TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 04: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees pitches during Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, October 4, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When it comes to pitching, top-end talent is crucial. So, too, is depth. The ability to find pitchers to “eat innings” — entering in lower-leverage situations or filling in the back end of rotations and pitching competitively — can help reduce wear on the rest of the staff. Sometimes, those supposed innings eaters end up transcending the moniker, ascending to a higher-leverage role with more prominence and consequence.
After parts of eight seasons with the Athletics, Paul Blackburn was dealt to the Mets at the 2024 Trade Deadline. His career had been marked by flashes of talent — headlined by a strong rookie campaign at the age of 23 when he posted a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts — but waylaid repeatedly by injury. The move to Queens gave the veteran an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to contribute to a competitor. Instead, in a little over a calendar year, he struggled mightily, allowing 35 runs in 48 innings and 11.6 hits per nine. The Mets cut their losses last August; that’s when he moved across town.
Blackburn caught on with the Yankees shortly after the Mets released him. His new team was in dire need of a warm body in their bullpen amidst a rash of injuries. The right-hander’s first appearance in pinstripes was a disaster, a seven-run implosion to spare the rest of the relief corps that raised his season ERA above 8.00. From that point onwards, though, Blackburn was a pleasant surprise for the Bombers, allowing just two more earned runs in 12 innings across seven appearances. He was used mostly in blowouts, finishing off five Yankees victories out of the ‘pen.
This late-season surge and ability to throw multiple innings made him a somewhat surprising addition to the team’s playoff roster. He made one appearance against Toronto in the ALDS, allowing four runs in 1.1 innings to exacerbate what was already a Game 1 blowout.
A free agent after the season, Blackburn was re-signed by the Yankees in mid-January to a one-year, $2 million deal. With the team expected to begin the season without starters Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt, and Carlos Rodón and having lost back-end relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency, the 32-year-old provides some depth at a low price. The big question is where he is likely to be used. His new contract could offer a clue. Blackburn’s deal has incentives built in that would award him a $100,000 bonus if he reaches 80 innings and another $100,000 for each additional 10 innings he pitches up to 120. Only five pitchers threw at least 80 innings in relief last season in all of baseball, with only one reaching 90, meaning he would realistically need an extended opportunity as a starter to reach any of those inning plateaus.
Conversely, Blackburn’s early Yankees trajectory bears an intriguing similarity to a recent success story. Weaver joined New York in September of 2023, making three appearances down the stretch. When he re-signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract the following season, however, the former starter was moved to the bullpen full-time where he excelled, emerging as the Yankees’ closer during their 2024 pennant run.
Does Blackburn’s stuff project to the bullpen? After featuring his cutter as a primary pitch during much of his time with the Mets, the right-hander reverted to using his sinker more late last season. He employed it particularly often against his fellow righties, though they hit .333 against the pitch. Against lefties, his top pitch remained the cutter, though lefties hit .417 against it. Across the board, Blackburn’s breaking pitches were more effective, with opponents batting .250 against his sweeper and curveball.
ZiPS projects Blackburn to appear in 21 games, 15 of them starts, in what amounts to a swingman role (though that would presently appear to be filled by Ryan Yarbrough). And, while they expect some positive regression from his dreadful 6.23 ERA last year, the projection tool still has him pushing a 5.00 ERA. Realistically, re-signing Blackburn is a low-risk, low-reward play for the Yankees. Whether in the rotation or the bullpen, the veteran should get some opportunities early to show what he can contribute as the team works around injuries to several starters and a bullpen in flux.
The Detroit Tigers have had some great pitchers in their long history, but few made their mark the way left-hander Mickey Lolich did. The hero of the 1968 World Series passed away at age 85 on Wednesday.
Lolich was the ultimate combination of workhorse and ace. He pitched 16 seasons, covering 3638 1/3 innings with a career 3.44 ERA. He struck out 2832 hitters in that span, putting him 23rd all-time, putting him right between Mike Mussina and Jim Bunning, only three behind Clayton Kershaw and three ahead of Frank Tanana. Lolich remains fifth all-time in strikeouts among left-handed pitchers.
Michael Stephen Lolich was born on September 12, 1940 in Portland, Oregon. Right-handed in everything else, a childhood accident broke his left collarbone, and the rehabilitation efforts strengthened his left arm and eventually was credited with him throwing southpaw. He was a dominant pitcher in high school, setting numerous state records before the Tigers signed him as an amateur free agent in 1958. He played with the Knoxville Smokies and the Durham Bulls in the minor leagues, reaching the Triple-A level with the old Denver Bears in 1962.
He struggled in Triple-A and ended up fighting with the Tigers over his status and getting suspended after he refused a reassignment to Double-A. He then proceeded to get on track and was reclaimed in 1963. The rest was history as the lefty started 18 games in ‘63 with a 3.55 ERA and a 5-9 record. Some good seasons followed, but it really wasn’t until the 1968 World Series run that Lolich really came into his own as one of the more dominant arms of his era.
Denny McLain was the star of the regular season with one of the great years of any pitcher all-time. Meanwhile, Lolich struggled late in the season and was briefly relegated to the bullpen. He emerged instead as the hero of the 1968 World Series, spinning three complete games in Games 1, 5, and 7. He added a solo shot of his own in Game 1, and allowed just five runs total across those 27 innings of work. His Game 7 complete game in which he allowed one run came on just two days rest. Manager Mayo Smith asked for five innings, but because Lolich was going toe-to-toe with Bob Gibson and pitching great, Smith left him in and eventually Lolich returned to the dugout after a frame and told Smith he was going to finish this out for him. The rest was history.
That triumphant postseason set Lolich off into the best stretch of his career from 1969 to 1975, all with the Tigers. Noted for his sinker and impressive velocity when he wanted extra, Lolich developed a cutter in 1971 that really propelled him even higher. His career started winding down after he and Billy Baldwin were traded to the Mets in December 1975 for Rusty Staub and Bill Laxton. He had a solid season with the Mets but then sat out the 1977 season before returning for two years as a reliever with the Padres for two seasons. His final appearance was September 23, 1979, when he was 39 years old.
Lolich is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and also the Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame, but he never got that much support for his National Baseball Hall of Fame candidacy. In 2003, he was on the final ballot for the Veteran’s Committee along with 26 other players, but wasn’t elected. He topped out on the regular ballot at 25.5 percent of the vote in 1988.
Based on his 64.6 fWAR, career ERA, legendary capstone performance in the ‘68 World Series, and the fact that he remains 23rd all-time in strikeouts, he deserves another look. Lolich was a bridge between the workhorses of the era and the higher strikeout arms that rule the game today.
Lolich is survived by his wife of 61 years, Joyce, his daughters Kimberly, Stacy, and Jody, as well as three grandsons.
Two different billionaire English Premier League owners are among those who have expressed interest in buying the San Diego Padres, according to multiple people familiar with the process.
Dan Friedkin, whose Pursuit Sports owns Everton and AS Roma, and José E. Feliciano, whose Clearlake Capital is a backer of Chelsea, are two of a handful of potential bidders engaged in the ongoing sale process, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Others include Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, who has hinted about his potential interest.
The Padres, Feliciano and boutique investment bank BDT & MSD, which was retained last November to explore a potential sale of the MLB club, declined to comment. An email sent to the Friedkin Group was not immediately returned.
Friedkin is worth roughly $10 billion and Feliciano an estimated $3.9 billion, according to Forbes. The Padres are worth $2.31 billion, per Sportico’s latest MLB valuations, up 14% over the previous year, thanks to strong results on and off the field. Attendance in 2025 was 3.44 million, which ranked second in baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gross revenue topped $500 million last year, Sporticopreviously reported.
The record sale price for an MLB franchise is $2.42 billion for Steve Cohen’s purchase of the New York Mets in 2020.
The Padres’ sale is viewed as a litmus test for valuations at a critical time for baseball. Many investors believe the sport’s clubs are undervalued—the MLB revenue multiple is 6.6x in Sportico’s valuations, by far the smallest of the five major U.S. leagues—and there are potential structural changes coming that could grant owners greater cost certainty. To get there, however, the league and its players must navigate a labor battle that many believe could result in missed games in the 2027 season.
Feliciano, who co-founded Clearlake with Behdad Eghbali in 2006, has become a more prominent sports investor in the last few years. Clearlake provided a large portion of the funding for the $3.16 billion purchase of English soccer giant Chelsea in 2022 and now has more than $90 billion under management. Feliciano was close to buying a minority stake in the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers two years ago and was among those who bid unsuccessfully for the Denver Broncos in 2022.
Feliciano’s bid would be through his family office and include his wife, Kwanza Jones. The two of them have been active recently in women’s sports, including a partnership with the Monarch Collective. If successful with his bid, Feliciano, who was born in Puerto Rico, would join the Los Angeles Angels’ Arte Moreno as the only MLB control owners of Latin descent.
Friedkin’s Houston-based business spans automobiles and luxury hospitality, and he has also expanded into sports in recent years. In late 2024, his company acquired a majority stake in Everton, which joined a portfolio with other soccer assets. He’s been discussed as a potential owner for an NHL expansion team in Houston and was a finalist in the bidding for the Boston Celtics. Last year, he created Pursuit Sports to house his sports investments and to seek more opportunities across the industry.
The Padres’ owners announced the team was for sale in November, amid a legal battle between family members of late owner Peter Seidler, who died in 2023. Seidler’s widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler, sued his brothers, Bob and Matt, in Texas probate court last year, alleging they breached their fiduciary duties as trustees of Peter’s trust. One of the trusts’ key assets is the principal ownership stake in the Padres.
On Monday, a Travis County, Texas, court filing revealed that Sheel has dismissed most of her original claims.
The current Padres ownership group, which includes at least 10 people or entities, bought the team in 2012 for $800 million. The largest stake of roughly 24% is held by the Peter Seidler Trust, with Sheel and her three children the beneficiaries.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 23: Taylor Rogers #55 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with Ryan Jeffers #27 against the Los Angeles Angels on July 23, 2021 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off taking charge of the business aspect of Twins baseball operations of the Twins, team owner Tom Pohlad has announced a partnership with Brasher Microform, a company specializing in DNA experimentation and cloning.
“It’s in our identity: Twins,” Pohlad said. “We brought back Taylor Rogers, and he’s a twin. It seemed apropos to craft our entire bullpen out of copies of him.”
Rogers returned to his debut team on January 23, signing a one-year, $2 million deal and providing left-handed help to a bullpen still foundering since last year’s trade deadline fire sale. The team only has one other active southpaw reliever with MLB experience: Kody Funderburk, from whom Rogers has reclaimed his old number 55 (Funderburk will now wear #57).
“With a full slate of Rogerses in the bullpen, imagine the lack of worry about pitcher exhaustion,” Pohlad said. “One Rogers blows out his elbow? No problem, we can pop another one out of the tank. It worked for Tom Brady’s dog.”
The Brasher Microform website touts its experimental “Inner Safe” technology, allowing for DNA reproduction without having to re-age the cloned subject from infancy. Curiously, there is no contact information for the country listed on the website, nor is there any address or location listed.
Upon being asked why the Twins did not simply attempt to sign Taylor’s twin brother Tyler in free agency (Tyler signed with the Blue Jays) if they wanted multiple Rogerses in the home bullpen, Pohlad said, “The cloning partnership was less cost-prohibitive.”
June 4, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; Augusta GreenJacket outfielder Isaiah Drake (4) looks to the ball during the second game of the Augusta GreenJacket and Fayetteville series at SRP Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As if the last part of our list wasn’t fun enough, we begin to see a major influx of tools as we enter our top 18 prospects. After adding the likes of Isaiah and Guanipa back in 2023, the Braves made serious changes to what kind of players they were looking to add which is why we are beginning to see an influx of position prospects beginning to make the list. Speed, and overall approach stand out the most with this group of teenager, but there is a lot more to like about them including their untapped power potential. Owen, Cody, Isaiah, Conor, and Luis possess the tools that make you excited about watching minor league baseball. With proper development you’re looking at five position players that have the tools to be impact major leaguers whether that be with Atlanta, or via a trade with another organization. We are also entering the part of the list where things start to get REALLY fun. So pour yourself a glass of water, do some reading, and let’s hear your thoughts on the list below.
How he got to the Braves: 2022 2nd round compensation pick (76th overall)
It’s been an eventful winter for Blake Burkhalter. First he was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft, and went unpicked by the 29 other teams. Then it seems like his Triple-A move to the pen is a move that is going to stick for him on a more permanent basis. Last year he spent the season split between Columbus and Gwinnett and starting and relieving, posting a 3.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP as a starter in Columbus. With Gwinnett he made two starts and 16 relief appearances, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP – though a 3.86 ERA and 1.33 WHIP as a reliever. After he struck out 65 in 72 innings with Columbus, he struck out 23 over 31 innings in Gwinnett – though it worth noting that he struck out 16 over 21 relief innings. Burkhalter has a fastball up to 98 MPH and cutter that can miss bats, plus a slider and change that are more average, and has above average command. In a relief role he will be able to rely more heavily on the fastball and cutter combo that are his better pitches. He is likely to start back in Gwinnett considering he isn’t on the 40-man roster, but is likely to see Atlanta at some point this season. Although he was a college closer his upside is probably more of a 7th/8th inning guy.
17. Owen Carey – OF
How he got to the Braves: 2024 15th round pick (461st overall)
In terms of players in Atlanta’s system with significant helium to their status, Carey has to be near the top of anyone’s top prospects list.
While he was a late-round pick in his respective draft class, the Braves felt confident enough in Carey’s abilities by handing him a signing bonus of $150,000. So far, Carey has made good on that investment.
On the surface, Carey’s numbers weren’t exactly eye popping in his first professional season. Across 469 at-bats, Carey posted a .675 OPS for low-A Augusta, to go along with four homers and 63 RBI. However, considering he was nearly 2 and a half years younger than the competition, those numbers actually stand out as fairly solid for the young outfielder.
What is more encouraging for Carey, is that he showed tremendous plate discipline during his stint with the GreenJackets. Carey struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances for Augusta, and while he didn’t walk much – only 7.2% of the time – there’s still plenty to like with what Carey did while with the GreenJackets.
The main thing you want to see from Carey moving forward, is for him to get some lift on the ball, as he hit the ball on the ground in roughly half his at-bats for the year. If he can do that as he builds more muscle and taps into a bit more power, Carey could be a legitimate top-10 talent in the system by the time the season comes to a close.
It will be fascinating to see where Carey’s bat takes him in 2026. He’s likely slated to repeat at Augusta, at least to begin the season, as he gets back up to last year’s speed. From there, he should have a relatively quick bump to Rome where he and fellow teen outfielder Eric Hartman could suit up together at high-A before the all-star break.
16. Cody Miller – SS/3B/OF
How he got to the Braves: 2025 3rd round pick (96th overall)
The Braves surprised many when they drafted East Tennessee State shortstop Cody Miller in the third round in July and proceeded to sign him for an underslot bonus of $297.5k. Miller was way under the radar leading up to the draft, but his 2025 saw him rise the rankings of the Braves. After hitting just two home runs in each of his first two college seasons, Miller blasted 18 last spring with a slash of .331/.430/.623, and also added 27 steals while drawing 28 walks to his 35 strikeouts. He followed that up by heading to the Cape Cod League and slashing .261/.333/.439 with three more homers there against better competition than he faced at ETSU. Miller wasn’t just taking advantage of lesser competition, as he fared quite well against power conference teams as well last spring. He was drafted as a speed and hit tool guy, who has a little bit of pop, and also some defensive versatility. After signing he went to Augusta and hit .372/.417/.488 with a homer in 10 games before quickly being promoted to Rome. His time in Rome saw him play in 16 games and hit .297/.357/.422 with a homer. Combined he hit .327/.381/.449 with two homers, five doubles, a triple, 10 steals, and eight walks to 32 strikeouts over 118 plate appearances. He is likely to head back to Rome, but could push his way to Columbus quickly – even out of camp, and has played second, third, short, and left within the last year and has the speed to get a look in center as well. He has a Trea Turner-like skill set in that he should be able to make good contact, elite speed, and could be able to punch out 15-20 homers a year, though the first real test for him will be Double-A against upper level pitching
How he got to the Braves: 2023 5th round pick (162nd overall)
Headed into 2025, there was no prospect who needed to have an above-average year more so than Isaiah Drake. Coming off back-to-back seasons in which he posted a sub-.600 OPS, Drake needed to find an offensive switch, and it needed to happen sooner rather than later.
Needless to say, he found it.
Drake posted his best season yet at the plate, which culminated in a late season promotion to Rome, where he continued to show his offensive strides. In 84 games with Augusta before his promotion, Drake slashed .260/.341/.364 with five homers and 47 RBI. He also managed to swipe 35 bags while only getting caught 9 times.
With Rome, Drake suited up for 32 games in which he hit .303 with an OPS of .682. He also swatted one homer and drove in 12 runs. The biggest detriment to his game has been his inability to cut down on the strikeouts – in which he did so 23 times in 122 at-bats for Rome.
Drake’s skillset is well-documented; He’s a quick-twitch outfielder with exceptional speed and athleticism. The only thing lacking in his game thus far had been his offensive profile, which appears to have possibly made a turn for the better. However, it’s too small a sample size to determine that aspect for certain, so we’ll need to see Drake carry that into the 2026 season.
Drake appears slated to spend a majority, if not all, of the upcoming season with Rome as he continues to refine his approach at the plate. He doesn’t have to hit for a ton of power, as he can let the rest of his tools do a lions share of the talking. If he can tap into a little bit of power while keeping his batting consistent, Drake could be a sneaky guy to move up into the upper minors this season considering the sheer lack of depth the Braves have when it comes to outfield prospects.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) June 6, 2025
14. Conor Essenburg – OF
How he got to the Braves: 2025 5th round pick (157th overall)
One of the biggest wildcards on the list, Braves 2025 fifth round draft pick Conor Essenburg finds himself all the way up at No. 14 overall on our list. With Essenburg comes pure projection – a surprisingly polished prep bat with strong exit velocities, and power projection that can make every Braves fan happy. He was a two way player that can touch the low-to-mid 90s on the mound, but it’s the potential with the bat that the Braves are interested in as they selected him as an outfielder during the draft. As with any prep player the question is will the hit tool translate – so that is something to keep an eye on this year as he makes his professional debut, likely in the FCL. But as is, Conor immediately becomes one of the highest upside outfield prospects in the system which is a group that is rapidly growing with power potential, a solid hit tool, average speed, and a big arm. Look for him to slot into that right fielder spot, though if the size and power continue to grow there is a tiny risk he profiles more as a first baseman. That said, there’s no reason to go down that route now because he has not shown any of that risk.
3-1 count & Conor Essenburg does not miss his pitch.
The 2025 OF/LHP touches every bit of this to the pull-side for the monster 3-run 💣
How he got to the Braves: 2023 international free agent
The Braves signed Luis Guanipa as their top international free agent three years ago for $2.5M. He was seen as a potential five-tool talent and backed that up in his pro debut. In the DSL in 2023 he hit .238/.361/.384 with four homers and 20 steals over 46 games. That was enough to shoot him up the rankings ahead of 2024, but unfortunately that ended up being a lost year for him due to injuries. He hit a combined .219/.286/.291 with two homers and 10 steals over 52 combined games between Augusta and the FCL after a late start to his season and then an additional injury layoff. The hope was that he would be healthy again and bounce back in 2025, but injuries hit again and limited him to just 35 games combined between Augusta and the FCL. He hit just .262/.345/.325 with just one homer and two steals – however he did show some growth during the season. He had monthly OPS marks of .182 and .636 in April and June, but .708 and .830 in July and August as he seemed to hit a lot better – however it needs to be noted that all of these months are small sample sizes, between 11 and 66 plate appearances. Guanipa when healthy still has shown five-tool ability, though will need to do a better job of translating his raw power into games. He is still just barely 20 years old and has the time to repeat Augusta and work with a strong coaching staff there again
Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch watches the infield before Grapefruit League action against the Philadelphia Phillies at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium Friday, March 18, 2022 in Lakeland, Florida. Tigersphil
Folks, we’re almost there. Winter still has us in its icy grip here in the north, but a week from today, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Lakeland. The anticipation of spring training is often followed by a minor letdown as March’s interminably long slate of Grapefruit League games grind by and the desire for Opening Day and regular season baseball builds pressure. However, we’ll also get the World Baseball Classic to break things up, as well as the Spring Breakout games for prospect hounds. It should be a pretty fun spring camp, as they go.
Of course, how we’re all going to figure out how to actually watch the Tigers remains up in the air. Hopefully the club will offer some clarity on their broadcast situation shortly. They’ve had plenty of time to prepare their alternate plans, so we’ll be looking for more word on that soon.
In the meantime, the Tigers released the full spring training roster for major league camp on Wednesday. The list includes 23 non-roster invitees, and just the sight of certain names should get you juiced up for baseball.
Top prospects galore will be involved this time around, and to a degree the Tigers haven’t really seen since 2020-2021, if then. Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, Thayron Liranzo, Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, and more will be on hand. Left-hander Jake Miller is still rehabbing from hip labrum surgery, so we may not see him until late in camp, while Jackson Jobe is rehabbing from Tommy John and will move to the 60-day injured list immediately, opening up a 40-man spot for a signing or promotion. Slugging C/1B Eduardo Valencia will be a name to watch after a breakout 2025 season. Veteran minor leaguers like Jace Jung, Trei Cruz, Tyler Mattison, and Ben Malgeri will also be fighting for some kind of a role, at least as an up and down option throughout the season. Sawyer Gipson-Long will try and put Tommy John behind him after a tough reintroduction to the major leagues in 2025, and we’ll be curious to see how he looks as rotation depth.
And of course we’ll have the usual batch of veteran relievers and depth pitchers. As always a few will stand out in spring camp. Someone will have a little extra velocity, or a new pitch that could unlock their game. Free agent signing Drew Anderson will have plenty of eyes on him, as will veteran relievers like Tanner Rainey, Tyler Owens, Dugan Darnell, Phil Bickford, Jack Little and more. Of course, those spring standouts often crumble later in camp as the hitters get up to speed, but it’s all a normal part of spring camp. Seeing how the Tigers are trying to help pitchers adjust and find something new in their game is always interesting, if usually futile for all but a few.
It’s been a long winter, and it sure isn’t over yet, but the promise of spring camp is better than a groundhog for signaling that spring is finally around the corner.
Jun 18, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Basic High School shortstop Ty Southisene during the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It’s day three of our countdown of the top 25 prospects in the Cubs system.
One of the disappointing aspects of the Cubs 2024 minor league season is that while players at the top of the system graduated to the majors (or were traded), the players near the bottom of the system did not, for the most part, rise to the occasion to take their place. You can’t say that about Jostin Florentino, who made one of the biggest leaps forward of anyone in the Cubs system and earned Cubs Minor League Pitcher Of the Year honors.
No pitcher anywhere in the minor leagues added more velocity on his fastball than Florentino did in 2025. Now the bad news is that means it went from averaging 84.9 miles per hour to 90, but if you think there’s another tick of velocity in there as he ages, then there could really be something there. On top of that, Florentino has a very simple and fast delivery with a low arm-slot release that doesn’t give hitters much time to react, allowing all his stuff to play up.
Florentino’s best secondary pitch is an upper-70s sweeper/slider that has a ton of spin and lateral movement. Florentino also has a cut fastball and a changeup that will have to improve to retire left-handed hitters as he moves up the system. But currently, left-handed hitters in the Carolina League are just as clueless against his stuff as right-handers are, so platoon splits aren’t a big issue yet.
Florentino made his US debut after spending two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. After 21.2 innings and a 3.74 ERA in Mesa, Florentino was promoted to Pelicans where he dominated the Carolina League. Over 11 appearances and ten starts for Myrtle Beach, Florentino went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He missed a ton of bats in Low-A, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings in Low-A and 11.2 per nine overall. His walk totals for a young pitcher in Low-A were also excellent as he walked just eight percent of the batters he faced.
Florentino’s results, albeit in just 81.1 innings between the two levels, indicate that he’s a potential major league starter. But the stat line runs into conflict with the scouting report. While Florentino has made big gains, he’s still just throwing 90-91 mph and is still mostly a two-pitch pitcher.
Florentino should start the season in High-A South Bend and all eyes should be on whether he can build on the gains he made in 2026. If he improves that velocity even more with no loss of control or develops a better third pitch, Florentino could be a top-five prospect in the system at this time next year.
I hate to rank high school players who have yet to make their professional debut, but in the case of Hartshorn, I’ve read and heard too much positive stuff to keep him out and at least there is some online video for showcase events where I can see his talents for myself. The Cubs also gave him $2 million to keep him from going to Texas A&M, which is bonus money commensurate with someone taken at the end of the first round. So this is probably a fair ranking of a guy with some sky-high potential.
The first thing you notice about Hartshorn is that he’s a huge man with a fairly level swing from both sides. He does have a bit of a leg kick that he apparently uses as a timing mechanism, but it’s nothing exaggerated. He also appears to be fairly athletic for someone as big as he is, which would be a positive for him staying at a corner outfield position. He does look like a natural first baseman, however, and that may be where he ends up by the time his career is over. He will have to maintain his conditioning to stick as a corner outfielder.
Hartshorn’s high school career was littered with injuries, which has led to some odd stuff. For his first three years in high school, a nagging left elbow injury meant that he batted almost exclusively from the right side. His elbow was better by his senior year, but then he suffered some back issues that made him bat mostly from the left side in his final year in high school. So while he is a switch hitter, he’s had plenty of experience facing same-side pitchers. Hartshorn’s left-handed swing looks more natural to me, but I’ve read scouting reports that like his right-handed swing better. He did tie for the championship in MLB’s High School Home Run Derby hitting exclusively left-handed. He had reportedly returned to hitting from both sides by the time of the draft last year.
In any case, Hartshorn has tremendous bat speed from both sides of the plate. He’ll probably need to get more loft in his swing to become a true power threat, but he certainly has a raw power ceiling of a 65 or 70 on the 20-to-80 scale. He’ll have to make good swing decisions for that to become game power, but the reports on that front are positive.
Because he’s so young, I’d expect Hartshorn to start this year playing in Mesa, but if the Cubs are really convinced he can handle it, Myrtle Beach isn’t out of the question. He certainly would hope to play for the Pelicans sometime this summer. Hartshorn is a guy with some real boom-or-bust potential. He could be a top-five prospect at this time next year with a strong 2026 season.
Here’s some workout video of Hartshorn at a showcase event before the draft.
13. Will Sanders. RHP. DOB: 3/30/2002. 6’6”, 230. Drafted 4th round (2023) South Carolina.
Sanders has been a tantalizing prospect since the Cubs drafted him in 2023. He has a lot of raw talent and has shown some real promise at times in the Cubs minor league system. However, he hasn’t shown the kinds of consistency that you want out of a major league starter.
Sanders is a big right-hander with a fastball in the 92-to-94 mile per hour range and it can touch as high as 96. His height gives hitters unusual release point to pick up the pitch from. He uses a mid-80s splitter as a changeup and both pitches can miss bats when they’re on. Sanders also features a curve and a slider, both of which are fringy. He does have above-average command, which allows his stuff to play up a bit.
Sanders started last year in Double-A Knoxville and it looked like he had put everything together. In the Southern League, Sanders made some major improvements in his control and he got good results over nine starts for the Smokies: 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA. The peripherals were even better as his walk percentage dropped from 10.3 percent in 2024 down to 4.6 percent. Meanwhile, his strikeout percentage stayed level at 25.1.
When you do that well in Double-A, you get promoted to Triple-A, so Sanders packed his bags and headed up to Iowa. Unfortunately, the gains he made in Double-A did not continue in the International League. Triple-A hitters lit up Sanders in Iowa and over 17 appearances (14 starts), he went 7-4 with a 6.38 ERA. Some of that was because of a poor strand rate, but a lot of that was because he gave up a ton of home runs. His walk rate also jumped up to 9.3 percent, which is still lower than it was in 2024 but not what he needs to succeed at this level and the majors.
Sanders should return to Iowa this summer and hopefully he figured out over the winter what he needed to work on. He is an emergency option for a major league debut this summer if he improves. Sanders has the upside of a number-five starter.
14. James Triantos. 2B/CF. B:R, T:R. DOB: 1/29/2003. 5’11”, 195 lbs. Drafted 2nd round (2021) Madison HS (VA)
James Triantos had a poor 2025 season. There’s no denying that. In his first full season at Triple-A Iowa, Triantos hit just .258/.315/.369 with seven home runs. He did struggle with leg soreness all season and missed most of June on the injured list because of it. That could be the reason for his downturn, which seems mostly related to an inability to pull the ball with authority at the same rates that he had in 2024. His swing decisions and contact rates remained mostly the same as the year before, although he only played 26 games for Iowa in 2024.
So was this past year simply a result of nagging injuries or have opposing teams found a weakness in his game? That’s the big question coming into this year.
Triantos, at his best, is a pesky hitter with terrific contact skills. He doesn’t get a lot of lift on the ball so his home run rates are always going to be low, but he does hit the ball hard. He’s also a terrific baserunner. He stole 31 bases in 110 games last year and 47 in 114 games the year before.
It’s been an adventure trying to find a defensive position for Triantos, The Cubs originally planned to make him a third baseman, but despite an above-average arm, he couldn’t handle the position. He was better after he moved to second base and the Cubs could live with his glove there as a bat-first second baseman. But the Cubs tried moving him to center field this past summer. The move made sense, as he has the foot speed and arm to play there. But so far, Triantos has struggled in center. Most of that can be chalked up to inexperience and it is entirely possible that he gets good out there with more repetition. He’s got the raw tools to succeed in center. On the other hand, you could have said that about his work at third base as well.
In any case, the Cubs still thought enough of Triantos to protect him from the Rule 5 draft this winter and place him on the 40-man roster. So he is still on track for his major league debut sometime this season. Right now he projects as a bench bat who is limited to second base and maybe the outfield. But he’s still young and if he can return to his earlier form, then there may be a starting second baseman or center fielder in there.
A lot was expected out of Southisene when he arrived in Myrtle Beach last May and for two months, he was terrible. His stat line for his first 33 games was .151/.318/.160. He was making contact at a decent clip, but it was weak contact and on the ground. But in the second half, Southisene improved his contact rates and started to barrel up the ball for harder contact. He looked like the guy the Cubs expected when they took him in the fourth round last year. Southisene hit .292/.422/.335 in the second half. That gave him an overall line of .244/.387/.276.
Southisene is from a baseball family—his younger brother Tate was taken in the first round last year by the Braves. His twin brother Tee played for Southern California last year but appears to have transferred to Southern Nevada, which would make him draft-eligible this year. He has another brother, Troy, who is committed to play baseball at Oregon State this upcoming fall, assuming someone doesn’t draft him and sign him away.
Southisene’s game is contact and speed. He has a good eye at the plate and even with his first-half struggles, only struck out in 15 percent of his plate appearances in his first year as a professional. He had 63 walks compared to 59 strikeouts. Southisene also boasts plus speed as he stole 41 bases in 49 attempts last year. His defense at second base is average, but his arm probably isn’t strong enough to play on the left side of the infield regularly.
The biggest concern with Southisene revolves around his small size, which limits his ability to hit for power. Of his 78 hits last year, 70 were singles, six were doubles and two were triples. He’s yet to connect for a home run as a professional and isn’t likely to hit many of them down the road. He might be able to gain enough muscle to hit a few every year, but his swing doesn’t really have any lift to it. Southisene’s ground ball rate last year was 59 percent and his fly ball rate was just 15 percent.
Without power, Southisene is probably limited to being a bench player in the majors. His arm also limits his utility as a backup infielder, but the Cubs have found ways to make below arms work on the left side of the infield before. But Southisene’s contact rates and base running skills still make him an interesting prospect.
TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 17: Marcus Semien #2 of the Texas Rangers holds up a baseball in the field during the MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 17, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at second baseman Marcus Semien.
Former second baseman Marcus Semien, I guess I should say.
Marcus Semien being traded felt like…not the end of an era, necessarily, but definitely the end of a particular chapter in the book of the Texas Rangers.
51 months ago, the Texas Rangers were coming off a disastrous season. The team had committed to an (arguably) long overdue rebuild after a disappointing 2020 season. The 2021 team was bad, reaching 100 losses for the first time since the first two years the franchise was in Arlington. Joey Gallo, a year and a half away from free agency and playing like a superstar, was traded to the Yankees at the deadline after rejecting a contract extension as the Rangers took on a “no half measures” approach. Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy were shipped off to Philadelphia at the break. Things appeared bleak, to say the least.
At the end of season press conference, Jon Daniels and Chris Young told fans that the rebuild was over, and the team was committed to going big in the free agent market that winter. Payroll would be going up, the Rangers were looking to get much better, quickly, and they were going to spend money to accomplish that. It was a very strong free agent class, headed by five stellar shortstops, and the Rangers were going big game hunting.
The reaction was predictable. There was scoffing. There was mockery. There were predictions that the Rangers would miss out on the top players, say they made competitive offers and were really trying, and then add some third-tier free agents and call it a day. Folks pointed to the pursuit of Anthony Rendon after the 2019 season, a player the Rangers prioritized, and how they fell woefully short to the offer made by Arte Moreno and the Angels. That was proof the Rangers might talk a big game, but when push came to shove they would fall short.
The baseball world was shook. Rangers fans were floored. The skeptics had to eat their words. The Rangers went big, on a long-term contract for a guy with two top-three MVP finishes in the previous three years.
The rebuild was over, and the Rangers were committed to winning again.
A day later, news broke that the Rangers were signing Corey Seager to a 10 year, $325 million deal. In a two day period, a team that had just lost 102 games committed a half-billion dollars to two of the best free agents available. And they still weren’t done, agreeing to terms with free agent pitcher Jon Gray on a four year deal. All three players were officially signed right before the owners locked out the players, resulting in an especially frustrating period where our celebration over the new acquisitions was muted due to the uncertainty of the coming 2022 season.
Seager, of course, was the prize addition, and so far appears to be one of the best signings in Texas Rangers history. He’s who we think of first when we think about the big moves that offseason that kickstarted the return to contention, ultimately culminating in a World Series title in 2023, the first in franchise history.
But it all started with Marcus Semien.
And now, Semien is gone, traded with three years left on his deal, to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo. Gray is gone, a free agent, his career in question because of ongoing health issues. Corey Seager is still here, of course, and hopefully isn’t going anywhere. But both the roster and the dynamics of this club are much different now.
Marcus Semien’s final season with the Rangers was much like his first and third seasons with the team. He was excellent defensively, not so excellent offensively. He won a Gold Glove, and gets a good chunk of credit for the Rangers’ team Gold Glove award in 2025. He also put up a 97 OPS+ and an 89 wRC+, which isn’t ideal.
Semien slashed .230/.305/.364 in 2025, and regardless of circumstances, that’s not what you want. He did have a noticeable home/road split, slashing .217/.303/.314 at home and .242/.308/.410 on the road. He also missed the final six weeks of the season, and one could possibly surmise that his overall slash line would have looked better had he not missed that time, since over the course of his career, his OPS by month goes up in orderly fashion, lowest in April, second lowest in May, and so on. He has a career 815 OPS in the month of September, 59 points better than his career OPS, and his 65 career homers in the final month of the season is 19 more than his second highest month (August, natch).
Looking at Semien’s offensive profile, you can see how he would be particularly affected by the Shed in 2025, and the way the ball just flat didn’t travel well there. Semien hits the ball in the air a lot, particularly to the pull side — in his four seasons with the Rangers, he had just two opposite field home runs. However, he’s never hit the ball particularly hard — his hard hit rate was right at his career average in 2025, but was just good enough to be in the 17th percentile in 2025, per Statcast.
Hitting the ball in the air but not particularly hard is how you end up with a .251 BABIP, which is what Semien sported in 2025. It was tied for fourth lowest among 145 qualifying hitters in 2025, behind Eugenio Suarez, Josh Bell, and Cal Raleigh, and tied with Sal Perez. And if the ball isn’t carrying, that exacerbates the power problem, since you aren’t picking up doubles as much either. Semien’s 16 doubles in 2025 were the lowest in a full season in his career, and even if you extrapolate it out to 160 games like he usually plays, it would be the lowest total. His ISO of .134 was the second lowest of his career, behind only 2018, when he had a .133 ISO.
Marcus Semien is still a good player. In 127 games, he put up 2.1 fWAR and 3.3 bWAR. At the age of 35, he is obviously in the decline phase of his career, but a 2-4 win second baseman has value, and I don’t think there’s any question he will work to get as much as he can out of himself for the remainder of his contract.
He’ll just be doing it with the Mets, instead of the Rangers, going forward.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Michael Kopech #45 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With Monday’s big trade news, the Mariners accomplished one of their major off-season goals, shoring up the infield with the acquisition of Brendan Donovan. That leaves just one item on the off-season shopping list: a reliever to help bolster the bullpen. Obviously, we love us a Pile Guy™, and the staff has already started laying claim to some of our fave breakout picks: Nick is an Alex Hoppe-Hoper, ZAM has a crush on Cooper Criswell, and John just never got over a guy named Robinson (Ortiz, in this case). Personally, I am still licking my wounds after going all-in on Adonis Medina last season and am slow to trust again. But relying on a waiver-wire-castoff reliever to be a steadying force in the bullpen is a risky proposition, despite the success the Mariners have had with that in the past. Commenter AJPDX listed out a few names to consider for free agent relievers in the Moose Tracks yesterday, so I thought we’d take a closer look at some of them today.
AJPDX’s original list was Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, Andrew Chafin, Evan Phillips, José Leclerc, Paul Sewald, Michael Kopech, Nick Martinez. I have a hard time seeing the Mariners adding a third lefty to the bullpen, so I think we can scratch Coulombe, Wilson, and Chafin (sorry to his site doppelganger Connor, who has always wanted the Mariners to sign Chafin).
Having scratched those guys, Nick Martinez is probably the most intriguing name left on the list to me, but I agree with AJPDX’s thought that Martinez probably wants another shot at starting—and given that after Framber Valdez signs he’ll be the best starter remaining by WAR, I think someone will give him a shot to do so.
Next are the injury guys. José Leclerc, who the A’s gave $10M to last season, had season-ending rotator cuff surgery in July. He could be ready for spring training, but is likely not on a regular ramp-up schedule. Evan Phillips had TJ in June and won’t be ready until after the All-Star Break; he also reportedly prefers a straight one-year deal rather than the two-year deal some pitchers have signed post-TJ, making him a tough fit. Paul Sewald is coming off injury and is 36. Michael Kopech also has a lengthy injury history, including last season, and has had problems commanding the zone his whole career, but he offers the highest upside out of this group.
Beyond those guys, the list of available options is…not. Most everyone left has signed or retired. The steadiest hand left might be Luke Jackson, who was with the team last season.
At this point, the Mariners have built a pile and their in-house options likely outstrip anything left on the market. A minor trade is always a possibility as teams finalize their rosters prior to spring training, and feels likelier to me if they’re adding anyone than signing one of the leftover relievers. If you have a favorite target, please toss it in the comments – or if you’re willing to throw your lot in with one of the pitching pile guys, say so. This is a safe space.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 24: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates adjusts his helmet after hitting a double in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen is still a free agent going into the final days leading up to spring training.
McCutcheon, 39, is still looking to play this season and would like to return to the Pirates where he has played for each of the past three seasons. However, the Pirates have yet to offer him a contract. The Athletic insider Ken Rosenthal explains why that may be the case.
“The offseason is not yet over. The Pirates’ estimated $95 million payroll is only $8 million above last season’s final number, a total deflated by trades of David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes and several veterans on one-year deals. As the team’s pursuit of Suárez demonstrated, Cherington still wants to add another hitter. If he does not, the spectre of McCutchen will hang over Don Kelly’s first spring training as manager. Not exactly the vibe the Pirates are seeking,“ Rosenthal wrote.
“Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise. But if the Pirates had been more straightforward with McCutchen, they at least would have made clear that they offered him no guarantees beyond 2025. They held internal discussions about relating those intentions to McCutchen, sources said. But they decided against taking a direct approach, perhaps out of fear of confrontation.”
Many Pirates fans, and McCutchen included, hope that he can play in black and gold this season, but the longer he is off the roster, the less likely it seems that will be the case. McCutchen shared his thoughts on the matter in a social media post last month.
“If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years,” McCutchen tweeted.
“Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt [sic] a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me.”
Pirates pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton for spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
PEORIA, AZ - OCTOBER 30: Alfonsin Rosario #2 of the Surprise Saguaros bats during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Peoria Javelinas at Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, October 30, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The people have spoken and Alfonsin Rosario is our No. 16 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Rosario squeaked through with 31.3% of the vote, just beating out Juneiker Caceres (28.3%) followed by an intriguing trio of Yorman Gomez (11.1%), Andrew Walters (10.1%) and Austin Peterson (9.1%).
Rosario was a sixth round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the P27 Academy in Lexington, South Carolina.
After a cup of coffee in the Complex League the year he was drafted, he was sent straight to full-season Single-A in 2024, where he showcased a unique blend of power and speed, blasting 16 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 109 games, good for a 131 wRC+ in his age-20 season, although he struck out 32.2% of the time.
Cleveland acquired Rosario from the Cubs in a trade for reliever Eli Morgan in the offseason, and Rosario debuted at High-A Lake County to begin the 2025 campaign. While there, he was one of the top offensive performers in the entire Cleveland system, slashing .268/.362/.490 with 16 home runs and 12 steals in 82 games, good for a 139 wRC+. He maintained a decent 10.5% walk rate while dropping his strikeout rate over 7 percentage points at the new level.
Rosario finished the 2025 season with 33 games at Double-A Akron, where he still was above average, but his contact rates dropped, slashing .211/.303/.391. The walk rate stayed steady, but he reverted to his 2024 strikeout rates and his power numbers dipped a bit with five home runs in that timespan.
Rosario is one of the rare right-handed outfield prospects in Cleveland’s system. He posts elite exit velocities, similar to Johnathon Rodriguez and Jhonkensy Noel, but has better speed and athleticism. He can run well, has immense power potential and has a cannon for a throwing arm, but contact will make or break him as a prospect. If he can keep his strikeout rate at a reasonable level, he could definitely be a MLB contributor at some point in the next year. Look for him to repeat 2026 at Double-A, but he could be promoted quickly if he gets off to a hot start.
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 17 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.
One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.
Selected as a defense-first catcher with some pop in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart had above-average offensive seasons at both High-A and Double-A in 2025.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.
Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.
Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) 2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+
One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.
Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.
Our list so far: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF 12. Daniel Espino, RHP 13. George Valera, LHH OF 14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF 15. Joey Oakie, RHP 16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF
A standout on the baseball diamond as well as the gridiron, Nolan McLean was a two-sport star while attending the eponymously named Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina. As a football player, he lettered three years and threw for 6809 yards for 62 touchdowns. He was a three year letterman in baseball as well, dominating on both sides of the ball. As a batter, he hit a cumulative .381/.589/.719 in 53 games with 11 doubles, 0 triples, 12 home runs, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and drew 64 walks to 28 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he posted a cumulative 2.05 ERA in 54.2 innings over 26 games with 38 hits allowed, 25 walks, and 88 strikeouts. His senior season was mostly a wash because of the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the baseball season, leading to him honor his commitment to Oklahoma State University. There was a chance that, had the season not been cancelled prematurely, McLean be drafted by a professional team in a high enough round to have made it worthwhile for him, but because of the uncertainty of the pandemic and the extremely abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft, he elected to signal to teams that he would be attending college and went undrafted.
Unlike many prep players who go to college, McLean did not abandon football to focus only on baseball. In the fall of 2020, he made the Oklahoma State football team as a walk-on as the third-string quarterback. He did not appear in any official games for the 8-3 Cowboys, who went on to win the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl, beating the Miami Hurricanes 37-34. When the football season ended, his focus returned back to baseball. He appeared in 39 games for Oklahoma State, missing some time from a back injury, and hit .263/.410/.526 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and drew 27 walks to 50 strikeouts, playing all over the infield and outfield. Additionally, he appeared in a pair of games on the mound, giving up 4 earned runs in 2.0 innings with 2 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. That summer, he played for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League and hit .261/.469/.522 in 8 games with 2 home runs, 0 stolen bases, and 9 walks to 12 strikeouts.
When the summer ended and fall began, McLean decided to hang up his football pads permanently. Rather than play football and possibly reaggravate his back, he decided to focus on baseball. As a draft-eligible sophomore due to his age, focusing on baseball would give him the best opportunity to go pro. His new focus on baseball paid off in 2022, as he excelled as a hitter and also got to show off his ability to pitch. Splitting time between second and third base, spending most of it third, McLean hit .285/.397/.595 with 16 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and drew 37 walks to 107 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 23 games and posted a 4.97 ERA in 25.1 innings with 20 hits allowed, 13 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The Baltimore Orioles liked what they saw and selected him with their third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the 81st overall pick, designating him a pitcher. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement after Baltimore seeing some post-draft physical MRI results they were concerned about and McLean ended up being the highest selected played in the 2022 MLB Draft to go unsigned, and one of two third round selections to not sign with a team, along with New York Mets third round pick Brandon Sproat.
After an unexpectedly free summer, McLean returned to Oklahoma State University for his junior year, his primary defensive position now moved from the infield to the outfield. He appeared in 43 games, missing time in April after crashing into the outfield wall attempting to make a play and injuring his MCL, and hit .250/.379/.532 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 27 walks to 57 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 14 games, making 3 starts late in the season, and posted a 3.30 ERA in 30.0 innings, with 30 hits allowed, 17 walks, and 34 strikeouts. The Mets selected him in the 2023 MLB Draft with their third round selection, the 91st pick overall, and the two sides agreed to a $747,600 signing bonus, exactly the MLB-assigned slot value. As opposed to the Orioles, who designated McLean a pitcher when they drafted him, the Mets designated him a two-way player and used him as such. He split the rest of the summer with the FCL Mets and the St. Lucie Mets, appearing in 8 total games as a hitter and two as a pitcher. At the plate, he hit a cumulative .125/.375/.313 with 1 home run, 1 stolen base, and 7 walks to 11 strikeouts. On the mound, he threw 1.1 innings total, allowing one earned run on 1 hit and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts.
That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked McLean the Mets’ 25 prospect on the 2024 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects list. Assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, the organization continued using him as a two-way pitcher, and McLean quickly began racking up strikeouts. He remained in Coney Island until the end of May and posted a 2.57 ERA in 28.0 innings over 7 starts with 20 hits allowed, 10 walks, and 36 strikeouts while hitting .224/.297/.552 in 63 at-bats, drawing 6 walks and striking out 38 times. Highlighting why the Mets were developing the right-hander as a two-way hitter, an astounding 12 of McLean’s 15 hits went for extra bases, resulting in a Barry Bonds-ian .328 ISO.
At the end of May, McLean was promoted to Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was sluggish to get out of the gate early on. After roughly a month of play, the decision was made to end the two-way player experiment and for McLean to focus only on pitching. The right-hander settled down after a rough month to begin his Double-A career and ended up having a solid season on the mound. In 81.2 innings over 18 starts, he posted a 4.19 ERA, allowing 76 hits, walking 32, and striking out 80.
Based on his upside as a pitcher, made clearer thanks to impressive pitch metric data and in-person looks from scouts and evaluators, McLean gained a lot of helium that off-season and was ranked 5 on the Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospects List for the 2025 season. The right-hander began his season with the Rumble Ponies but was promoted after a month that saw him post a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings over 5 starts with 20 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-May and barely missed a beat against the tougher competition in a more hitting-friendly league. The right-hander appeared in 16 games for the Syracuse Mets, starting 13 of them, and posted a 2.78 ERA in 87.1 innings, giving up 58 hits, walking 38, and striking out 97. Altogether, between Binghamton and Syracuse combined, McLean posted a 2.45 ERA in 113.2 innings, allowing 78 hits, walking 50, and striking out 127.
In mid-August, with the Mets’ playoff chances beginning to fade as a compromised starting rotation and beleaguered bullpen became highly problematic, the decision was made to call McLean up to the Mets, leapfrogging fellow top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong. His name had been bandied about for a few weeks as a potential bullpen aid, but with the organization fortifying the bullpen at the trade deadline, the organization elected to call the 23-year-old up to strengthen the starting rotation instead. Frankie Montas was shifted to the bullpen and McLean took his place, giving him the opportunity to show what he could do over a handful of starts, not just one singular spot start.
McLean’s audition went better than anybody could have predicted. In his first start on August 16th, he threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners, allowing 2 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. In his next start on August 22nd, against the Atlanta Braves, he allowed two runs over 7.0 innings, giving up 4 hits, walking none, and striking out 7. In his next start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 27th, McLean threw 8 shutout innings, allowing four hits, walking none, and striking out 6. The right-hander was just as good as the calendar flipped to September and ended up making 5 starts, posting a 2.93 ERA in 27.2 innings with 24 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 36 strikeouts. All in all, McLean stayed just under the rookie limits, throwing 48.0 innings at the big league level, and posted a 2.06 ERA in his 8 starts, allowing 34 hits, walking 16, and striking out 57.
The 6’2”, 215-pound McLean has a sturdy, durable pitching frame. He throws from a low-three-quarters arm slot, his release point magnified even further with his extension off the mound from his drop-and-drive delivery. The ball explodes out of his hand, heightened by its lower approach angle. McLean also stands on the far third base side of the rubber, making the ball more difficult to pick up mid-flight because, thanks to his arm slot, it is much further to the side than most other pitchers.
The right-hander throws three fastballs, a four-seamer, a sinker, and a cutter, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup.
While in Triple-A, he threw his sweeping slider 28% of the time, his sinker 23% of the time, his four-seam fastball 21% of the time, his cutter 11% of the time, his curveball 9% of the time, and his change-up 8% of the time. In his MLB cup-of-coffee, he threw his sinker 28% of the time, his sweeping slider 26% of the time, his curveball 16% of the time, his four-seam fastball 13% of the time, and his change-up and cutter both 9% of the time. Against major leaguers, the ratios of those pitches more or less stayed the same against left-handers and right-handers, throwing fewer sinkers and sliders against lefties and more changeups, cutters, and curves.
McLean’s four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s, ranging 92-98 MPH, averaging 95 MPH. Thanks to his arm slot, the pitch has a fairly flat approach angle, but with an average spin rate that measured 2,270 RPM in Syracuse and 2,310 in Queens, the pitch does not have much life to it. While the right-hander has had no real issues getting swings-and-misses with the pitch, posting a 22.4% Whiff% with it in Triple-A and a 37.1% Whiff% in the majors, the pitch is better suited as a set-up pitch rather than a go-to strikeout pitch.
McLean’s sinker is in a similar boat. Sitting in the same velocity band, averaging 94.5 MPH, the pitch also has below-average spin rates for a sinker and is not a big strikeout pitch for the right-hander. Triple-A batters hit .165/.250/.253 against it and MLB hitters hit .193/.281/.316 against it, but they swung-and-missed at a 22.0% and 18.7% rate, respectively. The pitch is effective at getting outs, inducing a great deal of groundballs, but not necessarily swings-and-misses.
When the right-hander needs strikeouts, he turns to his breaking balls: the right-hander throws a plus sweeper and a plus curveball, both of which have elite pitch characteristics.
McLean’s sweeping slider averaged 85 MPH last season, sitting anywhere between 81 to 89 MPH. The pitch features 2,435-3,230 RPM of spin, giving it 37.8 inches of vertical movement and 16.8 inches of horizontal movement. The right-hander commands the pitch well despite the amount of movement it has and is one of the most adroit pitchers in baseball today in regards to pounding the strike zone with a sweeping slider. Coupled with McLean’s arm slot and the side angle that the pitch is coming in from in relation to the plate, the pitch is a true plus breaker that is one of the best in Major League Baseball today. Ironically, in his 48 innings at the major league level, big league batters had no problem with the pitch, hitting it to the tune of a .361/.425/.528 batting average against with a 20.3% Whiff%; in a larger sample of his work in Syracuse, batters hit .185/.250/.326 with a 30.2% Whiff%.
Sitting in the high-70s and featuring spin rates ranging from 2,915 to 3,510 RPM, McLean’s curveball featured an average of 57.6 inches of vertical drop and 18.7 inches of horizontal movement, making it a plus pitch as well. In Triple-A, batters hit a paltry .121/.194/.212 against it with a 48.4% Whiff% and in the majors, batters hit .074/.107/.074 against it with an even 50% Whiff%. Unlike his sweeping slider, McLean’s command of the pitch is fleeting. The pitch was still extremely effective, as hitters chased it out of the zone with regularity, but the right-hander only managed a 17.9% Zone% with it.
To mitigate whatever advantages left-handers might have, McLean also throws a cutter and change-up. His cutter sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s and features slight glove-side hop. It is McLean’s weakest pitch overall, hit the hardest and for the highest batting average against, but it also sets up his sweeper and/or change-up.
His changeup was only recently developed, a “kick” changeup en vogue among Mets pitching developmental staff of late. Prior to the 2025 season, McLean had always been experimenting with a changeup, using different grips and figuring out what worked best for him, but the changeups he threw generally were little more than change of pace offerings, as opposed to consistent swing-and-miss pitches. His new kick grip has improved his command the mid-to-high-80s offering and has also given it more bite the pitch has, increasing its vertical drop and giving the pitch an elite 38.8 inches of tumble to go along with its above-average 13.4 inches of arm-side movement.
Far from an issue, McLean’s control and command wavered earlier in his career. At this point, while his walk rate is still a bit inflated and his command of certain pitches in his arsenal are better than others, it is only a conceptual weakness.
2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List
2) Carson Benge 3) Jonah Tong 4) Jett Williams* 5) Brandon Sproat* 6) A.J. Ewing 7) Jacob Reimer 8) Ryan Clifford 9) Will Watson 10) Jack Wenninger 11) Mitch Voit 12) Jonathan Santucci 13) Elian Peña 14) Zach Thornton 15) Nick Morabito 16) R.J. Gordon 17) Chris Suero 18) Dylan Ross 19) Ryan Lambert 20) Antonio Jimenez 21) Edward Lantigua 22) Eli Serrano III 23) Randy Guzman 24) Daiverson Gutierrez 25) Boston Baro
The Mets were indeed aggressive and they landed Soto, changing the complexion of the payroll for the next 15 seasons.
This time around, the club was regrouping after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, as they went from the best team in baseball in June to one that missed the postseason entirely.
Colored by David Stearns' stated refusal to "run it back," the 2025-26 offseason featured seismic change.
With the dust having settled, gone are fan favorites and key lineup cogs Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.
Also gone is closer Edwin Diaz, who wanted to return but wound up with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, with Devin Williams set to take Diaz's closer role.
The way the offseason unfolded, with most of the Mets' key departures happening early and many of their big imports arriving late, there was a sense of uncertainty in the air for quite some time.
With a large chunk of the pitching staff already at spring training in Port St. Lucie ahead of next week's reporting date and Opening Day next month at Citi Field, here's how the payroll situation looks for 2026 and beyond...
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) reacts after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. / John E. Sokolowski - Imagn Images
SALARY COMMITTED FOR 2026
The Mets entered the offseason with roughly $223 million committed for 2026, per Cot's Contracts -- a number that included the $18 million estimated for player benefits, as well as money owed to arbitration-eligible players, zero-to-three players in both the majors and minors who are under team control, and the bonus pool for pre-arbitration players.
As things currently stand, the Mets' projected 40-man payroll for CBT purposes is $376.6 million. That includes $17 million still owed this season to Frankie Montas, who has been released.
For reference, New York ended last season with a 40-man payroll of $346.6 million.
Typically, the payroll expands during the season as teams add players via trade and the waiver wire.
Now off the books are the contracts of Alonso and Diaz (who both opted out before signing elsewhere). Also mostly cleared is the contract of Nimmo, who has five years and 97.25 million left on his contract (New York is paying $6 million of Nimmo's salary for 2026). The Mets will be covering $5.75 million of McNeil's remaining salary, and will pay his $2 million buyout for 2027 if the Athletics don't exercise his team option.
Other big obligations also off the books: Starling Marte (who made $20.75 million in 2025), Jesse Winker ($7.5 million), Ryne Stanek ($4.5 million), Griffin Canning ($4.25 million), and last season's four major trade deadline acquisitions -- Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, Cedric Mullins, and Gregory Soto.
It's possible the Mets bring Marte back on a much smaller contract than the one that just expired.
Here are the major offseason additions and their cost against the CBP payroll for 2026:
Bo Bichette: $42 million Marcus Semien: $24 million Luis Robert Jr.: $22 million Jorge Polanco: $20 million Devin Williams: $15 million Luke Weaver: $11 million Freddy Peralta: $8 million
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (not pictured) with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
WHAT ABOUT EXTENSIONS FOR UNDER-CONTROL PLAYERS?
The name that jumps out here is Peralta, who is set for free agency after the season.
In order to acquire Peralta, the Mets dealt Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers -- a steep but fair price.
Speaking shortly after the trade, Peralta weighed in on the possibility of signing an extension.
"I just got here. I think that I got to share time with my teammates, think about different ideas," Peralta explained. "Learn about everybody -- coaches, the organization in general. And then we can see."
The above scenario -- feeling things out a bit before potentially discussing an extension -- is something that worked out with the Mets and Francisco Lindor in the not-too-distant past.
The Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland on Jan. 7, 2021 and ultimately signed him to a 10-year, $341 million extension on the eve of Opening Day ahead of what was Steve Cohen's first season of ownership.
There is another player who stands out when it comes to a potential extension.
It's Francisco Alvarez.
An extension for Alvarez is probably something it would make more sense to explore during the season, though, if he begins the year in similar fashion to the way he ended 2025 -- when he slashed .276/.360/.561 with eight homers, nine doubles, and one triple in 41 games from July 21 through the end of the season. He also needs to continue to hone his defense.
Alvarez, who excelled after returning from the minors last season, also showed his toughness while playing through injuries to both of his hands down the stretch.
/ SNY
THE PAYROLL SITUATION IN 2027 AND BEYOND
Here are the Mets' projected 40-man roster salary obligations from 2027 to 2030, via Cot's:
2027: $266.94 million 2028: $186.77 million 2029: $106.26 million 2030: $106.26 million
As things currently stand, there will be a large drop in salary commitments after the 2027 season, and another big drop after the 2028 season.
It's important to note that the salary figures for 2027 and 2028 include the contract of Bichette at $42 million annually. Bichette has opt-outs after 2026 and 2027.
Not included for 2027 is potential money owed to Robert, with the Mets holding a team option for the 2027 season worth $20 million.
While the Mets have an enormous payroll for 2026 and are well above the highest luxury tax threshold of $304 million, they're starting to merge their high-priced veteran core with inexpensive starting rotation options (Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott) and an emerging group of young position player prospects.
Those players include outfielder Carson Benge, who could be the Opening Day left fielder. That group also features outfielder A.J. Ewing, and infielders Jacob Reimer and Ryan Clifford.
The Mets could also get a jolt in the bullpen this season from prospects including Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.
The stated vision of Stearns and Cohen is to build a sustainable winner that relies heavily on player development while having the wherewithal to bolster the team via free agency and the trade market -- outbidding other interested teams along the way.
That's something the Mets put into action this offseason, especially while using their deep farm system to land Peralta and their financial might to swipe Bichette from the Phillies' grasp.
The Mets, despite the step back on the field in 2025, continue to get closer to their ultimate vision, with them now having one of the best farm systems in baseball (despite trading Williams and Sproat) and a strong big league nucleus that has been remade.
Memorial's Matthew Fisher (2) pitches as the Memorial Tigers play the Silver Creek Dragons in the 2024 IHSAA Baseball semistate at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind., Saturday, June 8, 2024. | MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Well, well, well. Looks like we got a project here, folks.
Matthew Fisher – 42 Jean Cabrera – 19 Cade Obermueller – 14 Carson DeMartini – 12 Keaton Anthony – 10 Yoniel Curat – 7 Griffin Burkholder – 6 Mavis Graves – 3 Romeli Espinosa – 3 Alex McFarlane – 2
It’s kind of fun to be a bit giddy about Fisher. The team went over slot to sign him, something that a lot of people predraft were pegging some team to do. The Phillies haven’t gone over slot for a lot of people, so the fact that they deemed Fisher worthy means they see something in him worth the money. Having not pitched a professional inning yet means there is more imagination here than fact, but based on some of the scouting reports here, the Phillies might have found a decent prospect that they can bring along slowly.
He was 19 on draft day and is a bigger, heavier athlete than most high school pitchers, but Fisher is very limber and athletic, and has a gorgeous arm action, with the cut/ride fastball/curveball combo that lots of modern scouting departments covet.
Though Fisher’s body lacks the usual projection, his fastball still experienced a velo bump late in high school. He was more 88-92 mph during his showcase summer, then was 92-95 in his pre-draft spring. Fisher’s fastball is the kind that thrives when located at the top of the zone, spinning in at 2,500 rpm and averaging 17 inches of induced vertical break, with natural cut at times. He’s a natural supinator with a big two-planed curveball in the 78-82 mph range that spins at roughly 2,900 rpm, giving him the foundation to be able to add multiple breaking balls and maybe a kick change as he develops.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Fernando Cruz #63 of the New York Yankees hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone #17 after being taken out of the game against the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium on August 26, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While we’ve only just begun the month of February, Major League Baseball’s 2026 spring training is fast approaching. Teams are gearing up for what is set to be another interesting season with plenty of ups and downs for every player and club.
The New York Yankees are no different. GM Brian Cashman and company feel strongly that their depth through the infield and, of course, the outfield—with MVP Aaron Judge back in right alongside Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, who both re-signed—will be strong enough to keep them in contention with an American League East division that looks poised to be run through north of the American border in Toronto.
One of the key areas of focus heading into the new season isn’t the bats, though. Instead, it’s the pitching. The Yankees will be down Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón until later in the first half, and Clarke Schmidt is also returning from Tommy John surgery that will keep him out for the forseeable future, but the piece of the puzzle that feels hardest to place is the bullpen, which had its fair share of ups and downs through the 2025 regular season and into the playoffs. It lost a few names over the offseason to make things even more interesting. And I’m not so confident things will be as peachy keen as Cashman and manager Aaron Boone believe.
Last season, the Yankees’ relievers finished with an fWAR of 2.8, only good for 21st in MLB, and while some of their numbers like expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP) were strong (third-best in MLB), their ERA was not nearly up to the standard necessary to take them all the way to a championship, finishing 23rd at 4.37. They also had the fourth-worst walk rate of all relief corps, issuing free passes to 9.2 percent of opposing hitters.
The Yankees lost two of their big-name players to the crosstown New York Mets, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. And while Weaver was far more in favor with Yankees fans than Williams was (although last season was harder for Weaver than his pennant-winning 2024), those are still two arms who pitched plenty of innings for the Yankees that they won’t have access to anymore. Williams, despite his blowups from time to time on the mound, posted the highest fWAR amongst all Yankees relievers (1.4) and the fourth-most among all Yankees pitchers, although Cam Schlittler and Clarke Schmidt were poised to pass him had they played more games. By season’s end, Williams was honestly in a pretty good spot setting up for closer David Bednar.
The Bombers were, of course, right in the middle of Trade Deadline action, acquiring a few names that will still be around in 2026, including Bednar, who was fantastic in high-leverage situations after coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Camilo Doval also came over and had a less-than-ideal 22 games with the Yankees, pitching to the tune of a 4.82 ERA. The former Giants All-Star seemed to flash his old form in late September and early October, but he’s also become known for inconsistency in recent years. Just like the sometimes-dangerous Fernando Cruz, it will always be hard to know which Doval is going to show up on a given night. Then there’s Jake Bird, who garnered the most disappointing reaction of the three and the most disappointing results easily, pitching in three games and in only two innings of work, finished with a 27.00 ERA before being sent down to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre and struggling in the minors.
Then, of course, there are other names such as Tim Hill, who had his club option picked up, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn, both of whom the Yankees re-signed, Cade Winquest, who was selected in the Rule 5 Draft, and Angel Chivilli, who was traded to New York via the Rockies for a prospect.
All of these players will have a serious shot at earning high-leverage innings. However, while these pitchers may have ranging levels of upside, they aren’t names that scream “World Series-caliber bullpen” to me. Instead, it screams: “Matt Blake is going to have his work cut out for him, and if there are any issues whatsoever, the Yankees will be in a world of hurt.”
Having one reclamation project or a pitcher who has intriguing underlying numbers but needs a little bit of guidance in bringing back a pitch to help him reach his full potential is one thing. However, this bullpen feels as if there are about four or five of those for Blake to work with. One could fairly argue that Bednar is the only safe bet in this entire bunch; if you believe in Hill’s moxie (which is also fair), then maybe there are two. And at least a couple of the other arms are going to have to not just be able to fill in during high-leverage situations, but they’re going to need to do that consistently. If they should falter, Yankees fans will be certain to make their voices heard that the offseason decision to not even add one more trustworthy arm was poor.
The Yankees’ pitching coaches have a daunting task ahead of them in 2026 to try to make some sense out of this odd bullpen. While there are still some names who could make a sizeable impact for the team, the majority haven’t gained the trust of the fans—and rightfully so, given previous performances with other teams or in pinstripes. While there could be some room for bullpen optimism heading into 2026, the Yankees’ relief corps has yet to give me any reason for it.
