BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 28: Taj Bradley #26 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 28, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins are up against their worst enemy once again, a left-handed pitcher. Cole Ragans is a formidable foe, garnering Cy Young votes a couple of years ago but battled injuries in 2025. However, he is coming off a start in which he walked 4 and allowed 6 hits, including 3 home runs. Hopefully the Twins can catch him in a bad stretch and take advantage, and not actually be the lineup that gets him on track.
Meanwhile, Taj Bradley is on the mound for the Twins and is coming off a 9 strikeout start against the Orioles. He flashed some great stuff, touching 100 on the radar gun at times.
Jonny Farmelo’s professional career has unfortunately been defined by his absence. First battling a torn ACL, Farmelo missed the bulk of his debut season, cooling some of the momentum he’d built after a hot start had him rapidly ascending up prospect rankings. Opening last season late due to an oblique injury, he would again return to the injured list with a stress fracture in his ribs that sidelined him until early August, limiting his season AB total to just over 100. Having notched just 350 PA’s in the minor leagues, Farmelo is still a bit of a mystery at this point, but with the immense upside his tools provide him, he remains within our system top five and is primed to be a “breakout” prospect that’s entering his third minor league season.
— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) March 5, 2026
Farmelo is in a strange spot right now. A twitchy athlete with a unique swing that’s direct to the ball, Farmelo has the look of a high contact centerfielder that uses his borderline elite speed to make up for a lack of juice, but in reality, it’s kind of the opposite. Farmelo’s power is real, and coupling it with his speed/centerfield skills makes him an unbelievably exciting prospect, but Farmelo saw his contact numbers take a step back last season after his injury-plagued year. It’s natural to see some rust when a player misses considerable amounts of time, and Farmelo having been sidelined for nearly half of his time as a professional only compounds that issue, but the uptick in whiff is certainly something to be cognizant of.
Jonny Farmelo has been one of the best bats out of the Mariners top prospect core to start this spring.
3 hits in his first 8 AB's, his a prime candidate for a 2026 breakout. After playing just 29 games in 2025, this start is very encouraging to watch.
The ideal version of Farmelo has a blend of this power uptick mixed into his “old” offensive approach from his first year as a professional. Farmelo, an excellent base stealer, is capable of being a dynamic threat atop a lineup, but that profile is a bit tougher to justify if he’s running K rates just south of 30%. With his routinely robust walk rates and track record of displaying better K rates in the past, there’s less of a concern Farmelo has turned into a TTO slugger than his numbers might suggest, but it’s something fans should absolutely monitor this season. His first healthy opening day since his debut in 2024, this season will be a massive year for Farmelo, hopefully providing our first full season sample of the kind of player Farmelo actually is.
It’s a light slate on the diamond with just three games gracing the MLB schedule, but there's still plenty of value to uncover in today's MLB player props.
My top picks include a pair of RBI props: one for a batter riding a hot start, and another for a hitter looking to break out of an early-season slump.
Find out more in my MLB picks for Thursday, April 2.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Taj Bradley
Over 15.5 outs recorded
-108
Corbin Carroll
Over 0.5 RBI
+170
Heliot Ramos
Over 0.5 RBI
+200
Taj Bradley Over 15.5 outs recorded (-108)
Minnesota Twins starter Taj Bradley struck out nine batters in his first start of the season against Baltimore, but he lasted just 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and quickly drove up his pitch count, leading to an early hook.
Today, the hard-throwing righty faces the Kansas City Royals, who don’t strike out as often — something that could result in quicker outs.
With an above-average leash on pitch count, a few more efficient innings should help him clear this prop.
The two-time All-Star enters this game hitting .333 with a 1.162 OPS through the early part of the season. He’s also been productive as hell, driving in eight runs, all coming in the D-backs' last four games.
Although Reynaldo Lopez is coming off a strong start where he allowed just one run on six hits against Kansas City, Carroll was very dangerous against righties last season, getting to them for a .918 OPS.
Lopez also struggled a bit with his command in his first start of the season, so I love Carroll to drive in another run at this price.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN Unlimited
Heliot Ramos Over 0.5 RBI (+200)
It’s been a slow start to the season for Heliot Ramos, but the San Francisco Giants outfielder is a strong hitter who consistently makes hard contact, and tonight’s matchup with the New York Mets should help him get back on track.
The Mets will start David Peterson. The lefty didn’t allow a run in his first outing of the season, but he got a bit lucky, giving up six hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings.
Ramos also has solid career numbers vs. Peterson, going 3-for-8 with a .376 expected batting average and a .624 expected slugging.
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNY, NBC Sports Bay Area
Andrew Caley's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 7-6, +0.81 units
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.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the third inning of a Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As we close in on the second Opening Day in the minor leagues, the one where all of the full season levels beyond Triple-A get started, the Augusta GreenJackets have released their first roster of the season. There are a few surprises, but none too big. Let’s take a closer look at this exciting young roster for the Atlanta Braves Low-A affiliate.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) April 2, 2026
Pitchers
The pitching staff doesn’t have any of the Braves biggest prospects, but Landon Beidelschies, Ethan Bagwell, and Luis Arestigueta are among the intriguing prospects on the roster. Beyond them there are guys like Davis Polo, Aiven Cabral, Zach Royse, Cristobal Abreu, and Logan Forsythe who are among the arms of note on a pitching staff that is filled with prospects, even if there isn’t a true premium prospect here for the first time in what feels like forever.
Bagwell may be the biggest surprise of the pitching staff, as he was excellent here last year. Injury limited him to just 10 starts, but he posted a 2.88 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over 50 innings, though with only 30 strikeouts. Beidelschies is also a bit of a surprise, as the sixth round pick out of Arkansas is used to facing tough competition in the SEC. He made two starts here after signing last year. Arestigueta made 12 decent appearances here last year, though saw his season end in early-July. Those three are easy bets to be in the starting rotation, with Aiven Cabral, an 18th round pick from Northeastern who is yet to make his pro debut, and potentially Davis Polo as the other two. Polo has received some attention as a prospect, but due to injury hasn’t pitched since 2024. He was up and down here that year in 15 appearances, but was just 19 at that time. Kendy Richard will also be a candidate after splitting last year between Augusta and the FCL, and making six starts among his 10 appearances with the GreenJackets a year ago.
Among the other options are Cristobal Abreu, a talented arm who hasn’t pitched since 2024 due to injury. Abreu has flashed big stuff, but his results in 35.2 innings in the DSL and FCL for his career don’t match the stuff. Logan Forstyhe was the team’s 13th rounder out of Louisiana Tech last year, and the former Mississippi State reliever has huge stuff, but still needs to improve his feel for command. Zach Royse (7th), Carter Lovasz (8th), Mathieu Curtis (14th), and Ryan Heppner (19th) were all drafted last year, and made little to no appearances after signing. Royse and Heppner in particular were starters in college, and could be candidates to start here.
Two undrafted free agents from last year, who were once thought of as bigger prospects earlier in their careers, Drew Christo and Jaylen Paden, are also here. Christo passed up big money out of high school, but never quite developed at his hometown school in Nebraska. Paden was once thought to be a big arm at Georgia Southern, but after a series of injuries and a transfer to Georgia Tech, has seen his stock fade a bit. Derek Vartanian was also an undrafted free agent, though he signed in 2024 and hasn’t pitched since due to injury. Lewis Sifontes is back after closing his 2025 season here with three appearances out of the pen late in the year. Styven Paez is making a full season roster for the first time, and returned last year after missing all of 2024.
Catchers
The headliner here is Nick Montgomery, as the overslot pick from 2024 tries to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season where he posted a .524 OPS. Manuel Dos Passos and Tanner Smith are also here. Dos Passos may sound familiar because he was just included on the Spring Breakout roster, after the now 19-year-old posted a .687 OPS in the FCL last year. Smith signed as an undrafted free agent out of Miami last year, formerly Oregon State, and hit two homers in five games before a quick three game stint in Rome at the end of the year.
Infielders
This is maybe the most exciting group on the team with Tate Southisene, Alex Lodise, and Jose Perdomo, leading the way, plus Luis Sanchez, Cooper McMurray, and Joe Olsavsky. Lodise is the biggest surprise, as the second round pick from Florida State went right to Rome for 25 games last year. It’s likely the Braves want him to work on his approach with the Augusta coaching staff before a quick promotion back to Rome. Southisene was the team’s first round pick last year, and spent 15 games here posting a .539 OPS – though he did look better in spring action, including the Spring Breakout. Perdomo was the team’s big international signee two years ago, but injuries have limited his time and performance in his first two years of pro ball. He showed up to camp in great shape, and we can only hope to see the guy who drew strong reviews from scouts two and a half years ago.
McMurray was also an undrafted free agent last year, and the former Auburn slugger is starting off here after struggling in a 21 game look with Rome last season. Sanchez is back after splitting last year between Augusta and Rome, plus one game for Gwinnett, posting a combined .580 OPS. Olsavsky is a versatile infielder who split last year between Augusta and Rome, and he posted a .797 OPS in 49 games with the GreenJackets.
Outfielders
The bigger story is the fact Diego Tornes is not here. He wasn’t really expected to open in full season ball, but it was seen as an outside possibility based on his skill set. Conor Essenburg, Luis Guanipa, Junior Garcia, Dallas Macias, and Caden Merritt are here however. Essenburg was the overslot fifth round pick last year, and the former prep two-way star has impressed after signing despite not yet making his pro debut. Guanipa is back here for the third year in a row, as injuries have really kept him from seeing the field much in each of the past two seasons. Garcia is back after seeing 40 games here last year, then spending all of last year in the FCL. He is still just 20-years-old, and is hoping for a better run in Augusta than what we saw in 2024. Macias was the 15th round pick out of Oregon State last year. He had been seen as a guy capable of going about ten rounds higher, but struggled his way through the season in both college and after signing with the Braves. Merritt is a speedy outfielder who signed as an undrafted free agent out of high school last year, following a stint in the MLB Draft League.
Konnor Griffin, the undisputed number one prospect in baseball, officially got his call to the big show today. The 19-year-old phenom will make his highly anticipated MLB debut at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener on Friday.
His minor league resume leading up to this moment is nothing short of video-game numbers. In just five games in AAA this season, Griffin averaged .438 with a staggering 1.196 OPS. Even more impressive? Across the four different minor league teams he suited up for on his rapid ascent, he never batted below a .325 average. He’s finally getting the chance to show the rest of the world exactly why he earned that number-one ranking.
As for me? I have regrets.
The Mistake
Griffin’s highly coveted 1st Bowman card was released in the 2024 Bowman Draft set. At the time, he was one of the absolute top chases in the product, headlining a loaded class alongside guys like Travis Bazzana, Jac Caglianone, and Cam Smith.
During the initial release hype, I got incredibly lucky. I managed to hit two Konnor Griffin 1st Bowman Autographs.
And then, regrettably, I sold them shortly thereafter for around $150 for the pair.
Looking at the market today is a tough pill to swallow. A single PSA 10 of that exact base autograph is today selling for almost $2,000. If you’re lucky enough to hold a low-numbered parallel version of Griffin’s 1st Bowman auto, you are sitting on an asset that is currently moving for upwards of $25,000 on the secondary market.
In the sports card hobby, it is a well-known fact that the “best” time to sell a prospect is the week he gets called up to the majors. That’s peak hype. That’s not to say a card will never increase in price after a debut, but when a 19-year-old is already priced by the market as if he’s guaranteed to be the next Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani, those are almost impossibly big shoes to fill.
Knowing exactly when to sell a prospect card is brutal. It’s an inexact science.
Not everyone who gets a 1st Bowman card even makes it to the majors.
Of those who do make it, even fewer manage to stay there.
And a fraction of that group actually becomes All-Stars.
Furthermore, with over 100 prospects featured in each release of Bowman Draft, figuring out who to invest your money in can feel like throwing a dart at the wall with your eyes closed and just hoping you hit a bullseye.
The Reality of the Hobby
That’s just the nature of the beast. No matter how much research you do, how many minor league box scores you check, or how closely you watch spring training, there are always going to be surprises. For every Konnor Griffin-type card I’ve sold way too early, I’ve held onto two other “can’t-miss” prospects who completely fizzled out and never panned out at the major league level.
So, while I look around the internet today and see the jubilation of the collectors who held onto their Griffins (or bought in early) reaping the financial rewards, it’s admittedly hard for me to celebrate this amazing accomplishment by the kid.
Ultimately, though, it’s fine.
The difference between the highs and lows of collecting can be vast. Getting too invested in the pure ROI and making money absolutely sucks the fun out of the hobby. So while I may feel a sharp sting of regret at the moment, I can look at the cards I do have, the cards that connect me to my childhood, to a specific memory, or to a legendary moment, and be grateful that this hobby still makes me feel something.
Even if, today, that feeling is just wishing I had a time machine.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 30: Ranger Suárez #55 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the first inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on March 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If I were to say the words “October baseball” to you, you would instantly be able to picture it in your imagination. You know exactly how October baseball looks, feels, and sounds. You see the bundled-up fans in the stands, you see the FOX score bug on the screen, you hear the crowd roar for a two-out double that plates a run in the bottom of the first.
If I were to say the words “August baseball” to you, you’d be able to picture that, too. And that’s the case even though October baseball and August baseball are near polar opposites — the former cold, tense, loud, urgent; the latter hot and languid, pleasant background noise to the dog days of summer.
The baseball season has its own unique rhythm. And each phase it passes through is integral to the composition as a whole. You wouldn’t want every game to feel like October — that would be far too stressful. Nor would you want every game to feel like August — you need to get the blood flowing every now and then. But the two months complement each other. You need them both. The baseball season is a story that unfolds in a familiar and necessary pattern.
You need May baseball, which is what I would call Settling-In Season. May is when you finally get used to the new faces on the team and when the team starts to define itself. You need June baseball, aka Porch Season, when summer kicks on and the fireflies flutter at dusk and the novelty of the new season wears off, allowing baseball to assume its rightful place as part of everyday life. You need July baseball, when, thanks to the All-Star Game and the increased trade chatter, you start to focus a little bit more on the rest of the league — which superstar is on pace for a historic season, which slow-starting team is revealing itself to be merely a bad team, and which surprising team is going to make itself a fixture of your MLB.TV routine for the rest of the summer. And, of course, you need September baseball, Pennant Chase Season, the aficionado’s October, when scoreboard-watching becomes as intense as watching the game itself.
This brings us to the current month, to April baseball. And there’s no question what April Baseball is. It’s Freak-Out Season. These are the days when everything is magnified beyond all reason or rationality. Luxuriating in the euphoria of baseball’s return, we hang onto every pitch in a way that will seem obsessive and weird in just a few weeks time. We marvel at some hot-shot rookie and wonder if he’s going to single-handedly change the complexion of the playoff race. (What’s up, Chase DeLauter!) We wonder whether a team we assumed would be dominant is actually fatally flawed. (Hello, 2018 Dodgers!) We can’t believe that a young and unpedigreed reliever-turned-starter has thrust himself into the Cy Young race. (I haven’t forgotten you, 2024 Tanner Houck!)
And here’s the thing about Freak-Out Season: it’s fun as hell! Even if we know that Chase DeLauter will not shatter the single-season home run record, that the Dodgers will not finish several games under .500, that Tanner Houck will come back down to Earth, it’s fun to imagine the most extreme possibilities. And this applies to both the good and the bad.
These April freak-outs become the things we remember and laugh about a few months or even years later. Remember the closer-by-committee disaster of April 2003? Remember when the Yankees opened up a launching pad of a ballpark that would prove to be even worse than Coors Field in April 2009? Remember the hilarious torpedo bat freak-out of just last year?? Twelve months ago I was freaking out because I was genuinely convinced that the delicate balance between hitter and pitcher had been forever altered. What a silly, naive fool I was! Thanks a lot, Anthony Volpe!
April baseball is novelty — new players, new ballparks, new rules — and we don’t always know how to handle it. And that’s fine. Freaking out is what the calendar demands of us. And even if you yourself don’t want to freak out, let other fans enjoy this time in their own way. You may be correct that Garrett Crochet will not throw a dud in fifty percent of his starts this year and that Caleb Durbin will not go 0-for-the-next-six-months. But you don’t actually get anything for being right about baseball on the internet and policing other fans’ behavior is lame as hell.
So go ahead and enjoy the extremes of Freak-Out Season, just as you enjoy the extremes of winter. Call for Alex Cora to be fired for failing to properly prepare the team for the ABS era. Demand Caleb Durbin be sent down to AAA. Declare Ranger Suárez to be the worst free agent signing in team history, non-Sandovalian division. Do these things not because you will be proven right (you probably won’t) but because fandom demands and emotion and because the calendar calls on you to do so.
There is a time and a place for taking a measured and considered view of baseball, for reminding yourself of just how long a baseball season is and for staying calm. That time is called August and we don’t need another one. This is April. And in its own, chaotic, fevered way, it’s great. Embrace it.
FORT MYERS, - MARCH 16: Owen Murphy #56 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Gwinnett’s monopoly on Minor League games being played is coming to an end as the rest of full season ball begin to ramp up. Let’s take a look at the roster and see whats in store for the Clingstones.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) April 2, 2026
Starters
Brett Sears, RHP
Owen Murphy, RHP
Ian Mejia, RHP
Herick Hernandez, LHP
Drue Hackenberg, RHP
Garrett Baumann, RHP
By the looks of the roster Columbus starts the season with six starters headlined by Owen Murphy, who looks to continue his strong work following his return from Tommy John surgery. After making stops at four different levels last season, Brett Sears starts the year in Columbus after making 15 appearances there last season before he was promoted to Gwinnett to finish the season. 26 year old Ian Mejia begins his fifth season of professional baseball and will return to Columbus after he made 24 appearances (17 starts) last season to the tune of a 2.62 ERA. Also included on the roster is the dynamic Herick Hernandez who put together another enormous strikeout rate season (11 K/9) season thanks to his 24” IVB fastball, and slider combination. Rounding out the rotation will be Drue Hackenberg who looks to rebound after a very difficult 2025, and Garrett Baumann who showed a massive increase in velocity in last season, and opened some eyes during Spring Training.
Relievers
Blane Abeyta, RHP
Ryan Bourassa, RHP
Jack Dashwood, LHP
Blayne Enlow, RHP
Elison Joseph, RHP
Tyler LaPorte, RHP
Jhancarlos Lara, RHP
LJ McDonough, RHP
Shay Schanaman, RHP
Samuel Strickland, LHP
Luis Vargas, RHP
There is a ton of velocity located in the backend of this pitching staff. Jhancarlos Lara, Elison Joseph, and Luis Vargas lead the charge – all capable of sitting 97+ on the mound in pure relief roles. Blane Abeyta surprisingly returns to Columbus after a very strong 2025 with the Clingstones (2.29 ERA in 43 appearances). After 8 strong appearances in Columbus for Ryan Bourassa (0.82 ERA, 11 innings), Ryan starts the season in Columbus as well. Tyler LaPorte, LJ McDonough, Shay Schanaman, and Samuel Strickland add some unique release points and stability to his talented core of players. Jack Dashwood and Blayne Enlow are the two new additions to the organization.
Catchers
Archer Brookman, RHB
Tyler Tolve, LHB
Adam Żebrowski, RHB
Columbus return a pair of catchers who were with the team last season in Adam Zebrowski, and Tyler Tolve. Tyler played in just 29 games last season, two with Columbus, while Zebrowski had a .638 OPS in 87 games for the Clingstones. Joining them will be the recently signed Archer Brookman who hit .230/.289/.299 in A+ ball last season for the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Infielders
Drew Compton, S
Cal Conley, S
Lizandro Espinoza, RHB
Jordan Groshans, RHB
David McCabe, S
Keshawn Ogans, RHB
Ambioris Tavarez, RHB
Shortstop is the name of the game in the infield as the Clingstones boast five shortstops on the roster. Drew Compton, and David McCabe are the two first basemen on the roster, with David likely slotting in at DH. Jordan Groshans joins a group of players that have been with the Braves since they were acquired in Lizandro Espinoza, Keshawn Ogans, and Ambioris Tavarez.
Outfielders
Patrick Clohisy, LHB
Tristin English, RHB
Kevin Kilpatrick, RHB
Ethan Workinger, RHB
The outfield in Columbus is a mix of speed and power as Patrick Clohisy and Kevin Kilpatrick will roam the outfield catching everything in sight while Ethan Workinger and newly signed Tristin English look to provide Columbus with some sorely missed power.
We will have posts coming on Rome and Augusta later today, so stay tuned for that.
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) throws a pitch in the in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers, coming off a strong 5-1 homestand featuring a sweep of the White Sox and a series win over the Rays, will look to continue their momentum on the road against the Kansas City Royals. The Royals have also gotten off to a solid start, as they’re 3-2 entering Thursday’s series finale against the Twins.
The Brewers are still without a few key players, as Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio are both out for a few weeks with hand injuries. Quinn Priester (May), Rob Zastryzny (on rehab assignment), and Craig Yoho (mid-April) are also on the IL, while outfielders Steward Berroa and Akil Baddoo will likely be sent to Triple-A whenever they’re ready to return (Berroa in April, Baddoo in June).
Kansas City is without closer Carlos Estévez, who suffered a left foot contusion on a comebacker in the ninth inning last weekend. Infielder Michael Massey is also out with a calf strain, while pitchers Stephen Kolek, James McArthur, and Alec Marsh are also shelved (Marsh likely for the season).
Through two series, the Brewer offense is led by Brice Turang’s nine hits, while Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have each slugged a pair of homers to lead the team. Sánchez, despite playing in only three games (six at-bats) is hitting .500/.625/1.500 with those two homers and a pair of walks. Turang has added a homer and a team-best four doubles, and David Hamilton leads the team with four steals. Christian Yelich and William Contreras are the other key contributors, while Sal Frelick has gotten off to a slow start. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .279/.378/.448 (.826 OPS ranks third in MLB) with eight homers (tied for fifth), 45 runs scored (tied for first), and 15 steals (first).
Kyle Isbel leads Kansas City’s offense with two homers thus far, as he’s hitting .571 on the season with a team-best eight hits in 14 at-bats. Maikel Garcia is hitting .313/.429/.375 with five hits, while Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone have also added five hits apiece. Salvador Perez is still a threat offensively, and the Royals also feature former Brewer Isaac Collins, Jonathan India, Carter Jensen, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Lane Thomas. As a team, the Royals are hitting .244/.319/.400 (.719 OPS ranks ninth) with six homers (tied for 14th), 22 runs scored (tied for 22nd), and six steals (fifth).
Grant Anderson and Aaron Ashby lead the Brewer bullpen with four appearances each. Anderson hasn’t allowed a run and has struck out six over five frames, while Ashby has allowed one run (a solo homer) and struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings. DL Hall, former Royal Ángel Zerpa, Jared Koenig, and Abner Uribe have also held opponents scoreless, while Trevor Megill and Jake Woodford have the only other blemishes for this bullpen with one run allowed each. As a staff, the Brewers have a 2.83 team ERA (tied for fourth), including a 4.45 starter ERA (21st) and a 1.05 reliever ERA (second). They’ve struck out 76 batters (tied for third) over 54 innings.
Lucas Erceg is one of the few bright spots in Kansas City’s bullpen so far, with three scoreless outings spanning 2 2/3 innings with a pair of saves. Former Brewer Nick Mears, Matt Strahm, and Steven Cruz are the only other relievers to not allow a run, totaling just 4 1/3 innings between them. Bailey Falter (five runs in 3 1/3 innings), Alex Lange (two runs in 1 1/3 innings), Daniel Lynch (three runs, but only one earned, in two innings), and John Schreiber (one run in two innings) have all had a rough go of it early in the season, though Schreiber does have the team’s other save. As a staff, the Royals have a 4.36 team ERA (23rd), including a 1.98 starter ERA (third) and an 8.44 reliever ERA (28th). They’ve struck out 40 batters (27th) over 43 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, April 3 @ 6:45 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 5.02 FIP) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.34 FIP)
Patrick had a pretty meh start of the season, throwing 4 1/3 innings in Saturday night’s win over the White Sox. He allowed just one run but gave up five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Patrick made his first MLB start against the Royals almost exactly one year ago, on April 1, when he allowed no runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Wacha, 34, is in his 14th MLB season with his sixth MLB team. This is his third year with the Royals, who he has a 3.54 ERA and 3.61 FIP over 61 starts with. In his season debut last weekend, he went six scoreless frames against the Braves, allowing three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts on just 80 pitches. A familiar opponent for Milwaukee, Wacha has faced the Crew 17 times (16 starts), with a 4.16 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 84 1/3 innings. This is his first start against Milwaukee since 2023, when he was with the Padres.
Sproat got off to a rough start in his Brewer debut on Sunday, as he allowed seven runs on six hits (including three homers) and four walks with three strikeouts over just three innings. Luckily, Milwaukee’s offense bailed him out to deliver a late comeback win. This will mark his first career start against Kansas City.
Lugo, 36, also had a scoreless start against the Braves last weekend, though he has a win to show for it. The 6’4” righty went 6 1/3 innings in that one, allowing five hits and no walks with three strikeouts. The AL Cy Young runner-up in 2024, Lugo has made 10 appearances (two starts) against Milwaukee, with a 2.31 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 23 1/3 innings, including 6 2/3 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) and five strikeouts while with the Royals in 2024.
Sunday, April 5 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 3.17 FIP) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 5.50 FIP)
Unlike Sproat, Harrison had a solid Brewer debut on Monday night against the Rays, despite the fact that Milwaukee lost that one. He allowed just one run (a leadoff homer by Yandy Díaz) on four hits and a walk while striking out eight. His lone appearance against Kansas City came last year while with the Giants, a relief outing that spanned 1 1/3 innings with one run allowed and a pair of strikeouts.
Bubic, 28, is in his seventh MLB season, all with the Royals. An All-Star last year, he got off to a solid start once again this season, allowing one run on a pair of hits and three walks while striking out four against the Twins on Monday. He’s made three career starts against Milwaukee, allowing no earned runs (one earned) over 17 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts, including six shutout frames with eight strikeouts in a win last season.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, April 3: Exclusively on Apple TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, April 4: Brewers TV, nationally on FS1; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, April 5: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is a tough battle, with Milwaukee’s younger arms going up against three veterans for Kansas City. The Royals are a pretty evenly matched team on paper, so I’ll give them the edge at home and say K.C. wins two of three this weekend.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: In this Aerial view, "The Samurai of the Diamond" mural by Robert Vargas featuring Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese pitchers Shohei Ohtani (17), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) and Roki Sasaki (11) at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel on March 27, 2026 in Torrance, California. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In total, the trio against Cleveland allowed three runs in 16 innings, with 12 strikeouts and six walks. The Dodgers became the first team in Major League Baseball history to start a Japanese pitcher in three consecutive games, per Elias.
“These are three great men. They are all different. This is a special time in Major League Baseball, certainly with the Japanese players we’re fortunate to have, and around the league,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “It’s an honor to know that I managed these three guys.”
This is the second year all three have been Dodgers teammates, but the timing never worked out in 2025 for all three to be in the rotation at the same time. Ohtani was rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery and didn’t get into a game until mid-June. Sasaki went on the injured list in May and didn’t return until September, and by then there was only room for him in the bullpen.
Fourteen Japanese players were on opening day rosters this season, matching 2010 for second-most in a season, behind only the 16 Japanese players on 2008 opening day rosters.
Having three Japanese starting pitchers on the same team in any season is rare enough, as only 35 pitchers born in Japan have started a game in MLB. Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Sasaki are only the third such trio in major league history, joining the 2001 Montreal Expos (11 starts by Masato Yoshii, 10 by Tomo Ohka, and three from Hideki Irabu) and 2003 Dodgers (33 from Hideo Nomo, 27 by Kazuhisa Ishii, and two by Masao Kida).
Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Sasaki combined for 52 starts last season, tied for second-most in a season by Japanese pitchers on one team.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JULY 14: Major League Baseball commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces the pick for the Kansas City Royals at the 2024 MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum on July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals will have $15,954,000 to spend on draftees this summer, the sixth-largest draft bonus pool in baseball. The Pirates will have the most money to spend, with a record pool of $19,130,700. The Royals benefit from being selected for the sixth pick through the MLB Draft lottery, the measure instituted to discourage tanking.
The MLB Draft bonus pool is essentially a capped spending system that limits how much each team can spend on signing its draft picks. Each draft slot position is assigned a dollar value, and the slot values for the first ten rounds are added to comprise each team’s “bonus pool.” The Royals will also receive a Competitive Balance pick in Round A due to being a small market team. They will pick sixth only in the first round, the remaining rounds are determined by reverse order of last year’s standings.
1st round (#6 overall) – $7,746,100
Competitive Balance Round A (#30) – $3,190,500
2nd round (#56) – $1,721,700
3rd round (#91) – $872,900
4th round (#119) – $651,500
5th round (#151) – $476,900
6th round (#180) – $367,600
7th round (#209) – $289,900
8th round (#239) – $233,400
9th round (#269) – $207,900
10th round (#299) – $195,600
Teams that exceed their bonus pool face a penalty. Clubs that outspend their allotment by 0-5 percent pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. At higher thresholds, teams lose future selections: a first-rounder and a 75 percent tax for surpassing their pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; a first- and a second-rounder and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent.
Teams are not required to spend the slot value on a particular draft pick, but can allocate the bonus pool as they see fit. Many teams will skimp on some picks, in order to offer other picks money well over slot. Having a larger bonus allows a team more flexibility in their strategy. If a player does not sign, the team loses that bonus slot value from their pool. You can find complete slot values and each team’s bonus pool here.
The 2026 MLB Draft will begin on July 11-12 in Philadelphia as part of the All-Star Week celebrations.
Before I begin, I should let you know that this article is mostly just venting. Major League Baseball hasn’t listened to me when I’ve written on this topic before and I’m pretty sure they’re not going to listen now.
Nevertheless, I persist.
March 26 is too early to play baseball in northern cities. Period, full stop. I’m sure those of you who live in the Chicago area are familiar with this meme. This version was posted eight years ago, but is still absolutely relevant:
No question, we are somewhere between “spring of deception” and “third winter,” and after all the rain we’re about to get over the next few days, it will definitely be “mud season.” (The White Sox called off their scheduled home opener Thursday because of a forecast of heavy rain; they rescheduled for Friday.)
“Spring of deception” was in evidence Monday evening at Wrigley Field, when the game time temperature was 77 and more than 36,000 paid to see the Cubs defeat the Angels. I was told that there were thousands of walk-up tickets sold that night, and given that the paid crowd Tuesday was about 26,000, that tracks. Even with that 77-degree temperature, the average game-time temp for the six-game homestand just ended was 51.5 degrees. That’s barely tolerable for this time of year, and take that day out and the average for the other five games was 46.4. Yuck.
Further, Wednesday afternoon’s game was played in 39-degree weather with a reported sustained wind speed of 21 miles per hour, blowing in. That was just the 10th game in Wrigley Field history (where there’s officially recorded weather data) with both a temp that low and a wind speed that high:
I remember that 1997 game well. It was Opening Day, and the 29-degree temperature remains the lowest ever recorded at a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. It was impossible to not be freezing that afternoon. The famous 14-10 comeback win over the Braves in 2018 was a game played in possibly the worst conditions ever at Wrigley, given that a light rain fell throughout the game and they never stopped play.
The Cubs have a three-game series against the Pirates next weekend at Wrigley after the current road trip, then hit the road again for a three-game set in Philadelphia before returning for a seven-game homestand against the Mets and Phillies beginning April 17. By then, maybe, we’ll begin to have decent weather in Chicago.
March 26 (actually, March 25 if you include the Giants/Yankees season opener in San Francisco) is far too early to start the MLB season. Why are we here? In part, because recent CBA’s between MLB owners and players have mandated a certain number of off days during the regular season. Now, I’m not opposed to that; rest days are a good idea for players. But adding those extra off days has also added several days to the regular season’s length, which this year spans 187 days from March 25 to Sept. 27. Ten years ago, the regular season length was 182 days, and if you remember shorter seasons that began in mid-April and ended before October, that was in the days of scheduled doubleheaders. For example, 60 years ago in 1966, the season was 171 days long (April 12 to Oct. 2), but the Cubs had 10 scheduled doubleheaders that year. That’s simply not possible in baseball in 2026.
The expanded postseason then lasts almost five weeks. MLB hasn’t set a postseason schedule for this year yet, but if it mirrors last year’s, Game 7 of the World Series would be played on Oct. 31.
If MLB wanted to have a schedule that made more sense by the calendar, they’d push it back about 10 days. Typically, the weather in northern cities is better in October than it is in April. The problem with that: TV networks don’t want the World Series pushing too far into November, because that is “ratings sweep month” and they want their entertainment shows there, not baseball.
Some will say that if the league insists on scheduling games in northern cities in March, they should at least be divisional games, where the team would come into town later in the year and you’d at least have a potential makeup date for a postponement. That would be slightly better than scheduling, for example, the Nationals and Angels… but it’s still dumb when there are alternative ideas.
So what are those alternative ideas?
The way I see it, there are two possible solutions.
The first is shortening the season, which I wrote about here a few weeks ago. This is undoubtedly going to happen once MLB expands to 32 teams, which will likely not happen until the Rays stadium situation is settled, so we could be five years or more away from that. Even so, when that happens and the regular season is shortened, we are likely going to have an expanded postseason, which would eat up some or all of the saved time from shortening the regular season. Thus that isn’t necessarily going to push the regular season start date back into April, where it belongs.
The second is something that’s been resisted by MLB and its teams for quite some time, but it’s also something I think has to happen if the league is going to insist on playing almost a week’s worth of games in March: Play all of them in warm weather cities or cities with stadiums with roofs. It was especially dumb, for example, to have the Angels playing in Chicago this week. Not only did that risk postponement, but with a team that has its home 2,000 miles from Chicago, that made potential makeup dates difficult because the Angels schedule is more West Coast-centric. The league was lucky that rain didn’t interrupt the last two games of the series given dire forecasts, but the Tuesday and Wednesday games were played in awful conditions that weren’t fair to fans, gameday staff or players.
Here are the MLB teams that I would consider to be either located in warm-weather cities or with indoor stadiums: Blue Jays, Rays, Astros, Rangers, Angels, Mariners, A’s, Marlins, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Giants and Padres. That’s 14 of the 30 teams. The following MLB cities are what I would consider “mid-latitude” locations, places where it can generally be warm enough in late March/early April to host games: Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Washington. The league could rotate those five cities, one every five years, in joining the other 14 to host games over the first week.
Yes, I’ve heard the objections:
Those cities don’t want all the early season games; kids are still in school, people aren’t on vacations, etc.
Teams don’t necessarily want to start on the road every single year
To which I say, “Too bad.” It’s just too cold and potentially wet in most northern cities to play baseball there in March. Granted, this sort of bad weather can — and does! — happen in those cities well into April, but at least the chances of good weather are better in April than in March.
I think the teams/cities noted above need to suck it up and host the first week of games. Every single year. MLB is a $12 billion business, they could make it worth those cities’ while to be the hosts for a week at the beginning of the season, instead of (for example) seeing Wrigley Field with announced crowds of 25,000, maybe a third of whom are actually in the ballpark.
Beyond the fact that playing in cold conditions like this is inconsiderate to fans, gameday staff and players, it doesn’t make for good baseball. You saw quite a number of routine pop flies that should have been caught at Wrigley over the first homestand drop untouched. Cold weather makes it more difficult for players to get loose and risks injury.
All right, I’ve had my 1,400 words of venting. What do you think?
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: The Nike RBI kids announce Tate Southisene as the twenty-second overall pick by the Atlanta Braves during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While we were watching Chris Sale beat the flu and the Athletics, the 2026 MLB Draft pools were released. The draft order was finalized in December, now we get the pools. The Braves will receive a pool of $15,870,800 for the picks in July’s Rule 4 Amateur Draft. That’s up from $9,081,100 from last year. So that 6.8 million dollars more. Having a lousy injury-plagued season and receiving a Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick by promoting Drake Baldwin, last year’s Rookie of the Year, has its benefits.
The Braves will have the seventh highest pool in 2026. Teams almost always outspend those allotments by 5 percent, which is the maximum that teams can spend until incurring penalties. So that would give the Braves $16,664,340 to work with. They have three picks in the top 50 by owning the 9th, 26th, and 48th. That Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick was pushed forward 5 picks due to competitive balance tax infractions by the Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. For example, the Dodgers will have less than 4 million to spend on this year’s draft, but I don’t know that they care.
The minor league staff willl have a much better idea of who the Braves will be able to take. My understanding is that the juiciest position player position are typically found in the top ten. The Braves pick ninth, but waiving around that PPI pick money might lure a better prize than that pick location might suggest. So if you’ve been pining for a hot position player prospect, this might be your year.
Info on all the teams is here, and the order of the draft pools is below. But it’s exciting news, and maybe the Braves will find a new star come July.
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Pitcher Jon Lieber #22 of the New York Yankees throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during game six of the American League Championship Series on October 19, 2004 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard to make your mark on a franchise in a single season. Juan Soto is one of the Yankees’ most prominent one-and-done players, finishing third in 2024 AL MVP voting and helping lead his team to the pennant in his sole year in pinstripes, but he’s a notable exception. Jon Lieber spent 14 years in the big leagues, quietly establishing himself as one of the game’s most reliable right-handed starters. And, in an era that saw the Yankees take fliers on many flashier veteran hurlers, his single year in the Bronx was an unqualified success.
Jonathan Ray Lieber Born: April 2, 1970 (Council Bluffs, IA) Yankees Tenure: 2004
An Iowa native, Lieber was taken by the Royals out of the University of South Alabama as a second-rounder in 1992. He only spent a year and a half in Kansas City’s system, showing enough to make himself a trade chip that brought back Pirates closer Stan Belinda. Lieber reached the Show at the age of 24 in ’94, spending three seasons as a swingman before settling into a full-time starting role for his final two years in Pittsburgh, even earning an Opening Day nod in ’97.
Before the 1999 season, the right-hander was shipped off again, this time to Chicago for outfielder Brant Brown (fresh off an error that nearly cost them a Wild Card berth in ’98). Lieber would find his greatest success on the North Side, making his sole All-Star team in 2001 while winning 20 games and finishing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting for a Cubs team that fell just a few games shy of the playoffs.
Lieber’s next season was derailed by a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery in August and would keep him out for all of 2003 as well. “He was hurt from Day 1,” Joe Girardi, his catcher with the Cubs, later said of that fateful season. “But he tried to suck it up and pitch, because the thing about Jon is he really thinks about the team first. He kept telling me he didn’t want to let the team down. I kept telling him: ‘Liebs, if you’re hurt, you’re hurt. You’ve got to get it taken care of.’”
With an aging 2003 rotation that featured a 41-year-old Roger Clemens and 40-year-old David Wells, the Yankees were a logical fit to sign the relatively youthful 33-year-old Lieber to a two-year, $3.5 million deal, content with the knowledge that he would not be able to contribute until ’04. “I could have cussed the world out, but I totally believe everything happens for a reason,” Lieber said, looking back on his career-altering injury. “That’s why I’m here in New York.”
With Clemens, Wells, and Andy Pettitte all departing to free agency after the 2003 campaign, Lieber had a spot in the rotation waiting for him upon his return. The Yankees’ brain trust said everything you would expect them to about their on-the-mend starter. “From everybody I’ve talked to, he has absolutely no ifs on his résumé at this point,” said manager Joe Torre said. “He’s 100 percent,” added GM Brian Cashman. Still, given his age and long layoff from pitching, Lieber had to be considered something of a question mark entering the ’04 season.
Waylaid by a groin injury suffered during spring training, the veteran did not make his Yankees debut until May, when he went eight innings and earned the victory against the team that drafted him, Kansas City. He would go on to have the kind of sturdy season the Yankees would have hoped for, tossing 16 quality starts in 27 outings and pitching to a slightly-above-average 104 ERA+ in 176.2 innings. He wasn’t blowing anyone anyway, but he didn’t waste anyone’s time with walks, leading the majors with a 0.9 BB/9.
Despite slotting near the middle or back end of a star-studded staff for most of the season, Lieber cracked the playoff rotation after the Yankees won nine of his final 10 starts. He was a workhorse too, pitching into the eighth on five different occasions — most impressively firing eight innings of two-hit, one-run ball on 93 pitches in a win against the future playoff opponent Red Sox on September 18th before faltering in the ninth. Lieber even held that formidable lineup hitless until David Ortiz broke it up two outs into the seventh.
Lieber’s rock-solid reliability stood in contrast to the likes of Kevin Brown, who broke his hand punching a clubhouse wall; Javier Vázquez, who collapsed after an All-Star first half; and Esteban Loaiza, whose 8.50 ERA made him one of the worst Trade Deadline acquisitions in franchise history. Although skipper Joe Torre would have to dabble in postseason starts for Brown and Vázquez, but he felt much more confortable deploying the likes of Lieber and Mike Mussina in the opening contests. Remarkably, after toiling for a decade on subpar teams, 2004 would be the first—and, ultimately, only—playoff action of the 34-year-old’s career.
Lieber’s first postseason start came with the Yankees down 1-0 to the Twins in the ALDS following a Johan Santana gem in the opener. He staked Minnesota to a 3-1 lead by the second inning, but he settled in with the Yankees’ season beginning to approach the brink, holding the Twins there until the seventh inning, when he departed with two outs and a 4-3 lead. After Mariano Rivera uncharacteristically blew the lead in the eighth, Lieber would not factor into the decision, though his gutty performance played a key role in an eventual 12-inning victory. New York won the next two games at the Metrodome to advance to the ALCS for the sixth time in seven years.
But it was in Game 2 of the ALCS when the veteran would turn in the performance of a career. With his team up 1-0 in the series, Lieber was tasked with opposing Pedro Martínez, the longtime Yankee foil who had just earned his seventh top-five Cy Young finish in eight seasons. The journeyman would outduel the future Hall of Famer, holding Boston to two hits and no runs through seven innings.
Lieber allowed a single to lead off the eighth who would eventually come around to score, ending his night. For his part, Pedro allowed a pedestrian three runs in six innings as the Yankees squeaked out a 3-1 victory with the help of a long ball from fellow 2004 newcomer John Olerud.
By the time Lieber came back around to pitch in Game 6, of course, the series had taken a turn for the worse. He kept the Yankees in the game, allowing four runs in 7.1 innings, but Curt Schilling and his bloody sock would carry the day. The ignominy of the Yankees’ historic collapse in that series effectively wiped the first three games from the collective memory of the Yankees faithful, an unfortunate fate for Lieber, whose dethroning of Martínez would likely occupy a place in the team’s lore had they gone on to win the pennant. There were multiple reasons why that series went awry; Lieber wasn’t really one of them.
On the strength of his comeback campaign, Lieber signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Phillies that offseason. While there was some interest in a Yankees reunion, New York opted to let him walk as part of another rotation remodel that saw them trade for Randy Johnson and bring aboard free agents Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright. The results were decidedly mixed (to be kind), and there’s a fair argument that—even putting Pavano aside since his reputation was better at the time—the Yanks should have at least re-signed Lieber over adding the inconsistent Wright on an identical deal. The latter’s 2004 in Atlanta was better than Lieber’s by some numbers, but it was also such an outlier compared to his ineffective and injury-ravaged 1999–2003. Alas.
Lieber joined a Phillies team that was gradually building an impressive young core under manager Charlie Manuel with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels. He pitched to a league-average level in his three seasons in Philly, but he missed out on their incredible 2007 NL East comeback to dethrone the Mets because he ruptured a tendon in his ankle during a start in late June. Lieber’s season was over and he could only cheer from the sidelines during the thrilling September comeback. One year later, those Phillies won it all for just the team’s second World Series title in franchise history — though Lieber had officially moved on.
At age-38 in 2008, Lieber elected to return home with the Cubs for his 14th and final season. He mostly pitched out of the bullpen for Lou Piniella’s NL Central winners, but for the second-straight year, October eluded him anyway. Lieber went to the shelf with a right foot strain in mid-July and made just one more appearance in September before leaving the field for good. The Cubs were swept by the Dodgers in the NLDS, and Lieber officially hung up his spikes.
Lieber finished his big-league tenure with 131 wins and 2,198 innings pitched, markers of his long, consistent career. He spent more time with each of his four other franchises and is only somewhat remembered for donning the pinstripes. Still, his steady hand and reliability were a godsend for the 2004 Yankees, who nearly won the pennant in no small part due to his efforts. Join us in wishing a very happy birthday to one of the great one-year Yankees, Jon Lieber.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 16, 2026: Kahl Stephen #32 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during a minor league spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Goodyear Ballpark on March 16, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Today is the first day that all Cleveland Guardians’ minor league affiliates will play baseball (weather-permitting) – rejoice!
The new look Hill City Howlers will take on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at 7pm ET in Lynchburg, Virginia. Joey Oakie will take the mound for the Howlers after opening some eyes in the Spring Breakout game with electric stuff.
The Showtime Lake County Captains open at home against the West Michigan Whitecaps at 6:35PM where Justin Campbell will take the mound for the Captains. Campbell was an exciting arm when the Guardians drafted him in , but he has yet to be seen in minor league affiliated baseball due to a series of unfortunate injuries. It’ll be exciting for Campbell, for the Guardians’ organization and for Guardians’ fans to see him pitch tonight and show if he’s still got some of the potential he had when they drafted him.
The Akron Rubber Ducks also open at home against the Reading Fightin’ Phils at 6:35PM ET. Most excitingly for me, Khal Stephen takes the mound for the Ducks. I had been concerned about Stephen’s health when he did not make an appearance in any major league spring training games or in the spring breakout game, but it appears he is ready to go. He was the return for the Guardians’ trading of Shane Bieber to the Blue Jays, and he has some very Bieber-like traits. Stephen having a strong first half would go a long way in strengthening the upper level depth of this organization for starting pitching.
Finally, the Columbus Clippers are set to return to action tonight as well at 6:15PM, with lovable Pedro Avila taking the mound for the Guardians’ Triple-A affiliate as they take on the Indianapolis Indians (now without Konnor Griffin who got a promotion to the Pirates today). Every day, I wait to see Travis Bazzana get on track because, when he does, I think a promotion will be in the offing before long. However, for now, Juan Brito has been hitting the ball very well and may force the issue for his own promotion at some point. Also, Daniel Espino had another scoreless outing last night and I never lose the appreciation for seeing that young man overcoming his own host of injuries and showing his immense talent and potential.
If you have an MLB subscription, you can watch all these games with it. Also, even if you don’t, if you have the MLB app, the Columbus game is the free game of the day. Which game are you most excited about today, and which prospects do you most look forward to seeing as minor league season begins? Let us know in the comments below!
When Pittsburgh Pirates fans show up to PNC Park on Friday for the 2026 home opener, they're going to be greeted by perhaps the most celebratory atmosphere in decades after the team announced on Thursday that they will be promoting top prospect Konnor Griffin in time for the game.
Griffin is the top prospect in baseball according to most prospect ranking sites and seemed primed to make the Pirates' Opening Day roster when Spring Training began. However, the 19-year-old struggled with his swing decisions, posting just a 68% contact rate overall and a 15% swinging strike rate while hitting .171/.261/.488 with a 28.3% strikeout rate. The Pirates sent him down to Triple-A with the expressed instruction of continuing to work on his approach.
So far, so good on that front as Griffin has gone 7-for-16 (.438) in five games at Triple-A with three steals, and five walks compared to just four strikeouts. That early success, when paired with the Pirates' shortstops' underwhelming start to the season, led the organization to finally decide that it was time to simply see what their talented 19-year-old could do. ESPN's Buster Olney also reported that Griffin and the Pirates were “deep” in contract negotiations, so perhaps this move will coincide with an agreement being struck in the near future.
In the meantime, Griffin will take the field with sky-high expectations. Last season, he hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs, 117 runs scored, and 65 steals in 122 games across three levels. He had a 50% hard-hit rate in spring training and crushed a few balls over 100 mph, which hints at the plus raw tools he has.
However, we also need to acknowledge that this is a 19-year-old who will immediately become the youngest player on an MLB roster and the first teenage position player in Major League Baseball since Juan Soto debuted in 2018. On Opening Day this season, Didier Fuentes of the Braves was the youngest player at 20 years and nine months old. Griffin won't turn 20 until April 24th. Griffin also posted just a 72% contact rate with a 12.6% swinging strike rate in his 21 games at Double-A last season, so there may be some contact issues early on as he adapts to MLB starting pitcher.
Yet, even with all those caveats, Griffin's first game will be appointment viewing. He has vaulted back into the betting favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, and all eyes will be on Pittsburgh at 4:12 pm ET on Friday afternoon.
Taj Bradley
Corbin Carroll
Heliot Ramos
