TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 17: Marcus Semien #2 of the Texas Rangers holds up a baseball in the field during the MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 17, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at second baseman Marcus Semien.
Former second baseman Marcus Semien, I guess I should say.
Marcus Semien being traded felt like…not the end of an era, necessarily, but definitely the end of a particular chapter in the book of the Texas Rangers.
51 months ago, the Texas Rangers were coming off a disastrous season. The team had committed to an (arguably) long overdue rebuild after a disappointing 2020 season. The 2021 team was bad, reaching 100 losses for the first time since the first two years the franchise was in Arlington. Joey Gallo, a year and a half away from free agency and playing like a superstar, was traded to the Yankees at the deadline after rejecting a contract extension as the Rangers took on a “no half measures” approach. Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy were shipped off to Philadelphia at the break. Things appeared bleak, to say the least.
At the end of season press conference, Jon Daniels and Chris Young told fans that the rebuild was over, and the team was committed to going big in the free agent market that winter. Payroll would be going up, the Rangers were looking to get much better, quickly, and they were going to spend money to accomplish that. It was a very strong free agent class, headed by five stellar shortstops, and the Rangers were going big game hunting.
The reaction was predictable. There was scoffing. There was mockery. There were predictions that the Rangers would miss out on the top players, say they made competitive offers and were really trying, and then add some third-tier free agents and call it a day. Folks pointed to the pursuit of Anthony Rendon after the 2019 season, a player the Rangers prioritized, and how they fell woefully short to the offer made by Arte Moreno and the Angels. That was proof the Rangers might talk a big game, but when push came to shove they would fall short.
The baseball world was shook. Rangers fans were floored. The skeptics had to eat their words. The Rangers went big, on a long-term contract for a guy with two top-three MVP finishes in the previous three years.
The rebuild was over, and the Rangers were committed to winning again.
A day later, news broke that the Rangers were signing Corey Seager to a 10 year, $325 million deal. In a two day period, a team that had just lost 102 games committed a half-billion dollars to two of the best free agents available. And they still weren’t done, agreeing to terms with free agent pitcher Jon Gray on a four year deal. All three players were officially signed right before the owners locked out the players, resulting in an especially frustrating period where our celebration over the new acquisitions was muted due to the uncertainty of the coming 2022 season.
Seager, of course, was the prize addition, and so far appears to be one of the best signings in Texas Rangers history. He’s who we think of first when we think about the big moves that offseason that kickstarted the return to contention, ultimately culminating in a World Series title in 2023, the first in franchise history.
But it all started with Marcus Semien.
And now, Semien is gone, traded with three years left on his deal, to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo. Gray is gone, a free agent, his career in question because of ongoing health issues. Corey Seager is still here, of course, and hopefully isn’t going anywhere. But both the roster and the dynamics of this club are much different now.
Marcus Semien’s final season with the Rangers was much like his first and third seasons with the team. He was excellent defensively, not so excellent offensively. He won a Gold Glove, and gets a good chunk of credit for the Rangers’ team Gold Glove award in 2025. He also put up a 97 OPS+ and an 89 wRC+, which isn’t ideal.
Semien slashed .230/.305/.364 in 2025, and regardless of circumstances, that’s not what you want. He did have a noticeable home/road split, slashing .217/.303/.314 at home and .242/.308/.410 on the road. He also missed the final six weeks of the season, and one could possibly surmise that his overall slash line would have looked better had he not missed that time, since over the course of his career, his OPS by month goes up in orderly fashion, lowest in April, second lowest in May, and so on. He has a career 815 OPS in the month of September, 59 points better than his career OPS, and his 65 career homers in the final month of the season is 19 more than his second highest month (August, natch).
Looking at Semien’s offensive profile, you can see how he would be particularly affected by the Shed in 2025, and the way the ball just flat didn’t travel well there. Semien hits the ball in the air a lot, particularly to the pull side — in his four seasons with the Rangers, he had just two opposite field home runs. However, he’s never hit the ball particularly hard — his hard hit rate was right at his career average in 2025, but was just good enough to be in the 17th percentile in 2025, per Statcast.
Hitting the ball in the air but not particularly hard is how you end up with a .251 BABIP, which is what Semien sported in 2025. It was tied for fourth lowest among 145 qualifying hitters in 2025, behind Eugenio Suarez, Josh Bell, and Cal Raleigh, and tied with Sal Perez. And if the ball isn’t carrying, that exacerbates the power problem, since you aren’t picking up doubles as much either. Semien’s 16 doubles in 2025 were the lowest in a full season in his career, and even if you extrapolate it out to 160 games like he usually plays, it would be the lowest total. His ISO of .134 was the second lowest of his career, behind only 2018, when he had a .133 ISO.
Marcus Semien is still a good player. In 127 games, he put up 2.1 fWAR and 3.3 bWAR. At the age of 35, he is obviously in the decline phase of his career, but a 2-4 win second baseman has value, and I don’t think there’s any question he will work to get as much as he can out of himself for the remainder of his contract.
He’ll just be doing it with the Mets, instead of the Rangers, going forward.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Michael Kopech #45 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With Monday’s big trade news, the Mariners accomplished one of their major off-season goals, shoring up the infield with the acquisition of Brendan Donovan. That leaves just one item on the off-season shopping list: a reliever to help bolster the bullpen. Obviously, we love us a Pile Guy™, and the staff has already started laying claim to some of our fave breakout picks: Nick is an Alex Hoppe-Hoper, ZAM has a crush on Cooper Criswell, and John just never got over a guy named Robinson (Ortiz, in this case). Personally, I am still licking my wounds after going all-in on Adonis Medina last season and am slow to trust again. But relying on a waiver-wire-castoff reliever to be a steadying force in the bullpen is a risky proposition, despite the success the Mariners have had with that in the past. Commenter AJPDX listed out a few names to consider for free agent relievers in the Moose Tracks yesterday, so I thought we’d take a closer look at some of them today.
AJPDX’s original list was Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, Andrew Chafin, Evan Phillips, José Leclerc, Paul Sewald, Michael Kopech, Nick Martinez. I have a hard time seeing the Mariners adding a third lefty to the bullpen, so I think we can scratch Coulombe, Wilson, and Chafin (sorry to his site doppelganger Connor, who has always wanted the Mariners to sign Chafin).
Having scratched those guys, Nick Martinez is probably the most intriguing name left on the list to me, but I agree with AJPDX’s thought that Martinez probably wants another shot at starting—and given that after Framber Valdez signs he’ll be the best starter remaining by WAR, I think someone will give him a shot to do so.
Next are the injury guys. José Leclerc, who the A’s gave $10M to last season, had season-ending rotator cuff surgery in July. He could be ready for spring training, but is likely not on a regular ramp-up schedule. Evan Phillips had TJ in June and won’t be ready until after the All-Star Break; he also reportedly prefers a straight one-year deal rather than the two-year deal some pitchers have signed post-TJ, making him a tough fit. Paul Sewald is coming off injury and is 36. Michael Kopech also has a lengthy injury history, including last season, and has had problems commanding the zone his whole career, but he offers the highest upside out of this group.
Beyond those guys, the list of available options is…not. Most everyone left has signed or retired. The steadiest hand left might be Luke Jackson, who was with the team last season.
At this point, the Mariners have built a pile and their in-house options likely outstrip anything left on the market. A minor trade is always a possibility as teams finalize their rosters prior to spring training, and feels likelier to me if they’re adding anyone than signing one of the leftover relievers. If you have a favorite target, please toss it in the comments – or if you’re willing to throw your lot in with one of the pitching pile guys, say so. This is a safe space.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 24: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates adjusts his helmet after hitting a double in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen is still a free agent going into the final days leading up to spring training.
McCutcheon, 39, is still looking to play this season and would like to return to the Pirates where he has played for each of the past three seasons. However, the Pirates have yet to offer him a contract. The Athletic insider Ken Rosenthal explains why that may be the case.
“The offseason is not yet over. The Pirates’ estimated $95 million payroll is only $8 million above last season’s final number, a total deflated by trades of David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes and several veterans on one-year deals. As the team’s pursuit of Suárez demonstrated, Cherington still wants to add another hitter. If he does not, the spectre of McCutchen will hang over Don Kelly’s first spring training as manager. Not exactly the vibe the Pirates are seeking,“ Rosenthal wrote.
“Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise. But if the Pirates had been more straightforward with McCutchen, they at least would have made clear that they offered him no guarantees beyond 2025. They held internal discussions about relating those intentions to McCutchen, sources said. But they decided against taking a direct approach, perhaps out of fear of confrontation.”
Many Pirates fans, and McCutchen included, hope that he can play in black and gold this season, but the longer he is off the roster, the less likely it seems that will be the case. McCutchen shared his thoughts on the matter in a social media post last month.
“If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years,” McCutchen tweeted.
“Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt [sic] a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me.”
Pirates pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton for spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
PEORIA, AZ - OCTOBER 30: Alfonsin Rosario #2 of the Surprise Saguaros bats during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Peoria Javelinas at Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, October 30, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The people have spoken and Alfonsin Rosario is our No. 16 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Rosario squeaked through with 31.3% of the vote, just beating out Juneiker Caceres (28.3%) followed by an intriguing trio of Yorman Gomez (11.1%), Andrew Walters (10.1%) and Austin Peterson (9.1%).
Rosario was a sixth round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the P27 Academy in Lexington, South Carolina.
After a cup of coffee in the Complex League the year he was drafted, he was sent straight to full-season Single-A in 2024, where he showcased a unique blend of power and speed, blasting 16 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 109 games, good for a 131 wRC+ in his age-20 season, although he struck out 32.2% of the time.
Cleveland acquired Rosario from the Cubs in a trade for reliever Eli Morgan in the offseason, and Rosario debuted at High-A Lake County to begin the 2025 campaign. While there, he was one of the top offensive performers in the entire Cleveland system, slashing .268/.362/.490 with 16 home runs and 12 steals in 82 games, good for a 139 wRC+. He maintained a decent 10.5% walk rate while dropping his strikeout rate over 7 percentage points at the new level.
Rosario finished the 2025 season with 33 games at Double-A Akron, where he still was above average, but his contact rates dropped, slashing .211/.303/.391. The walk rate stayed steady, but he reverted to his 2024 strikeout rates and his power numbers dipped a bit with five home runs in that timespan.
Rosario is one of the rare right-handed outfield prospects in Cleveland’s system. He posts elite exit velocities, similar to Johnathon Rodriguez and Jhonkensy Noel, but has better speed and athleticism. He can run well, has immense power potential and has a cannon for a throwing arm, but contact will make or break him as a prospect. If he can keep his strikeout rate at a reasonable level, he could definitely be a MLB contributor at some point in the next year. Look for him to repeat 2026 at Double-A, but he could be promoted quickly if he gets off to a hot start.
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 17 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.
One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.
Selected as a defense-first catcher with some pop in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart had above-average offensive seasons at both High-A and Double-A in 2025.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.
Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.
Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) 2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+
One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.
Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.
Our list so far: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF 12. Daniel Espino, RHP 13. George Valera, LHH OF 14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF 15. Joey Oakie, RHP 16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF
The Mets were indeed aggressive and they landed Soto, changing the complexion of the payroll for the next 15 seasons.
This time around, the club was regrouping after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, as they went from the best team in baseball in June to one that missed the postseason entirely.
Colored by David Stearns' stated refusal to "run it back," the 2025-26 offseason featured seismic change.
With the dust having settled, gone are fan favorites and key lineup cogs Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.
Also gone is closer Edwin Diaz, who wanted to return but wound up with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, with Devin Williams set to take Diaz's closer role.
The way the offseason unfolded, with most of the Mets' key departures happening early and many of their big imports arriving late, there was a sense of uncertainty in the air for quite some time.
With a large chunk of the pitching staff already at spring training in Port St. Lucie ahead of next week's reporting date and Opening Day next month at Citi Field, here's how the payroll situation looks for 2026 and beyond...
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) reacts after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. / John E. Sokolowski - Imagn Images
SALARY COMMITTED FOR 2026
The Mets entered the offseason with roughly $223 million committed for 2026, per Cot's Contracts -- a number that included the $18 million estimated for player benefits, as well as money owed to arbitration-eligible players, zero-to-three players in both the majors and minors who are under team control, and the bonus pool for pre-arbitration players.
As things currently stand, the Mets' projected 40-man payroll for CBT purposes is $376.6 million. That includes $17 million still owed this season to Frankie Montas, who has been released.
For reference, New York ended last season with a 40-man payroll of $346.6 million.
Typically, the payroll expands during the season as teams add players via trade and the waiver wire.
Now off the books are the contracts of Alonso and Diaz (who both opted out before signing elsewhere). Also mostly cleared is the contract of Nimmo, who has five years and 97.25 million left on his contract (New York is paying $6 million of Nimmo's salary for 2026). The Mets will be covering $5.75 million of McNeil's remaining salary, and will pay his $2 million buyout for 2027 if the Athletics don't exercise his team option.
Other big obligations also off the books: Starling Marte (who made $20.75 million in 2025), Jesse Winker ($7.5 million), Ryne Stanek ($4.5 million), Griffin Canning ($4.25 million), and last season's four major trade deadline acquisitions -- Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, Cedric Mullins, and Gregory Soto.
It's possible the Mets bring Marte back on a much smaller contract than the one that just expired.
Here are the major offseason additions and their cost against the CBP payroll for 2026:
Bo Bichette: $42 million Marcus Semien: $24 million Luis Robert Jr.: $22 million Jorge Polanco: $20 million Devin Williams: $15 million Luke Weaver: $11 million Freddy Peralta: $8 million
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (not pictured) with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
WHAT ABOUT EXTENSIONS FOR UNDER-CONTROL PLAYERS?
The name that jumps out here is Peralta, who is set for free agency after the season.
In order to acquire Peralta, the Mets dealt Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers -- a steep but fair price.
Speaking shortly after the trade, Peralta weighed in on the possibility of signing an extension.
"I just got here. I think that I got to share time with my teammates, think about different ideas," Peralta explained. "Learn about everybody -- coaches, the organization in general. And then we can see."
The above scenario -- feeling things out a bit before potentially discussing an extension -- is something that worked out with the Mets and Francisco Lindor in the not-too-distant past.
The Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland on Jan. 7, 2021 and ultimately signed him to a 10-year, $341 million extension on the eve of Opening Day ahead of what was Steve Cohen's first season of ownership.
There is another player who stands out when it comes to a potential extension.
It's Francisco Alvarez.
An extension for Alvarez is probably something it would make more sense to explore during the season, though, if he begins the year in similar fashion to the way he ended 2025 -- when he slashed .276/.360/.561 with eight homers, nine doubles, and one triple in 41 games from July 21 through the end of the season. He also needs to continue to hone his defense.
Alvarez, who excelled after returning from the minors last season, also showed his toughness while playing through injuries to both of his hands down the stretch.
/ SNY
THE PAYROLL SITUATION IN 2027 AND BEYOND
Here are the Mets' projected 40-man roster salary obligations from 2027 to 2030, via Cot's:
2027: $266.94 million 2028: $186.77 million 2029: $106.26 million 2030: $106.26 million
As things currently stand, there will be a large drop in salary commitments after the 2027 season, and another big drop after the 2028 season.
It's important to note that the salary figures for 2027 and 2028 include the contract of Bichette at $42 million annually. Bichette has opt-outs after 2026 and 2027.
Not included for 2027 is potential money owed to Robert, with the Mets holding a team option for the 2027 season worth $20 million.
While the Mets have an enormous payroll for 2026 and are well above the highest luxury tax threshold of $304 million, they're starting to merge their high-priced veteran core with inexpensive starting rotation options (Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott) and an emerging group of young position player prospects.
Those players include outfielder Carson Benge, who could be the Opening Day left fielder. That group also features outfielder A.J. Ewing, and infielders Jacob Reimer and Ryan Clifford.
The Mets could also get a jolt in the bullpen this season from prospects including Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.
The stated vision of Stearns and Cohen is to build a sustainable winner that relies heavily on player development while having the wherewithal to bolster the team via free agency and the trade market -- outbidding other interested teams along the way.
That's something the Mets put into action this offseason, especially while using their deep farm system to land Peralta and their financial might to swipe Bichette from the Phillies' grasp.
The Mets, despite the step back on the field in 2025, continue to get closer to their ultimate vision, with them now having one of the best farm systems in baseball (despite trading Williams and Sproat) and a strong big league nucleus that has been remade.
Memorial's Matthew Fisher (2) pitches as the Memorial Tigers play the Silver Creek Dragons in the 2024 IHSAA Baseball semistate at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind., Saturday, June 8, 2024. | MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Well, well, well. Looks like we got a project here, folks.
Matthew Fisher – 42 Jean Cabrera – 19 Cade Obermueller – 14 Carson DeMartini – 12 Keaton Anthony – 10 Yoniel Curat – 7 Griffin Burkholder – 6 Mavis Graves – 3 Romeli Espinosa – 3 Alex McFarlane – 2
It’s kind of fun to be a bit giddy about Fisher. The team went over slot to sign him, something that a lot of people predraft were pegging some team to do. The Phillies haven’t gone over slot for a lot of people, so the fact that they deemed Fisher worthy means they see something in him worth the money. Having not pitched a professional inning yet means there is more imagination here than fact, but based on some of the scouting reports here, the Phillies might have found a decent prospect that they can bring along slowly.
He was 19 on draft day and is a bigger, heavier athlete than most high school pitchers, but Fisher is very limber and athletic, and has a gorgeous arm action, with the cut/ride fastball/curveball combo that lots of modern scouting departments covet.
Though Fisher’s body lacks the usual projection, his fastball still experienced a velo bump late in high school. He was more 88-92 mph during his showcase summer, then was 92-95 in his pre-draft spring. Fisher’s fastball is the kind that thrives when located at the top of the zone, spinning in at 2,500 rpm and averaging 17 inches of induced vertical break, with natural cut at times. He’s a natural supinator with a big two-planed curveball in the 78-82 mph range that spins at roughly 2,900 rpm, giving him the foundation to be able to add multiple breaking balls and maybe a kick change as he develops.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
A standout on the baseball diamond as well as the gridiron, Nolan McLean was a two-sport star while attending the eponymously named Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina. As a football player, he lettered three years and threw for 6809 yards for 62 touchdowns. He was a three year letterman in baseball as well, dominating on both sides of the ball. As a batter, he hit a cumulative .381/.589/.719 in 53 games with 11 doubles, 0 triples, 12 home runs, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and drew 64 walks to 28 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he posted a cumulative 2.05 ERA in 54.2 innings over 26 games with 38 hits allowed, 25 walks, and 88 strikeouts. His senior season was mostly a wash because of the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the baseball season, leading to him honor his commitment to Oklahoma State University. There was a chance that, had the season not been cancelled prematurely, McLean be drafted by a professional team in a high enough round to have made it worthwhile for him, but because of the uncertainty of the pandemic and the extremely abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft, he elected to signal to teams that he would be attending college and went undrafted.
Unlike many prep players who go to college, McLean did not abandon football to focus only on baseball. In the fall of 2020, he made the Oklahoma State football team as a walk-on as the third-string quarterback. He did not appear in any official games for the 8-3 Cowboys, who went on to win the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl, beating the Miami Hurricanes 37-34. When the football season ended, his focus returned back to baseball. He appeared in 39 games for Oklahoma State, missing some time from a back injury, and hit .263/.410/.526 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and drew 27 walks to 50 strikeouts, playing all over the infield and outfield. Additionally, he appeared in a pair of games on the mound, giving up 4 earned runs in 2.0 innings with 2 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. That summer, he played for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League and hit .261/.469/.522 in 8 games with 2 home runs, 0 stolen bases, and 9 walks to 12 strikeouts.
When the summer ended and fall began, McLean decided to hang up his football pads permanently. Rather than play football and possibly reaggravate his back, he decided to focus on baseball. As a draft-eligible sophomore due to his age, focusing on baseball would give him the best opportunity to go pro. His new focus on baseball paid off in 2022, as he excelled as a hitter and also got to show off his ability to pitch. Splitting time between second and third base, spending most of it third, McLean hit .285/.397/.595 with 16 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and drew 37 walks to 107 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 23 games and posted a 4.97 ERA in 25.1 innings with 20 hits allowed, 13 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The Baltimore Orioles liked what they saw and selected him with their third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the 81st overall pick, designating him a pitcher. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement after Baltimore seeing some post-draft physical MRI results they were concerned about and McLean ended up being the highest selected played in the 2022 MLB Draft to go unsigned, and one of two third round selections to not sign with a team, along with New York Mets third round pick Brandon Sproat.
After an unexpectedly free summer, McLean returned to Oklahoma State University for his junior year, his primary defensive position now moved from the infield to the outfield. He appeared in 43 games, missing time in April after crashing into the outfield wall attempting to make a play and injuring his MCL, and hit .250/.379/.532 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 27 walks to 57 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 14 games, making 3 starts late in the season, and posted a 3.30 ERA in 30.0 innings, with 30 hits allowed, 17 walks, and 34 strikeouts. The Mets selected him in the 2023 MLB Draft with their third round selection, the 91st pick overall, and the two sides agreed to a $747,600 signing bonus, exactly the MLB-assigned slot value. As opposed to the Orioles, who designated McLean a pitcher when they drafted him, the Mets designated him a two-way player and used him as such. He split the rest of the summer with the FCL Mets and the St. Lucie Mets, appearing in 8 total games as a hitter and two as a pitcher. At the plate, he hit a cumulative .125/.375/.313 with 1 home run, 1 stolen base, and 7 walks to 11 strikeouts. On the mound, he threw 1.1 innings total, allowing one earned run on 1 hit and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts.
That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked McLean the Mets’ 25 prospect on the 2024 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects list. Assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, the organization continued using him as a two-way pitcher, and McLean quickly began racking up strikeouts. He remained in Coney Island until the end of May and posted a 2.57 ERA in 28.0 innings over 7 starts with 20 hits allowed, 10 walks, and 36 strikeouts while hitting .224/.297/.552 in 63 at-bats, drawing 6 walks and striking out 38 times. Highlighting why the Mets were developing the right-hander as a two-way hitter, an astounding 12 of McLean’s 15 hits went for extra bases, resulting in a Barry Bonds-ian .328 ISO.
At the end of May, McLean was promoted to Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was sluggish to get out of the gate early on. After roughly a month of play, the decision was made to end the two-way player experiment and for McLean to focus only on pitching. The right-hander settled down after a rough month to begin his Double-A career and ended up having a solid season on the mound. In 81.2 innings over 18 starts, he posted a 4.19 ERA, allowing 76 hits, walking 32, and striking out 80.
Based on his upside as a pitcher, made clearer thanks to impressive pitch metric data and in-person looks from scouts and evaluators, McLean gained a lot of helium that off-season and was ranked 5 on the Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospects List for the 2025 season. The right-hander began his season with the Rumble Ponies but was promoted after a month that saw him post a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings over 5 starts with 20 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-May and barely missed a beat against the tougher competition in a more hitting-friendly league. The right-hander appeared in 16 games for the Syracuse Mets, starting 13 of them, and posted a 2.78 ERA in 87.1 innings, giving up 58 hits, walking 38, and striking out 97. Altogether, between Binghamton and Syracuse combined, McLean posted a 2.45 ERA in 113.2 innings, allowing 78 hits, walking 50, and striking out 127.
In mid-August, with the Mets’ playoff chances beginning to fade as a compromised starting rotation and beleaguered bullpen became highly problematic, the decision was made to call McLean up to the Mets, leapfrogging fellow top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong. His name had been bandied about for a few weeks as a potential bullpen aid, but with the organization fortifying the bullpen at the trade deadline, the organization elected to call the 23-year-old up to strengthen the starting rotation instead. Frankie Montas was shifted to the bullpen and McLean took his place, giving him the opportunity to show what he could do over a handful of starts, not just one singular spot start.
McLean’s audition went better than anybody could have predicted. In his first start on August 16th, he threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners, allowing 2 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. In his next start on August 22nd, against the Atlanta Braves, he allowed two runs over 7.0 innings, giving up 4 hits, walking none, and striking out 7. In his next start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 27th, McLean threw 8 shutout innings, allowing four hits, walking none, and striking out 6. The right-hander was just as good as the calendar flipped to September and ended up making 5 starts, posting a 2.93 ERA in 27.2 innings with 24 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 36 strikeouts. All in all, McLean stayed just under the rookie limits, throwing 48.0 innings at the big league level, and posted a 2.06 ERA in his 8 starts, allowing 34 hits, walking 16, and striking out 57.
The 6’2”, 215-pound McLean has a sturdy, durable pitching frame. He throws from a low-three-quarters arm slot, his release point magnified even further with his extension off the mound from his drop-and-drive delivery. The ball explodes out of his hand, heightened by its lower approach angle. McLean also stands on the far third base side of the rubber, making the ball more difficult to pick up mid-flight because, thanks to his arm slot, it is much further to the side than most other pitchers.
The right-hander throws three fastballs, a four-seamer, a sinker, and a cutter, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup.
While in Triple-A, he threw his sweeping slider 28% of the time, his sinker 23% of the time, his four-seam fastball 21% of the time, his cutter 11% of the time, his curveball 9% of the time, and his change-up 8% of the time. In his MLB cup-of-coffee, he threw his sinker 28% of the time, his sweeping slider 26% of the time, his curveball 16% of the time, his four-seam fastball 13% of the time, and his change-up and cutter both 9% of the time. Against major leaguers, the ratios of those pitches more or less stayed the same against left-handers and right-handers, throwing fewer sinkers and sliders against lefties and more changeups, cutters, and curves.
McLean’s four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s, ranging 92-98 MPH, averaging 95 MPH. Thanks to his arm slot, the pitch has a fairly flat approach angle, but with an average spin rate that measured 2,270 RPM in Syracuse and 2,310 in Queens, the pitch does not have much life to it. While the right-hander has had no real issues getting swings-and-misses with the pitch, posting a 22.4% Whiff% with it in Triple-A and a 37.1% Whiff% in the majors, the pitch is better suited as a set-up pitch rather than a go-to strikeout pitch.
McLean’s sinker is in a similar boat. Sitting in the same velocity band, averaging 94.5 MPH, the pitch also has below-average spin rates for a sinker and is not a big strikeout pitch for the right-hander. Triple-A batters hit .165/.250/.253 against it and MLB hitters hit .193/.281/.316 against it, but they swung-and-missed at a 22.0% and 18.7% rate, respectively. The pitch is effective at getting outs, inducing a great deal of groundballs, but not necessarily swings-and-misses.
When the right-hander needs strikeouts, he turns to his breaking balls: the right-hander throws a plus sweeper and a plus curveball, both of which have elite pitch characteristics.
McLean’s sweeping slider averaged 85 MPH last season, sitting anywhere between 81 to 89 MPH. The pitch features 2,435-3,230 RPM of spin, giving it 37.8 inches of vertical movement and 16.8 inches of horizontal movement. The right-hander commands the pitch well despite the amount of movement it has and is one of the most adroit pitchers in baseball today in regards to pounding the strike zone with a sweeping slider. Coupled with McLean’s arm slot and the side angle that the pitch is coming in from in relation to the plate, the pitch is a true plus breaker that is one of the best in Major League Baseball today. Ironically, in his 48 innings at the major league level, big league batters had no problem with the pitch, hitting it to the tune of a .361/.425/.528 batting average against with a 20.3% Whiff%; in a larger sample of his work in Syracuse, batters hit .185/.250/.326 with a 30.2% Whiff%.
Sitting in the high-70s and featuring spin rates ranging from 2,915 to 3,510 RPM, McLean’s curveball featured an average of 57.6 inches of vertical drop and 18.7 inches of horizontal movement, making it a plus pitch as well. In Triple-A, batters hit a paltry .121/.194/.212 against it with a 48.4% Whiff% and in the majors, batters hit .074/.107/.074 against it with an even 50% Whiff%. Unlike his sweeping slider, McLean’s command of the pitch is fleeting. The pitch was still extremely effective, as hitters chased it out of the zone with regularity, but the right-hander only managed a 17.9% Zone% with it.
To mitigate whatever advantages left-handers might have, McLean also throws a cutter and change-up. His cutter sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s and features slight glove-side hop. It is McLean’s weakest pitch overall, hit the hardest and for the highest batting average against, but it also sets up his sweeper and/or change-up.
His changeup was only recently developed, a “kick” changeup en vogue among Mets pitching developmental staff of late. Prior to the 2025 season, McLean had always been experimenting with a changeup, using different grips and figuring out what worked best for him, but the changeups he threw generally were little more than change of pace offerings, as opposed to consistent swing-and-miss pitches. His new kick grip has improved his command the mid-to-high-80s offering and has also given it more bite the pitch has, increasing its vertical drop and giving the pitch an elite 38.8 inches of tumble to go along with its above-average 13.4 inches of arm-side movement.
Far from an issue, McLean’s control and command wavered earlier in his career. At this point, while his walk rate is still a bit inflated and his command of certain pitches in his arsenal are better than others, it is only a conceptual weakness.
2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List
2) Carson Benge 3) Jonah Tong 4) Jett Williams* 5) Brandon Sproat* 6) A.J. Ewing 7) Jacob Reimer 8) Ryan Clifford 9) Will Watson 10) Jack Wenninger 11) Mitch Voit 12) Jonathan Santucci 13) Elian Peña 14) Zach Thornton 15) Nick Morabito 16) R.J. Gordon 17) Chris Suero 18) Dylan Ross 19) Ryan Lambert 20) Antonio Jimenez 21) Edward Lantigua 22) Eli Serrano III 23) Randy Guzman 24) Daiverson Gutierrez 25) Boston Baro
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Fernando Cruz #63 of the New York Yankees hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone #17 after being taken out of the game against the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium on August 26, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While we’ve only just begun the month of February, Major League Baseball’s 2026 spring training is fast approaching. Teams are gearing up for what is set to be another interesting season with plenty of ups and downs for every player and club.
The New York Yankees are no different. GM Brian Cashman and company feel strongly that their depth through the infield and, of course, the outfield—with MVP Aaron Judge back in right alongside Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, who both re-signed—will be strong enough to keep them in contention with an American League East division that looks poised to be run through north of the American border in Toronto.
One of the key areas of focus heading into the new season isn’t the bats, though. Instead, it’s the pitching. The Yankees will be down Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón until later in the first half, and Clarke Schmidt is also returning from Tommy John surgery that will keep him out for the forseeable future, but the piece of the puzzle that feels hardest to place is the bullpen, which had its fair share of ups and downs through the 2025 regular season and into the playoffs. It lost a few names over the offseason to make things even more interesting. And I’m not so confident things will be as peachy keen as Cashman and manager Aaron Boone believe.
Last season, the Yankees’ relievers finished with an fWAR of 2.8, only good for 21st in MLB, and while some of their numbers like expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP) were strong (third-best in MLB), their ERA was not nearly up to the standard necessary to take them all the way to a championship, finishing 23rd at 4.37. They also had the fourth-worst walk rate of all relief corps, issuing free passes to 9.2 percent of opposing hitters.
The Yankees lost two of their big-name players to the crosstown New York Mets, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. And while Weaver was far more in favor with Yankees fans than Williams was (although last season was harder for Weaver than his pennant-winning 2024), those are still two arms who pitched plenty of innings for the Yankees that they won’t have access to anymore. Williams, despite his blowups from time to time on the mound, posted the highest fWAR amongst all Yankees relievers (1.4) and the fourth-most among all Yankees pitchers, although Cam Schlittler and Clarke Schmidt were poised to pass him had they played more games. By season’s end, Williams was honestly in a pretty good spot setting up for closer David Bednar.
The Bombers were, of course, right in the middle of Trade Deadline action, acquiring a few names that will still be around in 2026, including Bednar, who was fantastic in high-leverage situations after coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Camilo Doval also came over and had a less-than-ideal 22 games with the Yankees, pitching to the tune of a 4.82 ERA. The former Giants All-Star seemed to flash his old form in late September and early October, but he’s also become known for inconsistency in recent years. Just like the sometimes-dangerous Fernando Cruz, it will always be hard to know which Doval is going to show up on a given night. Then there’s Jake Bird, who garnered the most disappointing reaction of the three and the most disappointing results easily, pitching in three games and in only two innings of work, finished with a 27.00 ERA before being sent down to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre and struggling in the minors.
Then, of course, there are other names such as Tim Hill, who had his club option picked up, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn, both of whom the Yankees re-signed, Cade Winquest, who was selected in the Rule 5 Draft, and Angel Chivilli, who was traded to New York via the Rockies for a prospect.
All of these players will have a serious shot at earning high-leverage innings. However, while these pitchers may have ranging levels of upside, they aren’t names that scream “World Series-caliber bullpen” to me. Instead, it screams: “Matt Blake is going to have his work cut out for him, and if there are any issues whatsoever, the Yankees will be in a world of hurt.”
Having one reclamation project or a pitcher who has intriguing underlying numbers but needs a little bit of guidance in bringing back a pitch to help him reach his full potential is one thing. However, this bullpen feels as if there are about four or five of those for Blake to work with. One could fairly argue that Bednar is the only safe bet in this entire bunch; if you believe in Hill’s moxie (which is also fair), then maybe there are two. And at least a couple of the other arms are going to have to not just be able to fill in during high-leverage situations, but they’re going to need to do that consistently. If they should falter, Yankees fans will be certain to make their voices heard that the offseason decision to not even add one more trustworthy arm was poor.
The Yankees’ pitching coaches have a daunting task ahead of them in 2026 to try to make some sense out of this odd bullpen. While there are still some names who could make a sizeable impact for the team, the majority haven’t gained the trust of the fans—and rightfully so, given previous performances with other teams or in pinstripes. While there could be some room for bullpen optimism heading into 2026, the Yankees’ relief corps has yet to give me any reason for it.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: JR Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With spring training on the somewhat immediate horizon, there’s been a bit of anticipation surrounding the annual list of non-roster invitees to camp. The Atlanta Braves have now revealed that list and as expected, there’s a decent mix of top prospects looking to make a splash and veteran longshots looking to latch onto a roster for Opening Day.
The Braves officially revealed the list via press release, which I’ll share part of with y’all right here:
Five invitees ended the 2025 campaign ranked among Atlanta’s top 30 prospects per MLB.com, including top 10 pitchers RHPs JR Ritchie (No. 2), Garrett Baumann (No. 6) and Owen Murphy (No. 8). Shortstops Alex Lodise (No. 4) and John Gil (No. 13) also received their first invites to major league spring training and are the highest-rated positional prospects in camp. In total, nine of Atlanta’s top 30 prospects following last season will be in camp this year, including 40-man players RHPs Didier Fuentes (No. 7), Rolddy Muñoz (No. 17) and Jhancarlos Lara (No. 21), as well as LHP Hayden Harris (No. 25).
Seventeen of the 24 invitees have previous major league experience, including five – RHP Carlos Carrasco, Cs Sandy León and Chadwick Tromp, INF Luke Williams and OF José Azócar – who appeared with Atlanta last season. LHP Martín Pérez enters camp as a former American League All-Star and World Series champion, earning All-Star honors while with Texas in 2022 and hoisting the trophy with the Rangers the following season. Infielder Aaron Schunk is an Atlanta native and attended the Lovett School and the University of Georgia prior to his professional career.
It’s pretty exciting to see a Who’s Who of top Braves prospects on the non-roster invitee list. JR Ritchie is a consensus Top 100 prospect, Didier Fuentes was knocking on the door of consensus Top 100 status and Braves fans got very familiar with Hayden Harris last season as well. It’ll be very interesting to see which prospects use the opportunity as a chance to simply learn and get better or if there’s anybody who’s capable of taking a leap and potentially cracking the Opening Day roster. It’ll be a longshot but it’ll also be intriguing to see how these guys fare during spring training.
On the veteran side of things, we’ve got some familiar faces like Sandy León, Chadwick Tromp and Luke Williams — the two catchers are in a very intriguing situation considering what’s going on with Sean Murphy and his injury status for the early portion of this upcoming season. Luke Williams (and Aaron Schunk as well) could also potentially have aspirations of breaking camp with the big league squad since Ha-Seong Kim’s icy mishap has left a spot open there for potential depth. Martin Pérez was recently signed not too long ago, so it’ll be interesting to see what he’s got. Also, Carlos Carrasco is still going for it — even if he had a very rough 2025 at the big league level, it’s still nice to see him keep going considering the circumstances that he’s had to deal with over the course of his career.
The full list shared by the Braves via press release is below. Which NRIs are y’all most excited to see and/or hear about during this season’s spring training?
Non-Roster Invitees (24)
Pitchers (10): RH Garrett Baumann, RH Carlos Carrasco, RH Javy Guerra, RH Elieser Hernández, RH James Karinchak, RH Owen Murphy, LH Martín Pérez, RH Austin Pope, RH JR Ritchie, RH Tayler Scott
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 30: Robert Hassell III #57 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Tampa Bay Rays at Nationals Park on August 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring Training will be a massive opportunity for so many players on this roster. With a new regime coming in, everyone will be evaluated and spots will be up for grabs. There are going to be camp competitions all over this roster. I wanted to break down some of the competitions to watch.
We did a deep dive on the catcher battle yesterday, so we will avoid that. However, there are so many more competitions to discuss. There are open spots up and down this roster. From the bullpen, to first base, to bench spots, roster spots are up for grabs.
First Base Job Up For Grabs:
The most wide open competition of the spring could be for the first base job. Unless the Nats sign Rhys Hoskins or Paul Goldschmidt, there will be a true competition. There are four or five contenders that all could realistically win the job. In the end, I think there will be a platoon, but there are a number of candidates.
There are five players who I think are in the mix here. Abimelec Ortiz, Matt Mervis, Warming Bernabel, Andres Chaparro and Yohandy Morales will all get chances. Mervis and Bernabel signed minor league deals with Spring Training invites, but have MLB experience. Chaparro also has MLB experience and has mashed in AAA. However, none of these guys have been great in the MLB.
My favorite of the group is Abimelec Ortiz. The Nats acquired him from the Rangers in the MacKenzie Gore deal. While he has not made his MLB debut yet, he was fantastic in AAA last year. Ortiz has big time power, but also has the angles to consistently pull the ball in the air for home runs.
Abimelec Ortiz | 1B/OF | 23 yo
Ortiz, the only prospect with a chance to debut in 2026, likely will, and may very well play lots of 1B in DC this year.
Morales may have even more raw power than Ortiz, but his angles are not as good. He hits the ball on the ground much more than you would like from a power hitter. Morales also struck at a 30% clip in AAA last year. While he has the most upside of the group, he is still raw. However, with a big spring, Morales has a chance to win the job.
This is a true competition though. There are not any clear favorites right now. Unless the Nats sign a 1B in free agency, this will be a fight that won’t be decided until the very end of Spring Training. May the best man win.
A Look at the Outfield Situation
The outfield is the strength of this Nationals team. They have stars like James Wood, but also plenty of depth. As of right now, Wood, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and Jacob Young seem like locks to make the team. However, I think the Nats are going to carry a fifth outfielder.
If they decide to do that, there will be plenty of candidates. Christian Franklin, Robert Hassell, Joey Wiemer and Andrew Pinckney are all in play for that role. A lot of times teams only carry four outfielders, but the Nats have so many guys in the outfield. They will also be rotating a lot of these players in the DH position.
Robert Hassell III is the most high profile of these names. He was one of the prizes of the Juan Soto trade in 2022, but has not developed as expected. Hassell finally showed some promise in AAA last year, but really struggled in the MLB.
In an event the other day, Blake Butera said that Hassell added 25 pounds of bulk this offseason. While he clearly had room to fill out, 25 pounds feels like a lot to me. Nats fans are going to be skeptical about this after the Jacob Young situation last year. Adding that much mass as an athletic outfielder has negatives.
However, Hassell clearly thought he needed to add more power. Based on his MLB production, he clearly needed to change something. While he is the highest profile name, I do not think he is the favorite.
My favorite player of the group is Christian Franklin. The Nats acquired him at the deadline in part of the Michael Soroka trade. He had a nice year in AAA last year and should be MLB ready at 26. Franklin is a well-rounded player who can do a bit of everything. I really like the idea of him as a platoon bat who specializes against left handed pitching.
Joey Wiemer is also a name to watch. Paul Toboni picked him up off of waivers this offseason. He is a tremendous athlete with big power, but is not a great hitter. He will get a shot to make the roster. Andrew Pinckney has a similar profile to Wiemer. He is a non-roster invite, so he will be on the outside looking in. Franklin is my favorite, but this is an open competition.
What is up With the Bullpen
The Nationals bullpen is painfully short on proven commodities. Despite the ‘pen being a clear need, Toboni has not signed any veterans to reinforce the group. Instead, he is relying on waiver claims and internal development.
Last year, Mike Rizzo tried the veteran route, and it failed miserably. So, I suppose Toboni’s lower profile strategy deserves a shot. The Nats have a few young, interesting relief arms like Cole Henry, Clayton Beeter, PJ Poulin and Griff McGarry, who should make the team.
However, there are so many spots up for grabs. Jackson Rutledge, Orlando Ribalta and Julian Fernandez have big league experience, but they have not been great. Can Toboni unlock anything in those three? I think Rutledge has a good slider he should throw more and Ribalta looks very good when he is on. They have been very inconsistent though.
Then there are the waiver claims. Just this offseason, Toboni has claimed Paxton Schultz, Gus Varland, Richard Lovelady and George Soriano. Some of these guys are bound to contribute in some way. They could also be DFA’d at any moment based on how Toboni uses the wire.
My favorite of the waiver wire pick ups is Paxton Schultz. He showed some really nice things as a swing man for the Blue Jays last year. His MLB debut was memorable, striking out 8 in 4.1 innings. He has a good chance of being a solid, versatile piece for the Nats.
The other guys I do not have as much faith in. Gus Varland was solid in 2024, but had an injury riddled season last year. Lovelady gets ground balls, but has mostly struggled at the MLB level. George Soriano has good stuff, but had a brutal 2025. Maybe one of these guys can find a new level with the Nats. Regardless, there are a lot of options in the bullpen, but none of them are proven.
Other Competitions to Watch:
These three camp battles are the ones I am most fascinated about, but there are more. The rotation has a lot of uncertainty as well. There have been rumblings that the Nats could sign another starter, but that has not happened yet.
Right now, Cade Cavalli, Foster Griffin, Jake Irvin, Brad Lord and Josiah Gray seem fairly likely to be the starting five. However, Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez will also be in the mix. Luis Perales could even get a shot if he has a phenomenal spring.
There will also be a competition for the bench spot on the infield. Nasim Nunez is the favorite to win that battle. However, Jose Tena and Orelvis Martinez will also be vying for that spot.
This Nats team is so unsettled, and I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing. Paul Toboni is treating this like an evaluation year. Spring Training will be the first data point in that evaluation. I think there are going to be a lot of roster moves throughout the season and a lot of these players will be getting chances. If guys aren’t performing, they will be at risk of being replaced.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Will Benson #30 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after hitting an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on September 20, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the signing of Eugenio Suarez, the roster of the Cincinnati Reds seems just about wrapped up with spring training in Goodyear, Arizona looming just over one week away. There may still be a utility glove added, there could be a reliever tucked into the back of the roster somehow, but the bulk of what we expect to see in the dugout and on the field in 2026 seems as if it’s already now in-house.
The question now, though, is what’s left to shake out once they get there?
What spot on the roster is the most up-for-grabs at the moment? Is it the pecking order of left-handed bats in the outfield now that Gavin Lux has been dealt away, with former 1st round draftees Will Benson and JJ Bleday vying for who gets regular PA in LF? Is it whether one of Michael Chavis or Garrett Hampson can wiggle their way onto the active roster come Opening Day?
Or, is it the battle for the fifth starter role? With talented options (and high draftees) in Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, and Brandon Williamson, the club has ample options, but how they manage them both at the end of March and the end of September will be of equal importance.
The 26-man seems to be just about cobbled together, but how it stacks up still remains to be seen. What say you about what’s left to be decided?
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 16: Carlos Santana #41 of the Chicago Cubs takes batting practice prior to the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks Sign Carlos Santana The deal is a 1-yr/$2 million pact for the switch-hitting veteran to platoon with Pavin Smith at first base. Meh.
Jim Bowden Rips Arizona Hanging Arizona with a grade of D+ for the offseason pretty much sums things up succinctly, but there are reasonings for those interested.
Prospects Who Could Break Out in 2026 The calls to see Ryan Waldschmidt are only going to increase until he makes his debut, even though he is likely most of a season away from being ready. Tommy Troy needs to make some noise. Kohl Drake may be the best pitching prospect they have had in some time.
Kiley McDaniel’s Top-30 Prospects for Each Team “The D-backs ranked 21st in the farm ranking largely because they didn’t have any players in the top 50 prospects in baseball and only one in the top 100 at all.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to the fans during Dodger Fest at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani signed the largest contract in baseball history at the time in December 2023, and in his first two years in Los Angeles has won two championships, won two MVP awards, and set two Dodgers single-season home run records.
Ohtani’s 54 home runs in 2024 were five more than Shawn Green’s previous franchise mark set 22 years prior. Then in 2025, Ohtani added one more to his total, to date the only player in MLB history to hit exactly 55 home runs in a season.
That brings us to another Dodgers record that is well within reach for Ohtani in 2026.
Most home runs in a 3-year span, Dodgers
Duke Snider (1954-56) 125
Duke Snider (1955-57) 125
Duke Snider (1953-55) 124
Shawn Green (2000-02) 115
Gary Sheffield (1999-2001) 113
Cody Bellinger (2017-19) 111
Shawn Green (2001-03) 110
Shohei Ohtani (2024-25) 109
Only four Dodgers — covering seven total spans — have hit more home runs in a three-year span than Ohtani hit in his first two seasons.
He’s already 31st in Dodgers history with his 109 home runs, and he’s only played two years for them.
Ohtani needs only 17 home runs in 2026 to set a Dodgers records for most homers in a three-year span. If he has another year anywhere close to his last two seasons, more rarefied air is in play.
Six Dodgers have three or more consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs: Gil Hodges five years (1950-54), Duke Snider five years (1953-57), Mike Piazza (1995-97), Eric Karros (1995-97), Raúl Mondesi (1997-99), and Gary Sheffield (1999-2001).
Snider, who hit at least 40 home runs in five straight years from 1953-57, is the only Dodger with more than two seasons of 40 home runs.
Ohtani hit 46, 34, and 44 home runs in his final three years with the Angels, giving him 233 home runs over the last five seasons, an average of just shy of 47 per year. His projections for this season are in that same area:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 9: Brandon Drury #23 of the Los Angeles Angels runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Target Field on September 9, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals announced they have signed infielder Brandon Drury to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Drury did not appear in the big leagues last year, but hit 26 home runs in 2023 and was a Silver Slugger winner in 2022.
Drury was drafted by the Braves in 2010, when Royals scouting director Brian Bridges was a scout with the club. He was traded to the Diamondbacks in the Justin Upton deal and made his debut with Arizona in 2015. He bounced around to the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Mets before having a breakout season in 2022 with the Reds. He hit .263/.320/.492 with 28 home runs, earning a Silver Slugger Award.
Drury signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the Angels and hit 26 home runs in his first season with them. But he fell off drastically in 2024, hitting just .169 with four home runs in 97 games. He joined the White Sox organization last year, but he was released in the summer without appearing for the big league team, and he spent the rest of the season in the Angels organization.
The 33-year-old Oregon native is a right-handed bat that can play first, second, or third base, and has some experience in the outfield.
Drury will compete for a reserve infield role with Michael Massey, Nick Loftin, and Tyler Tolbert, and other MLB veteran non-roster invitees, Connor Kasier, Kevin Newman, Josh Rojas, and Abraham Toro.
Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, president of baseball operations Mike Elias and agent Scott Boras introduce new first baseman Pete Alonso at a news conference at Camden Yards on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
After a disappointing 2025, Orioles GM Mike Elias certainly has not been sitting around doing nothing this offseason, hoping that the problems will solve themselves with much of the same core of the roster returning. He’s gone out and made three big moves that to me were unthinkable when I sat around four months ago and considered what was possible. Signing Pete Alonso, trading for Shane Baz, and trading Grayson Rodriguez are all moves that in their own way show that Elias was not content to just let it ride another year without changes.
The big moves on the roster aren’t the only things going on, either. There are coming changes that have nothing to do with the players at all. Given how hard the offense flopped last year, it’s a relief to know there is going to be a new set of hitting coaches. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is getting long-needed upgrades to its audio and visual capabilities. And, you know, if they haven’t beaten the optimism out of you, you can try to feel good about things like “maybe Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser will be healed of the secret injuries they said plagued them for a lot of 2025.”
What’s got you excited about the coming Orioles season? Be honest, I know there’s something. Even a jaded pessimist like me is ready to see the Polar Bear hit some big ol’ dingers. Drop into the comments and tell us what you’re looking forward to from this year.
A closing plea: If you’re going to post about what you’re worried about with the Orioles and the coming season, save that for tomorrow.
