MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers infielders look on during a play review in the ninth inning in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Saturday, everyone!
The World Series continues later this evening at 5 p.m. PDT, with the Brewers hosting the Rays in Game 2 at American Family Field in Milwaukee. Here are some links to kick off your morning.
Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski broke the record for fastest pitch in World Series history with a 103.5 mph four-seam fastball to Yandy Díaz to begin Game 1. Though Misiorowski only went five innings allowing one run and striking out three, it was enough for a winning decision.
In Mariners news…
Voting for the Fifth Annual Lookout Landing Awards has been extended to October 31! If you have not voted yet, a link directly to the form is provided here. Sign-in to a Google account is required to vote.
Randy Arozarena appeared alongside other MLB stars in a promo for Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday” that debuted during Game 1 of the World Series, marking one of, if not the last time he is seen in a Mariners uniform before hitting free agency.
With the salary cap debate between the players and owners ramping up, Evan Drellich and Eno Sarris of The Athletic examined competitive balance in MLB and looked at potential next steps with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire on Dec. 1.
The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly moving on from hitting coach Brant Brown, who previously served as the Mariners bench coach and offensive coordinator for 58 games to begin the 2024 season before being fired on May 31 of that year.
Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman of Yahoo! Sports ranked their top 50 free agents available in the coming offseason.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 02: Alex Lange #56 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Kauffman Stadium on September 02, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
KC can learn a lot from both the Brewers and the Rays. Essentially, the Royals are trying to replicate what those franchises do so well these days.
The Royals plucked manager Matt Quatraro from the Rays organization in 2022. And they got their hitting coach, Connor Dawson, from the Brewers. Other unique crossovers include starter Michael Wacha — a former Ray — and former Brewers rookie Isaac Collins.
If the Royals want to reach the next level, however, they will need to rely on their own farm system and prospect development.
For what it’s worth, if they trade Pasquantino, that’s fine. I think it would relieve some roster tension. But I also think a lot about trading him doesn’t quite add up for me. Say what you want about the way he starts a season. The numbers always seem to be there in the end. By OPS+, he’s been 114, 118 and 113 the last three seasons. By wRC+, it’s 109, 116 and 109. The slow starts absolutely have to be figured out. Nobody is arguing that. But that’s a bat that needs to be replaced. Given that they already need at least one corner outfielder anyway, if you move Pasquantino, you now need two for sure. And where is that player? There’s no doubt they could throw money at the problem, but that’s easier said than done. There aren’t a ton of players available for a trade. Finding two middle of the order bats in essentially one position in one offseason is a very tall task.
Unlike the others, Black does not have the right to elect free agency. This is his first career outright and his service clock is under three years. He also isn’t eligible for seven-year minor league free agency because he has only participated in five minor league seasons.
The Royals can keep him in a non-roster capacity and try to get him back on track.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers walks off the mound during the 5th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With it being the World Series, we’re bringing you some of the key quotes and storylines from each game following the postgame press conference.
Pat Murphy
In his postgame press conference, Brewers manager Pat Murphy discussed what he was most impressed by, specifically shouting out Milwaukee’s star catcher.
“[William] Contreras was incredible. If anybody doesn’t notice the contributions of Contreras, he was the player of the game. We had a lot of good performances, a lot of good things,” Murphy said. “Contreras was unbelievable. The two caught stealings, the ABS, the hits, calling the game.”
“If people aren’t noticing Contreras, like he was maybe the MVP, like should have been co-MVPs. He was maybe MVP of the Dodgers series. He was maybe MVP of the Padres series. I don’t think they pick one for that, do they? But this guy has been incredible, and he does both sides of the ball. And the side that you can’t measure, I don’t know what his numbers are, but he does so much for the team. He’s incredible. That’s all I could tell you. He’s incredible. We wouldn’t be in the position we’re in without Contreras,” Murphy said.
Murphy added that Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, and the bullpen were the other heroes of the night, and he was also impressed by Jacob Misiorowski’s performance despite striking out just three.
“This is the best team in the American League. They proved that during the regular season and proved that in the postseason so far. One of the ways they do that is to make contact better than anybody in baseball,” Murphy said. “For Miz to go five innings the way he did, give up only a few hard contacts, only walked one guy, [he] was great.”
Murphy also spoke on the overturned call at second base that initially ended the game before Trevor Megill was required to get one more out, explaining that he’s glad reviews like that are part of the game.
“No, we want to get it right, man. We’ll be doing the checked swing there later on. The obstruction play will be replayed. MLB makes rule changes for the better. They just do. Then things happen, and then they make another adjustment and another adjustment. Even if we gave up two runs there and we lose the game and we’re sitting here and we’re all dejected, the rule is put in place for the right reason, to get it right. I don’t know if they got it right. I’m assuming they did. There’s a lot of people that have better vision than I,” Murphy said.
Jacob Misiorowski
Jacob Misiorowski discussed how he felt in the high-energy environment of American Family Field, specifically noting the adrenaline of the moment and his fastball-heavy diet early.
“[The atmosphere was] electric. The fans were — it was crazy. It’s everything I dreamed of. It’s really cool that we got to do it here in Milwaukee. It’s been awesome to feel the city and feel just the atmosphere they’ve been creating. It’s been amazing,” Misiorowski said. “The adrenaline kind of took over, and I tensed up and threw it hard. Then I settled down, and that was the game plan to settle in and do me. Don’t try and overdo it. I think that’s also a part of what I’ve been doing this postseason not trying to overdo stuff and understand I have a whole defense behind me to help me out.”
After pitching just 78 pitches and being pulled after five frames, Miz was asked if he felt like he had more in the tank. Being the gamer that he is, he said that he would “want to throw 130 [pitches].”
“I’ll keep going. It’s the World Series. I’ve got more rest to come,” Misiorowski said. “No, the situation we had looked better going to the pen and turning it over that way. You have to trust the staff and understand that they’re making a decision for later in the game.”
Jackson Chourio & William Contreras
Jackson Chourio and William Contreras, two of the Brewers’ biggest stars, did a joint presser after the game, where they were also asked about the environment and their performance on the field, especially Contreras’ in-game management of his pitchers.
“That was something for me that this year I definitely took it a little bit more personal and upon myself to make a point of that and to go out there and talk maybe a little bit more stern to the pitchers,” Contreras said. “It’s kind of my way of giving them some confidence and giving them a boost, the lift they need whenever they’re out there on the mound. I’m not sure how some of the guys take it, but that was something for me that was a priority of mine coming into this year and something that I made the adjustment on.”
When asked about Murphy’s faith in him, Contreras explained that he expects to play everyday, even if that’s unconventional for a catcher.
“I think Murphy’s always been someone that’s very special to me. I think in a lot of ways we share some similar personality traits. We want to win, and I think any time Murphy’s had to say something to me, he’s been very honest with me, and he’s told me directly to my face. That’s something I appreciate, and I think that’s something we share in common,” Contreras said. “I think when it comes to playing every day, that’s something I’m always going to prepare to do. That’s always a goal of mine. Why I work so hard in the offseason is to — if I feel good, if I feel ready to play, I’m going to expect to be in there.”
Chourio spoke about the build-up to the World Series after the weeklong layoff, also mentioning how it compared to the World Baseball Classic, which Chourio and Contreras won with Venezuela earlier this year.
“Honestly I think in these games today, there’s a little bit less pressure, it felt like, compared to maybe the World Baseball Classic. Some of the pressure was removed maybe in some of the earlier rounds of the playoffs, and I felt a little bit more free just to go out there and play my game,” Chourio said. “I think on my end, for me it’s always been a little bit of a question of more anxious feelings than pressure. I think I’ve always seen it in that light. Yeah, I think with these series and with the days off in between, I think there was some anxiousness for the games to begin and ready for the games to begin and get them — we know that these are the last games of the season here.“
Kevin Cash
While Rays manager Kevin Cash mostly spoke about his team in the postgame press conference, he did get asked about Contreras catching two baserunners after the Rays were previously perfect in stolen base attempts this postseason.
“Look, [Contreras is] a very talented player on both sides of the ball. We knew that coming in. Not surprised by anything that he did, but that’s not going to change our aggressive approach, certainly on the bases,” Cash said.
Cash also talked about the difficulties of facing Misiorowski and the Brewers bullpen.
“Look, he’s so talented. He’s such a special pitcher. I felt like for him to be out of the game at five innings, there’s a small win in that,” Cash said. “The problem is when you knock him out of the game, you’ve got just an elite bullpen that can match up and come in the ballgame like they did and kept us quiet there between Uribe, Ashby, and at the end with Megill.“
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: A general view inside the stadium prior to game one of the 2026 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re hoping that the league and the Players Association might extend their current agreement to avoid an impending lockout, don’t hold your breath.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Tarik Skubal (29) of the Los Angeles Dodgers watches from the dugout the NLDS game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 6, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tarik Skubal is the top free agent on the market. On top of that he is a left-handed ace that should be the Opening Day starter for any team in the league not named the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers or Pittsburgh Pirates… and even those teams would strongly consider putting Skubal on the mound in Game 1 of the 2027 season.
The San Diego Padres have been rumored as a possible landing spot for the lefty in at least a few publications, and the argument for the move is that it would echo the commitment new owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones made in press conferences and in their end-of-season letter to season ticket holders. The Padres are in need of pitching this offseason and a move to land Skubal would show the Padres fans and MLB the new owners mean what they say.
The question all San Diego fans have to ask themselves is whether or not Skubal is worth the huge payday he is expected to get. Padres fans know all too well how volatile a pitcher can be. Joe Musgrove missed the majority of two seasons with an elbow injury, Nick Pivetta missed most of the 2026 season with an arm injury and Yu Darvish never touched the mound this season as a result of an arm injury. San Diego ace and likely soon-to-be free agent Michael King missed a chunk of the 2025 season because he “slept wrong” and injured a nerve in his shoulder/neck.
Should the Padres want to spread their money around, whatever amount that might be, they may be better served. King is likely to opt-out of his contract and enter free agency. Reliever Adrian Morejon is a free agent and Ty France who many believe is the 2026 team MVP for the Padres is also a free agent. If Skubal wants $400 million-plus, it may be too rich for one player on a team that needs several players in the rotation and in the starting lineup.
San Diego could have a rotation of Pivetta, if the Padres pick up his option, Musgrove and Randy Vasquez. Others who could make a push for the spot like JP Sears are also on the roster, but unlikely to find what is needed to be in the San Diego rotation to start the season. Musgrove is still an unknown in terms of what he can provide and Darvish COULD return, but he could also just as easily retire depending on how he feels once he gets back to throwing competitive pitches off the mound.
This is an important offseason for the new ownership and as flashy as a Skubal signing might be, it may not be the most beneficial move for the team.
Padres News:
Walker Buhler gets his grade from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball after his first season in a Padres uniform.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies enters the dugout prior to Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series last night showed two teams at the top of their game. The rosters are chock full of talent, superstars at the stop, role players excelling at their role in the middle and more help on the way from the minor leagues by way of two player development systems consistently churning out talent. With the Phillies, they still have some of these things. There are stars at the top of the roster, the ones we have come to know and love. They have struggled to find a lot of role players, but there are some.
Think Bryson Stott and Jonathan Bowlan.
The less said about the player development system, the better. They haven’t truly brought a superstar to the majors in quite a while. There are some exciting developments with Andrew Painter once his season turned around following his return. Maybe Justin Crawford can carve out a role somehow and Aidan Miller looks promising.
Yet it’s worth wondering: is the championship window the Phillies opened up in 2022 still open?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers have been trending up for some time. They’ve made the playoffs eight of the last nine years. They’ve had 90 plus wins for the last four seasons. They lose pieces, but gain others. They’ve third in position player WAR and fourth in pitching WAR. And they’re in the driver’s seat to win this year’s World Championship.
Then you have the Dodgers and their pocketbook out west. Los Angeles isn’t going anywhere. Yes, neither the Dodgers or the Brewers are in the division with the Braves. But I’m sure what happens to divisions in a few years, anyway. Speaking of the division, the Phillies are on the downswing now, but they’re hardly in the rear view.
The Braves have a lot of questions to answer this offseason. What kind of offensive approach do they want? Can they keep their pitchers healthy? Are they selecting athletes that can stay healthy? And then assuming they resolve these, there are two teams ready to test what the Braves came up with. So are the Brewers a major problem for the Braves? I wouldn’t mind if they won it all this year, but I’ll be watching closely next season.
DENVER, CO - MAY 3: Jonah Heim #20 of the Atlanta Braves throws to first for an out in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Series got underway on Friday evening, and the Milwaukee Brewers took Game 1 3-2. Game 2 is set for tonight at 8:00 ET.
Braves News:
Our player review series continues with catcher Jonah Heim,
Feb 12, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Newly acquired Los Angeles Dodgers players Mookie Betts (50) and David Price (33) pose with senior vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith during a press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Posnanski at his Joe Blogs newsletter wrote about 10 people he would immediately put into the National Baseball Hall of Fame today. Vin Scully, who topped the list, won the Ford C. Frick Award in 1982 and was inducted into Cooperstown, but Posnanski explains the Hall of Fame as an institution does not recognize such inductees as actual Hall of Famers, as they are not recognized in the plaque room.
Posnanski also advocated for Janet Marie Smith, currently the Dodgers executive vice president of planning and development, saying “she changed the way we watch baseball.” More Posnanski on Smith:
Janet Marie Smith was an urban planner with no baseball experience, but Lucchino hired her to direct the design of what would become Camden Yards. And she brought a vision to life of a ballpark that was old and new at the same time, a place that was somehow distinctive and yet felt like it had been in Baltimore for a hundred years. Camden Yards is a miracle. And every ballpark constructed since then — all twenty-two of them — has merely been an effort to replicate that miracle.
Todd Benzinger, the first baseman and corner outfielder who played for five teams in his nine major league seasons, died on Wednesday at age 63. He played in 1992 for the Dodgers, and the switch-hitter started 13 of the first 38 games that season at first base in a time share with rookie Eric Karros and a gimpy-kneed Kal Daniels. By the last week of May, Karros took over first base for good, and Benzinger’s remaining starts came in right field and left field.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 13: Jack O'Dowd #18 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during a game between the Salt River Rafters and the Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on October 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, Rockies fans!
There’s little need to spend much time discussing what Hunter Goodman brings to the table as the Colorado Rockies’ starting catcher. His 41 home runs in 2026 speak for themselves.
And when I talk about Colorado’s catching depth, I’m not necessarily talking about who’s immediately behind Goodman.
No, it’s what’s happening further down in the organization that gets interesting.
Bryant Betancourt (No. 32 PuRP), Colorado’s No. 27 prospect according to MLB.com, hit .271 with 17 home runs and an .815 OPS, reaching Triple-A at just 22 years old while boasting a plus throwing arm.
Cole Messina (No. 45 PuRP), Colorado’s 2024 third-round pick, reached Double-A Hartford, hitting .226 with eight home runs, 21 doubles and 21 stolen bases while earning above-average grades for his defense and arm.
Colorado’s No. 6 and No. 9 prospects per MLB, Daniel Jackson (No. 12 PuRP) and Jack Natili (No. 20 PuRP), combined for 10 home runs in just 37 games at Fresno after being drafted in 2026. Natili also brings a plus arm behind the plate. Not bad for their first taste of professional baseball.
Jack O’Dowd (No. 35 PuRP), son of former Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd, came through independent ball before hitting .307 with 23 home runs across three levels this season. He’s now hitting home runs in the Arizona Fall League, though his future might be at first base.
None of these players is guaranteed to become an everyday big-league catcher. But for an organization with more questions than answers at most positions, Colorado’s catching pipeline might actually be something to get excited about.
Speaking of O’Dowd, he went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Wednesday’s 7–5 win over Scottsdale, while Jared Thomas added two hits, three RBI and two stolen bases.
The two kept hitting Thursday, despite Salt River’s 15–8 loss. O’Dowd launched his AFL-leading fifth home run, while Thomas finished with a double, triple and four RBI.
O’Dowd is now batting .350 with five home runs and a 1.206 OPS through 10 games. The Rafters sit at 9–7, just 1.5 games out of first place, and return to action Saturday against Surprise at 4:30 p.m. MDT. Fans can watch AFL games for free on MLB.com.
Trading Hunter Goodman after a 41-homer season? That’s certainly one way to shake things up. Scott Roche makes the case that Colorado could follow Baltimore’s approach with Adley Rutschman and cash in on its biggest trade chip. I’m not convinced Goodman is going anywhere, but if Paul DePodesta decides to move him, he’d better get a haul.
Connor Norby didn’t receive much attention when he arrived from Miami in the Victor Vodnik trade, but he quietly became one of Colorado’s better hitters down the stretch. After batting .309 with an .829 OPS in September, the 26-year-old enters 2027 with a chance to establish himself as a regular contributor. Augustus Oswald takes a closer look at one of the Rockies’ less-heralded deadline acquisitions.
Nineteen years ago today, the Rockies took the field at Fenway Park for the first World Series game in franchise history. The Rocktober magic lasted approximately zero innings. Josh Beckett and the Red Sox handed Colorado a 13–1 beating in Game 1, and, well, we know how the rest of that series went.
The Rockies have plenty of roster holes and not nearly enough established talent to fill them all. So who could Colorado actually afford to trade? Christian Saez and the DNVR crew run through the possibilities, potential returns and what could be a busy winter for Paul DePodesta.
Well, this should be fun. With the CBA expiring December 1, MLBPA executive director Bruce Meyer described the owners’ salary cap proposal as a “nuclear bomb.” Rob Manfred, meanwhile, continues to argue that baseball needs a more competitive economic system. The two sides don’t appear particularly close, and another lockout is looking more and more likely.
This is pretty cool. Robin Yount threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Milwaukee’s first World Series game since 1982 while wearing one of Bob Uecker’s plaid sport coats. The Brewers’ radio crew joined in, wearing jackets from Uecker’s personal wardrobe. A wonderful way to make sure Harry Doyle — er, Mr. Baseball — was part of the moment.
Ever watch a bullpen game and think, “There’s no way all six of these guys are going to have it today”? Apparently, that feeling isn’t supported by the numbers. Ben Clemens digs into years of data and finds surprisingly little difference in blowup rates between bullpen games and games started by non-ace starters. It’s a fascinating look at something that feels obvious until you actually do the math.
From Cherry Creek High School to the Air Force Academy to the World Series. Not a bad baseball journey. Kyle Newman traces Griffin Jax’s path to Tampa Bay, where the former reliever has returned to the rotation and is expected to start Game 4 against Milwaukee. A fun Colorado connection to this year’s Fall Classic.
Good morning. If you recall, I moved from Oklahoma a little over a year ago, leaving things like baseball-size hail and tornadoes behind. Tornado watches are a part of life in Oklahoma, just like brushing your teeth. Warnings? You stop what you’re doing and go watch what going on out your front door. You know how to quickly get in your hidey hole. So pull up a chair if need be.
So why were there four unconfirmed (thus far) tornadoes in Northern Arizona?!?! The tornado warnings were the first ones since 2010! I live hours from these areas, but I guess I brought some bad mojo for them.
And for my area — golf ball- to baseball-sized hail pummeled several areas around town, luckily not my part. As a former insurance manager, I’m blue in the face telling people to call their insurance agent if they have comprehensive coverage so a claim can be started. “No, it won’t be covered — It’s an act of God.” It could be looked at like an Act of God, but that is one that is covered. “No, you need a special rider.” (?) I have the same insurance coverage as I did in OK, and it would be covered here. “Oh, you must have gotten a waiver.” (??)
I’ve been out the biz for a while. I forgot how stubborn and stupid people are about insurance.
ANYWAY (sorry for the rant), World Series Game 1 was pretty exciting! Good ballgame, the Brewers survived a ninth-inning rally by the Rays and won 3-2.
I appreciate your reading.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Three Cubs Prospects Who Will Be Prime Trade Chips This Offseason. “The Cubs have their sights set on competing again in 2027, and their farm system could help them get there. These three prospects could be valuable pieces in a deal for proven talent.”
Mamie Smith (néeRobinson; May 26, 1891 – October 23, 1946) was an American singer. As a vaudeville singer, she performed in multiple styles, including jazz and blues. In 1920, she entered blues history as the first African-American artist to make vocal blues recordings. Robinson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1891. When she was around age 10, she found work touring with the Four Dancing Mitchells, a white act. As a teenager, she danced in Salem Tutt Whitney’s Smart Set. In 1913, she left the Tutt Brothers to sing in clubs in Harlem and married William “Smitty” Smith, a singer.
On February 14, 1920, Smith recorded “That Thing Called Love” and “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” for the Okeh label in New York City, after African-American songwriter and bandleader Perry Bradford persuaded Fred Hager to break the color barrier in black music recording. Although this was the first recording by a black blues singer, the backing musicians were all white. Hager had received threats from Northern and Southern pressure groups saying they would boycott the company if he recorded a black singer. Despite these threats, the record was a commercial success and opened the door for more black musicians to record.
Smith’s biggest hits were the August 10, 1920 recordings of a set of songs written by Perry Bradford, including “Crazy Blues” and “It’s Right Here for You (If You Don’t Get It, ‘Tain’t No Fault of Mine)”, again for Okeh Records. A million copies were sold in less than a year. Because of its historical significance, “Crazy Blues” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994 and was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2005.
Although other African Americans had been recorded earlier, such as George W. Johnson in the 1890s, they were performing music that had a substantial following among European-American audiences. The success of Smith’s record prompted record companies to seek to record other female blues singers and began the era of what is now known as classic female blues.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: A general view of the exterior of American Family Field prior to game one of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue this weekend with Game 2 of the World Series between the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers.
As usual, this is being written before Game 1 has taken place, because I live in the past. So I don’t know who won Game 1 Friday night. But you do, lucky you!
Game 2 will be Saturday night at 5:00 p.m. PT, broadcast on Fox/Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
Right-hander Drew Rasmussen is scheduled to start for the Rays. Rasmussen ended the regular season with a 2.67 ERA, 2.82 FIP, with 174 strikeouts to 32 walks in 172 innings pitched. This will be his fourth start of this postseason, his most recent was in the Rays’ 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on October 18th, in which he allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk in seven innings.
He’ll be facing off against Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson, who ended the regular season with a 2.47 ERA, 3.32 FIP, with 110 strikeouts to 19 walks in 98.1 innings pitched. This will be his third start in this postseason, his last was in the Brewers’ 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 12th, in which he allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and and two walks in four innings.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brewers’ formula this postseason has followed a similar recipe in many of their wins: hope your starter makes it two turns through the lineup, rely on your middle-inning groundball specialists, and then hand the ball off to Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill for the final three innings. The tale of the tape in Game 1 followed this script almost to a T, Milwaukee jumping out to an early lead, Jacob Misiorowski going two turns, Abner Uribe recording a dominant four outs, and Ashby and Megill locking down the final 2.2 innings to secure the opening game of this edition of the Fall Classic in front of a packed and frenetic Miller Park crowd, 3-2.
World Series Game 1
Milwaukee Brewers 3, Tampa Bay Rays 2
(Milwaukee leads, 1-0)
As untouchable as Misiorowski pitched during the regular season — leading MLB in ERA (1.80), FIP (2.17), strikeouts (252), and pitcher fWAR (6.6) while throwing more pitches over 100 mph (1,115) than every other starter combined to virtually guarantee NL Cy Young honors — he has looked mortal in the playoffs. During the regular season, his four-seamer induced a 40.2-percent whiff rate and held batters to a .174 average, but in the postseason the whiff rate plummets to 16.1-percent while the batting average against skyrockets to .364. The velocity is holding steady, but he’s lost life on the pitch while throwing a much higher percentage down in the zone. Fastballs that hitters had been whiffing beneath are now a fair bit easier to foul off, leading to inlfated pitch counts early and a dearth of strikeouts.
The Miz made a partial adjustment in Game 1, commanding his four-seamer belt high or above with better consistency than his starts against the Padres and Dodgers, and it allowed the Brewers’ ace to complete five innings for the first time this postseason. The strikeouts didn’t return, Misiorowski punching out just three of the 19 batters he faced, but for the most part he was able to stay out of trouble thanks to some brilliant defensive plays by his teammates.]
The traffic started early, Misiorowski giving up consecutive one-out singles in the first to Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson, but he got Junior Caminero to roll over a cutter for the inning-ending double play. One of the many marks of a good team is the ability to immediately punish your opponents for failing to capitalize on a scoring opportunity, and that’s just what happened in the bottom of the first. Jackson Chourio led off with a single, and after a Jake Bauers pop out, Christian Yelich lined an 0-2 Nick Martinez cutter into the gap in right-center. Center fielder Jonny DeLuca covered a ton of ground and went fully horizontal on the diving attempt, but the ball clanged off his glove for an RBI triple.
William Contreras then ambushed the next pitch Martinez threw, another cutter that the All-Star catcher rocketed to the left side of the infield. Taylor Walls couldn’t get his glove up quite in time, and the liner ricocheted off the webbing into left field to easily plate Yelich and spot Misiorowski an early 2-0 lead. For all that has been made of the elite defense from the Rays outfielders and Walls this postseason, you just had this feeling that both those tough liners would have been caught had they been hit by Yankees batters.
Misiorowski settled down to retire the side in order in the second and third, but encountered his toughest test in the fourth. A leadoff walk from Aranda followed by a Caminero double put runners on second and third with one out. Liam Hicks then topped a weak grounder to the right side to get the run in from third and cut the deficit in half. Misiorowski refocused to get DeLuca to fly out and strand Caminero at third.
In the Miz’s final inning of work, he allowed a leadoff single to Victor Mesa Jr., who then advanced to second on a Ben Williamson grounder. The Rays right fielder bailed the Brewers out though, committing a cardinal sin by making the final out at third base on an ill-advised steal attempt that drew a pinpoint throw from Contreras.
Martinez posted the lowest strikeout rate and walk rate of any qualified starter during the regular season, but it was he instead of Misiorowski who won in the strikeout department in Game 1 with five in five innings. Martinez stranded Sal Frelick at second in the second following a single and sac bunt by striking out Chourio on a backdoor sinker. He then faced the minimum across his final three innings of work, aided by a sparkling defensive play from Mesa to atone for his blunder. Speedster David Hamilton laced a grounder down the right field line and was thinking triple immediately out of the box. However, a stumble around second paired with a perfect throw and relay from Mesa and Williamson beat Hamilton to third by half a step.
With both starters out of the game after five, Uribe was the first man out of the Brewers bullpen. Normally more of a groundball specialist than a strikeout artist, Uribe rung up three of the four batters he faced. The most important one was to finish the sixth. After Aranda reached on a one out single, the Brewers executed a textbook strike-‘em-out, throw-‘em-out double play to end the inning, Simpson going down swinging on a back-foot slider and Contreras gunning down Aranda at second for his second caught stealing of the contest.
Kevin Cash selected Steven Matz as his first reliever out of the ‘pen, and the veteran southpaw was wayward with his command, issuing three walks while recording five outs between the sixth and seventh. The final of those free passes came back to haunt him, Cooper Pratt drawing the walk to lead off the seventh and advancing to second on a Hamilton grounder. That brought sidewinding righty Kevin Kelly out of the Rays bullpen to neutralize Chourio with a runner in scoring position with two outs, but the Brewers’ young star inside-outed a first-pitch sinker just inside the bag at first and beyond Aranda’s diving attempt to plate Pratt. The score was 3-1, Milwaukee.
With this extra insurance run, you felt that the Brewers’ lead was unassailable with Ashby and Megill primed for their lanes. Ashby entered the Fall Classic with the most innings (12.1) of any postseason reliever yet had not surrendered a single run, and it was more of the same in the seventh and eighth innings. He retired all five batters he faced, three via the strikeout thanks to his deadly sinker-changeup duo.
That left it up to Megill to secure his fifth save of these playoffs, but this game had one more dose of high drama in store. Aranda and Simpson reached on a pair of one-out singles and Caminero worked a six-pitch walk after falling behind, 1-2, to load the bases with one out. Hicks appeared to ground into the game-ending double play, but replay review revealed that Pratt prematurely took his foot off the bag at second before the ball had contacted the inside of his glove. The call on the field was overturned, Caminero ruled safe at second while pinch-runner Jorge Mateo scored on the play and Simpson advanced to third.
Megill had to do it all over again, this time facing DeLuca with runners on second and third with two outs. However, Brewers fans could exhale and celebrate for a second time as he made quick work of the Rays center fielder, striking him out on a filthy knuckle curve below the zone to secure the Brewers’ first win in a World Series in 16,077 days (Game 5 in 1982) by a score of 3-2.
The Brewers will look to maintain the momentum of this narrow victory into Game 2 tonight. Rays ace Drew Rasmussen is set to face off against Logan Henderson with first pitch scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.
Sep 29, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning Birdland,
The Fall Classic is underway, and the Milwaukee Brewers have taken the early lead. The Brewers were able to hold off a late Rays rally to take Game 1 of the World Series 3-2 on Friday night.
Trevor Megill, Milwaukee’s closer, got himself into quite a jam in the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out and a two-run lead. He got Liam Hicks to ground into what seemed like a game-ending double-play, but replay revealed that shortstop Cooper Pratt’s foot had come off of second base prior to receiving the initial feed. The runner at second was called safe, the runner at first was out, and Tampa’s second run of the day had scored.
That made it a one-run lead with two outs and Jonny DeLuca at the plate. But rather than becoming a iconic moment in Rays history, Megill was able to win the battle, striking out DeLuca to secure the victory.
That sets the stage for Game 2 tonight at 8 p.m. Drew Rasmussen is on the bump for Tampa. The 31-year-old has been terrific this year, posting a 2.67 ERA over 172 innings in the regular season and then dominating in the postseason as well with a 1.29 ERA over 21 frames. Perhaps, if it was really even necessary, there is the added incentive for Rasmussen to pitch well against his former club. After making his big league debut earlier that season, he was dealt from Milwaukee to Tampa back in 2021 as part of the Willy Adames deal.
That likely future could make the typical offseason calendar rather useless. MLB free agency will technically start five days after the World Series ends. But most players don’t sign anywhere until after Thanksgiving. The lockout is set to start on December 1. And the possibility that the league will be implementing a salary cap of some sort makes it almost impossible for some front offices to sign major contracts until they know what sort of budget they are working within.
Enjoy these few days where the focus will be on the field. Because once it’s over, we might instead be fixated on some office building in New York for the months that follow.
Rising prospect Anderson wraps strong season with stellar homecoming | Orioles.com It was nice to see Ethan Anderson take a step forward this past season. He’s a switch hitter that seems to have really found himself at the plate this last year. Finding a spot for him on the field could be an issue. The Orioles want him to catch, but there are questions about his ability back there. He may have no choice if he stays in the organization since Pete Alonso won’t be leaving any time soon at first base.
Colin Selby turns 29 today. The bearded reliever pitched in 14 games for the Orioles between 2024 and ‘25. He remained in the organization for 2026 as well, but did not get on the field due to labrum and rotator cuff injuries that eventually needed surgery.
Omar Quintanilla is 45 years old. He bounced around the league as a utility infielder for nearly a decade. That included a 36-game stay with the Orioles in 2012.
Arthur Rhodes is 57 today. The southpaw was a key part of the Orioles pitching staff from 1991 through ‘99, eventually transitioning from the rotation to the bullpen. In total he tossed 622.1 innings for the O’s across nine seasons.
Dave Johnson turns 67. The Baltimore native would spend parts of three seasons with the Orioles from 1989-91, most often working as a starter. Over 353.1 innings with the O’s, Johnson had a 4.84 ERA. His son, Steve, would later pitch for the Orioles as well, and Johnson himself would be a contributor to MASN and the Orioles Radio Network well after his playing career ended.
This day in O’s history
It’s been a slow date in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. So, instead, here are some happenings from beyond Birdland:
1926 – Harry Houdini’s last performance takes place at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit.
1931 – The George Washington Bridge opens to public traffic over the Hudson River.
1946 – A camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket takes the first photograph of earth from outer spcae.
1992 – The Toronto Blue Jays become the first Major League Baseball Team based outside of the United States to win the World Series.
2003 – The Concorde supersonic airliner makes its last commercial flight.
2004 – Arsenal Football Club loses to Manchester United, ending a row of 49 matches unbeaten, a Premier League record.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Rainiel Rodriguez #88 of the St. Louis Cardinals at bat during a spring training game against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is no secret that the Cardinals have stockpiled minor league talent, but how did that talent develop in 2026? Let’s take a look at every player who started the season as a ranked prospect in the system.
Here are the rules:
Only players who started the year in the organization will be considered, so trade deadline acquisitions and the 2026 draft class are out of scope.
I will use the preseason FanGraphs list since it goes 53 deep and casts the widest net of any prospect list.
Every player must be given one of four designations:
Stock Up = the player improved at least one grade tier (e.g. 45+ to 50 Future Value)
Stock Ticking Up = the player had a positive season, but not enough to change their grade
Stock Ticking Down = the player had a negative season, but not enough to change their grade
Stock Down = the player regressed at least one grade tier
I will go in reverse order of the FanGraphs preseason ranking. I am not including the future value tier that FanGraphs assigned to each prospect because I do not want to muddy the waters with debating where the player should have ranked coming into the year. For example, I would not have ranked Pete Hansen in my top-20 Cardinals prospects with a 40+ FV, as FanGraphs did. So, my evaluation for Hansen of “Stock Ticking Up” means that I think he had a positive season, not that I agree with his FanGraphs grade. Said another way, I’m not re-grading every prospect, just judging which direction each one moved, regardless of where he started. Clear as mud. Alright, on to the list!
53. Branneli Franco, RHP, Low-A – Stock Ticking Down
Franco was terrible in the Complex League, but then put together 15 solid innings in Palm Beach as a 19-year-old. He showed impressive stuff with a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s, but the 7.54 season ERA is ugly.
52. Sebastian Dos Santos, SS, Low-A – Stock Up
Dos Santos put together the second-best age-18 season of any Cardinals hitting prospect in the last two decades. He already has great plate discipline and an ability to drive the ball in the air and should be hitting national top-100 lists early next season.
51. Carlos Carrion, SS, DSL – Stock Ticking Down
Carrion was the Cardinals’ second-biggest international signee after Emanuel Luna, but missed most of the season with injury and was unproductive in his 10-game cameo in the DSL.
50. Chase Davis, CF, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Down
Davis made it to Triple-A and showed off above-average plate discipline and incredible exit velocity metrics. Unfortunately, he still has not figured out how to turn this skill set into production as he struggled to an 81 wRC+ in Memphis.
49. Won-Bin Cho, OF, Double-A – Stock Up
Cho had a breakout year, finally cracking the High-A level on his third try and earning a promotion to Springfield. He more than doubled his ISO to .231 and improved his K/BB rate substantially to give the Cardinals a hard 40-man roster decision this offseason.
48. Jack Gurevitch, 1B/3B, Double-A – Stock Up
Gurevitch advanced from Palm Beach to Peoria and finally to Springfield while swatting 32 home runs and carrying a 127 wRC+. He has real big swing-and-miss issues, but he definitely juiced his prospect status with his in-game power results.
47. Bryan Torres, UT, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Torres completed his personal odyssey to triumphantly reach St. Louis. He might have just enough versatility to stick around in some capacity.
46. Colton Ledbetter, OF, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Down
Ledbetter salvaged his season after a stint on the development list and ran a 125 wRC+ over his last 68 games. He improved offensively while advancing a level, but it may not be enough to earn him a 40-man spot this offseason.
45. Randel Clemente, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Clementeimproved his BB%… from 26.1% to 19.9%. He has some of the best stuff in the system but is running out of time.
44. Yordy Herrera, LHP, Low-A – Stock Down
Herrera was released in July.
43. Matt Pushard, RHP, MLB – Stock Down
Pushard did not stick in St. Louis after being selected in the Rule 5 draft.
42. Frank Elissalt, RHP, High-A – Stock Down
Elissalt, part of the return package for Ryan Helsley, missed the entire season with an injury, but at least he has returned to action in the AFL.
41. Mason Molina, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Up
Molina was one of the biggest risers in the system as he dismantled Double-A and finished the season in Memphis in his age-22 season. His 150 strikeouts ranked 12th in MiLB, and he now looks like a potential back-of-the-rotation arm as early as next season.
40. Ethan Young, RHP, Low-A – Stock Ticking Down
Young only managed to pitch 31 innings, but ended the year healthy. Despite a 7.26 ERA, he had decent underlying numbers and flashed good stuff at Palm Beach.
39. Jack Martinez, RHP, High-A – Stock Ticking Up
Martinez struck out 121 batters in 93.2 innings at the Low-A and High-A levels. His slider was ranked as one of the best in the minors by Baseball America.
38. Skylar Hales, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Hales walked too many and carried a 6.34 ERA at Memphis while losing a tick off his fastball. He is Rule 5 eligible and seems unlikely to be protected.
37. Jose Davila, RHP, Double-A – Stock Down
Davila converted to relief and posted decent, if unspectacular, numbers while finishing in Double-A.
36. Braden Davis, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Davis held his own in Double-A and cut his walk rate from 16.6% to 14.4%, but his strikeout rate fell from 33.8% to 28.3%.
35. Blake Aita, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Aita advanced to Double-A and threw over 100 decent innings on the year, but did not distinguish himself in a loaded system and struggled to keep the ball in the yard.
34. Nate Dohm, RHP, Double-A – Stock Down
Dohm battled injuries and command problems while pitching to a 7.19 ERA over 61.1 innings. He still has huge stuff and potential upside, but 2026 was a setback.
33. Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, Double-A – Stock Up
Fajardo was one of four teenagers to pitch in Double-A across all of baseball and one of the biggest risers in the system. His fastball is not overwhelming, but he rode his off-speed pitches to a sensational 22.3% K-BB% on the year.
32. Austin Love, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Love struggled to a 6.52 ERA at Springfield and Memphis and walked almost a batter per inning after his promotion.
31. Luis Gastelum, RHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Gastelum carried a mediocre 4.64 ERA and 19/12 K/BB ratio through his first 18 Triple-A games before turning into a terror, posting a 0.00 ERA and running a 30/5 K/BB ratio over his final 18 games. He started off rocky in St. Louis but pitched to a 2.31 ERA with a 34/7 K/BB ratio over his final 23.1 innings.
30. Emanuel Luna, OF, DSL – Stock Ticking Up
Luna turned heads in just nine games by hitting three DSL bombs, carrying a 226 wRC+, and hitting a ball 115.8 mph. It is an incredibly small sample size, but his K% of 18.2% was encouraging as well.
29. Juan Rujano, C, CPX – Stock Down
Rujano entered the season with some hype from the third-party outlets after a solid DSL debut in 2025, but struggled to a 68 wRC+ in the Complex League in his stateside debut.
28. Leonel Sequera, RHP, High-A – Stock Down
Sequera had decent strikeout and walk numbers, but for a player with a questionable fastball, the 1.92 HR/9 and 7.23 ERA are too much to overlook.
27. Cesar Prieto, IF, MLB – Stock Ticking Down
Prieto had the best Triple-A numbers of his career in 2026, but was downright horrible in his St. Louis cup of coffee.
26. Blaze Jordan, 3B, MLB – Stock Up
Blaze crushed Triple-A with a rare blend of power and contact, had solid underlying offensive metrics in 58 major league games, and graded out above average defensively at third. After being left exposed to the Rule 5 draft last offseason, he put himself back in the team’s plans with a strong 2026.
25. Nathan Church, CF, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Church ended with a slash line remarkably close to his preseason ZiPS projection, so this is a tough one. His status as the presumed starting center fielder shows the Cardinals have confidence in him beyond his surface-level numbers, so that will be the tiebreaker.
24. Tanner Franklin, RHP, Double-A – Stock Up
Franklin has been an up-arrow guy since the day he was drafted. Recently, Baseball America argued that he might have the best stuff of any pitcher in the minor leagues.
23. Cade Crossland, LHP, High-A – Stock Ticking Down
Crossland was a strikeout and walk machine in Palm Beach, but showed improved control at the end of the season in Peoria. He averaged only 92.1 mph on his fastball after topping out at 98 mph in college, so his ceiling may be more limited than we thought on draft day.
22. Sem Robberse, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Robberse had a second season mostly wiped out by injury.
21. Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Hjerpe successfully returned from Tommy John and earned his call-up by striking out 13.07 per nine across 42 minor league innings. The control and health remain huge question marks, but it was a positive year for Hjerpe.
20. Jesus Baez, SS, Double-A – Stock Up
Baez entered the year as a nice lottery ticket with tools to dream on. He leaves it with 39 home runs and underlying metrics that ranked him as the second-best 21-year-old hitter in the minors according to Baseball America’s HIT+, trailing only Josue De Paula.
19. Pete Hansen, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Hansen actually posted decent numbers in Memphis with ERA, FIP, and xFIP between 4.18 and 4.53 across 101.1 innings. His upside seems limited to a John King-type career, but he will probably debut for someone at some point.
18. Hancel Rincon, RHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Rincon followed up his breakout 2025 campaign in Springfield with a nice run at Memphis that led to his St. Louis debut and a 40-man roster spot. He has already moved to the bullpen, but his 21.4% K-BB% was the best in Triple-A for pitchers who threw 70+ innings.
17. Brycen Mautz, LHP, MLB – Stock Down
Mautz looked like a back-end rotation candidate with upside following his 2025 breakout in Springfield. After a rough season, you would be thrilled if he turned into a meaningful relief piece.
16. Ixan Henderson, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Henderson started the year injured, made it back for one start at Memphis, and then landed back on the 60-day IL. His status going into next year is unclear, but this year was an unfortunate setback for one of the big 2025 breakout prospects.
15. Chen-Wei Lin, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Up
Linhad a solid season behind the more heralded pitching prospects in the Springfield rotation, cutting his BB% from 17.5% to 11.2% across 102.2 innings. It wasn’t a full breakout, but it was progress for a pitcher with substantial upside.
14. Tai Peete, CF, Double-A – Stock Up
Peete started to translate his raw power into game power in 2026, posting an ISO of .254 while advancing to Double-A. His hit tool is still a question, but he improved his contact rate in Springfield and is obliterating the AFL.
13. Ryan Mitchell, OF, Low-A – Stock Ticking Up
Mitchell is still a bit of a project and will need to add strength to keep advancing through the system. Still, he held his own in full-season ball as a 19-year-old who had limited exposure to elite competition in high school.
12. Tekoah Roby, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Roby missed the entire season, as expected, so you cannot dock him for that. Back on the mound in the AFL, he has struck out 13 in 9.2 scoreless innings while topping out at 99 mph.
11. Tink Hence, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Hence was injured and ineffective while losing his 40-man roster spot.
10. Quinn Mathews, LHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Mathews showed marginal improvements in his second go at Memphis, but the walks were still concerning. His first nine starts for St. Louis were impressive, and if the improved control sticks, he will be a fixture in the rotation for years.
9. Leo Bernal, C, MLB – Stock Up
Bernal continued his methodical climb through the minors with an excellent showing in Triple-A as a 22-year-old. His impressive major league debut was enough to finally put him on the national radar and in top-100 prospect lists where he belongs.
8. Yairo Padilla, SS, High-A – Stock Ticking Up
Padilla showed off exceptional Statcast data in the Florida State League, posting above-major-league-average exit velocity numbers as a 19-year-old shortstop. Injuries limited him to 37 games and kept him from having a true breakout, but I was highly encouraged by the improvements we saw.
7. Joshua Baez, OF, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Baez gave up some of the contact gains that fueled his 2025 breakout, but showed the power was real, hitting 41 home runs between Triple-A and the majors. His productive 30-game MLB trial run is enough for me to come away feeling positive about his season overall.
6. Brandon Clarke, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Clarke was electric in limited innings and seemed to be improving his control as the season went on. Still, he threw only 29.2 innings, failing to alleviate the biggest concern in his profile.
5.Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Cijntje quietly put together an excellent season and, unlike many recent Cards prospects, had no issue adjusting to Triple-A. Finishing second in MiLB in strikeouts and the strong finish at Triple-A are enough for me.
4. Jimmy Crooks, C, MLB – Stock Ticking Down
Crooks doubled his Barrel% and cut his chase rate by 5% in Triple-A while putting up video-game numbers. But he is already 25 and failed to prove it in St. Louis in his second cup of coffee.
3. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Double-A – Stock Up
Rodriguez had huge expectations coming into the season and was largely living up to those in the first half, earning a promotion to Double-A after tearing up the Midwest League. Then in July he went ballistic and hit .390 with 16 bombs over his final 44 games to establish himself as the best hitting prospect in the minors.
2.Liam Doyle, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Doyle had an adjustment period to Double-A but finished strong over his final 11 starts with a 1.78 ERA, a 30.3% strikeout rate, an improved 12.4% walk rate, and only 0.49 HR/9. He basically held serve throughout the season, but since he has nudged down slightly on top-100 lists, we will be conservative.
1. JJ Wetherholt, 2B, MLB – Stock Up
Wetherholt’s offensive performance was in line with preseason projections and his defense wildly exceeded expectations. His .029 gap between expected and actual wOBA was the third unluckiest among qualified hitters.
And finally, here are the players who were not ranked coming into the year who should be ranked in the Cardinals’ top 30 heading into next season.
Miguel Hernandez, SS, Low-A
After a successful run in the Complex League, Hernandez bashed out a 163 wRC+ over 103 plate appearances in Low-A as an 18-year-old. Like Dos Santos, he will start making noise on national lists with a good start to 2027.
Deniel Ortiz, 1B/3B, Double-A
Ortiz was criminally omitted from the FanGraphs preseason prospect list, but that surely won’t happen again. He improved his contact rate by 10% while moving up to Double-A and mashed a 120 wRC+, despite a wrist injury that sapped some of his power.
Jacob Odle, RHP, High-A
It was Jacob Odle, not Tanner Franklin or Liam Doyle, who graded out as having the best starting-pitcher Stuff+ in the system by Baseball America (sixth in MiLB). Odle will need to improve on his 15.5% BB%, but his 34.1% K% was the best in the system.
Xavier Cruz, RHP, Low-A
Cruz came out of nowhere in 2026, flashing an upper-90s fastball and insane spin rates in the Complex League and at Palm Beach. In Jake Wood’s excellent podcast earlier this week, Moises Rodriguez compared his arm talent to that of Tanner Franklin.
The Final Tally
Stock Up: 12
Stock Ticking Up: 15
Stock Ticking Down: 13
Stock Down: 13
Brycen Mautz and Nate Dohm were the two I was highest on who took a step back this year. You are always going to have some pitcher injuries, and Elissalt and Henderson both losing a year was disappointing. Tink Hence is really in a separate category since his decline started in 2025 and he just did not bounce back the way we hoped. The rest of the prospects who slipped a full grade, by my evaluation, were lower-impact.
The raw numbers understate just how successful this season was from a development perspective. Top prospects’ performance has an outsized impact on the health of a system. The Wetherholt, Bernal, and Rainiel seasons alone would have been enough to make this a pretty positive season for the system. No players in the preseason top 10 performed poorly enough to move them down a FV tier. When you add the Franklin, Fajardo, and Molina breakouts on the pitching side along with the emergence of Dos Santos, Jesus Baez, and Miguel Hernandez on the hitters’ side, you have to be incredibly happy with the results.
Final Grade: A+
Now, the important part. Which player evaluations do you disagree with? Who did I miss?
