road greys, and the season’s signature navy alternate jerseys, all topped with the navy cap and its white and orange interlocking "SD." On the mound, his trademark goatee look and intense stare from beneath a low-pulled brim were as recognizable as his entrance music. His mechanics were anchored by a signature high leg kick that created a sense of tension before he broke toward the plate, allowing him to hide the ball behind his body until the last possible second. This made his devastating changeup appear identical to his fastball until it was too late. The sight of Trevor emerging from the bullpen as the Qualcomm Stadium lights flickered and the first toll of the bells rang out remains the definitive visual of San Diego’s most celebrated season. The "Did You Know Factor": Hoffman was a trailblazer in the record books, becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to reach both the 500 and 600-save milestones—a feat so rare that only Mariano Rivera has ever joined him. Remarkably, his path to greatness began as a complete pivot; originally drafted as a shortstop, he possessed a rare 80-grade arm—the highest rating a scout can give—which convinced the Reds to move him to the mound after he struggled as a light-hitting infielder. This transition to a first-ballot Hall of Famer is even more impressive considering he had a kidney removed as an infant, a condition that once made many teams hesitant to recruit him. His dominance was so defining that Major League Baseball eventually renamed the National League Reliever of the Year Award in his honor: The Trevor Hoffman Award. RP Rollie Fingers "Rollie" "The Handlebar" "The 'Stash Man" 1978 (3.9 WAR) The Baron of the Bullpen W-L: 6-13 | ERA: 2.93 | SV: 37 | G: 67 | IRS%: 69.2% | WHIP: 1.15 | IP: 107.1 | SO: 82 | K/BB: 2.41 | ERA+: 120 | WPA: 2.1 | aLI: 1.85 2x NL Saves Leader ('77, '78) | NL Rolaids Relief Man | NL All-Star | Sporting News NL Fireman of the Year The Five Pillars of The Handlebar Innovation: Fingers was a master of the "sinker-slider" combination. At a time when many relievers just threw as hard as they could, Rollie used precision and late movement to induce weak contact. He was often called upon to pitch two or three innings at a time, redefining what it meant to "close" a game by being the ultimate high-leverage weapon. His innovation relied on a unique finger-pressure technique on his sinker that created a "heavy" ball, resulting in an elite groundball rate that allowed him to navigate the inherited jams that defined the "Fireman" era. While modern closers specialize in the clean 9th inning, Rollie innovated by "pitching to the floor," using a low three-quarters arm slot to make his slider "tilt" late. This created a devastating tunneling effect; by the time a hitter realized the pitch wasn't a sinker at the knees, it had already slid off the plate, forcing the weak, rollover contact that allowed him to pitch 107.1 innings of high-stress relief. Impact: His presence gave the 1970s Padres immediate credibility. He was a professional who knew how to finish games, and he helped a young franchise learn how to win close contests. He remains a rare Hall of Fame icon who cemented his legend by dominating for the Padres during his prime years in San Diego. Beyond the box score, Rollie was the essential "safety net" for a roster that had never experienced a winning season, providing the veteran stability required for the franchise to finally break through with 84 wins in 1978. His impact was felt most by appearing in 67 games and throwing 107.1 innings; he acted as a bridge for the entire staff, often entering in the 7th or 8th inning to protect a lead for hours. By posting an elite 2.1 WPA (Win Probability Added), he proved that a dominant reliever could single-handedly change the entire win-loss trajectory. Legend: Rollie Fingers brought a championship pedigree to San Diego, arriving after winning three World Series rings with the A's. In 1978, he was an absolute workhorse, leading the National League with 37 saves while pitching over 100 innings entirely out of the bullpen. He was the anchor of the staff during the same year Gaylord Perry won the Cy Young, creating a legendary veteran duo that led the Padres to their first winning season in franchise history. Iconic Look: You cannot talk about Rollie Fingers without mentioning the most famous mustache in sports history. His impeccably waxed handlebar mustache, paired with the vibrant 1978 yellow-and-brown "all-gold" uniforms, created one of the most recognizable and beloved images in the history of the game. Did You Know Factor: During his 1978 season in San Diego, Rollie appeared in 67 games. Despite his "losing" record that year, his 4.1 WAR proves just how dominant he was in keeping the Padres in games—most of those losses came in extra-inning marathons where he was pushed to his physical limit to protect the lead. RP | Rich Gossage (1984) "The Goose" WAR: 3.4 | Saves: 25 | ERA: 2.90 | W: 10 | IP: 102.1 NL All-Star | 5th in NL Cy Young | 1984 NL Champion Legend: When the Padres signed Rich "Goose" Gossage in 1984, they weren't just getting a pitcher; they were getting a Hall of Fame force of nature. Goose was the final piece of the puzzle for the '84 squad, providing the veteran "been-there-done-that" attitude that helped lead the franchise to its first-ever World Series appearance. Innovation: Goose was the pioneer of the "power closer" role. Unlike modern closers who pitch one inning, Goose was a "fireman" who would often enter in the 7th or 8th inning and blow hitters away with a blistering fastball. He used a raw, aggressive delivery that made his high-90s heat feel even more overwhelming to hitters at Jack Murphy Stadium. Impact: His arrival changed the culture of the Padres overnight. He brought an intense, win-at-all-costs mentality that rubbed off on the younger players. In the 1984 NLCS against the Cubs, his presence at the back end of the bullpen gave the city the confidence that no lead was safe for the opposition. Iconic Look: With his legendary horseshoe mustache and a glare that could freeze a hitter in the box, Goose was the most feared man in baseball. Seeing him stomp off the mound in the classic brown and gold after a multi-inning save is one of the definitive images of the 80s era in San Diego. Did You Know Factor: In 1984, Goose pitched over 100 innings entirely in relief—a feat that is almost never seen today. Despite the heavy workload, he maintained a sub-3.00 ERA. He famously said that the San Diego fans were some of the best he ever played for, and his performance in '84 remains the benchmark for veteran leadership in the bullpen. RP | Kirby Yates (2019) "The Surgeon" | "Yatesy" WAR: 3.4 | Saves: 41 | ERA: 1.19 | SO: 101 | WHIP: 0.89 NL All-Star | MLB Saves Leader | All-MLB First Team Legend: In 2019, Kirby Yates transformed from a journeyman into the most feared closer in the game. He led the National League with 41 saves and posted a microscopic 1.19 ERA, making him virtually unhittable for the entire season. His 3.4 WAR is one of the highest marks ever for a Padres reliever, proving he was the definition of elite consistency during his time at Petco Park. Innovation: Yates relied on what many consider the best "splitter" in modern baseball history. He threw it with the same arm speed as his mid-90s fastball, but the ball would abruptly drop off the table just as it reached the plate. This "ghost" pitch resulted in a staggering 15.0 strikeouts per nine innings, as hitters consistently swung at air. Impact: During a transitional period for the team, Yates was the ultimate "shut-down" presence. He gave the bullpen a fierce identity and ensured that any lead held after eight innings was a guaranteed victory. His breakout season earned him his first All-Star nod and solidified his place among the greatest single-season performers in franchise history. Iconic Look: Yates had a calm, almost icy demeanor on the mound that contrasted with his explosive stuff. Wearing the navy blue and white or the popular brown and gold "Friday" alternates, he would finish his delivery with a low, athletic stance, staring down hitters after another swinging strikeout. Did You Know Factor: Kirby Yates didn't become a full-time closer until he was 31 years old. His 2019 season was so dominant that he became the first Padres pitcher since Trevor Hoffman to lead the National League in saves. He famously earned the nickname "The Surgeon" because of the clinical precision with which he dissected the best lineups in the league. RP | Heath Bell (2010) "Heater" WAR: 2.5 | Saves: 42 | ERA: 2.71 | SO: 71 | WHIP: 1.21 NL All-Star | NL Rolaids Relief Man | NL Saves Leader Legend: After serving as the apprentice to Trevor Hoffman, Heath Bell stepped into the spotlight and proved he was a superstar in his own right. In 2010, he delivered a massive 3.3 WAR season, converting 47 saves with a blistering 1.93 ERA. He was the emotional heartbeat of a Padres team that fought until the very last day of the season for a playoff spot. Innovation: Unlike the finesse of his predecessor, "Heater" was a power closer in every sense of the word. He challenged hitters with a heavy, mid-90s fastball that seemed to get faster as the game got tighter. He paired that heat with a devastating 12-to-6 curveball that left many of the game's best hitters looking helpless at the plate. Impact: Bell took on the impossible task of following a legend and made the 9th inning his own. His high-energy entrances and "all-out" pitching style made him a massive fan favorite. He provided a bridge of stability for the franchise, ensuring the "closer" tradition in San Diego remained the best in baseball. Iconic Look: Heath Bell was known for his "sprint" from the bullpen. Unlike most relievers who jogged in, Bell would charge toward the mound at full speed, sliding into the dirt or jumping over the foul line to fire up the crowd. Clad in the navy blue and sand pinstripes of the era, he was a ball of pure energy. Did You Know Factor: Bell’s 2010 season was so consistent that he converted 34 consecutive save opportunities at one point. He is famously remembered for his 2011 All-Star Game moment, where he sprinted in and did a belly flop slide onto the mound—a perfect reflection of the fun and passion he brought to the game every single night. We’ve reached the end of this first volume, but the echoes of these legends never truly fade. They are stitched into the very fabric of this city. From the grass at Petco to the saltwater breeze off the bay, we remember that their legacy isn’t just found in the Cooperstown plaques or the retired numbers swaying in the breeze. You can find it at the coolest intersection in the world: the corner of Tony Gwynn Drive and Trevor Hoffman Way. That’s where the past meets the present, and where the roar of the crowd never quite stops. In the immortal words of the legendary Jerry Coleman, whenever a player did something truly spectacular, he would exclaim, "You can hang a star on that baby!" For these 26 icons, their stars are permanently hung in something sacred. They played with a "soul" that box scores can't fully capture, defining what it means to wear the brown and gold. "Oh, Doctor! You can hang a star on that one!" View the full article

The 2025 season marked a significant step forward for the Miami Marlins. After losing 100 games in 2024, the club improved to 79-83 and remained in playoff contention until the final series of the year. The 17-win jump represented the largest year-to-year improvement in franchise history. The Marlins ranked in the top five among all MLB teams in attendance percentage growth, highlighted by five sellouts—the most in loanDepot park history. Yet even with that uptick, the franchise had the third-lowest overall attendance across MLB. From a business perspective, enticing fans to show up is especially important moving forward as Miami's revenue from local television is projected to decrease after leaving cable behind. Enter new Chief Brand Officer Alex Parker. Upon reviewing extensive fan feedback gathered by the organization, he believes there is room to enhance the in-game and overall ballpark experience. The Marlins initially brought Parker in as a consultant last winter following a 10-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins, where he oversaw digital marketing and sponsorship initiatives. He also played a pivotal role in securing the naming rights agreement for Hard Rock Stadium. Still, Parker says baseball has always been his true passion. Growing up, back when the Marlins and Dolphins shared that venue, he was in the stands as a baseball fan. "We used to get the $3 Fish Tank tickets in the top level—that's where I spent my childhood,” Parker told Fish On First in an exclusive interview. “This brand specifically has meant everything to me for a very long time,” he added. Parker and the Marlins are taking what he describes as a “data-driven, survey-focused” approach to improving the in-game experience at loanDepot park. The overarching goal of the upcoming changes is to place the spotlight squarely on Major League Baseball and the Miami Marlins—where the focus belongs. “I want to make this all about the game and all about the team and its rich history,” Parker added. To help accomplish that, the in-game host and overall entertainment elements will be more toned down, placing a greater emphasis on the action on the field. In short, the baseball will be able to breathe. Billy back on top As Fish On First reported in early February, the Rooster Race at loanDepot park has been discontinued. The mid-game tradition was originally introduced on August 1, 2023, and featured Pepito, Charlie, and Bobby. While the rooster mascots will continue engaging with fans around the ballpark, Parker acknowledged fan feedback suggesting that Billy the Marlin should take center stage instead of being overshadowed. “For me, Billy needs to be the star—and he will remain the star,” Parker said. “We’re going to do a better job of making him the lead mascot, with the roosters not having as prominent a presence this year as they have in years past.” While cheerleaders have traditionally been a staple of football and basketball game presentation, the Marlins introduced the Mermaids, who performed dances on the field and atop the dugout during select game breaks. According to sources, they will no longer continue in that on-field role. However, the Mermaids have been invited to return in a fan-facing capacity, serving as brand ambassadors and remaining an active part of the overall fan experience. A differentiated ballpark playlist Over the past few seasons, it was no secret that the in-game entertainment playlist leaned heavily toward Latin-style rap and reggaeton. While those genres certainly have a place in baseball—especially in Little Havana—many fans voiced their displeasure over the lack of variety. That approach will shift moving forward, Parker told Fish On First. “The playlist will be more differentiated this year,” he said. “You can’t try to be everything for everybody. But for us, you need to differentiate that part of the experience so you’re connecting with a lifestyle audience, a hyper-local audience, fans coming in from Broward, and families alike—there needs to be something that resonates with all of them.” If FanFest was any indication (Parker confirmed that it was), traditional baseball anthems such as "Centerfield" and "Sweet Caroline" could take on a more prominent role. “That lines up with some of the persona work we’ve done and where we see opportunities for growth,” Parker added. On a related note, in years past, the Marlins have collaborated with prominent artists on team-specific anthems. Most recently, “Just Gettin’ Started,” featuring DJ Khaled and Poo Bear was released to usher in a new era under Derek Jeter. Before that, “Marlins Will Soar” went viral, performed by Scott Stapp. Pitbull and Gloria Estefan have also partnered with the organization in the past. However, it appears unlikely the club will pursue another collaboration of that nature in the near future. “For me, it’s about bringing back who we are as an organization and owning our own voice,” Parker noted. “The issue I see with large brands working with major influencers or doing collabs is some of that can come off as inauthentic, or as trying to drive more eyeballs into pockets and audiences, which is where you feel this disconnect.” With an emphasis on authenticity, Parker said any partnership would ideally be baseball-centric and Marlins-oriented. Less gimmicks, more baseball In years past, it often felt as though the action on the field was competing with—and at times, interrupted by—the in-game entertainment. Moving forward, the intent is to reverse that dynamic. Across Major League Baseball, some of the sport’s most respected venues—such as Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and even newer ballparks like Citi Field—prioritize the game itself, with minimal distractions. That appears to be the model the Marlins are aiming to follow. While the in-game host will still address the crowd during select breaks, the focus will shift squarely to the product on the field. Several themed segments and promotions including “Cafecito Time,” the Fruit Roll-Up contest, and the Family Feud-style feature will not return. Opening Day on Friday, March 27, will include a Kyle Stowers bobblehead giveaway, along with postgame fireworks. “Again, we’re trying to make it about baseball and bringing it back to what baseball culture has meant, which is a huge part of our ethos.” View the full article

Gabriel Gonzalez carries himself a little differently this spring. The same easy smile is there, and the appreciation for the opportunity has not changed, but there is a noticeable sense of confidence that comes from settling in and proving to himself that he belongs. After a rocky introduction to the organization in 2024, Gonzalez settled in last season and reminded everyone why he remains one of the farm system’s top prospects. Now, as camp unfolds under the watchful eyes of big-league coaches and the Minnesota development staff, Gonzalez is thinking bigger. “First of all, thank God. I had an incredible year last year, and I’m happy for that," he said. "I want to build off last year, and I’ve got some goals that I want to achieve for this year. I’m incredibly lucky to be a part of this team right now, and I look forward to the staff helping me get better.” That perspective did not come overnight. Gonzalez came to the Twins as part of the Jorge Polanco trade, and that transition came with some bumps. A new clubhouse. New coaches. New expectations. Even for a highly regarded prospect, that can be overwhelming. “At first, it was a little difficult for me coming to a new team, not knowing anybody," Gonzalez recalled. "It was all new to me. Thank God that my teammates were helpful, the staff was helpful, and I’m getting better. I found my rhythm. I’m looking forward to this year.” Finding that rhythm changed everything. His bat speed returned. His approach sharpened. The natural ability that made him such an intriguing addition began to show consistently over a full season. Now the focus shifts toward 2026, a year of high stakes for both Gonzalez and the organization. While he is unlikely to break camp with the big-league club, the expectation internally is that he could force the conversation before long. The Twins have leaned heavily on young talent in recent seasons, and Gonzalez fits the timeline of a roster that continues to blend cost-controlled upside with competitive expectations. His goals for the upcoming year are grounded but telling. “First of all, I would like to stay healthy," he said. "That’s number one. Then I’d like to help the team with whatever they need. Control the controllables.” Health is foundational. Consistency follows. But Gonzalez knows that if he is going to make the leap from promising minor leaguer to everyday contributor at Target Field, there is one area that demands attention. “I think first and foremost, I need to work on my defense, and make it a huge emphasis. At the big-league level, people play good defense. The game speeds up on you. Everything is hit harder and further. So, I need to focus on my defense.” That self-awareness matters. The bat has long been his calling card, but modern roster construction demands versatility and reliability in the field. For a young outfielder hoping to carve out a role in Minnesota’s long-term plans, sharpening routes, reads, and arm accuracy could be the difference between being a contributor and being a cornerstone. And he has already allowed himself to dream a little. “It's definitely crossed my mind. We [he, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Walker Jenkins] played together in Triple-A, shared the same outfield, and we get along very well. But it's definitely crossed my mind that in the future we could share the same at Target Field. That would be an incredible experience.” The image of a young, homegrown outfield growing together at Target Field is exactly what the organization hopes to build toward in 2026 and beyond. Gonzalez is not guaranteed anything, but the path is visible. Continued offensive production. Defensive growth. A healthy season. If those boxes are checked, the timeline accelerates quickly. For now, Gonzalez remains focused on the daily work. The drills in the Florida sun. The conversations with coaches. The steady climb that every prospect must navigate. Last year was about finding his rhythm. This year is about proving it was not a fluke. If he does that, 2026 could be the year Twins fans finally see Gabriel Gonzalez turn potential into presence on a major league stage. What should the expectations be for Gonzalez in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Michael Conforto and the Cubs have agreed on a minor league deal for 2026. This comes a year after Conforto regressed on a one-year, $17 million contract with the Dodgers. The veteran outfielder logged a career-low .199 batting average with 12 homers and 36 runs batted in. If Conforto turns back the clock in 2026, who is left out? We answer this and more in this video. Enjoy! View the full article

It seems that the Red Sox's infield depth has already taken a massive blow before the season has even begun. On Wednesday morning, it was revealed by Romy Gonzalez that the infielder will likely not be ready for Opening Day, a revelation many were not surprised by, considering the infielder's current situation. Dealing with a shoulder he aggravated back in January after originally injuring it near the end of the 2025 season, González has yet to get into any regimen during spring training. González had previously undergone a PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injection in late January, but things have not progressed to the point he had hoped. Per MassLive’ Christopher Smith, González said on Wednesday morning “at this point, I think the ramp-up would be a little too quick and it’d be a disservice I feel like to myself and the team if I’m not ready to roll and have a good build up.” González will have an evaluation done by the training staff next Friday, but the infielder feels he won’t be able to begin hitting by then. With González likely headed to the injured list to begin the season, a battle for the utility infield spot on the roster is likely to come down between Nick Sogard and Andruw Monasterio, with the latter having earned praise from manager Alex Cora. View the full article

JUPITER, FL—On Tuesday, the Miami Marlins welcomed the Philadelphia Phillies all the way from Clearwater, Florida. Two of the Marlins four major league free agent signings took the mound in what ended up being a 6-1 win for the Fish. Chris Paddack, John King make spring training debut Chris Paddack, who signed with the Marlins on February 12, made his first start of the spring. In his lone inning of work, he threw 21 pitches (13 for strikes), allowing one run on one hit, one hit by pitch and one strikeout. Johan Rojas struck out swinging on Paddack's 94.5 mph four-seam fastball, which was his top velocity of the outing. On top of the fastball, he threw his curveball, changeup, slider and sinker. In total, he generated two whiffs on nine swings. "I felt like we got a lot of good work, especially with runners on first and second right away," Paddack said ."A lot of good, stressful pitches out of the wind or out of the stretch, early and often. I felt like with the pitch-calling, that was something that we're going to use spring to get used to, but I made a joke to (assistant pitching coach) Rob (Marcello Jr.) that he gets to play MLB The Show every day, just a live version, so we have fun with it. Thought me and (catcher Joe) Mack back there worked really well today." Paddack's top priority was working on his sinker (he refers to it as his two-seamer). He threw it twice. One of those hit Trea Turner, which the veteran right-hander apologized to Turner about. The other one to Johan Rojas was fouled off. The slider was thrown five times (24% of the time) on Tuesday. His usage of it was only 5.9% last season. He landed it twice for a strike, but didn't generate any whiffs on that pitch. "Got some good feedback from Mack and our pitching coaches in the dugout that they liked what they saw," Paddack said. In relief, John King also made his first appearance of the spring, throwing 18 pitches, working a 1-2-3 inning where he struck out two in the process. His fastball topped out at 91.9 mph and both of his strikeouts came with the slider. The first one was originally called a ball, but got overturned after a successful ABS challenge. "The sinker is a terrific pitch, and just continuing to use this time to put into place some of the work you're doing on the arsenal side of things that are going to pay big dividends for him versus left and right this year," said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. Joe Mack makes his first start Fish On First No. 2 prospect Joe Mack made his first start of the spring, catching Paddack and King among others, but his most notable moment was the grand slam he hit in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Andrew Walling. The ball left the bat at 97.3 mph and went 336 feet to left field. "I think coming into camp this year, just the comfortability around everyone and knowing that Joe's very close, and he's incredibly talented on both sides of the ball," said McCullough. "I think coming to this camp off a really solid year in Triple-A gave him a lot of confidence coming in. I think a lot of it also stems in the offseason. He stayed here in Jupiter most of the offseason and really committed himself to trying to prepare his body and mind as well as he could for for this upcoming season." Fish On First Prospects (@fofprospects) • Instagram photos and videos WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 125 likes, 1 comments - fofprospects on February 24, 2026: "Alexa, show me a top five catching prospect in all of baseball. ✨ #Marlins". Last season in Triple-A Jacksonville, Mack slashed .257/.338/.475/.813 with 21 home runs, 58 RBI and a 120 wRC+, cementing himself as one of the best catching prospects in the entire sport. He also won the Minor League Gold Glove at his position in 2024. Uncharacteristically, the only Phillies run of the game scored on a wild pickoff attempt by Mack (he was charged with an error and the run was unearned). "It's probably still the most demanding position on the field," McCullough said regarding catchers. "In some ways, any type of offense you get from that position, you look at as a real bonus. We believe the chance to impact on both sides of the ball. He's a terrific thrower, there's a lot of athleticism and creativity with how he can throw. The confidence he has back there to do that as well as layering on the type of receiver that that he is." Quick Notes - In addition to Paddack and King, the following pitched on Tuesday: Nigel Belgrave, Zach Brzykcy, Josh Ekness, Dax Fulton, Cade Gibson, John King, Adam Mazur and Jack Ralston. - Liam Hicks made his first start of the spring at first base, going 2-for-2 at the plate. - Hicks and Kyle Stowers were hit by pitches, but both of them felt fine after exiting the game. - Graham Pauley (right forearm) received "good news" after undergoing imaging and he hopes to play in games at some point this week. - Braxton Garrett will make the trip to Dunedin and start Thursday's game. He will go just one inning. Fish On First No. 1 prospect Thomas White will also make the trip to and make his Grapefruit League debut in relief. - Robby Snelling (FOF #3) is expected to pitch on Friday in Clearwater. - On the World Baseball Classic front, Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols announced that Sandy Alcantara will face Venezuela in pool play. That game will take place on Wednesday, March 11 at 8:00 pm in loanDepot park. What's next? The Marlins play another game in Jupiter, welcoming the Houston Astros for a 1:10 pm first pitch on Wednesday. Tyler Phillips will start the game for the Marlins and Pete Fairbanks will be making his spring debut. Hunter Brown starts for the Astros. The game will not be televised, but you can listen on MLB.TV. View the full article

The days of Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman, and Kenny Lofton are over when it comes to what many grew up with as prototypical leadoff hitters. All you have to do is look at Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani now taking over what had been a table-setter role. Now, it is more of a tone-setting spot in the lineup, able to open the game with a home run as much as a double off the wall. That is a long way from a single (perhaps via bunt), a stolen base, and scoring on an ensuing hit. So the San Diego Padres, using Fernando Tatis Jr. in the leadoff spot in 2025, while perhaps out of necessity instead of convenience, made a lot of sense. He has the speed-power combo that feels ideal for that role. This spring, however, new Friars manager Craig Stammen unveiled a new top of the lineup, with Tatis moving down to cleanup. The rest of the top four have been Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, and Manny Machado. This is still a work in progress and could be different before Opening Day. Tatis said the leadoff role wasn't necessarily something he wanted. Could it unlock more from the Padres' offense? Particularly from a power perspective, it could. The Friars famously finished 28th of 30 MLB teams with 152 home runs. Yes, even less than the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins. From 2023-25, after missing all of 2022 due to injury and a performance-enhancing drug suspension, Tatis has hit 25, 21, and 25 home runs, scored 91, 64, and 111 runs, driven in 78, 49, and 71 runs, and stolen 29, 11, and 32 bases. Injuries limited him to 104 games in 2024. While Tatis would have about 20 fewer plate appearances by hitting cleanup as opposed to leadoff, he would have more opportunities to drive in runs and, perhaps, free himself up to be more of a power hitter. After all, he would go from hitting behind the Friars' 7-8-9 hitters to hitting after the top three in the lineup, including immediately after Machado. That would also benefit Machado, given the threat of Tatis following him. Cleanup was a rotation of hitters in 2025. Some of this adjustment to the lineup has to do with the departure of Luis Arraez, whose ability to make contact was ideal at or near the top of the order. Tatis made great strides in 2025 with his walk and strikeout rates. His walk rate jumped up from 8.3% in 2023 and 7.3% in 2024 to a career-best 12.9%, while his strikeout rate went down from 22.2% to 21.9% to 18.7% in 2025. His 18.7% was well below the MLB average of 22.5%. That is the type of discipline improvement you want to see from a player entering his prime years. Tatis is, after all, just turned 27 years old to begin 2026. And let's face it. Tatis at cleanup is a much bigger threat than Merrill, who had a subpar 2025 and batted there occasionally throughout 2025 and all three postseason games. Tatis at the cleanup spot could produce a 30-homer season and improve the Friars' 4.33 runs per game in 2025, which ranked 18th in MLB. Even another 65 runs total, less than one run every two games, would put the Friars in the top 10. This is also dependent on the top two spots in the lineup being productive. Bogaerts will have to make the biggest transition. Even back to his Boston Red Sox days, Bogaerts has been a middle-of-the-order bat. In his three years with the Padres, Bogaerts has had on-base percentages of .350, .307, and .328. His career walk rate is 8.4%, right on the MLB average of 8.3%. His strikeout rate with the Friars is 16.8%, nearly 6 points better than the league average. Both are good traits for a leadoff hitter. While not currently the power threat that Tatis is, hitting 19, 11, and 11 homers with the Padres, Bogaerts did steal a career-best 20 bases in 2025. Merrill's bounce back is perhaps the most important part of this top four working. Entering his third season, Merrill was plagued by injuries in 2025 (strained hamstring, concussion, sprained ankle), which led to his slash line dropping from .292/.326/.500 to .264/.317/.457. While his strikeout rate of 19.4% is a few points better than the MLB average, his walk rate of 5.8% needs improvement. That might make him a really good candidate to hit second, ahead of Machado, as he will see better pitches. Protection for Tatis as the cleanup hitter will also be important, which is why the Padres need the acquisitions of Nick Castellanos and Miguel Andujar, in particular, to pay off, as well as left fielder Ramon Laureano to be somewhat close to his 2025 production. Castellanos being able to handle first base, with early reviews promising, would allow a platoon at designated hitter with Andujar, Gavin Sheets, and perhaps Sung Mun Song. That combo hitting fifth and sixth would definitely ramp up the production, particularly from a power perspective, to this lineup. View the full article

The Twins work hard to forge organizational depth, and it goes well beyond what we see at Target Field or in St. Paul. I'm researching the Twins' depth beyond the 40-man roster, and have already taken a look at catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and outfield. Pitching prospects might be harder to predict than position players because of the variability in how pitchers develop, as well as whether pitchers can stick as starters or if and when they transition to a bullpen role. When Derek Falvey was hired, the idea of creating a pitching pipeline was widely discussed. Was he able to do this, between taking over in 2017 and leaving the team last month? Let’s do a deeper dive into the pitching prospects the Twins have, beyond the members of the 40-man roster. Here is the list of starting pitchers not on the 40-man roster the Twins have in their farm system. I’ve included how and when they were acquired, along with the highest level at which they played last season. Trent Baker Acquired: Triple-A Rule 5 Draft, 2024 Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A Baker was drafted in the 9th round in 2021 out of Angelo State, by the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched in the Cardinals organization through 2024, reaching Double-A. After that season, Baker was selected by the Twins in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft. In 2025, he pitched at Double-A Wichita and earned a call-up to Triple-A St. Paul. He pitched both as a starter and as a reliever, making the majority of his appearances at Triple-A as a reliever. Between the two levels, the 27-year-old pitched in 35 games, starting 15 of them and accumulating 95 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate was decent, at 24.0%, and he put up an ERA of 3.86 and an FIP of 4.16. Baker is a non-roster invitee to big-league camp this year, so keep an eye on whether he gets big-league hitters out. As any team will tell you, you can never have enough pitching depth. Christian MacLeod Acquired: 5th round, 2021 Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A MacLeod is one of many college pitchers taken by the Falvey-led front office in the middle rounds of drafts. The left-handed pitcher pitched at Mississippi State for two seasons, where he started all 23 of his appearances. He put up solid numbers there, in the country's most competitive collegiate baseball conference. Since being drafted, MacLeod has pitched at every minor-league level, reaching Triple-A St. Paul last year. He's shown the ability to keep the ball in the park throughout his minor-league career, which is always a good sign. While he started most of his games early in his career, he had more relief appearances at Triple-A in 2025 and did not perform well. A repeat of the level will be good, to see if he can continue to make adjustments. MacLeod will be playing his age-26 season in 2026, and we'll see if he continues to rely on his slider, which he threw 48.3 percent of the time. His fastball is below average, averaging 90.6 mph over his minor-league career. Time will tell if he can develop into the stereotype of a crafty lefty who can be a weapon, either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. He's a non-roster invitee, too. Cory Lewis Acquired: 9th round, 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A If you pay attention to prospects, you've probaby seen clips of Cory Lewis, heavily featuring his knuckleball. The 25-year-old signed out of UC-Santa Barbara, where he was the school's top starter. Unfortunately, he was shut down as spring training began, and will miss significant time with a subscapularis strain. Last season, he pitched at Triple-A after getting a sneak peek at the level at the very end of the 2024 season. Unfortunately, the larger dose of that level did not go down as smoothly as he had hoped. His walk rate skyrocketed, and his homer rate jumped up quite a bit. Previously, he had much better numbers, so the hope was that he could find what made him successful at other levels and get back to that for 2026. With the injury, the non-roster invitee will likely not get as many chances as he had hoped. As long as the shoulder injury doesn’t keep him out too long, the plan for 2026 will be to continue to make adjustments and start anew, after a disappointing 2025 season. The clock is ticking on him, though. Matt Canterino Acquired: 2nd round, 2019 Highest Level in 2025: Did not pitch, shoulder injury Canterino was an extremely intriguing prospect out of Rice University back in 2019, but unfortunately, his professional career has been marred by injury after injury. The 28-year-old is no longer a top prospect, but if (and this is a big if) he can stay healthy, he has the makeup to make some noise out of the bullpen. Because of his injury history, he will no longer be used as a starting pitcher. He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery in 2025, and probably won't pitch this year. He hasn’t pitched in a game since 2022, when he pitched mostly at Double-A. There, he showed flashes of greatness, with a 34.8% strikeout rate and a 1.95 ERA. While his days of starting are over, he could yet turn into a weapon out of the bullpen. The big question will be whether he can stay healthy enough to do so. C.J. Culpepper Acquired: 13th round, 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Another pitcher drafted in the later rounds, Culpepper came out of California Baptist University in 2022, where he pitched for three years. He pitched mostly in relief until his final year of college, when he made 14 starts out of 16 appearances, throwing to a 3.26 ERA over 69 innings. He's pitched almost exclusively as a starting pitcher in his minor-league career, making 53 starts in his first four years. The 24-year-old has steadily climbed the rungs of the professional ladder, pitching with Double-A Wichita last season. He had very promising results over 59 1/3 innings (17 starts), with a 2.43 ERA. While his FIP was not quite as great, it was still a solid 4.27. The one thing to watch was that his strikeout rate dropped quite a bit once he hit Double-A, from 26.8% in 2024 to 21.2% in 2025. As many young pitchers do, he will continue to refine and develop his pitches. His fastball averages about 94 mph, but has reached 98. His other pitches include a plus slider, a curveball, a cutter, and a changeup. He’s an intriguing pitcher to keep an eye on, as he might still have another level to unlock with some adjustments this season. Jose Olivares Acquired: International Free Agency, 2021 Highest Level in 2025: High-A Signed out of Venezuela for $100,000 in 2021, Olivares has pitched well early in his professional career. The 23-year-old pitched at High-A in 2025, where he had a solid strikeout rate but issued way too many walks—hardly an unexpected wrinkle to need smoothing, for a young arm. He's shown the potential for three or four above-average pitches. His fastball has reached 97 mph, with a gyro slider that has also shown the ability to miss bats. He also throws a curveball and a changeup, so he has a nice repertoire in the making. With the right adjustments, Olivares could move up the ladder relatively quickly, and we could see him at Target Field within the next couple of years. He’ll likely get his first chance at the high minors this year, so keep an eye on him as he continues to develop in his age-23 season. Ryan Gallagher Acquired: Trade, Chicago Cubs, July 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A One of two prospects the Twins received from the Chicago Cubs in return for Willi Castro at the trade deadline, Gallagher is a former 6th-round pick who split his 2025 campaign between High-A and Double-A. He threw over 100 innings for the first time in his professional career, totaling 121 2/3, and posted a 3.84 FIP, which was better than his 4.07 ERA. He’s shown the ability to miss bats at Double-A, with a 26.1% strikeout rate last year. He doesn’t walk many hitters, either. He has three above-average pitches and a fourth that grades out as fair. His fastball is solid, working in the low 90s and topping out at 95, with a high-70s changeup that misses some bats. He also throws a slider and a curveball to complete his mix of pitches. He doesn’t have the upside of a front-line starter. However, he's a safe bet as a back-end guy, and could make an impact on the Twins' rotation in short order. Darren Bowen Acquired: Trade, Seattle Mariners, January 2024 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Bowen was acquired as part of the Jorge Polanco deal in January 2024, wherein the Twins also acquired Justin Topa. Seen at the time as more of a lottery ticket than a headliner, Bowen pitched last season with Double-A Wichita, where he struggled to a 5.14 ERA over 84 innings. He struggled with the long ball, allowing 17 home runs. Now 25 years old, Bowen will have to show he can get hitters out in the upper minors to be considered an option in the rotation, or (maybe more realistically) out of the bullpen. He did have 11 relief appearances in 2025, so a transition to the pen may allow his stuff to play up. This will be a key year for his development. Alejandro Hidalgo Acquired: Trade, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, November 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Hidalgo was acquired from the Angels in return for Gio Urshela, whom the Twins recently signed to a minor-league deal. Hidalgo signed with the Angels for $30,000, so he was not a highly touted prospect at the time of signing. He pitched at High-A and Double-A last year, where he struggled mightily but posted solid peripherals, including a 25.6% strikeout rate and an xFIP of 3.94. While he hasn’t had great results, the soon-to-be 23-year-old will continue to develop, make adjustments, and see if he can get his actual results closer to his expected ones. Still being used as a starter, it’s possible he moves to the bullpen down the road. I would expect the Twins to continue to develop him as a starter this year, but he'll have to show rapid improvements in outcomes. Sam Armstrong Acquired: Trade, Chicago Cubs, July 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Acquired along with Gallagher in the swap for Castro, Armstrong is a former mid-round pick who has steadily climbed the minor-league ladder, pitching at Double-A for the entire 2025 season. At 25 years old, this will be a key year in his development, but he had promising results last year, over 130 innings. He finished with a 4.15 FIP and a 3.98 xFIP, which was better than his 4.71 ERA. He’s more of a pitch-to-contact pitcher than many of the other names listed here. While he doesn’t have as high a ceiling as others on this list, he could still prove to be a quality option down the road, and he has stayed healthy, throwing over 100 innings each of the past two seasons. Ricky Castro Acquired: Free Agent, 2024 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Signed in 2024 out of independent ball, Castro first pitched three years at Purdue and one at Tulane during his collegiate career. It's not hard to see why he wasn't drafted out of college; he pitched to a 6.22 ERA with 143 strikeouts over 147 2/3 innings at those schools. After the Twins signed him, he pitched at Single-A, High-A, and in Double-A for the entire 2025 season. Early in his minor-league career, he had a high strikeout rate, topping out at 27.0% in 2024. In 2025, it came down a bit, as it often does with a move up in levels; his results didn’t match his peripherals. He finished the year with a 5.48 ERA, but his FIP and xFIP were 4.45 and 4.13, respectively. An intriguing arm, Castro still has adjustments to make, but he is intriguing enough to keep an eye on, to see if he can continue to develop into an option down the road. He was used both as a starter and as a reliever last year, so a move to the bullpen might be in the cards for the 26-year-old. With the list of pitchers being quite long, we decided to break this up into two parts. We’ll take a look at the pitchers who were in the lower minors this past season in the next article. Which of these pitching prospects are you most excited or intrigued by? View the full article

On Fish Unfiltered, AJ Ramos discusses the combination of stuff, confidence and quirkiness that make Pete Fairbanks and Tyler Phillips so important to the 2026 Marlins bullpen.View the full article

On Fish Unfiltered, AJ Ramos discusses the combination of stuff, confidence and quirkiness that make Pete Fairbanks and Tyler Phillips so important to the 2026 Marlins bullpen.View the full article

Minnesota Twins relievers Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and Cole Sands made their spring training debuts against the Baltimore Orioles. Can we draw any conclusions from the order in which they debuted? On the other side of the ball, is Luke Keaschall pegged as the everyday second baseman? View the full article

Minnesota Twins relievers Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and Cole Sands made their spring training debuts against the Baltimore Orioles. Can we draw any conclusions from the order in which they debuted? On the other side of the ball, is Luke Keaschall pegged as the everyday second baseman? View the full article

If you merely consult a spreadsheet that shows the guaranteed dollars for which the Chicago Cubs are on the hook, you might think that they've walked right up to the competitive-balance tax threshold, but declined to step over the line. If that were true, it would be a complication for them, as they stare down two key decisions this spring: whether to put non-roster free-agent signing Michael Conforto on the Opening Day roster (thus guaranteeing him $2 million), and whether to extend star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Frustrating though it might (rightfully) be to many fans, the CBT line is a real and important factor in teams' decision-making. All teams have budgets, and those budgets aren't technically anchored to the CBT line, but going over the line (especially in consecutive seasons) means higher costs, draft-pick and international free agency penalties. It has to be part of the calculation about marginal spending whenever a team is hovering near the line between not being a payer and being one, or between two of the several thresholds at which penalties and tax rates rise. Here's the thing, though: the Cubs are already over the tax line. It's not that close, either. They have not only Conforto, but a handful of other experienced non-roster invitees in camp, from outfielders Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson to relievers like Trent Thornton and Kyle Wright. Christian Bethancourt, who's likely to go to Triple-A Iowa if both Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya are healthy at the end of camp, will make $1.6 million if added to the big-league roster at some point to backfill because of injuries. Any dollar over the league minimum earned by any of the above pushes the Cubs closer to (or, in actuality, well past) the line, since they're currently just under $500,000 below the threshold. Even if none of those players makes the roster and the team rolls with guys who play for the minimum (say, Kevin Alcántara and Ryan Rolison), though, they're going to end up over the line. Kelly and Matthew Boyd signed two-year deals last winter that included up to $500,000 per year in performance bonuses based on playing time, and each maxed out those bonuses in 2025. It's unlikely they'll do so again in 2026, but they'll get another $200,000 or more from the team based on those clauses. Then, the team signed five free-agent relievers this winter to deals that include substantial performance bonuses. Hunter Harvey, alone, can earn over $1 million in bonuses. Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb and Hoby Milner can each earn about $250,000 more than their base salaries. Those guys won't max out their earning power, but to push the Cubs over the line, none of them has to. In some wild scenario in which none of those bonuses have to be paid, the team will be in scramble mode early, and will end up spnding money on someone else to patch holes in their pitching staff. No, the Cubs are already over the CBT line. That's good news. With the CBT not really an active consideration (but the second threshold a solid $12-15 million in guarantees away), the Cubs could go scoop up another starter before the season starts, to bolster a strong but injury-shadowed starting rotation. They can also freely negotiate with Crow-Armstrong, who sounds very interested in a long-term deal with the club. Signing him for the long haul would earn the team tons of good will with their fans, and they'd also have cost certainty for the next handful of years, rather than risking his salary skyrocketing via arbitration. Locking up Crow-Armstrong would mean giving him a boost in salary ahead of schedule, albeit a modest one, in 2026. It would also mean a signing bonus, which would be spread over the life of the deal but would be a cost incurred up front. Crow-Armstrong's CBT hit would rise sharply, because it would reflect the annual average value of the deal. That's why not having to think about staying below that line matters. Last season, the Cubs couldn't seriously consider any expensive extensions, because they didn't have clearance to surpass the CBT threshold or the breathing room to increase their number at the last second. Things are much more conducive to that kind of spending this spring. One way or another, the Cubs probably aren't done spending money this offseason. Be it a team-friendly extension for a young player or a market-rate one to keep one of Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki from becoming free agents in November, there will be lots of conversations around the team's existing players—and there's still room to spend a bit on more pitching help, if they decide that they need it. View the full article

The depth in the Brewers' system means many players outside the top 10 would make the majority of teams' top 10, if not their top 5. Let's take a look at prospects 11-15, as voted on and compiled by the Brewer Fanatic writers. #15 3B Brock Wilken (Biloxi Shuckers) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 344 61 17 0 18 .876 159 .413 27.0% 20.1% 9.4% 29.1% 55.3% 24.6% 20.1% 21.6% 35.2% 43.2% 22.4% 2 0 100% 106.0 Several challenges marked Wilken's 2024 season. He was hit in the face by a pitch early in the year, which led to lingering vision issues that affected him throughout the season. Off the field, he and his wife also welcomed their first child. That's a positive personal milestone, but at the same time, balancing professional responsibilities with family life added another layer of adjustment during the season. He spent the offseason focused on recovery and on restoring his vision. The early results in 2025 were very encouraging, highlighted by an outstanding May in which he hit nine home runs and posted a 170 wRC+. However, a knee injury suffered while celebrating Biloxi's first-half playoff clinch limited him to just 14 games the rest of the year, and he did not appear fully healthy during that stretch. Even so, his first 280 plate appearances showed clear signs of offensive improvement. Power production remains a defining part of Wilken's profile. Despite playing roughly two-thirds of a full season, he finished third in the Southern League with 18 home runs. His plate discipline was a strength, reflected in a 20% walk rate, though he did allow a notable number of hittable pitches in the zone to pass by, and it's fair to question whether the overall approach is a bit too passive at the moment. Swing-and-miss remains part of the profile, with elevated whiff and strikeout rates contributing to a definite power-over-contact approach. Defensively, Wilken has shown steady progress at third base. While some evaluations have graded him below average at the position, his play has suggested the potential to develop into a serviceable defender. His arm strength is a clear plus, and he has generally handled routine plays well. At times, he has shown some difficulty charging softly hit balls, which seems to be tied more to his reads off the bat than to any athletic limitations. Wilken is expected to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A, and may have reached that level earlier if not for the knee injury. With the Brewers continuing to evaluate long-term options at third base, his performance and defensive development could position him as a major-league option in the near future. #14 1B Blake Burke (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 567 143 27 2 16 .832 139 .393 23.8% 11.5% 12.9% 27.9% 34.3% 26.8% 39.0% 22.7% 49.6% 27.8% 21.4% 15 5 75% 108.8 Drafted in Competitive Balance Round A (just after the first round) of the 2024 draft, Burke got off to an interesting start at High-A in 2025. He posted a 124 wRC+ across 95 games at the level, but the power production did not match the underlying contact quality. Despite consistently hitting the ball hard (highlighted by an elite 108.8-MPH 90th-percentile exit velocity), he produced just five home runs in 408 plate appearances—a shockingly low total, given his size and raw power. That changed following his promotion to Double-A. Burke's ground-ball rate dropped from 52.4% at High-A to 42.4%, and the shift in batted-ball profile quickly translated into more over-the-fence production. He had been making hard contact throughout the season, but a lack of consistent elevation limited his power output earlier in the year. With Biloxi, he hit 11 home runs in just 159 plate appearances. Even during the stretch in High-A when the power had not yet emerged, Burke did show the ability to hit for average and make a reasonable amount of contact, pointing to the potential for an average hit tool paired with above-average or even plus power. Defensively, Burke's glove work at first base has generally translated well from his time at Tennessee. He shows reliable hands and solid instincts around the bag. While his mobility may not stand out, he has shown more athleticism and reaction ability than many players with a similar build. His overall defensive profile is that of an average first baseman, perhaps even a tick better. That athleticism also shows up in subtle ways. Burke is not a traditional speed threat, but he moves well once he gets moving and shows strong instincts on the bases. He was successful on 15 of 20 stolen base attempts and regularly shows awareness, taking extra bases on balls in play. As Josh Naylor showed this year, you can be a good baserunner without being very fast, though you probably won't see Burke go on any stolen-base binges akin to what Naylor did in the second half of last year. As a first base-only prospect, Burke's long-term value will depend heavily on his offensive production. If his late-season power surge at Double-A proves sustainable, his overall profile could rise significantly, with the potential to position himself as a major league option as early as 2026. He's more likely to have an impact on the 2027 season. #13 1B Luke Adams (Biloxi Shuckers) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 90th EV 315 54 15 0 11 .853 158 .413 20.3% 16.5% 7.1% 23.5% 52.9% 22.7% 24.4% 25.0% 37.2% 37.8% 40.0% 10 3 77% 104.3 A 12th-round selection in the 2022 draft, Adams is one of the more interesting players in the system, with a profile that continues to produce despite some unusual characteristics. At the plate, Adams presents a unique offensive profile. He has gradually simplified his swing mechanics in pro ball. While some unconventional elements remain, the overall operation is more controlled than earlier in his career, though it still has more moving parts than most players. Despite this, his production has consistently been strong at every level. That production continued at Double-A, where he posted a 159 wRC+ across his first 278 plate appearances. Power production also took a step forward this season, as Adams accessed his in-game power more consistently and posted a .218 isolated slugging at the Double-A level, the highest mark of his career. His plate discipline remains a defining strength, though his extremely passive approach (33% swing-rate) will require adjustment against the highest levels of pitching. Increased aggressiveness on pitches in the strike zone, particularly earlier in counts, could help maximize his offensive impact as he advances. His defensive home has been a notable part of his development. While he has the tools to play third base at an average level, he saw limited time there this season, spending the majority of his time at first base. While his defensive profile suggests he could develop into an above-average defender at first but merely average at third, there's more value (all else equal) in being passable at the hot corner than in being a grade better at the cold one. If he's to stick at the hot corner, continued refinement of his footwork and throwing mechanics will be important, as he's shown a tendency to throw off-balance at times when there is no real need to. Adams appears ready for a move to Triple-A, though roster construction could result in a return to Biloxi to begin the season. He will become Rule 5 Draft-eligible next winter, making this a big year for him to show he'll be ready to contribute at the big-league level in short order. #12 2B Josh Adamczewski (Carolina Mudcats, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 308 81 18 5 5 .910 155 .434 17.2% 14.0% 12.1% 26.6% 46.9% 20.8% 32.4% 21.1% 41.7% 37.3% 17.1% 7 1 88% Both Adams and Adamczewski were Day 3 draft picks, with Adamczewski going in the 15th round in 2023. Committed to Ball State at the time, he was a great find by area scout Ginger Poulson. Adamczewski has been an intriguing offensive prospect since entering pro ball, with his swing mechanics standing out early and pointing to a strong overall hitting foundation. He showed some increased swing-and-miss during a brief stint with the Timber Rattlers to close out the 2025 season, as well as during his time in the Arizona Fall League, but his overall approach at the plate remains a clear strength. He consistently makes strong swing decisions and shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields. The underlying power and contact quality have been encouraging. Adamczewski has recorded exit velocities above 110 MPH in the minor leagues and reached 109.6 MPH in the AFL. While he hit just five home runs during the regular season, he added four more in the Fall League, further highlighting his power potential. The offensive profile points to the possibility of an above-average hit tool with power production that could develop into at least the 20-home run range. Defensively, his long-term position remains less certain. He has primarily played second base, though his defense at the position continues to draw mixed evaluations and may not fully align with the defensive expectations typically associated with the Brewers' middle infield. He also saw significant time in left field during the Arizona Fall League, where his above-average speed and athleticism translated well despite limited experience. A move to the outfield remains a realistic long-term possibility. Adamczewski experienced some struggles in a 16-game sample at High-A late in the 2025 season. He's likely to return to Appleton to begin the year, with the opportunity to move quickly to Double-A if his offensive production returns to the level he showed in Carolina. #11 CF Luis Lara (Biloxi Shuckers) PA H 2B 3B HR OPS wRC+ wOBA K% BB% SwStr% Whiff% PULL% CENT% OPPO% LD% GB% FB% IFFB% SB CS SB% 612 132 32 3 2 .712 117 .348 16.2% 14.1% 6.7% 17.3% 38.0% 20.8% 41.1% 22.1% 50.9% 27.0% 20.7% 44 7 86% After slipping down the rankings in 2024, Lara quickly moved back up the board following a strong 2025 season at Double-A, where he was one of the youngest players at the level and did not turn 21 until November. The switch-hitter showed meaningful offensive growth, lowering his whiff rate by roughly three percentage points in a more challenging hitting environment while also increasing his walk rate by nearly six percentage points. Lara's power production remained limited, with just two home runs, and he's listed at 5-foot-8, so it's never likely to be a plus tool for him. However, he still demonstrated the ability to impact the baseball. He recorded multiple exit velocities of 110 MPH, suggesting more underlying strength than the traditional power numbers indicate. Speed has long been a key part of his profile, and he took another step forward in that area in 2025, posting plus-plus run times. Improved instincts and better jumps on the bases helped him convert that speed into production, as he went 44-for-51 on stolen base attempts. His 86% success rate represented a clear improvement over the 75% and 76% marks he posted in 2023 and 2024. While the offensive development was encouraging, Lara's defense remained the most impactful part of his game and reached another level in 2025. He earned a Minor League Gold Glove, a result of his highlight-reel plays, but also his improved reads and routes. Those improvements allowed his athleticism to play up even further, and he regularly showed a willingness to make aggressive plays in the field, running into walls or laying out to make plays. Already a plus defender, he has the tools to develop into one of the premier defensive outfielders in the game. He also features a strong, accurate arm, which adds to his value. Lara could return to Biloxi to begin the season. However, his performance suggests he's ready for a move to Triple-A. He could position himself as a depth option at the major-league level with continued success. His combination of speed, defense, and improved offensive approach provides a high floor, and continued development at the plate would further elevate his overall profile. A median outcome for Lara could be a Blake Perkins-type fourth-outfield profile. On the higher end, you could be looking at a switch-hitting Sal Frelick, who's consistently playing center field. What stands out from 11-15 in this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! View the full article

On Tuesday, the Kansas City Royals announced on social media that Bobby Witt Jr. received the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for the 2025 season. He becomes the third Royals player in franchise history to earn the award, joining Hall of Famer George Brett and current captain Salvador Perez. For those unfamiliar with the award, it is defined as follows, according to the press release found on MLB.com. Witt earned the award through his various charitable contributions to the Kansas City community, as highlighted in the article. His most prominent work was raising funds and awareness for research and support in the fight against ALS. That includes hosting camps and clinics that raised $45,000 to financially support those suffering from ALS, including Sarah Nauser, a local Kansas Citian who has developed a close relationship with Witt and the Royals organization over the years. In the press release, Perez highlighted Witt's work in the fight against ALS, as well as the leadership he demonstrates in the clubhouse and the community. Salvy pointed out that Witt deserves to be the next Royals captain after he retires (though no date has been set on that yet). In addition to his work in the fight against ALS, Witt was also involved in increasing youth participation in baseball through MLB's Play Ball initiative, serving as the first-ever Play Ball Ambassador. Furthermore, Witt volunteered as a Royals Literacy League Classroom champion to improve literacy rates in elementary schools across the Kansas City Metro. All these different causes contributed to him earning this prestigious award in the MLB community. What Witt Means to the Royals and Kansas City In the press release, Royals President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo commented on Witt's honor and how the Royals superstar embodied the spirit of Gehrig with this award, and in his work in the Kansas City community. Hopes were high when Witt was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. While still a high schooler, many Royals fans envisioned Witt when he was selected as someone who could become the kind of franchise player the organization hadn't really had since Brett retired after the 1993 season (which included Brett hitting a walk-off home run in his last game). There have been players post-Brett who have been anointed as the heir apparent to lead the Royals franchise. That includes highly-drafted players like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon, Carlos Beltran, and even Johnny Damon, with the latter starring in a commercial with Brett that almost hinted at Damon being the next "face" of the Royals franchise. However, while all those players had their moments and highs, they have never touched Brett's aura. Witt isn't quite there just yet, but he's closing the gap quite quickly. In just four seasons, Witt has collected 105 home runs, 403 runs, 373 RBI, and 148 stolen bases. In 2,722 career plate appearances, he has a .290 average, .357 wOBA, 129 wRC+, and 26.7 fWAR. Since 2010, Witt has accumulated the most fWAR of any Royals player, surpassing Gordon this past year, who accumulated 26.2 fWAR since 2010, according to Fangraphs. The dynamic Royals shortstop has also earned hardware during his four-year tenure. In addition to the Gehrig award, he's also a two-time All-Star, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove winner, and a one-time Platinum Glove winner and American League Batting champion. He's finished in the Top-5 in AL MVP voting twice, including second in 2024 (behind the Yankees' Aaron Judge). Lastly, he's been on Team USA for the World Baseball Classic twice and should be a key part of their lineup in this year's edition. (It's amazing how he was buried by Team USA manager Mark DeRosa in the last WBC for Tim Anderson, who's pretty much out of baseball now.) Amazingly, Witt has also earned all these honors under the age of 26. What's even more incredible is that Witt isn't satisfied with his career just yet. He believes he has even more room to grow, as discussed in a recent interview with MLB Network. All of Witt's on-field honors, combined with the Gehrig award, show how important and special Witt is to the Royals community and in Kansas City sports history. Because the Royals are a small-market franchise in a game where big markets rule, it seemed likely that Witt's tenure with the Royals would be brief. That was the case with former "stars" before Witt like Damon, Beltran, and Hosmer (at least Hosmer helped the Royals to two pennants and a title). After all, Witt's dad played for the Texas Rangers, a big-market franchise in his home state. Many pessimistic Royals fans assumed Witt would eventually return to Texas once he became a free agent. Heck, there was even a point where some from that Royals fanbase thought it would be beneficial to trade Witt for a super prospect package, similar to the one the Nationals got from San Diego in exchange for Juan Soto. And yet, the Royals not only held onto him, but also inked him prior to the 2024 season to an 11-year, $288.778 million deal that would guarantee him to be in Kansas City until at least 2030. Since signing that contract, Witt has not only achieved monumental individual success but has also led the Royals to two winning seasons and a return to the postseason. Remember, prior to 2024, the last Kansas City team to win a World Series was the 2015 team. Witt winning on the field would be enough for Royals fans. And yet, he has done more than that. He's been active in the community. He's a hit with kids like Roy Hobbs in "The Natural" (the movie, not the book, which is more depressing). He's been a major supporter and advocate in the fight against a disease like ALS. Witt doesn't have to do these things. He could be a superstar who could carry himself in a bigger city or market, hang out with all kinds of celebrities, and make more money in endorsements for more national brands (or Kalshi; hopefully Witt never goes down this route like some athletes). However, that's not Witt. There's something genuine about Witt. Something wholesome and unique that fans don't often see in many baseball players, especially those paid vast sums of money per year. Witt has something special that makes him the exact right fit for the Royals franchise, which has been in the doldrums for decades. This fanbase and city not only needed winning baseball after years of brutal play in the wake of former owner Ewing Kauffman's death and Brett's retirement. They needed a hopeful face. Maybe not a savior, but something close to that. Witt has been everything and more to Kansas City in his four seasons with the Royals. And the best part? There is more to come, both on the field and off. The Gehrig award is just the beginning for Witt's legacy with the Royals, as crazy as that sounds. View the full article