How to Listen: 93.7 The Fan, 100.1 FM, AM 1020 KDKA, Sports Net Pittsburgh app SNP 360
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home today against the Baltimore Orioles looking to grab a win in Spring Training.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Ryan Pepiot #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during the Tampa Bay Rays photo day at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ryan Pepiot takes the hill the today as he makes his first appearance of the Spring.
There will be local radio coverage of the game today by the Rays.
First pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays is at 1:05 at Charlotte Sports Park
Today’s highlight package is from September 14-16, 1999 when the Devil Rays took on the Seattle Mariners
Port St. Lucie, Florida: New York Mets' players Juan Soto (left) and Freddy Peralta share a laugh before opening day game against the Miami Marlins, February 21, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca /Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF
Juan Soto – LF
Christian Arroyo – 3B
Jose Rojas – 1B
Hayden Senger – C
MJ Melendez – DH
Vidal Brujan – 2B
Jackson Cluff – SS
Nick Morabito – CF
SP: Freddy Peralta
Cardinals lineup
JJ Wetherholt – DH
Jose Fermin – SS
Nolan Gorman – 3B
Nelson Velazquez – LF
Ramon Urias – 2B
Thomas Saggese – CF
Pedro Pages – C
Nathan Church – RF
Blaze Jordan – 1B
SP: Quinn Mathews
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:05 PM ET Radio: Cardinals Radio Network, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM
BRADENTON, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Yorke (38) throws out at first base Minnesota Twins center fielder James Outman (30) on February 26, 2026, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: Twins.TV Radio: WCCO 830/The Wolf 102.9 FM/Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Pinstripe Alley
Feb 22, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Siani against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers have a split-squad day with two games on Saturday, which means several regulars aren’t making the trip to Scottsdale on Friday.
Alex Freeland SS Santiago Espinal 2B Dalton Rushing C Nick Senzel 3B Keston Hiura DH Ryan Ward LF James Tibbs III 1B Zach Ehrhard RF Michael Siani CF
Other pitchers
40-man-roster pitchers Edgardo Henriquez and Paul Gervase are slated to pitch on Friday, as are non-roster invitees Ryder Ryan, Adam Serwinowski, and Luke Fox.
Up from minor league camp are .Roque Gutierrez (wearing number 88), Christian Romero (90), Christian Suarez (91), and Nicolas Cruz (92).
Other position players
Everyday non-roster outfielders Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Kendall George, and Chris Newell are on the trip, as are catchers Seby Zavala and Nelson Quiroz.
From minor league camp are Austin Gauthier (01), Sean McClain (02), Jose Izarra (03), Joe Vetrano (96), Kyle Nevin (93), and Yeiner Fernandez (04).
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Matt Turner #90 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during the New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park on February 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a few years since the Mets were active in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. However, in 2025 they were active in the minor league portion, claiming three pitchers: Justin Armbruester, Aaron Rozek, and Matt Turner.
Turner, an 11th round draft pick for Cleveland in 2017, is a Miami native entering his age 27 season. Turner was named one of the organizational All-Stars in 2019, after his first season above rookie ball. After reaching Double-A Akron in the Guardians org in 2023, he’s bounced around a bit as of late after electing free agency after the 2023 season.
After playing in independent ball and a spell in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, Turner signed with the Rockies ahead of the 2025 season. He pitched for both Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, faring far better outside of the thin air of the Pacific Coast League. All told in 2025, Turner put up a 5.79 ERA across the two levels, making four starts and 37 relief appearances. His strikeout rate was just over one per inning, but he walked five per nine innings. He managed to limit home runs, which in the PCL can be quite the challenge,
Turner was signed by the Yankees to a minor league deal early in the offseason, which was followed up by the Mets’ claiming him in the Rule 5 Draft. So far this spring, Turner has pitched in two games, tossing a scoreless inning in each appearance. He’s walked two, struck out two, and given up one hit.
The Mets clearly saw something in him to both claim him from the Yankees and give him and invitation to big league camp. Being so new to the system, we don’t have a ton of information about Turner, but he’s looked good in his first two appearances. With King of Spring Training still not officially underway, Turner has a chance for the crown and, potentially, a spot in the Mets’ bullpen at some point later this year. +
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run during the first inning of a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at BayCare Ballpark on February 26, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for the split squad game you can watch. For the Phillies:
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20, 2026: Alejandro Osuna #19 of the Texas Rangers bats during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on February 20, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for February 27, 2026, against the Chicago White Sox.
Spring keeps springing along, and the Rangers have a spring-y lineup today for their game at the White Sox. This is especially true since Josh Jung has been scratched due to hamstring soreness and Corey Seager is under the weather, with Skip Schumaker saying, per the beats, he may miss a few days.
Riley Martin hasn’t yet pitched in a regular-season major league game, but this might be the year. The 6’1”, 215 pound Salem, Illinois native has been in the Cubs’ system for five years, rising slowly through the ranks with so-so results until 2025, when he posted a 6-2 record, a 2.69 ERA, two holds and four saves in 63 innings pitched over 47 games. He logged 80 strikeouts but he did issue 35 free passes. A 1.19 WHIP indicates his success, as well.
He was added to the 40-man roster in November 2025.
Martin throws a fastball that sits around 94 miles per hour, a sinker at 92, a slider around 88, and a curve and change that sit around 85. He didn’t throw the sinker in 2025, preferring his four-seam and curve, with the slider a distant third in terms of use. Fangraphs likes his FB, slider, and curve — the FB is 50/50, the slider 55/55, and the curve a nice 70/70. They do give him 20/20 for command — he throws hard, you know.
He was pick No. 22 in the sixth round in 2021, out of Quincy University.
Martin is 27 (turns 28 in a few weeks), so he’s no spring chicken, but perhaps he’s figured things out. No doubt Josh could tell you more if you ask nicely. He’ll pitch in Spring Training so we’ll all be able to see, and that data will be added to last spring’s numbers. It would be far-fetched, I think, to expect him to break camp on Opening Day, but seeing him in Wrigley is very possible — most projection systems like him to taste the coffee this year.
A lot of Rays’ changeups are getting better. Jesse Scholtens has one of them. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A few Rays pitchers have debuted new pitch shapes this spring — and they all have one thing in common: they’re offspeed pitches. That’s not a coincidence.
There are two ways to increase VAA separation: change vertical movement on the fasball or the offspeed, or change location. Lowering the “induced vertical break” (IVB, or how much the pitch rises due to backspin) on the offspeed pitch is usually the easier lever, and doing so naturally drives the pitch lower in the zone. Shape and location aren’t independent variables.
We have limited video in Spring Training, so we won’t be able to analyze all the grip changes at the moment, and the Hawkeye data can wobble in small samples, so exact numbers matter less than trends. But pitch-shape trends stabilize relatively quickly. What we’re seeing looks intentional.
Joe Boyle
There’s been some excitement surrounding Boyle bringing back his old breaking ball shape, but maybe the more interesting thing to follow will be his splitter. It was a new pitch for him in 2025, but you wouldn’t know it based on the results. Boyle threw his offspeed offering over 15% of the time to each side of the plate. It was a fine taste-breaker to RHB (.282 wOBA against, 26.9% whiff rate), but it really shined against LHB (.080 wOBA against, 34.3% whiff rate). He zoned it at a surprisingly average rate, but its location consistency graded well below average.
As Boyle develops more feel for the new pitch, his splitter’s ceiling rises. The shape has already taken a leap forward as he’s now killing some more vertical movement on the pitch (nearly 3 IVB last season, now showing -2 IVB so far this spring) – leading to more optimal VAA separation from his fastball and likely more consistent locations down in and below the zone. The wider IVB gap should push what was average VAA separation into plus territory.
Assuming this new shape holds, improved chase rates will follow. Boyle has the highest ceiling of any Rays pitcher not named Shane McClanahan or Brody Hopkins. His command and control gains coupled with his refined arsenal could make him a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Yoendrys Gomez, Jesse Scholtens, and Ian Seymour
YoGo is also the beneficiary of improved IVB separation between his fastball and offspeed pitch. The vertical movement on the pitch has gone from nearly 7 inches to approximately 2. Again, exact numbers are less important than the trends here given the sample size.
Another former White Sox pitcher, Scholtens joined the Rays late last season and has since held on to a 40-man spot despite the significant turnover this offseason.
Scholtens didn’t pitch in 2024 due to TJS and didn’t pitch a ton in 2025 as he was just coming back. However, his offspeed pitch is noticeably different in Spring Training right now — he has gone from roughly 3 inches of vert on the pitch to it flirting with negative IVB (meaning that it drops more than can be attributed to the force of gravity), and also running over 12 inches armside (up from 4).
Seymour had average VAA separation between his fastball and changeup last season with above average velocity separation. So far this spring, his changeup is coming in with about 5.5 IVB – down from roughly 9 last season – so we can expect even better results from what’s already a plus pitch.
But that didn’t stop the Rays from helping Woodford tinker with his changeup; he’s leaning into his strengths and making it an even weirder pitch by cutting off even more horizontal break. The graphs of offspeed (changeups and splitters) below show just how extreme that shape is. The red circle is his shape sat last season when it was already an outlier, and the green circle is an approximate range of where it’s sitting now in Spring Training:
That’s an outlier, but for good measure, this is how it compares to offspeed pitches from a similar arm angle bucket:
The single dot near his new pitch location is Logan Gilbert, who still throws from a significantly higher slot than does Woodford.
The Rays used to identify outlier offspeed pitches, but now they’re manufacturing them. Trading for Jeffrey Springs, Zack Littell, Edwin Uceta, and Ryan Pepiot was largely about identifying pitchers with desireable offspeed pitches and then optimizing that usage. But this spring we’re seeing something different: the shapes on offspeed pitches are changing throughout the organization, not just the usage rates.
This mirrors something that’s been going on throughout baseball. As Lance Brozdowski has pointed out, changeups across the league are getting better, or at least more optimized for vertical separation from the fastball.
Fascinating to see the league embrace the depth changeup / kick-changeup.
Look at the % of changeups thrown >84 mph with *less* than 2” induced vertical break (a bunch of drop)…
This is because, over the past few years, teams have gotten a lot smarter about how pitch grip and seam orientation affect the release characteristics and the path of the ball in flight, and have become adept at using their pitching labs to help pitches make small adjustments for meaningful results. The Yankees have gotten a lot of attention for their work with seam orientation throughout their org, most saliently with Luke Weaver.
But the initial Spring Training numbers make clear that similar work with on offspeed shape optimization is happening in Tampa Bay as well.
Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Alex Carrillo (84) throws weighted wall ball drills during the New York Mets spring training workouts at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Alex Carrillo has had a rather arduous road in his professional career, one that eventually resulted in his major league debut in 2025.
Carrillo, now 28 years of age, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers out of Faulker University, an NAIA school in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2019. He lost his 2020 season to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was promptly released by the Rangers after appearing in only three games in their organization, all in the Arizona Rookie League.
He got back on the mound in 2021 in independent ball, signing with the New York Boulders of the Frontier League. He did not perform all that well, earning a 7.11 ERA in 19 innings. He moved onto the Mexican League for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, playing both for the Tigres de Quintana Roo, earning a 8.49 ERA in 29.2 innings, and 8.06 ERA in 22.1 innings, respectively.
2024 saw him move back to the Frontier League, this time with the Washington Wild Things, where he had his best season by a mile. He had a 3.31 ERA, striking out 49 batters in 35.1 innings, which earned him his opportunity with the Mets.
Signed prior to the 2025 season, Carrillo was a mainstay in the Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse bullpens before eventually getting a call to the Majors in June. While he was far from incredible for the Mets, giving up seven runs (four homers) in 4.2 innings pitched, even making it from where he started is impressive in and of itself.
Carrillo is bullpen depth, which is something you can never have too much of. While the performances were never really there for Carrillo, save for his 2024 showing for the Wild Things and solid showings in both Double and Triple-A (his Triple-A ERA was actually above average, earning an ERA- of 84, because the offensive environment is absurd there), he continues to get chances due to a hard fastball and an ability to generate whiffs. He can touch triple digits, which will get whiffs at any level, and his 35% and above strikeout rate at both stops last season is a testament to that.
While, at the end of the day, it is not a likely scenario that sees Carrillo end up as a high-leverage reliever, stranger things have happened on the pitching side of the game — Reed Garrett is a good example of how a cutting edge pitching apparatus can take a guy from having 6.00 ERA’s in the Major Leagues to being an important reliever with a few changes. It is hard to predict pitchers, and who will break out, and what organizations have cooking behind the scenes with these arms (and if whatever they have cooking can stick), but a pitcher who throws hard and generate whiffs is going to get some chances, and at the very least be a valuable reliever in Triple-A while providing short-term cover for the big league team.
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 12: Konnor Griffin #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat during a spring training workout at Pirate City on February 12, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While spending my summer in Pittsburgh last year (having never lived there before), I realized just how important the Pittsburgh Pirates are to the city and its fanbase. The organization, alongside the other major teams in the Steel City, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins, is the lifeblood of one of the nation’s most blue-collar cities.
However, despite the team being essential to the everyday lives of those who wander the streets and suburbs of Pittsburgh, the Pirates did not deliver good baseball for much of the season. For the fifth time in the last seven years, they finished dead-last in the NL Central. Though they were able to play some meaningful series at the end of the season, it was merely because the opposing teams were in a playoff hunt, not what Pirates fans want to see at all from their favorite team.
Last season was simply a fiasco for on and off-field reasons. Pirates fans who attended games at the beautiful PNC Park chanted for Bob Nutting to sell the team over and over again throughout the season, even just seven games into the season, when a plane flew overhead that suggested he do so. There were other series, like their embarrassing weekend against an also-abysmal White Sox club, where fans were vocal. Manager Derek Shelton was fired after an abysmal 12-26 start and replaced by Don Kelly, who saw some improvement in the team’s record by year’s end (59-65) but still struggled during stretches to turn things around.
Despite all of these negatives, there are, of course, a couple of positives to come out of this offseason and what could bring fans back to PNC Park.
First, the most obvious one: Paul Skenes.
Last year, Skenes was fantastic. In his second season in MLB, he started 32 games, pitched 187.2 innings, and finished with a 1.97 ERA. It was the first sub-2.00 ERA season since Justin Verlander with the Houston Astros in 2022. He recorded 216 total strikeouts — his first 200+ strikeout season and good enough to overtake Mitch Keller as the Pirates franchise record holder for single-season strikeout total —and, biggest of all, won the National League Cy Young Award. His 217 ERA+ was the best in all of MLB, and his 6.5 fWAR was the highest in the NL and only 0.1 behind Detroit Tigers ace (and American League Cy Young Award winner), Tarik Skubal. Skenes was the Bucs’ first Cy Young Award winner in 36 years, dating back to erstwhile Yankees up-and-comer Doug Drabek.
The next is a player whose name has been near or at the top of every major scouting list (and is showing why in spring training): Konnor Griffin.
Last season at the age of 19, Griffin shot through the Pirates’ minor league system, making it all the way up to the Altoona Curve in Double-A after starting at the Single-A level. He played only 21 games, but in 83 at-bats, he slashed .337/.418/.542 for an OPS of .961, after batting at least .325 with an OPS of .930 in A-ball. At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, the Pirates’ ninth overall selection in the 2024 draft is lighting up spring training now and could be in contention for the major league roster, as the part of his game many say is the most impressive (outside of his physical capabilities) is his mature approach at the plate and in the field.
Bubba Chandler’s another young player looking to make his impact on the major league roster for the Pirates. After finishing with a record of 4-1, an ERA of 4.02, a 3.20 xFIP, and an fWAR total of 0.9 in 31.1 innings pitched, the 23-year-old is continuing to try to build a resume that can keep him around PNC Park.
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the Pirates, while they do have these young, up-and-coming names blasting through their minor league system, have actually spent money this offseason on known MLB commodities. Despite not landing Kyle Schwarber, the Pirates traded for two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, came to terms with DH Marcell Ozuna (who’s hit 100 homers across the last three seasons), signed lefty reliever Gregory Soto, outfielder Jake Mangum, and lefty reliever Mason Montgomery, and inked 2025 All-Star first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal.*
*This is somehow the biggest free agent contract for a position player in Pirates history.
Will they be good next season? Despite FanGraphs’ somewhat-rosy 82-win, second-place projection, probably not. In particular, it’s hard to envision them finishing with a better record than the ever-innovative Brewers. Aside from the Andrew McCutchen-led mini-renaissance from 2013-15, the Pirates have almost exclusively floundered since the early ’90s, and more struggles would unfortunately be nothing new in the Steel City. But with Kelly at the helm, general manager Ben Cherington finally spending a little bit of money, and the continuing improvement of the young players in the rotation and around the roster, there’s potential for the Pirates to start making some noise in the NL Central.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
TAMPA, FL - JUNE 03: Threshers mascot Phinley and home plate umpire Emil Jimenez go over the ground rules with the Threshers and Fire Frogs coaches before the Florida State League game between the Florida Fire Frogs and the Clearwater Threshers on June 03, 2018, at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With this, the final name has been registered and we have a list.
Ramon Marquez – 136 Zach McCambley – 45 Griffin Burkholder – 16 Keaton Anthony – 13 Alex McFarlane – 10 Seth Johnson – 8 Mavis Graves – 1
Kind of fitting that Marquez finishes off this list. A 19 year old kid that has a tough changeup and the makings of a decent fastball, he’s one of those arms that can be dreamt on whenever he is able to arrive. The Phillies might see their system take off a bit in the eyes of national people if players like Marquez can take a step forward this year. It looks like he has the basis to do so.
2025 stats (with complex league and Clearwater)
14 G (12 GS), 55 IP, 30.3 K%, 7.1 BB%, 0.65 HR/9, 4.42 ERA (3.36 FIP)
Marquez throws hard for his age, albeit with downhill plane and movement that makes it vulnerable to contact. His best pitch, and maybe the best individual pitch in the system, is a Bugs Bunny changeup that generated an elite miss rate (just over 60%!) last season. It has an absurd amount of sinking and tailing action, and is absolutely the kind of pitch that could spearhead a relief profile on its own. Marquez also has a fringy slider that sometimes has a cutter look and velo, and he might be suited to have an explicit cutter rather than the hybrid look of his current breaker.
And there you have it. You have spoken, we have listened and these are the top twenty prospects in the Phillies’ system according to The Good Phight community.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being mentioned during the Athletics Hall of Fame induction at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There were only 12 hitters in all of Major League Baseball in 2025 who logged over 650 PA and sported an on-base percentage over .360. Cincinnati Reds centerfielder TJ Friedl was one of them, and he was joined by a cast of characters who you may recognize – Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Geraldo Perdomo, Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Rafel Devers, Fernando Tatis, Jr., Matt Olson, Yandy Diaz, Kyle Schwarber, and Jose Ramirez.
It’s a testament both to Friedl’s durability last season and to his ability to consistently find his way to first base, something bolstered by his 11.8% walk rate. Even at age 30 and with a manager in Terry Francona who’s not asking him to swipe bags the way he once did, it’s almost impossible to imagine there being a better, more classic prototype on the Reds roster for the team’s leadoff man, and it sure seems that Francona is married to that idea heading into the 2026 season, too.
So, the lineup begins with TJ. After that, though, there’s a lot of moving and shaking that could go on, especially on days when the club faces off against a lefty.
What we do also know is that Francona seems wed to the idea of keeping Elly De La Cruz in the #3 spot in the lineup rather than moving him up to hit right behind Friedl. Francona has also spoken repeatedly about how prodigal son Eugenio Suárez brings both thump to the middle of the order and ‘protection’ for Elly from pitchers who might otherwise try to pitch around him, and that leads to a pretty easy assumption that Geno will be the team’s cleanup hitter.
1, 3, and 4 seem to be pretty well etched in stone, at least for the start of the season. Where the rest of the dominos fall, though, seems very much up in the air.
It’s impossible to think at this juncture that Sal Stewart should be hitting anywhere other than as high in the lineup as he can be slotted. If 1, 3, and 4 are set on most days, that would sure suggest he’s ripe for the #2 spot in between TJ and Elly, one of the rare bats who’s both patient enough at the plate to work a count (and let a leadoff guy run, if need be) but who can also plate everyone with one mighty swing. If it were up to me, the Reds regular batting order would begin with Friedl, Sal, Elly, and Geno, and that would be borderline non-negotiable.
Early in spring camp, though, it sure seems like Francona is leaning towards keeping Matt McLain in the #2 spot, however. Perhaps that’s just a manager doing his best to boost the confidence of one of his most talented, albeit most injured regulars, as McLain hit just .220/.300/.343 overall last year (and an even more putrid .215/.306/.304 in 298 PA hitting in the #2 spot last year). For the record, Cincinnati’s collective production from the #2 spot in the order in 2025 produced just a 68 wRC+ and .273 wOBA, both of which ranked 2nd to last overall.
The middle and back-half of the Reds regular batting order seems deeper on paper than it’s been in quite some time, though it’s a malleable mash of hitters who, in any given one-month stretch, could be better or worse than every player on the team. We’ve seen the streakiness first hand from the likes of Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson, and the back of JJ Bleday’s baseball card sure suggests he’s pretty much in the same boat. Regardless of the handedness of the pitcher on the mound on any given day, it’s more likely than not that that core ends up occupying spots 5-8 on most days, with the lone exception being when Dane Myers is in outfield on days a left-hander is starting against them. Unless, that is, Nate Lowe rakes through Cactus League play and cements himself as a key part of this offense despite coming into camp on an unheralded minor league deal.
Ke’Bryan Hayes, whom I really hope rarely gets more than 2 PA per game, is going to hit 9th. At least, I sure as hell hope that’s how this works.
If it were purely up to me, which it is not, here’s how I’d roll out the lineup against a RHP:
TJ Friedl – CF
Sal Stewart – 1B
Elly De La Cruz – SS
Eugenio Suárez – 3B
Nate Lowe – DH
Spencer Steer/Will Benson/JJ Bleday – LF
Tyler Stephenson – C
Noelvi Marte – RF
Matt McLain – 2B
The Hayes trade still baffles me, but at least he’d be around for the late innings defensively.
On days when a LHP is on the bump, my personal lineup would look more like this:
Matt McLain – 2B
Sal Stewart – 1B
Elly De La Cruz – SS
Eugenio Suarez – DH
Spencer Steer – LF
Tyler Stephenson – C
Dane Myers – CF
Noelvi Marte – RF
Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
How would you build a regular Reds lineup, and how would you tweak it when facing a southpaw? How would you build both through the lens of Terry Francona’s spectacles, since that’s the realistic way we must look at the situation?
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Sam Petersen #2 of the Scottsdale Scorpions celebrates with teammates after scoring a run during an Arizona Fall League game against the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on October 31, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a little while since I have talked about the Nats farm system, so I wanted to give it some love. There are plenty of breakout candidates in the system, but I settled on three picks to click. One rule I had was that none of these players could be in the top 10 of the most recent MLB Pipeline top 30.
That means Gavin Fien, Landon Harmon and Luke Dickerson are not eligible for this list. Instead, I am going for some deeper cuts. The three names I chose were Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yoel Tejada Jr., and Sam Petersen. All of these guys showed flashes in 2025, but the best is still yet to come.
Devin Fitz-Gerald is the highest ranked of these prospects. He is the 12th ranked prospect in the Nats system according to Pipeline and is 9th for Baseball America. Fitz-Gerald was a key part of the MacKenzie Gore return. He was picked in the 5th round of the 2024 draft by the Rangers, and had an outstanding first season as a pro.
Nationals SS Devin Fitz-Gerald posted a 143 wRC+ over 41 games across CPX + A ball w/ 6 HR, while walking (16.2%) more than he struck out (13.9%). He coupled that w/ an 80.6% Con% and a low 8.6% SwStr%. A polished LH swing w/ quick hands & generated plenty of pull contact (48.3%) pic.twitter.com/9Lmq3pGron
Fitz-Gerald dominated the competition in Rookie Ball before a promotion to Low-A. He only got to play 10 games in Low-A before a shoulder injury ended his season in early July. However, he held his own in A ball, walking more than he struck out. Polish is a key part of Fitz-Gerald’s game. The switch hitting infielder is a very advanced hitter for his age and has a high baseball IQ.
That high baseball IQ should come as no surprise. His dad is the coach at Stoneman Douglas High School, which has produced many MLB players including Anthony Rizzo, Jesus Luzardo and Roman Anthony. Fitz-Gerald played for his dad in high school and was an excellent player.
However, his pro debut went even better than expected. The switch hitter showed more power than expected, which elevated his stock. Everyone knew he was a polished hitter, but the extra power makes him a very complete hitter. Fitz-Gerald is not an elite athlete, so he is likely to move to second or third base. However, he has a good enough bat to do that. Out of the trio of prospects we will cover, Fitz-Gerald is easily the most likely to emerge as a top 100 guy.
He should start the season in a crowded Low-A infield. There is a chance we see Fitz-Gerald, Eli Willits, Angel Feliz, Gavin Fien and Luke Dickerson all start the year at Low-A. That could potentially move Dickerson to the outfield, but that is a conversation for another day. Devin Fitz-Gerald is a prospect whose trajectory is pointed upwards.
For my pitcher, I am going to choose a real deep cut. Yoel Tejada Jr. is the 27th ranked prospect according to Pipeline and the 29th ranked prospect according to Baseball America. However, he has some unique attributes that excite me.
Tejada was taken in the 14th round of the 2024 draft by the Nats. He was not good at all in college, with a career ERA of 5.74. Tejada also had more walks than strikeouts in his college career that only lasted 42.1 innings over three seasons. However, the Nats still drafted him because he is 6’8 and threw in the mid-90’s.
That gamble looks like a smart one. After some mechanical tweaks, he looked like a different pitcher as a pro. Tejada was more in the 91-94 MPH range, but was throwing way more strikes and showed a good feel for spin. His fastball plays up due to his massive extension down the mound as well. There is also a chance he can gain some more velocity.
I’d like to know who listed Yoel Tejada Jr as their pick to click. He’s a deeper cut than most other names on that list.
Tejada Jr is part of a trio of Nats pitching prospects I’m high on, Jose Feliz and Jackson Kent being the other two.
In Low-A, Tejada posted a 3.43 ERA in 78.2 innings. He struck out nearly a batter per inning and walked just 2.4 hitters per nine. His two starts in High-A did not go as well, but that was a small sample size. The improvement in his command is what makes me very intrigued.
At 6’8, he is going to be a weird look for hitters. If he continues to pound the zone like he did last year, Tejada’s stock is only going to rise. I wonder if he can show the velocity he did in college while still pounding the zone. If he can do that, his stock could really take off. Tejada should start the season at High-A, but if he does well there, he could get to Double-A at some point this season.
He could be the next Brad Lord or Riley Cornelio type of arm, who seemingly comes out of nowhere. Both of those guys had velocity spikes as they rose through the minors, so that makes me confident that Tejada could sit in the 94-95 range before too long.
Another pitcher who is in a similar position to Tejada that I want to shout out as an honorable mention is Davian Garcia. He was also part of that 2024 class, and had a similar season to Tejada. Garcia was excellent in Low-A, but struggled in High-A. He got into a Spring Training game a few days ago, where his stuff looked excellent. Look for Garcia to rise into the Nats top 30 list soon.
The last player I want to talk about is Sam Petersen. In a way, he has already broken out, as he had an excellent year mostly in High-A. However, he only played in 57 minor league games due to a couple injuries. If he can stay healthy, Petersen could be yet another candidate to play in the Nats outfield by the end of the season.
While MLB Pipeline has Petersen as their 28th ranked prospect in the system, Baseball America is much higher on him. They have him ranked 14th, sandwiched between Landon Harmon and Ethan Petry. Baseball America put a 55 grade on his hitting, his power and his speed. That is a very impressive combination.
Sam Petersen was one of the top performers in the South Atlantic League while healthy last season.
The Nationals prospect hits the ball with authority to all fields with a line-drive approach, and has the potential for above-average power 💪
With the numbers he put up, that makes sense. Wilmington is a notoriously difficult place to hit, but Petersen made it look easy. He hit .297 with an .888 OPS in 44 games at High-A. Those are numbers you do not often see in Wilmington.
Petersen had a good career at Iowa, but fell to the 8th round due to an injury. When he was on the field last year, Petersen’s power and hitting ability looked improved. His max exit velocity improved from college despite switching from metal to wood bats. BA noted that he has an all-field approach, but has become more comfortable pulling the ball in the air.
If Petersen can stay healthy, he has an outside chance of making the big leagues this year. At this time last year, Daylen Lile was on the outside looking in, but he forced his way into the lineup. Petersen has the chance to do something similar if he performs and stays healthy.
It is clear the new regime likes what they are seeing because he has gotten a lot of run early in Spring Training. He has looked good when he has played as well, going 3/6 to start the spring. Despite only playing 44 games at High-A, the 23 year old Petersen should start the year in Double-A.
With a new regime coming in, there are plenty of prospects who could break out. There are obvious names like Eli Willits and Gavin Fien, but there are also some more under the radar picks. Even beyond these three players, there are other sleepers like Marconi German, Angel Feliz and Jackson Kent that I like. The Nats system is deeper than it has been in a long time, and it will be very exciting to follow this season.
