Category: MLB

While there have been other prospect rankings, from the likes of Fangraphs and 1500 Prospects, the list put out by MLB Pipeline is always seen as one of the most highly-regarded. Well, they just dropped the Diamondbacks list for the start of 2026. 30 prospects are ranked there, and here’s what they have, along with their position and age:

1. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, 23
2. Kayson Cunningham, SS, 19
3. Slade Caldwell, OF, 19
4. Tommy Troy, 2B/OF, 24
5. Demetrio Crisantes, 2B/3B, 21
6. JD Dix, 2B, 20
7. Daniel Eagen, RHP, 23
8. David Hagaman, RHP, 22
9. Patrick Forbes, RHP, 21
10. LuJames Groover, 3B, 23
11. Cristian Mena, RHP, 23
12. Kohl Drake, LHP, 25
13. Jansel Luis, INF, 20
14. Mitch Bratt, LHP, 22
15. Cristofer Torin, SS/2B, 20
16. Druw Jones, OF, 22
17. Carlos Virahonda, C, 20
18. Ashton Izzi, RHP, 22
19. Dean Livingston, RHP, 19
20. Brandyn Garcia, LHP, 25
21. Yassel Soler, 3B, 20
22. Brian Curley, RHP, 22
23. Yilber Díaz, RHP, 25
24. Wellington Aracena, RHP, 21
25. Daury Vasquez, RHP, 19
26. Ivan Luciano, C, 19
27. Jose Fernandez, SS, 22
28. Mason Marriott, RHP, 23
29. Avery Owusu-Asiedu, OF, 22
30. Gavin Conticello, OF, 22

No great surprise at the top, where Ryan Waldschmidt (top) retains the #1 position he had last year. He was also named at the head of the Fangraphs and Prospects 1500 lists. Behind him, Kayson Cunnigham moves up one place from the final ranking of 2025, and is preferred here to the other two systems, which both ranked him lower (Fangraphs at #7, P1500 at #4). The biggest jump is by pitcher David Hagaman, who came over from Texas in the Merrill Kelly trade, and moves up from #15 to #8, entering the top ten for the first time. Catcher Carlos Virahonda also improved by seven spots, and is at #17. Though Yilber Diaz is ranked for the first time, coming in at #23.

In the other direction, Yu-Min Lin is likely the biggest bad news candidate. He was ranked 20th, but is no longer listed. Fellow pitchers Yordin Chalas (#21 last time) and Hunter Cranton (#29) have also dropped out, with Jose Fernandez and Mason Marriott joining Diaz in entering the top thirty. Fernandez, in particular, has seen his stock rise rapidly, first being added to the D-backs’ 40-man roster, and then making a strong impression in spring training. He has a .934 OPS across eight games so far.

Overall, it’s clear that there’s still work to do by Mike Hazen, in terms of improving the pitching situation on the farm. While the arrival of Hagaman, Kohl Drake (#12) and Mitch Bratt (#14) from Texas was certainly helpful (that trade, for two months of Merrill, could turn out to be a real steal for the D-backs), there isn’t much in the way of top-tier talent. It’s equally obvious what Hazen is attempting to do lately. Eight of the top thirty came to Arizona in trades, going back to Cristian Mena in 2023. Of those, only one – outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu – is a position player, and he’s only just on the list, coming in at #29.

I can certainly see several names graduating from the list this year, as they come onto the major-league roster. Waldschmidt is the obvious top candidate, but we could potentially also see Tommy Troy, Drake, Bratt, Diaz and Fernandez lose their rookie status in 2026. That’s why any team needs to work on having a constant stream – a pipeline, one might say – of prospects coming through the system. What do you reckon about the D-backs farm system? Where does it stand, and which prospects are you particularly excited about following this season? Tell us in the comments!

Game No. 1: Chinese Taipei (中華臺北) at Australia (ɐı̣ןɐɹʇsnⱯ)

Venue: Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan

The first game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic includes one of the last tournament’s hosts. Chinese Taipei finished the group stage with a record of 2-2, as did everyone else in 2023’s Pool A. However, they failed to qualify for the knockout quarterfinals with a -5 run differential. They’ll be the away team against Australia, who went 3-1 in the group stage only to be knocked out by Cuba in the first round of the knockout stage in 2023.

Rockies fans may recognize left-handed pitcher Jack Te Haki O’Loughlin—who spent time with the organization last year—on the Australia roster. He is joined by former Rockies farmhand and catcher Robbie Perkins, young Cleveland Guardians star Travis Bazzana, and 2023 tournament standout Robbie Glendinning on the team.

For Chinese Taipei, viewers may recognize journeyman MLB outfielder Stuart Fairchild. Fairchild spent the 2025 season with the Atlanta Braves and is currently on a minor league deal with the Cleveland Guardians. I personally suggest keeping an eye on outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien. Chen is a six-time All-Star in the CPBL with four Gold Glove Awards and has been playing for the Uni-President Lions since 2016.

First Pitch: 8:00 PM MDT

TV: FS1

Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM

Lineups:

RHP Jo-hsi Hsu vs LHP Alex Wells

Game No. 2: Czechia (Česká) at Korea (대한민국)

Venue: Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan

The darlings of the 2023 tournament take on a former powerhouse looking to make a comeback in the second game of the day.

Czechia was eliminated in pool play back in 2023 with a 1-3 record, but captured the hearts of viewers with their story. A team of electricians, doctors, engineers, and school teachers from a country hardly considered to be baseball-focused, Czechia played David versus Goliath games against the likes of Japan and finished with a record just good enough to automatically qualify for this year’s Classic.

Although retired from baseball, 2023 team captain Petr Zýma is Czechia’s bench coach with catcher Martin Mužík taking over as the new captain. Electrician and right-handed pitcher Ondřej Satoria—who made a name for himself by striking out Shoehi Ohtani on three pitches in 2023—has also returned to the team. Rockies fans might recognize infielder Terrin Vavra, whom the Rockies selected in the third round of the 2018 draft. Vavra is the only player for Czechia with big league experience.

Korea was knocked out in pool play after finishing 2-2, and is now back with a roster absolutely packed with talent. MLB players Shay Whitcomb, Jahmai Jones, Woo-suk Go, and Dane Dunning all have roles to play, while highly decorated former MLB pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu, Giants outfielder and “Grandson of the Wind” Jung-hoo Lee and electric young Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim bring star-power to the lineup.

First Pitch: 3:00 AM MDT (March 5th, 2026)

TV: FS1

Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM

Lineups:

RHP Daniel Padyšák vs RHP Hyeong-jun So

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With the start of the World Baseball Classic, many Mariners are on loan to their respective national teams. As such, get ready to see some weird looks from the M’s as the organization gives some unusual opportunities to top prospects.

One of those unusual looks is right hander Cooper Criswell. The pitcher was in the Boston Red Sox organization last year, only to be DFA’d the Sox and claimed by the New York Mets. Just over a month after that, the Mets DFA’d him and the Mariners picked him up for cash. Tonight will be his third appearance this Spring but only his first start. He’s gone two innings in each of his last two outings, and it will be interesting to see how far he is pushed tonight. Probable pitchers to follow Cooper are Jose A. Ferrer, Carlos Vargas, Josh Simpson, Yosver Zulueta, and Ryan Loutos.

Also in the “weird” bucket is J.P. Crawford in the DH spot. He’s making room for Leo Rivas, who in turn is over at short to make room for Cole Young to play second and lead off.

Over in the orange dugout, there’s also a healthy portion of prospects. Real heads will zero in on Robbie Ray, former Mariner, on the mound. Since his time on the Mariners, Robbie Tight Pants has done his best to add a third pitch, picking up his knuckle curve and changeup and using the slider much, much less. Tonight will be his third start of the Spring. Following him is likely to be Carson Seymour, Keaton Winn, and Michael Fulmer. Perhaps the short probables list means they intend for Ray to go deep.

Game Information:

Game Time: 6:05 pm PT

Radio: Seattle Sports 710 AM with Rick Rizzs, Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer on the call.

TV: Mariners.TV (maybe? Sound off in the comments if it’s working for you.)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Isiah Kiner-Falefa was a part-time SS (shortstop) by the end of his time with the Yankees, but always a full-time SS (straight shooter).

So the more Aaron Boone thought about Kiner-Falefa’s comments earlier this spring — that the Blue Jays preferred to face the Yankees in the ALDS over the Red Sox because they thought it was a better matchup — the more he realized he probably shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Because IKF is very honest and real,” Boone said Wednesday. “And I don’t think he meant any slap at us. I frankly didn’t take it that way.”

Kiner-Falefa, the Blue Jay-turned-Red Sox player, confirmed that he did not, in fact, mean it as a jab at his former club, even if it may have quickly endeared him to his new fan base. But he was asked a question in his introductory news conference here last month and did what he always does.

“I just gave the honest answer,” Kiner-Falefa said before the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-0 at JetBlue Park. “It is what it is. I love the guys over there. I have nothing bad to say about anybody over there. It was just a matchup thing. [Garrett] Crochet’s an unbelievable pitcher and we did not want to face Crochet after he went eight innings against us [in late September].”

Kiner-Falefa did not join the Blue Jays until September, so he was not around to see them bludgeon the Yankees during a pair of series at Rogers Centre over the summer. But he had heard about their success against them during the season (8-5) and also knew that if the Red Sox had beaten the Yankees in the AL wild-card series, that would have meant having to face Crochet, the AL Cy Young runner-up.

“I was just hearing what everybody else was telling me,” said Kiner-Falefa, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Red Sox to serve as a utility player. “Obviously you know you have all the [Yankees] big bombers and [Aaron] Judge and all those guys. I’ve seen how good these guys are. It’s like, ‘Are you guys sure?’

“I didn’t mean to ruffle the feathers,” he added. “I forgot how it is back in a big market.”

The comment spread like wildfire, even if it had sound reasoning behind it. The Blue Jays had the Yankees’ number for most of the year and that carried over into the postseason, when they scored 34 runs in 34 innings against them, winning the ALDS in four games. Kiner-Falefa called the Blue Jays an “offensive juggernaut,” a lineup that was contact-oriented but had power, too, and was full of players who knew their role.

Aside from losing Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays are essentially returning the same lineup this season, meaning it remains a problem the Yankees will have to figure out — one of many challenges standing in their way in the AL East, which Boone perennially describes as the toughest in baseball.

“It doesn’t feel like everything has to go right for these teams to be good,” Boone said. 

That includes the Red Sox, the spring version of which the Yankees got their first look at on Wednesday. Crochet, too, remains a problem, but Boone also said their offense could be better than they are getting credit for.

“I know Alex Bregman leaving them is a big loss or whatever, but it doesn’t feel like people are talking about [Willson] Contreras enough, from a production standpoint and how consistent he’s been throughout his career,” Boone said. “So it’s going to be a team that puts the ball in play, they’ve got athleticism, they’ve got some complementary parts. I think they’re going to be good offensively.”

Alex Cora, not surprisingly, was also complimentary of the Yankees – pointing to their pitching and getting “one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the big leagues” back in Gerrit Cole — even if much of their fan base was not satisfied with their winter.

“I got a lot of friends that are Yankee fans and some of them are happy, some of them are upset,” Cora said. “But at the end of the day, one of the things they always do is they’re in the dance, and that’s what you try to do. Just get in the dance and then see what happens.”

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — He is the only retired pitcher on a World Baseball Classic roster.

He’s also the only one with three Cy Young awards, three World Series championships, and 11 All-Star appearances.

And is the lone WBC pitcher who can already make reservations for his Hall of Fame induction in five years.

Clayton Kershaw, who could have stayed home in Dallas after retiring on top of the world with back-to-back World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers, strolled to the mound Wednesday one last time in a spring-training game.

The moment the public address announcer at Salt River Fields called out his name as he walked to the mound, he received a thunderous standing ovation by the sellout crowd of 11,803.

“That was so cool, I had chills out there with the standing O they gave that man,’’ USA teammate and Yankees three-time MVP Aaron Judge said after the USA’s 14-4 victory against the Colorado Rockies. “The crowd went crazy for him out there pitching. Just to see him back out there and get a chance to share a clubhouse with a guy like that, and so respected around the game. He’s accomplished everything in his career.

“It was pretty special.’’

The results weren’t pretty. Kershaw gave up a home run on the third pitch he thew, walked a batter, threw a wild pitch, didn’t throw harder than 87.2 mph, and struggled with his control, throwing just six of his 13 pitches for strikes.

Yet, just wearing the red, white and blue, and considering his arm and body still felt perfectly fine in his first outing since Game 3 of the World Series, he was ecstatic.

The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates may well be National League Central rivals, but that hasn’t stopped them from swinging notable trades of late. Last summer, we saw the deal that sent Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Bucs down river to the Queen City, and on Wednesday evening we saw yet another deal between the two clubs.

This time, it sent infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan up to Pittsburgh in exchange for right-handed reliever Kyle Nicolas. The Reds announced the move on Twitter.

Nicolas, 27, is an Ohio native from Massillon and a former 2nd round pick by Pittsburgh out of Ball State University from back in 2020. He’s appeared in 86 games at the big league level across the last trio of seasons, and since the start of the 2024 season owns a 4.27 ERA and 4.00 FIP in 92.2 IP with an 89/49 K/BB in that time. At the AAA level just last year he struck out 50 batters in 35.2 IP using a combination of a fastball that flirts with triple digits (and averaged 97.6 mph during his time in the majors), and he’s also recently added a sinker in early spring training action after working with a slider and cutter over the course of his career.

He’s got an option remaining and is still pre-arb, with his first year of arbitration eligibility due in 2028.

Callihan, meanwhile, is a former 3rd round pick of the Reds who Cincinnati coaxed into turning professional with a well above-slot signing bonus. His minor league career (and brief big league career) have been littered with injuries, his broken arm just last year while playing left field the most gruesome of the bunch. Still, he’s a left-handed hitter with polish who has hit everywhere he’s been when healthy (and not rusty), and his defensive versatility will give him a shot to make the Pirates roster come Opening Day in some form or fashion.

Mexico made its final tune-up ahead of the World Baseball Classic against the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a tightly contested matchup between both squads as the fans in attendance — many of whom are both Dodgers and Mexico fans — alternated between chants of "Me-xi-co!" and "Lets go Dodgers!"

It was the Dodgers who would come out on top with a 7-5 win, thanks in large part to a three-run eighth inning sparked by a two-out, ground-rule RBI double by first baseman Joe Vetrano to break a 4-4 deadlock. Mexico rallied in the ninth but ultimately fell short.

While there is still a relatively small sample size, we’ve played enough Spring Training games to begin to get an idea of what players are impressing and which ones aren’t. In my attempt to be a more positive person (work in progress), I’ll ask the question who has been the most impressive player during St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training so far. I’ll begin with some nominees.

JJ Wetherholt

Let’s get the obvious pic out of the way first. JJ Wetherholt has shown a keen batting eye as he’s racked up walks while also making strong contact including a 422 foot home run against the Mets that had an exit velocity of 105.4 mph. I’ve also been impressed by JJ’s disposition. This kid is confident and looks like he belongs. The ridiculous question of whether he breaks camp with the team and makes the opening day roster should be considered answered by now. I have seen nothing that would change my mind.

Richard Fitts

I’ve only seen Richard Fitts toss two innings so far in Spring Training, but that was enough to see that he has nasty stuff. His fastball has seemed to gain velocity up from 95.9 last season to 97.6 this Spring. He’s making that Sonny Gray trade feel pretty good so far.

Joshua Baez

Top 15 prospect Joshua Baez has seen quite a bit of action for the St. Louis Cardinals so far this Spring with a solid .286 average over 14 at-bats. While the expectations coming into camp would be that Baez would start the season in Triple-A, it’s not impossible that he forces his way onto the major league roster. The question is where would there be space on the roster for that to happen, but Joshua Baez has been a bright spot so far.

Matthew Liberatore
Matthew Liberatore is starting to look more like the top-of-the-rotation pitcher that the Cardinals were hoping he’d be only 1 walk and 7 strikeouts in his first 5 innings of Spring Training appearances. Is it just me or has Matthew’s velocity increased? I haven’t seen the metrics, but that’s my impression.

Packy Naughton

Here’s a surprise mention on the list. Who saw Packy Naughton becoming a potential key part of the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen? Three scoreless innings so far in Spring Training with 4 strikeouts have put Packy on the radar for a bigger role this year than expected.

I’ve seen moments to be optimistic about from Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman, but also some old swing decision bad habits that haven’t gone away yet. Same can be said for Victor Scott II, Jimmy Crooks and Nathan Church. Who have I missed? What St. Louis Cardinals has impressed you this Spring?

Wilmer Flores is looking for a job. 

The ex-Mets fan favorite told The San Francisco Chronicle that he’s received minor league offers but is holding out hope on receiving a big league deal with Opening Day just weeks away. 

“I’m not done playing,” Flores said. “I’m just waiting.”

Flores, 34, said he was in Florida working out as he awaits a phone call from a club in need of a right-handed bat. 

“I’m healthy, I feel good and I’m staying ready,” Flores said, per the outlet. “I believe I can help a team. I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought I would embarrass myself.”

Flores has spent 13 years in the majors, including the first six of his career with the Mets. 

He’s spent the last six seasons in San Francisco, hitting .249/.321/.426 with 92 home runs during his tenure as a Giant. 

In 2025, Flores hit 16 long balls and drove in 71 runs in 463 plate appearances. 

Injuries and age have turned Flores, who has bounced around all four infield positions throughout his career, into largely a platoon bat off the bench and fill-in designated hitter, limiting his appeal on the free agent market. 

Flores is best known to Mets fans for his touching moment near the trade deadline in 2015, when the then-23-year-old teared up on the field after reports surfaced that he had been dealt to the Brewers with Zack Wheeler in exchange for Carlos Gomez.

That deal would fall apart, and two days later, Flores hit a walk-off home run, setting off a seven-game winning streak and turning the Mets’ National League pennant-winning season around. 

Despite Flores expressing his desire “to be a Met forever,” he was non-tendered by the team after the 2018 season before joining the Diamondbacks later that offseason.

The Athletics fell short for the first time this week, suffering a 3-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following three straight days in which the A’s scored more than five runs, Diamondbacks pitchers shut the A’s offense down today, limiting a lineup full of starters to only one run.

A’s starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs pitched much better this afternoon in his second spring tuneup appearance. He did not allow a run over two and one-third innings. However, he gave up three hits and one walk. Springs made things difficult for himself as two back-to-back jams raised his pitch count, likely the reason why he was removed from the game midway through rather than after the third inning.

Reliever Tyler Ferguson replaced Springs and induced a double play grounder to end that inning. He pitched the next inning as well, although that did not go as well because Diamondbacks infielder Jacob Amaya hit a two-run home run to right field. Amaya drove in all three of Arizona’s runs, his third RBI a sacrifice fly off A’s reliever Justin Sterner in the sixth inning. Sterner and Ferguson have not had the best starts to spring. On the other hand, left-handed relievers Hogan Harris and Matt Krook have been flawless so far, with a spot in the bullpen potentially available for Krook should he continue having success this spring.

Meanwhile, it seemed from the game’s beginning that it was not going to be a good day for the A’s offense. Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, making his first spring start, got through the first inning on just four pitches. The A’s did not threaten until the third inning when they got two runners on base to knock Pfaadt out of the game. Unfortunately, A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz grounded into a double play against the Diamondbacks reliever to end that scoring threat.

The A’s lone run came the next inning, courtesy of Jacob Wilson’s sacrifice fly, which was set up by back-to-back singles from Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker.

Later in the game, the A’s had a couple of chances to put more runs on the scoreboard. They wasted Kurtz’s leadoff double in the sixth inning and then Colby Thomas grounded out with two of his teammates on base to end the eighth inning.

The A’s will look to bounce back tomorrow at the Los Angeles Angels. Right-hander Luis Morales will make his third appearance and second start. The Angels will counter with their latest reclamation project, right-hander Alek Manoah, who is off to a strong start this spring. A’s fans will also get their second look at last year’s first-round pick, left-hander Jamie Arnold. If they all pan out and stay healthy, Morales, Arnold and fellow pitching prospect Gage Jump could be the top-of-the-rotation arms that can get the A’s back to consistent playoff contention.

Notes

• Third baseman Max Muncy made his second throwing error this spring. His defensive consistency remains a question as he competes for the starting job.
• Leo De Vries got another hit today and is now batting .375 in the Cactus League! Impressive for a 19-year-old.
• Colby Thomas continued his slow, injury-hampered start to the spring. There are still multiple weeks until the regular season starts, but at this point he seems likely to start the season in Triple-A unless he starts playing and contributing more.

PHOENIX –– It’s not often that Dodger fans are outnumbered in the stands at spring training games.

Then again, it’s not every day they get a break from the normal monotony of the Cactus League schedule to face a national team in a World Baseball Classic tune-up game.

That was the case Wednesday, as Team Mexico visited Camelback Ranch for an exhibition ahead of the upcoming WBC.

Thus, the normal waves of blue and white in the crowd were replaced by streaks of red and green, with a lively, split crowd in attendance for the Dodgers’ 7-5 win.

“It’s like an All-Star team, you know, but now you’re playing for not a league –– you’re playing for your country,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game, which featured the playing of both the U.S. and Mexican national anthems and a ceremonial first pitch from Fernando Valenzuela Jr.

“There’s a lot more patriotism, certainly. And it means a lot, to see Team Mexico. And then once this Classic starts, I’m a fan. I just like watching these guys jell.”

Here are four takeaways from Wednesday’s game.

Pages power

Andy Pages was already having a good spring, entering with a .333 average in Cactus League play. But on Wednesday, he went to another level, hitting a 430-foot home run in the first inning and a down-the-line double in the third. In the fourth, Pages nearly hit another homer, too, pulling a deep drive just foul before striking out in a 10-pitch at-bat.

Sheehan debuts

After falling behind schedule early this spring while dealing with an illness, Emmet Sheehan made his spring debut Wednesday, pitching two innings out of the bullpen as he continues to ramp up. Despite the right-hander’s late start to Cactus League play, Roberts said there should still be time for Sheehan to be built up enough to be in the Dodgers’ rotation come opening day.

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Caught my eye:

On Monday, Dalton Rushing quipped that his goal this year is to hit 200 singles –– a reflection of his focus on being a harder out instead of chasing power. That mindset might be working. In his two games since, he has no singles, but has hit a home run, a triple and a double, with the latter two knocks coming in Wednesday’s game.

Up next

It’s back to Cactus League action for the Dodgers on Thursday, as they travel to Goodyear Ballpark to face the Reds. Cole Irvin, a non-roster invitee trying to earn a roster spot, will start on the mound.

Box Score

Despite a vintage performance from Christian Yelich, who reached base three times in his spring debut, Milwaukee fell to the Chicago Cubs 4-1. Chicago jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back.

In the top of the first, Brandon Sproat made short work of the Cubs, retiring the top of the order on just 11 pitches. Sal Frelick and Andrew Vaughn both made outs to start the bottom of the frame, but Christian Yelich reached on a walk and Gary Sánchez singled. Akil Baddoo, the next batter up, grounded into a force out at second to end the mini rally.

Chicago promptly broke the tie in the top of the second. With one out in the frame, James Triantos hit a line drive single into right field, scoring Chas McCormick from second to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. David Hamilton led off the bottom of the second inning with a bunt single. He then stole second to give the Brewers a runner in scoring position with nobody out. That brought up three of the Brewers top prospects — Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and Jesús Made — but all came up empty, leaving Milwaukee scoreless.

The Cubs tacked on another run in the top of the third on a walk, a single, and a RBI groundout from Moises Ballesteros. While Sproat allowed two earned runs in his three innings of work, he racked up four strikeouts and his stuff looked great — as seen below:

The Brewers finally got on the board courtesy of a Christian Yelich solo shot that came off the bat at 106.8 mph. Notably, if you watch the video, you’ll notice that Yelich is using a bigger leg kick, which he had stopped using in early 2024 in favor of more of a toe-tap. This could be indicative of a long-term change in his approach, or it could just be him experimenting during spring training. The leg kick was clearly working for him today, so we’ll likely see it in more games this spring.

Unfortunately, Yelich’s home run would be the last time the Brewers would score, while Chicago tacked on a couple of insurance runs against Logan Henderson. Triantos hit a double in the fourth, then reached third on a Frelick error. Former Brewer Owen Miller knocked Triantos in with a sac fly. Jefferson Rojas hit a solo home run two innings later to bring the game to its final score: Chicago 4, Milwaukee 1.

Shane Drohan worked the final three innings of the loss, allowing just a single hit while striking out four and holding the Cubs scoreless. The Brewers briefly mounted a rally in the ninth after Eddys Leonard and Brady Ebel both singled, but Daniel Dickinson and Greg Jones both struck out to end the game.

Other than Yelich, who singled, walked, and homered, Milwaukee was only able to muster five more hits — all singles. Two of those were the Hamilton bunt and the Sanchez single in the first. Jesús Made singled in the seventh, but got picked off trying to steal second by Cubs pitcher Vince Velasquez. A pair of singles in the ninth also went for naught. Despite the loss, there were still a few things to feel good about — especially Yelich and Drohan’s performances. Drohan wasn’t facing the Cubs’ starters today, but he looked borderline dominant.

Milwaukee will be back on the field again tomorrow as they take on another division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.

Included in the Dodgers’ 7-5 win over Mexico in Wednesday’s exhibition at Camelback Ranch were a few performances that can’t help but be viewed with an eye toward the regular season.

Each of Andy Pages’ seven previous starts this spring were in center field, so he got to stay off his feet a bit on Wednesday as the designated hitter. Pages followed the assignment to a tee with a home run and double in his first two at-bats.

Pages has five extra-base hits in 23 plate appearances this spring.

Dalton Rushing continues to hit the ball hard, and often in the air, this spring. That included a second-inning triple off the center field wall for another run, then an RBI double into the right field corner in the third inning. Baseball Savant didn’t register data for that triple, but in Rushing’s other 11 batted balls this spring have an average exit velocity of 100.3 mph, including six balls hit over 100 mph.

He has two home runs this spring to go with his two extra-base hits on Wednesday.

It’s never wise to read too much into exhibition stats, but how the Dodgers have utilized and talked about veteran non-roster infielder Santiago Espinal this spring fits the pattern of someone exceedingly likely to begin the regular season on the active roster.

Wednesday was Espinal’s seventh start this spring, getting the call at third base against Mexico. He had an RBI double in the third inning to go with his fly ball that somehow landed for a single in the second. Espinal has reached base 14 times in 21 trips to the plate so far this spring, and while you should take that .667 on-base percentage with a grain of salt, his on-roster percentage appears from my vantage point to be north of that.

On the mound

After pitching to one batter in the third inning in his first Cactus League affair last Thursday, Tyler Glasnow on Wednesday faced five batters in the third inning against Mexico. That third frame gave the right-hander the most trouble, with two singles and a run plating a run, driven in by Toronto Blue Jays catcher (and last year’s final batter) Alejandro Kirk to drive Glasnow from the game.

Glasnow left with two runners on, and both scored on a single off reliever Jacob Frost, the Dodgers’ 10th-round draft pick last season out of Kansas State. Glasnow threw 51 pitches this time around, up from 33 six days prior, staying in progression toward the opening series of the regular season with time still for three more exhibition starts to further prepare.

Emmet Sheehan got the ball to start the fourth, pitching in his first game this spring (not including some simulated action on the backfields). While there is still time enough in camp to build up his innings, Sheehan didn’t do himself any favors by recording only four outs in his nine batters faced.

Mexico got three singles and two walks off Sheehan, who didn’t strike anyone out on Wednesday. One run scored against him but it could have been worse, having left with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning. But Carlos Duran induced an inning-ending double play to strand all three runners.

Keeping options open

With Pages at DH on Wednesday, Alex Call got the start in center field, his first time at the position this spring.

Call played one inning in center field for the Dodgers after getting acquired last July, and over the last two seasons with the Washington Nationals totaled seven games, four starts, and 46 innings at the position. In his career Call has started 85 games in center, 77 of them coming in 2023.

Up next

The Dodgers wade back into the Cactus League on Thursday with their second trip to Goodyear in three days, this time to face the Cincinnati Reds (12:05 p.m. PT; SportsNet LA, ESPN). Non-roster invitee Cole Irvin gets the start for Los Angeles, in his third outing this spring.

For 24-year-old Alex Freeland, the time is now.

After the switch-hitting middle infielder enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big leagues last season, he’s trying to break camp with the Dodgers and get increased playing time at second base with veteran Tommy Edman expected to be on the injured list as he works his way back from right ankle surgery.

Freeland, who played 29 games with the Dodgers last season, and second-year utility man Hyeseong Kim, who played 71 games and was on the postseason roster, are among those vying for playing time at the start of the season, with veteran Miguel Rojas and and nonroster invite Santiago Espinal also in the mix.

Kim, who started Cactus League games at second base and center field, recently departed for the World Baseball Classic as he competes for Team South Korea, opening a door for Freeland to get more reps in the heart of the Cactus League season.

Read more:Dodgers' Roki Sasaki struggles early in second Cactus League start, then settles down

“Opportunity is present, so I’m trying to make the most of it,” Freeland said. “It sucks that Tommy’s not ready and he won’t be ready for the beginning of the season. He’s a big part of this team, so I wish him a super speedy recovery and I hope that he gets out there as quickly as possible. But yeah, with Hyeseong being gone, I am getting more reps at second and short, so I’m just trying to make the most of them.”

Freeland entered last season as MLB Pipeline’s No. 45 overall prospect. Though he posted a .190/.292/.310 slash line at the big league level, prospect analyst Jim Callis still has high hopes for Freeland.

“Freeland doesn't have a wow tool but he does a lot of things well,” Callis said. “His best attribute is probably his defense at shortstop and versatility to play other positions. He's a switch-hitter who draws a lot of walks and has some sneaky pop. He's just an average runner, but his instincts allow him to play quicker than that.”

As a switch-hitter, Freeland has had more success from the left side than the right. He worked on his swing from both sides of the plate over the offseason and feels he’s in a good place.

"My right-handed hitting could be better,” Freeland said. “I mean, part of my game is walking, so I felt like I wasn’t patient at the right times last year. Sometimes I was too patient, just taking pitches down the middle. Walking is a big part of my game, so I’m looking to walk, and I feel like I’ve done that this spring training.”

Freeland has drawn eight walks in 24 plate appearances in Cactus League play, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been impressed with what he has seen this spring.

"Maturity,” Roberts said. “Playing both sides of the baseball really well. The bat, right-handed looks really good. Lefty is typically his strong side, but I like the right-handed at-bats. Just playing with a lot of real confidence.”

If it weren’t for the Dodgers’ star-studded roster, Callis believes Freeland’s chances at playing time would be better.

“On a lot of teams, Freeland would be getting a chance to compete for the starting shortstop job, but he's blocked on the Dodgers,” Callis said. “He's probably looking at more of a utility role than starting in Los Angeles, and he could be attractive to other clubs in trade talks too.”

Freeland, however, is embracing his role and hopes to earn his stripes. He’s tried to soak up as much as he can from the veteran stars he’s been able to spend time with.

Read more:Shaikin: Will Klein isn't surprised he saved the Dodgers' World Series dynasty

“Miggy Ro has always got something good to say. Muncy, Freddie, I mean they’ve been around so long, they’ve seen so many different things, so it’s like whatever I have a question about, like I can easily go and talk to one of them, and they’ve got an answer for me," Freeland said of Rojas, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman. "And it’s great to have guys like that in the clubhouse.”

Freeland grew up an Atlanta Braves fan and admired Freeman for years. Freeland never imagined he one day would share a locker room with the nine-time All-Star first baseman, who spent the first 12 years of his career in Atlanta.

“I watched Freddie growing up and Mookie,” Freeland said of Freeman and Betts. “So, I mean, it’s kind of like a full-circle moment, like I watched Freddie a lot when he was with the Braves, coming up, because I lived in Georgia, so like I’d go and watch minor league games and see him in Gwinett.”

Tyler Glasnow makes second spring start

Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow made his second start of Cactus League play, pitching into the third inning of Wednesday's game against Team Mexico. After giving up two hits and striking out three over two scoreless innings, Glasnow gave up an RBI single to Alejandro Kirk, the Toronto Blue Jays catcher, and was lifted with two runners on and two outs in the third after throwing 50 pitches. Both runners came around to score.

"I still feel good," Glasnow said after his outing. "It's not going to be perfect every week. As a whole, everything's lined up and feeling good."

Right-hander Emmet Sheehan made his first appearance of the spring, pitching 1-1/3 innings and giving up one run on three hits and two walks. Left-hander Alex Vesia pitched his fourth perfect inning in as many appearances, recording two strikeouts.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Record 7-4. Change on 2025: +1.5. 5-inning record: 3-7-1.

The Diamondbacks rolled their spring winning streak to five games, with a well-pitched victory over the Athletics in Hohokam. Their pitchers held the opposition to six hits, just one (a double) for extra bases, and a pair of walks. The sole run came against former (and hopefully not future) Arizona closer Paul Sewald, who allowed two hits and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Starter Brandon Pfaadt in his spring debut, still went 2.1 innings, allowing a hit and a walk with one K. He needed only 25 pitches for that, thanks in particular to a four-pitch first frame. Brandyn Garcia was the pick of the relievers, striking out two of the three batters faced. Isaiah Campbell pitched a clean ninth inning for the save.

Arizona certainly had chances to score more than three, but went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position – and one of those hits didn’t even bring across a run. The Diamondbacks got two in the fourth as Jacob Amaya’s first home-run of spring scored him and Luken Baker. The pair were also responsible for the D-backs’ third and final run in the fifth, Baker being driven in by an Amaya sacrifice fly. Jacob singled in addition to his home-run, and drove in all three Arizona runs. Tommy Troy went 3-for-4 and got his spring average up to .524, while also stealing his first base; Baker walked in addition to his hit.

ABS challenges went 2-for-3 on the day, and the D-backs will be on the road again tomorrow. They will face the Cubs at Sloan Park: first pitch is at 1:05 pm, with Ryne Nelson scheduled to start for Arizona.