MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 09: Brooks Lee #22 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates as he runs to first base after hitting a two-run single in the eighth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
They say baseball is a marathon and no team has embodied that more in the first two weeks of the 2026 season than your Minnesota Twins. After a rough start, an April winning streak once again has the Twins right back in the mix for the third season in a row, sweeping the division-favorite Detroit Tigers and moving over .500 for the first time.
Starting pitcher Mick Abel was dancing through raindrops all afternoon. He ended up not allowing a run, but the Tigers were able to get the first two batters on base in each of the first two innings and had at least one batter in scoring position in five of the six innings Abel was on the mound. But you have to give him credit for battling through to keep the Tigers scoreless and deliver one of his best starts on a career-high 102 pitches. On a day where the bullpen was close to spent, Abel battled through and gave the Twins just enough length to squeak out a victory.
The Twins had plenty of base runners as well, despite just one run through the first seven innings. They took great at bats, hit balls hard that unluckily found gloves, were patient at the plate, and looked like a professional, complete lineup for the first time all season. Minnesota had at least one baserunner in every inning except the fifth, with the lone run coming on a Josh Bell moonshot to continue his hot start. 1-0 Twins.
After his three-hit afternoon, Bell is slashing .325/.440/.650 for a 1.090 and 173 wRC+. Will he keep it up for the entire season? Almost definitely not, but someone needed to step up while Buxton and Keaschall are finding their swings.
New Twin and someone you DEFINITELY knew about before this game Garrett Acton came in to pitch the 7th and hit Detroit’s no. 9 batter Jake Rogers and allowed a single to Colt Keith to put runners on the corners with one out. Gleyber Torres followed with a sac fly to knot the game at one apiece. Things could have spiraled from there, but a nifty catch in the left field corner by James Outman got the Twins out of the inning. Acton, thankfully, had a clean 8th, where the Twins were able to deliver the finishing blow in the bottom half of the inning.
With one out in the inning, Matt Wallner battled back from being down 1-2 to earn a walk, followed immediately by a Victor Caratini single to put two on for the bottom third of the lineup. Kody Clemens pulled a reverse Wally and went from up 3-0 to striking out, leaving things to Royce Lewis. After a brief mid-AB injury scare, Royce beat out an infield single and loaded the bases for Brooks Lee, who came in as a defensive sub after some pinch hitting switcharoos. Inarguably their worst hitter in the young season, Lee came up HUGE and delivered a single hit just hard enough to sneak past the glove of Detroit second baseman Zach McKinstry. That was all Garrett Acton and Eric Orze needed. 3-1 Twins win.
Before I wrap up my recap with a usual pithy comment of some sort, I want to give Royce Lewis his flowers. The overall numbers still aren’t looking great, but he is taking very good at bats, getting good hacks, and hitting the ball very hard even if it’s leading to outs. The season is incredibly young with the sample size incredibly small, but his 92.5 MPH average exit velocity is in the top 15% of the league. He’s DRASTICALLY reduced his chase rate and is top 15 in walk rate. That’s exactly how you make up your other physical tools taking a step back from his younger years. Plus, sprinting to to beat out an infield single immediately after tweaking your knee is something everyone in that locker room is going to love.
STUDS
Josh Bell: 3-4, 1 HR
Brooks: 1-1, 2 game winning RBIs
Pitching B Squad (Abel, Acton, Orze): 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K
Royce Lewis: see soliloquy above
DUDS
NO DUDS, TWWWWINS WWWWIN
We’ll see you all in virtual Toronto tomorrow night!
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 6: Bubba Chandler #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the fourth inning during a game against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on April 6, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Cubs dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025.
The division rivals played 13 times last season. Chicago won 10. The Cubs outscored the Pirates 54-26 and hit .256 against Pittsburgh’s pitching.
Chicago smacked an impressive 16 home runs, compared to the Pirates’ five, and earned a .740 OPS. The Pirates batted .182 as a team with a .523 OPS.
In all its charm, Wrigley Field has been a house of horrors for the Pirates in recent years.
The Pirates (7-5) look to set a new precedent in 2026, beginning a three-game series at Wrigley on Friday.
In his first full season as manager, Don Kelly has watched a dreadful offense come to life through the first 12 games.
After hitting a league-worst 117 home runs, the Pirates have already smashed 12, tied for 8th in baseball, and at one point held the National League lead.
A big reason why is offseason additions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, who have both hit three apiece.
The offense ranks tied for 9th in hits per game (8.3), 9th in average (.247), 6th in on-base (.338), 8th in slugging (.383), and 7th in OPS (.721). The Bucs consistently ranked in the bottom third, if not last, in every category last year.
One early carryover is strong starting pitching. Pittsburgh owns the 6th best starters ERA at 2.87, third in the NL behind the Cubs (2.72) and Atlanta Braves (2.79).
Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller pitched in the Padres series at PNC Park, meaning the club will be without their top two arms against a vaunted Cubs (6-6) lineup.
Carmen Mlodzinski gets the ball on Friday, opposite Shota Imanaga, who has dominated the Pirates for what feels like more than a decade (despite it only being three years).
Mlodzinski has allowed two runs in each of his first two starts, but hasn’t been able to pitch out of the fifth inning. The third time through the order is where Mlodzinski, primarily a reliever in his career, has struggled to get through innings.
Saturday plates Braxton Ashcraft against Edward Cabrera, who hasn’t allowed a run in 11.2 innings for Chicago since being traded from the Marlins.
Ashcraft has been Pittsburgh’s surprise starter after an impressive rookie year. Ashcraft earned a 2.71 ERA over 69.2 innings spanning 26 appearances, eight starts.
He has pitched six frames in each of his first two outings and allowed two runs or fewer both times.
All three games have solid pitching probables, but Sunday’s might be the most fascinating.
Former Pirate Jameson Taillon takes the ball against Bubba Chandler. The No. 11 overall prospect and second-highest ranked pitcher at the start of the season, Chandler touches 101 MPH with his fastball.
The problem is, you don’t always know where it’s going. Chandler’s control remains a main concern, walking 10 batters in 8.2 innings. He didn’t allow a hit over 4.1 innings in his season debut at Cincinnati, but walked six and struck out six.
Chandler walked four against the Padres on Monday and allowed five hits and three runs.
Chandler has elite stuff, but has work to do to become a consistent pitcher that the rotation can depend on.
Chicago was the preseason favorite to win the NL Central, providing three important games in April for who may take the grand prize in late September.
If the Pirates are going to begin to prove that their start and chances to compete in the Central aren’t a fluke, it begins on the road against a very good team.
All three games of the series will begin at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, 1:20 p.m. Central.
The Yankees dropped Thursday afternoon’s rubber match against the Athletics by a score of 1-0, with a Ben Rice seventh-inning single as their only hit of the afternoon.
Despite losing two of three to the A’s, the Yankees are still off to a strong start at 8-4, but their offense has disappeared at times, which could be a concerning trend. Thursday’s loss marked the fifth time this season that the Yankees have scored three runs or fewer.
Manager Aaron Boone said after the game that while there have been other times when the Yankees have had opportunities but couldn’t cash in, Thursday’s loss was a case where A’s starter Jeffrey Springs was simply at the top of his game, allowing one hit over his 7.0 masterful innings.
“Look, we got shut down today,” Boone said. “The previous games where we’re struggling scoring, I feel like we’re getting the traffic and we’re having quality at-bats. Today was a day where we got beat. We just didn’t generate much, we didn’t hit a lot of balls on the screws at all, and didn’t create much traffic.
"We’ll get this thing going. We’ve got a few guys, obviously, struggling to get on track a little bit. Hopefully we’ll get things going down inside [in Tampa].”
Springs, who doesn’t feature overpowering velocity, kept the Yankees guessing with his fastball-changeup mix, while also working in a sweeper and slider. He struck out six and walked two, lowering his season ERA to 1.47.
“Stayed very unpredictable, I thought, with both, did a good job of really mixing, but really commanded the four-seam in and out and then sets up his changeup really well, obviously gave us some problems,” said Boone.
“I feel like he was just keeping everybody a little off-balanced,” said Rice, who broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the seventh. “It looked like guys were just a little bit late, a little bit under on the fastball, a little early on the offspeeds. His changeup was working well, so just tough to get a good piece of it.”
Up next, the Yankees head to Tampa for a three-game series with the Rays, starting on Friday night, where they’ll look to get the bats going.
As a team, the Yankees have had just two hits since the first inning of Wednesday's 3-2 loss.
“Of course, the results haven’t been there for us the last couple of games, but I think we’ll be alright,” Rice said, “and I think the quality of at-bat is still there, so just gotta keep rolling.”
San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Location, Location, Location.
Location remains the golden rule of real estate, directly driving a property’s market value.
The same holds for major league pitchers who master their location effectively by controlling the game’s tempo. It forces opposing hitters into uncomfortable at-bats at the plate.
San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon was outstanding in his first appearance of the 2026 season. He pitched two shutout innings, as he threw 23 total pitches with 14 for strikes. The left-hander is the high-leverage arm that bridges he gap before Mason Miller comes in to close out games.
Since then, Morejon has given up seven runs on nine hits in three innings pitched. Three poor outings should not define a pitcher’s season. But his 10.80 ERA does offer early concerns in the second full week of the 2026 season.
The struggles are unexplainable, but the numbers do not lie.
Command issues have plagued Morejon
It’s very hard to imagine Morejon struggling in games because his velocity is up near 98 MPH this season. Command issues have limited his effectiveness on the mound. If he cannot locate the fastball, then his secondary pitches lose their edge against batters. It has been easy for hitters to put the barrel of their bat on the ball and drive the pitch for extra bases.
His trouble is trying to strike out every batter instead of using the defense behind him to record outs. Morejon has a career 47% ground ball rate; he may need to narrow his approach to generate weak contact.
No question, Morejon is a quality setup reliever with a swing-and-miss repertoire, but his location has been horrible over his last three outings. Often, the pitch count balloons, and the appearance quickly unravels. Damage is done by opposing hitters because the pitches have caught too much of the plate.
If Friars pitching coach Ruben Niebla can get Morejon to trust his pitches, the results will improve. He has too much talent to falter all season.
The Padres are 6-6, but the starting rotation is a work in progress. To win games, the bullpen must be productive and absorb poor starts from the rotation.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Bryce Eldridge #47 of the Sacramento Rivercats reacts after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of an exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants at Sutter Health Park on March 22, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday was a good day. For the second day in a row, the San Francisco Giants and their four Minor League Baseball A-ball affiliates all won their games. That’s a whole lot of winning, so let’s talk about it!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
AAA Sacramento (7-4)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s) 8-7 (11 innings) Box score
It took a pair of extra innings, but the River Cats managed to win their 4th consecutive game. And they did it with a fair amount of drama. Sacramento allowed the Manfred Man to score in both the 10th and 11th innings, and in the 11th, they started off the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts, failing to move the runner over. But shortstop Osleivis Basabe, who hit 1-3 with an error, drew his 2nd walk of the day, and center fielder Drew Gilbert put the ball in play, reaching base safely — and knocking in the tying run — on an error.
And that brought up second baseman Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL), who ended the game by smashing an RBI double.
Rodríguez finished the day 2-5 with a walk, and is really heating up after a slow start. After being held hitless in the season opener, the righty has hit safely in 7 straight games, and so far in 3 games against Vegas, he’s 6-13 with 2 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and just 1 strikeout, which has brought him up to a .754 OPS and a 104 wRC+. He’s still a few weeks away from turning 24, and he’s on the 40-man roster … don’t be surprised if he makes his Major League debut in the coming months, whether as a backup catcher, a fill-in second baseman, or a utility player.
But while Rodríguez provided the winning hit, the most notable hit belonged to the most notable player on the roster: first baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL). Eldridge needed just 1 at-bat in this game to provide a sight for sore eyes: a towering, majestic, absolutely gorgeous 2-run home run, though we sadly were deprived of audio for it.
It’s weird to say, but we hadn’t seen Eldridge’s power in a little while. Counting Spring Training, he had gone 24 consecutive games without putting a ball over the fence, with just 6 total extra-base hits during that time (though, admittedly, he wasn’t playing full Spring Training games).
But no more. Eldridge has his 1st home run of the year … and the 1st of many, I’m sure. The only question is how many will be in a Sacramento jersey, and how many will be in a San Francisco jersey.
Still, the warnings I issued in yesterday’s roundup are still true for Eldridge, who finished the day 2-5 with 2 strikeouts. While the nice day boosted his batted ball metrics, which had been lagging behind what we’ve grown to expect, the strikeout issues are still concerning, as the tall lefty is 16th percentile in strikeout rate, 11th percentile in whiff rate, 12th percentile in in-zone contact rate, and 32nd percentile in swinging strike rate. Work to be done, but a big step forward.
Another player who figures to hit a lot of home runs this year in either Sacramento or San Francisco went deep as well: left fielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL), who went just 1-5 with 2 strikeouts, but bashed a tie-breaking home run in the 8th inning.
Like Eldridge, Bericoto is striking out a little too much (26.2%), though that’s not been a big issue in his career, so probably something that will lower as he adjusts to the level. The sample is small, but through 9 games this year, Bericoto looks nothing like the hitter who struggled in 11 games at the level last year. Then he hit .196/.196/.283 with a wRC+ of 16; this year, he’s hitting .306/.381/.583, for a 155 wRC+.
And the final member of the home run party was center fielder Drew Gilbert, who hit just 1-6 but smacked a solo home run.
Gilbert had a rough Spring Training as he dealt with a shoulder injury and never was able to find a rhythm. But he’s been hitting very well in Sacramento, with an .833 OPS, a 135 wRC+, and more walks than strikeouts. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for right fielder Grant McCray, whose strikeout issues are starting to return, as he hit 0-4 with a walk and 2 Ks. McCray is mired in quite a slump at the moment: in his last 5 starts, he’s 0-16 with 7 strikeouts. He does have 6 walks in that time, and that’s been his saving grace this season: he’s hitting just 6-35 with 0 home runs, but has drawn 10 walks and been hit by a pitch.
While the hitters who are on the 40-man roster mostly had good days, the same cannot be said for the pitchers. Unfortunately, it was another rough outing for RHP Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL) who got the start but simply could not find the strike zone. The silver lining (if you really squint) is that McDonald was unhittable, ceding no hits all game. But that was because he was wild, and not effectively wild, either. He needed 52 pitches to get through 2.1 innings, and threw just half of them for strikes. While that did earn him a pair of strikeouts, it also resulted in 4 walks, a hit batter, and 2 runs to his name … and it could have been more than that, as he left with the bases loaded and just 1 out, but only 1 of the inherited runners scored.
McDonald was one of the stars of the start of Spring Training, but it’s been all downhill since then for the recently-turned 25-year old. In his last 6 games — 3 each in Spring Training and AAA — McDonald has pitched 12.2 innings and allowed 13 hits, 7 walks, 3 hit batters, and 14 earned runs, albeit with 14 strikeouts. He’s got some ironing out to do to catch the other young, unproven pitchers on the 40-man roster.
Replacing McDonald was RHP Tristan Beck, who is trying to work his way back to the MLB bullpen. He didn’t enter the rosiest situation, but also didn’t pitch his best, allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run in 1.2 innings of work, with 1 strikeout. Beck’s been fine so far this year — he has a 3.18 ERA, a 1.87 FIP, and 9 strikeouts against 3 walks in 5.2 innings — but isn’t yet forcing the issue.
Unlike McDonald and Beck, RHPs Gregory Santos and Will Bednar (No. 24) aren’t on the 40-man roster, but they have some of the best fastballs in the organization, and are hoping to become part of the Major League bullpen plan at some point soon. They had so-so days: Santos gave up 2 hits and an earned run in 2 innings, with a strikeout, while Bednar pitched the 10th and 11th innings and allowed both Manfred Men to score, but gave up just 1 hit and no earned runs, with 1 strikeout. Bednar is performing much better than he did in his brief glimpse of AAA last year. His velo was notably down in this game, but that could potentially be due to the fact that he wasn’t supposed to pitch in this game, and was called into action when it went to extra innings.
It was a very well-balanced attack for the Squirrels on Wednesday, as they, too, drove their winning streak to 4 games. The biggest contribution came from the hitter at the very bottom of the lineup: center fielder Jonah Cox.
By now, you’re likely familiar with the story of Cox, the 2023 6th-round pick whom the Giants stole from the A’s in the Ross Stripling trade. He’s arguably the best baserunner in the system (Jared Oliva takes the cake if we’re including the Majors), and plays quality defense at all 3 outfield positions. It’s an Oliva-esque 4th/5th outfielder profile, and that’s Cox’s ceiling unless he can start hitting better. Last year he spent the full season in High-A Eugene, where he had a modest .731 OPS and a 103 wRC+.
But he’s off to quite a start in Richmond. On Wednesday the 24-year old righty hit 2-4 with a double and a strikeout, raising his OPS to .831 and his wRC+ to 124. There will be some regression — he has a 27.3% strikeout rate and a .500 BABIP — but still. It’s good to see him making things happen with the bat.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 9, 2026
His legs, meanwhile, did what we’re accustomed to them doing, as he stole a pair of bases. Through 5 games he now has 5 thefts in 6 attempts. What a fun player.
Third baseman Dayson Croes had yet another nice game, hitting 2-5 with a double. He’s hit safely in all 5 games this year, which includes 3 multi-hit games, and he’s 10-24 on the year. I talked quite a bit about Croes in yesterday’s roundup, so you can get a refresher there if you missed it, but don’t be surprised if the Giants find a way to get him in AAA soon. He spent a chunk of time there last year, and hit quite well, and is probably only in AA because Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) is occupying a very similar role for the River Cats.
Catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) continues to make an enticing case that last year’s breakout season was no fluke. The lefty hitter, who had the breakout season of all breakout seasons after 2 middling years following a 17th-round selection, hit 1-3 with a double and a walk. It’s only been 3 games — he’s splitting catcher duties with Adrián Sugastey — but Cavanaugh is hitting about as well as you could possibly hope, as he’s 6-11 with 5 extra-base hits and 4 walks. Perhaps most impressively, though, is that a year after running a 28.3% strikeout rate in AA (and a 27.4% rate across 4 levels), Cavanaugh has yet to strike out.
Also great days for second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL) and right fielder Turner Hill. Velasquez, a contact maven who is lacking a bit in power and physicality, hit 1-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, raising the 22-year old switch-hitter’s OPS to 1.264 through 3 games, with a 263 wRC+. Hill, a lefty who just turned 27 and who has a very similar profile to Cox, went 1-3 with a triple, a walk, 3 RBIs, and a strikeout, boosting his OPS to .818 and his wRC+ to 105 through 5 games.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 9, 2026
It was an odd pitching game for Richmond. They gave up just 3 hits on the day, but walked 9 batters. The only player immune from the walks was the closer, RHP Tyler Vogel, who pitched a scoreless inning with a hit and 2 strikeouts. Vogel has been sensational through 3 appearances this year, giving up 3 hits, 1 walk, and 0 runs, while striking out 7 batters. He was dominant in 16 innings with Richmond last year, and earned a cup of coffee in Sacramento, so I’d say he’s not going to be a Squirrel for much longer. He’s really meeting the moment, and since he’s Rule 5 eligible, I’d guess the Giants would like to see what he can do in AAA.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 9, 2026
The start was the organizational debut for RHP Logan Martin. A 24-year old taken in the 12th round in 2023, Martin came to the Giants over the winter in the Mason Black trade. It was also Martin’s AA debut, as he spent all of last year with Kansas City’s High-A affiliate, where he had a 3.45 ERA and a 3.79 FIP in 22 starts.
It was a so-so introduction to the level, as Martin pitched 4 innings and gave up 2 hits, 3 walks, and 3 runs, with 5 strikeouts. Only allowing 2 hits is great, though they were both extra-baggers, including a home run. But needless to say, the walks will need to come down. Still, the strikeouts proved encouraging: Martin only K’d 7.7 batters per 9 innings last year, so it will be interesting to see if the Giants have untapped some better swing-and-miss stuff, or if this was just an outlier where his wildness made amateur hitters uncomfortable.
Logan Martin, welcome to Double-A!
The righty picks up his first Double-A strikeout against the first hitter he faces 👏 pic.twitter.com/m4kvmYQKIJ
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 8, 2026
Really funny scoreless relief appearances from LHPs Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) and Dylan Carmouche. Neither of the 24-year old late-rounders (9th round in 2022 for Choate, 15th in 2023 for Carmouche) could find the strike zone, for better and for worse. Choate tossed 2.2 no-hit innings with 4 strikeouts, but walked 3 batters. Carmouche was even more extreme, with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in just 1.1 no-hit innings.
High-A Eugene (5-0)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 5-2 Box score
Eugene saw Sacramento and Richmond’s 4-game winning streaks and said they’ll do one better: a 5-game winning streak! And a 5-game winning streak to start the season, no less.
The most notable players on the Emeralds roster are on the position player side, but let’s start with the pitching, because it really was a sensational day on the mound for the Ems. And it started, as things tend to do, with the starter: LHP Tyler Switalski.
Switalski, a 16th-round pick in 2024, is not generally a strikeout artist. He K’d just 7.6 batters per 9 innings in his debut season last year, which was split 75% in Low-A and 25% in High-A.
But you wouldn’t know he wasn’t a big strikeout guy if you watched Wednesday’s game, when he simply wore down Vancouver’s hitters all game long. He gave up just 2 hits in 4.1 innings, and only walked 1 batter while throwing 53 of 73 pitches for strikes. And the kicker? A whopping 9 strikeouts.
Tyler Switalski has had the two best pitching outings in the Giants' farm so far. After throwing 3.2 shutout innings in relief with eight Ks last week, he threw 4.2 more scoreless innings as a starter with nine Ks.
— Giant Prospective (@giantprospectiv) April 9, 2026
You couldn’t craft a better start to the year for Switalski, who through 8 scoreless innings has issued 4 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 17. By comparison, he also struck out 17 batters in High-A last year … except that came in 23 innings, not 8. Obviously the sample size is small, but if he’s made tangible improvements to his stuff, then he’s worth keeping an eye on. Funky lefties can always rise the ranks … but most pitchers stall out if they can’t strike out batters.
Speaking of southpaws with strikeouts, LHP Esmerlin Vinicio made his season debut and struck out 3 batters in 1.2 no-hit innings, with 1 walk allowed. Vinicio only recently turned 23, but this is his 6th season of Minor League Baseball, and he’s still trying to prove himself in High-A. It might be a make-or-break season for him.
RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL) showed off both his electricity and command issues in the 9th inning, throwing just 14 of 27 pitches for strikes, while walking 2 batters, allowing a hit, and giving up a run. But he also hit triple digits, and struck out the side. That’s the Maldonado package: he has some of the nastiest stuff in the system, and if he can figure out how to slash the walks in half, he could fly from A-ball to a high-leverage MLB role in a shockingly short amount of time. After a few years of being developed as a starter, it looks like the Giants are now committing to using the 22-year old strictly as a reliever, which seems like a good idea to me.
They have finally let Gerelmi Maldonado loose in a late-inning situation and grabbed three strikeouts, with a little bit of torture before locking down the W.
Mass = gas, and Gerelmi can certainly bring it, up to 100 mph with ridiculous metrics tonight. pic.twitter.com/OgYiu6rIvb
— Giant Prospective (@giantprospectiv) April 9, 2026
There was a lot of excitement on the offensive side, primarily from Eugene’s pair of highest-ranked prospects, center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) and shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL).
Kilen’s season has been nothing short of a 5-game revelation, and that continued on Wednesday, when he hit 2-4 with a double and a sacrifice fly. Some people — not ashamed to admit that I’m very much included in that group — might have had concerns about how last year’s 1st-round pick would fare with an opening assignment in High-A, after posting a .561 OPS and a 58 wRC+ in a 10-game sample in Low-A last year.
Smarter people — again, not ashamed to admit I’m very much not included in that group — felt confident in the assignment, given that the lefty, who turned 22 a few weeks ago, is a highly polished hitter coming out of the best conference in college (the SEC), and who was playing through an injury in his debut last year.
A 5-game sample is small, but it’s also enough to tell us emphatically that if Kilen is at the wrong level, it’s because he should be up a ring, not down one. All he’s done in Eugene is hit, hit, and hit some more. He’s hit safely in all 5 games, with 4 multi-hit showings. In total, he’s gone 10-20 with 5 extra-base hits, 3 walks, and only 2 strikeouts. And while there will be a lot to do in the coming months and years to prove that he can stay at shortstop, he’s looked good there so far.
As for Jordan, a fellow high-impact SEC bat, things have been not quite as solid, but plenty electric. The strikeout issues that plagued his career at Mississippi State — and led to him falling to the 4th round in 2024, despite having some of the best power, speed, and athleticism in the draft — took a step in the right direction last year in Low-A, but have come roaring back in High-A. That didn’t change at the start of this game, as he K’d in his 1st pair of at-bats … but after that? A double, followed by a double, followed by a double.
No, let me correct that: a loud double, followed by a loud double, followed by a loud double.
Dakota Jordan is channelling his inner Russell Westbrook tonight with a triple double!
All of his hits had triple-digit exit velocities. He is heating up after a cold start to the young season. pic.twitter.com/etOuyQZMVP
— Giant Prospective (@giantprospectiv) April 9, 2026
We’re seeing both sides of the coin with Jordan right now. He’s hitting 6-22, which is good, and all 6 of his hits have gone for extra bases, which is beyond great. He’s also struck out in 13 of his 23 plate appearances, which … well, yeah. You don’t need me to editorialize or contextualize there!
It’s a new level and it’s cold in the Pacific Northwest this time of year, which is something that someone who was born and raised in the south probably isn’t all too familiar with. So perhaps there’s no need to overcomplicate this … it might just be an adjustment period. But no matter how scary the strikeouts are, the impact when he makes contact has me drooling.
The other good offensive day belonged to someone in desperate need of one: catcher Diego Cartaya. You’re all probably familiar with Cartaya’s story at this point, but if not, here’s the quick and dirty: he was one of the best prospects in all of baseball in the Dodgers system, but fell apart as he reached the upper Minors, and was released (he was on the 40-man roster) last year. He got picked up by the Twins last year, and almost exclusively struck out — seriously, while playing for Minnesota’s AAA affiliate, he hit 5-59 with 40 strikeouts. They released him, and the Giants signed him to a multi-year Minor League deal.
San Francisco has, wisely in my opinion, decided to hit the reset button with Cartaya. Despite his experience in the upper Minors (he has 595 plate appearances in AA and 277 in AAA), they’ve sent him down to High-A to be in a lower pressure environment. It started very poorly: in his 1st 3 games, he hit 0-9 with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks. But Wednesday was a reminder as to the talent he has, as he got his 1st hit of the year, launching an absolutely stunning home run.
In his other 3 plate appearances, Cartaya struck out once and walked twice. There’s a lot of work to do. A lot of work to do, both for Cartaya and for the organization … but my goodness, that swing sure is gorgeous when it connects. Sadly there’s no video of the home run to back that up, but trust me!
Second baseman Zander Darby had a very nice day, hitting 3-4 with a stolen base and a strikeout. A lefty who was taken in the 12th round in 2024, Darby had a very strong year in Low-A last season, but struggled following a late-season promotion to Eugene. So far he’s putting those struggles behind him, as he’s 8-15 with 3 extra-base hits on the year.
Low-A San Jose (4-1)
San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide 8-2 Box score
Bryce Eldridge might have had the most exciting game in the system thanks to his proximity to the Majors. But there can be no denying who had the best game: shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL).
2025 was a breakout year for Level, a switch-hitter who turned 19 just a few weeks ago. But if the 1st week is any indication, 2026 is somehow going to be an even better year.
Level was utterly superb in this game, hitting 3-5 with a home run, 2 doubles, and 1 strikeout. Yeeeeeesh.
Jhonny Level LAUNCHES one out to right, and we've got a home run party breaking out at Excite Ballpark. pic.twitter.com/uz0sIKT55Z
Level held his own in a short High-A stint last year, which was mighty impressive given his age. But this year he’s downright killing it, hitting 12-23 with 6 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 3 stolen bases. Given his prospect pedigree and his defensive chops, plus the fact that he spent some time at the level last year, it wouldn’t be surprising to me if he ends up getting a fairly early promotion, assuming he keeps hitting like this. In the meantime, if you live in the Bay Area, maybe get to a Baby Giants game and enjoy the show while it’s still there. This dude is unreal!
Jhonny Level leads off the game for San Jose with a loud double. He's now 10-19 to open the year pic.twitter.com/D3WLZaIDqQ
Catcher Junior Barajas is having quite a professional debut, as he had yet another standout game, hitting 2-4 with a home run, a walk, and a strikeout. The 11th-round pick last year has hit safely in all 4 of his games in his debut season, and that underscores just how good he’s been: he’s 8-19 with 6 extra-base hits and 10 RBIs. Those are good numbers for anyone, but especially exciting stats for a player who has some solid chops behind the dish.
Rod Barajas Jr. stays red hot! His second HR of the season puts the Giants up 3-2. pic.twitter.com/h2EuSaVdsQ
Taken 1 round ahead of Barajas last year was designated hitter Isaiah Barkett, who is a second baseman by trade. The 22-year old out of Stetson has only played in 2 games in his debut season, but he has also made quite an impression: after going 2-3 with a double and a walk in his debut, he went 3-4 on Wednesday, hit his first professional home run, and bopped another double. Happy debuts all around!
First baseman Jeremiah Jenkins, a 14th-round pick in 2024, continued his nice season, hitting 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a strikeout in his 2nd game of the year.
The best game on the mound came from a great story: RHP Sam Bower. Bower was an 11th round pick back in 2022 out of St. Mary’s, and was born in Visalia (hey, that’s who the Giants were playing!). But, due to a series of injuries, the 22-year old entered 2026 — technically his 5th season as a pro — still looking to make his Minor League debut.
That debut happened on Friday, and it didn’t go well, but it was a huge milestone nonetheless. But on Wednesday he made his 2nd appearance, and this was one he’ll remember, as Bower tossed 2 no-hit innings in relief, allowing just 1 baserunner on a walk, while striking out 3 batters and recording his 1st career win. What a great moment, and hopefully there are many, many more games in his future.
RHP Mauricio Estrella, who turns 22 next week, continued his great season of relief, throwing 2 shutout innings with 3 hits allowed … but 4 strikeouts. Through 2 games, Estrella has 7 strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless frames.
Like Bower and Estrella, RHP Dylan Carter pitched in his 2nd game of the year, and like Bower, it put a bad season debut well behind him, as the 2025 UDFA threw a perfect 9th inning with 2 strikeouts.
RHP Cody Delvecchio got the start, and it didn’t go as well as his sensational debut last week. The 2025 12th-round pick out of UCLA gave up some hard contact, as he allowed 4 hits (including 2 doubles) in 3 innings of work. That, plus a walk, tagged him for 2 earned runs, though he struck out 4 batters. Impressively, the recently-turned 22 year old threw 49 of 64 pitches for strikes, which you know the Giants love to see.
Sacramento: 6:45 p.m. PT vs. Las Vegas (SP: Carson Whisenhunt) Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Altoona (SP: Greg Farone) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Niko Mazza) San Jose: 6:00 p.m. PT vs. Visalia (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees reacts during the game against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on April 9, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have generally gotten off to a winning start this season, with only a few things here and there going wrong. One thing that has definitely gone wrong for them has been the fact that they’ve gotten hardly any production out of the lower order of the lineup. As it turns out, that’s a big issue when the top part of the lineup also has a bad day.
Facing Jeffrey Springs and the Athletics, the Yankees were held to just one hit all day, as it took very late into the game to even get on the board there. Springs allowed just one Ben Rice single and two walks in his seven innings, before turning it over to an A’s bullpen that didn’t give up much more.
On the mound for the Yankees, you can’t really complain about anything that happened there. While he does go down as the losing pitcher, Ryan Weathers had a very good afternoon. He ended up going eight innings, allowing one run on seven scattered hits, while striking out seven. He very much looked like the intriguing pitcher the Yankees traded for, and that should and probably will be a performance that gets rewarded almost every other time.
However, it wasn’t in this one, as the Yankees’ offense struggled too much, dropping the game and the series in a 1-0 loss to the Athletics.
The pitching matchup on paper didn’t seem like it had massive pitchers’ duel potential, but that’s what it was. As mentioned, the Yankees didn’t record a hit until the seventh, and Weathers was able to at least keep putting up zeroes in the run column, even though the A’s had a couple more chances. Eventually, the Athletics broke through for the game’s only run.
Leading off the top of the seventh, Max Muncy tripled after Cody Bellinger (filling in for Trent Grisham, who had the day off) slightly misplayed the ball off the wall. Tyler Soderstrom immediately followed that with a hit of his own to plate Muncy with the game’s only score.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Yankees finally got into the hit column when Rice singled. Giancarlo Stanton had already drawn a walk, and the hit set up the Yankees’ first real RISP chance of the day, but that failed to amount to anything. Similarly, they had a couple runners on in the eighth against Justin Sterner for Aaron Judge, but he could only muster an inning-ending groundout.
Despite allowing a double, Paul Blackburn threw a scoreless frame in the top of the ninth to keep the Yankees in striking distance. However, they would only remain in striking distance and not actually striking, as they went down fairly meekly at the hands of Hogan Harris, who retired them in order in the ninth.
This was a game where you can’t even bemoan them stranding runners in scoring position as, while they did do that a little bit, they didn’t even get a ton of opportunities. The left-on-base total for the game ended up at just five. As a result, the Yankees have taken a series loss for the first time all season, and we have our first stretch that we can truly complain about in 2026. Hooray?
Having wrapped up their first homestand of the season, the Yankees will now head south. They’re set to make their first trip to the reopened Tropicana Field tomorrow night at 7:10 pm ET. Luis Gil will make his 2026 debut in that one, going opposite Steven Matz.
Mets left-hander A.J. Minter began his rehab assignment with a clean inning at Single-A Port St. Lucie on Thursday afternoon.
The reliever had a quick outing, needing only nine pitches to get the three batters he faced, including a strikeout looking, aided by a timely ABS challenge.
Speaking in Queens ahead of Thursday’s game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza indicated it could still be a bit of time before the 32-year-old reliever is ready to pitch again in the big leagues as he looks to return from a torn left lat.
“We started the clock,” Mendoza said. “It will be one of those where, if we have to use every single day, we will. But the fact that he’s in real competition is a good sign.”
Minter averaged 93 mph on his four fastballs, which was down 1.5 mph from his average last season. He got one whiff on three swings, which came on his hardest heater of the afternoon at 93.5 mph.
The cutter was good, getting three called strikes on four pitches, including the put-away on the strikeout. His average velocity of 89.8 was right in line with his average from a year ago.
The Mets have 30 days for Minter to complete his rehab, which puts him on track for a late-April or early-May return.
Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs dominated the Yankees today for the victory. | John Jones-Imagn Images
Fresh off a come from behind, ninth inning victory over the New York Yankees last night, the two teams were back at it this morning for the rubber match of the 3-game series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Jeffrey Springs got the start for the Athletics today against Ryan Weathers for the Yankees.
Both pitchers were rock solid through five innings. Weathers allowed four hits and no walks, and Springs held them hitless through five with just one walk. The only negative so far was Brent Rooker leaving the game during his first at-bat. After a swing and a miss, he immediately asked to be lifted from the game in pain. Lawrence Butler replaced him. The initial report was right side soreness. Look here for more info once we hear anything.
Springs continued holding the Yankees hitless through six innings, but despite a mattering of hits, the A’s have yet to score. Max Muncy tripled off the wall in deep right-centerfield to open the seventh inning.
With one out in the seventh, Springs walked Giancarlo Stanton and then Ben Rice singled for the first hit of the game for the Yankees. The Yankees successfully executed a double steal with pinch runner Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rice. But Austin Wells flied out to left to end the inning and the threat. Headed to the top of the eighth inning, the A’s led the Yankees 1-0.
Springs exited the game in the bottom of the eighth, replaced by Justin Sterner. After two quick outs, he walked Amed Rosario. That brought up Aaron Judge. After working Sterner to a full count, Judge grounded out to second to end the inning.
Former A’s hurler Paul Blackburn came in to pitch the ninth for the A’s. With one out, Max Muncy doubled. Soderstrom grounded out, but that allowed Muncy to advance to third, but now with two outs. Wynns struck out to end the top half of the inning and brought a bottom of the ninth showdown.
Hogan Harris entered to pitch the ninth. He got Bellinger and Chisholm Jr. on pop outs. That brought up Ben Rice. He may have spoiled Springs’ no-no, but he was not going to spoil the win for the A’s and the save for Harris. The A’s took the series from the Yankees and now head to Flushing Meadows for a three-game set against the neighboring Mets.
Just when it feels like the home run market can’t get any tighter, MLB rolls out a six-game Thursday slate filled with tricky spots for targeting long balls and MLB player props.
That said, Kansas City stands out as the premier hitting environment on the board. With a high total, favorable wind conditions, and plus-money value on both sides, the matchup at Kauffman Stadium offers some of the best opportunities of the day. There are several +400 or longer home run prices worth targeting in this game, while the rest of the slate presents far fewer appealing options.
As a result, I’m locking in three bats from the Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals matchup for my favorite home run props and MLB picks on Thursday, April 9.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Munetaka Murakami
+410
Bobby Witt Jr.
+470
Miguel Vargas
+590
💲Today's HR parlay
+14148
Munetaka Murakami (+410)
Kauffman Stadium has the best home run conditions on the board today, as Thursday features one of the thinnest slates of the year, with just a handful of games and cold weather across the East Coast.
Munetaka Murakami projects as the most likely player to go deep, with a 0.28 HR projection per Covers, powered by THE BAT. With a fair price around +320, the Chicago White Sox slugger offers solid expected value in a limited market.
Seth Lugo is prone to giving up power, allowing 27 home runs over 145 innings last year, ranking among the higher HR/9 rates. With double-digit winds blowing out to left field, the total has climbed as high as 9.5.
Murakami hasn’t piled up hits yet, but half of his knocks have gone over the fence. The matchup, environment, and price all line up well in this spot.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network App, ROYL
Bobby Witt Jr. (+470)
Although Bobby Witt Jr. has yet to go deep, he leads the Kansas City Royals with a .409 xwOBA, which ranks inside the Top 25 in baseball. He’s been unlucky, but positive regression should be coming soon.
The hitting conditions at home are among the best on the slate, and he gets a favorable matchup against Anthony Kay, who has allowed a home run in each of his two starts and profiles as a contact-heavy arm.
Kay is also giving up plenty of hard contact — 92.4 mph average exit velocity — and the Chicago bullpen is also without three key arms.
As the weather improves, Witt’s HR price will likely drop below today’s number more consistently. This is a good spot to buy in on one of the top players in baseball in a strong matchup and favorable environment.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network App, ROYL
Miguel Vargas (+590)
Let’s keep attacking one of the best home run environments on the board and go back to the Chicago side with the No. 3 hitter, Miguel Vargas, who projects better than his current price. THE BAT has Vargas closer to +500, creating a solid edge.
Vargas draws a favorable matchup against Lugo, a pitcher who can be vulnerable to the long ball. The profile fits — we’re not looking for singles here, just power — and the conditions only help with double-digit winds blowing out.
On a thin slate, there’s value in double-dipping against a homer-prone arm in a strong weather spot.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network App, ROYL
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 2-19, -8.6 units
Today’s HR parlay
Munetaka Murakami
Bet Now +14148
Bobby Witt Jr.
Miguel Vargas
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 08: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres hits a two RBI double in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres are returning to Petco Park today after a wonderful stretch for the Friars on the road.
After starting off the season 2-4, they won both away series and are coming back to San Diego sitting at .500. The vibes are high after their 8-2 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday.
With a pitcher’s duel going through six-plus innings between starters Michael King and Mitch Keller, the Friars put up a four-run seventh inning. It was a lead they wouldn’t surrender, despite King and Kyle Hart allowing two runs in the bottom of the seventh to the Bucs.
The game reminded the Friar Faithful who the Padres are. Their pitching mostly dominated, the offense hammered mistakes and they were aggressive on the base paths.
With a four-game series against the division-rival Colorado Rockies starting today, San Diego will look to capitalize on their momentum.
Taking the mound
Jimmy Herget (COL) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
With José Quintana scratched after landing on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, the Rockies didn’t announce their starting pitcher until today.
They’ll likely make it a bullpen game after ace Michael Lorenzen pitched 5 2/3 innings against the Houston Astros in Colorado’s 9-1 win yesterday. Jimmy Herget will lead off the group.
The Rockies’ bullpen has been quite good through the first two weeks of the season, posting a 2.91 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. It would be a surprise if San Diego can’t find a solution for their division rivals, with them going 10-3 against Colorado last season.
However, in the past the Friars have (for whatever reason) had difficulty beating the struggling Rox. They did a good job last year putting those woes to bed, hopefully they can tonight as well.
Vásquez has shown flashes of bonafide ace stuff in his first two starts for the club. In 12 innings pitched, he has a 0.75 ERA with only one run allowed thus far.
Vásquez was a back-end starter for the Padres going into this year, but he’s pitching like a front-end one. He’s managed to stymie a Detroit Tigers lineup that, two days earlier, tagged Nick Pivetta for six runs.
There’s nothing to suggest he can’t handle this Rockies lineup just like he did the Tigers and the Boston Red Sox already this year. But, if Vásquez does stumble, the bullpen is rested well enough to dominate.
Batter up!
With Manny Machado getting a rest day yesterday, he’ll be back at the hot corner tonight. But Miguel Andujar had a great day in his place, going 2-for-4 at the plate. This road trip has been great for Andujar, after ending the homestand with a .167 batting average, he’s since raised it to .310 in the last six games.
But Nick Castellanos was also great yesterday (1 H, 2 RBI, 1 BB). This is exactly what San Diego had in mind when they signed Castellanos and Andujar: make it difficult to not have them in the lineup:
Ramón Laureano, LF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Miguel Andujar, DH
Nick Castellanos, 1B
Freddy Fermin, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
If the offense can keep it rolling after pounding out 24 hits against Pittsburgh, they’ll be able to solve the Rockies’ pitching staff easily.
Relief corps
King went six full innings yesterday and came back out for the seventh before giving up back-to-back hits. That forced manager Craig Stammen’s hand and he was lifted in favor of Kyle Hart. Hart looked a little shaky but managed to get out relatively unscathed (1 H, 1 BB).
Behind him was Jeremiah Estrada in the eighth inning and closer Mason Miller in the ninth. Estrada looked more like his usual dominant self despite his recent lackluster performances.
Miller’s strikeout streak came to an end at 11 with Jake Mangum’s game-ending groundout, but he has still yet to allow a run in 26 2/3 innings.
Today’s game will likely see Bradgley Rodriguez, Wandy Peralta, Ron Marinaccio, Adrian Morejon and David Morgan available out of the ‘pen.
Morejon has struggled lately, and that was highlighted by his inability to get more than one out in Tuesday’s 1-7 loss to the Pirates. If he can begin to rebound from his (thus far) dull performance, it will go a long way towards assuaging worries about his relief appearances.
Miller will likely be available as well to close even though he pitched yesterday. He was efficient, only throwing 10 pitches, and the Friars have shown a willingness to use him in consecutive games.
The Yankees fell to the Athletics by a score of 1-0 on Thursday afternoon, dropping the rubber match of the three-game series.
Here are the takeaways...
-- With lefty Jeffrey Springs on the mound, Aaron Boone changed things up with the lineup. Amed Rosario led off, playing second base, and Randal Grichuk got the start in left. Of note, Paul Goldschmidt did not get the start at first base against the lefty, with Ben Rice getting the nod. Boone said before the game that with the Yanks facing lefties in three of their next four games, Goldschmidt will see plenty of playing time.
But the Yankees had no answers for Springs. The former Ray held them hitless through the first five innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four during that span.
Finally, after 6.1 innings of no-hit ball, Ben Rice came through with a single through the right side, which followed a Giancarlo Stanton walk to put a couple of runners on base. The A's got out of it, though, as Austin Wells flew out with a pair of runners in scoring position to end the threat.
Springs went 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking a pair. He lowered his season ERA to 1.47.
--The A’s lineup suffered a blow early, as right fielder Brent Rooker appeared to tweak something in either his back or side when swinging at a pitch in the first inning. Rooker, the three-hole hitter, had to be removed from the game and replaced by Lawrence Butler.
--Ryan Weathers, who has gotten off to an inconsistent start to his Yankees career, looked sharp early. The lefty started the game with three scoreless innings, striking out three while allowing just two hits.
Weathers and Springs traded zeros through the first six innings, but Weathers allowed a leadoff triple to Max Muncy to start the seventh. Tyler Soderstrom cashed in with an RBI single, putting the first run on the board for either team.
Weathers turned in what was easily his best start as a Yankee, going 8.0 innings while allowing just one earned run on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
-- The Yankees finished with just one hit, and have just two hits total since the first inning of Wednesday's game.
Apr 4, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Eli Morgan (34) on the mound during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
The Royals continued to shuffle their bullpen Thursday, adding relievers Eli Morgan and Mitch Spence from Triple-A Omaha, while sending Luinder Avila and Steven Cruz down. Avila and Cruz each pitched extensively in Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland. Morgan was up last Saturday as the 27th man for the doubleheader against Milwaukee, pitching three scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Morgan has pitched parts of five seasons with the Guardians and Cubs before this season, posting a 4.15 ERA in 275.2 innings, mostly as a reliever. His best year came in 2024 when he posted a 1.93 ERA, although he pitched in just 32 games. He pitched in just seven games last year before he injured his elbow in April and missed the rest of the season. The Royals signed the 29-year-old as a minor league free agent this past winter.
Spence was acquired from the Athletics in a trade for minor league reliever A.J. Causey. He has pitched parts of the last two seasons with the Athletics, mostly as a starter, with a 4.77 ERA in 236 innings. Last year he made 24 relief appearances and 8 starts, with a 5.10 ERA in 84.2 innings. He gave up just one unearned run over five innings in his only start for Omaha this year.
Avila has given up 14 hits, 4 walks and six runs in six innings with the Royals. He is ranked as the #9 prospect in the farm system and the team considers him a future top-of-the-rotation starter. Cruz has given up eight runs in five innings for a 14.40 ERA, with four home runs allowed, tied for the most in the league.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 7: Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak (22) celebrates in the dugout wearing a faux purple fur coat after his seventh inning two-run home run during a game between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
If you’ve ever been to a game at Coors Field and wondered what that’s song, say, Willi Castro is walking up to, and the clip is too short to Shazam, Reader, I am here to answer your questions.
Below are (most of) the 2026 music selections of the Colorado Rockies.
Zach Agnos — Jacob Banks’ “Chainsmoking” (from the beginning)
Christian Scott's second start of the year for Triple-A Syracuse went a lot better than his first.
The Mets right-hander, who is continuing to stretch out innings-wise after being out since September of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, fired five scoreless innings while allowing two hits, walking one, and striking out seven.
Scott's four-seam fastball, which he relied on heavily, topped out at 97.2 mph. He also threw plenty of sweepers while mixing in his cutter and split-change.
Four of Scott's strikeouts came when he got batters to chase his sweeper, while one came looking on a slider. The other two came swinging on four-seamers.
There wasn't much hard contact against Scott, who threw 76 pitches (52 strikes).
The 26-year-old impressed during spring training, when he had his first game action since 2024.
Along with Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, Scott is a vital part of the Mets' starting pitching depth, and should impact the major league club at some point this season.
If the Mets have a need and Scott is performing well, it's possible he will be the first pitcher called upon.
Tong has only made five career starts at Triple-A and is working to refine his secondary pitches, while Wenninger has yet to make his big league debut (and is not on the 40-man roster).
After tossing 5.1 shutout innings in his first start of the season, Peterson has struggled, allowing 11 runs (six earned) on 15 hits over his last two starts spanning 9.1 innings.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Phillip Glasser #48, Ronny Cruz #5 and Seaver King #66 of the Washington Nationals celebrate as Eli Willits #2 scores on a three-run double hit by Gavin Fien during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Now that the minor league season is in full swing, I wanted to do an update on how players are doing at each level. The Nats system is deeper than it has been in a long time, so there is quite a bit to get to. So far, the Nats affiliates have been doing a lot of winning, with every team above .500. With that being said, let’s dive into some performances.
Low-A Standouts:
I am going to start at the lower levels and work my way up, so the Fredericksburg Nationals are the first team I will talk about. The Fred Nats are absolutely loaded with talent. Baseball America listed them as the 7th most talented team in the entire minor leagues. That means there are a lot of notable names to cover.
On a team with players such as first overall pick Eli Willits, MacKenzie Gore trade headliner Gavin Fien and others, Ronny Cruz has been the best hitter so far. Cruz came to the Nats in the Michael Soroka trade, and has been generating buzz all spring. He showed big time flashes on the back fields, and even hit a home run in big league Spring Training.
It looks like his impressive spring is translating to real games. Cruz has a 1.098 OPS so far, and all five of his hits have gone for extra bases. Two of those have been home runs. There was one game where the youngster was a single shy of the cycle.
One thing I learned on my trip to spring taining? The Nats front office is pumped about Ronny Cruz.
He's 19. Was acquired in the Soroka deal from the Cubs. He's got 2 HR in 4 games at Single-A so far. Tonight: 3 XBH's and a single shy of a cycle.
Cruz was seen as a raw prospect, but it looks like he has taken a major step in his development. Last season, he was decent in rookie ball, but now he is excelling in Low-A. Cruz had a winding journey that saw him go from the Dominican Republic to the US after an IFA deal fell through. Then, in his senior year of high school, he dealt with a knee injury. He was behind the 8 ball in terms of development, but now he has caught up.
The tools have never been in doubt with Cruz, but now he looks more polished. Despite a skinny frame, he has impressive power due to his raw bat speed. He is also a quality defender in the infield. Naturally, he is a shortstop, but has played second and third base with Eli Willits manning shortstop.
Speaking of Willits, he has not had the loudest start, only hitting .200 with a .604 OPS. However, I am confident the hits will fall. He only has four strikeouts and almost has as many walks, with three. It is only a matter of time before he heats up.
A couple other notable performers are pitchers Miguel Sime Jr. and Landon Harmon. Both made their pro debuts recently. Neither went very deep in the game, but both showed their excellent stuff. Sime was particularly impressive with 6 strikeouts in 2.1 innings to just one walk.
High-A Standouts:
The next level we will visit is High-A. Right now, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are 3-1 and have looked good so far. They are not as stacked as the Fred Nats, but they have plenty of intriguing names we will discuss.
The first guy I want to talk about is Angel Feliz. Sending Feliz to High-A was an aggressive assignment that was likely caused by how many young infield prospects the Nats have. Feliz only played 31 games in Low-A, where he did not light it up. However, the Nats were bullish on his glove and wanted him to play shortstop at High-A.
So far, he has been surprisingly solid with the bat, despite being one of the youngest players in High-A. He has done a really good job controlling the zone, with 7 walks and just 2 strikeouts so far. Feliz is batting just .250, but his ability to get on base is why he has an .859 OPS. He also has a triple, which is his only extra base hit so far this season.
— Wilmington Blue Rocks (@WilmBlueRocks) April 8, 2026
Taking your walks seems to be a theme in Wilmington so far. The two other top prospects at the level, Ethan Petry and Devin Fitz-Gerald are also walking a lot, with five each. Learning to take those walks will be helpful in these guys’ development. Eventually, they will get pitches to hit and we know these players have hitting chops.
Wilmington’s top pitching prospect is Yoel Tejada, who had an up and down first start. He struck out 7 in 4.1 innings, but he did allow three runs. Tejada is a massive 6’8 pitcher who has interesting upside. However, he is still quite raw.
Double-A Standouts:
From a record standpoint, the Harrisburg Senators are absolutely killing it. They are 5-0, and winning the game they are playing while I am writing this. Their offense has been explosive, and they have also had some fun pitching performances.
Right now, Sam Petersen is carrying the Senators offense. When Petersen is healthy, he absolutely rakes. It has been no different this season. Right now, he is hitting .364 with an OPS over 1.000. He may have been picked in the 8th round, but Petersen is the real deal.
Sam Petersen matches a career-best driving in four runs in a Senators victory.
The 2025 Scorpion cranked a three-run homer in the second inning for Harrisburg then clubbed an RBI double in the third. The homer was his first at the AA level, Petersen also drew a walk in Tuesday’s… pic.twitter.com/67fbPF6nqL
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) April 8, 2026
MLB Pipeline has him as the 22nd ranked prospect in the system, which just feels too low. Petersen has a .937 OPS in his minor league career. Those numbers are just undeniable. The Nats have a lot of outfield prospects in the upper levels, but Petersen is the next man up and could force his way to the big leagues before too long.
However, Petersen is not the only hitter performing down there. After a rough start to his pro career, Seaver King has been heading in the right direction since the Arizona Fall League. His approach is much improved, and he is showing why the Nats took him in the top 10.
Right now, King has a .908 OPS on the season. He already has 8 walks, which is a great sign for a player who has faced concerns about chasing too much. We know King has the raw athleticism, he just needed to perform. With his athleticism and versatility, he could be in the big leagues by the end of the season.
On the mound, the Senators have a couple intriguing prospects worth following. While he is not in the Nats top 30 for MLB Pipeline, Davian Garcia is a name with a lot of helium. Baseball America listed him as a guy with breakout potential due to his uptick in velocity and improving command. In his first start, Garcia threw 4.2 innings of one run ball with five strikeouts and two walks.
Another high octane arm in AA is Eriq Swan. The Nats got him as part of the Alex Call return. Swan has control issues, but he has elite arm talent. He can touch triple digits and has a wipeout slider to go with it. In his first start of the season, he threw 4 no hit innings with two walks. This is likely a reliever profile, but if he looks how he did last night, he could be fast tracked.
Triple-A Standouts:
The Rochester Red Wings are such a fascinating team. They have prospects like Harry Ford, Abimelec Ortiz and others, but some of the most interesting guys are players with big league experience. The biggest name in that group is Dylan Crews.
The former second overall pick was sent down after a brutal spring. The idea was to have Crews rebuild his swing and confidence at a lower level. So far, the results have been solid, if not mind blowing. Crews is hitting .278 with an .830 OPS. One thing I do like is that he is walking at a 17% clip. The whiffs have been high, but after his spring, that is not a giant surprise.
Crews hit a mammoth pull side homer the other day, which has gotten him going. In the last week or so, Crews has really heated up. If he can push that OPS close to .900, I think he will force Paul Toboni’s hand and get a call up before too long.
Dylan Crews, while still struggling with swing and miss in AAA, hasn’t lost his power
— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) April 4, 2026
However, Crews is far from the only intriguing bat in Rochester. One player who has not done as well is Harry Ford, who the Nats acquired in an offseason trade. As usual, Ford is taking his walks, but the quality of contact has not been great so far. However, he had a slower April last year before hitting over .400 in May, so it is not time to panic at all.
One player I want to see in the big leagues soon is Abimelec Ortiz. He had a chance to win a job out of camp, but struggled this spring. However, he has had a great start in AAA. He has an .849 OPS and has more walks than strikeouts. I think he would plug in nicely to that DH spot against righties, a role currently held by Jose Tena.
On the pitching side of things, Andrew Alvarez and Riley Cornelio have been the standouts. Cornelio is the one who really catches my eye though. His stuff has been ticking up, and he is getting more whiffs than ever. The fastball has been particularly sharp so far, comfortably sitting in the mid-90’s.
I think the Nationals have something in Triple-A RHP prospect Riley Cornelio.
He's 25, went to TCU, posted a 3.28 ERA as the pitcher of the year in the Nats system last year.
Here are K's from his start yesterday via a (1) 95 MPH FB and an (2) 87 MPH slider. pic.twitter.com/USGTWfBg2D
Cornelio is 25 and on the 40 man roster, so I would not be opposed to giving him a shot in the rotation or the bullpen. The bullpen desperately needs help and I think Cornelio could be nasty in short bursts sitting 96-97 MPH. He will certainly get a big league look at some point, but it should happen sooner rather than later.
While there has not been much winning at the big league level, it is a different story in the minors. All of the teams are above .500, and I actually think that is a good sign for the overall health of the organization. Last year, the Nats minor league teams were not very good across the board. This year, that looks to be changing. Paul Toboni is taking a ground up approach to his project. Eventually, he hopes that minor league success will make its way to the big leagues.
Munetaka Murakami 
Bobby Witt Jr.
