Category: MLB

One of the biggest surprises this offseason was reliever Edwin Diaz signing with the Dodgers instead of the Mets.

Seemed like a reunion was a no-brainer, but the former Mets closer's decision to take his talents to Los Angeles even caught owner Steve Cohen by surprise. 

Speaking with Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose on Friday, Cohen called the move "perplexing." 

“I’m not sure exactly how Edwin arrived at that decision, obviously it’s a personal decision, and I thought we made a pretty respectable bid -- I could argue our bid might’ve been better," Cohen said. “But he made his decision, and I’ll tell you something, when things got hot and heavy, when this was coming down, I felt pretty good about our decision to sign Devin Williams. I described it to David [Stearns] that it was really clever, because it was a good hedge in case things didn't work out with Edwin.”

Diaz spoke with the media on Saturday and was asked his thoughts on Cohen's comments. 

"It's a market I was in. I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone," Diaz told the media, including ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "And I think the Dodgers did a great job recruiting me. At the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization, players, staff, ownership. They treated me really good. I don't have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I'm here. This is a new journey for me and I'm happy to be with the Dodgers, so let's see how it goes." 

Diaz signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers in December and, in his introductory news conference, said it wasn't an easy decision to leave the Mets. But he admitted he ultimately chose Los Angeles because he is "looking to win."

The Dodgers enter the 2026 season winning back-to-back World Series.

Diaz spent seven seasons with the Mets (one missed due to injury), recording 144 saves with 538 strikeouts and owning a 2.93 ERA while making two All-Star teams and winning two NL Hoffman Reliever Awards.

TAMPA — Carlos Rodón made 33 starts last season, tied for the most in the majors, and enjoyed his best year in pinstripes. 

And yet, by the end of it, the enjoyment may have been subjective for someone who couldn’t bend his arm to do simple tasks like buttoning his shirt, all while trying to gut through some of the biggest games of the season. 

“It was fun, let’s just put it that way,” Rodón said with a chuckle Saturday. “It was fun every day to challenge myself to go pitch.” 

Rodón’s range of motion was greatly limited because of loose bodies in his left elbow, which he eventually had removed via surgery in October that also included shaving down a bone spur.

The procedure was a long time coming — Rodón said the elbow issues were a slow progression over three to four years — and will land him on the injured list to start this season, with the hope that he can return by May at the latest. 

“Just [doing] normal things were interesting,” Rodón said of his compromised state. “Now did it hurt? Sometimes, sure, pitching. But I’d rather go out there and compete. And I was throwing well, so I couldn’t just say, ‘Oh, I can’t pitch.’ It was manageable. 

“The reason I did [the surgery] is the velocity and things were kind of taking a step back. It was just not who I normally — I was serviceable, but it wasn’t the normal version of me. So I wanted to make sure we got this fixed.” 

Despite being limited physically, Rodón still pitched to a 3.09 ERA while striking 203 out across a career-high 195 ¹/₃ innings.

He then turned in a quality start against the Red Sox in the AL wild-card series before getting roughed up by the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS, though that was the case for almost every Yankees pitcher that series. 

Rodón acknowledged Saturday that he was managing the elbow “probably every start,” but it became part of who he was. 

“I adapted to what the arm gave me and we just went out there and competed,” he said. “That was it. I got what I got and I was going to go use it.” 

It was plenty good enough on most nights as the $162 million pitcher earned his money.

But he did so with the peace of mind from the medical staff that he was not at risk of making things worse by pitching through it, with surgery the likely end result regardless. 

“If I think I can pitch at 80 percent and help the team win and I can do that, I’m going to do that, because that’s what I was brought here to do, was to compete and try to win baseball games for the New York Yankees but also my teammates,” Rodón said. “That’s why I kept going. I was winning games, we were winning games and that’s what was important. 

“The frustrating part was I knew I had more, but when your body’s betraying you, it’s an interesting battle. It’s an interesting dynamic in your head going through that.” 

The Yankees are hoping that Rodón’s velocity — his four-seam fastball averaged 94.1 mph in 2025, compared to 95.4 in 2024 — will begin to return now that he has his range of motion back in the arm after surgery.

But he is also still working on dialing in his command with the extra range of motion that he is not used to. 

“Hopefully this is something that as he continues to build, it just frees him up a little bit more,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It can add to his stuff, having that next level of range of motion.” 

As for when he might get back on a big league mound?

Boone said earlier this week that he was “not far behind,” though Rodón pumped the brakes a bit, not wanting to overpromise an early return.

He has received two PRP injections as part of the rehab process — the first after feeling like his arm “got ran over by a bus” and the second about 10 days ago — and threw his fifth bullpen session Saturday. 

“The volume has got to pick up,” Rodón said. “The velo[city] was good today, so just more volume, more pitches.”

PHOENIX –– The reality dawned on Max Muncy near the end of last season.

Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor were gone. Clayton Kershaw was headed toward offseason retirement. And every other player around him in the Dodgers clubhouse had arrived after he did in 2018.

The title of “longest-tenured Dodger,” Muncy realized, would suddenly belong to him in 2026.

“It was a wild thought,” the 35-year-old third baseman told The California Post on Saturday. “But it’s definitely a blessing. It’s something I’m really grateful for.”

Indeed, ever since he resurrected his MLB career with the club almost a decade ago, Muncy’s goal has been to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of his playing days. 

It’s why he bypassed the arbitration system to sign a three-year, $26 million deal in 2020. Why he twice agreed to club-friendly extensions, rather than test the free agent market, in the three years after that. And why, after the team exercised a club option in his latest contract this winter to bring him back in 2026, he expressed immediate interest to the front office in inking another extension –– ultimately resulting in this week’s $10 million pact through at least 2027.

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“I’m very happy with where I’m at,” Muncy said. “It’s just one of those things where, I wanted to get something done, they wanted to get something done, and we reached an agreement on something we both felt was fair.”

Muncy, of course, could have pursued a potentially more lucrative path moving forward.

Though the two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion has been limited by injuries the last couple seasons, he remains one of the most productive third basemen in baseball, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .243 (his best mark in four years) with 19 home runs and 67 RBIs in 100 games.

If he posts similar numbers in 2026, he almost certainly would have been able to earn more than the $7 million salary his new Dodgers contract will guarantee for next season.

“I know I’m leaving some money on the table,” Muncy said Saturday. “But I want to be here. I want to end my career here. I know who I am as a person, and I wouldn’t be happy trying to chase money somewhere else. I’ve never been comfortable trying to do that. And I wouldn’t be comfortable now.”

Muncy’s current contract situation includes the opportunity to make more. 

According to a source, he has incentives for up to $2.25 million for this season (he will earn $15,000 for every plate appearance he makes between 401 and 550) on top of his $10 million base salary. His new extension includes salary escalators of up to $3.75 million extra for 2027 based on his number of plate appearances this year ($20,000 each for each between 401-500, and $35,000 for each between 501-550). And if the Dodgers pick up his club option for 2028, which is for $10 million and comes with a $3 million buyout, he will have the same salary escalator structure for 2028, based off his 2027 plate appearances.

Still, Muncy knows his new deal has been seen around the industry as below market value.

For him, however, staying in Los Angeles was the most valuable thing of all.

“At the end of the day, for me and my family, you have to start putting your focus on some things,” Muncy said. “And it was, ‘Would we really be happy trying to chase money, watching these guys winning the World Series?’ No, we wouldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing, well, I got a little bit of extra money, but now I’m not in the playoffs, or I’m maybe the last team into the playoffs, and then we’re getting beat by the Dodgers. I wouldn’t be happy with that. I’ve built too many relationships here.”

Muncy said family stability was a particularly crucial factor. He and his wife, Kellie, welcomed their third child last month. And while their offseason home remains in Muncy’s native Texas, the family has put down roots in the Southland, too.

“My kids were born in LA. The Dodgers are all they know,” he said. “They know the stadium. They know all the people at the stadium. They love being there. Every time we’re driving on the road and they see a Dodger blue color, they yell out, ‘That’s da-da blue. That’s Dodger blue.’ LA means something to them.”

Then there’s Muncy’s standing within the organization.

With the Dodgers, he feels like he has “real input” with the coaching staff and front office. He relishes his veteran role as one of the more experienced players in the clubhouse.

“That’s one of those things that was important, to know I’m really a part of this organization,” he said. “That’s something that I didn’t want to try to build somewhere else –– or maybe it’s not like that somewhere else.”

Now, Muncy won’t have to find out. If he plays through the 2028 season, he’ll be 38. At that point, he thinks he’ll probably be ready to retire, preferring to finish his career before his play declines to the point he is forced out of the game. 

“More than likely, this deal is gonna be it,” he said. “I’m not looking to chase it forever. I’m looking to go out there and be competitive.”

Right now, that remains the case, making Muncy not only the longest-tenured Dodger but also one of their most important players as they go for a World Series three-peat this year.

“I want to decide really when I’m done,” he said. “And this (new deal) gives me a good opportunity to do that.”

Just like a season ago, the Yankees are leaning on their young arms to overcome injuries to the top of their rotation.

Gerrit Cole (Tommy John) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) will miss the start of the 2026 season, and New York is hoping youngster Will Warren can take that next step to becoming a fixture in the rotation and get them off to a strong start this year.

Warren, who will turn 27 in June, is likely to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster after making 33 starts in his rookie year. There were a lot of ups and downs for Warren in 2025. An occasional blow-up start -- he allowed five-plus earned runs in five starts -- marred his otherwise strong campaign. He didn't land on the IL and struck out 171 batters -- the most by a rookie last season. 

Still, the Yankees hope the right-hander can be even better this season.

"Hopefully, there’s even more in there. He was a big reason why we were able to have success [in 2025]," manager Aaron Boone said after Saturday's workouts. "When you have starting pitchers making all of his starts, there's value in that. Frankly, a lot of good starts. Much talked about a couple of rough ones, but he showed the ability to always bounce back….there is so much that he learned, that he gained." 

"Taking the ball every five days is a huge thing," Warren said of his 2025 season after his live BP on Saturday. "The ability to be available is a big part of playing in the big leagues, so I think that’s a successful season. There’s some stuff you can clean up…but going into this year, it’s taking that extra step."

Warren said he started throwing again a month after the season ended, and while he admitted he had to adjust to the long season with how he ramps back up, his offseason routine has largely remained unchanged.

He had two live BP sessions on Saturday. In his first run, he struck out Paul Goldschmidt swinging on five pitches, punching the former NL MVP on a high fastball. He allowed a single to Aaron Judge on a 2-1 pitch before Amed Rosario hit a groundball to where the shortstop would be. 

In his second inning of work, Warren struck out Judge on six pitches after a 3-2 high fastball way out of the zone to get the reigning MVP swinging. He then fanned Jose Caballero after an eight-pitch battle on a 3-2 off-speed pitch running away from Caballero. 

Will Warren gets his second strikeout of live BP pic.twitter.com/aCK97Oz5pe

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 14, 2026

"[Warren] did a good job of learning from his experience and he’s a confident dude," Boone said. "He wants to be one of the good ones; that’s where his focus is. He’s a really valuable part of our team."

Warren mentioned a few times about eventually becoming one of the best in the league. When he was asked how he gets to that point, Warren reiterated that it's about posting up every five days, but also to give your team a chance, even when you don't have your best stuff.

"There were some games last year where I got ran out of there in the third, fourth inning because it wasn’t my day," Warren explained. "You see those guys on a day where they don’t have their best stuff, they go into the fifth or sixth and keeping us in the game. That makes a difference…that’s the difference."

For Boone, he preaches to Warren and other younger pitchers to slow the game down and to keep their emotions in check.

"As a starting pitcher…it’s really hard to be hair-on-fire out there, emotional. As a starting pitcher, you have to find that edge," he said. "A lot of things are going to happen through the course of a game and you can’t get emotional and ride that roller coaster. It’s a microcosm of the season…that’s critical for a starting pitcher to be able to navigate the game and things that come up. 

"How do you not let that stuff snowball and he’s gotten better at that and learning to work through those things."

To Warren, that adjustment going into 2026 is about confidence and knowing that his stuff plays in the big leagues. He showed that for much of last season and flashed that in his live BP on Saturday.

"I learned last year on the days that I didn’t have my good stuff, how did I end up going five and giving up just two runs? It’s knowing you belong, trusting your stuff and not overdoing it," Warren said. "Just staying even keel, maintaining your focus and going out there and taking control of the game. 

"A guy like Judge, you can get him 0-2, you have to find a way to punch this guy out without giving him something over the plate. That’s something I learned last year with 33 starts. You don’t always have to punch someone out. It’s about going deep in the game, that comes with getting soft contact and avoiding the big inning." 

Until Cole and Rodon return, Warren will be part of a rotation that includes Max Fried, Luis Gil, Ryan Weathers and Cam Schlittler. What happens when the two All-Star hurlers return is anyone's guess, but Warren believes he's ready to show that he belongs.

"For me, a personal goal, I want to be a starting pitcher in the big leagues, but I want to be Gerrit Cole in 10 years or Carlos Rodon," Warren said. "It’s about taking that next step to being one of the best in the league."

Will Warren strikes out Aaron Judge pic.twitter.com/gyFS7Zn139

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 14, 2026

Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz has been settling in with his new team at Camelback Ranch, but in his first comments to the media since camp opened, he faced questions about his old team.

In an interview with team broadcaster Howie Rose on Friday, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen called Díaz’s decision to a sign a three-year, $69-million contract with the Dodgers “perplexing.” Though Díaz was caught off guard by the comments, he said Saturday he has no bad feelings toward the Mets or their fans.

“It’s a market and I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone,” Díaz said. “I think the Dodgers did a great job of recruiting me, so at the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization — players, staff, ownership — they treated me pretty good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here, so this is a new journey for me. I’m happy to be with the Dodgers, so let’s see how it goes.”

Díaz participated in the Dodgers’ first day of official workouts Friday, throwing a clean bullpen session without any hiccups. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts likes what he has seen from the three-time MLB reliever of the year.

Read more:Why Dave Roberts expects Shohei Ohtani to be 'in the Cy Young conversation'

“I’m very excited to get to know him more,” Roberts said. “Just a great teammate, really good person, loves baseball, a good heartbeat. You can tell he knows what he needs to do to get ready. [He’s] likable, and at the end of the day, he chose to be here, so that’s something that is of a lot of value for us. High character. I’m really looking forward to getting to know him.”

One thing that attracted Díaz to the Dodgers was the team’s culture.

“That’s how they’ve been so good,” Díaz said. “They have a really good clubhouse… They’ve got different personalities in the clubhouse. They’ve got different players from different countries, and they all get together and have fun, so that’s something good.”

Part of having a melting pot of a clubhouse means missing some key ingredients for an extended period of spring training. The Dodgers will have several players participating in the World Baseball Classic, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith and Díaz.

Each major leaguer competing in the WBC runs the risk of an injury that could curtail their season, something Díaz knows all too well. Moments after striking out the side to send Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals in 2023, he sustained a season-ending knee injury.

Despite that bad experience, Díaz told reporters it was a no-brainer when he was asked to compete for his country again.

“It wasn’t in my mind,” Díaz said of the injury. “I have the chance to play in front of my family in Puerto Rico. It was an easy decision.”

Díaz’s fearlessness is one trait Roberts admires in his new closer. Díaz faced Roberts’ squad in the 2024 National League Championship Series, in which the Dodgers managed only two hits off him across 51/3 innings, scoring no runs.

“He’s not scared,” Roberts said. “When he’s in the game, it’s an uncomfortable at-bat for lefties and righties, and when we did see him in the postseason, [we were] really trying to keep him out of the game, knowing that he can go one, two, even three innings. That he’s done against us in the postseason; [he’s] just a great competitor.”

Read more:Plaschke: Alex Vesia opens up about unimaginable loss: 'Life can change in an instant'

Díaz should stabilize the back end of the bullpen. Since bidding farewell to Kenley Jansen after the 2021 season, the Dodgers haven’t had a closer tally more than 25 saves in a season. Over his nine-year career, Díaz has 253 saves.

With Díaz expected to be the regular ninth-inning guy, Roberts looks forward to having more flexibility when managing his bullpen.

“It’s huge,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there’s one way to manage a ’pen, but when you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys, myself included. Not having to worry about matchups for the ninth, I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”

Dodgers staying cautious with Graterol

One key relief weapon Roberts hopes to have in his armory is Brusdar Graterol. The hard-throwing right-hander underwent surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder shortly after the 2024 World Series and hasn’t pitched in a game since.

Roberts provided an update on Graterol’s recovery Saturday.

“He’s in the picture, but I do think that coming back from the shoulder, it’s going to take some time,” Roberts said. “He’s in the bucket of, we’re going to slow-play him. I think yesterday he threw off the mound, and the velocity is not near where it’s going to be, so I think that it’s a slow progression. I just don’t know where that puts us, but it’s a slow process.”

Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The San Diego Padres, who have been relatively quiet throughout the offseason, made a lot of noise Saturday with signings of Nick Castellanos, Griffin Canning and now, German Marquez. According to reports, the right-hander joins the Padres on a one-year deal.

Marquez has spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Colorado Rockies pitching his home games at Coors Field under former manager Bud Black, who is now a member of the front office in San Diego. Marquez has a career 4.67 ERA and has thrown more than 1,100 innings. His best season came in 2018 when he made 33 starts and finished with a 3.77 ERA over 196.0 innings.

Marquez had a difficult 2025 season, returning from a stress reaction in his elbow that he suffered in 2024. He posted a 3-16 record with a 6.70 ERA over 126.1 innings with 83 strikeouts last season. Marquez was diagnosed with biceps tendonitis in July of the 2025 season, which caused him to miss additional time. He missed much of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of that year. Durability and health are questions for Marquez heading into 2026, making him a buy-low candidate who could add depth to the San Diego rotation if he can remain on the field.

Griffin Canning has found a new baseball home, as the veteran right-handed starting pitcher has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres, per Robert Murray of FanSided. 

The 2026 campaign will mark his seventh season in the majors, as Canning is coming off an outstanding year on the hill for the New York Mets. The 29-year-old posted a 7-3 record with a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts. Unfortunately, his season was cut short after rupturing his Achilles tendon during a late June start.

Despite the disappointment, Canning put up terrific statistical numbers. He struck out 70 batters in 76.1 innings pitched and posted a 21.3% strikeout rate, which was his best mark since the 2023 season (25.9%) with the Los Angeles Angels.

He was once regarded as the Angels’ top starting pitching prospect. His best season with the ball club came in 2020, as Canning authored a 2-3 mark with a 3.99 ERA in 11 starts. 

The Angels traded the right-hander to the Atlanta Braves for Jorge Soler. He signed with the Mets as a free agent before the start of the 2025 season.

Canning will compete for the fifth starter’s role with the Friars this spring.

PHOENIX — Mets owner Steve Cohen said this week he found it “perplexing” that star closer Edwin Díaz left New York for the Dodgers this winter.

But on Saturday, in his first media session of spring training, Díaz made the decision sound simple when asked about Cohen’s comments.

“I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone, and I think the Dodgers did a great job recruiting me,” said the 31-year-old right-hander, who signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers that includes the highest annual salary for a reliever in MLB history. 

“At the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization, players, staff, ownership. They treated me really good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here.”

And, based on his early comments this spring, happy to be so.

After the Dodgers’ second workout of camp Saturday, the three-time All-Star praised his new surroundings, speaking highly of not only the Dodgers’ talented roster but also a clubhouse culture that has immediately embraced him.

“Everyone welcomed me really good,” said Díaz, who cited “clubhouse chemistry” when asked what has stood out to him so far during his time at Camelback Ranch.

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“I think that’s how they’ve been so good. They have a really good clubhouse,” he said, later adding: “Every player has a different personality in the clubhouse. They have different players from different countries, and they all get together and have fun.”

Cohen, the deep-pocketed Mets owner, made news this week when he told Howie Rose he was surprised to see Díaz leave this winter.

Though the Mets reportedly offered Díaz, a longtime fan favorite in Queens, $3 million less in guaranteed money than the Dodgers did, they were also believed to have wiggle room to go higher.

“I’m not sure exactly how Edwin arrived at that decision (to leave the Mets),” Cohen said. “Obviously, it’s a personal decision on his part. and I thought we made a pretty respectable bid.”

When Díaz signed with the Dodgers, he said the opportunity to compete for a World Series — something he has never won before — was one of his main draws in coming to Los Angeles.

And on Saturday, he reiterated that goal multiple times, looking perfectly at peace with his free-agent decision.

“This is a new journey for me, and I’m happy to be with the Dodgers,” he said, “so let’s see how it goes.”

Dodgers’ Brusdar Graterol might miss start of season

Though Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol said at last month’s Fanfest event he was hopeful of being ready for Opening Day this season, after missing all of 2025 recovering from shoulder surgery, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that the right-hander will be slow-played in his ramp-up this spring –– leaving his chances of starting the season on-time in doubt.

“Coming back from the shoulder, it’s gonna take some time,” Roberts said. “We’re gonna slow-play him. Yesterday, he threw off the mound and still the velocity is not near where it’s gonna be. So I think it’s a slow progression. I just don’t know where that puts us. It’s a slow process for Brusdar.”

I have been rightly accused of being over optimistic about the St. Louis Cardinals and I want to be clear this is not something I share with the intention of inferring that the upcoming 2026 season will turn out this way. However, if you’re looking for just a tiny glimmer of hope that the upcoming season may not be the catastrophe that it’s projected to be, take a look back 41 years to the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals team.

I know what nearly all of the projections say about the upcoming St. Louis Cardinals 2026 season and I’m not debating their potential accuracy. What I think is worth a look, though, is what the “experts” thought would happen to the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals team that one of my friends reminded me of. Spoiler Alert: they nearly won the World Series if not for a missed call at first base.

Many have forgotten that the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals were predicted to finish in last place in their division. The reasons for those low projections were based on reasonable questions. Future Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter left the Cardinals for the Atlanta Braves which meant the St. Louis bullpen had a hole in it. Many pundits didn’t see a clear dominant starter on the roster. On February 1, 1985, the St. Louis Cardinals traded for Jack Clark from the San Francisco Giants which was viewed as risky due to his past injury issues. There was also a bombshell report from The Washington Post that 11 St. Louis Cardinals in the early 1980’s that were heavy users of cocaine. To say the 1985 Cardinals had challenges was an understatement. Oh, and Whitey Herzog was in the middle of a rebuild after the Cardinals missed the playoffs in 1983 and 1984 after winning the 1982 World Series. Sound somewhat familiar?

There are some big differences between that 1985 St. Louis Cardinals team and the state of the 2026 squad. First, the St. Louis Cardinals were carrying momentum from the previous season. The team closed out the 1984 campaign on a 37-25 run. Whitey Herzog was also actively adding pieces to the roster with the intention of building a winner meant to contend as soon as possible. The “rebuild” of 1985 was of the major league roster and not prospects in the farm system. Also, the 1985 team were only 3 years out from winning the World Series while the current Cardinals squad has not seen a World Series banner since 2011.

The projections of last place in 1985 were based on valid questions and uncertainties, but what the “experts” could not predict were some pleasant surprises. 1985 was the rookie season for Vince Coleman who was not expected to be an immediate star, but he proceeded to steal 110 bases. The prognosticators also didn’t foresee Willie McGee having an MVP year leading the league with a scorching .353 batting average. John Tudor became the St. Louis Cardinals ace notching 21 wins. The team that was projected to finish last instead ended the 1985 season with the best record in baseball. What followed during the playoffs were some of the most iconic St. Louis Cardinals moments including Ozzie Smith’s “go crazy” walk-off home run and Jack Clark slamming the door on the Dodgers.

To reiterate, I’m not projecting a best record in baseball kind of season for the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals. My point is that a good or even great season isn’t impossible. The roster does have young players who could surprise and have breakout years. I fully admit that the roster as it looks at the start of Spring Training has a LOT more questions than answers, but I’m not surrendering the upcoming season until we play the games. Yes, the odds say we’ll struggle, but there is precedent for the St. Louis Cardinals shocking the world. It’s happened before and it’s not impossible that it could happen again.

Chase Hampton working his way back

It wasn't long ago that Hampton was the top pitching prospect in the Yankees system and the hype around the right-hander was at an all-time high. Unfortunately, Hampton had a flexor strain in spring training last year and underwent Tommy John surgery. That procedure took out a year of Hampton's career as he was making waves in the minor leagues.

Now, Hampton has returned to spring training looking to show the Yankees that he is on his way back to recapturing the form that made him a top prospect.

Boone was asked about Hampton's progression, and while vague, the Yankees skipper offered some encouraging signs.

"I don’t know his progression, so to speak. I’ve seen a couple of his bullpens now and it keeps ticking up," he said after Saturday's practice. "I know he is chomping at the bit for a little bit more because he is feeling really good as well. 

"Sometimes, when you’re a big prospect and you have a surgery that knocks you out, you get off that 'word of mouth' list as prospects are building their value. It’s important to remember how big of a year he had back in ‘24, and there’s still a lot of reason to be excited as he gets closer to being back to full bore. He looks pretty good right now."

In 2024, Hampton made seven starts between Low/High-A and Double-A as he returned from multiple injuries. He did end his year on a high note, allowing just four hits and no runs across 5.2 innings (two starts) and striking out four batters. 

When Boone was asked if Hampton could potentially pitch in spring training games, the longtime manager didn't want to "speak out of turn" and put a timeline on the youngster. 

Carlos Lagrange's 'bright future'

Usurping Hampton's spot as the Yankees' top pitching prospect is Lagrange. The team's No. 2 prospect -- behind only George Lombard Jr. -- is a non-roster invitee this spring and has already begun impressing Boone.

The Yankees skipper was asked what he thinks when he sees Lagrange pitch, and Boone listed off what the 6-foot-7 righty brings to the table.

"Sometimes, as a hitter, I struggle sometimes when a guy was big and had that downhill tilt," he said. "Freddy Garcia comes to mind from my era. I never liked the angle that he’s able to create. But it’s a big arm, he’s going to walk out there and throw 100 mph and the changeup is really good. It’s a hard changeup, downward action on it. A big guy like that, it’s about repeating the mechanics. I think he does a good job of that already as a young player."

Boone continued talking about Lagrange and made an interesting comp to another big righty who came through the Yankees system.

"Think back to when Dellin [Betances]was at his best…when he was on, you can see some consistently really bad swings against him. I think Carlos has a very bright future."

Lagrange had a solid 2025 between High-A and Double-A. He made 24 appearances (23 starts) and pitched to a 3.53 ERA while striking out 168 batters across 120.0 innings. Those numbers catapulted Lagrange to the top of the Yankees prospects list, and sits at No. 74 in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. 

Paul Blackburn being built up as starter... for now

The Yankees' bullpen is one of the few unknowns going into spring training, which means Blackburn's role could be an evolving one in the next couple of months. 

The Yankees re-signed Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough this offseason to fill almost the same role. They both have starting and bullpen experience, and they were both used in those roles in 2025. 

Boone was asked if they plan to build Blackburn up as a starter.

"He’ll get built up. We’ll build him and then keep evaluating, middle of spring, middle of March, where we’re out," he said. "Just depending on everything that’s happened, but we’re planning on building him, yes."

A season ago, the Yankees picked up Blackburn in August and used him as the long man in the bullpen. He made eight relief appearances, and after a couple of shaky starts to begin his tenure in the Bronx, Blackburn allowed just two runs in his final seven regular season appearances (12.0 IP).

According to New York Post national baseball writer Jon Heyman, the San Diego Padres and Nick Castellanos have agreed on a one-year deal. The move comes after the Philadelphia Phillies released the outfielder a few days ago. 

Castellanos was owed $20 million for the 2026 season. The Padres will pay the veteran’s minimum of $780K, and the Phillies will pick up the remainder of the salary. 

The right-handed slugger has played primarily as an outfielder in his 13-year major league career, but Castellanos has been seen working out at first base this winter, and the Friars are expected to play him at the position once he arrives in Peoria, Ariz.

He is coming to San Diego with some baggage, as his time in Philadelphia ended with controversy. The dispute stems from Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s decision to bench Castellanos following a dugout confrontation last season. The skipper removed the veteran for a defensive replacement late in a game against the Miami Marlins. 

Castellanos proceeded to confront Thomson about his decision in the dugout.

The 33-year-old posted a social media comment earlier this week to provide further clarification on the incident. Castellanos admitted to bringing a beer into the dugout after being taken out of the game. His teammates took the can away before he could open it.

Also, Castellanos confirmed that he apologized to the organization for his dugout actions in a postgame meeting with Thomson and Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski. 

The veteran outfielder batted .250 with 17 HR and 72 RBI in 147 games.

After trade negotiations failed to gain traction this offseason, the Phillies released Castellanos before the start of full-squad workouts.

The Texas Rangers officially signed Jordan Montgomery on Friday. To make room for him on the 40 man roster, the team has designated pitcher Zak Kent for assignment.

We discussed the Montgomery addition earlier in the week when the news that he would be coming back to Texas was first reported. He will start the season on the injured list, and will presumably be on the 60 day injured list at some point when the Rangers need to open up a 40 man roster spot. He will presumably start a rehab assignment in June, and if all goes well, could be part of the Rangers’ rotation at some point in July. With Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom as part of the Rangers’ rotation currently, Texas has the rare opportunity to have three two-time Tommy John surgery guys in their rotation this year.

Zak Kent, meanwhile, will presumably be put on waivers, with an eye towards trying to get him outrighted. Originally drafted by the Rangers, he was purchased by Cleveland at the end of spring training in 2024, claimed on waivers from Cleveland by St. Louis in December, and then claimed by the Rangers from St. Louis last month.

New Yankees starting pitcher Ryan Weathers, who arrived in a January trade with the Marlins, takes a swing at some spring training Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. 

Q: When you think of the New York Yankees, what do you think of? 

A: Did you ever watch the movie “Everyone’s Hero”? When I was younger, it’s an animated movie and he wanted to play for the Yankees (laugh). That’s the movie I think of. 

Q: What do you think of when you think of the Yankees’ tradition and former players, etc.? 

A: Oh, I mean, it’s awesome. When you think about what that logo carries, I mean, that New York logo. It hasn’t been changed since they became the New York Yankees, and it’s just a logo that’s recognized throughout the whole world, the pinstripes. … Every team tries to emulate the pinstripes and it never looks the same, it’s like you can’t get away from like the classic pinstripes the Yankees carry. It’s just cool for my name to be even associated with the New York Yankees. 

Q: Have you actually put on the pinstripes? 

A: I’ve put on the pants, I haven’t put on the full uni, but I got to put on the pants for the last couple of days, and it just feels so cool and just it’s such an honor to be able to wear ’em. 

Q: What do you remember about the first time you pitched at Yankee Stadium, April 10, 2024? 

A: One, just the crowd, just how into the game they were. Obviously I was pitching with the Marlins, but you know, getting chirped in the bullpen … that stuff just doesn’t leave your brain. You walk in the Stadium and you see in right center George Steinbrenner’s mural, you got the Judge’s Chambers. It’s such a cool ballpark, it’s just an ode to history of the Yankees. It’s just really cool to pitch there. I cannot wait to be on the home team pitching there. 

Q: When you were getting chirped, what did you hear? 

A: (Laugh) Just normal banter, just whatever, but it just shows you just how into the game the crowd is. What’s cool about Yankee fans is they understand the game, and they want to be a part of the game and it’s just a very neat atmosphere. 

Q: What will it be like pitching on the big stage under the bright lights? 

A: I could not be more excited to pitch, because at the end of the day, you’re either going to throw the ball well or you don’t. If you start worrying about being in New York and … if you let that stuff creep into your mind, it’s just going to take you away from doing your job. My job is go out there and do the best that Ryan Weathers can do and help the New York Yankees win games. Thankfully I’ve been in the big leagues for a couple of years, and I thank the Marlins for letting me get my feet under me, and they let me fail at that level and learn from it. So I cannot be more excited to pitch for the Yankees. 

Q: How does failure weigh on the mind of a pitcher? 

A: If you’re a bullpen guy, you have to have the ability to flush it because you could be in the ballgame the next day. As a starter, it can be tough sometimes because you want to get back out there so bad, but you have to wait four or five days to get back out there. I think the biggest thing I learned from failure was just it’s three games in a row you’ve gotten hit the same way or given up runs the same way, are you going to continue to pitch the same way, or are you going to try to change it up and learn from staying out of a certain part of the plate? I really leaned on my dad a lot just with the failure. Anybody can prep for your whole life, but until you actually have to face failure yourself and look yourself in the mirror … The thing that got me through it is everybody loves you when you’re doing well, and when you’re doing bad, you’re the only person that can bring yourself out from that hole, and you just learn how to just scratch the bottom of the barrel and work yourself out and just put your nose to the grindstone. 

Q: How would you describe your mound mentality? 

A: When the game starts I would definitely say I’m a pitcher that sees red. My biggest goal is it’s good to have the bulldog mentality. There’s times you use it. And then there’s not letting one pitch bleed into the next. That’s what I’ve really been working on the last couple of years. I want when somebody looks out there on the mound, if there was no scoreboard, I don’t want them to know if I’ve been pitching seven shutout or if I’m in the second inning getting crushed. I want to keep the same even keel the whole time I’m out there. 

Q: Never let them see you sweat in other words. 

A: For sure. 

Q: A pitcher who sees red? 

A: I don’t know what it is, but when I get on the mound, I think you just kind of black out and you’re really focused on the task at hand … just want to be aggressive in the zone, want to pitch at 130 pitches (chuckle) whatever it may be, you just want to stay out there. 

Q: What drives you? 

A: I would definitely say my wife [Thayer]. I have a baby boy coming in April. What’s incredible about this game and this job is when you treat it like a job, you can set up generational wealth for your family, you can put your kids through college, sometimes at the age of 40 you can be done, and you can just watch all of your kids play every sport. That’s what my dad [ex-Yankees pitcher David] did for me. I saw the toll that it took off of my mom, and I just want to be able to do the same for my wife. Family drives me in everything. 

Q: Would you want your son to be a pitcher one day? 

A: I want my son to be whatever he wants to (chuckle), but I wouldn’t mind a left-handed pitcher, a switch-hitting catcher though (laugh). 

Q: The Padres drafted you seventh overall in 2018. Was there pressure? 

A: My 19-, 20-year-old year, I kind of had a quick buildup to the big leagues, so I didn’t really have time to listen to any of that, or worry about any of that, because at the age of 20 I just got thrusted into the division series [2020 against the Dodgers] and didn’t really have time (laugh) to worry about any of that. But no, I don’t think it creates any pressure or anything like that. I got teammates from the first round all the way to the 25th round, coming from junior college, high school … you name it. Baseball’s baseball, and it’s always going to be baseball. 

Q: Has your career been what you expected of yourself so far? 

A: I feel like when I’m on the field I feel like that I can help the team win ballgames. Problem is the past year-and-a-half is I haven’t been on the field [left forearm and left lat strains]. I want to pride myself on being available. Recently I have not been available. But hopefully that all changes this year. The Yankees have me on a really good program. We were trending really good in the offseason. We’re trending really good right now in spring training, and hopefully I can stay on the field. 

Q: Why do you believe the best is yet to come for Ryan Weathers? 

A: I can’t really answer that, only the Good Lord knows that. I just know that the Yankees are putting me in a good spot to be healthy. I don’t care what my numbers are, I just want to go out there and be available for [manager Aaron] Booney and the Yankees, and whatever capacity they need me, I just want to be able to pitch from March all the way until whenever our last game is. 

Q: What is your best baseball moment? 

A: If he ever sees this or anything, he’ll kill me, but one of my buddies with the Marlins, Brax Garrett, in 2021 I hit a homer off him in Miami to dead center, and when I got traded [from the Padres on Aug. 1, 2023], we ended up being really, really good friends (laugh). Now that I know him really well, that’s one of the coolest moments I’ve had because he’s a really good dude. We just had so much banter about that in the clubhouse, and it was definitely one of the coolest things. 

Q: Worst baseball moment — would that be catcher Nick Fortes accidentally hitting you last June in the back of the head with a warmup throw to second base? 

A: (Laugh) I wouldn’t say that’s the worst moment. Fortes is one of my boys, we eat breakfast together, we’re hanging out in the locker room all the time playing pool, whatever it may be. That was tough all around, because it was totally unintentional and he didn’t mean to do that. … I would say my worst baseball day was probably … the turning point in my mental part of the game in my career. I just got traded to the Marlins, and I didn’t pitch for about 12 days, and then I got recalled to pitch against the Rangers and I came out of the bullpen, and I got whacked all over the ballpark. I got optioned after the game, and I remember going to my hotel room being like, “I cannot do this game anymore, this is brutal.” I remember my wife told me, she goes, “Are you going to go back to school?” And I was like, “You know what? I’m going to figure this out. I am not going back to school (laugh).” That really gave me perspective in the game, and I went down to Triple-A, and that Triple-A team in Jacksonville made me re-love the game. If I wouldn’t have went through that worst day of my entire career, I don’t think I could be where I’m at now. 

Q: Was that a bigger adversity for you than the injuries? 

A: For sure. The injuries were just so weird. You couldn’t really label them as major injuries. They were in between minor and major just to the point where like I could not pitch through them. I had the finger injury in 2024, the injury only happens in rock climbers, and somehow on a baseball field that happened. … I did not want to not pitch last year, I did not want to have [just] eight starts. 

Q: Do you remember running around the 2004 clubhouse when your father pitched for the Mets? 

A: (Laugh) I very vaguely remember the Mets. That was when I was about 3 and 4 years old. I remember most of my time in Cincinnati. 

Q: Did your father show you his 1996 Yankees World Series ring? 

A: I’ve seen his ring from ’96 and I’ve seen his Toronto one, I think, from ’91. 

Q: Did he tell you stories about the ’96 Yankees? 

A: He told me it’s one of his favorite moments was when he punched out Javy Lopez [Game 6]. He said it was one of the moments in his career that was like, “Holy cow!” Like the whole Yankee Stadium erupting. 

Q: Whatever comes to mind: Aaron Judge. 

A: MVP … Captain. You’re not the Captain of the Yankees by accident. It’s been cool seeing from not being on his team what he’s done for the game of baseball and then being on his team, just how he carries himself. He’s a first-class human being. He’s awesome. Just a really good dude. 

Q: Have you picked Max Fried’s brain yet? 

A: We have these spin balls that we use, you color the ball where you can see your four-seam spin and your breaking ball spin, and he’s got me hooked on those playing catch. 

Q: Gerrit Cole. 

A: Just from my interactions with him and talking to him, like a really, really good knowledge for the game. Obviously Cy Young pitcher, really good dude, really controls the pitching staff, just a good leader for us. His body of work speaks for itself, and it’s cool getting to watch him do that. 

Q: Describe your wife, Thayer, and mom, Kelli. 

A: My wife, she played volleyball at the University of Florida. She’s an athlete. I watched her play on two torn hip labrums. I’ve seen her go through that pain. She’s a rock star, she’s the rock of our family. She’s a wonderful human being, one of the best cooks I know in the entire world. She takes care of the house. She is just a hard worker. … And when I think of my mom, my dad in summer couldn’t be at all of my games, and I remember her taking me every day, every other Tuesday, Thursday in Florence, Kentucky. I played in the machine pitch league one year that when we were in Cincinnati, and her running me around Florence, Kentucky, just playing all these games. 

She’s been the rock of our family. I was always her travel buddy when Dad played. I got to play hoops when I was in high school, and that was what she played when she was in college. So it was cool getting to share that with her. I’m her only son, so that mother-son bond, it’s awesome, and as I get older the more I appreciate what she did for me in my younger years and through high school and even through now … when we’re going from the house and her taking care of our house. She’s a mother, and I love her. 

Q: Other than your dad, who were your favorite baseball players growing up? 

A: Clayton Kershaw’s definitely one, being a left-handed pitcher, first time I had seen him in person I was like a kid in a candy shop, it was so cool. Position players, I loved watching Ken Griffey Jr. Joey Votto was always fun to watch. 

Q: You played basketball in high school. 

A: I was a shooter. I didn’t really play a whole lot of defense. Just put me in the corner and let me fling it. 

Q: Three dinner guests? 

A: Jesus, Tiger Woods, FDR [Franklin Delano Roosevelt]. I’d like to know how he got us though in the ’40s, that’d be cool. 

Q: Favorite movie? 

A: “Sweet Home Alabama.” 

Q: Favorite actor? 

A: Vince Vaughn. 

Q: Favorite actress? 

A: I love Debra [Patricia Heaton] of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” 

Q: Favorite entertainers” 

A: Toby Keith and Morgan Wallen. 

Q: Favorite meal? 

A: Steak, all day every day of the week. 

Q: How hungry are you to win a World Series? 

A: That’s the pinnacle of the sport. It starts with all of us, one person can’t do it. This is a really fun team to be a part of, really good team camaraderie, and I look forward to pitching for these guys and having them play behind me, and hopefully we can win some ballgames, and just see where it takes us.

The Mets felt it right away when A.J. Minter went down last year. 

The left-hander was brought in to help bridge the gap to closer Edwin Diaz in the late innings, and he did just that before suffering his season-ending lat injury in late May. 

Minter allowed just two runs over his 13 appearances at the time. 

But New York was forced to maneuver the rest of the way without him, and it ended up being a significant blow to a bullpen that was leaned on heavily during the second-half collapse. 

After months of rehabbing, the 32-year-old southpaw is finally closing in on his return. 

Minter is expected to miss at least the first month of the season as he continues progressing his way back, but the Mets have been encouraged by what they’ve seen from him to this point. 

Saturday marked his second bullpen session since reporting for spring training. 

“He’s another guy we have to take care of,” Carlos Mendoza said. “But he looks really good -- watching him in that first bullpen, then the second one today, the way the ball is coming out, it’s with ease, it’s effortless, it’s a good sign.

“I keep telling him to take it easy; we have a long way to go. But he’s a big part of this team, a big part of our bullpen, and we’re counting on him as well.”

Getting Minter back in the mix alongside fellow lefty Brooks Raley will be a huge boost for this group. 

Tyler Callihan enters camp in Goodyear looking to regain a spot on the active roster of the Cincinnati Reds after a devastating broken arm ended his 2025 season prematurely. Callihan also checks in as the #18 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings thanks to his gap power, good patience at the plate, and ability to man just about half the defensive positions on the field competently.

Now, we take the voting into the final few spots, with #18 next up on the list!

Per usual, you can find the link to the Google Form for voting right here, yet it’s also embedded at the bottom if you want to read through first and not have to embark upon the painstaking process of scrolling all the way back up here. Both link and embed will be removed once voting closes so you can’t stuff the ballot post facto, however, so be advised that this paragraph will make zero sense if you stumble back across it a year from now.

Here’s how the list has materialized so far:

1. Sal Stewart
2. Alfredo Duno
3. Rhett Lowder
4. Hector Rodriguez
5. Edwin Arroyo
6. Cam Collier
7. Steele Hall
8. Tyson Lewis
9. Chase Petty
10. Arnaldo Lantigua
11. Jose Franco
12. Zach Maxwell
13. Leo Balcazar
14. Adolfo Sanchez
15. Carlos Jorge
16. Aaron Watson
17. Julian Aguiar
18. Tyler Callihan

A large list of talented names exists below for spot #19. Have at it with the votes!

Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)

2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)

Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term

Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing

The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.

The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.

It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.

Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)

2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League

Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)

Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph

Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.

Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.

He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.

Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)

2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi

Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix

Cons: Lack of experience

Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.

The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.

Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.

Mason Neville, OF (22 years old)

2025 at a glance: .247/.333/.442 with 1 HR, 2 SB in 90 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .290/.429/.724 with 26 HR, 9 SB in 280 PA with University of Oregon

Pros: 60-grade power with potential plus arm and plus speed & baserunning; chance to stick in CF, though still profiles as a solid RF if moved to the corner; led Division I with 26 HR in final season at Oregon

Cons: Lots of swing and miss in his game, at times, including a 34.4% rate in his short sample with Daytona

The Reds clearly love Neville, as they drafted him in the 18th round out of high school 2022 only to watch him initially attend the University of Arkansas. After transferring to Oregon and swatting more dingers than anyone else in 2025, the Reds went back to him in the 4th round of the most recent draft.

Neville is incredibly toolsy, his left-handed swing producing significant power when he makes contact. He’s good at working walks despite his swing-and-miss proclivities, and posesses the kind of athleticism and speed to be a legitimate CF.

His tiny sample with Daytona has some red flags with the Ks, but it’s such a small sample that it’s hard to take it with too much certainty. For instance, he hit .298/.365/.526 through his first 17 games there only to go 2 for 20 with 9 Ks across his final 6 games – that could, and likely is, all small-sample noise.

Big tools, that Neville. He could well be the steal of the 2025 draft.

Sheng-En Lin, RHP (20 years old)

2025 at a glance: 3.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 61/15 K/BB in 47.0 IP split between ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League) and Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .172/.348/.310 with 2 HR in 113 PA with ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League)

Pros: Former two-way player has tons of athleticism; fastball that runs to 97 mph with three-pitch mix including curve and change; excellent command

Cons: Still building up innings; dropping hitting to focus on being a pitcher

Lin was signed for $1.2 million during the 2023 international signing period, and the Taiwan native spent the last trio of seasons in Arizona attempting to do both hitting and pitching. The hit tool stalled, though, as his K-rate spiked and power never arrived, and on pitching he’ll now focus after making a late-season cameo with Daytona after being promoted to full-season ball for the first time.

In very, very small samples, his work on the mound has been excellent. He’s the owner of an impressive 4.07 K/BB rate for his short career, and that’s with an impressive 11.7 K/9 that shows just how much of a strikeout pitcher he can be. His secondary pitches both flash plus grades, at times, and more consistency there with a fastball that hits 97 mph already (with perhaps more velocity coming as he focuses solely on the mound) could see him rocket up these rankings in short order…if he hits the ground running in April.

Ricky Cabrera, 3B (21 years old)

2025 at a glance: .187/.276/.240 with 0 HR, 0 SB in 89 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)

Pros: Above-average power, speed, and hit tool, with an arm that’s good enough to play at 3B (if he can find his accuracy)

Cons: An absolutely lost 2025 season that included a season-ending knee injury

The optimist in you sees that Cabrera only just turned 21 years old in October, and in 2024 posted a 110 wRC+ with 11 HR and 19 SB in the pitcher-friendly confines of the Florida State League with Daytona (with said wRC+, along with his OPS, both ranking among that league’s top 10). That same optimist probably would point out that 2025 saw the Venezuela native play in the cold April weather of the Midwest League with Dayton for the first time, and he struggled mightily in those new conditions before a knee injury rendered his 2025 completely lost.

There’s still a lot to like about Cabrera, even though he’s physically matured off shortstop at this juncture and likely profiles as a 3B, or potentially at 2B defensively – with his defense needing just as much improvement as his bat at the moment, too. If the batting cage stuff can begin to translate onto the field again post-injury, there’s still a ton to like about the former $2.7 million signee and Top 5 overall international prospect from the 2022 class.

I’m assuming there is no pessimist in you, for now.

Hansel Jimenez, SS/3B (19 years old)

2025 at a glance: .269/.374/.445 with 5 HR, 12 SB in 147 PA for DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League); .229/.345/.364 with 4 HR, 3 SB in 142 PA for Sydney Blue Sox (Australian Baseball League)

Pros: 70 grade raw power (per FanGraphs) with potential to be a plus runner, fielder, and have a plus arm

Cons: Potential swing and miss issues (25.9% K-rate in the DSL, 64% contact rate); may end up at 3B long term

Signed for an undisclosed amount during the 2024 international signing period, Jimenez has immediately hit the ground running in prospect circles with his mix of potentially elite athleticism and batted-ball metrics that jump right off the page.

After dabbling in DSL play in 2024 at age 17 (6 for 14 with a double and 4 steals in 5 G), he repeated that level in 2025 and more than held his own with an .820 OPS. Those solid surface stats hide his pretty monumental 45% hard-hit rate, 106 mph EV90, and maximum exit velocity of 113 mph – all numbers posted by an 18 year old. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs has him ranked 12th (right behind Tyson Lewis) and notes the multiple similarities between the two, though Jimenez is a full year younger.