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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

When you look at the names on the depth chart listed below, one thing sticks out: none of the players who are expected to get significant playing time at first base are internally developed. And that's nothing new. Last year, Minnesota's primary first baseman was free agent acquisition Ty France. In 2024, it was free agent acquisition Carlos Santana. In 2023, it was free agent acquisition Donovan Solano. This year, top free agent acquisitions Josh Bell and Victor Caratini figure to mix in with Kody Clemens and Eric Wagaman, who were more or less waiver wire pickups. I suppose this reflects an organizational philosophy that first base is a position easily supplemented by low-cost external plugs — thus development efforts and resources should be focused elsewhere. There's a validity to this mindset, but it hasn't always paid dividends for Minnesota in the past — e.g. last year, when the Twins ranked 22nd in fWAR at first base despite having a Gold Glover on hand for the first four months. How will this year's patchwork solutions work out? TWINS FIRST BASEMEN AT A GLANCE Starter: Kody Clemens Backup: Josh Bell Depth: Victor Caratini, Eric Wagaman, Aaron Sabato Prospects: Hendry Mendez, Billy Amick Twins fWAR Ranking Last Year: 22nd out of 30 Twins fWAR Projection This Year: 24th out of 30 THE GOOD In a lineup that is loaded with question marks, the Twins needed to add a dependable bat this offseason, and they got just that in Bell. He has posted an above-average OPS in every season, sans the abbreviated 2020 campaign, and has a career 114 OPS+ over a decade in the big leagues. He's a switch-hitter who takes quality at-bats, puts the ball in play and reliably delivers good-not-great power production. A fine fit at first base. Except, it's not clear Bell will play first base all that often, nor that he should. With the Twins placing an emphasis on improved defense, they'd be doing themselves no favors by using Bell in the field regularly. His defensive shortcomings have persistently dragged down his overall value, and in 2025 with Washington he saw far more time at designated hitter (98 starts) than first base (33 starts). I'm not sure the split will be quite so extreme with Minnesota, but I'd bet they're planning — or at least hoping — to use Bell more at DH than first. That would leave a sizable share of playing time for Clemens and Caratini, as well as Wagaman if he's on the roster. It's a group that provides some matchup functionality and a few intriguing skillsets, albeit not a ton of upside. Clemens seemed to be in line for the starting first base job at the start of the offseason. That was based on remarks from Derek Falvey — "We want to give Kody a lot of runway there," he said at the GM Meetings — and before the Twins signed Bell and Caratini. Part of me is kind of curious to see Clemens get that runway to show what he can do, because he flashed real power last year and he does offer relatively good speed and defense at first base on a team that needs all it can get of both. I've still got him penciled in atop the depth chart but the position is very fluid and, as things stand, I would expect a somewhat even distribution of starts. Bell and Caratini are going to play a lot, and there will only be so many ABs available for them at DH. Collectively, these three along with Wagaman as a RH platoon option give the Twins a decent amount of depth at first, even if it's not the highest-quality depth. THE BAD If the Twins could combine Bell, Caratini and Clemens into one player, it'd be the full package at first base: experience, proven production, solid athleticism and defense. Unfortunately, they can only use one of them at a time, and on their own, each of these players brings major limitations when they're manning the position. Bell is the best hitter of the bunch, but a major defensive liability. Caratini hits well for a catcher, enabling him to command $14 million in free agency, but his average-ish offense is much less impactful at first. Clemens runs and fields better than those two, but he's got a career OPS+ of 81 and finished at 94 in last year's "breakout." These factors dampen the upside offered by each when at first base, and unfortunately, I'm not sure how much upside there is to detract from. Clemens and Caratini are both substantially below-average hitters in their careers, and Bell hasn't been a great hitter since 2022. Wagaman played the most first base of the bunch last year, in Miami, but was one of the worst regulars in all of baseball. It feels like the best you're hoping for at first base is competent offense and non-disastrous defense. Which is more or less the same blueprint as last year when the Twins went with Ty France. It wasn't good enough then, and if the 24th-out-of-30 projection from FanGraphs is at all accurate, it won't be good enough now. The lack of short-term vision would be more palatable if there were a promising pipeline in place on the other side, but right now it's anyone's guess who might step in at first base down the line. The Twins have talked about working in outfield prospect Hendry Mendez, acquired in the Harrison Bader trade last year, but that experiment is only beginning. No other prospects in the system's upper tier currently play first base primarily. Which can change, of course — the nature of a position near the bottom of the defensive spectrum — but as we've seen, the Twins have not shown much ability to develop impact big-leaguers at the position. The Billy Beane-esque "anyone can play first base" mentality has not proven out practically for Minnesota, at least not since the days of Luis Arraez and Miguel Sanó. THE BOTTOM LINE Maybe the worst and most rudderless position on the roster as we size up the Twins in their current state. I do see things to like about each of the main candidates for playing time, but first base doesn't bring out the best in any of them. Bell is best suited for DH, Caratini for catcher, Clemens and Wagaman for roving platoon bench roles. There's no great first baseman on this team or readily available in the minors. I'm interested to see how the usage patterns take shape under Derek Shelton, but not terribly optimistic about the sum result. Catch up on the rest of our roster preview series: Twins 2026 Position Analysis: Catcher View the full article

On Saturday afternoon, I found myself in an all-too-familiar situation: genuinely excited to watch TV. It wasn’t reruns of Parks and Rec or Sportsnet’s Misplays of the Month. It was Blue Jays baseball. And for a moment, it was pure euphoria. It felt like I was sitting on a baseball-shaped cloud, with the voices of Ben Shulman and Madison Shipman ushering in another season. Once the first pitch was thrown, my baseball brain was back. I started watching the radar gun after every pitch, tracking Eric Lauer's pitch mix, and watching Alejandro Kirk frame pitches like the maestro he is. In the bottom of the first, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped in for his first professional at-bat since Game 7 of the World Series. He looked locked in immediately. He took a Bryse Wilson cutter inside for ball one. Wilson came back with a curveball that just missed the outside edge, a pitch close enough that Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan challenged via the ABS system. Vlad won. It was ball two. That's when Shulman said this: “Part of Guerrero’s success has been this, he just is not going to expand, he’s going to make you come after him.” When the plate appearance ended, Vlad had worked a five-pitch walk. He took four balls out of the zone, and took a healthy cut at the only one he got in the zone and fouled it back: It’s exactly the type of approach you want to see from any player, but especially Vlad. Swing at the pitches you can do damage with, and take the ones you can't. I got curious and wanted to look deeper into what Guerrero’s approach at the plate looked like under new hitting coach David Popkins. After doing some digging, I found it was still phenomenal, but different. Let me explain. My main takeaway was that Vladdy was swinging less often than ever before: What's more fascinating, though, is that swinging less didn't dramatically change his results. From 2019-2024, he swung at 48.5% of the pitches he saw and produced a .367 wOBA. In 2025, he swung at a career-low 42.2% of the time and posted a .366 wOBA. On the surface, nothing changed. The production was nearly identical. But the way he got there was different. First things first, it's plate discipline that matters. Swinging less is good, as long as you’re swinging less at pitches out of the zone, but swinging less at the ones you should be swinging at can be a problem. To evaluate swing decisions, I like to use Baseball Prospectus’ SEAGER metric (named after Corey Seager). It measures the value of a hitter's decision to swing or take based on count and pitch location. It rewards hitters who attack pitches they can do damage with and who lay off the unhittable ones. Guerrero's career SEAGER is 22.4, and in 2025, it dipped slightly to 20.4. The dip wasn’t about chasing more. It was about attacking less. In 2024, Vlad punished pitches in the heart of the zone. In 2025, he let more of those go by. When you pass on pitches you can drive, even elite hitters like Guerrero are leaving production on the table: Compare this to his wOBA per zone from 2024 and 2025: Now we can dive even deeper into his 2025 season and find more information. Here is a chart that shows Guerrero's Swing% and wOBA over the 2025 season: The data shows something fascinating: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. actually does more damage when he swings less. This doesn’t mean he needs to become more passive. It doesn't mean taking more strikes just for the sake of it. Passivity can be dangerous. Once pitchers learn that you’re unlikely to swing, they attack the zone and count leverage moves in their favor. So, for Vlad, it's not about passivity. It’s about eliminating the swings that don’t lead to damage. When he trims his swing decisions, he avoids weak contact and forces pitchers back into the zone. And when pitchers are forced into the zone against him, he attacks. When he attacks, he’s special. October was another sign of this philosophy. His Swing% dropped to 42.9%, and the wOBA rose to a stunning .517, showing that when Guerrero was swinging less, the damage was coming with him. It nearly led to a World Series banner being hung in Toronto. There’s more to it than just swinging. Vlad, like many others on the roster, was swinging harder than ever before, especially when he was ahead in the count. So, what does this mean entering 2026? Well, it seems like it's going to be more of the same. On MLB Network's "30 Clubs, 30 Camps," Guerrero explained his shift in philosophy: “In the season, if I see a man on second and no outs, I try to hit the ball the other way, and now [the Blue Jays] told me let's go to home plate and do damage, and that’s what I do this spring training… they tell me to bring him in, so I bring him in.” That sounds like a hitter who learned something in October. With Bo Bichette gone, there's no more debate. This is Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s team now, and manager John Schneider has the utmost confidence in his superstar, saying, “[Bichette's departure] allows Vlad to have a louder voice, and to understand this has been his team and will always be his team.” Guerrero hit just 23 home runs last season, but if he can maintain the changes he made into the postseason and the selective, damage-first version of Vlad carries into 2026, then the 48 home runs he hit in his MVP-caliber 2021 season don't seem out of reach. And that sounds much more like must-watch television than any Parks and Rec rerun could ever be. View the full article

Prior to the 2024 season, the Boston Red Sox were marketing the future through a collective group of prospects that had the public excited. Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel, Marcelo Mayer, and Nick Yorke (with Kristian Campbell replacing him during the season) were being advertised as the “core four”; in a sense, being seen as the future of the organization. Fast forward two seasons, and while they aren’t being marketed in the same vein, the Red Sox may have their next quartet, but this time from a pitching standpoint instead of hitters. Since taking over, Craig Breslow has revamped the Red Sox pitching development system and, through the drafts, has focused on pitching as 28 of his draft selections have been pitchers. The team has used the influx of pitchers to completely overhaul its depth, and the surplus of pitching has allowed it to move multiple pitchers to improve its major league roster. Despite that, both Breslow and the Red Sox have decided upon four pitchers that are seemingly high on their list. Of the four, three of them were taken in last year’s draft. Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson, and Marcus Phillips were taken with three of the first four Red Sox picks. The final member of the quartet, Juan Valera, was signed as an international free agent back in 2023. Together, these four have the potential to become the team’s next “Big Four” once Payton Tolle and Connelly Early graduate from prospect status. Though that’s not to say they haven’t already been making headlines for themselves within the first week of spring training. Kyson Witherspoon Witherspoon, viewed highly by the organization, has already turned heads since the offseason began, thanks in part to his work ethic. Having spent time with Driveline over the winter, Witherspoon was able to learn a sweeper to add to his arsenal. What makes his new sweeper fascinating is that he was able to get 20” of horizontal break on it, something that no other Red Sox prospect was able to do in 2025. Along with that, there were fewer than 10 pitchers in all of minor league baseball who had a sweeper with at least 20” of horizontal movement. Add to it a fastball that averages in the mid to upper 90s, and Witherspoon could fly through the minors in a way similar to Tolle. So far in spring training, Witherspoon has thrown live at-bats twice, getting his fastball up to 97 mph in the first session back on February 13 and hitting 98 mph on February 20. In the latter, he pitched against Roman Anthony, getting him to ground out. Now, spring training is still young, and it makes sense for pitchers to be ahead of hitters, but the Red Sox are high on him. As reported by Alex Speier, there’s a real possibility that Witherspoon could start the season in Double-A instead of High-A like most first-round picks with the Red Sox. Witherspoon is viewed as a Top 100 prospect for several publications, and his work ethic and growth in just under a year with the organization are remarkable. Juan Valera Joining Witherspoon in conversations about dominant, intriguing, young pitchers is Valera. Valera, who won’t turn 20 until the middle of May, has been viewed as one of the better Red Sox pitching prospects since 2024, when he made his stateside debut in the Florida Complex League. After throwing 40 1/3 innings with a 1.79 ERA, he was promoted to Salem, where his dominance continued with 28 strikeouts in 23 innings. The team was impressed with his performance across the two levels and was slated to open 2025 with Greenville. Unfortunately, Valera struggled at times to pitch deep into games, making it into the fifth inning only three times. Despite that, he was dominant at times and only allowed more than two earned runs twice. The hard-throwing right-hander missed most of the season after dealing with elbow soreness in May. Despite that, Valera showed up to spring training ready to show what he could do. Backed with one of the hardest sweepers in all of minor league baseball (thanks to it having a spin rate over 2,700 rpm and a fastball that can top out at 100 mph, Valera has two deadly pitches to work with. Much like Witherspoon, Valera has also cracked some Top 100 prospect lists, ranking 90th in ESPN’s selections. Valera is a prospect whose value will be tied to his health. Through his first three professional seasons, the right-hander’s max number of innings thrown was 63 1/3 in 2024. How he handles a full season’s workload will help tell what kind of pitcher he could end up becoming. Currently, though, it’s one with extreme talent, as backed by Anthony. Much like with Witherspoon, Valera faced Anthony in a live at-bat. In it, Valera attempted to attack Anthony, and while the outfielder managed to make contact and foul a pitch off, he would eventually be struck out while looking at strike three. After the at-bat, he asked SoxProspects’ Andrew Parker what level Valera was at, eventually saying, “This kid is really good”. For him to reach his potential, however, it’ll be about going deeper into games. Already, he’s shown an ability to strike batters out and generate whiffs, but he needs to learn how to get batters to hit for soft contact instead of attempting to strike everyone out. Marcus Phillips The third member of the quartet may be the biggest boom-or-bust prospect of the group, as Phillips has a high ceiling thanks to his size and athleticism paired with his fastball’s velocity. Drafted with the pick acquired in the Quinn Priester trade, Phillips already topped out at close to 101 mph in college. The right-hander demonstrated two potentially above-average pitches in college with his fastball and slider, while his changeup could potentially be an average pitch. Unfortunately for Phillips, the biggest issue with his delivery that could see him become a bullpen arm is his ability to throw strikes. Despite those concerns, Phillips had a walk rate of 9% in his first season as a starter in 2025, and his build alone will lead the Red Sox to begin his development in the starting rotation. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 245 pounds, he is another big and strong pitcher that Breslow has craved since overhauling the organizational pitching development. 2026 will be huge for Phillips to determine the path the Red Sox decide to take with him. Phillips very likely could be the equivalent of Nick Yorke in this scenario and end up traded due to others passing him on the organizational depth chart, or he could end up being the best of the four pitchers. Anthony Eyanson The final member, Eyanson, could end up being the best because teams overlooked him at the draft. Taken by the Red Sox in the third round, there’s no debate that Eyanson could have been a first-round pick with his potential, especially after finishing third in Division I in strikeouts and previously being a consensus top 50 prospect before falling to the Red Sox in the third round. While it can be argued that Eyanson could very well be a high-floor, low-ceiling pitcher, his attitude to improve and his chip on his shoulder after falling in the draft could lead him to push past those projections. Last week, Eyanson threw a live at-bat on Friday, February 20, and in that session, he was told he topped out at 98.4 mph. When he was in college, he was averaging 92-94 mph, already showing improvement in his velocity. From a visual standpoint, he also looks stronger, having put on muscle since being drafted, as he aims to prove all the doubters wrong. His pitch arsenal alone seems to have three potentially above-average pitches in his fastball, slider, and curveball, while his changeup could end up being an average pitch at the major league level. Eyanson is likely to stick in the rotation thanks to his athletic frame, strong makeup, and his tendency to be a hard worker. The Red Sox have managed to surround their lower levels of the minors with intriguing pitchers who could very well help the major league team as soon as the 2027 season, depending on their development. Over the last few years, fans were able to watch minor league hitters with excitement, and now it’s flipped to the pitching side as the team very likely has its new Big Four. It’ll be a fun season watching these four pitchers develop and move through the minor leagues, as fans can’t help but visualize a pitching staff featuring them. View the full article

We are ridiculously excited to welcome you to this new era of the Fish On First podcast! In our debut with the Foul Territory Network, Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman are joined by AJ Ramos. The former Marlins closer and current TV/radio broadcaster is also Fish Unfiltered's new co-host. The guys revisit the club's biggest offseason moves, project the 2026 starting rotation, and get AJ's take on pitching in high-leverage situations and adapting to various Major League Baseball rule changes. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. A 21st-round draft pick of the Marlins in 2009, Ramos pitched parts of six MLB seasons for the Fish at the major league level (2012-2017). He ranks third in franchise history with 325 pitching appearances and tied for fourth with 92 saves. He was selected to the 2016 National League All-Star team, posting a 2.90 FIP (2.81 ERA) with 40 saves that year. The right-hander later pitched for the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels. Ramos announced his retirement in April 2022 and has since made the pivot to broadcasting. In addition to weekly appearances on the FOF podcast, you can find him on MLB Network Radio, Marlins.TV and the Marlins Radio Network. Follow AJ (@theajramos), Kevin (⁠@kevin_barral⁠), Isaac (⁠@IsaacAzout⁠), Ely (⁠@RealEly⁠) and Fish On First (⁠@FishOnFirst⁠) on Twitter. Join the ⁠Marlins Discord server⁠! Complete Miami Marlins coverage at ⁠FishOnFirst.com⁠. View the full article

Before he could make his first official appearance in spring training, left-hander Ricky Tiedemann suffered a setback: soreness in his pitching elbow. Thankfully, an MRI did not find any structural damage, but the top prospect will not throw for at least the next week (per Sportsnet). Tiedemann, 23, sat out all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was expected to slowly build up his strength and compete for a role in Toronto's big league bullpen at some point this season. This latest news doesn't necessarily change that, but it's hard not to be worried about an update like this concerning a hard-throwing young pitcher. The latest update on right-hander Chay Yeager is even less encouraging. According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, the 23-year-old met with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, and he could require surgery. Meister is a well-known specialist when it comes to UCL reconstruction. Yeager is coming off a strong season in which he pitched to a 2.75 ERA and 3.45 FIP in 55.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. He was invited to MLB spring training for the first time this year. View the full article

With the spring exhibition season underway, there isn't a ton for the Chicago Cubs to figure out—at least when it comes to their regulars. Their lineup is largely set and, with the exception of the Alex Bregman signing, really has been all winter. Instead, the positional focus this spring is on who will round out the positional half of the roster from the bench. We know that Matt Shaw will assume a utility role on the infield and get occasional outfield work. We also know that Miguel Amaya will serve as the de facto no. 2 behind the plate (though it's likely to be a relatively even timeshare with Carson Kelly). If we're to assume Tyler Austin gets the third bench spot as a right-handed complement for Michael Busch at first base and occasional designated hitter, that leaves just one spot. We know that spot will go to an outfielder. Which outfielder, however, is arguably camp's most active question. It's not just that the Cubs have a set outfield. They have a trio of which each figures to log heavy playing time (barring injury). At present, FanGraphs projects Ian Happ for 93 percent of the time in left field, Pete Crow-Armstrong for 92 percent of it in center, and Seiya Suzuki in right field 76 percent of the time. That workload further supports the idea of the fourth spot going to someone from the outfield mix, which means you're looking at four names for one opening. Kevin Alcántara and Justin Dean are the options currently on the Cubs' 40-man roster. They're joined by non-roster invitees Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick. On Monday, the Cubs added Michael Conforto to that latter group. The foursome enter the picture at very different stages of their respective careers, the nuance of which could inform the choice that Craig Counsell and company make about who resides on the roster by the end of March. The following is what each produced at the level at which they spent the most time in 2025: Kevin Alcántara (Iowa Cubs): 430 PA, .266/.349/.470, 29.8 K%, 11.2 BB%, 110 wRC+ Chas McCormick (Astros): 116 PA, .210/.279/.290, 26.7 K%, 7.8 BB%, 62 wRC+ Dylan Carlson (Orioles): 241 PA, .203/.278/.336, 22.4 K%, 8.7 BB%, 74 wRC+ Michael Conforto (Dodgers): 486 PA, .199/.305/.333, 24.9 K%, 11.5 BB%, 83 wRC+ Justin Dean (Oklahoma City Comets): 347 PA, .289/.378/.431, 23.6 K%, 11.2 BB%, 110 wRC+ It's not a particularly inspiring group. But they all have at least a history of upside. Even Dean, a late bloomer who wasn't even a high draft pick when he entered pro ball years ago, has defensive value and put up good enough numbers in Triple-A to earn a place with the eventual champion Dodgers during October. Alcántara's case is a little bit different than the others. In a perfect world, his best days are ahead of him. He's done solid work in the minors and is capable of holding down all three spots, but his strikeout rate remains concerning. Meanwhile, McCormick missed a good chunk of last season with an oblique injury and is two years removed from a 22-homer, 19-steal season with Houston. Carlson has never quite lived up to his billing as a prospect, with health issues of his own playing their part since a third-place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting back in 2021. Conforto has his own spotty history but a longer track record, with his approach remaining a steady component of an otherwise deteriorating offensive skill set. Before we can determine which outfielder may best serve the Cubs' needs off the bench, though, it's important to determine exactly what profile they may be looking for. The starting outfield features a nice mix of skill sets. Happ brings a switch-hitting, on-base-driven approach. Crow-Armstrong offers significant power and speed from the left side of the plate, if the contact can come through enough for each to be maximized. Suzuki blends patience with power as a right-handed hitter. However, it's also not so much a need to supplement the outfield group itself as it is to supplement the rest of the lineup. The Cubs are a righty-heavy group. They have Suzuki, Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and both Kelly and Amaya. Moisés Ballesteros could balance things somewhat if he wins the first crack at the DH gig, but the possibility exists that he spends at least a little bit of time in Iowa to start the year. That means Crow-Armstrong and Busch are the only lefties projected to get regular work at present. With one of Kelly or Amaya, Shaw, and Austin on the bench, it's a group thin on lefties—which automatically begins to point us in a particular direction. Interestingly, the one that feels the easiest to eliminate from the discussion is the one who performed at the highest level in 2025, albeit in the minor leagues. Alcántara presents decent power, 10-15 steal potential, and athleticism to hold down any of the three spots. At the same time, he'd worsen that rightward lean for the overall group. Besides, the Cubs would probably want to ensure that he's playing as close to an everyday capacity as possible. Unless the Cubs find themselves in a situation where Ballesteros isn't ready and the DH remains more in flux, the assumption should be for Alcántara to start the year back in Iowa until a consistent spot at which to play opens up. McCormick also feels unlikely to be a part of the Opening Day roster. His power vanished entirely last year, and his splits against lefties (137 wRC+) are considerably better than they are against pitchers of the same handedness (93 wRC+). Even as a steady fielder—30 Outs Above Average in his career at all three spots—the fit just isn't apparent. Dean is McCormick, without the pop McCormick once showed. That leaves us with Carlson and Conforto. Carlson, at least, offers a presence as a switch-hitter. He has prospect pedigree and a steady approach, the latter of which he was able to parlay into a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio and consistently squared-up contact. Then, you look at the splits. Against right-handed pitching, Carlson's career wRC+ is just 83. His career average (.217) is nearly 60 points lower than it is against lefties. The power is consistent on both sides, but the strikeouts and walks are also each slightly worse. If the purpose of a hitter capable of swinging lefty is to combat tougher righties or swing in as a designated hitter, Carlson's probably not your guy. That means that the Cubs could very well find themselves in position to rely upon Michael Conforto as their bench bat, to start the season. Conforto does have some things going for him. His chase rate (23.2 percent) was in the 82nd percentile, which begot an 84th percentile walk rate. However, his quality-of-contact metrics regressed in 2025. His barrel rate fell by about two percentage points, and his hard-hit rate did about the same. While that is an obvious decrease, though, it also doesn't justify a 30-point drop in batting average on balls in play, to .247. Despite his own checkered history on the health front, Conforto has shown offensive chops more recently than his counterparts in this discussion. His barrel rate in 2024 (11.8%) was in the 80th percentile, and his hard-hit rate was in the 77th (46.0%). If the Cubs think they can make the tweaks to get him back in that direction, then his being a left-handed bat should, automatically, give him the edge. At that point, though, the Cubs would have to account for the fact that he hasn't appeared in center field since 2019. With Conforto on the bench, you're looking at Suzuki or Shaw sliding over when Crow-Armstrong needs a day off. Regardless, one imagines that the team would prioritize the bat over the glove. In a lineup that leans so heavily to one side, that feels like the more immediate concern. Given what we're looking at with this group, Conforto is the leading candidate for the final bench spot. With the ability to option Dean and Alcántara to Iowa, the team can afford to let them wait in the minors. View the full article

There's an argument to be made that the most important games the Minnesota Twins will play this decade are the ones scheduled between Opening Day and the All-Star break in 2026. That may sound dramatic for a franchise just a few years removed from postseason relevance, but recent history has shown how small the margin for error has become. In both 2024 and 2025, Minnesota found itself playing from behind almost immediately. In 2025, the club limped to a 13-20 record and sat eight games out of first place on May 2. A 13-game winning streak briefly revived belief inside the clubhouse and across the fan base, but it ultimately masked deeper roster flaws that resurfaced over the final four months. The 2024 season followed a similar script. The Twins were 7-13 entering play on April 22, before a 12-game winning streak shoved them back into contention. Those bursts were impressive, but unsustainable. Minnesota was forced to play nearly perfect baseball for weeks at a time just to erase the damage of a slow start. Needless to say, it didn't work out that way. Following the same path in 2026 might mean a full-fledged freefall. This version of the Twins does not have the same depth to weather injuries or prolonged slumps. The lineup is thinner, the bullpen is weaker, and the rotation does not feature the same high-ceiling leaders. Falling six to eight games under .500 in April could be the difference between buying at the deadline and beginning a more aggressive sell-off. To that end, trade speculation will not wait for clarity. Joe Ryan remains one of the more valuable controllable starters in the American League. A healthy Byron Buxton is still a dynamic, game-altering talent. Ryan Jeffers has developed into one of baseball’s best-hitting catchers, but is a pending free agent. All three heard their names in rumors over the last year, and that has only increased since last July’s trade deadline sell-off. Another sluggish first half would intensify conversations across the league. Ownership expectations complicate the picture. Tom Pohlad has consistently communicated that the expectation is to contend and play meaningful games in September. That likely requires the Twins to hover around .500 at the trade deadline, while hoping the American League Central underperforms relative to the rest of baseball. If the division remains tightly packed and flawed, a team sitting a game or two out of first place in late July could justify adding, rather than subtracting. But if Minnesota enters July buried in the standings, the calculus changes. At that point, the front office must decide whether holding onto veteran talent serves the long-term vision or delays an inevitable reset. What makes this first half uniquely fascinating is the wave building in the upper minors. Minnesota expects several of its top prospects to open the season at Triple-A, including Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper, and Connor Prielipp. Each brings a different element. Jenkins profiles as a middle-of-the-order presence. Rodriguez offers impact power and on-base ability. Culpepper has quickly climbed, with advanced bat-to-ball skills. Prielipp, if healthy, has the type of stuff that can alter a rotation’s ceiling. The environment they enter matters. If the Twins are within striking distance in July, those call-ups could feel like reinforcements for a legitimate postseason push. Young talent arriving to supplement an already competitive roster can energize a clubhouse and a fan base. On the other hand, if veterans are moved at the deadline, those same prospects could debut in a far more developmental setting, tasked with learning on the fly while the organization prioritizes growth over wins. That fork in the road will be determined by the first 81 games. There is also a business reality layered into the baseball conversation. After back-to-back disappointing seasons, the Twins are actively trying to re-engage a frustrated fan base. The organization has announced promotions ranging from discounted beer to free ice cream for kids to create a more inviting ballpark experience. Those initiatives matter, but history has shown that the most effective marketing strategy is winning. Compounding the pressure is a payroll that has dropped from $160 million in 2023 to just over $100 million in 2026. Even that number requires context. Minnesota is paying the Houston Astros $10 million toward the salary of Carlos Correa, and Pablo López will not throw a pitch this season following Tommy John surgery despite carrying a $21.5-million salary. In other words, the margin is thin on and off the field. A strong first half could stabilize everything. It would quiet trade rumors, justify ownership's patience, energize the fan base, and create a pathway for prospects to join a competitive core. A poor start could accelerate difficult conversations and reshape the organization’s timeline for the remainder of the decade. The Twins do not need to dominate April and May. They simply need to avoid the kind of early hole that has defined recent seasons. Because this time, there may not be another 12 or 13-game winning streak waiting to save them. How important is the first half of the 2026 season for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Jamie, Jeremy, and Theo begin breaking down their top 20 Twins prospect lists, and Walker Jenkins remains the top guy for all of them. They break down why he remains the top prospect, what he still has to develop in 2026, and what a successful season could look like for him both in the minors and the major leagues. View the full article

Jamie, Jeremy, and Theo begin breaking down their top 20 Twins prospect lists, and Walker Jenkins remains the top guy for all of them. They break down why he remains the top prospect, what he still has to develop in 2026, and what a successful season could look like for him both in the minors and the major leagues. View the full article

Jamie, Jeremy, and Theo begin breaking down their top 20 Twins prospect lists, and Walker Jenkins remains the top guy for all of them. They break down why he remains the top prospect, what he still has to develop in 2026, and what a successful season could look like for him both in the minors and the major leagues. View the full article

Baseball free agency, as we know it, began in 1976, so the 2025-26 offseason is the 50th season of free agent signings. The San Diego Padres have been both on the signing end and the losing end of free agent signings, but many of the free agents the Padres signed would make an impact. The admittedly subjective top ten free agent signings in Padres history consist of five from the era of the Kroc family ownership and five from the Moores, Fowler, and Seidler ownerships. It should be noted that Nick Pivetta, who to date has played with the Padres only in 2025, is omitted from the list since his contributions to the Padres cannot be judged on a single season. James Shields, who was a bust with the Padres and was unloaded in a trade that included Fernando Tatis Jr., was excluded due to Shields’ lack of direct contributions to the Padres, even though his signing indirectly provided the team with Tatis. For some years, a lack of financial resources prevented the Padres from signing desired free agents. Currently, the Padres’ free-agent struggles stem from penalties for violating the luxury tax. It could also be said that free agency hurt the Padres in the beginning, since in 1976 all four of their minor league affiliates won league championships, and the ability of other teams to sign free agents offset the Padres’ player development advantage. The first two free agents the Padres signed, both of whom are on the top ten list, displaced an incumbent catcher who caught Cy Young Award winner Randy Jones in 1976, as well as Rookie of the Year award co-winner Butch Metzger, who was himself displaced by the other initial free agent. Given the displacement factor, it may have been beneficial to the Padres that Reggie Jackson chose the New York Yankees’ offer instead. The Padres’ 1976 outfield included Dave Winfield, Johnny Grubb, and Willie Davis, while the 1977 Padres outfielder Gene Richards would set a rookie record for stolen bases. Richards himself was allowed to become a free agent after the 1983 season when 1981 Padres draft picks Kevin McReynolds and Tony Gwynn had established themselves as major league outfielders. Instead of signing Jackson, the Padres obtained two of his Oakland Athletics teammates on the same day for the Padres’ first two free agent signings. Four years later, those two free agents would be sent to the St. Louis Cardinals in the same trade. Both players remain among the Padres’ top ten free agent signings half a century later. Gene Tenace and Rollie Fingers both signed with the Padres on December 14, 1976. Gene Tenace Gene Tenace first came into prominence in 1972 when he became the first player to hit home runs in both of his first two World Series at-bats. By the time the World Series ended, he had tied the record of four home runs in a single World Series. Between 1973 and 1976, Tenace hit 101 regular-season home runs with the A’s. A dropoff in that home run total with the Padres could have been expected. At the time, the San Diego Stadium outfield fence was 17 feet high, 330 feet away from home plate at the foul lines, 375 feet from the plate to the power alleys, and 420 feet from the batter’s box to center field. Tenace still accumulated 68 home runs during his four years with the Padres, and his 69 doubles from 1977 to 1980 nearly matched his 71 two-baggers during his previous four years in an Oakland uniform. Tenace had 465 hits from 1973 to 1976 and 384 hits with the Padres. He walked 398 times during his final four seasons with the A’s and 423 times as a Padre, which currently ranks fifth all-time among Padres players. His on-base percentage with San Diego was .403, which remains the best figure of all qualifying Padres hitters (Tony Gwynn and Fred McGriff share second at .388) with two seasons above .400 and no season below .392. In 1977, he led the National League with 125 walks and 13 times being hit by a pitch, and his 35 plunkings over four years now rank fourth in team history. The only other time during his Padres career when Tenace would lead the National League in a category was in 1979, when his .998 fielding percentage was the best among the league’s catchers. Tenace played only 94 games behind the plate that year, but also 72 as a first baseman. In 1978, Tenace played more games as a first baseman than as a catcher, and in 1977, he played 14 games at third base, 36 at first base, and 99 behind the plate. Tenace and Fingers were sent to St. Louis in an 11-player trade, which brought Terry Kennedy, who would be the team’s starting catcher from 1981 through 1986, to the Padres, while also giving the Padres backup catcher Steve Swisher. Tenace played two seasons with the Cardinals and one with the Pittsburgh Pirates before concluding his major league regular-season career with 201 home runs and a .388 on-base percentage. The signing of Tenace allowed the Padres to include catcher Fred Kendall, along with Johnny Grubb and infielder Hector Torres, in a trade to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder George Hendrick. Kendall would return to the Padres in 1979 and 1980, and his career batting average was .233 with the Padres and .234 when his seasons with the Indians and Boston Red Sox are included. Tenace had a .237 batting average with the Padres, which, even without the walks, was an offensive improvement over Kendall. Rollie Fingers The exclusion of Nick Pivetta from this list - because a player’s first season doesn’t guarantee long-term success - explains why the Padres signed Rollie Fingers even though Butch Metzger shared Rookie of the Year honors for 1976. Metzger was a September callup both in 1974 with the Giants and in 1975 with the Padres and had 1‑0 records each year. He won his first ten decisions in 1976, matching the record Hooks Wiltse set in 1904 of winning his first 12 career decisions. Metzger finished 1976 with an 11-4 record, 16 saves, and a 2.92 earned run average. His 77 appearances in 1976 broke both the team record and the major league rookie record of 76 appearances in 1974 by Larry Hardy. The 1976 Padres had the distinction of having both the National League’s complete games leader, with Randy Jones finishing 25 of his starts, and the league’s games finished leader, with Metzger closing 62 times. Metzger’s 16 saves in 1976 also set a team single‑season record. Fingers also finished 62 games in 1976 and had 20 saves and a 2.47 ERA in his 70 appearances. Relief pitching was needed even more for the 1977 Padres. Jones had torn a nerve late in the 1976 season and had only one complete game in 1977, which set a still-standing major league record for the shortest night game, which took Jones and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jim Kaat 1:29 to complete. The 1977 Padres set a major league record for fewest complete games in a season with six. Fingers made 78 pitching appearances in 1977 to lead the league, while Dan Spillner and Dave Tomlin made 76 apiece to share second. Metzger, who was traded during the season, had 75 appearances with the Padres and Cardinals for fourth in that statistic that year. Fingers also led the National League with 69 games finished and 35 saves. After the 1977 season, Tomlin was traded for Gaylord Perry, who gave the Padres their second Cy Young Award winner in three years and is the most recent Padres pitcher to win at least 20 games in a season. The 1978 Padres posted the first winning record in franchise history and had 21 complete games, so Fingers only appeared in 67 games and finished 62. The additional Padres leads in 1978 allowed Fingers to tie the National League record of 37 saves in one season. San Diego native John D’Acquisto, whom the Padres acquired when they traded Metzger, was second on the team with 10 saves. Fingers himself was 6-13 in decisions but posted a 2.52 ERA. The 1979 Padres had 29 complete games and 68 wins. Fingers was 9-9 with 13 saves in 54 games, including 41 he finished. Despite not starting a game in 1980, Fingers shared the team lead with 11 pitching victories. His 11-9 record was complemented by 23 saves and a 2.80 ERA. He appeared in 66 games and concluded 46. In his four Padres seasons, Fingers pitched in 265 games and finished 218 of them. He had a 34-40 record with 108 saves and a 3.12 ERA. The seven players the Padres acquired for Fingers, Tenace, pitcher Bob Shirley, and minor league catcher Bob Geren included two relief pitchers who combined for 80 appearances in the strike-shortened 1981 season. Gary Lucas (who was not part of that trade) became thePadres's closer, leading the National League with 57 appearances and the team with 13 saves. Fingers never pitched for the Cardinals; he was sent to Milwaukee in a seven-player trade. Fingers won both the Cy Young Award and the American League’s Most Valuable Player award in 1981 after saving 28 games and posting a 1.04 ERA. A torn muscle kept Fingers out of the 1982 World Series, and he retired in 1985 with 341 regular-season saves in 944 career games. Fingers was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. Steve Garvey Before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, general manager and team president Branch Rickey said it was better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late. That philosophy would continue under subsequent Dodgers general managers. The 1970s Dodgers had the consistency of Steve Garvey at first base, Davey Lopes at second base, Bill Russell at shortstop, and Ron Cey at third base. In the 1970s, the Dodgers’ backups included Bill Buckner and Tom Paciorek at first, Lee Lacy at second, Ivan DeJesus at shortstop, and Jerry Royster at third. By 1982, first basemen Mike Marshall and Greg Brock were ready to play for the Dodgers, so the team made little attempt to keep Garvey from leaving as a free agent. Padres general manager Jack McKeon had a philosophy of paying top dollar for a free agent who could take a team from third or second to first but not from sixth to fifth or fourth. A rebuilding effort was beginning to pay off in 1982, when the Padres were competitive for part of the season. On December 21, 1982, the Padres signed Garvey to a five-year contract. Garvey holds the National League record for consecutive games played. During his first month as a Padres player, he tied Billy Williams’ record of 1,117 consecutive games played. Eventually, he played in 1,207 consecutive games before an injury sidelined him for the rest of 1983. Garvey played in exactly 100 games in 1983 and batted .294 with 76 runs scored, 59 runs batted in, 22 doubles, and 14 home runs. The Padres won their first division championship in 1984, and the regulars were rested the day after the team clinched. Still, Garvey played in the other 161 regular-season games as well as the National League playoffs and the World Series. Although he had only eight home runs in the regular season, he batted .284 with 175 hits, 27 doubles, 72 runs scored, and 86 runs batted in. He shared the National League lead with ten sacrifice flies. Garvey also led the National League first basemen with a 1.000 fielding percentage, having made 1,232 putouts and 87 assists without an error (the three Padres who also had innings at first base in 1984 handled a cumulative 130 chances without an error). The Padres faced the Chicago Cubs in the 1984 National League Championship Series. The Cubs won the first two games at Wrigley Field with Garvey batting in a run with a single during Game Two. A 7-1 Padres victory at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium staved off elimination. In the fourth game, the Padres took a 2-0 lead on Garvey’s double in the third inning. The Cubs scored three runs in the fourth. In the bottom of the fifth, Garvey drove in the tying run with a single. Garvey singled in a run during the seventh inning, and a subsequent run gave the Padres a 5-3 lead. The Cubs tied the game with two runs in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, Garvey came to the plate with Tony Gwynn on first and one out. Garvey’s walk-off home run gave the Padres a 7-5 victory. The following day, Garvey singled in the final run of the Padres’ 6-3 triumph. He batted .400 during the playoffs with seven runs batted in, and he was named the Most Valuable Player for the playoffs. During the 1984 World Series, Garvey batted .200 with four hits, including two doubles, in 20 at-bats and scored two runs. Garvey played in all 162 of the Padres’ games in 1985, batting .281 with his 184 hits, including 34 doubles, six triples, and 17 homers. He scored 80 runs and drove in 81. Although he made five fielding errors, Garvey led National League first basemen with 1,442 putouts and 138 double plays. Garvey batted .255 in 1986, although his 21 home runs were his most since 1980. A shoulder injury in May 1987 ended his season and his playing career. In his five Padres seasons, Garvey batted .275 with his 631 regular-season hits, including 107 doubles and 61 home runs. He scored 291 regular-season runs with the Padres while driving in 316. In his 19 total major league seasons, including three games in 1969, Garvey batted .294 with 2,599 hits, 440 doubles, 272 home runs, 1,143 runs scored, and 1,308 runs batted in. Goose Gossage After the Padres traded Rollie Fingers, the closer role was given to Gary Lucas in 1981. Fingers was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a multi-player deal, which sent outfielder Sixto Lezcano to the St. Louis Cardinals. In December 1981, the Padres and Cardinals executed a six-player trade that sent shortstop Ozzie Smith to St. Louis while sending shortstop Garry Templeton, Lezcano, and pitcher Luis DeLeon to San Diego. Lucas and DeLeon shared closer duties in 1982 and 1983. In December 1983, Lucas was sent to the Montreal Expos as part of a three-way trade that brought outfielder Carmelo Martinez and pitcher Craig Lefferts to the Padres. Three-time American League save leader Goose Gossage became a free agent after the 1983 season, and on January 6, 1984, the Padres signed Gossage. Although Gossage never led the National League in saves while with the Padres, in 1984, his 10 relief wins ranked second in the league. His 10-6 record was complemented by 25 saves in his 62 appearances, including 51 games finished. He posted a 2.90 ERA in 102 1/3 innings pitched. He had one save in his three playoff appearances and pitched twice in the 1984 World Series. Gossage threw 79 2/3 innings in 1985 and had a 1.82 ERA, 26 saves, and a 5-3 record in 50 appearances. He took the mound 45 times in 1986 and was 5-7 with 21 saves. Lance McCullers took over the closer role from Gossage during the 1987 season, when Gossage had 11 saves in 40 appearances, a 5-4 record, and a 3.12 ERA. A four-player trade in February 1988 sent Gossage to the Chicago Cubs. He concluded his four Padres regular seasons with a 25-20 record, 83 saves, and a 2.99 ERA in 197 outings. Gossage retired after the 1994 season with 310 saves in 1,002 games and a 3.01 ERA, and in 200,8 he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Bruce Hurst In 1988, Roger Clemens and Bruce Hurst shared the Boston Red Sox team lead with 18 pitching victories apiece. Hurst was 18-6, and his .750 winning percentage ranked second among American League pitchers. The Cy Young Award voters placed Hurst ahead of Clemens, with Hurst taking fifth in the voting and Clemens placing sixth. Hurst was unable to reach a contract agreement with the Red Sox after the 1988 season. The Padres, whose third-place finish in 1988 was their best since 1984, pursued Hurst. He signed a three‑year agreement with San Diego on December 8, 1988. Although Hurst lost his first start with the Padres, his second start was a one-hit complete game victory. Hurst finished 1989 with a 15‑11 record, shared the National League lead with ten complete games, shared third in the league with 244 2/3 innings pitched, and placed fifth in the league with a 2.69 ERA and with 179 strikeouts. The Padres were 89-73 in 1989 but fell to 75-87 in 1990. Hurst was 11-9 in his second San Diego year, shared the National League lead with four shutouts, and shared second in the league with nine complete games. He was eighth in the league with 162 strikeouts and tenth both with 223 2/3 innings pitched and his 3.14 ERA. An 84-78 team record in 1991 included Hurst’s 15-8 record with the .652 winning percentage ranking fifth in the league. He struck out 141 batters in 221 2/3 innings and posted a 3.29 ERA. Hurst threw four shutouts for the 1992 Padres, who were 82-80. The shutouts included a one-hitter against the New York Mets, and Hurst was 14-9 overall with a 3.85 ERA in 217 1/3 innings. He struck out 131 opponents in 1992. The torn rotator cuff, which hindered Hurst near the end of the 1992 season, limited him to two games with the Padres in 1993. On July 26, 1993, Hurst was traded to the Colorado Rockies. The trade brought pitcher Andy Ashby and catcher Brad Ausmus to the Padres. Hurst started a total of 131 games for the Padres, posted a cumulative 55-38 record, completed 29 games, 10 of which were shutouts, struck out 616 batters in 911 2/3 innings, and had a 3.27 ERA, lower than the 4.23 ERA of his Red Sox years. He retired after the 1994 season with a career record of 145-113, a 3.92 ERA, and 23 shutouts. View the full article

Following his spring training debut on Tuesday, Marlins right-hander Chris Paddack speaks with the media about the specific pitches he's working on and adapting to the club's pitch-calling approach.View the full article

Following his spring training debut on Tuesday, Marlins right-hander Chris Paddack speaks with the media about the specific pitches he's working on and adapting to the club's pitch-calling approach.View the full article

After a career-best season in 2025, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is showing signs that he could elevate his play a step further this upcoming summer. In this video, we break down Pasquantino's rise throughout last season, his increased slug, and how the talent around him this year could lead to an MVP-like season for the Old Dominion alum. Enjoy! View the full article

After a career-best season in 2025, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is showing signs that he could elevate his play a step further this upcoming summer. In this video, we break down Pasquantino's rise throughout last season, his increased slug, and how the talent around him this year could lead to an MVP-like season for the Old Dominion alum. Enjoy! View the full article

Right-hander Matt Waldron's chances to make the San Diego Padres' Opening Day starting rotation took a major hit when he had a medical procedure to treat an infection. New Padres manager Craig Stammen said Waldron, who features a knuckleball, is "week-to-week" after the procedure addressed the infection in his "rear end." The 29-year-old spent most of 2025 at Triple-A El Paso and made just one MLB start. But with room in the rotation this spring, Waldron entered camp as one of a handful of candidates for the last two spots. He is out of minor-league options, which means he needs to make the Opening Day roster or go on the 15-day injured list to avoid being designated for assignment. Waldron started 26 times (in 27 appearances) in 2024, putting up a 4.26 FIP. He walked 6.4% of batters and struck out 21.3%, solid numbers. By throwing the knuck View the full article

Unless you are all about sentimentality, the move makes perfect sense. Brandon Woodruff might not be available to start Opening Day for the Milwaukee Brewers, as the right-hander takes his time ramping up this spring following a strained right lat that prematurely brought his feel-good comeback story to an end with less than two weeks to go in the 2025 season. His goal is to be healthy at the end of the 2026 season and be there for any postseason games the Crew may play. That didn't happen in 2023, when a shoulder injury that would require surgery, took him out on the eve of that year's postseason and sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. Then, it happened again in 2025. With 2026 perhaps being Woodruff's final season wearing a Brewers uniform, the 33-year-old would rather throw a pitch in the last game of the season than the first. Still, if Woodruff doesn't begin the season as the Opening Day starter March 26 against the Chicago White Sox, how do the Brewers replace the most veteran pitcher on the staff? His return to the team, after accepting the $22.025-million qualifying offer instead of finding a new home in free agency, was one reason why the Crew were willing to deal Freddy Peralta this winter. Peralta is now with the New York Mets. Woodruff was also the ideal pitcher to lead the staff post-Peralta, providing leadership and production. In 12 starts in his comeback, Woodruff had a 3.17 FIP, walking 5.4% of the batters he faced, while striking out 32.3%. Both marks are the best of his eight-year career. He struck out eight or more batters seven times, including a 10-strikeout performance in his second start. The good news is that the Brewers are in a good position to absorb a short-term loss of Woodruff, but much depends on how the team plans to reintegrate him into the rotation. "What that looks like early on, it could look a little bit different," Woodruff said Monday. "Nothing’s set in concrete, though." One possible scenario would be to handle Woodruff similarly to how the Los Angeles Dodgers brought along Shohei Ohtani last year, following his elbow surgery. As a two-way player, Ohtani didn't have the ability to go out on a rehab assignment without missing the chance to impact games as a designated hitter. Ohtani returned to pitching in mid-June and increased his workload gradually, such that the kid gloves were off by the time the postseason rolled around. He also had more time off between starts. Woodruff made two fewer starts in the regular season than Ohtani, but logged 17⅔ more innings. Of course, Ohtani's situation was made more palatable due to his two-way status, allowing Los Angeles to carry an extra pitcher. The Brewers do not have that luxury with Woodruff. Right-handers Quinn Priester and Jacob Misiorowski are the only other locks at the moment to be in the Crew's Opening Day rotation, with one of those two taking the ball that day instead of Woodruff. That turns what had been a battle royale for two rotation slots into one for three. For those in the competition, it doesn't really change much. None of the candidates wants to start the season at Triple-A Nashville, although more will than won't. As a quick refresher, those in contention include Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Sproat, Shane Drohan and Carlos Rodriguez. DL Hall and Ángel Zerpa, more likely to be in the bullpen, could be early-season solutions as well. Henderson is coming back from his own injury, a strained flexor that ended his season in August. But the right-hander started one of the Crew's split-squad exhibition games Sunday. Otherwise, everyone seems healthy at this point. Patrick is the next-closest thing to a lock, due to his performance in 2025. He was in the rotation for 23 of his 27 appearances and posted a 3.53 FIP, with an identical ERA. He was also electric out of the bullpen down the stretch and in the postseason, which will b an alternative for him this year if he doesn't make the rotation. After that, Henderson, Gasser and Harrison are in the next tier. Henderson made his first five MLB starts before being hurt, while Gasser came back from Tommy John surgery to make two quick-hook starts and was on the postseason roster. Harrison, a left-hander, has the most experience of the group, with 37 starts in his 42 MLB appearances. He came to the Crew in the Caleb Durbin trade, after going to the Boston Red Sox in the Rafael Devers deal with the San Francisco Giants. Prospects yet to prove themselves at the highest level are in the next group. That begins with Sproat and includes Drohan and Rodriguez. Sproat was one of the two players the Brewers received in the Peralta trade and got a brief taste of the majors at the end of 2025, with mixed results. Drohan—another lefty picked up in the Durbin deal—has battled injuries but has seen time at Triple-A each of the last three seasons. Rodriguez is homegrown, having been a sixth-round draft pick in 2021, but has struggled in his seven MLB appearances. Would it be surprising to see the Crew go out and sign a veteran to fill in for Woodruff? It depends on the plan the Brewers' medical staff has laid out for their incumbent ace. With a relatively raw group of pitchers who will be part of the team's future one way or the other, it would be a bit surprising. Most of these pitchers are ready to prove themselves in the majors. The starting group after Woodruff is nine deep, and that ignores Hall and Zerpa. While the Brewers might not have Woodruff for one final Opening Day, the team could make the strategy pay off by winning a fourth straight NL Central title and giving the ball to the big right-hander in the postseason. View the full article

Spring training is the season of overreactions. A pitching prospect touches 98 MPH, and suddenly he’s unhittable. A hitter sends one ball over the fence, and we’re rewriting the Opening Day lineup. That’s just how February works. But let’s take a breath. Most Grapefruit League games are about buildup and execution. Starters get their work in, then the game turns into a rolling audition. Results are fun, but the process matters more. This recaps the Twins' first three spring training games. Thus far, they’re 2-1, with a 7-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox, an 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves, and a 3-0 shutout victory over the Detroit Tigers. With that in mind, here’s a quick early-spring temperature check on who’s trending up, and who’s still finding their footing. Who’s Hot? ? Emmanuel Rodriguez: If you’re looking for loud contact, Emmanuel Rodríguez is delivering it. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect (according to MLB Pipeline) went 2-for-2 Sunday with a home run, jumping on a 2-0 cutter on the outer third and smashing it over the right-field wall. He followed that up on Monday with an absolute tank against Detroit, lefty on lefty, on a sinker over the heart of the plate: 420 feet, 107 MPH off the bat. When he’s healthy and hitting balls that hard, his upside becomes very real, very fast. Kendry Rojas: One of the Twins’ top pitching prospects, Rojas was flat-out dominant against Atlanta. Over two innings, he faced six batters, recorded six outs, and struck out three—and that came against not just any six hitters, but star big-leaguers. He faced Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies, and more than held his own. The stuff backed it up. His fastball topped out at 98.5 mph and sat around 97, generating over 15 inches of vertical break on average. The changeup showed 10.7 inches of horizontal movement and paired beautifully off the heater. There were swings and misses throughout, and both pitches looked like legitimate weapons. He also generated three whiffs on just eight sliders. For a guy who struggled at Triple-A last year, that’s extremely encouraging. Alan Roden: He didn’t ease into his spring. Roden went 2-for-3 Sunday against the Braves, highlighted by a grand slam. The at-bat stood out just as much as the result; it was a seven-pitch battle that ended with a 3-2 fastball at the top of the zone. He didn’t miss it, driving it out to right-center. He also added a hard-hit single into center field. That’s about as clean a start as you can ask for. Mick Abel: The command wasn’t perfect, but the raw stuff was very sharp. He threw three scoreless innings against Detroit’s projected starting lineup, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out five. After a leadoff triple in the first inning, he regrouped and struck out the side, a nice early sign of poise. His fastball topped out at 97.1 mph while sitting around 95, and he generated a ridiculous 12 swinging strikes on 46 pitches. Detroit simply couldn’t handle his fastball or changeup. The breaking ball command wavered at times, but overall, it was a very strong first outing for Abel. Who’s Not? ? Connor Prielipp: He didn’t allow a run and was credited with the win Monday, but this wasn’t the clean outing you were hoping for from Prielipp. Over 1 2/3 innings against Detroit’s projected starters, he gave up one hit, walked three, and struck out two. The stuff itself was solid. His fastball topped out at 97.5 mph, and both the slider and changeup regularly crept into the low 90s. The issue was location. He threw just 21 strikes on 41 pitches, and when you’re walking three of the nine hitters you face, it’s hard to call it sharp, even if the radar gun looks great. The arsenal is there; the command just has to catch up. Matt Wallner: Through five plate appearances this spring, Matt Wallner is 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. The only ball he’s put in play was a pop-up. It’s five plate appearances, and nobody’s panicking in February. But for a hitter whose profile already includes swing-and-miss red flags, you’d rather see some early contact. Again, this is spring training. These games often turn into minor-league scrimmages by the middle innings. A hot week doesn’t guarantee anything, and a slow one doesn’t doom anyone. But if we’re just taking an early pulse, a few Twins prospects are already making this spring a lot more interesting. View the full article

The season-ending elbow injury to Pablo López has forced a reality check for the Twins before the regular season has even begun. With their ace now set to undergo Tommy John surgery, questions about Minnesota’s direction are surfacing once again. Appearing Monday on Fair Territory, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal was asked whether López’s absence could impact how the organization approaches trade discussions involving key players such as Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan. "I would expect the Twins are going to be sellers, but not just yet," Rosenthal said Monday. Rosenthal pointed to the immediate impact López’s injury has on the club’s competitiveness, especially when evaluating how the roster stacks up against the rest of the division. "Certainly with losing Pablo Lopez, the team is not as competitive as it might have expected," continued Rosenthal. "But their new ownership, or I should say their shift in control people, to a different Pohlad, he's talking like they want to compete, and he keeps saying that, and he keeps coming out saying, 'We intend to be competitive in the AL Central.' So, I don't expect a trade of either of those players, Ryan or Buxton, to happen this spring." Both Buxton and Ryan have remained popular names in trade speculation dating back to last summer’s deadline when Minnesota reshaped much of its roster but ultimately held onto several cornerstone pieces. Ryan recently told The Athletic’s Dan Hayes he was "really happy" to still be in Minnesota after the front office opted against dealing López or Buxton earlier in the process. Buxton, meanwhile, has consistently stated his desire to remain with the Twins, even as rumors have continued to circulate. “All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media: ‘We’re not trading you.' Trade rumors stop," Buxton said recently. Ownership, led by controlling owner Tom Pohlad, has been clear in its desire to remain competitive rather than move additional talent. Still, Rosenthal noted that stance may become more difficult to maintain if Minnesota struggles in the standings. "Could it happen down the line, by the deadline? Certainly could happen if the Twins don't contend," Rosenthal reasoned. "And I'm still having a hard time seeing how they will contend. Now, they're in the forgiving AL Central. That will help. But the Tigers should be really good. The Guardians always seem to figure it out. The White Sox are improving. And the Royals, they see themselves as a contender as well." Rosenthal also referenced last July’s deadline decisions and the inherent risk of holding onto players who could have been moved at peak value. “The Twins are a team that, of course, deconstructed in a major way last July at the deadline. You remember all the players that they moved, Correa being the headliner, but a number of others as well, including really their entire bullpen.” “At that time, they chose not to trade Joe Ryan, not to trade Pablo Lopez, who was hurt. And the danger when you do that is you’re risking a player or pitcher getting injured or not performing to his previous norms. The Twins, in this case with Pablo Lopez, they were probably going to trade him at the deadline if he was healthy this year.” “Joe Ryan might have been a trade candidate and still might be a trade candidate for them at the deadline. They talk about competing. The Twins keep saying, ‘we want to compete, we want to be back in the AL Central mix,’ and all that. Well, they haven’t spent enough money to do that, and now they have this question of their rotation without one of their big premier starters.” Whether Minnesota stays the course or pivots later this summer could ultimately depend on how it navigates the first few months of the season without its ace leading the rotation. View the full article

Spring training 2026 is officially underway. Even fanbases of teams that lost 100+ games last season have a reason for their blind optimism: it's a new calendar year, and every team has the same record. One thing to remember is that spring training means virtually nothing, and success does not translate over to the regular season. The stars and consistent role players use this time to get loose and hang out with the boys, while playing sparingly to avoid a potential injury. The most exciting part of spring training, besides baseball being back in general, is getting to watch top prospects and fringe roster players compete for a spot on the team. Whether it be for a starting job or a spot on the end of the bench, these players without a clear path to playing time are going to take this next month very seriously. At North Side Baseball, we will hold a bi-weekly check-in to see who is hot, who is not, and who might be close to earning a spot on the roster. While the Cubs’ starting lineup is set, there’s a bench spot or two up for grabs. Jed’s bargain bin bullpen approach has not changed for 2026, so it's going to be fun to see who makes the cut for Opening Day. As of February 24th, the Cubs are 1-3, losing to the White Sox, Rangers, and Giants while beating the Royals. Let's take a look at some highlights (and lowlights) over the first 4 games. It's worth mentioning that early in Spring Training, a ton of playing time goes to NRIs, so we haven’t seen much action from the studs yet. Who's Hot? 🔥 OF Brett Bateman The 23-year-old is a short, scrappy, left-handed outfielder who ranked as the team’s #19 prospect prior to 2025, per MLB.com. While Bateman will never amount to much of a slugger, he is looking to carve out a role where he can use his speed and ability to put the ball in play in order to put opposing defenses in awkward situations. He has played in all four games so far, and has three singles in seven at-bats, while drawing three walks as well. There is a wide open competition for not one, but potentially two bench outfield spots, and Bateman is proving himself worthy for consideration, even if he is not on the 40-man roster. INF Pedro Ramirez Prospects are being called up earlier and earlier, a league-wide phenomenon. MLB.com projects the 21-year-old Ramirez to make his debut at some point in 2026. Matt Shaw is currently the only non-first baseman infielder with any MLB experience slated for a bench role this season, which is good news if you’re Ramirez, who is on the 40-man roster. Like Bateman, he has three hits (one double) in seven at-bats and has played in every game thus far. He’s played mostly third base thus far, but has experience at second base as well. Ramirez is a switch-hitter, which no other infielder competing for a job can say. INF Jefferson Rojas Rojas is only 20 years old and not on the 40-man roster, but he is one of the top organizational prospects, ranking behind only Jaxon Wiggins and Moises Ballesteros. MLB.com doesn’t project a debut from Rojas until the 2027 season, and he has not played above AA, so he’s here in camp to serve as depth. It's hard to ignore the early results, though. He has three hits in eight at-bats, including a home run that came yesterday versus the Royals. He’s played exclusively shortstop so far this Spring, but can flip over to second in a pinch. RHP Ben Brown Even though he is under team control for a few more seasons, 2026 seems like a real prove-it year for Brown. The stuff is there, but his inability to consistently harness it casts a cloud of ambiguity on his future with the team. Brown started yesterday against Kansas City and pitched two innings, allowing two hits, striking out three, and allowing no runs. He gave up two hits in the first to Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino, two of Kansas City’s best hitters, but ended the inning by striking out Salvador Perez. He had a 1-2-3 second inning, striking out two more Royals. Although Brown got the “start”, he may be more valuable to the Cubs if he can excel in the bullpen this season. RHP Grant Kipp One of the older prospects in the organization, the 26-year-old is with the team as an NRI. He had a multi-inning outing in the spring training opener against the White Sox, and was one of the few bright spots for the Cubs on the mound in a game they lost 8-1. Kipp entered the game in top of the fourth, and immediately got the Cubs out of a jam, getting infielder Sam Antonacci to ground into a double play. He stayed in the game for the top of the fifth and gave up a single to Korey Lee to start the inning, but then retired the next three hitters in a row. With a good spring, Kipp may find himself added to the 40-man roster, even if it's unlikely he breaks camp with the club. Who's Cold? 🧊 OF Justin Dean 2025 World Series Champion Justin Dean was claimed by the Cubs from the Giants earlier in the offseason and is currently one of the reserve outfielders on the 40-man roster. His early spring audition is not going well. He’s played in three games and had nine at-bats; he’s notched one hit but has struck out five times. The 29-year-old has never been a regular contributor in the major leagues. He made his MLB debut last season with the Dodgers and was used almost exclusively as a defensive replacement. He appeared in 18 games, but only got two at-bats, and is still searching for his first MLB hit. With the way spring training has started, he might be one of the first players cut from the 40-man. INF/OF Scott Kingery While the aforementioned Dean has at least one hit this spring, former top prospect Kingery cannot say the same. Throughout his three appearances so far, he is 0-8 with three strikeouts. Last season, he went 4-27 in his first taste of big league action since 2022, so his inability to hit so far should come as no surprise. Even with Kingery’s ability to play all over the field, the Cubs are better off giving more playing time to someone like Ramirez or Rojas. Even James Triantos has contributed with three stolen bases, though he’s gone 2-9 at the plate. LHP Matthew Boyd While the other inclusions on this list have all been fringe guys or prospects, Boyd was arguably the Cubs’ best pitcher in 2025, so his inclusion here is discouraging. It's a good thing that spring training is just a workout for rotation staples like Boyd, but it is worth noting that, including the playoffs, the 35-year-old threw the most innings of his career last season. He got the start on Saturday versus the Rangers and surrendered five hits in 1 2/3rds innings of work. He did strike out four, though, and don’t be surprised if he looks much better his second time out. RHP Porter Hodge As we get further away from Hodge being a dependable reliever in 2024, questions about his future with the team will continue to pop up. After posting a sub 2.00 ERA in two seasons ago, Hodge had an ERA of 6.27 in 33 innings last season, while battling injuries. He took the mound in the opener versus the White Sox and only recorded one out. He gave up one hit but walked four. He looked a lot better in his second appearance versus Kansas City, pitching a scoreless inning while striking out two, but he also issued a walk in that one as well. It would be great to count on Hodge this season, as he was once viewed as a potential closer, but he needs to get the free passes under control. View the full article

As the Red Sox get established in spring training, at least as established as they can be with 14 guys headed to the World Baseball Classic next month, they are looking to assemble the best 26-man roster they can come Opening Day. As fans, we’re on the lookout for the next breakout candidate who shows that he’s ready to take the next step and be a big-league contributor, but this early in the process we need to remember to pump the breaks just a bit and remember that with so many guys about to miss potentially significant portions of camp to represent their countries, that we may not get a full picture of the team until right before spring training ends. Thinking around those parameters, we’re going to take a twice-a-week look at spring training stats to see who is doing well and who isn’t. There’s certainly going to be room for debate with many of the names on here, but try not to get too worked up about where guys may fall over the next four weeks or so. We’re just in spring training, and as we all know, the back half of those games often features guys who won’t even sniff the major league roster this season. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Nate Eaton: The utility man, who is ramping up to represent Great Britain in the WBC, has been arguably the best hitter for the team so far in camp. Through the first three games in Grapefruit League play, he’s slashing .667/.667/1.000. Talk about MVP numbers. I kid, but he’s certainly making a case for himself to be the first guy off the bench come the regular season. Great Britain isn’t expected to make a deep WBC run, but Eaton could prove to be a valuable piece to that team, getting him live game reps on a much bigger stage than he would be getting with the Red Sox in camp. Those reps could translate to an even better spring than he’s currently having, solidifying him for a spot on the 26-man roster come Opening Day. Connelly Early: Early may be the most recent starter to throw a game as of this writing, but he looked really good in that short outing. He tossed two scoreless innings with one walk and one strikeout without allowing a hit or a run. What has placed him on this part of the list, though, was that his four-seam fastball averaged 94.8 MPH, up almost a full tick from 2025. If Early can continue to show that kind of dominance with his fastball, he’s going to be pushing for that fifth starter spot quicker than most people assumed. He got a cup of coffee with the big-league club last season and was trusted enough to start game three of the Wild Card round, so he’s obviously on the short list for the rotation, but a continued strong showing this spring could cause some difficult decisions in Alex Cora’s office as Opening Day approaches. Andruw Monasterio: Acquired as part of the trade package that brought Caleb Durbin to Boston, Monasterio is making a case for himself to be considered for the same bench role that Nate Eaton above is competing for. So far, Monasterio is slashing .500/.600/1.250 with two hits, including a home run, one walk, and no strikeouts. He’s been caught stealing once, but that shouldn’t worry anyone. He’s quick and will swipe bases at whatever level he begins the season at. Alex Cora had this to say about the newly acquired infielder, “…you see him here, it’s like, ‘Oh, shoot. He can move. He’s versatile. He can hit lefties.’” Being on Cora’s radar this early in camp is a great thing, and Monasterio said that those words gave him more energy to come to the field on a daily basis and make himself a better player. Monasterio is working with the team’s hitting coaches to improve his swing path and unlock a new level for him offensively. While he was a name that not many people may have known coming over from the Brewers, so far Monasterio looks like someone who can compete on a major league level this season if given the chance. Who’s Not? 🧊 Brendan Rodgers: It pains me a bit to say this, but Rodgers hasn’t been good at all so far this spring training. He’s had four at-bats that have resulted in zeros across the board. He was brought in as a non-roster invitee to try and compete for the backup second base job, and brings the pedigree of a former Gold Glove winner with him, but so far he’s looked overmatched at the plate and more like someone who could either be cut loose at the end of camp or assigned to minor league camp to try and work on his mechanics as he comes back from a couple of injury plagued seasons previously. With Eaton and Monasterio already looking primed to leapfrog over Rodgers in the pecking order, he’s going to have to turn things around quickly to be able to prove he’s worth a spot on the team as it moves forward. Brayan Bello: I know, it’s one start and 1 1/3 innings pitched, but Bello looked awful in that lone appearance. He faced nine batters, giving up four hits, four earned runs, two strikeouts, and one walk. The main reason not worry too much about Bello, though, is that he reintroduced his changeup to his arsenal this offseason and is working to get it moving like an actual changeup, around 87 or 88 mph, instead of behaving more like his sinker and sitting around 91 or 92 mph. He’s also added a curveball to his pitch mix that should help all of his off-speed offerings play a bit more. He was pulled during the first inning, and those four earned runs, but returned in the second thanks to some funky spring training rules that everyone forgets about, where he looked much more like his 2025 self. He’s one of the many guys headed to the WBC, where he hopes that the live game reps will help set him up for success for the season ahead. These lists are designed to change from the beginning of the week to the end, but a trend to watch for is whether the names at the top continue to stick there throughout the entirety of camp. If that happens, we may get a bit of an early look at who will break camp with the big league club versus the names who remain on the bottom list, who could be on the outside looking in as we get closer and closer to Opening Day. View the full article

Spring training is always about progression, but for David Festa, the climb toward Opening Day may be a little more deliberate this year. According to The Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale, Festa is “gradually ramping up” this spring after ending the 2025 season on the injured list. In September, Festa was diagnosed with a mild form of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused nerve compression in his right shoulder. He underwent treatment that included Botox injections in an effort to avoid surgery. Over the weekend in Fort Myers, Festa took another step forward by throwing live at-bats on a back field. Nightengale reported that his fastball sat between 91 and 92 miles per hour during the session. That mark falls short of last season when Festa averaged 94.1 miles per hour on his four-seamer, but it is also an indication that he is trending in the right direction after previously being limited to bullpen sessions. The nerve issue near his pitching shoulder required a cautious offseason approach, and the Twins are clearly taking the same path this spring. Even so, Festa still has a legitimate opportunity to win a spot in Minnesota’s rotation as camp progresses. Earlier in the winter, there was some speculation that Festa could shift to the bullpen in order to bolster a group lacking high upside right-handed options. However, starting pitching depth has quickly become a priority for the Twins following the news that Pablo López will miss the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Minnesota’s projected rotation currently includes Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Taj Bradley. The final spot could ultimately come down to Festa, Zebby Matthews, and Mick Abel as the calendar inches closer to Opening Day. Whichever two pitchers fall short in that competition will likely begin the year with the St. Paul Saints and serve as early-season depth should injuries arise or performance dictate a change. Festa entered last season as arguably Minnesota’s top pitching prospect after posting a 34.9 K% with a 4.00 FIP at Triple-A in 2024. However, his big-league tenure has matched those upper-minors results. In 117 2/3 innings, he has posted an 83 ERA+, 4.27 FIP, and 25.7 K%. For Festa, Saturday’s live session was not about velocity as much as it was about availability. If the trend continues upward, he could still find himself in the Opening Day conversation even as the Twins take a patient approach to his return. View the full article

Speaking to reporters (including Sportnet's Shi Davidi) after his Grapefruit League debut, José Berríos revealed that he was already pitching through discomfort at this time last spring. He continued dealing with the issue throughout the season, eventually landing on the IL with an elbow/biceps tendon injury. It's no secret that he started to wear down at some point during 2025, but this is the first time he has clarified just how early his troubles started. Thankfully, Berríos is feeling much stronger this spring. "Last year, at this time, I had doubt in my mind already," he explained. "Today, I felt like nothing's on my mind. I'm clear." Berríos gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in his outing on Monday, striking out two Mets batters. He earned five whiffs on 23 swings, and his sinker topped out at 92.7 mph. All told, the righty threw 47 pitches across 2 2/3 innings, plus another 13 in a bullpen session. He said he was pleased with his performance. From 2023-24, Berríos made 64 starts for the Blue Jays with a 3.63 ERA. He had a 3.38 ERA through his first 14 starts in 2025, but struggled to a 4.97 ERA in his final 17 outings (16 starts). According to the pitch models Stuff+ and PitchingBot, his raw stuff declined significantly on four of his five pitches. The drop-off was particularly noticeable over the final three months of the year. Now, however, manager John Schneider says Berríos has regained his best stuff. "His stuff is back to where it was probably two years ago in terms of velocity and his breaking ball," said the skipper, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. Hopefully, Berríos can blame his late-season performance on his injury, and now that he's back at full strength, he can pitch more like the pitcher he was before. As things stand, he's a good bet to make Toronto's Opening Day rotation, but if he continues to struggle like he did late last season, he'll run the risk of losing his job when Shane Bieber comes off the IL. Berríos also gave an update on his chances of pitching in the World Baseball Classic. While initial reports suggested he was denied insurance coverage and wouldn't be able to participate, he was later added to Puerto Rico's designated pitcher pool. On Monday, the veteran seemed optimistic he'd be able to join Puerto Rico if they make it to the next round of the tournament, though he'd still need to pass another physical. His willingness to play in the WBC certainly seems like a good sign that he's feeling healthier than he was last year. View the full article

When it comes to the San Diego Padres' outfield entering the 2026 season, this is the group from which you can expect the most production. Which is saying a lot considering how good the Friars' bullpen is. But that is because of the talent the the Padres have in the outfield. That starts with Fernando Tatis Jr., moves to Jackson Merrill, and concludes with Ramon Laureano. All three figure to play significant roles in the offense, with Tatis and Merrill batting in the top four and Laureano possibly anchoring the bottom four. Who Was Scheduled to Come Back? In addition to Tatis in right, Merrill in center and Laureano in left, backup Bryce Johnson also returns. Thus, that continuity, along with the bulk of the position-player group returning 2025, bodes well for an offense that should be strong (despite some obvious shortcomings). Since Tatis' forgettable 2022, in which he was recovering from a shoulder injury before being suspended for a performance-enhancing drug, the right fielder has bounced back. Not only has he been one of the best defenders in the game, but he's also also producing offensively. Sure, it hasn't been on the same level as his pre-suspension performance, but he has been very consistent in the three seasons since. With his usual flair, Tatis has a combined .266/.344/.459 slash line over the last three years, with 71 homers, 198 RBIs and 72 steals. Take into account that he played just 104 games in 2024 and those numbers would be a few notches higher. Tatis earned down-ballot NL MVP votes in 2023 and 2025, the same years he won the NL Platinum Glove as the best defender, regardless of position, in the league. He fuels that Friars' offense from the leadoff spot, scoring 111 runs in 2025 and 91 in 2023. Tatis also played in a career-high 155 games in 2025, the first he hasn't had to deal with injuries since 2020. Unfortunately, Merrill did deal with injuries in 2025. He went on the injured list three times, once for a strained hamstring (24 games missed), then a concussion (11 games), and then for a sprained right ankle (13 games). How those various ailments affected him throughout the season is probably a contributing factor to his .264/.317/.457 slash line with 16 homers, 67 RBIs and just one steal (three attempts). That, of course, came after he finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and received NL MVP votes with a slash line of .292/.326/.500, hitting 24 homers and driving in 90 with 16 steals (19 attempts). He also struck out 108 times in 483 plate appearances in 2025 after whiffing 101 times in 593 plate appearances as a rookie. As a positive, he did walk 33 times in 2025, up from 29 in 2024. Laureano, a right-handed hitter who came over at the trade deadline from the Baltimore Orioles, had a career year in 2025. He put up a .290/.355/.529 slash line with the Orioles, then dropped to .269/.323/.489 with the Friars. He hit 15 homers with the Orioles in 290 plate appearances, then his nine in 198 plate appearances after the trade. Johnson is back after the Friars reacquired him early in the 2025 season via a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was at Triple-A El Paso until mid-June. From there, the switch-hitter played in 55 games and had a surprising slash line of .342/.383/.434 with one homer and eight RBIs in 84 plate appearances. His role is mainly as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch hitter. Who Was Added? Former Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos joined the fray after being released due to contract and clubhouse issues. His defense in right was not good, ranking 228th of 230 at the position with minus-11 defensive runs saved. He is known for his bat, averaging 21 homers and 82 RBIs over the last four seasons with the Phillies. No other true outfielder was added, but a couple of hybrid players were. That starts with Miguel Andujar, who spent 2025 with the A's and Cincinnati Reds. He will likely be a top pinch-hitter as a right-handed power bat, though he can play both outfield and infield corners. His career has been marked by injuries and sapped a lot of his power, although he hit 10 in 341 plate appearances over 90 games last year. Another option will be Sung Mun Song, a free agent from the Korea Baseball Organization. Song is a third baseman who also plays second base and a bit of first. He will be learning the outfield this spring training with the Padres to increase his versatility, perhaps becoming a super-utility player. Song has some offensive upside if the transition from the KBO goes smoothly. Candidates to Join the Outfield? There might not be another pure outfielder to join the fray. Tirso Ornelas is now gone after being DFA'd. Among non-roster invitees there is Pablo Reyes and Samad Taylor, who both also have infield experience. That will obviously boost their chances to join the Friars' bench. The Bottom Line There are very few questions in the outfield. Tatis is a given, regaining the luster he lost in 2022 and re-establishing his position in the game as a superstar. He is firmly a fan favorite and the gas that drives the Padres' car. Merrill should bounce back assuming he's fully healthy, and Laureano will be in a good situation as the everyday left fielder, motivated by the fact that he's in a contract year. Castellanos may get an occasional game in right, but he seems to be in the mix for time at first base or, at worst, as the designated hitter. Johnson is a solid backup, with Song and Andujar perhaps adding some more flair to this group. Regardless, the starting group will determine just how far this team goes in 2026. View the full article