With spring training on the horizon, David Stearns continues to round out the Mets’ lineup for the 2026 season. Last night, the team acquired Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuña and RHP prospect Truman Pauley. The Mets had been linked to Robert for quite some time, and the Mets finally got the missing piece to their outfield.
Robert joins Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Bo Bichette as new additions to the lineup from last year. He will serve as the team’s centerfielder and will add a power threat to the bottom of the lineup. According to Fangraphs, he should slide into the eight-spot in the new-look lineup.
SS Francisco Lindor
RF Juan Soto
3B Bo Bichette
1B Jorge Polanco
2B Marcus Semien
DH Brett Baty
C Francisco Alvarez
CF Luis Robert Jr.
LF Carson Benge
Robert now pushes Tyrone Taylor into the fourth outfielder role, a role for which he is better suited than the every day centerfielder.
With this latest move, the lineup looks to be mostly complete, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that options don’t remain. The biggest questions now are if Brett Baty gets moved to left field and if Carson Benge makes the team out of camp. Of course, the team still needs pitching help so either Baty or Mark Vientos could be on the move in any possible trades. For now, Vientos will probably serve as the team’s DH when there is a lefty on the mound.
This lineup has almost been completely overhauled from last year’s disappointing group, so it will be up to them to get this team back to the playoffs or, at the very least, come back in a game where they are down in the eighth inning.
National prospect list season continues with the latest iteration from Baseball America. You won’t be surprised to learn that the Detroit Tigers placed four prospects on BA’s new list, but there are some pretty interesting tools grades assigned. As we continue to work through the fringe prospects and potential role players in our 2026 scouting reports on the system, the big boys are still a long way away, so let’s take a moment to see what Baseball America has to say.
While Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin continues to hold the top spot, Tigers shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle holds the second position on BA’s top 100 and gets an adjusted 65 future value grade, projecting multiple All-Star game appearances in his 20’s.
McGonigle’s most notable tool grade on the 20-80 scale is a rare 80 hit tool projection. Based on the incredible levels of hard contact, lack of strikeouts, and excellent walk rates, this isn’t too big a surprise but an 80 hit is pretty hard to come by. That’s a testament to just how prodigous a pure hitter the 21-year-old Pennsylvanian is at a young age. He should be an OBP machine for the next decade to come, and his developing hard contact in the air to pull field earns him a 60 grade, or plus, for his power. He also gets a 55 for his baserunning and defense, while his arm is the only drawback at 45. The arm strength is the main thing pushing many to think he’ll have to move to second base once the Tigers have a better option.
Max Clark is the Tigers second ranked prospect, and he’s getting a lot more love this year as well after showing developing power potential in 2025. He takes the sixth spot on BA’s list with a 55 grade, though they give him a 65 regular grade, which I assume suggests his upside as, like McGonigle, a repeat All-Star caliber season type of player. He gets a 65 grade in running, 60’s for his defense and arm, and 60 hit and 50 power.
The way Baseball America does this, giving a main grade, and then an adjusted grade based on risk, feels like a funky equivocation in their grading system to some. Risk is a part of grading players generally, so it feels a little clunky to me too, but suggesting current grade and potential upside is fine. So we’ll take it that way. Here’s the top 100 article but it does require a subscription.
The player who is most in question after a stellar, but quite brief, pro debut is shortstop Bryce Rainer. The 20-year-old’s first 35 games were extremely impressive at the Single-A level, but a right shoulder injury on a dive back to first base in May cost him the rest of the season. Rainer and the Tigers decided to have surgery to repair the shoulder after the dislocation, and that’s probably for the best. Colt Keith could throw in the mid-90’s coming out of high school as a part-time pitcher, and after suffering the same injury, he and the Tigers elected to rehab the injury back in 2022. It’s taken a long time for the arm strength to return and he’s probably still not quite where he was in high school.
Rainer gets a 65 grade, but the risk level associated with such a young, inexperienced hitter brings his adjusted grade down to a 50. He gets tool grades of 55 hit, 55 power, 55 run, 55 field, and 70 arm. That arm strength is a big part of his long term future at the shortstop position, so all eyes will be on his throws this summer once he’s gotten some time to build himself up and shake the dust off.
Considering that Rainer was just 19 and seeing his first professional pitching last spring, the fact that he put up a 90th percentile exit velocity mark of 108 mph was pretty crazy. It’s particularly eye-opening for a left-handed hitting shortstop. He’s still got plenty of room on his frame to get stronger, and he hammered even high velocity fastballs with no problem at all, showing a lot of ability to use the left center field gap and hit the ball out of the park to the opposite field. We’ll just have to see how he adjusts as he sees a better brand of breaking and offspeed stuff, and better command, as moves through the system. He could move very rapidly this season as long as he’s back to full strength.
Finally we come to catcher, though much more likely a first baseman and designated hitter, Josue Briceño. He checks in 78th on BA’s top 100. It was an extremely impressive 2025 season for him as he lit up the High-A level in his age 20 season. He hit 15 home runs in 55 games for the West Michigan Whitecaps, walking 16.8 percent of the time while strikeing out just 16.4 percent of the time. He struggled a little more once he moved up to the Double-A level, but he was one of the youngest players in the league, while also carrying the burden of the tools of ignorance.
There isn’t a whole lot new to say here, and BA doesn’t say anything new either. Briceño looks like a very good left-handed power hitting in the making. It’s just a question of whether the Tigers want to take the time to develop him further behind the plate into a backup catcher, or if they give up on it to a degree, let him focus on hitting, and get him to the major leagues more quickly. They give him a 60 grade, 45 adjusted. His tool grades are 45 hit, 65 power, 30 run, 40 field, 55 arm.
Overall there really isn’t anything new here. It’s just a good reminder that we’ll get to see all but Rainer in major league camp in a few weeks, and it will be exciting to get eyes on them after the offseason. McGonigle, Clark, and Briceño will probably play in the spring futures game, and I suspect we’ll get a few looks at Rainer as well.
The 2005 season marked the beginning of the end of an era in Yankees history. In his age-36 season, longtime center fielder Bernie Williams put together the worst performance of his career by far, accruing -1.6 rWAR in 141 games thanks to a combination of lackluster defense and a paltry 86 OPS+. To make matters worse, the team had no obvious replacements on the roster, with Bubba Crosby and his career 47 OPS+ representing the best option. At the same time, despite having a small army of power hitters in the middle of the order, the Bombers lacked a prototypical leadoff hitter, pushing Derek Jeter out of his customary No. 2 spot and forcing manager Joe Torre to rotate Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and a young Robinson Canó through Jeter’s old spot in the lineup.
Fortunately for the Yankees, the outfield market was filled with quality center fielders, with Mike Cameron, Kenny Lofton, and Juan Pierre all hitting free agency. In the end, though, it would be the former Boston Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon — long a thorn in the Yankees’ side — who would shave his beard, cut his locks, and become the latest Boston fan favorite to defect to the Bronx.
Johnny Damon Signing Date: January 3, 2006 Contract: Four years, $52 million
Johnny Damon was no stranger to switching teams. Originally drafted in 1992 by the Kansas City Royals, he had spent the first six years of his career in Missouri before being traded to the Oakland Athletics ahead of the 2001 season. After one year in California, Damon signed a four-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. As a core member of the 2004 squad that we don’t like to talk about here at Pinstripe Alley, he quickly became a fan favorite in Beantown, and his caveman-like facial hair became not only his defining feature, but one of the defining features of the Red Sox. And so, when he declared “There’s no way I can go play for the Yankees” in May 2005, Boston fans had little reason to disbelieve him.
Free agency is a funny thing, though — especially for Scott Boras clients. Heading into his age-32 season, Damon clearly knew that this was his last good shot at earning a long-term deal, and so, Boras started the winter seeking a seven-year deal for his client. Recognizing his age, though, the Red Sox held firm for a three-year deal, even as the center fielder lowered his demand from seven years to five. But with the Red Sox front office in turmoil — general manager Theo Epstein had resigned on Halloween that year, and while he would eventually return prior to the front office in January 2006, the organization had been directionless and leaderless throughout the entire free agent period.
And so, when the Yankees delivered a four-year deal worth $52 million (“Bubba Crosby is our center fielder” be damned), Damon ignored his previous comments and didn’t reject it out of hand. And when his old friend and Oakland Athletics teammate Jason Giambi called to pitch him on New York, he listened. And in the end, he committed to the razor, agreeing to the deal even as Red Sox chief baseball executive Larry Lucchino was speaking to reporters about the team’s stalled negotiations with their popular center fielder.
The move paid dividends for the Yankees. With a career-high 24 home runs and 25 stolen bases (his most in a season since 2003), Damon stabilized the top of the order and earned down-ballot MVP votes. His 2007 season, however, saw his OPS and home run total drop, and while it was not his fault he lost the starting center field job to Melky Cabrera — Damon was simply taking the majority of the DH at-bats while Giambi was on the shelf with an injury — it was fair to wonder whether the Yankees had paid solely for Damon’s decline.
Fortunately for them, Damon appeared to recognize that he needed a change, and he began to reinvent himself as a quasi-power hitter, a change that Brett Gardner would also make later in his career. Now serving as the full-time left fielder, he posted a .303/.375/.461 slash line with 17 home runs, 27 doubles, and 5 triples, while still managing to steal 29 bases.
Damon’s first three years in pinstripes were nice, but in the end, it was the 2009 season that turned Damon from a solid free agent acquisition into a permanent part of Yankees lore. It’s not just that Damon had one of the best seasons of his career, tying a career high in home runs (24) and setting a career high in walks (71). It’s not just that the Yankees won the World Series in that season. No, what really cemented Damon’s status as a Yankees fan favorite is the fact that he was at the center of the Yankees’ return to the top. He drilled a walk-off home run on May 19th, the third straight game the Yankees won in walk-off fashion, helping to cement the 2009 Yankees as a team that could never be counted out. He had nine hits in the ALCS, including a pair of home runs, to help lead the Bombers past the Angels in six.
But his biggest moments in pinstripes came in the World Series. His numbers themselves were impressive enough — a .364/.440/.455 slash line with eight hits and four runs scored. But it was the ninth inning of Game 4 that made Damon a villain in the city of Philadelphia, one who is cursed by my Philly friends even two decades later. With two outs in the top of the ninth in a 4-4 game, Damon came to the plate against Phillies closer (and professional archaeologist) Brad Lidge. After falling behind 1-2, he battled back to force a full count, then laced a single to left field. On the first pitch to Mark Teixeira, he stole second, and then, noticing that third base was uncovered because the Philadelphia defense was in the shift, nabbed third on the same play. Having the go-ahead runner on third took Lidge’s best pitch away from him, and the middle of the order dropped a three-spot to put the Yankees one win away from their 27th World Series championship.
Due to his age, the Yankees opted not to re-sign Damon that winter despite his important role in the World Series championship. He proceeded to sign a trio of one-year deals — with Detroit in 2010, Tampa Bay in 2011, and Cleveland in 2012 — and while he hoped to return to the Bronx in 2013 to help his old team deal with the organization’s numerous injuries, that would be the end of Damon’s baseball career. And while having Damon on the 2013 Yankees may have been a fun epilogue to his career, at the end of the day, the fact that he left the Bronx as a World Series championship is perhaps the best legacy for the rare player who became beloved in New York and Boston.
Sources
Griffin, John. “25 Smartest Moves of the Past 25 Years: Yankees sign Johnny Damon.” Pinstripe Alley. January 27, 2022.
After averaging everything according to various projections, the Cubs’ season record came out to approximately 87-75 after a little consideration of our trusty napkins and some minor mental gymnastics. Reality was kinder to our Cubs and their final record was 92-70, good enough to get the Cubs into the postseason, where they dismissed the San Diego Padres and were outshined by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.
Gone are Kyle Tucker and many others. The Cubs signed Alex Bregman to a spendy deal and traded for Edward Cabrera, steps toward assembling a deeper and higher-floor squad.
This particular edition of the annual profiles isn’t results-driven, as last year’s was. I just wanted to see if the predictive ‘data’ would hold up. Some people’s stats were ‘in the ballpark’ but most of them weren’t even in the neighborhood.
I will provide predicted stats for everyone if you want to compile for your own reasons.
The Chicago Cubs are a team that is built around ‘chemistry’, more so than most squads. A lo of them have bonded over their religion and have been quite open about that. A good few have their own social media presences. Ian Happ has a popular podcast — we feature it here often, as it’s very good. Dansby Swanson and Justin Steele have YouTube channels. PCA is seen about town — he and Caleb Williams were seen to be having a great time at the Blackhawks game Monday night. Alex Bregman looks to be an up-front kind of leader, which should aid in that chemical experiment.
Something didn’t click with Tucker. I never had the feeling he wanted to be back. I suspect he told the Cubs early that he wanted to test the market, and I also think that his personality didn’t mesh, for whatever reason.
The 26-man roster hasn’t been set yet, so there’s considerable liquidity, and so we’ll present players by position rather than batting order, as presented in Al’s last article on the subject, just to make things tidy (with the same restrictions/qualifications). This list will be updated with links when those pages are published, as we did last year, and we’ll add the players from the 40-man roster after the 26-man roster has solidified. Profiles are planned to be daily, but that is of course subject to change.
Catchers (2)
Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly
Infielders (6)
Tyler Austin, Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw, Dansby Swanson
Outfielders (4)
Kevin Alcántara, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki
Designated hitter (1)
Moisés Ballesteros
Starting pitchers (5)
Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Cade Horton, Shōta Imanaga, Jameson Taillon
Relief pitchers (8)
Ben Brown, Hunter Harvey, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb
On Wednesday, Baseball America released its Top 100 prospects list for the season, kicking off the unofficial top prospect list season that will play out between now and the start of the regular season. Relevant to Orioles fans, five O’s prospects appear on this year’s edition of the list, starting with catcher Samuel Basallo at #9. The others who have made the list: Dylan Beavers (#21), Trey Gibson (#72), Nate George (#86), and Luis De León (#95).
That’s a solid set of top prospects, and it’s notable that the Orioles have managed to do this now that we’re several years removed from when they were regularly picking in the top five of the draft class. This group does not include any top Orioles draft pick at all. Beavers was the highest-drafted as a post-first round competitive balance selection in 2022.
Two of these players, Basallo and De León, are fruits of the team’s international amateur signing efforts. The Orioles signed Basallo to a contract extension shortly after he debuted last year. Two others, Gibson and George, were plucked from relative obscurity in the US amateur ranks. Gibson was an undrafted free agent in 2023, while George is a 16th round pick from the 2024 draft.
Mike Elias finding top prospect list talent from less-obvious avenues – lower-bonus international players and fifth round or later draft picks – is a good sign that we can hope will continue. It’ll be nice if the first round picks return to being top 100-level talent, too. 2025 top pick Ike Irish seems like he could get himself onto the lists starting in the midseason updates if he shows well in his first full pro season. The Orioles are unfortunately back in the top ten of the draft thanks to stinking it up last year, and also unfortunately the lottery didn’t put then in the top five even though they had the fourth-best odds of getting the #1 pick.
Two more players who the Orioles signed as amateurs made BA’s list of 20 “just missed” prospects. Those were pitchers Michael Forret and Esteban Mejia. Forret, a 14th round pick in 2023, was traded to the Rays in the Shane Baz deal. None of the other traded players were top 100-level talent on this list. Mejia, who only turns 19 in March, could make future top 100 lists if he’s able to start harnessing some of his natural talent as he reaches full-season affiliates. The O’s having three notable pitching prospects is also a new development in the Elias era.
Nice as it is to see five players in the top 100, it’s worth noting that the top two of these guys, Basallo and Beavers, have already debuted in MLB and will probably have their prospect status expire just weeks into the 2026 season. At that point, the Orioles won’t have any top 50-level prospects unless some of their guys continue on their upward paths. That could happen! I’m particularly excited about George.
Here’s a little of what Baseball America had to say about each of these top 100 (or almost-top 100) prospects:
Basallo
Basallo boasts elite bat speed and generates significant power to all fields thanks to his advanced bat-to-ball skills. … he is improving at swinging at pitches he can drive rather than ones his contact ability will allow him to get to. … He has plus-plus power and could be one of the game’s prolific sluggers, and his contact ability will only help him maximize his significant raw skills.
Beavers
Beavers told teams at the 2022 MLB Draft Combine that he knew his swing needed a lot of work. … The swing work Beavers and the Orioles have done have maximized his athleticism and plate discipline, which allows him to be adjustable and generate power naturally without expanding the strike zone or over-swinging in pursuit of slug. Above-average athleticism also shows up in Beavers’ plus speed and solid-average outfield defense in the corners
Gibson
After adding a sinker with unique angles in 2025, Gibson now has a pair of mid-90s fastballs. Righties either hit the new pitch into the ground or took it for strikes. However, Gibson gets his upside from his secondary mix. … The additions and improvements, plus his developing knowledge of how to use his growing arsenal, helped Gibson strike out batters at an elite level. Gibson has the potential to be a midrotation starter thanks to his pitch mix and aptitude.
George
George used a line-drive swing and knack for putting the ball in play to put together one of the best seasons a teenager had anywhere in the minors. … he is so dynamic out of the batter’s box—with run times of sub-4.0 seconds from home to first base—that he routinely stretches balls into the gaps for extra bases. His double-plus speed helps him in the outfield, where he has the makings of an elite center fielder with more experience.
De León
De Leon’s raw stuff has always been among the best in the Orioles’ system. … emphasizing fastball location to righthanded batters elevated his entire arsenal in the second half of 2025 as the rest of his stuff played up. De Leon’s command has always been inconsistent, but he has good zone rates with his fastball, suggesting it’s a trait that can continue to improve.
Mejia
Working with four-seam and two-seam fastballs, Mejia overpowered lower-level hitters with his electric stuff. His heaters sat in the mid-90s and averaged 98.4 mph—and there’s still some physical projection left to add to those marks. … Mejia is one of the most exciting and high-ceiling pitchers the Orioles have, but there’s a lot of work to be done to have him reach his No. 2 starter potential, from physical maturation to secondary pitch refinement.
**
This is a pretty good set of top prospects to bring into a season. Beavers is a strong Rookie of the Year candidate based on his 2025 debut performance, and if things click for Basallo before too long into the season, he could end up being a ROY candidate as well.
BA’s list is only the first of several from the major publications. I’ll be watching to see how other lists like Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, MLB Pipeline, and the Keith Law ranking at The Athletic assess the Orioles prospects relative to the league’s other top prospects.
According to family lore, the first team I ever rooted for was the St. Louis Cardinals, the football version. See, I entered this crazy world on a Sunday around 11 a.m. back when the Cardinals still played in Missouri, and about an hour later, my parents and I—well, I’m guessing just my father—turned on the Cardinals versus Cowboys.
In their last season opener before leaving for the desert, the Cardinals topped the ‘Boys, 24-13.
But outside of Super Bowl XLIII, I’ve never rooted for those Cardinals.
The other St. Louis Cardinals, well, now that’s a different story.
I’ve rooted for that baseball team my entire life. I’ve attended far more Cardinals games than Royals games. Until about 2010, when it became clear that I’d be staying in Kansas City, the Cardinals were my primary team. At that point, though, I switched. I wanted to be a fan of the team in the city (or area) where I resided.
Still, I cheer on the Cardinals. I won’t get too much into it, but the last few years have been painful for the franchise, and now they’re doing something they really haven’t done during my lifetime—rebuilding. Like, a full-scale, tear-it-down-to-the-studs rebuild. It’s probably for the best for the franchise to do that, and yet it’s still…weird, I guess, to see it happening.
So, yes, I root for two Major League Baseball teams, the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals.
And so can you!
I’ve devised a set of completely objective (subjective) rules grounded in science (eh) that will allow you to root for multiple teams in the same league without feeling bad (debatable) about it.
This stems from a) me rooting for both the Royals and Cardinals and b) one of my sisters insisting that it’s okay to root for both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, when it’s actually SACRILEGIOUS.
Here are the rules:
Rule No. 1: Hereditary
You can of course root for a team that you’ve been raised to cheer. This happened to me. I never lived in St. Louis but rooted for the Cardinals because that was my dad’s team, my mom’s team. Of my large family, I was the only one not born in St. Louis. I didn’t have much of a choice even after we moved to Kansas City.
If you find yourself born in, let’s say, San Francisco to a pair of expats from Seattle, let your Mariners’ flag fly. But don’t forget about the Giants. Different leagues, so it’s okay! When the two teams face each other, well, go with your gut.
Rule No. 2: Geography is King
If you want to root for two teams in the same league, those teams shouldn’t be that close in proximity. You can’t root for the Dodgers and the Angels. (Do the Angels have fans?) Or the Rams and Chargers. (Do the Chargers have fans?) It’s too weird to cheer on the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. Giants and Jets. You get the idea.
Pick the team in your own backyard and forget the neighbor who’s within walking distance. Too awkward.
Rule No. 3: The Yankees Directive
I’m sorry, but if you root for the Yankees, you cannot cheer for another team. You are a Yankees fan. There’s nothing worse, and you are forbidden from cheering on another baseball team. When the Bronx Bombers’ season ends, you must turn off your TV and radio until after the World Series.
This can be extended to all other North American professional sports leagues, including other teams in baseball. If you root for the Red Sox, that’s it. The same goes for the Dodgers. You’re the new Evil Empire, which I’m sure doesn’t bother you, but there’s no other team for you.
In the NFL: the Cowboys, of course. Probably the Patriots.
In the NBA: Lakers, Celtics, Knicks.
In the NHL: either of those Florida teams. I would include Toronto, but they haven’t won anything in like 100 years.
Sorry, I don’t make the rules. Wait—[listens to voices in my head]—I’m being told I do make the rules.
Rule No. 4: Same Division (NFL and MLB only)
You can’t root for two teams in the same division. That’s just wrong. If you’re a Royals fan, you can’t cheer on the Twins or Guardians or Tigers or White Sox unlessit’s the playoffs against the Yankees or Dodgers or Red Sox.
This is even more of a thing in the NFL. If you cheer for the Chiefs, forget about the Chargers (which is easy) and the Raiders and the Broncos. You can root for the Raiders and Chargers against the Cowboys but you can never cheer for the Broncos. Seriously, if Max would let me cuss, I would do that here.
But this rule for divisions only applies to only MLB and the NFL.
Why? Because I can’t even name all of the divisions in the NHL—is the Patrick still a thing?—and I don’t think divisions matter anymore in the NBA when it comes to playoff seeding. Maybe it does, but it’s not nearly as big of a deal as it is in baseball and football.
Rule No. 5: Wedded Bliss
Strange as it sounds, there are people out there who will marry someone who roots for a different team than their own. My wife and I have never had this problem, though she is vehemently anti-St. Louis, for reasons she hasn’t shared or she’s shared, but I wasn’t listening.
Still, I’ve seen Mizzou fans marry Kansas fans, Royals fans marry White Sox or Yankees fans, Cardinals fans marry Cubs fans, and even Chiefs fans marry Broncos fans. Oh, big sis.
Does this civil union in love allow you to break these rules and add that second team to your stable of teams for which you root?
Absolutely not.
Stand your ground, dang it! Keep some autonomy. Keep thy independence! Tigers should never root for Jayhawks. Royals should never hope that the best happens to the Yankees. We want them to fail, always!
Love shouldn’t change that.
Rule No. 6: No Kroenkes Allowed
Sorry, Enos.
If you root for one of the following teams, you cannot root for another: Rams, Avalanche, Nuggets, and, for our European friends, Arsenal.
Rule No. 7: Chaos
You must never root for your team’s biggest rival even if that team is facing a Yankees-esque opponent. In that case, root for pure chaos.
Blues fan, but the Red Wings are facing the Lightning for the Eastern Conference title? I’m sorry, but you can’t cheer on either team. You must hope chaos reigns.
Cardinals fan, but the Cubs are squaring off against the Dodgers in the pennant for the right to face the Red Sox in the World Series? May God have mercy on your soul.
Chiefs fan, but the Broncos are hosting the Patriots in the AFC Championship game in which the trophy is named after your team’s founding owner?
Say, have you heard about this thing they call alcohol?
Hopefully not the highest accolade Santana will have received. | Scott A. Schneider / Getty Images
The Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was finalized yesterday with the election(s) of Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones. While so much has been said about the electees, I’m curious about the players who didn’t get in.
Of the 11 first-time nominees who fell off the ballot yesterday, none were Twins; of returning players, Torii Hunter came closest, getting 37 votes (8.4 percent). This sent me on a sojourn of Looking Up Far Too Many Names manually in order to learn about the Twins who only saw one opportunity to get their name checked.
Here are the Twins since the 1979 balloting, when the under-5-percent elimination rule was introduced, to go one-and-done on the Hall of Fame ballot. (Years listed are time in Minnesota, not entire career.)
After seven seasons with the Dodgers, Perranoski was traded to the Twins before the 1968 campaign, serving as the team’s closer for the 1969 & 1970 AL West-winning seasons. He earned MVP votes both years and finished seventh in Cy Young voting in the latter.
Bernie Allen second baseman, 1962-66 1979 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
A prototypical light-hitting second baseman, Allen started his career with a third-place Rookie of the Year finish in 1962 (.269/.338/.403 with 12 home runs), but that was his best offensive season.
The Twins’ first baseman through their 1960s success, Reese had his best season in 1969, slashing .322/.362/.513 and receiving an MVP vote for the only time in his career.
Andy Kosco right fielder, 1965-67 1980 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
Kosco started his career in Minnesota but was never more than a part-time player for the Twins, putting up minus-0.8 rWAR in 89 games across those three years.
Bob Miller relief pitcher, 1968-69 1980 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
Miller was already an 11-year veteran by the time he joined the Twins (in the same trade that brought Perranoski to Minnesota). Across the following two seasons, he pitched in 93 games with a 2.91 ERA; however, he was traded following the 1969 season, playing five more seasons for seven clubs.
Jim Perry starting pitcher, 1963-72 1981 ballot: 6 votes (1.5 percent)
The Twins acquired Perry from Cleveland during the 1963 season, and while he was used in a mix of starter and relief roles through 1968, he became a dominant starter in 1969, going 20-6 with a 2.82 ERA, 12 complete games, and 6.3 rWAR, finishing third in Cy Young voting. The next season, he won the award with a 24-12 record, a 3.04 ERA, 13 complete games, and 3.8 rWAR. Perry was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2011.
John Briggs first baseman & outfielder, 1975 1981 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
Briggs and Hands are similar, both veteran players who joined the Twins at or near the end of their careers for unceremonious stints.
César Tovar everywhere, 1965-72 1982 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
An electric superutility man, Tovar was a mainstay atop the Twins’ lineup for seven seasons, receiving MVP votes each year from 1967 (his highest finish, seventh place) to 1971. In 1970, he led the AL in doubles (36) and triples (13); the following season, he led the AL in hits (204). Tovar was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Twins Hall of Fame in 2022.
Randy Hundley catcher, 1974 1983 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
Known as a Cub (and a member of that team’s Hall of Fame), Hundley spent the 1974 season in Minnesota, playing in 32 games, before ending his career with three part-time seasons in the National League.
Another late-career Twin, Singer spent four months in Minnesota, putting up a 3.77 ERA in his 26 starts before being selected by the Blue Jays in the 1977 expansion draft (and nearly being traded by them to the Yankees for Ron Guidry… but Peter Bavasi, Blue Jays president, nixed the trade).
The workhorse reliever’s heyday may have been in the early 1970s with the Expos and Dodgers, the latter for whom he won the 1974 Cy Young and set an MLB record with 106 appearances, but Marshall was still a dominant reliever during his first two seasons in Minnesota. In 1978, he appeared in 54 games (saving 21) and putting up a 2.45 ERA (3.0 rWAR); a season later, he pitched in 90 games (saving 32) with a 2.65 ERA (4.4 rWAR).
Larry Hisle outfielder, 1973-77 1988 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
Hisle was a regular in the Twins’ lineup for five seasons, saving his best seasons in Minnesota for his last two, slashing .273/.335/.394 in 1976 (4.3 rWAR) and .302/.369/.533 in 1977 (5.1 rWAR), leading the league with 119 RBIs and finishing 12th in MVP voting. He improved that placement the following season with the Brewers: .290/.374/.533 slash line, 5.3 rWAR, third in MVP voting.
Goltz went from solid as a starter during his first five seasons to electric over his latter three in Minnesota. Across the 1977-79 campaigns, Goltz put up 16.2 rWAR and a 3.34 ERA, going 49-34 (including an AL-leading 20 wins in ‘78) with 44 complete games.
Morales was never more than a part-time player in MLB but enjoyed his most success (and playing time) in Minnesota, totaling 290 games, 756 plate appearances, and 200 hits across those three seasons. By rWAR, he had his worst (1979, minus-1.0) and best (1980, 1.0) seasons as a Twin.
While best known for his 12 seasons as a Met, including his closing out the 1969 World Series, Koosman’s best season by rWAR came as a Twin in 1979: 20-13, 3.38 ERA, 7.2 rWAR, sixth-place Cy Young finish. Koosman had previously finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 1976 (21-10, 2.69 ERA, 4.7 rWAR).
Zahn’s very good 1978-9 seasons in Minnesota (combined 27-21 record, 3.25 ERA, 16 complete games, 8.2 rWAR) were bookended by mediocre seasons in ‘77 and ‘80 (combined 26-32, 4.53 ERA, 20 complete games, 0.7 rWAR).
A very good reliever during his four seasons in Minnesota, Campbell finished seventh in Cy Young voting and eighth in MVP voting in 1976, appearing in 78 games with a 3.01 ERA and 17-5 record (1.9 rWAR). The following season, with the Red Sox, he was even better: 2.96 ERA in 69 appearances with a 13-9 record and 4.7 rWAR, good for fifth in Cy Young voting and 10th in MVP voting.
Chris Speier shortstop, 1984 1994 ballot: 1 vote (0.2 percent)
Speier’s best seasons came during his initial six-plus-year stint with the Giants. Minnesota was his third and final team of the 1984 season; he played in just 12 games as a Twin, collecting seven hits.
Rick Dempsey catcher, 1969-72 1998 ballot: 1 vote (0.2 percent)
Dempsey spent the first four seasons of his career as a reserve for the Twins, playing in just 41 games over that time. It wasn’t until joining the Orioles in 1976 that Dempsey became a starter and Baltimore mainstay, remaining their starting catcher for his entire 10.5-season tenure at Memorial Stadium.
The longtime Pirates starter was a reliever by the time he landed in Minnesota, appearing in 34 games for part of the 1990 season while putting up a 7-3 record and 3.39 ERA (1.3 rWAR).
Reardon joined the Twins coming off consecutive All-Star campaigns in Montreal; while his stats dropped in 1987 (4.48 ERA, 0.7 rWAR), he still finished eighth in Cy Young voting and helped the Twins win the World Series. He returned to form in 1988 (2.47 ERA, 2.5 rWAR, 15th in MVP voting), and he ultimately finished his career with 367 saves against 358 walks allowed.
Kent Hrbek first baseman, 1981-94 2000 ballot: 5 votes (1.0 percent)
The Twins first baseman (alongside Justin Morneau), Hrbek spent all 14 seasons of his career playing for his hometown team. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1982 (also his sole All-Star selection) and second in MVP voting in 1984, ending his career with 293 home runs and more walks (838) than strikeouts (798). The Twins retired his uniform number 14 in 1995, he was inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, and he was one of the inaugural members of the Twins Hall of Fame in 2000.
Bedrosian’s top individual accolade is the 1987 NL Cy Young award, won while a Phillie (2.83 ERA, 40 saves, 2.3 rWAR), but as a Twin, he’s known for the other World Series year: although putting up a subpar individual 1991 season (4.42 ERA, minus-0.1 rWAR) and postseason (three World Series appearances, 5.40 ERA), he earned a ring with Minnesota.
The longtime Astro spent most of 1993 and all of 1994 with the Twins, having a solid former season (11-13, 4.41 ERA, 2.8 rWAR) and a terrible latter one (6-12; 7.39 ERA; minus-1.3 WAR; led MLB with 25 starts, 107 earned runs allowed, and 30 home runs allowed).
The ace of the 1987 staff hit his peak just in time to lead the Twins to the World Series championship that year, going 17-10 with a 2.90 ERA and 8.1 rWAR. He won the Cy Young the following year (24-7, 2.64 ERA, 7.7 rWAR) before being traded to the Mets during the ‘89 season, and he remained a strong pitcher through the 1993 season.
Jim Eisenreich center fielder, 1982-84 2004 ballot: 3 votes (0.6 percent)
Eisenreich was a reserve when he started his career with the Twins, playing in just 48 games over three seasons in Minnesota. He became a regular in 1989 with the Royals and helped the Phillies reach the World Series in 1993.
Tewksbury peaked with his 6.4 rWAR, third-place Cy Young season in 1992, going 16-5 with a 2.16 ERA for the Cardinals. His two seasons in Minnesota were the last of his career, totaling 6.5 rWAR while going 15-26 with a 4.49 ERA.
Chili Davis designated hitter, 1991-92 2005 ballot: 3 votes (0.5 percent)
Davis served as the Twins’ DH and cleanup hitter during their 1991 pennant run, clubbing 29 home runs during the regular season and two more in the World Series.
Terry Steinbach catcher, 1997-99 2005 ballot: 1 vote (0.1 percent)
After 11 seasons in Oakland, Steinbach came to his home state of Minnesota for his last three MLB seasons, serving as the Twins’ primary catcher each year. Over those three years, he slashed .256/.321/.399 with 30 home runs and 3.2 rWAR.
Nixon’s last season as a regular came in 1998, his sole year as a Twin, when he put up a .297/.361/.344 slash line (0.2 rWAR) across 500 plate appearances in 110 games.
Gary Gaetti third baseman, 1981-90 2006 ballot: 4 votes (0.8 percent)
All-Star, World Series champion, Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer (2007), and triple play machine.
Aguilera joined the Twins in the trade that sent Viola to the Mets and became a decade-long closer, reaching three All-Star teams and serving as the closer for the 1991 World Series winners. He was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2008.
The 1991 Rookie of the Year and leadoff hitter for the trophy winners, Knoblauch proved an elite second baseman in Minnesota. Then he went to New York, and he wasn’t, and Minnesotans hated him. Then he was named in the Mitchell Report, and most of baseball hated him. Then he assaulted two spouses, and no one in baseball wants anything to do with him.
Fifteen years after closing out the Mets’ 1986 World Series win, Orosco joined the Twins for the last month of his age 46 season, the last month of his career. He retired after 24 seasons with the record for games pitched; his mark of 1,252 still stands.
Mike Jackson relief pitcher, 2002 2010 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
The ‘02 season was Jackson’s penultimate in the league (he did not play in 2003) and his only one in Minnesota; in 58 games, he put up a 3.28 ERA and 1.2 rWAR.
After having broken out as a star for the Mariners a few years prior, Boone lasted less than a month with the ‘05 Twins, slashing .170/.241/.170 (minus-1.1 rWAR) in 14 games, the last of his career.
The ace of the late-’90s/early-‘00s Twins staffs, Radke received almost no national recognition for his ability and reliability, with one All-Star selection (1998), a ninth-place Rookie of the Year finish (1995), a third-place Cy Young finish (1997), and a 25th-place MVP finish (also 1997) his sole award placements. Radke totaled 45.6 rWAR over his career and was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2009.
A regular Twinkie Town meme, Mulholland pitched two of his final three seasons for the Twins, appearing in 78 games to the tune of a 5-11 record, a 4.89 ERA, and 0.9 rWAR. Back in 1986 for the Giants, though, he did this:
Another pair of last-season-of-career Twins. Nevin, the first overall pick in 1992 (a choice that led Hal Newhouser to quit the Astros’ scouting department as he wanted Derek Jeter), joined Minnesota for September 2006 and played in 16 games (plus a single 0-3 playoff showing), slashing .190/.340/.286 and putting up minus-0.1 rWAR. Sierra had spent 14 games in Minnesota earlier in the year, slashing .179/.273/.214 (minus-0.2 rWAR) before being released in July.
Same story, just a year later: Cirillo was a Twin for part of 2007, his final season, and while his stats weren’t terrible (50 games, .261/.327/.386, 0.7 WAR), he didn’t finish the season with the team, being claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks in August.
Walker became the Twins’ starting second baseman after Knoblauch’s departure, and while his ‘98 and ‘99 seasons were respectable (combined .297/.357/.435 slash line and 2.2 rWAR), he was traded to the Rockies in 2000 after his hitting began to fall off.
Yes, those were his last two seasons. Yes, he hit badly (combined: 137 games, minus-1.5 WAR, .226/.266/.354 slash line).
Jacque Jones left fielder, 1999-2005 2014 ballot: 1 vote (0.2 percent)
The leadoff hitter for the early-’00s squads, Jones peaked in 2002 with a 5.5-rWAR season (.300/.341/.511, 27 home runs) before leaving after the ‘05 season for the Cubs.
Rogers was… fine, I suppose, in 2003 for the Twins, putting up a 4.57 ERA (1.9 rWAR). He proceeded to join the Rangers for two seasons and the Tigers for three, and the first three of those final five seasons resulted in All-Star appearances and Gold Glove awards, plus a fifth-place Cy Young finish in 2006. Of course.
The Twins traded for longtime Astros and Tigers closer Jones midway through the 2001 season, and he appeared in 24 games for the team (3.26 ERA, 0.3 rWAR), saving two.
Everyday Eddie began his career as a starter before quickly converting to the bullpen, leading the league with 83 appearances in 1996. It wasn’t until 2002 that he served as the regular closer for a full season, and he earned All-Star nods that year and the next, finishing his Twins tenure with 116 of his 187 career saves.
Luis Castillo second baseman, 2006-07 2016 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
After a decade with the Marlins, Castillo joined the Twins for the next season and a half, serving as a reliable glove (though with a negative Fielding Runs Above Average) and steady contact bat (.299/.357/.363) at second base.
Blake didn’t become a starter until the 2003 season in Cleveland, having only appeared in 49 games over his first four seasons. Those included 29 games across three different seasons in Minnesota.
Cabrera played only the last two months of the 2009 season as a Twin, and while his stat line was average (.289/.313/.430, minus-0.1 rWAR), Twins fans remember him fondly for his go-ahead home run in Game 163.
One of the most egregious one-and-dones in balloting history, Santana was arguably the best pitcher in the majors across the 2004-08 seasons. Over that span, he averaged 7.1 rWAR, a 17-8 record, a 2.82 ERA, and 238 strikeouts per season, winning a pair of Cy Youngs. The rise in votes for Félix Hernández this year (from 20.6 percent to 46.1 percent, the largest year-to-year jump since 1967) bodes well for Santana’s chances of being elected by committee: both pitchers had extraordinary several-season peaks but had their careers cut short due to injury.
Hernández made 23 starts for the ‘08 Twins and was not particularly good, going 10-8 with a 5.48 ERA (minus-0.3 rWAR) before being designated for assignment at the start of August.
After Cabrera’s departure following the 2009 season, the Twins brought in Hudson to fill their middle-infield quota of Orlandos. He responded with a 2.9 rWAR season (.268/.338/.372, league-leading 5.31 Range Factor per 9) before leaving for San Diego the following year.
Hawkins was a middling starter turned okay closer turned fantastic setup man, spending his first nine seasons with the Twins before playing another 12 years in the majors. After appearing as an occasional TV commentator for the team the last few seasons, he has now joined the club as its bullpen coach.
Michael Cuddyer right fielder / third baseman, 2001-11 2021 ballot: 0 votes (0.0 percent)
While never reaching an elite level of player, Cuddyer was a reliable middle-of-the-0rder bat and fan favorite, first in Minnesota, where he spent his first 11 seasons, then in Colorado and Queens. He earned his first All-Star nod during his final year as a Twin, picking up one more as a Rockie in 2013, the year he won the NL batting title.
Joe Nathan closer, 2004-11 2022 ballot: 17 votes (4.3 percent)
After coming to Minnesota in the A.J. Pierzynski trade (more on him in a bit), Nathan became one of the best closers of the 2000s, earning four All-Star selections and twice placing in the top five in Cy Young voting during his Twins tenure. He ended his 16-year career with a 2.87 ERA (2.16 in Minnesota) and 377 saves, 10th-most in MLB history, and he was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2019.
Morneau was my favorite of the mid-to-late ‘00s Twins stars ever since he came up through AA-New Britain, and I believe he could have been on a Hall of Fame track were it not for that fateful 2010 concussion. From 2006 to ‘10, he was a dominant hitter, winning MVP in 2006 and coming in second in 2008, and averaging a .298/.372/.528 slash line (32 homers, 4.6 rWAR) per 162 over that span. He now serves as a frequent color commentator on TV broadcasts for the team, and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Twins Hall of Fame in 2021.
Before developing his league-wide reputation as an asshole during his time with the White Sox, Pierzynski worked his way into the starting catcher role in 2001, earning an All-Star selection in 2022 and putting up a 4.5 rWAR season (.312/.360/.484) in 2003.
Three years before ascending to the top of the National League with his 2012 Cy Young award, Dickey was a journeyman knuckleball reliever for the Twins. He appeared in 35 games for Minnesota in 2009, putting up a 4.62 ERA with 42 strikeouts versus 30 walks (0.6 rWAR).
The Twins traded for Hardy before the 2010 season, and he put up a respectable line: .268/.320/.394 and 1.3 rWAR. Then they traded him to Baltimore, where over the next four seasons he put up three straight 20-homer years, three straight Gold Gloves, and four straight 3-plus-rWAR seasons.
Well after the legend of Big Sexy took hold of baseball fans’ collective consciousness, Colón became a Twin, joining the team in July 2017 at age 44 and making 15 starts for the club. While his play was far from that at his peak, putting up a 5.18 ERA and 0.3 rWAR, one of his five wins (to go with six losses) came against the Diamondbacks, making him the 18th pitcher in history to earn a win against all 30 teams.
The Twins were treated to the Fernando Rodney Experience for the first half of 2018, during which Rodney made 46 appearances (with 25 saves) to the tune of a stressful 3.09 ERA and 0.7 rWAR. That August, the Twins traded him to the A’s, for whom he appeared against Minnesota (at Target Field) on Player’s Weekend. The team handed out player nickname shirseys to fans, and both my dad and I ended up with Uiya Clara. (And in the second game, when Rodney entered in the seventh inning, a fan named Matt in the outfield seats did Rodney’s bow-and-arrow motion, dislodged his contact lenses, and had to leave early.)
That’s all of them, every Twin who went one-and-done since the 1979 five-percent rule. HOF watchers now look ahead to Beltrán and Jones’ July 26 induction before setting their sights on the 2027 ballot, awaiting the news of who might join the voting pool for a shot at election… or a spot among the one-and-dones.
Exactly half of the votes in the previous poll went to two players: INF Jadher Areinamo and RHP TJ Nichols. Accordingly, for this next poll, we will do a runoff of these two players. The winner of the vote will receive the No. 7 slot, and the loser will receive the No. 8 slot. We will then continue on Friday with No. 9.
Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.
A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.
Northwestern baseball is less than a month away from teeing off the 2026 season, and much of the team’s success this year hinges upon a revamped pitching staff. While Ben Greenspan’s tenure has been defined by growth across the board, pitching is one area where NU has struggled. The ‘Cats finished second-to-last in the Big Ten last season with a 7.65 ERA, a number that was worse than the 6.95 ERA they finished with in 2024. Last year, NU had 305 strikeouts, 59 less than the team above them, and had a 1.77 WHIP which was tied for second-worst in the league.
Simply put, the ‘Cats pitching must improve significantly if Northwestern wants to make serious progress in climbing the Big Ten ladder. With the departure of starters Blake MacMillan and Crawford Wade, there will be open spots for the Wildcats’ developing players and newcomers to make an impact on the mound. Let’s unpack the pitchers that will likely be most instrumental to the staff’s hopeful turnaround this year.
Sam Hliboki, RHP, Gr.
Hliboki announced he would return for a final season with Northwestern, and he’ll take charge as both the No.1 starter and captain of this pitching staff. His 82.1 innings pitched was fourth in the Big Ten, proving Hliboki’s major role with the Wildcats as a consistent option who could eat innings and go deep into games. Last season, he led the team in strikeouts with 65 and finished second in ERA with a 5.36 mark. He also allowed the fewest walks out of any Wildcat pitcher.
After spending his first four years at Vanderbilt and transferring to NU last season, Hliboki now has a full year of familairity pitching to Big Ten batters. His wealth of experience and veteran mindset should pay dividends for a relatively young ‘Cats pitching staff, and his steady presence on the mound will be invaluable as Greenspan experiments with different combinations and spots for other pitchers.
Matthew Kouser, RHP, So.
Kouser was one of the frontline starters for the ‘Cats in his rookie campaign. The 6-foot-5 New Jersey native made a team-high 14 starts and led the team in innings pitched with 61.2. He was also third behind Hliboki and Wade with 33 strikeouts.
His collegiate debut was arguably his best performance of the season, as he threw 6.0 innings of one run ball, earning him a Big Ten Freshman of the Week award. His 7.59 ERA was still lower than the team stat, but reflects that the next step he’ll have to take is doing a better job neutralizing Big Ten batters and leaving runners on base. Kouser’s role with the team will undoubtedly be bigger this year, and with a full year under his belt and great mentors to train under, he should be ready to take the mantle.
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 6, 2025
Garrett Shearer, RHP, Jr.
Despite leading the team in pitching appearances in 2024, Shearer struggled with staying on the field last year in a season marred by injuries. He played in just two games, but was fantastic in both of them: two runs allowed over 6.0 innings, and his first career complete game striking out six and giving up just four hits and one run.
While its a small sample size, Shearer’s 2.08 ERA proved that his talent and potential for dominance is certainly evident. While on the mound, he looked like one of the best pitchers on the staff, and its likely that if Shearer can stay healthy he’ll be thrust into a top spot in the rotation. Out of all the pitchers, Shearer has the most potential for a bounce-back season this year.
Jack Grunkemeyer, RHP, So.
The leader in games pitched for the ‘Cats in 2025, Grunkemeyer is another sophomore looking to build on a promising rookie season. His 1.66 WHIP was tied for third on the team, and he had multiple strong outings throughout the season with several innings pitched and few runs given up, including 3.1 hitless innings against Western Michigan and 2.2 perfect innings in relief against Michigan State. Grunkemeyer embraced a middle relief position with the ‘Cats last year, an that could continue this year. But given the roster turnover and shuffling of roles, it’s also possible that Grunkemeyer serves some time as a starter or bulk inning reliever.
Forniss took several starts down the stretch last season, finishing the year with five of his 15 games as starter. His inning count hovered around three for most of the year, but he gradually went deeper into games as the season went on. He earned his first save with 3.0 shutout innings against Valparaiso, which marked one of his strongest outings of the year and proves that he can adjust and be a stable force both as a starter and out of the bullpen. It’ll be interesting to see how Greenspan chooses to use him this year, but the Indiana native will certainly play a bigger role.
James Whitaker, RHP, Fy.
As our own Matt Campbell noted last week, Whitaker is one of the most exciting high school recruits that Greenspan has snagged. A top 100 RHP in his class with a 3.33 ERA at Bishop Gorman Gaels, a high school known for producing several MLB players, Whitaker brings a strong two-seam fastball, nasty breaking balls and a well-developed mindset to Northwestern. He could instantly join the rotation as a starter if he impresses in non-conference play, or start with a middle-inning or late-game relief role out of the bullpen. Regardless, Whitaker’s ceiling is as high as the Vatican, and he’ll be an exciting player to watch grow this season.
Colton Cravens, RHP, Fy.
Cravens could very well be the future of this team. As an 18-year-old from Kentucky where he was formerly recognized as the top high school pitcher in his state, he’s been ranked top 200 nationally. Cravens brings to Northwestern a 93 MPH fastball and a strong performance in relief during the Summer 2024 team elite, where he posted a 2.02 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 23 innings. Cravens will likely be slotted into the bullpen and have chances to make an impact right away, and if he can limit runs and keep his ERA low, there’s no telling how big his role could get.
The Rays had several interesting names getting some reps in international leagues during the offseason. I’ve recapped the performances from some of the standouts below and looked ahead to what it could mean for them in 2026.
Australian Baseball League
Leonardo Pineda
The 2024 international signee has played less than 100 professional games since joining the organization, but that didn’t stop the Rays from his aggressive assignment to the ABL. Playing against competition over half a decade older than him on average, Leo held his own and then some – slashing .279/.362/.402 in 36 games (138 PA) and playing a solid CF.
Maybe the most impressive number from his campaign down-under is that 26.5% of his hits went for extra bases (compared to just 20.8% at the complex league last season). He’s starting to tap into his above average bat speed and find in-game power without having to sell-out and sacrifice any contact ability.
Despite his relatively small sample of professional games even with his ABL experience, I expect Pineda to begin the year with low A Charleston where he might be pushed to a corner at times to make room for Rays CF prospect Slater de Brun. Pineda will still get his time in CF where he looks like he could develop to be an above average defender there.
Nicandro Aybar
A late injury replacement addition to the Perth squad, Aybar didn’t miss a beat as he made the most of his opportunity. He hit four HRs – doubling his professional HR total so far in his career – and showed above average bat-to-ball skills. His versatility and athleticism could make him a valuable utility player as he develops.
In the last two seasons, Aybar has seen time at all three OF positions as well as 2B and 3B, but looks best in a corner outfield spot. I think he has enough lateral quickness and arm to continue to get reps at his two infield positions going forward.
I expect Aybar to begin the year with Charleston after getting a cup of coffee there late last season.
Dominican Winter League
Hunter Bigge
Bigge seemed destined for a key bullpen role in 2025 before a freak injury derailed his season. He has since gotten back on the saddle – earning three saves across 8 IP to go along with 11 K and 3 BB.
The most exciting part of his performance in the Dominican Republic is that his stuff and confidence are just as great as they were pre-injury. I think Bigge could play a pivotal role and pitch in plenty of high leverage moments in 2026 as part of the closer committee. He could be a sneaky pick to lead the team in saves this year.
Kenny Piper
While the offensive production hasn’t been there for Piper this offseason, his defensive skills continue to shine. Piper is a plus receiver with above average athleticism behind the plate and his pitchers love throwing to him. Piper also has a 70 grade arm that he has been able to show off more this offseason as he has worked to improve his exchange.
His 42% caught stealing rate is by far the best in the Dominican Winter League, and 18% better than the league average. For more context, the ML leaders last season at 43% were Luis Torrens and Austin Hedges – Piper has shown similar pop times to both of them.
His hit and power tools currently grade below average and there might not be much we can expect from Piper offensively, but his work behind the plate is a valuable asset and he could be an impact defender in the majors if given the opportunity to play in a back-up role. I expect him to be ready to help the major league club as he awaits his opportunity in Durham along with Dom Keegan. Sometimes I wonder about the alternate universe where Danny Jansen begins the 2025 season on the IL and Piper makes the Opening Day roster.
Venezuelan Winter League
Jadher Areinamo
Areinamo put on a show this offseason. His performance in Venezuela is MVP worthy (although his ROTY award was also a nice prize) as he hit .364/.420/.692 with 13 HR across 162 PA. He continues to show an above average hit tool highlighted by double-plus contact rates. The biggest surprise from Areinamo has been his emerging power. It might never be above average power, but he has hit 28 HR since the start of 2025 in 167 games after hitting just 16 HR in his first 328 games of his career.
It’ll be interested to see how his emerging power translates to AAA. The run environment there is inflated so the production will likely be there, but I’ll be watching his hardhit%, 90th percentile EV, and his hardhit launch angles. Without his newfound power, Areinamo profiled as a utility infielder. These guys can be valuable in specific bench roles but may struggle to hold down an everyday job. But if the power is real, Areinamo could easily be the everyday second baseman as early as 2027. He already is a solid defender there, and with his offensive tools he would be an above average everyday contributor.
I’m wondering about what his swing decisions will look like at the next level. Areinamo has historically maintained chase rates far worse than average, so I’m concerned about his willingness to expand the zone even though he has found a way to be productive so far in his career. Areinamo’s recent power surge suggests that he’s making plus swing decisions in-zone – which is a nice way to hedge his potential weakness in expanding the zone. The swing decisions both in and out of the zone against more advanced pitching in AAA and the majors will be something to watch. I also have questions about Areinamo’s swing at the next level in terms of mechanics. There are a lot of moving parts, but he has double-plus bat-to-ball skills that have allowed him to make it work thus far. His noisy swing might cause him to whiff at elevated rates against higher velocity and quality breaking balls, and his suboptimal chase rates would only exacerbate this issue.
I have no concerns about Areinamo’s raw talent. He’s a plus athlete with outlier contact ability, but all players will be tested at some level where they can no longer rely on talent alone. This is where adjustments will have to be made in order for him to succeed at the next level and I hope Areinamo can show that in 2026.
BOSTON — Left-hander Ranger Suárez and the Boston Red Sox finalized their five-year, $130 million contract.
Suárez gets a $3 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the deal’s approval by Major League Baseball, and salaries of $7 million this year, $15 million in 2027, $30 million in each of the following two seasons and $35 million in 2030. The deal includes a $35 million mutual option for 2031 with a $10 million buyout.
Boston also traded infielder Tristan Gray to Minnesota for minor league catcher Nate Baez, opening a roster spot.
An All-Star in 2024, Suárez had spent his entire professional career with the Philadelphia Phillies after signing at age 16 in April 2012. The 30-year-old from Venezuela pitched out of the bullpen early on but has been a steady performer and mostly a reliable winner since moving into the rotation exclusively in 2022.
The deal was the first for a major league free agent for the Red Sox this season and came after they were outbid for Alex Bregman by the Chicago Cubs, who gave the incumbent Boston third baseman a five-year deal, $175 million with a no-trade provision the Red Sox wouldn’t offer.
Suárez was 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA last season in 26 starts covering a career-high 157 1/3 innings, then became a free agent for the first time. Because he turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from Philadelphia in November, Boston gives up its second- and fifth-highest selections in July’s amateur draft and forfeits $1 million in international signing bonus allocation in 2027.
Philadelphia gets an extra pick after the fourth round of the draft as compensation.
Suárez was 8-5 with a 1.36 ERA and four saves in 12 starts and 27 relief outings in 2021. He finished 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA over 29 starts and 155 1/3 innings the following season, then fell off to 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA across 22 starts in 2023, when he landed on the injured list for a left elbow strain and later for a right hamstring strain. But he bounced right back the next year, going 12-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 27 starts and 150 2/3 innings.
Suárez spent time on the IL for lower back spasms, soreness or stiffness three times in the past four seasons.
The 29-year-old Gray hit .231 with three homers and nine RBIs in 30 games for Tampa Bay last year and was acquired by Boston in November. Baez, 24, hit .278 with eight homers and 54 RBIs last year for High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita.
Minnesota designated Vidal Bruján for assignment to make room for Gray.
McLean dazzled in 48.0 innings over eight starts during his big league debut last season, posting a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while striking out 57 batters. He is expected to slot near the top of the 2026 rotation.
Benge, who ended the 2025 season with Triple-A Syracuse, is expected to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster -- and could be the starting left fielder if he makes it.
The other four prospects on BA's list could open 2026 in the minors.
Tong showed flashes during his first taste of the majors in 2025, but his arsenal can use some refining.
Williams should debut at some point in 2026, but there doesn't seem to be a clear spot for him at the moment.
Sproat, like Tong, debuted in 2025. Depending on how the Mets fill out their big league rotation, it's possible Sproat is used in relief in the majors this season -- at least for a portion of it. If not, he'll likely open the year in Triple-A.
As far as Ewing, he had a breakout season in 2025, slashing .315/.401/.429 (.830 OPS) across three levels, ending with Double-A Binghamton. The speedy Ewing smacked 10 triples and 26 doubles while swiping 70 bases.
Kelly was Colorado’s fourth round pick, 107th overall, in the 2025 draft out of UC-Irvine. The 6’5” 21-year-old righty starter signed for a $700k bonus, just about $15k under the slot value. Like many other high Rockies draftees, Kelly was a high school quarterback with some good athleticism. He was thought of highly enough in high school to be in the top 250 of MLB Pipeline and get drafted in the 20th round in 2022 by Arizona (though he didn’t sign). His standout trait is a high-RPM (3,000+) curveball, combined with low to mid-90s velocity and a decent changeup.
Mid-season 2025 Rank: HM
High Ballot: 17
Mode Ballot: 17, 21, 22, 28
Future Value: 35+, starting pitcher depth
Contract Status: 2025 Fourth Round, UC-Irvine, Rule 5 Eligible After 2028, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2029
The first couple years of college didn’t go well for Kelly, who threw only 20 1/3 innings with poor results while battling a back injury. In his draft year, Kelly started the season in the bullpen for UC-Irvine before moving back to the rotation in mid-March. In his second start, he outdueled eventual 2025 #2 overall pick Tyler Bremner en route to a season total of 66 2/3 innings with a 3.78 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 9.5 K/9 rate, and 4.3 BB/9 rate. Kelly didn’t pitch in an official game in the Rockies’ system after signing.
Here’s a look at Kelly after his sophomore campaign in 2024:
Kelly’s fastball sits around 92-93 mph and he can crank it up to 96 at times. But his best pitch has always been his curve, especially when he can land it for strikes. It’s a nasty 11-to-5 breaker thrown in the upper 70s that routinely registers over 3,000 rpm and flashes plus. He has a low-80s changeup that can be effective as well.
While Kelly’s strike-throwing has been inconsistent, scouts saw better quality strikes with the move to the rotation. He should get every opportunity to start, with the knowledge that the fastball-curve combination could tick up if he had to move back to the ‘pen.
UC Irvine right-hander Riley Kelly (4) moved from the Anteaters’ bullpen to the rotation this year and blossomed, making 12 starts along with five relief appearances and lowering his ERA by a run and a half. He’s up to 96 but he sits more 91-93, generating a ton of whiffs on his 82-85-mph straight change, although his 11/5 curveball looks like it should be his best pitch. He has 45 control right now, but if that gets to 50, he’s a starter.
If Kelly can command that hammer, generate a bit more velocity on the fastball, and stick in the rotation, he becomes an interesting starter prospect. Pending that evidence, I ranked Kelly as a 35+ FV player with some upside and put him 26th on my list. Kelly will start 2026 at High-A Spokane or Low-A Fresno, probably the latter.
The final review of the 2025 season will be looking at each position in the Astros farm system. Next up is the outfield position.
BEST OF THE BUNCH
Alonzo Tredwell
Tredwell was the Astros 2nd round pick back in the 2023 draft and he had a breakout season this year. The right-hander pitched across three different levels and posted a 3.69 ERA with 122 strikeouts over 100 innings. This included a dominant 40 strikeouts over 22.2 innings in Double-A to end the season.
Mayer, a 16th round pick in last year’s draft and looks to be another diamond for the Astros. The right-hander started in Single-A and struck out 30 over 17.2 innings earning a promotion to High-A. In Asheville he posted a 2.85 ERA with 45 K in 41 innings. He finished the season in Double-A striking out 37 over 29 innings. He was the Astros minor league pitcher of the year.
Ullola started the season well and then hit a rough patch but turned it around late. In his first full season in Triple-A, Ullola posted a 3.88 ERA with 131 strikeouts over 113.2 innings. He also allowed just 75 hits, good for a .186 batting average against. When he cuts down on the walks, he is dominant.
Pecko had some injuries early in the year but after getting healthy, the 2024 minor league pitcher of the year got back to his normal self. He had a 4.40 ERA in Double-A but that included a 1.75 ERA over his final six outings in Double-A. He got a promotion to Triple-A where he finished with a 3.09 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 35 innings. He should be in Houston in 2026.
After a tough season in 2024 for Dombroski, he turned things around this year. The left-hander posted a 3.61 ERA with 116 strikeouts over 112.1 innings. He allowed just 91 hits in Double-A good for a 7.3 H/9, down from 11.1 H/9 last year. He made two starts in Triple-A too and should start there next season.
Ogando pitched the full season for the Woodpeckers and had some ups and downs. The 21-year-old had a 4.07 ERA overall, but had some really good months posting a 3.24 ERA in April and a 3.18 ERA in June. Overall he finished with 113 strikeouts in 94.2 innings, though he did walk 69.
Cruz is an undersized right-hander who put together a solid season in 2025. He started the year in Fayetteville and had a 3.75 ERA with 84 strikeouts over 84 innings. He earned a promotion to High-A where he had a 5.12 ERA, though he also had 20 strikeouts in 19.1 innings. Overall he had a 4.01 ERA.
Fleury has been on the radar as a possible top prospect for a couple of seasons now. He started out the season on fire posting a 0.82 ERA with 25 K in 22 innings in April. He missed some time in May but came back in June and was eventually promoted to Triple-A where he had a 6.95 ERA over 45.1 innings.
Nezuh had a monster first year in the system in 2024 but struggled some in Double-A in 2025. He finished the season strong though posting a 1.67 ERA over his final six games. He would end up finishing the season with a 4.34 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 76.2 innings between Double-A and a couple outings in the FCL.
Pitching is always tricky. As it stands, the Astros will be leaning on Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Mike Burrows, Cristian Javier and newly acquired Tatsuya Imai. The Astros have some strong arms in Ullola, Pecko and Mayer. Then some other strong options like Tredwell, Forcucci (hasn’t pitched yet) and Dombroski. As we have seen in previous years, we know the Astros will need well more than five starters so plenty of chances for these prospects to shine in 2026.
The San Diego Padres have won precisely one World Series game in the history of their franchise. On October 10, 1984, they defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-3 in Game 2 of that season’s Fall Classic. Their starter, Ed Whitson, gave up more runs (three) than he recorded outs (two). So out of the bullpen came 24-year-old Andy Hawkins, who’d been abysmal for the Padres in ’84 (-1.6 bWAR). All he did was hurl 5.1 frames of shutout ball, earning himself the win.
Several years later, Hawkins found himself on the free agent market and identified the Yankees as a team he thought would be competitive during his tenure. Ultimately, he signed on the dotted line to come to the Bronx. He was, sadly, completely wrong on the Yankees’ timeline to be competitive, so he never came close to the AL pennants he hoped for. Nonetheless, he holds a place in Yankee lore, tossing one of the more infamous no-hitters in baseball history.
Name: Melton Andrew Hawkins Born: January 21, 1960 (Waco, TX) Yankees Tenure: 1989-91
Hawkins grew up in Texas, playing baseball. Larger than many of his peers, his father (and eventually his coach) realized he needed to be pushed. The talent was never in question, though. When the 1978 MLB Amateur Draft rolled around, Hawkins did not have to wait long for his name to get called. Picking fifth overall, the San Diego Padres nabbed the 18-year-old.
By 1982, Hawkins found himself in the majors, where he embarked on an inconsistent trajectory. In limited action his rookie season, he struggled. But the next season, far from a sophomore slump, Hawkins put together one of his finest seasons, pitching to a 2.93 ERA (121 ERA+) in 119.2 innings. 1984, however, was the exact opposite as he pitched poorly enough to get demoted to the bullpen before earning his World Series redemption (he ended up pitching in three games that October, allowing one run in 12 innings).
After an excellent 1985, he struggled again the next two seasons. But with his free agency approaching, Hawkins picked an excellent time to have a bounce-back season in 1988. That December, the Yankees showed up to the Winter Meetings, looking to perhaps offload Dave Winfield. When that looked like a losing proposition, General Manager Bob Quinn quickly pivoted.
At the top of their list? The 28-year-old Hawkins, fresh off a 14-win season in San Diego. It did not take long for a deal to come together. A day after the initial reporting on Hawkins emerged in the New York Times, he and the Yanks came to an agreement. Hawkins signed a 3-year, $3.6 million deal, the largest and longest deal he was offered in free agency.
Manager Dallas Green immediately designated Hawkins the “anchor” of the Yanks’ rotation. That raised some eyebrows. Murray Chass, in the Times, remarked that the label “raised instant questions about the talent that will make up the rotation.”
Hawkins was up-and-down in his first half-season as a Yankee. He won 11 of his first 19 starts, going at least seven innings in 10 of them… but… his ERA spent all of May and June bouncing between 5.00+ and 6.00+. It looked like he’d steadied the ship with back-to-back shutouts to move him to 11-8. Then the wheels fell off. He went 4-7 the remainder of the season as the Yanks sunk to a fifth-place finish in the AL East.
1990 was no better. By mid-May, Hawkins was 1-3 with an ERA north of 7.00. Then he took the mound on May 16th. And he was perfect. Except… the weather did not cooperate. Hawkins faced 13 hitters. He retired 13 hitters. Eventually though, the game was called and later made up as part of a double-header. It’s easy to find in his game logs. Just look for the game where Hawkins is credited for pitching 11.2 innings versus Minnesota. It was not the last time in 1990 that Hawkins crossed paths with baseball immortality.
The game he’s most known for happened that season on July 1st. Facing the Chicago White Sox, Hawkins opened with 4.2 perfect frames before walking a pair, ensuring there would be no perfect game. He still allowed nary a hit though. Fast forward to the eighth inning. An error put a man on for Chicago then Hawkins again walked a pair of Pale Hose batters to load the bases.
Robin Ventura then lofted a fly ball to left that, in the swirling winds, clanked off Jim Leyritz’s glove. Three runs scored on the error, the second of the inning. A fourth run followed on yet another error, before Hawkins could escape. Still with the no-hitter intact, he and the Yanks now trailed 4-0 and ultimately lost by that margin.
That was the high point as a Yankee for Hawkins, which is strangely fitting in a way. Neither he nor the club found the success each hoped for when he signed his deal. He struggled for the rest of the 1990 season and he was so bad in ’91 that the Yankees released him in early May. He signed with the Athletics nine days later and spent the next four months pitching for them before they released him, ending his major league career as a player.
Several years after his retirement, Hawkins got back into baseball, this time as a coach. He spent 2001-15 (except for one season in Kansas City) with the Rangers staff. After disappearing from baseball for a couple years, Hawkins now coaches with the Salt Lake Bees of the Pacific Coast League. Happy birthday, Andy.
References
Andy Hawkins. Baseball-Reference.
Chass, Murray.“ Baseball; Yankees Woo Hawkins After Trade Talks Fail.” New York Times. December 8, 1988.
Chass, Murray. “Yanks Sign Hawkins To $3.6 Million Pact.” New York Times. December 9, 1988.
Curry, Jack. “Hawkins is Perfect; Weather is Not.” New York Times. May 17, 1990.
Thornley, Stew. “Andy Hawkins.” SABR.
Thornley, Stew. “July 1, 1990: Andy Hawkins no-hitter is ‘no winner’ for Yankees.” SABR.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
