PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 13: Bally announcer Brandon Gaudin interviews Austin Riley #27 after the Atlanta Braves defeatec the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch the NL East at Citizens Bank Park on September 13, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We already had this confirmed directly to us, but hey, have a very long press release:
Announcing our BravesVision Broadcast Team!
Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski will anchor the broadcast team from the booth, with Jeff Francoeur, Wiley Ballard, and Paul Byrd also returning: pic.twitter.com/wWbiCtzDj2
Basically, Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski are coming back as the main booth lads, Jeff Francoeur will be there when he feels like it (a 30-game commitment), while Wiley Ballard and Paul Byrd will chip in from the sidelines.
Former Braves Peter Moylan, Nick Green, and Charlie Culberson will handle pre-game and post-game stuff, which I can’t comment on because I will always just switch to a different game rather than bothering to watch someone talk about the game I just watched where I already know what happens.
On a personal preference level, it’s basically impossible for me to complain because the current broadcast situation is so many leagues better than what existed in the Chip Caray era that I’m eternally grateful for not having to mute the game within the first few batters each time. Gaudin and Byrd definitely enhance my experience, and this crew seems to work well together.
And, before you fill up the comments on the same topic, no, we don’t know of any other carrier deals with BravesVision yet… so if you’re looking to get it via cable or a streaming service, you’ll still have to stay tuned until we do know.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: The Houston Astros 2025 first round draft pick, Xavier Neyens, takes batting practice in front of Astros general manager Dana Brown before a game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on September 19, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This might be the easiest, low-stress, high-joy article I write this season.
It’s just so much fun to research the Houston farm system. It’s kind of hard to even come up with sections or headers for this one, so let’s just jump into it.
FanGraphs: Org rank not updated, but ended 2025 ~29th, 0 Top-100 prospects: (HELL YEAH)
MLB Pipeline: 29th, 0 Top-100 prospects: (can i get a big fat “hell yeah” in the chat?)
The Good:
The pride of Northwest Washington State, shortstop Xavier Neyens is, in most evaluators eyes, the top prospect for the Astros. Before being Houston’s 2025 1st draft pick, Neyens played for Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, WA, just a 25 minute drive down the road from little ole’ me up here in Bellingham.
He spent his senior year terrorizing the Northwest Conference, leading the Bulldogs to a 20-game win streak, a 25-3 record, and a 2025 3A state title. A bat-first player, he hit .456 with eight home runs, had an on-base percentage of .689 (buoyed by a state championship game where he was intentionally walked four times), and racked up 35 stolen bases. That’s nothing to say of his heroics as the Bulldogs’ closer, where he went 6-for-6 in save opportunities, delivered 11.5 K/9, and flashed 95 mph and 22”+ of IVB on the fastball.
He was that guy. Neyens is a high-floor prospect with five strong tools whose power has the potential to carry him. Expect for him to break the top-100 prospect drought for Houston by the end of the season.
The Rest:
This concludes the end of the high-floor and high–ceiling section of the Houston farm system. From here on out, it’s all risk/reward calculations, baby.
Kevin Alvarez is MLB Pipeline’s top prospect for Houston, but he only comes in at no. 5 for Baseball America, as BA heavily weighs his high-risk profile and how early he is in his development process.
Baseball America describes the system’s 3rd-best prospect (Brice Matthews) as a likely utility player with a 30 grade on the bat. Not what you’re looking for from the number 3 spot.
Almost none of the rest of the top 10 of this system have what can even be described as a medium floor. They range from low-floor, high-ceiling at best, to low-floor, lowish mediumish ceiling on average.
Now, for the being fair and not purely gloating section: the Astros have been very successful at development over the last 10 years. It’s fair to think that many of these players may reach the higher end of their profile. This is not the first time that we’ve looked at their farm system and not thought there was any gas left in the tank.
In conclusion: I wish a million risk upon the Houston Astros, and a zero reward upon them as well. I think my wish will be coming true.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 17: Daniel Palencia #29 of Team Venezuela celebrates after the 3-2 victory against Team United States at loanDepot park on March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Certain segments of American baseball fans and the American baseball establishment are struggling to accept an increasingly obvious reality: The World Baseball Classic matters a lot, even if it doesn’t matter all that much to them.
Prior to last night’s championship clash between the USA and Venezuela, Derek Jeter, who played in the first iteration of the WBC back in 2006, dismissed the tournament in a typically American way, which is to say a typically arrogant way:
"I think the people that say it's bigger than the World Series never played in a World Series." 😂
It’s not at all surprising that Derek Jeter values the World Series over the World Baseball Classic. And I would never tell him he is wrong to do so. Meaning does not inherently exist in anything. Meaning is not something that can be objectively measured like the weather or the decibel level of the crowd in Miami last night. The meaning of anything in the world — whether we’re talking about a baseball tournament or a favorite tee-shirt — is determined by what’s in someone’s heart.
But while I would not tell Derek Jeter that he is wrong to value the World Series over the World Baseball Classic, I would tell him that he is objectively wrong to say that anyone who has played in a World Series finds more meaning in that than in the WBC. We already know this is not the case. Kiké Hernandez, who has played in more World Series than any other active player, directly told this to to all of us, Jeter included:
Hernandez’s sentiment is plainly shared by the vast majority of non-American ballplayers. Anyone who watched these games could see that. They tried to tell us this with every bat they flipped, with every dugout rail they hopped, with every tear that they shed on the field — whether those tears came from Shohei Ohtani before the first game, or Salvador Perez after the last. That Derek Jeter refuses to listen to them is disappointing but not surprising. Indeed, the dismissal of these players’ own feelings is foundational to how the global baseball industry works.
The economic system that controls global baseball is a product of American economic imperialism. As with bananas in the Caribbean, pineapples in the Hawaiian islands, or oil in the Middle East, America has used its economic might to shape the way that baseball is both produced and consumed around the world, ensuring that the vast majority of money spent on baseball flows into the pockets of American ownership interests.
Venezuelan big leaguers are not victims under this system. Far from it. The exploitation of their talents by American capitalism has made many of them millionaires, far more financially comfortable than just about anyone else in their home country, where the median annual income isn’t enough to cover one month’s rent for a studio apartment in many parts of the United States.
But Venezuelan baseball culture is a victim of this system. Venezuela does not have a thriving and independent domestic baseball league that provides full-time jobs for coaches, groundskeepers, statisticians, scouts, writers, TV personalties, and social media influencers, like we have here in America. Venezuelan fans cannot take the train to the ballpark and buy a ticket to watch Ranger Suárez pitch to Ronald Acuña, Jr. Venezuelan ballplayers cannot make a living in their home country. They are instead given no other option but to ply their trade in a foreign land — one that is increasingly hostile and unwelcoming to them, one that sees them as lesser and now harasses and intimidates them as a matter of government policy, as the hero of last night’s game, Eugenio Suárez, has frankly and honestly discussed.
That Venezuelans do not have a viable baseball industry of their own is not because Venezuelans care less about baseball than Americans do. On a per capita basis, they almost certainly care a lot more. It’s because might makes right — whether that might comes in the form of the dollar or the gun. The economic realities of the world force Venezuelan ballplayers to not only leave their country to work, but to check meaningful parts of their culture and identify at the border in exchange for a paycheck. They do so largely without complaint, just as you and I likely would if the economic situation were reversed. But that doesn’t mean they don’t make real sacrifices. In order to do their jobs they leave all they know from birth behind and live a rootless life of baseball nomadism. They are forced to endure a kind of cultural loneliness.
What Derek Jeter can’t see is that it is precisely this cultural loneliness that gives the WBC so much meaning to many of these players. For one month every few years they are with their people. They don’t have to speak someone else’s language, eat someone else’s food, or adhere to someone else’s unwritten rules of behavior and decorum. For one month they are free to be fully Venezuelan and fully a ballplayer at the same time. Instead of sublimating their cultural identity in order to play baseball, they get to express their cultural identity through baseball.
The World Baseball Classic does nothing to break the American economic stranglehold over the global baseball industry. That was Rob Manfred handing out the medals last night, after all. The WBC is owned and operated by American ownership interests, and they do it for no other reason than it makes them even more money.
But what the WBC does do is break the cultural hegemony that America has always wielded over the game. This manifests itself not only in the way the game is played on the field during the tournament, but how the tournament is held in the hearts of those who are playing it. The American baseball establishment still controls the baseball industry, but it doesn’t control what baseball means. These players have decided that the WBC means more to them than the World Series. And because meaning is something that only exists in the heart, they are right.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 23: J.P. France #68 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 23, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (10-10-3) travel to Jupiter to take on the St. Louis Cardinals (12-9-2) in Grapefruit League play.
RHP J.P. France will make his fifth appearance, including his first start of the Grapefruit League this season. RHP Kyle Leahy will be on the mound for the Cardinals facing the Astros for the third time this Spring.
TODAY’S STARTER: RHP J.P. France is set to make his fifth appearance, including his first start of the Grapefruit League this season. He last pitched on March 13 at STL, where he allowed one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in 3.0 scoreless innings.
He missed a majority of the 2025 season while recovering from right shoulder surgery, making only two appearances with the Astros in 2025.
TODAY’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: RHP AJ Blubaugh, LHP Steven Okert and RHP Kai-Wei Teng.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have reassigned C Collin Price to minor league camp.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, March 18, 12:05 p.m. CST
Location: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium – Jupiter, FL
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 8: Kyle Hurt #63 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a warm up pitch during a Spring Training game against the Athletics at HoHoKam Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers on Wednesday optioned pitcher Kyle Hurt to Triple-A Oklahoma City, getting closer to finalizing the opening day roster.
After Tuesday night’s win over the Royals in Surprise, manager Dave Roberts was asked by Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA if, this late into camp, the team has seen what they needed to see to finalize the opening day roster.
“We have,” Roberts said. “We’re going to have some good conversations, some hard conversations over the next couple of days.”
Hurt had Tommy John surgery on July 30, 2024 and spent all of 2025 on the injured list. But unlike some of his returning-from-surgery cohorts in camp, the right-hander did pitch on rehab in Triple-A for the final month of the regular season, and was used during scrimmages during the postseason throughout October.
In seven appearances this spring, Hurt allowed three runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings for a 3.68 ERA with two walks and 12 strikeouts, the latter representing a 40-percent strikeout rate.
After missing most of the last two seasons with injuries — he only pitched in .. games in 2024 — Hurt is back as a potential bullpen piece this season. Given that the Dodgers have used 39, 40, and 40 pitchers over the previous three seasons, if Hurt stays healthy this year he should get plenty of opportunities to contribute in Los Angeles.
Hurt getting options leaves only a few pitching roster decisions to be made to finalize the opening day roster. Blake Snell, Gavin Stone, Brusdar Graterol, Brock Stewart, and Bobby Miller all won’t be ready for opening day. That leaves only 15 available pitchers on the 40-man roster who haven’t already been optioned, plus two non-roster invitees in left-hander Antoine Kelly and right-hander Chris Campos.
In other words, only four more cuts to go to get down to 13 active pitchers for opening day.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Zyhir Hope #94 of the Los Angeles Dodgers jogs on the field during a Spring Training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch on March 10, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers prospects play White Sox prospects on Saturday afternoon at Camelback Ranch, and on Wednesday all teams finalized their rosters for these spring breakout games.
This game on Saturday will be in the big league stadium at Camelback Ranch, and was originally slated for 3:30 p.m., after the Dodgers play the A’s. But due to excessive in and around Phoenix, everything was moved up one hour. The Dodgers Cactus League game will start at 11:05 a.m., with the prospects game coming at 2:30 p.m.
MLB Network will televise the Dodgers-White Sox spring breakout game, which will be streamed for free on the MLB app.
As expected, the slew of outfield prospects will be there, including all four top-100 prospects Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, and Mike Sirota, plus the slightly-older Zach Ehrhard and James Tibbs III who impressed in big league camp, plus 100-steal man Kendall George.
On the pitching side, Christian Zazueta and Adam Serwinoski stand out. Also active on Saturday are three of the Dodgers’ first four draft picks from 2025 — pitcher Zach Root, his Arkansas teammate outfielder Charles Davalan, and outfielder Landyn Vidourek.
Outfielders (10): Charles Davalan, Josue De Paula, Zach Ehrhard, Kendall George, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota, James Tibbs III, Brendan Tunink, Landyn Vidourek
Build Your Winning Bracket!
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
Watching 42 on Friday’s movie night, I had forgotten that among shots of MLB players wearing 42 during the pre-credits montage, there is one at Target Field. That got me thinking about the Twins who have worn #42 outside of April 15 every year, and checking Baseball Reference, there have been just six. (Two of them were Senators, but they still count.)
They are:
Al Kozar 2B, 1950 Kozar spent all of 1948 and 1949 with the Senators, wearing #2 the first season and #1 the second. For the start of the 1950 season, he wore #42, an unusual number change for a player — players usually move to a lower number. However, he only wore #42 for 20 games before being traded to the White Sox, where he played 10 more games before his MLB career ended.
Cass Michaels 2B, 1950-1 Michaels came over to Washington in the Kozar trade and immediately claimed the vacated number. He wore #42 for the rest of 1950 and part of 1951 before switching to #7 (I could not find any further specifics as to when he switched), but in that new number, his Senators career ended the same way as his predecessor’s: a trade, sent to the Browns in May 1952.
Jim Manning RP, 1962 The first Twin on the list, Manning wore #42 during his entire career: seven innings across five games at the start of the 1962 season.
Jack O’Connor SP, 1982 O’Connor’s case is interesting. He wore #33 for most of his four seasons (well, three seasons and two games) in Minnesota, but he wore #42 for at least part of 1982, his only season as a primary starter. He ended that season with a 4.29 ERA, the lowest ERA of any full season in his career, walking 57 and striking out 56 across 126 innings.
Butch Huskey OF, 2000 When MLB retired #42 across the league on April 15, 1997, the dozen or so players still wearing that number were allowed to keep it for the rest of their careers, including if they changed teams. Huskey was a Met in 1997, and three years and three teams later, he found himself wearing his usual number in Minnesota. He stayed with the team until mid-July, playing 64 games as a Twin, until the team traded him to Colorado, where he finished his career wearing #35.
Mike Jackson RP, 2002 Another post-’97 holdover, Jackson had been with Cleveland at the time of the number’s retirement, and he pitched for that club for three seasons. After missing the 2000 season with injury and spending 2001 in Houston, he signed with the Twins as a free agent and spent 2002 pitching in the Metrodome. Jackson had a solid season, appearing in 58 games to the tune of a 3.27 ERA, but failed to make the bigs with Arizona the next season before finishing his career with the White Sox (wearing #38) in 2004.
And that is the entire list… until April 15 comes around again.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Alex Bregman #3 of the Chicago Cubs signs autographs before a Spring Training game against the Chicago White Sox at Sloan Park on February 20, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NL Central will never be confused with a juggernaut division. Featuring two teams with owners with self-imposed spending limits, a budget organization that makes up for it with elite scouting and development, and a former giant embracing a rebuild, the Cubs enter 2026 in another stratosphere when it comes to spending in the division, with no other team within $90 million of their projected luxury tax salary.
But the Cubs have hesitated on going all-in with his opportunity, even after the cheaper Brewers outperformed them last season. They made some moves, but it’s unclear if they’ve put themselves in a position to be better in 2026 and get closer to the league-wide goal of knocking off the back-to-back champion Dodgers.
Kyle Tucker, whom the Cubs paid a steep price for last offseason, is out the door after an up-and-down year. While the Cubs were never quite interested in meeting his asking price, they were involved in the free agent market, eventually inking former Astros and Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman to a huge five-year deal to solidify one of MLB’s best infields along with Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Michael Busch.
But aside from Bregman, the biggest free agent signing they had was a two-year, $14.5 million deal for Phil Maton. In fact, much of their offseason, aside from Bregman and the trade for former Marlins’ arm Edward Cabrera, was focused on the bullpen, additionally signing Hunter Harvey, Hoby Milner, and Shelby Miller. As for position players, they signed a few former MLB outfielders to minor league deals, so overall, it was a two-move offseason.
They didn’t necessarily need to do much to prop up one of the majors’ best lineups that doesn’t have many, if any, holes. With Tucker’s departure freeing up a spot in the outfield, the biggest question appears to be what the team will do at DH. Seiya Suzuki isn’t a great defender, but he’ll get more reps in the outfield this year while they move guys around to get bats like Moisés Ballesteros and Matt Shaw in the lineup. They could also fill out their bench with players like non-roster invitees Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto, or Chas McCormick. Their decision on that end may depend on how much they want Suzuki in the field.
Shota Imanaga’s extremely complicated contract options resulted in a one-year deal, which has him back to once again lead a Cubs rotation with a lot of upside. Cade Horton was spectacular in 2025 and will look to build upon his 2025 NL ROTY runner-up performance, while Matthew Boyd is coming off a resurgent All-Star campaign. Cabrera is the wild card, making a career-high 26 starts in 2025 with the Marlins after injuries hampered him in his first few years in the league. Former Yankee Jameson Taillon figures to start the year as the fifth starter as former all-star Justin Steele recovers from his 2025 Tommy John surgery.
Daniel Palencia came out of nowhere for the Cubs and became their closer during 2025, posting a 2.91 ERA with 22 saves after entering the year with an ERA north of five in 43 career innings. He’ll be set up by a bunch of their reliever acquisitions and a pair of long relievers who can make some spot starts during the year in Javier Assad and Colin Rea.
The NL Central figures to be a two-team race between them and the resourceful Brewers, who are once again trying to moneyball their way to a division title. But after trading Freddy Peralta and continuing to have a payroll under $150 million, is this the year they slow down? The Cubs will be towards the top of the league in runs with their deep lineup, so all eyes will be on how their pitching holds up. They got a lot of quality outings from starters entering their mid-30s and lost two of their best relievers in Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz. What if the pendulum swings the other way?
Even if those Brewers make it out on top of the NL Central again, the Cubs figure to be in a good position for a Wild Card, but the biggest questions with them might be what happens come playoff time. Craig Counsell was extremely aggressive with his bullpen in the 2025 postseason, and they got absolutely no length from any of their starters. Come October, will they be able to get more length?
In the NL pecking order, the Dodgers and Phillies feel comfortable at 1 and 2. The Cubs want to be No. 3, but to get there, they’ll need good health, better consistency, and a rotation that’s able to get outs in October.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
Mar 14, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (80) reacts after scoring a run against the New York Yankees in the third inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Good Phight will be previewing the 2026 season by going over each position on the field. We’ll talk about the players that will occupy them, the players behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and give a few takes about how we think the season will shake out.
It ain’t easy playing the outfield at Citizens Bank Park. No, it’s not because of the high expectations of Phillies fans, or flying batteries, or any of those other clichés. It’s just statistically a rough place to field the ball. That being said, the vagaries of the CBP expanse can’t fully explain why the Phillies have struggled to get production from their outfield recently. Whatever explains the difficulties in fielding the ball there, whether it be wind or something else, it probably can’t explain why the Phillies’ outfielders haven’t hit the ball too well in the past few seasons. But, as Bob Dylan once sang, quite possibly referring to offseason roster changes (he is a baseball fan), the times, they are a-changing. The Phillies will debut a new-look outfield on Opening Day. Will the new unit fare better than their predecessors?
The starters: Brandon Marsh, Justin Crawford, Adolis García
At a wedding, they say that a bride ought to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Opening Day isn’t quite a wedding, but the Phillies outfield will follow that advice anyway. For something old, we have Brandon Marsh (and by old, we refer solely to the fact that that he’s been in Philly for longer than any of his fellow outfield patrolmen). Marsh was solid at the plate in 2025, posting a 116 wRC+, though his continued struggles against same-handed pitching once again required the Phillies to platoon him. But he was unimpressive with his glove, grading out as neutral by Fielding Run Value, and negative by Defensive Runs Saved; his -6 in the latter put him behind every Phillie save Nick Castellanos. He’s graded out as a positive fielder before, and he’ll look to do so again in 2026. He’ll do so largely in left, thanks to…
Something new: Justin Crawford. As a prospect he was praised for his speed and contact ability, but dogged by questions about his extreme tendencies to hit the ball into the ground. But he’s impressed in the minors (.334/.411/.452 with the IronPigs), and he’ll get his chance to do the same with the Phillies as their center fielder.
For something borrowed, we have Adolis García, who the Phillies grabbed from Texas via free agency. García boasts a mighty arm and a mighty bat, though only the former was fully on display in 2025. He hit the ball hard last season, as he always does, but failed to turn it into much production due to poor contact and swing decisions. When he fully taps into his potential, he’s capable of going on an absolute tear; ask the Rays, Orioles, Astros, or Diamondbacks about his activities in October of 2023. Then again, the same could’ve been said about his Phillies predecessor in right, who showed a similar capacity to set the world on fire in the postseason while enduring long droughts in effectiveness during the regular season. The Phillies are hoping that the comparison will prove less than apt. He’ll be playing in right.
As for something blue, any of the above fit when they’re wearing the City Connects.
The backups: Otto Kemp, Dylan Moore
Otto Kemp got most of his playing time in the infield last season, but he had 11 games in left, helping Marsh platoon. He’ll pull double duty again this season. He was only so-so with the bat in 2025, posting a wRC+ of 95. His arm strength is nothing to write home about, but he is fast, and a right-handed bat in the outfield is much appreciated. Speaking of right-handed bats, Dylan Moore offers the Phillies another, if they can find a spot on the roster for him. Like his fellow newcomer García, Moore comes to Philadelphia via Arlington, though he began the season with Seattle. Between the two teams, he posted a .201/.267/.374 slash line across 106 games. He’s not a great batter, but he offers an impressive history as a fielder having won the utility fielder’s Gold Glove for the AL in 2024. Kemp and Moore should be considered the main backups, though there is another player who qualifies: Edmundo Sosa doesn’t play the outfield often (only three appearances last year, and two of those were the result of mid-game defensive tinkering), but he is an option as well.
The Depth: Gabriel Rincones Jr. Pedro León, Bryan De La Cruz, Johan Rojas
Gabriel Rincones Jr. had a solid season at AAA last year, batting .240/.370/.43o. At 25, he’s not as young as Crawford, but he represents a potential youth infusion. Pedro León got a cup of coffee with Houston in 2024, and will be hoping to get another in Philadelphia. Bryan De La Cruz offers solid MLB experience, having played parts of five seasons with Miami, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta. The past three of those seasons saw him post negative bWAR, but having the option to bring in someone who’s spent plenty of time in the bigs before is a plus. As for Rojas, his PED suspension and struggles with the bat have him on the outside looking in; he may end up playing in a Phillies uniform again, but it seems unlikely that he will be a major part of the picture.
Strengths: Experience plus youth
García boasts two All-Star campaigns and a World Series title. Marsh hasn’t filled up his trophy case to the same degree, but he’s played enough, and had enough postseason experience, to count as a grizzled vet. Combine that experience with Crawford’s upside, and you can see a good picture coming together. With Crawford boasting plenty of promise, and with plenty of opportunity to learn from the experienced outfielders flanking him, he could quickly become a real contributor.
Weaknesses: Uncertainty
At this point, we know what we’ll get from Marsh: solid, though unspectacular, performance as part of a platoon. But his fellow starters are significantly less of a sure thing. Crawford looks the part of a contributor, but rookies are hard to predict and project. His path to the majors has been rather smooth, but the jump to the show is a hard one. It’s probably reasonable to expect him to hit some speed bumps, but it’s hard to know when, and how major those bumps will be, and how long it’ll take him to overcome them, or even whether he’ll overcome them at all. That’s not a knock on Crawford; it’s inherent to rookie-hood. García offers some uncertainty of his own: he’ll be looking to show that he can tap into his power potential and be an above-average batter after a pair of underwhelming campaigns. Bounce-backs happen, but after two seasons as a below-average batter by wRC+, García has something to prove.
Hottest take: Crawford wins Rookie of the Year
It’s been a while since a Phillie won RoY. No fresh-faced Phillie has received a vote since Alec Bohm in 2020, and no Phillie has won it since Ryan Howard in 2005. The Senior Circuit’s crop of juniors this year looks to be excellent: JJ Wetherholt is drawing raves as a future Redbird, and Nolan McLean is good enough to be tapped to start the World Baseball Classic final. The broader baseball world regards Justin Crawford as a promising player, but certainly not a favorite to win RoY. But he offers plenty of talent, and if his bat continues to serve him well in the bigs, his blazing speed and tendency to pilfer bases could make him a star, fast. A young, burgeoning star, the son of a star of yesteryear, putting the Phillies over the top and changing the narrative around the team after a few seasons of falling short might be an irresistible narrative for voters.
Realistic take: the outfield improves, but only to middle of the pack status
Last season, the Phillies outfielders ranked 23rd league-wide by fWAR. The teams around them were mostly also-rans (though the eventual champs weren’t much better, ranking 20th with only 0.2 WAR more). The changes made to the outfield aren’t guaranteed to pay off, and it’s easy to imagine a version of the 2026 season that ends with the Phillies’ outfield in the same place, WAR-wise: Crawford struggles to adjust to big-league pitching, García has a season that looks more like his 2024 or 2025 than his 2023, etc. But Crawford is high-upside, and García’s power potential will be fearsome if he can tap into it a bit more. It wouldn’t be reasonable to expect the Phillies outfield to become a top unit in 2026, but improvement to somewhere in the neighborhood of league-average status seems plausible.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning of the spring training game at Surprise Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at infielder Ezequiel Duran.
Once upon a time, Ezequiel Duran was considered a bat-first infield prospect.
Its been a minute, hasn’t it?
Hell, once upon a time, Ezequiel Duran was a bat-first major leaguer. If we cast ourselves back to 2023 — the greatest season in the history of the Texas Rangers, I think we can all agree — Ezequiel Duran spent the first half of the season contributing significantly to an offense that was wrecking fools left and right. He was playing shortstop when Corey Seager was out, he was playing left field when Corey Seager was in, he was hitting wherever he was. One of the major discussion points leading up to the 2023 trade deadline was, should the Rangers be willing to part with Duran in a deadline deal? The consensus was no, he was too good, too young, too important a part of the Rangers lineup.
At the end of June, 2023, Ezequiel Duran was slashing .320/.361/.557. It looked like, even if Glenn Otto, Trevor Hauver and Josh Smith did nothing, Ezequiel Duran was going to turn the Joey Gallo trade into a steal.
Over the final three months of the season, Duran slashed .225/.382/.310.
In 2024, he slashed .246/.288/.321 in 92 games.
In 2025, he slashed .224/.266/.293 in 90 games.
Things are going in the wrong direction.
In 2025, Duran put up a 572 OPS against righthanders and a 541 OPS against lefties. He put up a 532 OPS at home and a 589 OPS on the road.
Fun fact — in 103 plate appearances on the road in 2025, Duran had 3 RBIs. 3!
If one wants to give him the benefit of the doubt, one can chalk up some of his struggles to irregular playing time. He was optioned in late April, with the Rangers wanting him to get more regular at bats to try to get back into a groove. In 14 games for Round Rock, he slashed .345/.390/.673. He had four homers for the Express in those 14 games, which is four more home runs than he had for the Rangers in 2025.
When things went pear shaped in August and Duran was pressed into more regular duty, he hit better, slashing .278/.303/.348 in 119 plate appearances and 43 games from August 4 until the end of the season. That’s not great, but it is better than the .156/.222/.222 he was rocking prior to that point. Marcus Semien had a .230/.305/.364 slash line for the 2025 season, as a point of comparison.
Duran has spent parts of four seasons in the majors, beginning in 2022. His xwOBA by year is .257, .320, .258 and .247. That 2023 season seems like a bit of an outlier.
Looking at 2022-25, Duran’s walk rates and K rates are pretty consistent from year to year. He strikes out a lot (25.1% for his career, roughly bottom quartile) and doesn’t walk at all (4.9%, roughly bottom 10%). His K rate was actually highest in 2023, at 27.3%, with his 2025 mark being 25.1%. His walk rate in 2023 was 5.2%, and dropped to a career-low 3.7% in 2025, though that delta is just a matter of differing degrees of bad.
As one would expect, Duran swings a lot, both in the strike zone and outside of the strike zone. His rate of swinging at pitches in the zone has ranged from 70.6% to 74.0%, compared to a major league average of 67.0%. His chase rate has ranged from 37.7% to 39.3%, compared to a major league average of 28.4%.
As we have talked about with guys like Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung, you can have success with such a profile if you do a good job hitting the ball hard and in the air a lot, particularly on the pull side. And that’s what Ezequiel Duran did in 2023 — he hit the ball in the air 60% of the time, with a 29.4% line drive rate. Duran’s hard hit rate and average exit velocity were both in the 65th percentile that year, per Statcast.
Every other year, his hard hit rate and average exit velocity have been well below average, with his hard hit rate being at around the 10th percentile in 2025. In 2025, he was hitting fewer ground balls than in 2022 and 2024, but the result was many more pop ups — right about 1 out of every 6 balls in play from Duran in 2025 resulted in a pop up. His 16.4% pop up rate was almost as high as his 17.8% fly ball rate, which is disastrous. His bat speed also dropped a fair amount in 2025, from right around top third the previous two seasons to below 50%, perhaps in an effort to try to make more contact.
Ezequiel Duran, with his current profile, is an okay bench piece, a functional utility guy who can play all over the infield as well as handling the outfield corners. He’s also fast, generally being in the top 10% or so in sprint speed during his career, per Statcast, and was 11 for 13 stealing bases in 2025.
If he can somehow recapture his ability to damage when he makes contact like he did in 2023 — he had a .415 xwOBA on contact that year, compared to .300 to .314 his other three seasons, and compared to a .369 MLB average — he could be an every day player. Duran has an option remaining, and maybe the best thing for his career, long-term, would be to go to AAA and spend a few months playing every day and getting his offensive rhythm back.
But needs must, and the Rangers need a utility infielder, and that will probably be Ezequiel Duran in the 2026 season. Given the injury history of the left side of the Rangers infield, Duran will likely get some opportunities for regular at bats in 2026 at some point. Whether he takes advantage of them or not will like determine whether he sticks around for a while, or whether he’s a non-tender candidate this winter.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 05: Cole Ragans #55 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium on May 05, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Opening Day is a day of tradition. And it is starting to become a tradition that Cole Ragans starts on Opening Day for the Royals.
Ragans was named the starter for the March 27 opener against the Braves in Atlanta, the third consecutive year he has been given the honor.
Cole Ragans will be the sixth pitcher in @Royals history to start on Opening Day in three (or more) consecutive seasons. The others:
RHP Gil Meche (3, 2007-09) RHP Jeff Suppan (3, 2000-02) RHP Kevin Appier (5, 1992-97) LHP Bud Black (3, 1984-86) RHP Dennis Leonard (3, 1978-80)
Ragans was limited to just 13 starts last year, missing two and a half months with a rotator cuff strain. He returned late in the year for three starts and gave up just four runs, striking out 22 of the 48 hitters he faced. Overall heahad a 4.67 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 61.2 innings, the second-highest strikeout rate in baseball for anyone with at last 50 innings.
Ragans has yet to win on Opening Day – he gave up two runs in six innings in a loss to the Twins in 2024 and gave up three runs in five innings in a no-decision to the Guardians last year.
The Royals have not officially named the rest of the starters, but the rotation is expected to include Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, and Noah Cameron. Ryan Bergert was optioned to the minors on Tuesday.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 15: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 15, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For all the reasons we’ve written about and all the painful innings Rockies fans watched, 2025 was a season to forget.
Luckily, there was Hunter Goodman.
In his first full MLB season, the then 25-year-old put up the best season for a catcher in MLB not named Cal Raleigh. Goodman, the Rockies fourth-round pick from the 2021 MLB Draft, hit 31 homers, drove in 91 RBIs, hit 28 doubles and batted .278/.323/.520. He earned an All-Star selection, following Elias Díaz’s Midsummer Classic nod in 2023, and officially taking the mantel of the Rockies next catcher.
The starter
With all the other position battles, it’s nice that Goodman is a lock. For the first time since 2019, someone named Díaz or Jacob Stallings.
Goodman has gotten off to a slow start in spring training this year, but the real thing starts on March 27. Through 34 at-bats in 12 games, Goodman is only hitting .147/.225/.324 with nine RBI, three walks and nine strikeouts.
He could be turning a corner as he knocked a three-run homer, his second of the spring, on March 15 against the Angels.
In 2025, Silver Slugger-winning Goodman played 104 games at catcher and 39 as DH. Manager Warren Shaeffer has expressed the desire to continue to have Goodman in the lineup as much as possible as the best offensive player. The plan will require Goodman following up his 2025 success and being able to stay healthy despite the grind behind the plate and extended playing time.
Hopefully, his 2025 season prepared him for it, especially being an All-Star. At Rockies Fest, Goodman talked about the All-Star experience and how he learned from it.
“Getting to go is awesome. It was a blessing to be to be around those guys, but I think the coolest part was being around guys like [Clayton] Kershaw and [Manny] Machado and [Freddie] Freeman,” Goodman said. “All those guys that are older, when I was in high school, I watched them play in All-Star Games, and just picking their brains and talking to them, and just trying to take in everything and learn.”
The backups
After making his debut on April 15 last season and playing in 38 games for the Rockies, Braxton Fulford entered spring training as the likely backup to Goodman. Even though he’s had a good spring training — he’s hitting .258/.294/.333 with two homers, seven RBI, seven strikeouts and two stolen bases in 31 at-bats in 13 games through Tuesday — he’s facing stiff competition from veteran Brett Sullivan, who the Rockies signed to a Minor League deal in December.
Sullivan, the 32-year-old journeyman who spent eight years in the minors before making his MLB debut in 2023, has been red hot in Arizona. On top of hitting .414/.469/.759 with two homers, seven RBI, four doubles and only one strikeout in 29 at-bats in 13 games, Sullivan has also stepped up as a mentor for the young Rockies.
Neither has put up numbers like their spring training stats in their brief MLB careers. Last year, Fulford, a 27-year-old with superspeed, especially for a catcher, batted .213/.267/.324 with 26 strikeouts, one homer, two triples, and five doubles in 108 at-bats. After his initial call-up, Fulford, the Rockies sixth-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, went back and forth from Triple-A Albuquerque and the Rockies before being called up for good on Aug 3. He had a big day on March 14 when he hit a walk-off, two-run homer to carry the Rockies to a win over the Cubs.
Sullivan, who played for team Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, played in 40 games over the 2023-24 seasons with the Padres and three games for the Pirates last season. He’s combined to hit .204/.250./.291 with two homers, three doubles, 10 RBI and 26 strikeouts in 103 at-bats.
Considering the young team and the value of an experienced catcher, Sullivan, especially with his spring performance, may have the edge in making the roster.
Depth options
The Rockies have another veteran and prospect pairing to provide depth.
In early February, the Rockies signed Kyle McCann, a 28-year-old, who was drafted by the A’s in 2019. He played 54 games with the A’s in 2024 before returning to the minors and being cut in 2025 when he then played for the Piratas de Campeche in Mexico to end the 2025 season. This spring, he’s only managed two hits, including a homer, in 14 at-bats over 11 games. He was reassigned to minor league camp on March 15.
Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP), the Rockies No. 65 overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft, has a super-utility status that includes catcher. He finished 2025 in Double-A Hartford and likely needs more time to develop in Triple-A to start this season, but could provide depth later this season if needed. The 23-year-old is having a great spring, batting .385/.370/..654 with three doubles, two triples, five RBIs and seven strikeouts in 26 at-bats over 11 games. He was reassigned to
On the farm
Bryant Betancourt, a 22-year-old who the Rockies signed in 2021 out of Venezuela, was a non-roster invite to spring training. He played in seven games, hitting one double with one RBI, two walks and one strikeout in eight at-bats. He was reassigned to minor league camp on
Cole Messina (No. 26 PuRP), the Rockies third-round pick from 2024, has a lot of upside and moved up to Double-A Hartford in his first pro season last year. He likely needs at least one more year in the system before he’ll be ready.
Closing thoughts
The Rockies not only have their best offensive player starting behind the dish, but they have lots of talented depth behind him. Plus, for the first time in a long time, it’s young talent that must be a pillar of the Rockies rebuild. Of course, that depends on Goodman not backsliding and Sullivan or Fulford arising as reliable and constant depth.
Another interesting element to watch this season will be how the Rockies catchers handle the ABS Challenge System. As one of three people with the power to challenge, catchers, alongside the pitcher and the batter, the Rockies will have to be on target in their two challenges not to lose them and be able to use them to their advantage.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While most of the AL East spent the offseason making big trades and free agent signings, the motto in the Bronx seemed to be “Hold the Status Quo.” Last year, the Yankees finished tied with the Blue Jays at 94-68, but ended up in second after losing their season series to Toronto. After Cam Schlittler threw 8 shutout innings with 12 Ks to propel New York past the Red Sox in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, the Yankees met their season end at the hands of the Blue Jays. In a 3-1 Division Series loss, the Yankees were outscored 34-16 as their season ended two rounds earlier than in 2024.
Despite a disappointing postseason run, the front office in New York decided this team was good enough to run back basically the same squad. The Bronx Bombers led MLB in runs per game, home runs, and team OPS as captain Aaron Judge took home his third AL MVP in the last four seasons. That’s not to say they weren’t still flawed; the Yankees’ lineup had the third most strikeouts in baseball and a bottom-10 bullpen. And yet, the Yankees come into 2026 as the least changed team in the division.
Offseason moves
The Yankees’ first priority this offseason was securing their starting outfield alongside Judge. Trent Grisham was one of four players around MLB to accept the Qualifying Offer, returning to New York on the one-year/$22.05M deal. He’ll man CF again in 2026, looking to build on a career year when he had career highs in hits (116), home runs (34) and RBI (74).
Returning alongside Grisham and Judge in the Yankees outfield is former NL MVP Cody Bellinger. After playing a series of short-term deals with the Cubs and Yankees the last three seasons, Bellinger turned in an All-Star level season last season to earn a long-term deal in the Bronx. After posting 89 runs, 160 hits, 29 home runs and 98 RBIs, the Yankees rewarded Bellinger with a five-year/$162.5M deal that will keep him in New York into his mid 30s.
The re-signings didn’t stop there, though. The Yankees also brought back Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario as depth pieces for their bench. The now 38-year-old Goldschmidt returns on a one-year/$4M deal after slashing .274/.328/.403 in 489 ABs last season. Rosario joined the Yankees at the deadline last season, but only played in 16 games due to a shoulder injury. He’ll provide depth in the middle infield and in CF for New York next season.
The Yankees also bring back LHP Ryan Yarbrough and RHP Paul Blackburn on small one-year deals to give them a pair of multi-innings relief options. Their only major outside addition was LHP Ryan Weathers, whom the Yankees traded three Top 30 prospects to the Marlins to acquire. The hard-throwing, injury-prone Weathers will be asked to fill in the rotation to begin the season, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt all expected to begin the season on the IL.
Even though the bullpen was a major pain point for the Yankees in 2025, it’s also where they suffered most of their losses this offseason. After a disastrous season in the Bronx, former All-Star closer Devin Williams left in free agency and joined the Mets. Former set-up man Luke Weaver also made the switch from the Bronx to Queens, while relievers Mark Leiter Jr. (Athletics), Ian Hamilton (Braves) and JonathanLoáisiga (Diamondbacks) also departed in free agency.
Gerrit Cole
Some of the Yankees’ willingness to stand pat in the offseason undoubtedly revolves around the pending return of their ace, Cole. The 2023 AL Cy Young winner will pitch for the Yankees today for the first time since tearing his UCL last Spring Training. Despite returning to the mound in March, it’s likely Cole won’t make a start in a regular-season game for another 2-3 months.
If he comes back fully healthy, he could give the Yankees the best rotation in the American League. With Cole, former All-Stars in Max Fried and Rodón, an emerging young talent in Schlittler and depth with Schmidt, Weathers, Will Warren and Luis Gil, New York could have a rotation that more than mitigates their bullpen concerns.
However, at 35 years old and with a history of previous elbow injuries, there’s no guarantee that Cole comes back at full strength. As the only major “addition” compared to last year’s squad, a lot is riding on Cole being a major contributor if the Yankees want to unseat Toronto and fend off improved squads in Baltimore and Boston.
Despite their lack of aggression in the offseason, most projections still have the Yankees at or near the top of the AL East. PECOTA projects them to finish second behind the Blue Jays again, but with only half a game difference between them and New York. FanGraphs has the Yankees finishing two games in front of Toronto and capturing their third AL East title in the last five years. All major sportsbooks also have the Yankees as the betting favorites to win the division at around +180 odds.
The projections echo the consensus sentiment about the Yankees: despite making no major moves, they should still be one of the best teams in baseball. However, given the amount of improvement that’s gone on in Baltimore, Boston and Toronto, New York may ultimately come to regret the reluctance to make big changes.
The Mets have had a lot of turnover this offseason. Between trades and stars leaving in free agency, the team looks much different than the one that missed the playoffs just a few months ago. There are a few familiar faces left, though, who are hoping to help create and contribute to the next great Mets team.
One of them is young catcher Francisco Alvarez. 2026 will be his fourth season as the Mets’ starting catcher, and in his previous three full seasons he has been inconsistent to say the least. Some of that could be chalked up toa series of freak hand injuries. But during the second half of last season, he showed a side of himself that looked more like the top prospect that he was in 2022 and less like the inconsistent hitter he had become in 2024 and the first part of 2025.
Over the course of his career, Alvarez has hit .230/.306/.429, hitting 48 home runs and accumulating 143 RBI. He has a 105 wRC+ and 6.7 fWAR over parts of four seasons in the major leagues. He’s also been worth 8 fielding run value, putting him solidly middle of the pack as a defender in that time, 17th out of 38 qualified catchers.
Last season, Alvarez had his best offensive season, hitting .256/.339/.447 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 76 games. He had a 124 wRC+ and accumulated 1.8 fWAR. His defense was the worst of his career, however, being worth -6 FRV, putting him in the bottom tier of defensive catchers in the league.
The second half of 2025 was when he really shined. After a month-long trip down to Triple-A, he came back with a vengeance. After the All-Star break, he hit .276/.360/.561, hitting eight of his eleven home runs and driving in 21 of his 32 RBI. In the second half he had a 157 wRC+, better than his season or career mark, and if it were over the course of a full season it would be his best of his career by a wide margin.
Now, Alvarez’s main problem last season—and for most of his major league career—was that he was injury-prone. Over the course of his last two seasons, he has suffered a number of freak injuries. In 2024, he tore a ligament in his left thumb and missed nearly two months. And in 2025 he broke the hamate bone in his left hand and missed the first month of the season before with a compromised UCL in his right thumb for the last month of the season, an injury that eventually needed surgery after the season ended.
For next season, FanGraphs’ OOPSY projections expect Alvarez to have similar stats to his 2025 season. He’s projected to hit .242/.324/.447, with 20 home runs and a 117 wRC+. He’s projected to accumulate 3.0 fWAR, which is equal to his 2023 career best, and it has his defense bouncing back a bit. The defense would not be a surprise, as it’s possible his hamate injury in his catching hand might have impeded his defensive ability.
There are a lot of questions surrounding Francisco Alvarez’s 2026 season and the different possibilities. Will Alvarez be able to keep up his hitting form from the second half of 2025? Will he sustain another freak injury (or two)? Will he return to his defensive form of a couple years ago? If one or two of those go the right way, it could be a big step forward for the former top prospect.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: AJ Blubaugh #69 of the Houston Astros pitches during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 21, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball season is back, and spring training is in full swing. With that, there has been opportunities for prospects to play with the Major League club and show what they can do. Below are some prospects that have stood out recently.
Janek was seen as the best defensive catcher in the 2024 draft, showing up a plus arm and a quick release. In 2025 the 23-year-old hit .263 with 21 doubles, 2 triples and 12 home runs over 92 games for High-A Asheville. He also added a surprising 30 stolen bases.
So far this spring he has played in seven games and is 5-for-11 with a 2 doubles, a home run, 5 runs batted in and 3 walks. He has also added four stolen bases. He has the highest OPS for anyone with more than one PA. This is a great start for Janek and sets him up well for 2026, where he should start the season in Double-A.
Wakefield was drafted by the Astros in the 14th round of the 2025 draft after a season at Grand Canyon University where he hit .349 in 50 games. The left-handed hitter doesn’t provide a ton of pop, but he has good bat to ball skills and solid speed that he can use offensively on the bases and defensively in the outfield.
Despite not appearing in a game last year after the draft, the Astros have given him some run this spring training. He’s appeared in nine games and is 3-for-9 (.333 BA) with a double and a run batted in. It’s a small sample, but a solid performance in his first few professional at-bats.
Blubaugh was a 7th round pick back in the 2022 draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Blubaugh was up and down a bit in 2025 but when he got a chance with the Astros, he showed off posting a 1.69 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 32 innings. The 2025 season showed that Blubaugh belongs with the big league club and should get some good long looks this season.
Blubaugh has made the most of his chances so far. The right-hander has pitched in four games and allowed 1 run over 7.2 innings while striking out 6 batters. He’s shown the high 90s fastball and based on stuff and production, it is going to be hard for the Astros to not have him on the Opening Day roster.
The Astros drafted Knorr in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft. Knorr spent his first three seasons at Cal State Fullerton before moving to Coastal Carolina for his senior year where he struck out 86 in 69 innings. Knorr struggled with some injuries, logging just 98 innings between 2023 and 2024. He pitched strictly in relief in 2025 posting a 5.03 ERA over 53.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
Knorr has some good raw stuff and shown that this spring running his fastball up to 97 MPH. So far he has pitched in three games and allowed 1 earned run over 3.1 innings (2.70 ERA) while striking out 3 batters. A solid showing for the right-hander and while he is already 25 years old, he still has a chance to make it up as a bullpen arm.
