Daytona Tortugas pitcher Sheng-En Lin (8) pitches during the game against Lakeland Flying Tigers , Sunday, Sept. 14 2025 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s hard to process just how complicated it must be to be a two-way professional baseball player. There’s a reason, after all, while the list of those who have successfully pulled it off in the modern age consists of Shohei Ohtani and literally nobody else.
So, when you look at what Sheng-En Lin pulled off during the 2025 season in the Cincinnati Reds system, you’ve got to view it through the lens of a player who’s been trying to both pitch and hit since signing with the club at age 17.
The 2025 season for him also featured a series of notable twists. First, he stopped being a position player mid-year after being promoted to Class-A Daytona of the Florida State League after slumping to a .172/.348/.310 line in his third trip through Arizona Complex League play. But when he got to the Tortugas, he picked up pitching again in actual games for the first time since signing with the Reds as an international free agent, and immediately hit the ground running with a 3.06 ERA and 61/15 K/BB in 47.0 IP.
In one season he dropped being a hitter for the first time, returned to pitching in games after a two-year hiatus, and got promoted to A-ball mid-season, yet still found a way to thrive. And now that he’s going to focus solely on pitching, there’s sincere hope that he’ll both gain velocity back that he’d shown earlier in his career and continue to dazzle, as that’s what we’ve seen from him already in a very short stint.
Sheng-En Lin is the #19 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, earning that honor by the narrowest of margins in the latest round of voting.
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 13: Michael Saunders #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats during the ninth inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 13, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox won 4-3 in twelve innings. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To nobody’s surprise, Bryce Harper earned more votes than Dustin McGowan in their matchup of the “Last Man In” free agent tournament.
Stats with the Phillies: 118 games, 48-34 W-L, 2.94 ERA, 813 K, 124 BB, 20.7 bWAR
The Phillies traded for Cliff Lee at the 2009 trade deadline, and he helped them reach the World Series. And then, the Phillies traded him away for a really awful return. Lee was a free agent after 2010, and with Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt already in the Phillies’ rotation, most people didn’t think they were even a remote possibility for Lee.
However, Lee apparently loved it in Philadelphia and took a slightly lower offer with the “mystery team” to return. The result was the ultra-fun (at least until the playoffs) 2011 season of the Four Aces.
Cliff Lee signed with the #Phillies six years ago today. Giving Philadelphia one of the best rotations in history. pic.twitter.com/HnqiEVBZdK
The rest of Lee’s time with the Phillies was somewhat disappointing, but darned if 2011 wasn’t fun.
16. Michael Saunders, 2017
Stats with the Phillies: 61 games, .205/.257/.360, 6 HR, 20 RBIs, -0.9 bWAR
By 2017, the Phillies were starting to transition out of rebuild mode, and general manager Matt Klentak wanted to acquire some veteran “professional hitters” to supplement the young lineup. One of the guys he targeted was outfielder Michael Saunders who had made the All-Star Game with the Blue Jays the year before.
There were some warning signs with Saunders. 2016 was the first season in an eight-year career he hit over 20 home runs or had an OPS over .800. And though his first half of 2016 was All-Star caliber, he slumped badly in the second half.
That slumped continued into 2017. By mid-June, the Phillies decided if they were going to get poor hitting from a right fielder, it might as well be from a young hitter with some potential to improve. They released Saunders who went back to Toronto and continued to hit poorly.
Michael Saunders. Arguably the most forgettable Phillies position player of all time. https://t.co/yeFBwI58wy
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - MAY 28: Henry Baez #10 of the San Antonio Missions pitches during the game between the San Antonio Missions and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball)
*In an effort to make the nomination votingeasier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.
The next player to land on our annual CPL is right-hander Henry Baez. One of the return pieces for Mason Miller, Baez is a strong right-hander who has steadily climbed the minor league ladder and is now on the cusp of the majors. The A’s have lots of options ahead of him to open the season but he could be an option for the starting rotation later this summer if he continues to impress against high-quality batters.
Next nominee will be outfielder Junior Perez. The righty-swinging corner outfielder has lots of pop in his bat and displayed some speed this past season split between Double and Triple-A. Now 24 and just one stop away from the big leagues, Perez could very well be an option for the Athletics this coming season if he continues to show improvement in the batter’s box. The A’s clearly think highly of him after they protected him from being selected by other clubs in the Rule 5 Draft.
The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:
Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.
The voting continues! Who is the 14th-best prospect in the A’s system? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.
Taylor’s fastball jumped 3 mph this spring, as he worked at 92-95 mph and touched 98 while maintaining his velocity deep into games and throughout the season. His fastball lacks life but he commands it well and it’s difficult to hit when he locates it up in the zone. He does a fine job of killing spin on his low-80s changeup, which fades and sinks and grades as a solid pitch.
While neither Taylor’s mid-80s slider nor his low-80s curveball stand out with their spin or shape, they generate a high level of chases and empty swings. He overcomes his lack of size with a drop-and-drive delivery that produces a low release height, flat approach angle and plenty of extension, which combine to make his pitches more difficult for hitters to pick up. He’s 23 and pretty much a finished product, but he has a long history of throwing strikes and a high floor as at least a back-of-the-rotation starter.
At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.
Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.
Per Billy Owens, Athletics director of player personnel and assistant GM: “Perez is a live-bodied specimen with high-caliber tools. His range and athleticism stand out defensively. Offensively, he can be streaky, but he has displayed plus bat speed, patience and real power. Solid package. Development is not linear. Patience will be required to realize his significant potential.”
Though Hoglund may never get back the electric stuff he possessed earlier in his career, the A’s were encouraged to see his fastball velocity tick back up to the low-90s. He has also experimented with adding a two-seamer and cutter. His low-80s slider now features more sweeping action and works as his main secondary pitch. He has also improved his low-80s changeup, creating a solid three-pitch mix that is enhanced by a strong ability to consistently throw strikes.
Now three years removed from Tommy John, the A’s are hopeful that Hoglund can develop into a solid back-end rotation piece, especially if he can successfully develop a fourth pitch. The Florida native was regularly going deep into starts in his big league cameo (6.40 ERA with 23 strikeouts to 11 walks across 32 1/3 innings) before going down with the injury and is expected to make a full recovery before the 2026 season.
The A’s were working on some mechanical adjustments with Miller prior to his injury. His electric fastball ticked up to 96 mph in high school and displayed excellent movement down in the zone. The mid-80s slider is a hard breaker and was showing signs of improvement. His low-80s changeup showed some potential as an average third pitch.
There was real excitement within the organization for Miller’s professional debut. His three-pitch mix and large 6-foot-6 frame give off the potential of a workhorse-type starting pitcher in the big leagues. The A’s also loved the competitiveness they saw from him on the mound while scouting him. After an unfortunate delay, he finally got his first opportunity to make an impression this summer.
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Programming Note: Each CPL vote will run for around 48 hours, so don’t delay in making your vote!
Philadelphia Phillies' president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski chose an odd time to call out one of his star players last season. Following the team's postseason departure in October, Dombrowski suggested that first baseman Bryce Harper, a two-time National League MVP, was no longer an elite player.
With spring training getting underway soon, Harper was asked by reporters what he thought of Dombrowski's comments.
Bryce Harper on “not elite” shirt and Dave Dombrowski’s comments
Harper stayed mostly professional throughout his answer, but did express some discontent.
"For me it was kinda wild the whole situation of that happening," Harper said.
"I think the big thing for me was when we first met with this organization it was, 'Hey we’re always going to keep things in-house and we expect you to do the same thing.' So when that didn’t happen it kind of took me for a run a little bit."
Harper also claimed that the "Not Elite" shirt he wore in a December TikTok of him taking batting practice was not a statement against Dombrowski, merely a shirt that was made for him. Harper claimed, "If they're going to make [the shirts] for me, I'm going to wear them." However, the timing seems odd considering Dombrowski had spent the previous month claiming he and Harper had cleared the air.
Harper is entering his age-33 season.
Did Harper struggle in 2025?
By Harper's standards, absolutely.
In 2025, Harper posted his second-lowest batting average (.261), lowest on-base percentage (.357), and lowest slugging percentage (.487) of his Phillies' career.
That said, he still posted a 129 OPS+, which is a high-end figure by any metric. Furthermore, his strikeout rate dropped between 2024 (21.9%) and 2025 (20.9%) as well as his average exit velocity (91.3) and barrel percentage (12.3%).
When do the Phillies begin spring training?
The Phillies begin spring training on February 21 with a matchup against the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays. The game is scheduled for a 1:07 p.m. ET start time.
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 01: Nathan Lukes #38 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on from the dugout prior to Game Seven of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nathan Lukes is a left-handed-hitting, 31-year-old outfielder. He was a 16th round draft pick by Cleveland in 2015. The Jays added him to their 40-man roster in November 2022.
He had his first full season in the majors last year, playing in 135 games, hitting .255/.323/.407 with 12 home runs, and a 2.0 bWAR. He has an option year left, which, a week ago, I would have thought was a non-issue, but then the team traded for Jesús Sánchez. Now? Well, the team has Sánchez, Addison Barger and Daulton Varsho as left-handed hitting outfielders, who will likely get the bulk of the playing time against right-handed pitchers. Not to mention George Springer, who will get some outfield time. And then there is Myles Straw (a very good defensive replacement) and Davis Schneider, who will likely get time in the outfield against RHP. The Jays also have Eloy Jiménez and RJ Schreck who will get long looks this spring.
Normally, someone who had the season Luke’s had last year wouldn’t have to worry about how he performed in spring training; it wouldn’t hurt for him to have a great spring.
I guess there is a question in there of whether you’d rather have Lukes or Sánchez in the outfield, but the team doesn’t have that question. They didn’t trade for Sánchez to have him sit, but in roughly as many games as Lukes, Sánchez posted a 1.2 bWAR last year and has never had a 2.0 bWAR or better.
Anyway, Lukes can play all three outfield spot, though I’d rather he not get a lot of time in center. He had a +1 in outs above average across the three spots last year. I’ve long thought he was the perfect fourth outfielder type.
Why Sánchez over Lukes? Well, Sanchez has power. He hits the ball hard. Sánchez is in the 79th percentile for average exit speed, Lukes 19th percentile. Power is important, but Lukes is the better player in many other ways. Oh well, I guess I’m feeling sorry for Lukes, he’s worked so hard for so long to get his shot and it might be slipping away some.
Because of the way they work things, even though Luke’s is 31, he’s still not going to be making great money this year, likely not much more than MLB minimum. He won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2028 and won’t be a free agent until 2031 (assuming he continues to get major league time). I’ve often thought that there should be a different way of figuring out when players get to the arbitration and free agency, when players don’t make it to the majors until age 30.
Lukes is easy to like. He’s always been the underdog, never been the flashy prospect. He just played well enough at each level, forcing the team to keep moving him up (if slowly). If he had the one tool that teams could point to, big power, big speed, then he would have been in the majors years ago. I think we all like the underdog. Someone who gets there through consistency and hard work.
Steamer figures Lukes to play 60 games, hit .273/.336/.406 with 5 home runs and a 0.8 fWAR. I think that was before the trade for Sánchez
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies plays third base against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Coors Field on September 18, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Scottsdale, Ariz. – After the Rockies traded Ryan McMahon at the 2025 deadline, Kyle Karros became the heir apparent at third base.
The 23-year-old made his MLB debut on August 8 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and started hot, going 4-for-11 with two doubles, three RBI, two walks and two strikeouts. He hit his first home run at Coors Field against his dad, Eric’s, former team — the Los Angeles Dodgers — on August 19.
Karros started to dip towards the end, though, finishing the season with a .226/.308/.277 slash with four doubles, one homer, nine RBI, 15 walks and 41 strikeouts in 43 games. But, like many young Rockies, 2025 was a learning year for Karros.
“I think (my biggest lesson) was just to have more trust in myself,” he said at Rockies spring training camp.
“I think that was kind of what allowed me to perform so well in the minor leagues – I believed in what I was capable of, and I really stuck with it. It didn’t matter if I went 0-for-4 in a night, I’d come back the next day to the yard and be confident going up to the plate, and wouldn’t start changing stuff.”
But he found it hard to stay consistent after being promoted.
“I know in the big leagues, I got up there and honestly started off pretty well. But then you have a couple of 0-for’s throw together when you don’t have a lot of at-bats under your name, and then you’re looking up at the scoreboard, and you’re batting .220, and so I think that definitely affected me a little more in the big leagues than it did in the minor leagues just because there’s more at stake – more people watching and stuff.
“But I think I kind of got to the point near the end where I said, ‘To hell with the numbers. Whatever this experience has been, just go out there and play,’” he continued, “and I thought I finished pretty strong. So I think going into this season, I know what I have works. I’ve seen it work at every level, so just being more convicted with that and staying true to myself each and every day.”
Karros hit the gym in the offseason, and is now playing “the heaviest [he’s] ever been,” as he put it.
“That was another thing I learned last year being in Denver, playing [at] altitude every day. Obviously, the big-league schedule is a bit more rigorous than the minor leagues, so I definitely made it a priority to put on some weight and get strong showing up to camp. [I’m] still moving well. I feel great – I feel strong, I feel durable, and ready to take on 162.”
Warren Schaeffer said that “getting his body right” was a priority for Karros, as well.
“With Kyle, it was his first offseason after playing in the big leagues,” Schaeffer said, “so it was important for him to know that he needed to get his body right coming into spring training because [playing in the big leagues is] a grind on your body.
“The minor league season is tough, too,” he continued, “but the big leagues offer something a little different in terms of the mental stress that it can put on you if you choose to let it, which affects your body weight and affects everything. But you can’t feel it until you go through it.”
Heading into this year, there has obviously been a lot of turnover throughout the Rockies, both players and coaches (as has been chronicled many times). But Karros is excited to see what the new coaches bring.
“I’ve connected with everyone on board, and I think we have a great thing working here,” he said. “I think we’ve got some really good people in the right spots.”
Plus, he’s eager to work with some of the former Dodgers who’ve joined the organization.
“I think it’s pretty cool that we got a lot of people from the Dodgers,” he said.
“Obviously, they know how to do it over there, and they’ve been doing it for a couple of years. So we’ve got some people in some pretty important spots that came over from them, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about them, and now I’m experiencing those good things for myself. It’s been really pleasant to work with them throughout spring so far.”
One of the coaches that Karros has connected the most with is new hitting coach, Brett Pill, who came over from the Dodgers.
“We’ve been seeing eye-to-eye a ton,” Karros said. “I mean, I’m hitting the ball harder than I’ve ever hit it. Things are going well offensively so far, and I really like what we’re doing. We’ve been clicking on all fronts, so I’m really excited for this year.”
“He came in looking strong,” Schaeffer said. “He looks great with the glove. He’s working on his swing with Brett Pill a lot. He looks like he’s put in a lot of good work.”
In addition to the new coaches, the Rockies have signed a number of veteran players – both pitchers and position players. One of the veterans that Karros has gravitated towards is Nicky Lopez, who was signed as a free agent in December after spending 2025 in the Angels’, Cubs’, Diamondbacks’ and Yankees’ systems.
Notably, in 2024, Lopez played for the 41-121 Chicago White Sox.
“We’ve been taking a lot of ground balls together,” Karros said. “He obviously is one of the best defenders in the game, so I’ve been picking his brain. He was part of the White Sox when they had their tough year, so he’s seen what it’s like to be on a good team and what it’s like to be on a bad team. So he’s going to definitely offer some good insight on how to get us going in the right direction.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Karros has one main goal.
“Without a doubt, my biggest priority is to make this team my own and feel like this is my team going into the year,” he said. “I know that’s kind of what I experienced last year, joining the team so late in the year after they’d already kind of gone through a season with one another. When you join in near the end, it’s a little different.
“But when you’re able to go through spring training with a team and build those relationships and earn the trust of your teammates and your coaches, that helps a lot over the course of the season,” he continued.
“So I’m looking forward to just building relationships with the guys and with the coaches.”
PEORIA, AZ — San Diego Padres All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, having watched the bitter rival Los Angeles Dodgers dominate the NL West – and enter the season with a payroll exceeding $400 million – not only declined to criticize the Dodgers’ expenditures, but praised the organization.
“I (expletive) love it," Machado said Sunday morning. “I think every team should be doing it. They’re figured out a way to do it, and the (stuff) is (expletive) great for the game honestly. I think every team has the ability to do it. So, I hope all 30 teams could learn from it."
The Dodgers will enter the season with a payroll nearly twice as much as the Padres’ payroll of about $220 million, but Machado believes that a salary cap will hurt the game.
“I think our game is very good at what we’re doing," Machado said. “There’s a lot of money being made. Look at what’s going on with the game. The last five years, it’s been great.
“So, I think a lot of teams have the ability to do what the Dodgers are doing. We started it a few years ago with [late owner] Peter [Seidler], so everyone could do it. It’s just a matter if they want to or not."
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 20: Cionel Pérez #58 of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 20, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals finally made a free agent signing to their bullpen, bringing in Cionel Perez on a minor league deal. This is different from the other minor league deals they have signed, as Perez has a good chance of making the team. Before a disastrous 2025, Perez was a mainstay in the Orioles bullpen.
Sources: The Washington Nationals are in agreement to sign left-hander pitcher Cionel Pérez to a Minor League contract, including an invitation to MLB Spring Training.
Perez, 29, has a strong chance of making the Opening Day roster.
If Perez makes the team, he will make $1.9 million plus another $700,000 in potential incentives. As long as he does not look terrible this spring, Perez should make the team. From 2022-2024, Perez made at least 60 appearances in the O’s bullpen. He posted a combined 3.12 ERA in those three seasons.
So what made Perez such an effective reliever over those seasons and why did he fall off a cliff in 2025? Well, Perez is elite at generating ground balls with his heavy sinker. For his career, Perez has posted a 55.5% GB rate. Even in his horrible 2025 season, he still was great at keeping the ball on the ground, with a 58.2% GB rate.
However, Perez is not a big strikeout guy and has had control issues throughout his career. That makes him reliant on his defense and batted ball luck. Last season, he was a victim of terrible batted ball luck, with a .379 BABIP. This bad luck, combined with a 16.4% walk rate was why Perez posted an 8.31 ERA in 19 outings.
Despite some of these awful numbers, statcast was still bullish on him. Last season, his xERA was a respectable 3.93 despite his awful surface level numbers. His actual batting average against was .322 but his xBA was .213. I am not sure I have ever seen a gap that wide.
These discrepancies make him an interesting bounce back candidate for the Nats. If Perez can get his walk rate closer to 10% and he has better batted ball luck, Cionel Perez can be a solid piece in the bullpen. In a bullpen from January, he was already sitting 95-96, which is nice to see this early in the offseason.
Several teams have shown interest in left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez.
The former Oriole is training in Tampa as he does every offseason, and he looks noticeably sharp, sitting at 95–96 mph with his fastball. pic.twitter.com/Romiuuf5UK
His velocity has gone from 97 in 2022 to 95.6 last year, so hopefully he can recapture some of that old velo. There are a lot of if’s here, but Perez has the ceiling of a dependable middle reliever. On this team, that probably means looks at the back end of the bullpen.
Honestly, Perez does a lot of the same stuff that the traded Jose A. Ferrer did. Both are left handers who throw very hard but are ground ball oriented pitchers rather than strikeout guys. The biggest difference though is that Ferrer has much better control.
Another thing I am interested about here is if they will make any tweaks with Perez. Last season, he threw a sinker, a new slider, a slurve and a 4-seam. Despite being added before the worst year of his career, Perez’s new slider was actually very effective. It was a nice complement to his slurve, which had been his primary secondary pitch for years.
Going back to Ferrer, he featured a really nice changeup. I wonder if the Nats will want to give Perez a changeup. Perez has been much more effective against lefties in his career. Lefties have hit just .211 against Perez, while righties have hit .270. A changeup could be a good weapon for him to have against right handed hitters.
Some pitchers just never have great feel for changeups, so that could be hard. However, the invention of the kick changeup has been helpful for those pitchers. The kick change does not require pronation like other changeups. It is the grip that is doing the work. Maybe that could be something Perez could learn.
Overall, this is a low risk, medium reward move. If Perez can’t hit the broadside of a barn in Spring Training, he just won’t make the team. However, if he looks like the guy he was before last season, he will be a reliable piece in the Nats bullpen.
Still only 29, Perez combines experience with at least some youth. He also could be a trade candidate if he performs well in the first half. This is an interesting flier that could work.
Munetaka Murakami has big shoes to fill (yes, these are his). | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Leave it to the White Sox to sully the start of Spring Training for the man who may be their best acquisition in a long time. The news should all be about Munetaka Murakami (no matter how the locker room crew spelled his name), and instead it’s about Chris Getz proving his incompetence once again.
Getz has apparently finally figured out that another newcomer, Luisangel Acuña, isn’t actually a switch-hitter, as Getz had called him. And called him again. And again. And again. And again, so many times it’s very, very hard not to believe that Getz actually thought he’d traded Luis Robert Jr., for a player who didn’t just hit right-handed (and who, incidentally, has fairly big platoon splits, .592 OPS vs. righties, .732 vs. lefties).
Now Getz being a fool isn’t exactly man bites dog, but what’s more worrisome is that if he thought Acuña was a switch-hitter, did he also think he was an outfielder? That seems to be where the Sox plan to play the young speedster, despite the fact that both the Rangers and Mets had found that he’s a very fine middle infielder but can’t hack it in center. Guess we’ll have to wait to find out.
But let’s move on to the man who should be getting the attention, and whose performance could mean the difference between White Sox losses in the high-90s or worse (as most predicting algorithms believe will be the case) or the low-90s (as PECOTA anticipates).
Murakami the Good? Reports are that the reason contending teams didn’t cough up the nine-figure offers prognosticators expected for the Japanese slugger is pretty straightforward. While Murakami boasts immense power, he strikes out way too much, has way too much swing-and-miss, and — and this is the important part, because lots of power hitters whiff a bunch — he struggles against pitches faster than 92 mph. That wasn’t a huge deal in Japan, where most pitches don’t throw that fast, but would render him impotent in an MLB where almost everybody could just blow balls by him.
Thing is, that 92 mph-plus problem depends on why it exists. It could very well be that Murakami just hasn’t faced enough mid-90s or higher heat to get used to it and adjust, in which case live pitching, lots of hours on the Trajekt machine and maybe a tiny swing adjustment could have him ready to take on major league velocity by the start of the regular season, or shortly thereafter.
Also on the good side is that Murakami’s not apt to become depressed, playing a for a team that usually loses. His Japanese team, the Yakult Swallows, has been perennially as bad as the Sox. It’s even possible he thought playing for the White Sox instead of a good team for a couple of years will give him a chance to adjust to a new country, language and level of play without the pressure to be a star immediately, as would be the case if he’d signed for a contender.
If this is the case, we should enjoy watching Murakami swat baseballs out of The Rate at a happy rate.
Murakami the Bad? Alternatively, the reason Murakami has struggled against pitches faster than 92 mph could be that his reflexes are only so good. Maybe his brain/body/swing combo is just a millisecond or two slower than it needs to be in the big leagues, as happens to many power hitters as they slide downhill (or fall off a cliff, like José Abreu sadly did) in their mid-30s. That’s certainly possible, given that roughly 99.999999999999999% of humanity doesn’t have reaction time anywhere close to his.
If that turns out to be the case, it could be a very long season for Mune and the Sox, especially given how terrible his fielding is expected to be.
Murakami the Maybe? Then there’s a middle ground, where the slugger can catch faster pitches down by his knees (as is often the case for lefties) but can’t cope with high heat, or even high almost-heat. That would mean relying on pitchers to make mistakes, but a whole lot of power hitters have had long and successful careers only being able to hit mistakes, especially early on (Kyle Schwarber, anyone?)
The upper side of this seems to be where the algorithms used for projections think Murakami will land. Steamer and ZiPS are pretty close in what they see for him, and FanGraphs Depth Charts is close to both of them, with him hitting a very respectable .232/.342/.449, for a wRC+ of 120, with 30 homers and 80 RBIs. However, that only adds up to a 2.2 WAR (just barely better than the level considered major-league starter), with his WAR brought way down because of abysmal defense.
(It will be interesting to see what the Sox, who like to pretend to care about defense, will do if Murakami’s D is as bad as advertised and he’s best moved among the other DH contenders who also can’t field a lick, like Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa, plus one of the catchers. If you don’t become a good defender in Japan, where D is high art, it’s unlikely to occur here.)
But it’s spring! Well, baseball spring, anyway. So let’s go with Murakami the Good.
And, what the heck, let’s even pretend Acuña’s a switch-hitter. And good outfielder.
LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA NOVEMBER 3, 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers superstars Shohei Ohtani, left, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto acknowledge fans lining the streets of downtown Los Angeles for the Dodgers World Championship Parade and Celebration. The Dodgers are the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the Yankees did it in 1998. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers are in rarefied air in their long franchise history going into 2026, having won consecutive championships for the first time. What’s next on the checklist is trying to become the fifth MLB team to win at least three World Series in a row.
MLB teams winning 3+ championships in a row
New York Yankees 1949-53 (5)
New York Yankees 1936-39 (4)
Oakland A’s 1972-74
New York Yankees 1998-2000
The Yankees understandably dominate this list, with several extended periods of dominance in their storied history. These represent different eras as well. The two longest title streaks came in a league of 16 teams and no divisional play. The A’s in the 1970s were in a 24-team MLB and had to go through a best-of-5 League Championship Series. The Yankees from 1998-2000 are the only team of this group to be in our modern era, with 30 MLB teams and two extra rounds of playoffs before the World Series.
The Yankees are the only MLB team to win three titles in a row after Pat Riley trademarked the term “Three-peat” in 1989. Riley was ahead of his time, even though his Lakers team that year ran into a Pistons-sized roadblock in the NBA Finals, getting swept after an 11-0 start to their postseason. Multiple trademarks for “Three-peat” are still active under Riles & Company, Inc., which means any such marketing (shirts, hats, etc.) have to go through Riley for approval and/or compensation for use.
The Dodgers in 2026 are just the third team coming off consecutive championships and going for a third straight title in the wild card era, along with those Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1994. In all there have been 21 teams prior to the Dodgers to win the previous two World Series.
Year
Team
W
L
Pct
Finish
1909
Cubs
104
49
.680
2nd (behind 110-win Pirates)
1912
Philadelphia A’s
90
62
.592
3rd (behind 105-win Red Sox)
1917
Red Sox
90
62
.592
2nd (behind 100-win White Sox)
1923
NY Giants
95
58
.621
lost World Series (4-2) to NYY
1929
Yankees
88
66
.571
2nd (behind 104-win A’s)
1931
Philadelphia A’s
107
45
.704
lost World Series (4-3) to StL
1938
Yankees
99
53
.651
won World Series (4-0) over Cubs
1939
Yankees
106
45
.702
won World Series (4-0) over Reds
1940
Yankees
88
66
.571
3rd
1951
Yankees
98
56
.636
won World Series (4-2) over NYG
1952
Yankees
95
59
.617
won World Series (4-3) over Dodgers
1953
Yankees
99
52
.656
won World Series (4-2) over Dodgers
1954
Yankees
103
51
.669
2nd (behind 111-win Cle)
1963
Yankees
104
57
.646
lost World Series (4-0) to LA
1974
Oakland A’s
90
72
.556
won World Series (4-1) over LA
1975
Oakland A’s
98
64
.605
lost ALCS (3-0) at Bos
1977
Reds
88
74
.543
2nd (behind 98-win LA)
1979
Yankees
89
71
.556
4th
1994
Blue Jays
55
60
.478
3rd
2000
Yankees
87
74
.540
won World Series (4-1) over NYM
2001
Yankees
95
65
.594
lost World Series (4-3) to AZ
Eleven teams, just over half of the 21, reached the World Series after winning the previous two, with seven championships. In the divisional era, four of seven teams reached the World Series, with two wins.
This is the sixth time the Dodgers have won two pennants in a row — 1952-53 and 1955-56 in Brooklyn, plus 1965-66, 1977-78, 2017-18, and 2024-25 in Los Angeles. They have yet to win three pennants in a row, and this is their only time winning consecutive championships.
The only one of the previous 21 back-to-back champs to finish under .500 in Year 3 were the 1994 Blue Jays, who were 55-60 when a strike ended that season in August.
It stands to reason that a team winning two championships in a row will still be good the next year. These 22 teams have an average .609 winning percentage, roughly 99 wins over 162 games.
The first thing I thought of — and maybe you did, too — on seeing the name “HESTER” was Devin Hester, the Hall of Fame Bears kick returner/defensive back.
Obviously, this isn’t Devin Hester.
I had no recollection of this Diamondbacks player when BCB reader Clark Addison sent me the photo, so off I went to baseball-reference.com to look him up.
John Hester played for the D-backs in 2009 and 2010, then for the Angels in 2012 and 2013. A catcher, he played a total of 93 MLB games.
Exactly two of those were at Wrigley Field.
Here, we see him sliding into second base, with a relay going to first on a double-play attempt.
One of the games Hester played in Wrigley was in early May, so the ivy couldn’t have been as thick as we see it here.
This play happened Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 in the top of the sixth. The D-backs were leading 7-0. Hester drew a walk after Eric Byrnes had led off the inning with a home run.
Billy Buckner hit into a double play, and that’s what we are looking at here. Billy Buckner? No, not the Bill Buckner who played for the Cubs. This Billy Buckner pitched for the Royals, Diamondbacks, Angels and Padres from 2007-14. Pitchers, of course, still batted back then. In 30 MLB plate appearances, this was the only GIDP of Buckner’s career.
The Cubs second baseman is Jeff Baker, who played for the team from 2009-12.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any video of this game that’s survived, so all I can show you is this play, another little slice of Cubs history.
A 5.25 inch floppy disk is seen An Apple logo is seen in Warsaw, Poland during the Retroapple 0.2 meetup on January 28, 2018. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Yesterday, I looked a few things that were off interest to me where the PECOTA projections were concerned. For the most part, I would agree with what was said in this article that talked about the release of PECOTA and how it is pretty accurate these days.
The only downside, of course, is that PECOTA Week comes with few surprises, anymore. If you’re a fan engaged enough with the game to care about projections, you’ve probably got a rough but accurate idea of what PECOTA is going to say about most guys (and, thus, most teams) before you click through to the standings page or the spreadsheet. The model is always being honed and improved upon, but we’re two decades into this ritual now. Many of you have started to feel and roll with the projections, and even to anticipate them.
So, when it comes to the team’s pitching staff, we should more or less guess what it is going to say. The pitching staff has been pretty good the past few seasons, so the projections are likely going to be kind.
Still, there were some interesting observations.
Cristopher Sanchez: still an Ace
There was maybe a tinge of hesitancy when talking about Sanchez last year and letting him ascend into the conversation of “Top 5 starters in the game” because of his background. He struggled to get his footing as a starter for a long time before finally having it start to click in 2023. His season in 2024 was very good, but again, without the background of being a top prospect, there was at least to be some doubt he could keep it up.
Not only did he keep it up, he was the runner-up in the NL Cy Young voting last season, comfortably entered that conversation about being one of the five best pitchers in the game and if PECOTA has anything to say about it, will remain there. By WARP, PECOTA has Sanchez being the fifth best starter behind Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Garrett Crochet and Bryan Woo. By DRA- (Deserved Run Average, scaled where numbers below 100 are good), Sanchez projects to be again fifth, behind the same pitchers plus Chris Sale and Cole Ragans.
If there was any doubt that Sanchez is one of the best pitchers in the game today, there should be none. His transformation is truly one of the best developmental stories in this organization in a long, long time.
We really should just devote a day to Sanchez.
Zack Wheeler’s top comps are really fun
One of the things PECOTA likes to do is draw on historical comparables to show you what each pitcher should remind you. Obviously, when you’re being compared to the greats, you’re one of the great pitchers and vice versa with being compared to the historical road apples. Wheeler’s comparables are pretty fun: Bob Gibson, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Now, this isn’t prime Bob Gibson we’re talking about. It’s 36 year old Bob Gibson. And 36 year old Bob Gibson was no slouch. Neither were Scherzer nor Verlander. In fact, these were their lines during their age 36 season:
These are all time great seasons for any pitcher, let alone ones that are already getting mail from AARP. To see that PECOTA puts Wheeler in that company is a reminder that his skillset should age well as the years continue to pile on.
However – and it’s a pretty large “however” – none of those pitchers were coming off the injury that Wheeler is coming off of. We simply have no idea, nor does PECOTA have any idea, of well Wheeler will perform once he finally steps back on a major league mound. We can make assumptions, but without a ton of players to compare him to, we just have no way of being able to know for sure how he’ll be. If PECOTA is any indicator, he’ll be just fine, but the injury is the unknown this season and the #1 storyline that will weave itself through the 2026 season.
The bullpen finally has some strikeout potential
One of the issues the Phillies have felt they have had with their bullpen is that there wasn’t much swing and miss stuff outside of one or two relievers. It seemed to be a point of emphasis in their offseason dealings this year, to make sure that they get pitchers who don’t need to depend on the defense to get out and do so, particularly, from the right side.
Now with an overhauled bullpen, PECOTA thinks they have a group that will be able to strike out hitters with some regularity. These are the projected K/9 numbers for the top seven arms that should be in the bullpen:
J. Duran: 10.39 K/9 O. Kerkering: 9.45 K/9 B. Keller: 8.40 K/9 J. Alvarado: 9.24 K/9 T. Banks: 7.64 K/9 Z. McCambley: 10.33 K/9 J. Bowlan: 9.08 K/9
The Keller number is probably a bit skewed by his just being a full time reliever for one season and most his past K/9 numbers were below seven. His 2025 season was closer to 10, so there is some built in skepticism.
And Tanner Banks isn’t really known for striking people out anyway, so that projection doesn’t really bother me.
What is fun is that they have a bunch of arms that can now get strikeouts late in games. We’ll see if a lot of this comes true, but if PECOTA is right about this, they are a lot deeper than last year.
The high school boys/girls basketball seasons are still ongoing, but one of America’s favorite past times is now beginning to take center stage. One that stands out during the spring months is high school baseball, with there being many great teams all around the national scene ready to hit the diamond to break out the cleats, gloves and bats. Now it’s time to roll out the first Rivals High School Baseball Top 25 rankings of 2026.
Topping the rankings to start off the 2026 preseason for high school softball season are Florida’s Majory Stoneman Douglas, which went 31-2 and won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship a year ago. The Eagles return a bevy of starters from last year’s crew as they’re off to a 3-0 start and top the first set of rankings. Which other teams join Majory Stoneman Douglas in our first-ever Rivals High School Top 25 baseball rankings?
We dive into the best high school baseball programs around the nation and give you our take on which teams stay in the conversation.
Hard to argue with this choice at the very top because of the overall consistency the Eagles play at year in and year out. Majory Stoneman Douglas ended the 2025 Florida high school baseball season by winning the Class 7A state championship and boasting a 31-2 record. That’s by no coincidence they’re considered one of the best in the nation and much has to do with them being at the top because of some of the returning talent. The Eagles will feature senior left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas, who is committed to the University of Miami. Rojas is a projected first round draft pick in this summer’s MLB Draft and will be one of the country’s best on the mound after going 13-0 with a 0.73 ERA last spring.
Unlike down in the Sunshine State, the state of California has yet to see its high school baseball season’s first pitch, but that’s right around the corner and topping all of the schools out west is the St. John Bosco Braves. The Braves’ roster is stacked with returning talent from the 30-4 team from 2025, including on the pitcher’s mound. Returning with the most experience of all the hurlers is senior Gavin Cervantes, who went 8-0 with 44 strikeouts in 2025. Another up and coming arm to watch for is sophomore Brayden Krakowski, who went 5-0 with 31 strikeouts last spring.
Already off to a 2-0 start to the Florida high school baseball season, the Jesuit Tigers look to be the favorites to win it all in the FHSAA’s Class 4A classification. With victories already over Wesley Chapel (9-1 win) and Berkeley Prep (5-0 win), the Tigers have already shown why they’re one of the country’s best programs once again. Leading the way for Jesuit this spring is the bat of infielder/outfielder Christian Sheffield (Florida A&M commitment), the son of former MLB star Gary Sheffield. The younger Sheffield has impressed thus far, batting .500 and driving in three runs off of two hits.
Always lurking around the Top 5 and starting inside of it for Rivals’ first-ever Top 25 high school baseball rankings are the IMG Academy Ascenders, which are off to a sizzling 2-0 start. The Ascenders, the third Florida team among the top five, start off fairly high for us due part to the victories they have already notched on their schedule, with wins over No. 6 ranked Etowah (Ga.) and Lowndes (Ga.). IMG Academy is always going to be well stocked with baseball talent that’s preparing to head off to the next level and this spring is no different, no by the talents of Maple Mountain (UT) transfer Cry Chrisman, who hit 19 home runs in 2025.
Rounding out the Top 5 of the Rivals High School Baseball Rankings are the Orange Lutheran Lancers, which could make a strong argument in being higher on this list of teams. The Lancers went 23-7 last season, but with the talent the team possesses at the plate, it’s hard to not have this group in the conversation of the nation’s best. Player to watch for the Lancers on the mound is senior pitcher Gary Morse, who is already committed to the University of Tennessee. Morse led the Orange Lutheran pitching staff in 2025 with a 8-2 record and a 0.94 ERA.
For national high school baseball fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the high school sports scene action. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the sports excitement across the country.
Major League Baseball honors three players with league-wide commemorative days. Larry Doby isn’t one of them. I wanted to know why — despite integrating the American League — MLB refuses to honor Larry Doby with his own day. So I reached out to the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball to find out why.
The Guardians coordinated with MLB and provided an official response:
Major League Baseball has league-wide days for three individual players – Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, and Lou Gehrig. While there are a lot of players who have made an enormous impact on the game both on and off the field, MLB has saved the significant distinction of a league-wide tribute to these three select players. They were selected because:
Jackie was the first player in all of baseball to break the color barrier
Gehrig for his courageous fight against ALS which is still a degenerative disease that MLB and its clubs raise money and awareness for
Clemente, who meant an enormous amount to the community of Latino players and fans. Clemente lost his life in tragic fashion as he was bringing supplies to earthquake victims and as a result, MLB honors him each year with a special day and an award recognizing the social responsibility efforts of its players.
The league response highlighted the ways in which they do honor Doby:
After his retirement, MLB hired Doby where he worked in several capacities… for 13 years (1990-2003), making significant contributions to the office… Major League Baseball has [also] honored Larry Doby by creating the Larry Doby Award which is presented to the MVP of the Futures Game.
The response also pointed out that he is already a highly celebrated legend here in Cleveland:
The Guardians have honored Larry Doby regularly including a statue at Progressive Field, retired number #14, and establishing “Doby Day” playing home annually to honor his debut day July 5, including promotional item giveaways to fans.
From the official response, one thing is abundantly clear: while Cleveland honors Larry Doby, the league he integrated does not. MLB says honoring three players league-wide is enough. Let’s explore Larry Doby’s impact on baseball, and see if he makes a case for a fourth.
Larry Doby integrated the American League in 1947, just eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. But those eleven weeks made all the difference in how they were prepared for what was coming.
Jackie Robinson had Branch Rickey — the Dodgers executive who spent years planning integration, who counseled Robinson on what to expect, and built an institutional support system around him. Robinson spent the 1946 season in the minor leagues, learning to handle the pressure and hostility before ever stepping onto a major league field. Larry Doby had none of that. No mentorship. No institutional plan. No preparation period. He was playing in the Negro Leagues one day and in the major leagues the next.
As Doby said:
“Jackie had it better in one way. When he went to spring training in 1946, he had a whole year to get adjusted. I came up in the middle of the season. I was 23 years old, and I had to perform immediately.”
“Nobody showed me the ropes. There was nobody to talk to, nobody to explain what to expect. I was completely alone.”
And when he met his new teammates, it wasn’t with open arms. While Jackie Robinson eventually found allies in the Dodgers clubhouse — teammates like Pee Wee Reese who famously put his arm around Robinson at Crosley Field, publicly showing solidarity — Larry Doby walked into a Cleveland clubhouse that wanted nothing to do with him:
“Some of the players turned their backs on me, wouldn’t shake my hand. It was a very lonely feeling. Even when you’re on the field, you’re alone.”
“There were some players who wouldn’t room with me, who wouldn’t sit next to me on the bus or in the dugout. I had to overcome that, and it was difficult.”
He received racist treatment as the Indians traveled across the country as well. While his white teammates checked into team hotels, ate at team restaurants, and traveled together, Doby was barred from joining them. Hotels refused him rooms. Restaurants turned him away. In city after city, he had to navigate unfamiliar streets searching for Black neighborhoods where he’d be allowed to sleep and eat. After night games, exhausted from playing, he’d have to find his own lodging — sometimes miles from the ballpark — while his teammates rested comfortably at the team hotel.
“I couldn’t eat with my teammates. I couldn’t stay in the same hotels. I’d have to go find a black family to stay with, or stay in a completely different hotel across town. And then the next day, I was expected to play like nothing was wrong.”
The racist treatment continued for years, but of course, despite every obstacle thrown in his way, Doby would go on to have a Hall of Fame career. In 1948, he hit .301 and helped lead Cleveland to the World Series, where he hit .318 and became the first Black player to hit a home run in a World Series game. His performance helped propel Cleveland to their last championship. From 1949 to 1955, he was named an All-Star seven consecutive times, leading the American League in home runs in 1952 and 1954, and in RBIs in 1954. Over his thirteen-year career, Doby compiled a .283 batting average with 253 home runs, 970 RBIs, and 1,533 hits before being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. His impact extended beyond his playing days as he became the second Black manager in major league history when he took over the Chicago White Sox in 1978, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2023, and was honored by Cleveland with a retired number 14 and a statue at Progressive Field.
And despite always being “the second African American” to play baseball, Larry Doby never let it make him bitter:
“For a while, every time they mentioned me, it was ‘Larry Doby, the second black player.’ I never worried about being second. I just wanted to be treated as a ballplayer, as a human being.”
Larry Doby just wanted to be treated as a ballplayer, as a human being. Major League Baseball should start by treating him like the legend he is. His humility, Hall of Fame career, and groundbreaking legacy demand a league-wide day celebrating his contributions to baseball. Instead, MLB honors him with a minor league award — for a man who never played in the minors. The only thing more absurd than that is claiming there’s logic to their three-player policy. Why three? Is it for three strikes? Three outs? Well there are four balls to a walk, so give Larry Doby his base.
July 5th should be Larry Doby Day league-wide. Every team, every stadium, every player wearing number 14. Because the league he integrated owes him more than a Futures Game trophy.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Germán Márquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tom Wilson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In Mariners news…
All eyes are on Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson so far this spring and he’s done nothing but impress.
More on Kade Anderson, according to Shannon Drayer no one in the Mariners organization is willing to rule out the possibility of him pitching for the big club in 2026.
