Even after a trade deadline when the Mets parted with 10 prospects to make a run in 2025, their farm system still ranks among the best in the sport. Notably, ESPN notably ranks the Mets first.

It is a good blend of high-end, close-to-major-league-ready talent and players at the lower levels with real upside -- especially on the pitching side. Nine of the top 10 prospects below finished the season in either Double-A, Triple-A or the majors while still maintaining prospect eligibility.

The 2026 season is a big year for the organization. There should be a real expectation to get impact from the farm system. Mets fans saw some of the top pitchers debut in 2025, and there should be a 2026 expectation to see more pitching -- as well as some position-player impact.

As tough as 2025 was for the Mets, they are still set up well for near-term success with young talent and payroll flexibility with potential for long-term stability.

Here are the Mets’ top 30 prospects for the 2025-26 offseason:

1. RHP Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean is a prospect I was high on entering the 2025 season when I ranked him third in the system, and it turns out I was not high enough. He had a breakout 2025, rising to the big leagues and posting a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings, just staying under the threshold to remain prospect eligible.

McLean can spin a baseball as well and efficiently as anyone in baseball, and he made significant strides in 2025 against left-handed hitters. He emphasized his sinker and curveball, the latter being a pitch he hardly threw before 2025. The next step in his development is improving his control and command -- not that it was a big issue, but there’s always room to grow.

McLean should be lined up to pitch at or near the top of the Mets’ rotation in 2026. He should be considered one of the early favorites to win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year, which, if he did, would net the Mets a pick just after the first round in the 2027 MLB Draft.

MLB ETA: Already made it

2. OF Carson Benge

It was close between McLean and Carson Benge for who would top this list. Both are likely to be considered among the top 20 prospects in baseball when national outlets re-rank their top 100 lists.

After being selected with the No. 19 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Benge had a meteoric rise from a prospect who appeared on only one top 100 list (Baseball Prospectus) before 2025 to one of the best outfield prospects in baseball. Benge will get the chance to compete to be the Mets’ Opening Day center fielder in 2026, David Stearns said.

Benge played at three levels, finishing the season at Triple-A. He posted a .281/.385/.472 slash line with 25 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI in 116 games.

He has an above-average offensive profile across the board. His power coming into pro ball was more naturally to left-center field and the opposite way. There are some moving parts to his swing, but he showed the hand quickness to pull the ball more as the season went on.

Defensively is where the questions arise. In talking to evaluators, the ideal outcome would be Benge in a corner outfield spot because he is more of an average or slightly above-average athlete with a plus arm. However, his defense in center field improved throughout 2025. He could have a defensive center field profile like Trent Grisham, who makes it work on reads, reaction and jumps rather than pure athleticism. Benge has a chance to be a core member of the Mets’ offense.

MLB ETA: 2026

3. INF/CF Jett Williams

Jett Williams had a bounce-back season in 2025 after he missed all but 33 games in 2024.

In 96 games in 2025 with Double-A Binghamton, Williams hit .281/.390/.477 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBI and 32 stolen bases. Like Benge, Williams had an adjustment period in Triple-A but did hit seven home runs in just 34 Triple-A games.

He has an above-average hit tool and plate discipline with some sneaky power. Despite his smaller stature, he posted an above-average 104.4 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in Triple-A, which is right in line with Benge’s number. At times, there is some over-swinging in his game. But when Williams is at his best, he smacks line drives to all fields. He is capable of jumping on a mistake pitch and doing some damage.

Defensively, he has played all three up-the-middle spots with second base likely being his best long-term home. He is a plus runner who has flashed some potential in center field but is clearly more natural in the dirt.

Williams projects as a top-of-the-order, everyday player who should get on base at a good clip with 30-plus-stolen-base potential. He may not be as likely for an Opening Day role, but he should push for a job in the big leagues in 2026.

MLB ETA: 2026

4. RHP Jonah Tong

Jonah Tong had an uneven first seven starts to his big-league career, but that debut came on the heels of one of the best minor league seasons in recent memory. In 22 minor league starts, 20 of which came with Double-A Binghamton, Tong posted video game-like numbers with a 1.43 ERA in 113.2 innings. He allowed only 58 hits and led minor league baseball with 179 strikeouts.

He comes with two plus pitches in a fastball that averaged 95 mph in the big leagues and will get up to 98 mph. What makes that pitch special is not just the velocity, but the induced vertical break or “ride” on it. Tong’s 19.8-inch IVB was tied for fourth best of any pitcher in baseball.

Tong has tinkered with different changeup grips since turning pro, and before 2025 he settled on a Vulcan changeup grip, which was a menace to minor league hitters.

At the major league level, he needs to develop a third pitch he can rely on. Tong has the old-school, slow, 12-6 curve that flashes but must land it for strikes more often than he has. He has tinkered with slider/cutter grips but yet to find one that he can land consistently.

He comes from an extreme over-the-top arm angle, which adds deception and borderline elite extension that makes pitches feel as if they are jumping at hitters. Tong could use a little more minor league time, but with improvement in command and refinement of a third and maybe fourth pitch, the sky’s the limit. Without that development, there is a non-zero chance for some reliever risk.

MLB ETA: Already made it

5. RHP Brandon Sproat

Brandon Sproat is the third prospect on this list to have already made his major league debut. He was the last of the three starting pitchers to get called up, but the Mets were impressed by his growth in 2025.

Entering the 2025 season, Sproat was the consensus No. 1 prospect in the Mets’ system despite struggling in his first taste of Triple-A action in 2024. That struggle carried over into the early part of 2025, then there were a couple of changes. Sproat had not been the aggressive pitcher he was in college and early in his pro career.

He began to throw more sinkers and sweepers, which were pitches he learned in 2024 but took time to perfect and trust in-game. He also had a mental shift where he was just going to let it loose and pitch.

Everything ticked up velocity-wise, and he had a 30% strikeout rate, which was double his number from earlier in the season.

This led to Sproat’s call-up, where his poise stood out. He has to continue to work on his control and command and continue to refine his pitches to try to miss bats at closer to his rate at the end of his run in Triple-A than he did in his short stint in the majors.

He threw six different pitches, according to Statcast, headlined by his mid-to-upper-90s sinker and four-seam fastball. He had an uptick in curveball usage, similar to McLean, as a way to combat left-handed hitters. Sproat may be more floor than upside at this stage, but he appears big-league ready now. It will come down to whether the opportunity is available for him.

MLB ETA: Already made it

6. OF A.J. Ewing

A.J. Ewing was the biggest riser in the Mets’ 2025 system. He began the season outside the top 30 and climbed all the way to No. 6.

The 20-year-old played across three levels, ending the season with Double-A Binghamton. In 124 games, he hit .315/.401/.429 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, three home runs and 70 stolen bases.

Ewing’s game is based primarily on bat-to-ball skills, limiting swing-and-miss and spraying line drives while using his legs. He can turn on a mistake to the pull side, but home run power is not likely to be a big part of his game. He showed growth by increasing his line-drive percentage from 20.1% in 2024 to 29.3% in 2025, which is a good sign.

Defensively, he has played all three outfield spots as well as second base. He is an electric athlete with true plus speed and a tick-above-average arm. The Mets feel comfortable that he will handle center field at the next level but have the versatility to play anywhere in the outfield.

His strikeout rate ticked up in Double-A, so that will be something to watch in 2026. If he can add strength to hit the ball harder, that will elevate his upside. Either way, Ewing profiles as a center fielder who projects to hit for average, get on base and be impactful on the basepaths. The Mets’ scouting department may have found something in the 2023 fourth-round pick. One scout who saw him play said Ewing looks like a Pete Crow-Armstrong-lite type of player.

MLB ETA: 2027

7. 3B/1B Jacob Reimer

After missing nearly all of the 2024 season because of a torn hamstring, Jacob Reimer put together a complete 2025.

He made mechanical adjustments to his swing and opened his stance slightly. He increased his bat speed, and those changes showed in the results.

In 122 games, evenly split between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, Reimer hit .282/.379/.491 (.870 OPS) with 32 doubles, 17 home runs and 77 RBI.

Reimer has always been considered to have raw power, and he displayed it in batting practice, but 2025 was the first time it translated into game action and graded out as above average, borderline plus. He has an advanced plan at the plate and probably an average to slightly above-average hit tool.

Reimer is a below-average athlete with plenty of arm for third base, but he may profile best across the diamond at first, which will put more pressure on the bat to continue to grow. Reimer’s 2025 season is a feather in the cap for the Mets’ player development department, helping him turn raw tools into game action across a full season. He could be a future 25-home-run corner bat.

MLB ETA: 2027

8. 1B Ryan Clifford

Ryan Clifford unquestionably has the best power tool in the Mets’ system, grading out at least plus.

In 139 games, most of which were with Double-A Binghamton, Clifford hit .237/.356/.470 with 23 doubles, 29 home runs (fifth in all of minor league baseball) and 71 RBI.

His hit tool is below average, with a strong lean toward fly balls that will make it unlikely for Clifford to sustain a high batting average. To his credit, Clifford decreased his strikeout rate from 29.6% in 2024 to 25.6% in 2025.

Clifford’s profile is likely to be based on on-base ability and power. He will take his walks, posting a 15% walk rate in 2025. At the Triple-A level, he showed elite exit velocity and hard-hit rate numbers.

Defensively, he has played some corner outfield with plenty of arm strength to handle it. But his athletic profile fits better at first base, where he could be above average defensively.

The 2026 season will be big for Clifford. If he can continue to trim his strikeout rate, he could become an impactful middle-of-the-order bat with the potential for 30-plus home runs. It will come down to making enough contact to maximize that tool.

MLB ETA: 2026

9. SS Elian Peña

Elian Peña signed with the Mets this past January for $5 million, a franchise-record bonus for an international amateur.

Peña started his professional career in the Dominican Summer League by going 0-for-26. However, in the remaining 46 games, Peña hit .342/.463/.618 (1.081 OPS) with 13 doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBIs and 18 stolen bases while walking more (33) than he struck out (29).

The 18-year-old, while still incredibly raw, possesses strong bat-to-ball skills with a compact, quick swing and plus plate discipline. As he physically matures, he should develop at least above-average power. There are 25-plus home runs in the bat, scouts believe, and his raw power showed with two separate three-home-run games in 2025.

Defensively, he is playing shortstop. However, as he matures, he is most likely to end up at third base long term, scouts believe.

Peña has the type of potential that a year from now he could top this list. It will be a good challenge for him to come stateside in 2026.

MLB ETA: 2029

10. LHP Jonathan Santucci

Jonathan Santucci entered the 2024 season, his last at Duke, looking like a potential mid-first-round pick. He dealt with injuries that led to him falling to the second round, where the Mets felt fortunate to land him.

Santucci struggled to begin his professional career (8.14 ERA in his first six starts), but he performed like one of the best pitchers in the minors the rest of the season.

In his next 17 starts across 96.2 innings, Santucci posted a 1.96 ERA with 117 strikeouts. Opposing batters hit only .180 against him, and he walked three batters per nine innings.

Santucci starts with a clean, athletic delivery and two plus pitches: a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 and an upper-80s power slider that he leaned on. He also has a changeup and dabbled with a curveball, but those pitches need work.

There is reliever risk if he cannot fine-tune his command and develop that third pitch. If Santucci can turn in average command and an average third offering with a fourth he can sprinkle in, there is mid-rotation upside.

MLB ETA: 2026

11. RHP Jack Wenninger

Jake Wenninger had an excellent campaign with Double-A Binghamton, posting a 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings and ranking within the top 20 in minor league baseball with 147 strikeouts. He also played a pivotal role in Binghamton’s Eastern League championship run.

Wenninger has a four-pitch mix with a fastball that ticked up in velocity, touching 97 this year. His best pitch is his plus splitter, which he uses as a swing-and-miss offering. He also has a slider and curveball. He projects as a potential No. 4 starter.

MLB ETA: 2026

12. RHP Will Watson

The 2024 seventh-round pick pitched across three levels in 2025, reaching Double-A and posting a 2.60 ERA in 121.1 innings, allowing only 88 hits and striking out 142. Will Watson has a four-pitch mix headed by a four-seam fastball that ticked up in pro ball, up to 97 mph from a low three-quarter slot with ride. He also throws a slider, changeup and cutter.

Watson needs to refine his command, but he could be a future big-league starter. If Watson does not take that step, he has previous relief experience and could fit as a power reliever.

MLB ETA: 2027

13. OF Nick Morabito

Nick Morabito had a solid season with Double-A Binghamton, slashing .273/.348/.385 with 27 doubles, six home runs, 59 RBI and 49 stolen bases. He needs to impact the baseball more and hit it less on the ground, scouts said. He had a huge Arizona Fall League, slashing .362/.450/.464 in 17 games with 16 stolen bases. Importantly, he flashed plus exit velocities with a 108.6 mph 90th percentile EV and 111.8 mph max EV. Morabito is an excellent athlete who can play center field at the next level.

The impact of the bat will determine whether he becomes an everyday player or more of a fourth outfielder. The Mets will need to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.

MLB ETA: 2027

14. 2B Mitch Voit

Mitch Voit was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Michigan, where he had a breakout year for the Wolverines with a 1.140 OPS in 56 games. The former two-way player will focus exclusively on offense in pro ball, and he got a taste with Low-A St. Lucie, where he posted a .638 OPS in 22 games with 20 stolen bases.

Offensively, Voit has excellent bat speed and in-zone contact rates. His swing naturally lofts the ball in the air, and he posts above-average, at times plus, exit velocities.

He is a good athlete who thrived at second base despite never playing it before this season, making multiple highlight-reel plays in his first pro stint. He projects more as a high-floor player than a high-ceiling one.

MLB ETA: 2028

15. C/1B/OF Chris Suero

Chris Suero followed up a season split between High-A and Double-A, where he posted a .786 OPS with 16 home runs in 115 games and an excellent Arizona Fall League. He slashed .283/.353/.567 with five home runs (tied for second in the AFL) in 15 games.

Suero lacks a true standout tool but is average across the board with the chance for more power. In Scottsdale, he posted a max 112.5 mph exit velocity and a 60.5% hard-hit rate. His versatility could carry him to the big leagues, even in a reserve role, where his ability to catch adds value.

MLB ETA: 2027

16. OF Eli Serrano III

Eli Serrano III had a strong start to his pro career in 2025, then suffered an ankle injury and never performed offensively like he did early on. There is belief that he will take a step forward when he gets out of the confines of Brooklyn. Serrano hit .189 with a .635 OPS at home and .255 with a .743 OPS on the road.

He added weight to his 6-foot-5 frame and has above-average raw power and a solid plan at the plate. Serrano played all three outfield spots with right field being the best fit for his plus throwing arm.

MLB ETA: 2027

17. RHP Dylan Ross

Dylan Ross was called up to the majors for the last weekend of the 2025 season but will have to wait until 2026 to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old pitched at three levels, primarily Triple-A. He posted a 2.17 ERA in 54 innings, allowing only 29 hits and striking out 80. It’s a pure power-reliever profile with a fastball that averages 97 mph and touches triple digits. He generated big swing-and-miss numbers on both his low-90s splitter (48.3% whiff rate) and upper-80s slider (67.7% whiff rate).

Ross will need to work through command issues (5.5 walks per nine), but there is belief that being another year removed from Tommy John surgery could help. Ross will compete for a spot in the Mets’ Opening Day bullpen.

MLB ETA: Already made it

18. SS Antonio Jimenez

The Mets selected Antonio Jimenez in the third round of the 2025 draft after he posted a .982 OPS with 11 home runs in 55 games for UCF. He possesses above-average bat speed, and in college he punished velocity to the pull side. Jimenez has work to do on recognizing spin, but Hitting 101 starts with hitting the fastball.

In a small sample with Low-A St. Lucie, he posted strong zone-contact numbers and avoided swing-and-miss issues. Defensively, je has a plus arm but may lack the range for shortstop long term. Jimenez may project best as a utility infielder.

MLB ETA: 2028

19. RHP Ryan Lambert

Ryan Lambert is a pure reliever who posted a 1.62 ERA in 46 games (39 at Double-A), allowing only 31 hits in 50 innings while striking out 81. He is a prototype reliever prospect with two pitches: a plus fastball that sits 96-97 mph and touches 100 mph, and a power mid-to-upper-80s slider.

Lambert currently has below-average command, but if the Mets can extract a little more, he has the stuff and bulldog mentality to be a high-leverage reliever. Expect him to make his MLB debut in 2026.

MLB ETA: 2026

20. LHP Zach Thornton

Zach Thornton was pitching as well as anyone in the Mets’ organization before an oblique injury at the end of June ended his season. He posted a 1.98 ERA in 14 starts across 72.2 innings, striking out 78 and walking only 11 batters.

He can control a four-pitch mix with a fastball that sits in the 91-94 mph range, supplemented by a slider, curveball and changeup. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

MLB ETA: 2027

21. RHP R.J. Gordon

R.J. Gordon starred at Oregon and was a 13th-round pick in the 2024 draft. He was mostly a reliever his first two seasons with the Ducks, then had internal brace surgery and returned as a starter in 2024, struggling to a 5.13 ERA. His first pro season was a success, posting a 3.36 ERA in 128.2 innings with 147 strikeouts.

His stuff has ticked up, with his fastball now touching 95 mph, and there is belief that he has more in the tank. He added a “kick change” this year, which was a source of swings and misses. Gordon has two solid breaking balls in a slider and curveball. He could be a back-end starter or a multi-inning reliever.

MLB ETA: 2027

22. RHP Peter Kussow

Peter Kussow was the Mets’ fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of high school in Wisconsin. The Mets signed him for $897,500, which is second-round money. He is already well built at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds with broad shoulders and natural stuff.

Kussow is raw, as is usual for cold-weather pitchers, but has a fastball that will touch 97 mph and a power slider that reaches the upper 80s. He has a changeup, but it needs work as he didn’t need it in high school. Kussow is a name to watch entering 2026.

MLB ETA: 2030

23. RHP Jonathan Pintaro

Jonathan Pintaro briefly appeared at the big-league level in 2025 after being signed out of independent ball just more than a year ago.

He converted from starter to reliever but still manages a five-pitch mix with a four-seam fastball up to 97 mph, plus a cutter, sweeper, changeup and slider. He projects best as a potential multi-inning relief option.

MLB ETA: Already made it

24. INF Boston Baro

Boston Baro was a hyped prospect entering the 2025 season and even homered in the Spring Breakout game. Baro didn’t have that type of season, hitting only .224 with a .602 OPS.

He is still only 21 years old, puts the ball in play and is a good athlete with a strong throwing arm. He will need to find a way to impact the baseball to climb back up this list.

MLB ETA: 2028

25. INF Marco Vargas

Marco Vargas was once the headlining piece in the trade that sent David Robertson to Miami.

The hit tool hasn’t translated as expected, but Vargas still has excellent plate discipline and avoids strikeouts. He is a quality defender up the middle, but it’s hard to see anything more than a utility-infielder ceiling.

MLB ETA: 2027

26. C Yovanny Rodriguez

Yovanny Rodriguez was the Mets’ top international signing in the 2024 class. After a tough first pro season, the 18-year-old hit .336/.446/.493 (.939 OPS) in 44 games while repeating the Dominican Summer League. He is a hit-over-power profile with above-average plate discipline. Defensively, he has grown as a receiver, but his strength is his plus arm. He threw out 29% of baserunners this year.

MLB ETA: 2029

27. INF Jeremy Rodriguez

Jeremy Rodriguez struggled with a .540 OPS as an 18-year-old for Low-A St. Lucie. Now 19, Rodriguez needs to physically mature. His average and 90th percentile exit velocities were well below average. His max EV of 109.4 mph was above average, so there is something there.

He ranked near the best in the league in whiff rate and in-zone contact percentage. He is an average athlete who can play both second base and shortstop. Rodriguez should repeat Low-A in 2026.

MLB ETA: 2028

28. C Daiverson Gutiérrez

Daiverson Gutiérrez’s best trait is putting the bat on the ball and avoiding strikeouts. In 91 games with Low-A St. Lucie, he had almost as many walks (53) as strikeouts (58). Gutiérrez shows the natural ability to loft the baseball, but he needs to hit it harder more consistently.

Defensively, Gutiérrez is an average receiver with above-average arm strength, but suboptimal pop times have led to stolen base issues. He threw out only 17% of runners in 2025.

MLB ETA: 2029

29. RHP Camden Lohman

Camden Lohman was the Mets’ eighth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of high school in Missouri. He signed for $797,500, which is third-round money. Lohman is a projectable 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds with room to grow.

He was a late bloomer with his fastball up to 95 mph and shows the ability to spin the ball with a slider and curveball. Lohman is a fun developmental project for the Mets’ player development group. Don’t be surprised if he takes a big step forward in his first pro season.

MLB ETA: 2030

30. RHP Nathan Hall

Nathan Hall was the Mets’ sixth-round pick out of Division II Central Missouri. After four starts in 2025, he underwent internal brace elbow surgery. When healthy, he features a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph, a mid-80s sweeper and a curveball.

Hall could have gone in the second or third round if not for his injury, MLB.com’s Jim Callis said at the time of the draft. The expectation is that Hall should be ready not long into the 2026 season and for the Mets to deploy him as a starter.

MLB ETA: 2028

World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto introduced fans to an important member of his family.

In a series of photos filled with cuteness coming from his fur baby, the Dodgers pitcher showed off his best friend, Carlos, on Instagram during the weekend.

“He’s gentle and loves a slow life,” Yamamoto wrote in his post. “He loves naps, walks, and eating good food.”

In the series of wholesome photos of Carlos in his dad’s arm, wearing sunglasses and resting, the pitcher included a video of when he first met his future K9 in August.

Read more:Hernández: Yoshinobu Yamamoto's remarkable World Series Game 7 became his playoff exclamation point

“I’m really happy mi Carlitos is with me now,” he added.

The two-time World Series winner adopted him from Best Friends LA, which replied to his post saying Carlos was a fan favorite in their location — loved by staff and volunteers.

“We’re so happy Carlos has found such a happy home with you,” Best Friends LA's Instagram account commented on Yamamoto’s post.

Yamamoto joined the Dodgers in 2023 after signing a 12-year, $325-million deal. Since joining them, he’s won back-to-back championships.

Carlos has been spotted once on social media playing with National League MVP Shohei Ohtani's famous dog, Decoy.

Read more:Watch Shohei Ohtani's dog, Decoy, throw out first pitch at Dodger Stadium

Decoy was featured on a Dodgers bobblehead, attended two World Series parades, tossed out a first pitch at Dodger Stadium and co-wrote a children's book.

Here’s hoping Carlitos is warming up his arm for a forthcoming ceremonial first pitch at Chavez Ravine.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — When new Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera entered middle school, the Washington Nationals did not yet exist. 

His age, or lack thereof, was a main character at Nationals Park on Monday afternoon as the eighth skipper in franchise history was formally introduced. The stadium’s subterranean press conference room, adorned with red, white and blue roses, was packed to the gills for the occasion. Members of the club’s elusive ownership group, the Lerner family, peppered the front few rows. A large throng of front-office officials, clad in a department store’s worth of obligatory quarter-zips, crammed themselves into the back of the room.

Up on the podium sat just two placards; one for Butera and one for his new boss, Paul Toboni, the team’s recently hired president of baseball operations.

“As you've heard me say many times over the course of the last six weeks, I'm a strong believer that you win with people,” Toboni, 35, offered during his opening statement. “And Blake's character and ability to connect with everyone across the baseball spectrum is second to none.”

The two men then shook hands before Butera, 33, curved a red cap onto his head and pulled a crisp white uniform over his 5-foot-9 frame. He and Toboni, formerly an assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox, briefly posed for a few pictures before the skipper, still too young to run for president, settled in to introduce himself.

“As we move forward, our identity is going to start with character,” Butera proclaimed. “I believe true leadership is built on real relationships, relationships that create unity, clarity and a shared purpose.”

The job in front of him is daunting.

[Get more Nationals news: Washington team feed]

Since raising the World Series trophy in 2019, the Nationals have slogged to baseball’s second-worst record, better than only the catastrophically discombobulated Colorado Rockies. The trades conducted in the teardown of that core have borne some fruit, most notably the Juan Soto deal that brought young All-Star outfielder James Wood to D.C. 

But in the main, Washington has been a draft-and-development disasterclass, an organization distinctly unskilled at making players better. That half-decade run of ineptitude reached a turning point this past July, when a pair of title-winning stalwarts, GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, were simultaneously fired.

And now, into that void, charge Toboni and Butera, a pair of unwrinkled, clean-shaven 30-somethings. Together, they come armed with fresh perspectives, cathedral expectations of themselves and almost zero big league experience. Butera, in fact, has never spent a day in a Major League dugout.

Drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 35th round of the 2015 MLB Draft after a plucky four years at Boston College, the infielder’s playing career petered out after two minor league seasons. But Butera quickly and successfully made the transition to coaching. In 2018, still just 25 years old, he was named manager of Tampa’s short-season Hudson Valley affiliate. After two strong years there, Tampa pushed him to Low-A Charleston, where he won back-to-back league championships and a Manager of the Year award. That eventually earned him a big new gig as the Rays’ senior director of player development, a role that he served in until his hiring a few weeks ago. Butera was also the bench coach for Team Italy under manager Mike Piazza during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. 

It’s an impressive résumé, but not necessarily one that would have pointed to a big league head job, at least not in such short order. In fact, Butera admitted that he entered this winter not expecting to be a part of the managerial carousel. His biggest concern was much closer to home: Butera’s wife Caroline was set to have the couple’s first child around the last week of October, right as the Nats were trying to finalize the hiring.

To simplify things, Toboni flew down to Raleigh, where the Buteras live, so that Blake could stay close to home just in case Caroline went into labor. It all came together on the same day, with Blake receiving the job offer before the birth of their newborn Blair and accepting it later that day after having become a father. It has been a whirlwind, to say the least.

But Butera, ever-youthful, did not appear worn down by the taxing, early days of parenthood. That is, by all accounts, par for the course. Despite being “young for the level” at every turn, the new skipper has thrived. Butera draws rave reviews for a special ability to communicate with players, empowering them to get the most out of their skills. In that sense, his lack of trips around the sun have proved helpful, allowing him to relate better to players close to him in age.

That will remain an important dynamic in D.C., as a young Nats roster attempts to author a pivot back to contention. A whopping 60 percent of the team’s plate appearances last season were taken by players aged 25 or younger. After a brilliant first half, Wood scuffled down the stretch. Consistency from the spindly slugger is key. So is developing the other kids on the roster, players like Dylan Crews, Brady House, CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile, into needle-moving pieces.

The pitching staff presents an even more formidable task. Only the Rockies, in their launching pad of a ballpark in the sky, had a higher ERA last season. Improvement on that front will largely be the responsibility of new pitching coach Simon Mathews, formerly an assistant with the Cincinnati Reds. Mathews, whose hiring was first reported by Yahoo Sports, is even younger than his skipper, having turned 30 just two months ago.

His hiring was yet another data point that Toboni and Co. plan to chart a new path. That dynamic was further reinforced at Butera’s news conference Monday. For better or worse, this era of Nats baseball will not unfurl with a strategy of half-measures. Over the last half decade, the Nationals have been an emblem of regressive, archaic baseball thinking. Unwilling and unable to adapt, the game passed them by, leaving them playing catch-up.

The shift under Toboni will be significant, comprehensive and immediate. Big swings will be taken. Character will be prioritized over experience. They will dream big. It is risky and refreshing. Butera may well be too young, too green for such a big job. He might be great at the gig and the players fall short anyway. Perhaps he’ll manage here for decades and oversee the glory years of D.C. baseball. Time will tell. But on Monday afternoon, he certainly looked the part and said all the right things in the right way. 

For Nats fans, it is, at the very least, a plan to believe in.

Coming off their first trip to the World Series in over 30 years, the Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of reasons to keep the momentum going into 2026. Not only did Toronto have a strong showing in the World Series despite the defeat, but they now have a roster with postseason experience and a superstar in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who showed he can carry a team in October. 

The Blue Jays’ run in 2025 left a mark on an entire country, and the team’s front office is now tasked with putting the Blue Jays back into a position to make another postseason run. 

This is why Toronto is the biggest wild card in baseball this season.

Toronto has been a suitor for some of the biggest free agents, finishing as the runner-up for Shohei Ohtani before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and ending as a finalist for Juan Soto before he signed with the New York Mets. 

The Blue Jays have been looking to swim in the deep end of MLB’s payroll pool by signing a major free agent, but with no success. Even without landing Soto or Ohtani, they finished last season fifth in payroll. And fresh off their World Series run, they’re looking like one of the most attractive destinations in baseball, both economically and on the field.  

“I think Mark [Shapiro] and Ross [Atkins] have done a tremendous job,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of Toronto’s top player personnel executives. “And I think going back for us [is] one big thing — probably our largest kind of focal point and biggest goal was to try to create a destination spot where our own players didn't want to leave and where players from other teams wanted to come.

“And I think invariably we find ourselves going up against the Blue Jays a lot in different ways, and they have created that as well. I think they have done a really good job with their facilities, the way they communicate, and how they help get the most out of players.”

High-leverage arms, high priority for the Blue Jays

One of the biggest areas of need for the Blue Jays this offseason is getting help in the back end of their bullpen. Just a year after they signed reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million deal, Toronto is back on the market for high-leverage arms.

Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Blue Jays have been one of the more aggressive teams on the market for the offseason’s top relievers, including Devin Williams, Edwin Díaz and Pete Fairbanks. Toronto has already had initial conversations with each of the free agents.

You could understand why the Blue Jays think additional bullpen reinforcements are necessary. Despite an amazing World Series run, a lasting image from it will be Hoffman surrendering the game-tying homer to Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7, leading to Toronto’s eventual extra-innings defeat. But even before that, the Blue Jays right-hander was having a year to forget. The Toronto closer went 9-7 with a 4.37 ERA with an AL-leading seven blown saves. 

Adding Williams, Fairbanks or Díaz would make the Blue Jays’ bullpen stronger. It remains to be seen if Hoffman would remain Toronto’s closer, move to an eighth-inning role or if the team would go closer by committee. 

What to do with Bo Bichette?  

While the bullpen is the area the Blue Jays have started to dive into right away, their biggest question is whether they’ll bring back former shortstop and now second baseman Bo Bichette.

He is a homegrown star and came up the same year as Guerrero in 2019. While Vladdy is locked in on a 10-year, $500 million extension, Bichette will have a chance to hit the open market and test his value.

The Blue Jays infielder has been one of the most consistent bats in the American League over the past five years, leading the AL in hits twice to go along with two All-Star appearances. Bichette bounced back last season after a down 2024, hitting .311 with 18 homers, 94 RBI and 181 hits before missing the final three weeks of the season with a knee injury.

And while the knee injury kept him out most of the postseason, he showed up when it mattered in the World Series, hitting .348 with a homer and a .923 OPS. 

Bichette has a strong market this winter as both a second baseman and a shortstop in a weak class for shortstops. And after showing he has the ability to play second base, where he would likely be a stronger defender, his flexibility only helps him.

Could Kyle Tucker make sense as Plan B for Bichette?

When a player is a free agent, that means there’s always a 50% chance of them signing elsewhere. And while having Bichette return to play second base and running it back in 2026 is Toronto’s Plan A, Plan B could also be tantalizing.

Kyle Tucker is the best player on this year’s free-agent market and while the Blue Jays have struck out when it comes to players atop the market, this might be the year they succeed. 

Tucker could play either corner in Toronto’s outfield, giving the Jays a strong outfield with Gold Glove winner Daulton Varsho in center field. Addison Barger could play the other corner with Nathan Lukes or shift back to the infield at third base, where he spent a majority of his time in 2025. Ernie Clement showed he could be an elite defender at both third base and second base, so a move wouldn’t be a problem for him either. 

The one thing standing in the way of Tucker being the perfect fit for the Blue Jays is outfielder Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last winter. Santander did not have an inaugural season to remember in Toronto, playing in just 54 games in 2025 due to injury. And when he played, he didn’t play well, hitting a paltry .175 with six homers and 61 strikeouts in 194 at-bats.

Moving Santander is likely impossible at this point for the Blue Jays. And unless they eat a majority of his deal, which teams generally don’t do this early into contracts, he’s going to be on the roster one way or another in 2026.

But if Tucker wants to be a Blue Jay, they have to find a way to make it work. Because there’s no doubt adding that caliber of player to a team that just made a World Series appearance puts Toronto back into a position to be the favorite in the American League next season.