The Pittsburgh Pirates have the best prospect of baseball, and his name is Konnor Griffin.
Griffin, 19, was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and he made the most of his opportunity in his rookie season in the minor leagues. Griffin made it all the way to Double-A Altoona and played well at every level, giving him a shot to make the Opening Day roster with a good Spring Training showcase. MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo gives Griffin 50/50 odds to make the team for Opening Day.
“He’s 19. He played one year of pro ball and just barely played above A-ball. However, he had one of the best seasons in Minor League Baseball ever, especially for a teenager. A 20/60 season, making it to Double-A. He’s going to get a very long look. There’s not a shortstop that’s better or blocking him. I would love for the Pirates to break camp with him, but I’m not convinced they will. I will say that he’s in competition,” Mayo wrote.
The Pirates gain more years of team control if they keep Griffin in the minor leagues, but if he is one of the best players in the organization and he’s ready for the show, he should get the call-up. However, the Pirates may not want to skip a step or two.
“You look at this history of how they treated Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler the last two years. I know they may be a little more in contention this year. I don’t think they’re inclined to break camp with him, but he’s so talented that I can’t rule it out,” MLB.com contributor Jim Callis wrote.
Griffin’s talent speaks for itself. He is a prodigy that could emerge into one of the best players in baseball someday. The Pirates just have to make sure they hit the right buttons, one of which could mean a call-up to start the season.
BD community, would you want to see Griffin on the Opening Day roster? Chime off in the comments section below.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Aaron Judge #99 and George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees smile during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training is an enigma of a time, statistically speaking. Up and coming prospects are competing with journeymen and aging vets to beat out roster cuts, while the core players are mostly getting their timing set and aiming to stay healthy for Opening Day. Pitchers likewise aren’t showcasing their full arsenal, or are intentionally playing with pitches they worked on in the offseason as well as utilizing different ratios of their pitches. There’s a lot of room for crazy things to occur.
You can reasonably pencil guys like Aaron Judge on top of the list of the Yankees’ WAR leaderboards for the entire season, but predicting who will be top dog during the month before the stats actually count? That’s a much tougher task, but we can try and reason out some candidates. Perhaps you look towards a young player that’s expected to get some runtime before going down to the minors like Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones. Maybe you think a pitcher like Ryan Weathers is going to turn heads as soon as he gets a couple sessions with Matt Blake. Could a non-roster invitee like Marco Luciano is going to turn back the clock for a month and look like the top prospect he once was? Nothing’s off the table when spring rolls around.
Personally, I think this is George Lombard Jr.’s camp to make a statement. The team’s top prospect is still viewed as being at least a year off from the majors, but he had a dazzling start in High-A last year getting him a promotion after just 24 games. Double-A proved to be more of a challenge, but he got a 108-game sample of the level, and could make a great impression of what he learned by showing off in the Grapefruit League.
Today on the site, Nolan leads off with a look at the crossroads that the Yankees and Spencer Jones find themselves stuck at. Michael wishes a happy birthday to the oft-memed native of Toms River himself, Todd Frazier, and then Sam has a double-feature on relievers first previewing Fernando Cruz’s upcoming second season in pinstripes before covering the past with Zack Britton’s tenure on the team.
Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick watched his team sweep the Dodgers in the 2023 NLDS on its way to the World Series. (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
In 2012, an attorney for Major League Baseball told a bankruptcy court judge that the league might soon find itself divided into “the Dodgers and the other 29 teams.”
That time might be now, at least according to fans outside Los Angeles. The Dodgers are the first back-to-back World Series champions in 25 years, they are guaranteed hundreds of millions of dollars in local television revenue every year at a time some teams are guaranteed nothing, and they are the only team with a roster headlined by a pitcher/designated hitter/tourist attraction/marketing icon/cash machine.
For Dodgers fans, nothing could be better than a team that makes lots of money, spends lots of money, and wins unapologetically.
This time last year, Commissioner Rob Manfred talked about how his email reflected concern from fans across America about how their teams could not compete.
As major league owners meet here this week to consider a probable push for a salary cap, I asked one of those owners — one with a team that competes against the Dodgers in the National League West — what he hears from fans on that score.
“I think all of us recognize that fans are not happy when they see their team not being able to be as competitive as they would like,” Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said. “That is a widely known situation.”
It is widely known in, say, Kansas City and Miami and Pittsburgh. It is more urgent in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks last won a division championship in 2011, the year before Mark Walter and Guggenheim Baseball bought the Dodgers.
To Arizona fans, the enemy is not the system, even if Kendrick says the Dodgers have mastered the system rather than skirted it. To Arizona fans, the enemy is the Dodgers.
“They are the 900-pound gorilla,” Kendrick said. “I think it’s obviously widely seen that way by everybody who has any interest in our sport. They are seen as that.
“I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way at all. They are playing by the rules.”
If competitive balance is the concern, the Diamondbacks could try to get away from the Dodgers and get out of the NL West. Kendrick did not think much of that idea.
“You have to beat everybody to win it all,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. There is a legitimate opportunity. The last time I looked seriously at it, I think my club beat them to go to the World Series.
In 2023, the Dodgers won the NL West by 16 games. In the postseason, the Diamondbacks eliminated the Dodgers in a three-game sweep.
“We’re in a competitive business,” Kendrick said. “I’m OK with competition. It’s all the better when you beat somebody who is more highly rated than you are.”
The Diamondbacks qualified for the playoffs that year with 84 victories, taking advantage of an expanded playoff system intended to enhance competitive balance. They did not need to spend at Dodgers levels, and they did not need to win the division. They got hot in October, and they got to the World Series.
So is Kendrick saying the Diamondbacks can compete against the Dodgers, or they cannot?
“We have competed against them,” he said. “I think, on a regular-season basis — and I’m trying to be honest about the competitive atmosphere — they are a more competitive team than we are.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t end up playing for the championship, because we just did it.”
Here is something the Dodgers just did: They signed outfielder Kyle Tucker for $60 million per year, for four years, to support Ohtani and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in their lineup.
The Diamondbacks try, which is not true of all teams. They signed ace Corbin Burnes last winter for $35 million per year, for six years. He made 11 starts and then underwent Tommy John surgery.
To say other owners should spend more, yes. To say other owners can sign Tucker for that kind of money to accent their starting lineup, well, no.
“I think they made a solid business decision, based on the rules that we have,” Kendrick said. “They have deferred a ton of that money down the road, so the economics are not as they might appear in the moment. It’s a very, very significant investment. He’s obviously earned his money.”
He is going to help the Diamondbacks earn money, too.
Of the Diamondbacks’ seven largest crowds last season, five came against the Dodgers. The average crowd in Arizona for games involving the Dodgers: 43,441; for games against every other team: 27,865.
“It is L.A. It’s fairly close,” Kendrick said. “We get a lot of L.A. people coming to our ballpark.”
The Dodgers led MLB in road attendance last season. People come out to see Ohtani and the Traveling All-Stars.
“Of course,” Kendrick conceded. “When you’re a sports fan, you want to see the very best players.
“And they have many of them.”
Kendrick and his fellow owners are here to discuss some way — a salary cap or otherwise — to stop the Dodgers from having so many of the very best players.
TAICHUNG, TAIWAN - MARCH 12: Xander Bogaerts #2 of Team Netherlands reacts after throwing at the bottom of the 6th inning during the World Baseball Classic Pool A game between Netherlands and Italy at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on March 12, 2023 in Taichung, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The World Baseball Classic is an opportunity for MLB players to represent their country on the baseball field. The tournament takes place every three to four years and games are played during Spring Training when MLB teams are typically trying to get their players prepared for the 162-game season. There has been some debate about whether the WBC games should be played in lieu of that season’s All-Star game to provide the athletes who are taking part more time to ramp up and prepare for the rigors of a global competition.
The WBC players often talk about how being selected to play for their country is an honor and for the fans of the players it is fun to see them competing on their respective teams. However, at the end of the tournament, the players all return to their MLB clubs and the missed opportunities to work with teammates and coaches can prove to be problematic. At least that seemed to be the case for the San Diego Padres in years past.
The last WBC was held in 2023 and that was supposed to be the year the Padres were going to coast into the playoffs, blow through the postseason and claim the first World Series Championship in franchise history for San Diego. That proved not to be the case, in fact the Padres struggled to win just 83 games and missed the playoffs completely. The team never seemed to come together under then manager Bob Melvin despite having Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto on the roster and in the same lineup.
The concern about Padres players competing in the WBC is not just about how they will mesh with their teammates and makeup for lost time building camaraderie, there are also the overwhelming health concerns. Playing baseball is going to come with a risk of injury but when you have this kind of competition and players pushing themselves to perform at a high level earlier than they normally do, it increases the injury potential. The New York Mets lost their closer, Edwin Diaz, for the 2023 season when he was injured celebrating a win during a WBC contest. He was not doing anything that was inherently hazardous to his health, but he was injured all the same.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the WBC and I will watch the games because its real baseball being played by some of the best athletes in the sport. I will do so nervously if Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts, Mason Miller or any of the other Padres competing for their respective countries has a misstep, an extra circular motion of their arm or a slight wince following a swing.
It is with this information and these concerns in mind that Gaslamp Ball poses this question for this week’s Padres Reacts Survey. How do you feel about Padres players competing in the WBC? Results of the poll will be posted later in the week.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 31: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning in game six of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on October 31, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt agreed to terms on a one year, $18.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles today. Bassitt, who turns 37 next Sunday, spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jays. He was originally drafted by the White Sox, but spent the bulk of his MLB career as an Oakland A, with a one year stint with the Mets before signing in Toronto.
He was effective last season, making 31 starts and posting a 3.96 ERA over 170.1 innings. He moved to the bullpen for the playoffs, logging a 1.04 ERA over seven appearances and 8.2 innings and was a solid contributor to the World Series run. Overall, he gave the Jays 541.1 innings with a 3.89 ERA. That innings total ranks ninth in the majors over the past three seasons, while the ERA was 5% better than league average. He was exactly the kind of workhorse #3 they’d hoped for when they signed him, and it was great to have him on the team.
With the additions of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce early in free agency, it doesn’t seem like the team was serious about bringing him back, though. With Cease, plus Kevin Gausman signed for one more year, the emergence of Trey Yesavage, and (theoretically) Shane Bieber also taking a spot, he’d have had to battle with Jose Berrios for the #5 spot even before the Ponce signing. Given his track record, it makes sense that he’d pursue a more guaranteed starting job.
It’s unfortunate for us that that job comes in Baltimore. The Orioles project to have one of the best offenses in baseball, with homegrown starts Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Jackson Holliday paired with free agent slugger Pete Alonso, but their rotation is a weak spot that had looked like it might keep them out of the top tier of AL contenders. Bassitt gives them a steady hand to back up the mercurial Shane Baz and the talented but often injured Trevor Rogers at the top of the rotation. He doesn’t solve a lack of top end pitching talent, and they still project behind the Yankees, Jays and Red Sox, but the gap is closed a bit and the AL East becomes even more of a gauntlet.
That aside, I wish Bassitt well. He was a great addition to the team while he was here, and seemed pretty likeable. I hope he pitches well enough to be traded to a contender in the NL at the deadline.
Free agent Ty France would look good in Brown & Gold (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Following the departures of Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn in free agency, the San Diego Padres have an opening at the first base position. Gavin Sheets is the projected starter, but there is room for improvement. The team should consider signing free agent Ty France. The Padres need a player of his ilk, an elite fielding first baseman who offers a strong presence in the clubhouse.
Defensively, there is no one better than France
It seems certain that France will sign with a major league ball club before the start of spring training games. Multiple reports indicate the Padres are one of three teams, along with the Cleveland Guardians and Colorado Rockies, competing for his services.
The winning bidder is going to land one of the premier defensive first basemen, who won the 2025 American League Gold Glove while splitting time between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. His defensive metrics were off the charts. France led all first basemen with a +10 Outs Above Average (OAA) and recorded a .996 fielding percentage.
Signing France is a type of move that fills a void at first base, but also upgrades the overall infield defense.
France aiming for a more productive 2026 run-producing campaign
The Padres aim to avoid a platoon at first base; they view France as a full-time starter if signed. His hitting value lies in his disciplined approach against left-handers, where a low 16.3% strikeout rate boosts his offensive productivity.
Sheets will get an opportunity to make some starts at first against tough right-handed pitching. In this potential situation, his primary role would be the left-handed hitting option in a platoon with right-handed hitter Miguel Andujar at the designated hitter position.
One reason why it has taken France so long to find a new home is his declining power numbers from last season. He hit a career low of seven home runs in 444 at-bats. Keep in mind, he played in 37 games with the Blue Jays, mostly as a defensive replacement for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after being acquired at last summer’s trade deadline.
The Padres’ lineup is not perfect, but adding France gains more balance. He did hit a respectable .257/.320/.360 in 2025, but there is no evidence that he is approaching the downside of his major league career. The 31-year-old free agent is hoping a change of scenery will revive his career and allow him to become more productive at the plate.
What is the next step?
If he signs with the Friars, France would need to agree on a low-risk, cost-effective deal. The salary would be in the range of $ 3-5 million.
A return to the Padres would mark a second tour of duty for France, who was originally a 2015 draft pick out of San Diego State University. After working his way through the system, the infielder made his major league debut with the club in 2019.
Some believe the front office will not add another bat, but the outcome of Cactus League games could change that mindset.
A reunion makes sense for both sides, though an agreement is still pending.
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: Joe Jiménez #77 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a portrait during photo day at CoolToday Park on February 21, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well Chris Bassitt is off the board with a 1 year $18.5 million deal with the Orioles after it really felt like Bassitt would land in Atlanta. The terms of that deal seems like it would have been fairly palatable to an Atlanta front office that loves a one year deal. I wonder if they have something else in the works for another player, perhaps on the trade market, but if they are unable to add another quality starter they may regret not beating that deal for Bassitt. I wouldn’t think the club would be in on Zac Gallen, who has a bit of a concerning profile and would cost the 26th overall pick in the draft to sign. There are a few free agent options still available, all likely worse than Bassitt, and the trade market is still a big unknown, although one that Alex Anthopoulos has been known to tap into. There is some urgency to add a starter at this point, with Spencer Schwellenbach’s injury and Spring Training under way, particularly if their preferred option is not already in camp with another team.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 9: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 9, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Pitchers and catchers have reported, and in the Yankees’ case, well, it’s largely the same group of pitchers and catchers that were here last season. Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman have acknowledged that the team is essentially Running it Back, and the players that came to camp on Wednesday expressed their belief that the club they have is good enough to win it all. “We’re running it back because at the halfway point [last season], we thought we built a team that was going to go to the World Series, and we still believe that wholeheartedly,” Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “If we play well, it’ll be a good thing,” Paul Goldschmidt said on the subject of running it back. “If we don’t, then it’ll probably be said that’s the reason we didn’t play well”.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: As teams report to camp, inevitably we receive a whole host of surprise injury news as some players arrive at spring training having gotten hurt at some point in the offseason. However, the Yankees appear to be fortunate this time around, as Boone stated yesterday that there were no new injuries to report as camp opened. In fact, we got good injury news coming out of Tampa, as Boone indicated that both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón could appear in Grapefruit League games, indicating that their respective rehabs are going well and both are on track to return fairly early in the regular season.
New York Post | Mark Suleymanov: Among the Yankees’ goals this offseason was to find right-handed bats to counteract their lineup’s lefty lean, and they’ve done that with the re-signings of Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt. They had also been rumored to be considering a reunion with Austin Slater, whom they traded for at last year’s deadline, but the veteran outfielder has returned to the Tigers, Jon Heyman was first to report. Slater has a strong track record against left-handed pitching, but struggled in a very small sample with the Yankees, going 1-for-16 against lefties.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Though it was paced by veteran horses like Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, the Yankee pitching staff received a big boost from young hurlers last year, with Will Warren leading all rookies in innings and strikeouts, and Cam Schlittler bursting onto the scene over the summer and ultimately pitching the Yankees through to the ALDS. To hear them tell it, the Yankees feel there’s more where that came from. “We have some young pups pushing up the ladder,” Brian Cashman recently told reporters, noting his belief that some of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects will again contribute in the near future. The most obvious candidates are Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange, power pitchers who flattened Double-A last year, but there’s also reason for optimism for the likes of Angel Chivilli and Cade Winquest, a pair of live arms the Yankees acquired during the winter that they believe could supplement their bullpen in 2026.
FanGraphs | Dan Szymborksi: We’re in the thick of projection season, and today, Szymborski analyzed the players that saw the biggest boosts in their ZiPS projections year-over-year. One name on the list is Ben Rice, whose 1.8 WAR increase is the sixth largest among all players (though for my money, ZiPS’ 2.2 WAR projection still underrates Rice). Also on the list? None other than Aaron Judge, whose 7.7 WAR projection outpaces his previous forecast by 1.6 WAR. Projections can be slow to react to truly singular players like Judge, and though a player his age is liable to decline at any time, even this projection from ZiPS feels light for Judge.
With our Top 100 countdown now more than halfway done and our Prospect Vote carrying 10 players a round, the two lists are just about ready to crash into one another. Yes, friends, this is our final round of Prospect Voting for the season.
It was Caden Connor taking a healthy leap from No. 7 all the way to the top, advancing on his second ballot with 10 of 52 (19%) votes:
This round was one of the tighter battles of all, with just three votes separating the tie at No. 4 and the top spot.
This is Connor’s first appearance in our Prospect Vote. He’s also the first left fielder, and eighth outfielder overall, to advance.
Past No. 36s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2025 Voting lasted only 31 rounds 2024 Voting lasted only 34 rounds 2023 Voting lasted only 24 rounds 2022 Voting lasted only 17 rounds 2021 Voting lasted only 35 rounds 2020 James Beard (32%) 2019 Corey Zangari (38%) 2018 Tyler Danish (38%)
Newcomer Colby Shelton finished in seventh, with four votes. The final addition to our ballot this year will be relief pitcher Jack Young.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2026
Alexander Albertus Third Baseman Age 21 2025 high level Arizona Complex League (Rookie) Age relative to high level +0.4 years Overall 2025 stats 8 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 2 RBI ▪️ .333/.520/.444 ▪️ 3-of-3 (100.0%) SB ▪️ 6 BB ▪️ 3 K ▪️ 1.000 FLD%▪️ 0.3 WAR
What can you say further about Albertus? He seems to have great tools but an uncanny ability to stay off of the field (just eight games in a season-plus in the White Sox system). In 2025, he was assigned to Kannapolis but was … wait for it … injured. He lasted just eight games of ACL rehab before hitting the IL-60 again.
Aldrin Batista Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 22 2025 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 6 2025 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -1.2 years Overall 2025 stats 2-0 ▪️ 7 games (2 starts) ▪️ 14 IP ▪️ 5.79 ERA ▪️ 17 K ▪️ 7 BB ▪️ 1.429 WHIP ▪️-1.2 WAR
Batista was our No. 6-voted player in last year’s poll and top righthander — and then disaster struck, as he started the third Dash game of the season on April 6 and then was out more than four months with a stress fracture in his right (pitching) elbow. His return in late August was iffy, with three poor relief appearances of five. But he ended the season with a scoreless (two-inning) “opener” start, which hopefully reverses the curse for 2026.
Ryan Burrowes Second Baseman Age 21 2024 SSS Prospect Vote ranking 23 2025 SSS Prospect Vote ranking N/R 2025 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2025 stats (Low-A/High-A) 111 games ▪️ 6 HR ▪️ 39 RBI ▪️ .255/.342/.355 ▪️ 47-of-53 (88.7%) SB ▪️ 39 BB ▪️ 110 K ▪️ .976 FLD%▪️ 1.1 WAR
It feels like Burrowes has been around forever, and he’s still only 21 years old (and playing at a level significantly younger than his age). His first taste of High-A ball went pretty well, as his baserunning seems to have no trouble translating at any level. The hit tool is solid, although he continues to struggle with contact — a no-no for a speed-over-power guy.
Reudis Diaz Right-handed relief pitcher Age 20 2025 high level ACL (Rookie) Age relative to high level -2.1 years Overall 2025 stats 1-1 ▪️ 1 SV▪️ 21 games (4 finishes) ▪️ 27 2/3 IP ▪️ 2.28.ERA ▪️ 18 K ▪️ 8 BB ▪️ 1.084 WHIP ▪️1.2 WAR
Who? You’re forgiven for being unfamiliar with an extremely young arm who hasn’t yet gotten out of rookie ball, but our No. 77 prospect a year ago (then a starter, repeating the DSL and killing it) made a successful adjustment Stateside. He’ll return to starting in 2026, likely getting his feet wet in Arizona and getting a promotion to Low-A in the second half of the season.
Ryan Galanie First Baseman Age 25 2025 high level Birmingham (AA) Age relative to high level +1.3 years Overall 2025 stats (High-A/AA) 119 games ▪️ 11 HR ▪️ 94 RBI ▪️ .276/.327/.422 ▪️ 14-of-17 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 35 BB ▪️ 79 K ▪️ .995 FLD%▪️ 1.1 WAR
It’s been a slow but steady climb for this 13th-rounder in 2023. The good news here is, with the caveat that Galanie has always competed older than his level, Galanie has found some footing. While his power/slugging numbers are merely OK, he drove in 94 runs in 2025. He disappeared a bit in the playoffs for Birmingham (just four hits in six games, with five walks as well) but started every game in the march to a second consecutive Southern League title for the Barons.
Jairo Iriarte Right-Handed Relief Pitcher Age 24 2025 SSS Top Prospect Vote Ranking 19 2025 high level Charlotte (AAA) Age relative to high level -4.3 years Overall 2025 stats (Rookie/AAA) 3-3▪️ 1 SV ▪️ 37 games (5 starts, 9 finishes) ▪️ 48 IP ▪️ 7.13 ERA ▪️ 50 K ▪️ 37 BB ▪️ 1.917 WHIP ▪️ -0.8 WAR
The 2025 season was an utter disaster for Iriarte, who went from prospective South Side rotation member to lost in space. The righty, who made his brief debut in the majors in 2024, both lost the plate and misplaced his strikeout power. The Brian Bannister Pitching Lab has its work cut out here, for sure.
Javier Mogollón Shortstop Age 20 2025 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.4 years Overall 2025 stats 51 games ▪️ 5 HR ▪️ 19 RBI ▪️ .220/.347/.387 ▪️ 15-of-21 (71.4%) SB ▪️ 30 BB ▪️ 56 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.0 WAR
An ascending star just one year ago, we have to tap the breaks a bit on Mogollón after a lackluster first full season of minors ball. While still young for his level and managing to keep his head above water in a new league every season of his career, Mogollón’s undeniable hitting in Rookie ball fell off significantly with the Cannon Ballers. However, how much of that was due to battling injury is undetermined, as Mogollón was shelved for what turned out to be the season on July 2.
Yobal Rodriguez Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age18 2025 high levelDSL White Sox (Rookie) Age relative to high level -1.5 years Overall 2025 stats0-3 ▪️ 13 games (10 starts) ▪️ 30 1/3 IP ▪️2.97 ERA ▪️ 33 K ▪️ 13 BB ▪️ 1.022 WHIP ▪️ 1.2 WAR
Rodriguez is a rare DSL pitcher, not for his relatively light innings load, but as a primary starter — and at just 17 years old (Yobal turns 18 on February 9). Inasmuch as it’s tough to project anyone out of the DSL, especially pitchers, you could hardly have hoped for more from him in his pro debut.
Colby Shelton Shortstop Age 23 2025 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level +1.6 years Overall 2025 NCAA stats 45 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 35 RBI ▪️ .377/.458/.606 ▪️ 6-of-9 (66.7%) SB ▪️ 21 BB ▪️ 24 K ▪️ 2.7 WAR
Shelton is more of a slugger than a speedster, with the usual caveats about whether he will stick at shortstop. His credentials are impressive, playing full-time in the SEC in all three of his college years (one at Alabama, two with Georgia). Given the crowded field for the White Sox at shortstop, Shelton’s defensive ability will mean very little provided he can keep clubbing.
Jack Young Right-Handed Relief Pitcher Age24 2025 high levelWinston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -0.2 years Overall 2025 stats (Low-A/High-A)3-2 ▪️3 SV ▪️ 36 games (1 start, 11 finishes) ▪️ 53 IP ▪️2.72 ERA ▪️ 53 K ▪️ 28 BB ▪️ 1.170 WHIP ▪️ WAR
Rodriguez is a rare DSL pitcher, not for his relatively light innings load, but as a primary starter — and at just 17 years old (Yobal turns 18 on February 9). Inasmuch as it’s tough to project anyone out of the DSL, especially pitchers, you could hardly have hoped for more from him in his pro debut.
Round 24 of voting was the last of 2023 (we did not do an actual wrap for the voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick), and the full archive.
Jul 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies player Kris Bryant (23) looks on from the dugout in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
In it, he describes a recent conversation with Colorado Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes in which he discusses Bryant’s health status. As Renck puts it, “Officially he is not gone. But the Rockies are finally, mercifully moving on.”
I realize we began dissecting this in The Feed, but there are other nuggets worth pointing out, again, quoting Renck:
“They don’t see the Dodgers as the Death Star. They see them as the North Star. What rebuilding looks like for the Rockies, even if they are starting out with Legos, is following the Dodgers blueprint, not their checkbook.”
“Long before the Dodgers began issuing $100 million contracts, they had their minor league pitchers using data and technology and players playing multiple positions to increase their versatility. The Rockies are applying these principles.”
“I think a deep arsenal is that much more important for us. It is hard on hitters because they have to account for it,” Byrnes said. “That should translate at altitude.”
There’s more, and you should read the whole column. (I have to wonder if Renck didn’t read my Tuesday Rockpile!)
So I open the floor to the Purple Row Night Owls: What do you make of Byrnes’ comments here not just on Bryant, but also on their approach to pitching and hitting at Coors Field?
Oh, and one other note: Speaking of versatility, check out this Zach Agnos video the Rockies dropped on Instagram today. He’s brought his fielding glove to spring training . . . .
Lawyers for Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz want to sever the cases against him and teammate Emmanuel Clase as federal prosecutors allege they were both involved in a pitching-rigging scheme.
Ortiz’s lawyer, Christos N. Georgalis, asked for a federal judge to break up the cases so they could move forward independently of each other while labelling his client “a victim of Clase’s scheme, rather than a knowing and willing participant,” according to a legal filing unsealed Monday and viewed by The Athletic.
Georgalis pointed to the purported difference in their respective involvement in the alleged pitch-rigging scheme to support his argument.
Luis Ortiz is one of the pitchers accused of fixing pitches during games. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
The filing also cites the potential for a conflict of interest as grounds for severing the case into two, mentioning that Clase’s attorneys spoke with witnesses who claimed the betting scheme did not exist. Now, one of those people is expected to testify differently.
There is also the possibility that Ortiz’s lawyer could serve as a “second prosecutor” and call Clase’s attorney to the stand — which would only occur if the cases were split — in order to defend Ortiz, The Athletic reported.
Federal prosecutors unsealed a 23-page indictment alleging that Clase rigged pitches dating back to May 2023 by throwing them for balls to help bettors’ prop bets hit.
Ortiz is alleged to have joined in June 2025. Both players allegedly got kickbacks.
Prosecutors allege that bettors netted winnings of $460,000.
The two pitchers face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy.
All-Star reliever Emmanuel Clase was allegedly involved in the scheme. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The original indictment alleged Clase made four suspicious pitches, but prosecutors have been open to the idea that there were more. Ortiz was accused of rigging two pitches.
The recent filing indicated that Georgalis would use as one of the “likely defenses” that Clase gave out Ortiz’s pitching strategy to gamblers without the pitcher’s knowledge.
Clase and Ortiz remain on leave from MLB and will not be allowed to attend Guardians spring training.
Kiner-Falefa, who only started one of the four games in the ALDS for the Blue Jays as they whooped the Yankees, made the revelation Tuesday in his first day as a Red Sox player — following the lead of new teammates Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, who also leaned into the rivalry in their first comments in Boston.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone talks to the media as pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 11, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Yankees beat the Red Sox in three games in the AL wild-card series, but Kiner-Falefa said the Blue Jays, who had a bye to face the winner of that series, had some rooting interest
“We thought it was a better matchup for us the other way [to face the Yankees],” Kiner-Falefa told reporters in Fort Myers, Fla., per The Athletic. “We were watching that [series], and we were watching [Garrett] Crochet just dice up.
“I think we had just lost two out of three [to Boston], and it put us behind the Yankees or tied us with them for the AL East lead [in late September]. We definitely felt [Boston] was a tougher matchup for us. Once we saw the other team, we were a lot happier. It was definitely a topic.”
Former Yankee and Blue Jay Isiah Kiner-Falefa is now a member of the Red Sox. Getty Images
Perhaps that should not be much of a surprise, as the Blue Jays had the Yankees’ number during the regular season, especially at Rogers Centre.
Asked if he was bothered by Kiner-Falefa’s comments, Boone insisted he was not, even if his tone suggested at least a hint of being perturbed.
“Not really, honestly,” Boone said. “You got to play who you play. Whatever.”
Paul Goldschmidt declined to reveal if he had any offers to start at first base with other teams, but said he was happy to be back with the Yankees in what is expected to be a reserve role behind first baseman Ben Rice.
“Honestly, when last year ended, I had such a good time here, I was hoping my time wasn’t done,” said Goldschmidt, who agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal that had not yet been made official as of Wednesday. “I think Benny’s definitely going to be planning to be getting the bulk of the playing time over there. I’m definitely fine with whatever role they need me [in]. Whenever I get an opportunity, I’ll be ready to go.
Boone said he believed that all pitchers, catchers and WBC participants reported as scheduled Wednesday, with position players set to join them Sunday.
Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds waves as he arrives at a ceremony honoring Hunter Pence on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants...
Bonds would likely “be on site for the pregame and postgame” if the two sides come to a deal, per the report.
Netflix is also reportedly trying to bring in CC Sabathia, who would provide a Yankees tie-in to counter Bonds, who played 15 years with the Giants.
Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds waves as he arrives at a ceremony honoring Hunter Pence on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. AP
The Athletic added that it’s likely Elle Duncan, who left ESPN in November to become the new face of Netflix’s sports programming, will be the top presenter for the game.
Beginning this year, Netflix will air a standalone, prime-time game to kick off the season as part of a three-year deal with MLB.
The deal also gives them exclusive rights to the Home Run Derby and the “Field of Dreams” game on Aug. 13 in Dyersville, Iowa, between the Phillies and Twins.
Bonds, whose career ended after the 2007 season, hasn’t had a national broadcasting job since his playing days.
The legendary slugger was most recently in the news in December, when he was once again held out of the Baseball Hall of Fame, falling short of Cooperstown due to ties to steroids.
CC Sabathia is also being eyed by Netflix for its Opening Day game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Bonds works as a special advisor for the Giants and previously served as the Marlins’ hitting coach during the 2016 season.
Sabathia, who was part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, has worked in various media ventures since retiring from baseball, including frequent appearances on MLB Network and hosting the “R2C2 Podcast” with Ryan Ruocco.
The Baltimore Orioles finally added a free agent pitcher to their rotation, agreeing to a one-year, $18.5 million contract with right-hander Chris Bassitt, ESPN first reported.
Bassitt, who turns 37 Feb. 22, was a reliable cog in the Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation the past three seasons, posting a 3.89 ERA and pitching at least 170 innings each season.
That reliability was certainly attractive to the Orioles, who will be relying on a trio of starters who underwent elbow surgery over the past three years.
Bassitt will slide somewhere between Kyle Bradish, lefty Trevor Rogers and trade acquisition Shane Baz in the Orioles rotation. Innings eater Dean Kremer moves to the fifth spot.
Bassitt also performed well out of the bullpen in the Blue Jays’ run to Game 7 of the World Series, giving up just one earned run in seven postseason appearances. He also reached the playoffs with Oakland and the New York Mets.
“These past two years have been frustrating and tough mentally,” the right-hander said through his interpreter Wednesday on the reporting date for pitchers and catchers to spring training. “At some point maybe I started to lose confidence. But in this world, you either do it or you don’t, and I’m here to do it.”
Senga entered a free fall in the second half of last season — after returning from a stint on the injured list with a hamstring strain — that culminated with him accepting an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse in September.
Kodai Senga works on a fielding drill during Mets’ spring training practice on Feb. 11, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin / New York Post
He finished with a 3.02 ERA overall, a testament to a strong first half in which he often resembled an ace.
It followed a year in which Senga pitched only once in the 2024 regular season due to various ailments.
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Does Senga have to regain the organization’s trust?
“Before showing the organization anything I think I need to prove it to myself that I can go out there and pitch a full season,” Senga said. “And then once I prove it to myself I think then comes the third party, how everybody else sees me, so first I need to be out there for myself.”
The Mets saw the best of Senga in 2023, when he pitched to a 2.98 ERA over 29 starts with 202 strikeouts over 166 ¹/₃ innings.
But he’s started only 23 games since that rookie season.
Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean have moved ahead of Senga atop the Mets rotation, leaving Senga in a mix that includes Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and David Peterson.
Mets starter Kodai Senga throws during a team workout on Feb. 11, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin / New York Post
As an indicator of how much his stock has fallen, the Mets this offseason entertained trade proposals for Senga, who still has $30 million remaining on his contract over the next two years.
Senga communicated to club officials that he wanted to remain with the Mets.
“I control only what I can control,” Senga said. “At that point I hadn’t gotten traded yet so I just wanted to do whatever I could in the moment and be back out there for the Mets and play hard.”
