CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 9: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs bats in Game Four of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on October 9, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ninth in the series.Today we look at the Cubs’veteran left fielder,
Pittsburgh-area native and former Cincinnati Bearcat Ian Edward Happ is a figure of some controversy among Cubs fans, who decry his numbers while praising his numerical consistency. Happ has amassed a tidy 22.4 bWAR (20.6 fWAR) in a nine-year career in which he has averaged 20 HR and 62 RBI in real numbers, as two of his campaigns were partial or truncated.
He’s been an MLB regular since 2021, also logging considerable time in 2017-18. He has long stretches of hitless inadequacy, which are maddening, but he is always on base. Happ hasn’t yet turned in a 100-walk season but he’s capable of it.
Which is just the thing. 24 long balls in his rookie season increased expectations he hasn’t yet delivered on, and people don’t trust the agencies that keep fitting his right hand for a Gold Glove.
He can bat 1, 3, 5, or 6 in a Counsell lineup, and has, though 1 and 3 are his most common places in the batting order. As a switch-hitter with a good eye, he’s a valuable leadoff man in today’s lineups, where sheer base-stealing speed isn’t as valuable in that spot. Happ is reasonably fast but isn’t good at the stolen-base game.
Ian Happ is in his walk year and will be needing a new deal. Plenty of fans would let him roll on to another squad. I’m not one of them, but it might depend on the length of the contract, as Happ is 31 and his skills are likely to diminish some.
The Cubs don’t have a likely replacement, though, and that complicates matters. Matt Shaw? Maybe. Prove it to me. Kevin Alcantara? Same. Dylan Carlson? I want some of what you’re smoking.
Extend Happ for three years? Do it now. Ethan Conrad and Kane Kepley aren’t ready yet, if they’re going to be. That isn’t guaranteed. And Seiya Suzuki is in his walk year, too. There’s not a lot of youth in the 2027 Free Agent list, and the guys that are good are likely to be locked in during the season, or traded.
In 2026, Happ is going to turn in a 20+ HR, 75 RBI, 90-walk season, hit around .240 and be nominated for a Gold Glove. That’s okay by me. The future is hard to see.
Jun 15, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Coastal Carolina Chanticleers catcher Caden Bodine (17) reaches on an infield error by the Oregon State Beavers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Previous Winner
Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to 60 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
NA
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
NA
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
NA
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
NR
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
NA
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
NA
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
NA
Bodine settled in as the clear favorite early, finally finding his place at No. 13. Thanks to all for the several suggestions and votes in Testers. Not a pressing need for more yet, but feel free to fire another up if you feel led. Baumeister is added next.
Candidates
Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August with a brilliant finish to the year. The tough luck continued in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Nathan Flewelling, C 19 | L/R | 6’2” | 200 A | .229/.393/.336 (126 wRC+) 439 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 20.3% BB, 27.6% K A+ | 22 PA, 4 H, 5 BB, 6 K
The 94th overall pick from 2024, Flewelling made his debut at 18 years young and caught a full season (75 C, 26 DH), plus a five game cup of coffee (3 C, 2 DH). Taking the longview, he could grow into 50-60 grade power with 50 grade defense, which makes him one to follow. His plus zone awareness at the plate offsets his lagging contact, and most importantly for the position his ability to call games and frame pitches are already plus. A strong season with the bat at High-A could vault him into Top-100 consideration.
Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Jose Urbina, RHP 20 | 6’3” | 180 A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB
Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.
The Pirates’ offseason of trying hard apparently is still underway.
Pittsburgh, which has continuously finished as a runner-up for free agents this offseason, has emerged as one of the more aggressive clubs pursuing free agent lefty Framber Valdez, per The Athletic.
Valdez, 32 is arguably the best free agent still remaining with spring training around the corner.
Framber Valdez while pitching against the Mets last season. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
A Valdez-Pirates pairing normally would be one to laugh at since, well, he costs money and the Pirates protect their money more than Scrooge McDuck.
However, Pittsburgh has been linked to various top free agents this offseason, including Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Saurez, and perhaps there is some money available.
The Pirates’ big signing this offseason was first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, who inked a two-year, $29 million deal.
There is a difference between showing interest and actually getting across the finish line with a premier player and just attempting to sign him.
Pirates ownership is Public Enemy No. 1 among its fans, mostly due to its frugality, and at least being in the mix for free agents could help lessen some of that outroar.
Pittsburgh does have a potential aiding factor in its pursuit in new pitching coach Bill Murphy, who worked with Valdez in Houston and spent the last four years as one of the team’s pitching coaches.
Could Valdez pair with Paul Skenes? Robert Sabo for NY Post
Adding Valdez would give the Pirates a potentially potent rotation since he would pair with NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, along with former top prospect Bubba Chandler and Mitch Keller.
Pittsburgh is joined by the Blue Jays in pursuit of Valdez, The Post confirmed, and the Orioles have also been linked to him throughout the offseason.
The Post’s Jon Heyman previously reported that Valdez is being patient, but he’s running out of time to land with a team before camp begins.
Valdez went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA last year, and is 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA spanning his eight-season career with the Astros.
One factor that could be limiting his market is the qualifying offer attached to the southpaw since some teams may not want to hand out a lucrative contract plus draft compensation.
The Pirates, though, would only lose their third-highest draft pick as a revenue-sharing team.
2025 started with nothing but optimism. The team had landed the biggest free agent on the market in Juan Soto. They were stocked with talent and even brought back fan favourite Pete Alonzo. The season opened with the Mets playing some of their best baseball in their history, storming out to a 45-25 in the first half of the season. But in the second half, they stumbled, scuffling through July and August but still holding second place on the back of their astonishing number of wins banked in the first half. As of Sept. 8, the Mets owned a four-game lead over the Reds with 19 games remaining for a playoff spot. They had a 92.2% chance to reach the postseason, according to FanGraphs. From there, the Mets went 7-11 to fall out of their chance at the final wildcard, becoming just the third team during the wildcard era to win 45 out of their first 70 games and still miss the playoffs.
The Mets went into the 2026 with plans to make changes and they have been active this year. I reached out to Chris McShane at Amazin’ Avenue to discuss the Mets offseason so far and how their fans view the moves of their Front Office up until now.
The Mets had a heck of an offseason, acquiring Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco, Luke Weaver, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta but parted ways with Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Brandon Sproat and top prospect Jett Williams. What do fans think of this roller coaster?
The sequence of events over the course of this offseason certainly made it a roller coaster. While the most analytically-inclined Mets fans weren’t really sad to see any of the major departing players go, plenty of Mets fans were. And almost all of the significant additions were made after the four long-tenured major league players you’ve mentioned here were already gone. Surely there’s still a wide range of opinions among fans when it comes to expectations for the 2026 season, but people seem to generally think the team should be at least as good as it was going into the start of the 2025 season.
Toronto is still smarting about losing Bo, but there’s also a lot of confusion about the Mets paying a premium to slot him into a position he’s never played. Is it purely to bolster the lineup or is there a strategy to switch him to the hot corner?
While I can’t say I’ve seen enough of Bichette at shortstop to have formed any opinions about his work there, the Mets definitely addressed a big need in their lineup by signing him. The transition from short to third base seems like a fairly natural one to make, but the worst case scenario with Bichette—or with Jorge Polanco at first base—is that he spends more time than currently anticipated as the Mets’ designated hitter. In Bichette’s case, if Marcus Semien were to hit the injured list at any point, he could slide over to second base to fill in with Brett Baty playing his natural position at third.
Which players really took the biggest steps forward this year for the club?
Nolan McLean started the 2025 season in Double-A Binghamton and ended it at the major league level looking like a legitimate ace. He might not get the Opening Day start now that Freddy Peralta is in the rotation, but he is the most exciting pitcher on the Mets’ staff heading into this season.
The Mets have Canadian Jonah Tong knocking on the door for the majors, even if he did have a rough cup of coffee in 2025. Who is most likely to contribute from the farm in 2026 in a meaningful way?
While McLean is technically still a prospect because he threw few enough innings to retain that status, Carson Benge seems like the best answer to the spirit of this question. One of the best prospects in all of baseball, Benge had a fantastic season last year, and the fact that the Mets have thus far kept left field wide open is indicative of their confidence in his ability to win that job and run with it this year.
I’m still very high on Tong, and the struggles he had in his cup of coffee last year don’t really concern me much. Starting rotations rarely go according to plan over the course of a full season, and if an opportunity should arise, Tong will almost certainly get another shot. If that happens relatively early in the season, he could even make a bigger impact than Benge.
Of the remaining FAs, which would fit best for the Mets, even if it’s a bit of a stretch they’d land there?
I’d still love to see the Mets bring Chris Bassitt back, even if they already have a six-man rotation on paper. He’s been one of the best pitchers in the game when it comes to eating innings, and he’s done so pretty effectively over the past three seasons in Toronto. I’m not sure he’ll get back to a sub-3.50 ERA like the one that he had in 2022 with the Mets, but the durability combined with the way he dominated out of the bullpen in the playoffs last year would make me very happy if a reunion were to come about.
Assuming you could put on the ‘accept all trades’ button, what would an ideal but still realistic target be for you before ST starts?
The cost would be steep, I’m sure, but if the Padres were to deal Mason Miller, it would be pretty great to add him to the Mets’ bullpen. Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and eventually A.J. Minter should make the bullpen pretty good even if the other three or four spots aren’t great. But adding Miller to that mix would give them one of the better bullpens in the sport. Five of the pitchers in the Mets’ current six-man rotation had trouble going much longer than five innings per start last year. Even if that problem isn’t quite as bad this year, bolstering the bullpen with Miller would be a lot of fun.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Mookie Betts #50, Freddie Freeman #5, Max Muncy #13 and Tommy Edman #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during a Zoom Replay Review in the seventh inning of Game Four of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Dodgers spring training officially begins next week at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, so let’s take a look at the roster heading into camp. We’ll start first with the infielders, the deepest (and oldest) group on the team among position players.
Dodgers infielders hit .257/.332/.422 as a group in 2025, easily outpacing the outfielders at .240/.299/.415. The team upgraded heavily in the latter in signing Kyle Tucker, while the infielders are mostly the same group in 2026.
40-man roster infielders
Freddie Freeman 1B
Tommy Edman 2B/SS/3B/CF
Mookie Betts SS
Max Muncy 3B
Miguel Rojas IF
Hyeseong Kim 2B/SS/CF
Alex Freeland SS/3B/2B
Things to watch
Will Mookie Betts find his bat? That Betts transformed from a longtime Gold Glove-winning outfielder into a capable major league shortstop defensively was remarkable, and kept him quite valuable even as his offense waned. Betts hit .258/.326/.406 with a 104 wRC+, worsts across the board in his 12-year career, in a season that began with a stomach virus that depleted his weight in March. Betts at Dodgers Fest on Saturday talked about his offseason plan to re-find his mojo at the plate.
Tommy Edman’s ankle: Edman had right ankle surgery in November, and his readiness for opening day might be in question. But there’s hope that the season as a whole will be healthier after being bothered by the ankle over the last year and a half, and playing only 134 games combined over the last two seasons. With Tucker on board, Edman’s time will probably be mostly spent on the dirt in 2026, playing second base for the bulk of his time.
Platoon at third base? Max Muncy missed significant time with injuries over the last two seasons, starting 162 games. That left time for eight other players to combine for the other 162 starts over the hot corner in 2024-25. Since the start of 2022, Muncy against left-handed pitchers has hit .165/.281/.375 with an 84 wRC+, with seasonal OPS of .679, .642, .743, and .594 against same-handed pitchers.
This might have been a role for Andy Ibáñez, who signed a one-year deal on January 13 (before Tucker signed) to likely mash lefties, with a career 115 wRC+ against southpaws. But he was designated for assignment on Tuesday. Miguel Rojas, who has a 121 wRC+ against lefties over the last two seasons, started 20 games at third base in 2025.
What role for Hyeseong Kim? The signee out of the KBO last season was exceptional defensively at second base but was overmatched at the plate down the stretch, ending at .280/.314/.385 with a 95 wRC+ and 30.6-percent strikeout rate after a hot start. Kim’s best opportunity at playing time probably rests in the fact that the ages of those above him on the depth chart are 36, 31, 33, 35, and 37 years old.
Welcome back, Kiké? It seemed highly likely that human security blanket Kiké Hernández would return once again to the Dodgers eventually this offseason. But with Ibáñez now out, a Hernández return seems even more inevitable. He might miss time at the beginning of the season after left elbow surgery in November, but as long as he’s healthy ready by October it’ll be fine. Hernández signed with the Dodgers on or after the first day of spring training camp in each of the last two seasons, if you’re wondering about the timing.
W-B-Seeya: Kim is the lone Dodgers infielder headed to the World Baseball Classic, which will keep him out of spring camp for at least two weeks or so. He’ll represent Korea in the WBC, which begins pool play in Tokyo on March 5.
San Francisco, CA April 14, 1972 - Willie McCovey practices catching with the San Francisco Giants. (By Keith Dennison / Oakland Tribune)(Digital First Media Group/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Spring Training is officially less than a week away! We won’t quite be done ranking the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization when it starts, but we’ll be getting fairly close!
Our next name is a player most people aren’t too familiar with, because he hasn’t yet donned a jersey for the Giants: it’s right-handed pitcher Reid Worley, who makes his CPL debut as the No. 36 prospect in the system.
Worley represents arguably the most exciting and combustable demographic in the draft: high school pitchers. The Giants took him out of Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia in the ninth round of July’s draft, but his signing bonus — $747,500 — was in line with a late third-round pick, and was the third-highest mark the Giants gave out.
He’s on the older side for a prep prospect, as he turned 19 a few weeks before the draft, and will be debuting in his age-20 season, but the Giants are fairly enamored with him, for understandable reasons. Worley has a truly dynamic — and unique — slider that already has spin rates that would stand out in the Majors. Giants fans certainly have first-hand experience with the potential that can be unlocked with a tremendous slider.
Having such a great slider can only mean one thing: there’s some pressure on Worley’s fastball to play well enough form a one-two punch with the knockout slider, and that will be the biggest thing to watch when he debuts later this year, presumably in the Complex League rotation. For now he’s a fairly slight pitcher, but with the might of a professional organization behind him, he should be able to add some muscle and enhance his athleticism, and hopefully pump up his fastball from its current residence in low-90sville.
Personally, I always love prospects like Worley, because they’re so fun to follow. He has so much potential, but so many questions, and we know so little. He seems as good a candidate as any to be this year’s version of Argenis Cayama, Keyner Martinez, or Luis De La Torre, popping off and making a run for the top-10 in next year’s CPL. But it also wouldn’t be surprising in the least if he struggles through his professional debut, and he’s not even on the radar for next year’s list.
That’s why they play the games. And thankfully, those games are right around the corner.
Now let’s add another name to the list! As a reminder, voting now takes place in the comment section, using the “rec” feature.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
No. 37 prospect nominees
RaynerArias — 19.9-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)
SabinCeballos — 23.5-year old 3B — .670 OPS/102 wRC+ in AA (420 PA)
JackChoate — 24.9-year old LHP — 3.51 ERA/4.17 FIP in AA (102.2 IP)
JakobChristian — 23.4-year old OF/1B — .950 OPS/155 wRC+ in High-A (92 PA); .815 OPS/119 wRC+ in Low-A (318 PA)
ReggieCrawford — 25.1-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)
Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2025 season.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: Adolis García #53 of the Texas Rangers watches his solo home run during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Phillies made their choice. It likely wasn’t the one you or I would have made, but it is one in which the fate of the Phils offense will likely rest.
Adolis Garcia will be the everyday right fielder in 2026. Nick Castellanos, although still technically a member of the Philadelphia Phillies as of this writing, will soon be gone. For a team that entered the off-season with major question marks in the outfield, Dave Dombrowski and the front office decided to go with Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp in left field, rookie Justin Crawford in center and Garcia in right.
It was not inspired.
For a team in desperate need of some right-handed power, it is hoped Garcia will be able to do what Castellanos has not during his time in Philly — bring consistent pop in the middle of the lineup.
Oh sure, Nick had his moments. For a little while there, the 2023 playoffs were his plaything.
For all his warts, Castellanos could do damage when he was hot. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all that often.
Enter Adolis Garcia, who is the most important player in the Phillies’ 2026 lineup.
Why Garcia? We know Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are the heartbeats, and we know what they’re going to be. All three have consistently produced to the backs of their baseball cards (and then some) over the last two seasons, but the lineup tumbles off a cliff once the No. 4 spot shows up. The Phils have simply not received enough production from the middle of the order the last two seasons, and the hope is Garcia will fix that particular issue.
Over the last two seasons, the No. 4 spot in the lineup has produced 42 home runs, 23rd in MLB. Their .411 slugging percentage ranks 18th. Their .726 OPS is 19th. Alec Bohm has accumulated the most at-bats in the cleanup spot over the last two years, leading the team with 12 dingers in 550 plate appearances. Schwarber has 157 PAs batting cleanup and has 10 homers. Castellanos had the 2nd-most plate appearances hitting fourth, he hit 9 bombs, followed by J.T. Realmuto’s 8 home runs in 259 PAs. Outside of Schwarber, Bohm is the only Phillies player with a wRC+ that is at least league average (wRC+ 100) batting cleanup.
Bohm: 100
Realmuto: 85
Castellanos: 78
Marsh has just 46 PAs hitting cleanup, most of them coming after entering games as a pinch hitter against a left-handed pitcher, hence his 146 wRC+ and .526 slugging percentage in those instances.
Fans have been crying for the Phils to add a legitimate right-handed bat with pop all off-season. Heck, the last two seasons, and they rightfully doubt Garcia is the answer. Given their failed pursuit of Bo Bichette last month, Dombrowski and the front office indicated he thought there was room for improvement as well.
And yet, the Phillies chose not to pursue 3B Eugenio Suarez, who hit 49 home runs a season ago and signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Reds, $5 million more than Bohm will earn in 2026. Here is how those two players performed last year:
Suarez: 125 wRC+, 49 HRs, 118 RBIs, 3.8 fWAR
Bohm: 105 wRC+, 11 HRs, 59 RBIs, 1.7 fWAR
Bohm is the de facto choice to hit cleanup for the Phillies as spring training gets underway due to his ability to hit for average and get on base. Comparing Garcia and Bohm over the last two years, Bohm has been the superior player.
Of course, for a cleanup hitter, home runs are a pretty big deal, and Garcia has far outpaced him in that category. Garcia also has a higher ceiling than Bohm, as evidenced by his 2021-23 campaigns.
Dombrowski knows how badly the team needed right-handed power in the middle of the lineup, and yet his ultimate decision was to sign Garcia to a one-year deal early on in free agency. They hope Garcia will resemble something similar to what he was during his three years of glory in Texas.
That ceiling is what makes Garcia the most important part of the Phillies lineup in 2026.
We know what Bohm can and cannot do. We know what Realmuto is at this stage of his career. We know Otto Kemp is not the answer. We know Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott are decent, if unspectacular offensive performers. And we know that Castellanos didn’t have anything left in the tank, either.
For this offense to work, Garcia will need to hit a bunch of bombs and not be a disaster in terms of getting on base. Most projection models don’t see a return to the type of glory he experienced during his elite three-year run as one of the game’s biggest power threats (stats via Fangraphs).
Even these numbers likely puts Garcia second or third on the team in home runs, although they still show him as a relative average-to-below average offensive players for his position. But, optimistically, if Garcia can perform a bit better than these numbers and provide 30-35 home runs hitting behind Turner, Schwarber and Harper, it could make all the difference.
Suddenly, there would be a real power threat in the middle of the lineup, allowing Bohm, Realmuto, Marsh and Stott to slide into more comfortable positions. It would also relieve pressure on Justin Crawford to produce right away.
For the Phillies offense to hum in 2026, Garcia must be better in 2026 than he has been the last two years. It could make all the difference as the Phils try to win a third-straight division title.
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 04: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees pitches during Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, October 4, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When it comes to pitching, top-end talent is crucial. So, too, is depth. The ability to find pitchers to “eat innings” — entering in lower-leverage situations or filling in the back end of rotations and pitching competitively — can help reduce wear on the rest of the staff. Sometimes, those supposed innings eaters end up transcending the moniker, ascending to a higher-leverage role with more prominence and consequence.
After parts of eight seasons with the Athletics, Paul Blackburn was dealt to the Mets at the 2024 Trade Deadline. His career had been marked by flashes of talent — headlined by a strong rookie campaign at the age of 23 when he posted a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts — but waylaid repeatedly by injury. The move to Queens gave the veteran an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to contribute to a competitor. Instead, in a little over a calendar year, he struggled mightily, allowing 35 runs in 48 innings and 11.6 hits per nine. The Mets cut their losses last August; that’s when he moved across town.
Blackburn caught on with the Yankees shortly after the Mets released him. His new team was in dire need of a warm body in their bullpen amidst a rash of injuries. The right-hander’s first appearance in pinstripes was a disaster, a seven-run implosion to spare the rest of the relief corps that raised his season ERA above 8.00. From that point onwards, though, Blackburn was a pleasant surprise for the Bombers, allowing just two more earned runs in 12 innings across seven appearances. He was used mostly in blowouts, finishing off five Yankees victories out of the ‘pen.
This late-season surge and ability to throw multiple innings made him a somewhat surprising addition to the team’s playoff roster. He made one appearance against Toronto in the ALDS, allowing four runs in 1.1 innings to exacerbate what was already a Game 1 blowout.
A free agent after the season, Blackburn was re-signed by the Yankees in mid-January to a one-year, $2 million deal. With the team expected to begin the season without starters Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt, and Carlos Rodón and having lost back-end relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency, the 32-year-old provides some depth at a low price. The big question is where he is likely to be used. His new contract could offer a clue. Blackburn’s deal has incentives built in that would award him a $100,000 bonus if he reaches 80 innings and another $100,000 for each additional 10 innings he pitches up to 120. Only five pitchers threw at least 80 innings in relief last season in all of baseball, with only one reaching 90, meaning he would realistically need an extended opportunity as a starter to reach any of those inning plateaus.
Conversely, Blackburn’s early Yankees trajectory bears an intriguing similarity to a recent success story. Weaver joined New York in September of 2023, making three appearances down the stretch. When he re-signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract the following season, however, the former starter was moved to the bullpen full-time where he excelled, emerging as the Yankees’ closer during their 2024 pennant run.
Does Blackburn’s stuff project to the bullpen? After featuring his cutter as a primary pitch during much of his time with the Mets, the right-hander reverted to using his sinker more late last season. He employed it particularly often against his fellow righties, though they hit .333 against the pitch. Against lefties, his top pitch remained the cutter, though lefties hit .417 against it. Across the board, Blackburn’s breaking pitches were more effective, with opponents batting .250 against his sweeper and curveball.
ZiPS projects Blackburn to appear in 21 games, 15 of them starts, in what amounts to a swingman role (though that would presently appear to be filled by Ryan Yarbrough). And, while they expect some positive regression from his dreadful 6.23 ERA last year, the projection tool still has him pushing a 5.00 ERA. Realistically, re-signing Blackburn is a low-risk, low-reward play for the Yankees. Whether in the rotation or the bullpen, the veteran should get some opportunities early to show what he can contribute as the team works around injuries to several starters and a bullpen in flux.
The Detroit Tigers have had some great pitchers in their long history, but few made their mark the way left-hander Mickey Lolich did. The hero of the 1968 World Series passed away at age 85 on Wednesday.
Lolich was the ultimate combination of workhorse and ace. He pitched 16 seasons, covering 3638 1/3 innings with a career 3.44 ERA. He struck out 2832 hitters in that span, putting him 23rd all-time, putting him right between Mike Mussina and Jim Bunning, only three behind Clayton Kershaw and three ahead of Frank Tanana. Lolich remains fifth all-time in strikeouts among left-handed pitchers.
Michael Stephen Lolich was born on September 12, 1940 in Portland, Oregon. Right-handed in everything else, a childhood accident broke his left collarbone, and the rehabilitation efforts strengthened his left arm and eventually was credited with him throwing southpaw. He was a dominant pitcher in high school, setting numerous state records before the Tigers signed him as an amateur free agent in 1958. He played with the Knoxville Smokies and the Durham Bulls in the minor leagues, reaching the Triple-A level with the old Denver Bears in 1962.
He struggled in Triple-A and ended up fighting with the Tigers over his status and getting suspended after he refused a reassignment to Double-A. He then proceeded to get on track and was reclaimed in 1963. The rest was history as the lefty started 18 games in ‘63 with a 3.55 ERA and a 5-9 record. Some good seasons followed, but it really wasn’t until the 1968 World Series run that Lolich really came into his own as one of the more dominant arms of his era.
Denny McLain was the star of the regular season with one of the great years of any pitcher all-time. Meanwhile, Lolich struggled late in the season and was briefly relegated to the bullpen. He emerged instead as the hero of the 1968 World Series, spinning three complete games in Games 1, 5, and 7. He added a solo shot of his own in Game 1, and allowed just five runs total across those 27 innings of work. His Game 7 complete game in which he allowed one run came on just two days rest. Manager Mayo Smith asked for five innings, but because Lolich was going toe-to-toe with Bob Gibson and pitching great, Smith left him in and eventually Lolich returned to the dugout after a frame and told Smith he was going to finish this out for him. The rest was history.
That triumphant postseason set Lolich off into the best stretch of his career from 1969 to 1975, all with the Tigers. Noted for his sinker and impressive velocity when he wanted extra, Lolich developed a cutter in 1971 that really propelled him even higher. His career started winding down after he and Billy Baldwin were traded to the Mets in December 1975 for Rusty Staub and Bill Laxton. He had a solid season with the Mets but then sat out the 1977 season before returning for two years as a reliever with the Padres for two seasons. His final appearance was September 23, 1979, when he was 39 years old.
Lolich is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and also the Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame, but he never got that much support for his National Baseball Hall of Fame candidacy. In 2003, he was on the final ballot for the Veteran’s Committee along with 26 other players, but wasn’t elected. He topped out on the regular ballot at 25.5 percent of the vote in 1988.
Based on his 64.6 fWAR, career ERA, legendary capstone performance in the ‘68 World Series, and the fact that he remains 23rd all-time in strikeouts, he deserves another look. Lolich was a bridge between the workhorses of the era and the higher strikeout arms that rule the game today.
Lolich is survived by his wife of 61 years, Joyce, his daughters Kimberly, Stacy, and Jody, as well as three grandsons.
Two different billionaire English Premier League owners are among those who have expressed interest in buying the San Diego Padres, according to multiple people familiar with the process.
Dan Friedkin, whose Pursuit Sports owns Everton and AS Roma, and José E. Feliciano, whose Clearlake Capital is a backer of Chelsea, are two of a handful of potential bidders engaged in the ongoing sale process, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Others include Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, who has hinted about his potential interest.
The Padres, Feliciano and boutique investment bank BDT & MSD, which was retained last November to explore a potential sale of the MLB club, declined to comment. An email sent to the Friedkin Group was not immediately returned.
Friedkin is worth roughly $10 billion and Feliciano an estimated $3.9 billion, according to Forbes. The Padres are worth $2.31 billion, per Sportico’s latest MLB valuations, up 14% over the previous year, thanks to strong results on and off the field. Attendance in 2025 was 3.44 million, which ranked second in baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gross revenue topped $500 million last year, Sporticopreviously reported.
The record sale price for an MLB franchise is $2.42 billion for Steve Cohen’s purchase of the New York Mets in 2020.
The Padres’ sale is viewed as a litmus test for valuations at a critical time for baseball. Many investors believe the sport’s clubs are undervalued—the MLB revenue multiple is 6.6x in Sportico’s valuations, by far the smallest of the five major U.S. leagues—and there are potential structural changes coming that could grant owners greater cost certainty. To get there, however, the league and its players must navigate a labor battle that many believe could result in missed games in the 2027 season.
Feliciano, who co-founded Clearlake with Behdad Eghbali in 2006, has become a more prominent sports investor in the last few years. Clearlake provided a large portion of the funding for the $3.16 billion purchase of English soccer giant Chelsea in 2022 and now has more than $90 billion under management. Feliciano was close to buying a minority stake in the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers two years ago and was among those who bid unsuccessfully for the Denver Broncos in 2022.
Feliciano’s bid would be through his family office and include his wife, Kwanza Jones. The two of them have been active recently in women’s sports, including a partnership with the Monarch Collective. If successful with his bid, Feliciano, who was born in Puerto Rico, would join the Los Angeles Angels’ Arte Moreno as the only MLB control owners of Latin descent.
Friedkin’s Houston-based business spans automobiles and luxury hospitality, and he has also expanded into sports in recent years. In late 2024, his company acquired a majority stake in Everton, which joined a portfolio with other soccer assets. He’s been discussed as a potential owner for an NHL expansion team in Houston and was a finalist in the bidding for the Boston Celtics. Last year, he created Pursuit Sports to house his sports investments and to seek more opportunities across the industry.
The Padres’ owners announced the team was for sale in November, amid a legal battle between family members of late owner Peter Seidler, who died in 2023. Seidler’s widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler, sued his brothers, Bob and Matt, in Texas probate court last year, alleging they breached their fiduciary duties as trustees of Peter’s trust. One of the trusts’ key assets is the principal ownership stake in the Padres.
On Monday, a Travis County, Texas, court filing revealed that Sheel has dismissed most of her original claims.
The current Padres ownership group, which includes at least 10 people or entities, bought the team in 2012 for $800 million. The largest stake of roughly 24% is held by the Peter Seidler Trust, with Sheel and her three children the beneficiaries.
Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta is not planning to pitch for Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, which starts next month.
"Pretty much, it's confirmed," Peralta told SNY on Wednesday. "I decided -- me and my family -- I think it was the best thing for me. I know my country was expecting me to be there supporting the team, and doing what I do. But unfortunately I took the decision to stay here and be around the guys and new people here -- new players and my teammates here.
"I know it's gonna be hard for everybody. For myself, too, it wasn't an easy decision. But I think it's the best for me and my career."
Peralta, who has been at spring training in Port St. Lucie for several days -- along with other pitchers including Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, Clay Holmes, Christian Scott, Jack Wenninger, and Jonathan Santucci -- was acquired from the Brewers last month in exchange for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat.
Peralta is set for free agency after the season, but has expressed a willingness to discuss an extension once he gets settled in with the Mets.
He is expected to lead a rotation that should also include McLean, Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.
McLean and Holmes will be on Team USA for the WBC.Juan Soto is playing for the DR, while Mark Vientos will play for Team Nicaragua.
"Due to the cleanup procedure that Francisco Lindor had on his right elbow earlier this offseason, he will not be participating for team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic," the MLBPA said last week in a statement. "Francisco is obviously disappointed that he will be unable to participate. However, because of WBC insurance constraints, he is ineligible to play in WBC games. He will participate fully in all spring training activities."
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 23: Taylor Rogers #55 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with Ryan Jeffers #27 against the Los Angeles Angels on July 23, 2021 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off taking charge of the business aspect of Twins baseball operations of the Twins, team owner Tom Pohlad has announced a partnership with Brasher Microform, a company specializing in DNA experimentation and cloning.
“It’s in our identity: Twins,” Pohlad said. “We brought back Taylor Rogers, and he’s a twin. It seemed apropos to craft our entire bullpen out of copies of him.”
Rogers returned to his debut team on January 23, signing a one-year, $2 million deal and providing left-handed help to a bullpen still foundering since last year’s trade deadline fire sale. The team only has one other active southpaw reliever with MLB experience: Kody Funderburk, from whom Rogers has reclaimed his old number 55 (Funderburk will now wear #57).
“With a full slate of Rogerses in the bullpen, imagine the lack of worry about pitcher exhaustion,” Pohlad said. “One Rogers blows out his elbow? No problem, we can pop another one out of the tank. It worked for Tom Brady’s dog.”
The Brasher Microform website touts its experimental “Inner Safe” technology, allowing for DNA reproduction without having to re-age the cloned subject from infancy. Curiously, there is no contact information for the country listed on the website, nor is there any address or location listed.
Upon being asked why the Twins did not simply attempt to sign Taylor’s twin brother Tyler in free agency (Tyler signed with the Blue Jays) if they wanted multiple Rogerses in the home bullpen, Pohlad said, “The cloning partnership was less cost-prohibitive.”
Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch watches the infield before Grapefruit League action against the Philadelphia Phillies at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium Friday, March 18, 2022 in Lakeland, Florida. Tigersphil
Folks, we’re almost there. Winter still has us in its icy grip here in the north, but a week from today, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Lakeland. The anticipation of spring training is often followed by a minor letdown as March’s interminably long slate of Grapefruit League games grind by and the desire for Opening Day and regular season baseball builds pressure. However, we’ll also get the World Baseball Classic to break things up, as well as the Spring Breakout games for prospect hounds. It should be a pretty fun spring camp, as they go.
Of course, how we’re all going to figure out how to actually watch the Tigers remains up in the air. Hopefully the club will offer some clarity on their broadcast situation shortly. They’ve had plenty of time to prepare their alternate plans, so we’ll be looking for more word on that soon.
In the meantime, the Tigers released the full spring training roster for major league camp on Wednesday. The list includes 23 non-roster invitees, and just the sight of certain names should get you juiced up for baseball.
Top prospects galore will be involved this time around, and to a degree the Tigers haven’t really seen since 2020-2021, if then. Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, Thayron Liranzo, Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, and more will be on hand. Left-hander Jake Miller is still rehabbing from hip labrum surgery, so we may not see him until late in camp, while Jackson Jobe is rehabbing from Tommy John and will move to the 60-day injured list immediately, opening up a 40-man spot for a signing or promotion. Slugging C/1B Eduardo Valencia will be a name to watch after a breakout 2025 season. Veteran minor leaguers like Jace Jung, Trei Cruz, Tyler Mattison, and Ben Malgeri will also be fighting for some kind of a role, at least as an up and down option throughout the season. Sawyer Gipson-Long will try and put Tommy John behind him after a tough reintroduction to the major leagues in 2025, and we’ll be curious to see how he looks as rotation depth.
And of course we’ll have the usual batch of veteran relievers and depth pitchers. As always a few will stand out in spring camp. Someone will have a little extra velocity, or a new pitch that could unlock their game. Free agent signing Drew Anderson will have plenty of eyes on him, as will veteran relievers like Tanner Rainey, Tyler Owens, Dugan Darnell, Phil Bickford, Jack Little and more. Of course, those spring standouts often crumble later in camp as the hitters get up to speed, but it’s all a normal part of spring camp. Seeing how the Tigers are trying to help pitchers adjust and find something new in their game is always interesting, if usually futile for all but a few.
It’s been a long winter, and it sure isn’t over yet, but the promise of spring camp is better than a groundhog for signaling that spring is finally around the corner.
Jun 18, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Basic High School shortstop Ty Southisene during the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It’s day three of our countdown of the top 25 prospects in the Cubs system.
One of the disappointing aspects of the Cubs 2024 minor league season is that while players at the top of the system graduated to the majors (or were traded), the players near the bottom of the system did not, for the most part, rise to the occasion to take their place. You can’t say that about Jostin Florentino, who made one of the biggest leaps forward of anyone in the Cubs system and earned Cubs Minor League Pitcher Of the Year honors.
No pitcher anywhere in the minor leagues added more velocity on his fastball than Florentino did in 2025. Now the bad news is that means it went from averaging 84.9 miles per hour to 90, but if you think there’s another tick of velocity in there as he ages, then there could really be something there. On top of that, Florentino has a very simple and fast delivery with a low arm-slot release that doesn’t give hitters much time to react, allowing all his stuff to play up.
Florentino’s best secondary pitch is an upper-70s sweeper/slider that has a ton of spin and lateral movement. Florentino also has a cut fastball and a changeup that will have to improve to retire left-handed hitters as he moves up the system. But currently, left-handed hitters in the Carolina League are just as clueless against his stuff as right-handers are, so platoon splits aren’t a big issue yet.
Florentino made his US debut after spending two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. After 21.2 innings and a 3.74 ERA in Mesa, Florentino was promoted to Pelicans where he dominated the Carolina League. Over 11 appearances and ten starts for Myrtle Beach, Florentino went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He missed a ton of bats in Low-A, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings in Low-A and 11.2 per nine overall. His walk totals for a young pitcher in Low-A were also excellent as he walked just eight percent of the batters he faced.
Florentino’s results, albeit in just 81.1 innings between the two levels, indicate that he’s a potential major league starter. But the stat line runs into conflict with the scouting report. While Florentino has made big gains, he’s still just throwing 90-91 mph and is still mostly a two-pitch pitcher.
Florentino should start the season in High-A South Bend and all eyes should be on whether he can build on the gains he made in 2026. If he improves that velocity even more with no loss of control or develops a better third pitch, Florentino could be a top-five prospect in the system at this time next year.
I hate to rank high school players who have yet to make their professional debut, but in the case of Hartshorn, I’ve read and heard too much positive stuff to keep him out and at least there is some online video for showcase events where I can see his talents for myself. The Cubs also gave him $2 million to keep him from going to Texas A&M, which is bonus money commensurate with someone taken at the end of the first round. So this is probably a fair ranking of a guy with some sky-high potential.
The first thing you notice about Hartshorn is that he’s a huge man with a fairly level swing from both sides. He does have a bit of a leg kick that he apparently uses as a timing mechanism, but it’s nothing exaggerated. He also appears to be fairly athletic for someone as big as he is, which would be a positive for him staying at a corner outfield position. He does look like a natural first baseman, however, and that may be where he ends up by the time his career is over. He will have to maintain his conditioning to stick as a corner outfielder.
Hartshorn’s high school career was littered with injuries, which has led to some odd stuff. For his first three years in high school, a nagging left elbow injury meant that he batted almost exclusively from the right side. His elbow was better by his senior year, but then he suffered some back issues that made him bat mostly from the left side in his final year in high school. So while he is a switch hitter, he’s had plenty of experience facing same-side pitchers. Hartshorn’s left-handed swing looks more natural to me, but I’ve read scouting reports that like his right-handed swing better. He did tie for the championship in MLB’s High School Home Run Derby hitting exclusively left-handed. He had reportedly returned to hitting from both sides by the time of the draft last year.
In any case, Hartshorn has tremendous bat speed from both sides of the plate. He’ll probably need to get more loft in his swing to become a true power threat, but he certainly has a raw power ceiling of a 65 or 70 on the 20-to-80 scale. He’ll have to make good swing decisions for that to become game power, but the reports on that front are positive.
Because he’s so young, I’d expect Hartshorn to start this year playing in Mesa, but if the Cubs are really convinced he can handle it, Myrtle Beach isn’t out of the question. He certainly would hope to play for the Pelicans sometime this summer. Hartshorn is a guy with some real boom-or-bust potential. He could be a top-five prospect at this time next year with a strong 2026 season.
Here’s some workout video of Hartshorn at a showcase event before the draft.
13. Will Sanders. RHP. DOB: 3/30/2002. 6’6”, 230. Drafted 4th round (2023) South Carolina.
Sanders has been a tantalizing prospect since the Cubs drafted him in 2023. He has a lot of raw talent and has shown some real promise at times in the Cubs minor league system. However, he hasn’t shown the kinds of consistency that you want out of a major league starter.
Sanders is a big right-hander with a fastball in the 92-to-94 mile per hour range and it can touch as high as 96. His height gives hitters unusual release point to pick up the pitch from. He uses a mid-80s splitter as a changeup and both pitches can miss bats when they’re on. Sanders also features a curve and a slider, both of which are fringy. He does have above-average command, which allows his stuff to play up a bit.
Sanders started last year in Double-A Knoxville and it looked like he had put everything together. In the Southern League, Sanders made some major improvements in his control and he got good results over nine starts for the Smokies: 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA. The peripherals were even better as his walk percentage dropped from 10.3 percent in 2024 down to 4.6 percent. Meanwhile, his strikeout percentage stayed level at 25.1.
When you do that well in Double-A, you get promoted to Triple-A, so Sanders packed his bags and headed up to Iowa. Unfortunately, the gains he made in Double-A did not continue in the International League. Triple-A hitters lit up Sanders in Iowa and over 17 appearances (14 starts), he went 7-4 with a 6.38 ERA. Some of that was because of a poor strand rate, but a lot of that was because he gave up a ton of home runs. His walk rate also jumped up to 9.3 percent, which is still lower than it was in 2024 but not what he needs to succeed at this level and the majors.
Sanders should return to Iowa this summer and hopefully he figured out over the winter what he needed to work on. He is an emergency option for a major league debut this summer if he improves. Sanders has the upside of a number-five starter.
14. James Triantos. 2B/CF. B:R, T:R. DOB: 1/29/2003. 5’11”, 195 lbs. Drafted 2nd round (2021) Madison HS (VA)
James Triantos had a poor 2025 season. There’s no denying that. In his first full season at Triple-A Iowa, Triantos hit just .258/.315/.369 with seven home runs. He did struggle with leg soreness all season and missed most of June on the injured list because of it. That could be the reason for his downturn, which seems mostly related to an inability to pull the ball with authority at the same rates that he had in 2024. His swing decisions and contact rates remained mostly the same as the year before, although he only played 26 games for Iowa in 2024.
So was this past year simply a result of nagging injuries or have opposing teams found a weakness in his game? That’s the big question coming into this year.
Triantos, at his best, is a pesky hitter with terrific contact skills. He doesn’t get a lot of lift on the ball so his home run rates are always going to be low, but he does hit the ball hard. He’s also a terrific baserunner. He stole 31 bases in 110 games last year and 47 in 114 games the year before.
It’s been an adventure trying to find a defensive position for Triantos, The Cubs originally planned to make him a third baseman, but despite an above-average arm, he couldn’t handle the position. He was better after he moved to second base and the Cubs could live with his glove there as a bat-first second baseman. But the Cubs tried moving him to center field this past summer. The move made sense, as he has the foot speed and arm to play there. But so far, Triantos has struggled in center. Most of that can be chalked up to inexperience and it is entirely possible that he gets good out there with more repetition. He’s got the raw tools to succeed in center. On the other hand, you could have said that about his work at third base as well.
In any case, the Cubs still thought enough of Triantos to protect him from the Rule 5 draft this winter and place him on the 40-man roster. So he is still on track for his major league debut sometime this season. Right now he projects as a bench bat who is limited to second base and maybe the outfield. But he’s still young and if he can return to his earlier form, then there may be a starting second baseman or center fielder in there.
A lot was expected out of Southisene when he arrived in Myrtle Beach last May and for two months, he was terrible. His stat line for his first 33 games was .151/.318/.160. He was making contact at a decent clip, but it was weak contact and on the ground. But in the second half, Southisene improved his contact rates and started to barrel up the ball for harder contact. He looked like the guy the Cubs expected when they took him in the fourth round last year. Southisene hit .292/.422/.335 in the second half. That gave him an overall line of .244/.387/.276.
Southisene is from a baseball family—his younger brother Tate was taken in the first round last year by the Braves. His twin brother Tee played for Southern California last year but appears to have transferred to Southern Nevada, which would make him draft-eligible this year. He has another brother, Troy, who is committed to play baseball at Oregon State this upcoming fall, assuming someone doesn’t draft him and sign him away.
Southisene’s game is contact and speed. He has a good eye at the plate and even with his first-half struggles, only struck out in 15 percent of his plate appearances in his first year as a professional. He had 63 walks compared to 59 strikeouts. Southisene also boasts plus speed as he stole 41 bases in 49 attempts last year. His defense at second base is average, but his arm probably isn’t strong enough to play on the left side of the infield regularly.
The biggest concern with Southisene revolves around his small size, which limits his ability to hit for power. Of his 78 hits last year, 70 were singles, six were doubles and two were triples. He’s yet to connect for a home run as a professional and isn’t likely to hit many of them down the road. He might be able to gain enough muscle to hit a few every year, but his swing doesn’t really have any lift to it. Southisene’s ground ball rate last year was 59 percent and his fly ball rate was just 15 percent.
Without power, Southisene is probably limited to being a bench player in the majors. His arm also limits his utility as a backup infielder, but the Cubs have found ways to make below arms work on the left side of the infield before. But Southisene’s contact rates and base running skills still make him an interesting prospect.
June 4, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; Augusta GreenJacket outfielder Isaiah Drake (4) looks to the ball during the second game of the Augusta GreenJacket and Fayetteville series at SRP Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As if the last part of our list wasn’t fun enough, we begin to see a major influx of tools as we enter our top 18 prospects. After adding the likes of Isaiah and Guanipa back in 2023, the Braves made serious changes to what kind of players they were looking to add which is why we are beginning to see an influx of position prospects beginning to make the list. Speed, and overall approach stand out the most with this group of teenager, but there is a lot more to like about them including their untapped power potential. Owen, Cody, Isaiah, Conor, and Luis possess the tools that make you excited about watching minor league baseball. With proper development you’re looking at five position players that have the tools to be impact major leaguers whether that be with Atlanta, or via a trade with another organization. We are also entering the part of the list where things start to get REALLY fun. So pour yourself a glass of water, do some reading, and let’s hear your thoughts on the list below.
How he got to the Braves: 2022 2nd round compensation pick (76th overall)
It’s been an eventful winter for Blake Burkhalter. First he was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft, and went unpicked by the 29 other teams. Then it seems like his Triple-A move to the pen is a move that is going to stick for him on a more permanent basis. Last year he spent the season split between Columbus and Gwinnett and starting and relieving, posting a 3.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP as a starter in Columbus. With Gwinnett he made two starts and 16 relief appearances, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP – though a 3.86 ERA and 1.33 WHIP as a reliever. After he struck out 65 in 72 innings with Columbus, he struck out 23 over 31 innings in Gwinnett – though it worth noting that he struck out 16 over 21 relief innings. Burkhalter has a fastball up to 98 MPH and cutter that can miss bats, plus a slider and change that are more average, and has above average command. In a relief role he will be able to rely more heavily on the fastball and cutter combo that are his better pitches. He is likely to start back in Gwinnett considering he isn’t on the 40-man roster, but is likely to see Atlanta at some point this season. Although he was a college closer his upside is probably more of a 7th/8th inning guy.
17. Owen Carey – OF
How he got to the Braves: 2024 15th round pick (461st overall)
In terms of players in Atlanta’s system with significant helium to their status, Carey has to be near the top of anyone’s top prospects list.
While he was a late-round pick in his respective draft class, the Braves felt confident enough in Carey’s abilities by handing him a signing bonus of $150,000. So far, Carey has made good on that investment.
On the surface, Carey’s numbers weren’t exactly eye popping in his first professional season. Across 469 at-bats, Carey posted a .675 OPS for low-A Augusta, to go along with four homers and 63 RBI. However, considering he was nearly 2 and a half years younger than the competition, those numbers actually stand out as fairly solid for the young outfielder.
What is more encouraging for Carey, is that he showed tremendous plate discipline during his stint with the GreenJackets. Carey struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances for Augusta, and while he didn’t walk much – only 7.2% of the time – there’s still plenty to like with what Carey did while with the GreenJackets.
The main thing you want to see from Carey moving forward, is for him to get some lift on the ball, as he hit the ball on the ground in roughly half his at-bats for the year. If he can do that as he builds more muscle and taps into a bit more power, Carey could be a legitimate top-10 talent in the system by the time the season comes to a close.
It will be fascinating to see where Carey’s bat takes him in 2026. He’s likely slated to repeat at Augusta, at least to begin the season, as he gets back up to last year’s speed. From there, he should have a relatively quick bump to Rome where he and fellow teen outfielder Eric Hartman could suit up together at high-A before the all-star break.
16. Cody Miller – SS/3B/OF
How he got to the Braves: 2025 3rd round pick (96th overall)
The Braves surprised many when they drafted East Tennessee State shortstop Cody Miller in the third round in July and proceeded to sign him for an underslot bonus of $297.5k. Miller was way under the radar leading up to the draft, but his 2025 saw him rise the rankings of the Braves. After hitting just two home runs in each of his first two college seasons, Miller blasted 18 last spring with a slash of .331/.430/.623, and also added 27 steals while drawing 28 walks to his 35 strikeouts. He followed that up by heading to the Cape Cod League and slashing .261/.333/.439 with three more homers there against better competition than he faced at ETSU. Miller wasn’t just taking advantage of lesser competition, as he fared quite well against power conference teams as well last spring. He was drafted as a speed and hit tool guy, who has a little bit of pop, and also some defensive versatility. After signing he went to Augusta and hit .372/.417/.488 with a homer in 10 games before quickly being promoted to Rome. His time in Rome saw him play in 16 games and hit .297/.357/.422 with a homer. Combined he hit .327/.381/.449 with two homers, five doubles, a triple, 10 steals, and eight walks to 32 strikeouts over 118 plate appearances. He is likely to head back to Rome, but could push his way to Columbus quickly – even out of camp, and has played second, third, short, and left within the last year and has the speed to get a look in center as well. He has a Trea Turner-like skill set in that he should be able to make good contact, elite speed, and could be able to punch out 15-20 homers a year, though the first real test for him will be Double-A against upper level pitching
How he got to the Braves: 2023 5th round pick (162nd overall)
Headed into 2025, there was no prospect who needed to have an above-average year more so than Isaiah Drake. Coming off back-to-back seasons in which he posted a sub-.600 OPS, Drake needed to find an offensive switch, and it needed to happen sooner rather than later.
Needless to say, he found it.
Drake posted his best season yet at the plate, which culminated in a late season promotion to Rome, where he continued to show his offensive strides. In 84 games with Augusta before his promotion, Drake slashed .260/.341/.364 with five homers and 47 RBI. He also managed to swipe 35 bags while only getting caught 9 times.
With Rome, Drake suited up for 32 games in which he hit .303 with an OPS of .682. He also swatted one homer and drove in 12 runs. The biggest detriment to his game has been his inability to cut down on the strikeouts – in which he did so 23 times in 122 at-bats for Rome.
Drake’s skillset is well-documented; He’s a quick-twitch outfielder with exceptional speed and athleticism. The only thing lacking in his game thus far had been his offensive profile, which appears to have possibly made a turn for the better. However, it’s too small a sample size to determine that aspect for certain, so we’ll need to see Drake carry that into the 2026 season.
Drake appears slated to spend a majority, if not all, of the upcoming season with Rome as he continues to refine his approach at the plate. He doesn’t have to hit for a ton of power, as he can let the rest of his tools do a lions share of the talking. If he can tap into a little bit of power while keeping his batting consistent, Drake could be a sneaky guy to move up into the upper minors this season considering the sheer lack of depth the Braves have when it comes to outfield prospects.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) June 6, 2025
14. Conor Essenburg – OF
How he got to the Braves: 2025 5th round pick (157th overall)
One of the biggest wildcards on the list, Braves 2025 fifth round draft pick Conor Essenburg finds himself all the way up at No. 14 overall on our list. With Essenburg comes pure projection – a surprisingly polished prep bat with strong exit velocities, and power projection that can make every Braves fan happy. He was a two way player that can touch the low-to-mid 90s on the mound, but it’s the potential with the bat that the Braves are interested in as they selected him as an outfielder during the draft. As with any prep player the question is will the hit tool translate – so that is something to keep an eye on this year as he makes his professional debut, likely in the FCL. But as is, Conor immediately becomes one of the highest upside outfield prospects in the system which is a group that is rapidly growing with power potential, a solid hit tool, average speed, and a big arm. Look for him to slot into that right fielder spot, though if the size and power continue to grow there is a tiny risk he profiles more as a first baseman. That said, there’s no reason to go down that route now because he has not shown any of that risk.
3-1 count & Conor Essenburg does not miss his pitch.
The 2025 OF/LHP touches every bit of this to the pull-side for the monster 3-run 💣
How he got to the Braves: 2023 international free agent
The Braves signed Luis Guanipa as their top international free agent three years ago for $2.5M. He was seen as a potential five-tool talent and backed that up in his pro debut. In the DSL in 2023 he hit .238/.361/.384 with four homers and 20 steals over 46 games. That was enough to shoot him up the rankings ahead of 2024, but unfortunately that ended up being a lost year for him due to injuries. He hit a combined .219/.286/.291 with two homers and 10 steals over 52 combined games between Augusta and the FCL after a late start to his season and then an additional injury layoff. The hope was that he would be healthy again and bounce back in 2025, but injuries hit again and limited him to just 35 games combined between Augusta and the FCL. He hit just .262/.345/.325 with just one homer and two steals – however he did show some growth during the season. He had monthly OPS marks of .182 and .636 in April and June, but .708 and .830 in July and August as he seemed to hit a lot better – however it needs to be noted that all of these months are small sample sizes, between 11 and 66 plate appearances. Guanipa when healthy still has shown five-tool ability, though will need to do a better job of translating his raw power into games. He is still just barely 20 years old and has the time to repeat Augusta and work with a strong coaching staff there again
