PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Kevin McGonigle #85 of the Detroit Tigers hits a triple during the first inning of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on February 28, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy March, everyone! It might seem like Spring Training just got underway, but we’re also already in the same month where MLB games will return to our lives after the long drought of winter. Plus, we’re officially in World Baseball Classic week, as the games will get going this Thursday. We look forward to seeing a lot of Tigers players compete for their countries, and hopefully not make enemies of their own Detroit teammates along the way.
We’ve got some fun tidbits today, including a look at the team’s hottest prospect, and also a seasoned veteran who is relying on his teammates to give him feedback and get him season ready. Plus a look at which team (and which player) might be benefitting the most from the ABS system.
The No. 2 prospect in baseball has raked everywhere in the minors, only slowed by injuries in the two years since the Tigers took him with their second pick in the 2023 draft. He isn’t blocked by a real shortstop in Detroit — the Javier Báez comeback didn’t last, as he hit .223/.230/.318 in the second half with one (1) walk and 46 strikeouts in 153 PA. McGonigle’s not a great shortstop defensively, but he’ll be passable for now, and his bat should more than make up for his lack of plus range.
Verlander is putting in the reps to get ready for the season.
Justin Verlander threw two innings of live batting practice, and through the work, he repeatedly questioned hitters Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling about how they were seeing his stuff, and asked the staff about his velocity, which started at 91 mph and reached 94-95 mph range… pic.twitter.com/kNsCgMP7u7
Sure looks like the secret to being good at ABS challenges is… just to be PJ Higgins.
Already atop the catcher leaderboards in Spring Training after being head-and-shoulders ahead of everyone else in Triple-A last year. pic.twitter.com/WGiCtXLSnq
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles throws the ball during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 16, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A month ago, most Orioles fans probably had no idea who Blaze Alexander was. After all, how many of us pay close attention to the utility players on the 4th-place team in the NL West? Most Orioles fans’ interest in the Diamondbacks likely ended last season just after former friend Corbin Burnes tore his UCL in early June. And yet, the newly-acquired utility man is set to play a big role with the O’s in 2026.
Of all the trades Mike Elias & Co. pulled off in the offseason, the one for Alexander seemingly caught the fanbase most offguard. Trades for Taylor Ward and Shane Baz filled obvious needs. The trade for Alexander, however, saw the Baltimore weaken an already shaky bullpen by dealing middle reliever Kade Strowd (and minor leaguers Wellington Aracena and José Mejia) to Arizona. The fanbase started to warm to the idea of Alexander as we collectively realized that he’s a plus defender who can cover 2B, 3B, SS and CF.
Then the injuries in the infield started to pile up. Ten days after the Orioles acquired Alexander, it was announced that Jackson Holliday would likely start the season on the IL after breaking the hamate bone in his right hand. Nine days after that, Elias announced that Jordan Westburg will miss at least the first month of the season with a partial UCL tear—which would sideline him for the whole season if it requires Tommy John surgery. And so, in the span of three weeks, the newest Oriole infielder went from nice depth piece to likely Opening Day starter.
In his brief big league career, Alexander has been more about potential than actual production. In just under 400 career ABs, the 26-year-old has a triple slash of .237/.32232/.366 with 50 runs, 19 doubles, 10 HRs and 50 RBIs. His numbers at the plate mirror his power-over-hit profile as a prospect, as he had a 40-grade hit tool in the minors compared to a 50-grade power tool. His best tools, however, were his 55-grade speed and 70-grade throwing arm. We’ve seen both of those tools play at the big-league level, though the plus speed hasn’t translated into many stolen bases (seven in 14 attempts).
Once Holliday is healthy in April, Alexander’s long-term role will largely depend on two things: how well he hits left-handed pitching and how well Coby Mayo adapts to playing 3B. In 145 career ABs against LHPs, Alexander holds a .269 average and .800 OPS. His positional versatility means he could spell Holliday at 2B or Colton Cowser in CF against southpaws, depending on which of the Orioles regular starters struggles more against lefties.
Mayo’s ability to stick at 3B (assuming Westburg can’t avoid surgery) will ultimately determine if Alexander is a regular starter for the majority of 2026. The South Florida native Mayo undoubtedly has higher offensive upside than his fellow Floridian Alexander. Mayo finished last season hitting .301 with a .941 OPS in September, and has carried that hot streak into this Spring Training by hitting .500 with a 1.095 in Grapefruit League play.
The question that will ultimately decide Alexander’s playing time is whether the coaching staff is comfortable with Mayo’s defense at third. New skipper Craig Albernaz has used Mayo almost exclusively at 3B this Spring. And while the 24-year-old seems to be getting a little more comfortable at the hot corner as we get closer to Opening Day, his defense is still noticeably worse than what Westburg and Alexander offer. If Mayo continues to provide passable defense, Alexander returns to the super utility role he was originally intended to play. If not, Alexander could find himself as the regular starting 3B going forward.
FanGraphs and Baseball Reference both project Alexander to set career highs in games played and plate appearances with the O’s this season. Last year with the Diamondbacks, the 26-year-0ld played in 74 games and registered 266 PAs. FanGraphs projects Alexander to play in 117 games with 459 PAs. Baseball Reference is slightly less aggressive with its projections, projecting Alexander to compile 352 PAs in 2026—a number more in line with what we’ve seen from Ramón Urías the last two seasons. The full projections are as follows
The Orioles don’t need Alexander to become a completely different player than what he showed in Arizona. They acquired him to be a more defensively versatile Jorge Mateo and provide the O’s much-needed infield depth. If he can do that while providing some offensive value against LHPs, he’ll more than earn his spot on the roster. In fact, Baltimore would probably prefer that Alexander not be forced to assume a bigger role, because that’d mean either Mayo made a significant leap defensively or Westburg avoided surgery.
And yet, we can also hold out hope that Alexander will become the unexpected, unsung hero of the 2026 Orioles. We’ve seen players like Mateo, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano all take advantage of unexpected playing time to carve out bigger roles on Orioles teams of yesteryears. There’s no reason Alexander can’t be that player for this year’s Orioles.
The Peoria Chiefs’ starting pitcher Cooper Hjerpe (50) against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers during their home opener on Friday, April 5, 2024 at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. Peoria defeated Wisconsin 2-1. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
In something of an upset, considering where the voting was on the 14th vote, Cooper Hjerpe surprised me at least by narrowly winning the vote for the 15th best prospect. Hjerpe was in a distant 4th place for the 14th prospect which, if you’re wondering, was partially possible because either different people voted or people changed their votes. There was someone ahead of him on the 14th vote who received less votes on the 15th vote. Anyway, the injury-snake bitten high upside pitching prospect has landed on the list, dropping from 9th place last year. The current list:
JJ Wetherholt
Liam Doyle
Rainiel Rodriguez
Quinn Mathews
Jurrangelo Cjintje
Joshua Baez
Leonardo Bernal
Jimmy Crooks
Brandon Clarke
Tink Hence
Tekoah Roby
Tanner Franklin
Brycen Mautz
Nathan Church
Cooper Hjerpe
Comparable Player Poll
It seems somewhat likely we aren’t in danger of adding a reliever to the top 20, but nonetheless, I figure adding the best relief prospect, as determined by you, is doing my due diligence. I’m using my best judgment as to who could possibly be considered the best relief prospect. All of them are most likely going to spend significant time in Memphis or St. Louis.
Luis Gastelum has an extremely good and unusual changeup and not much else, but it’s so good that he struck out 35.4% of batters he faced and walked just 6.5% of batters. He even got groundballs. At the age of 24, he has not spent an inning in Memphis, but has already thrown two innings in spring training, so maybe he skips it altogether.
Sklyer Hales is a fastball/slider pitcher, recently acquired in a package for Phil Maton at the 2025 deadline. He struck out 30% of batters in AA with a good walk rate and a decent groundball rate, but struggled mightily upon promotion to AAA. He did finish the year strong. He is also 24 and has actually thrown in 3 games this spring training.
Austin Love is also a fastball/slider pitcher, but he’s been in the system a bit longer. Drafted 90th overall in the 2021 draft, he was once considered an actual starting pitching prospect, but an ill-timed Tommy John completely derailed his career. Voting for him is a belief that he was shaking off the rust and still managed to perform fairly well in 2025. He will be 27 and he too has pitched in 3 games in spring despite not having pitched in Memphis.
Matt Pushard bucks the trend by actually having four pitches: a fastball, slider, cutter, and change. He pitched the whole season in AAA for the Marlins and was selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Cardinals. He will be 28. Oddly, he’s only actually pitched in one game so far this spring.
We’re starting to enter that region of the voting where it is a distinct possibility that whoever will be on the top 20 is already on the voting and the next five names I add probably do no matter. The comparable player polling has done its job: a lot of the candidates I would have considered have effectively been eliminated by losing those polls. One player who did emerge thanks to those polls, however, is recent trade acquisition Blaze Jordan. He defeated a player on last year’s top 20 (Chase Davis) who himself defeated a top 20 guy (Travis Honeyman). Jordan deserves to be in the voting.
Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
Good performance at a young age, will presumably be in Springfield next season. On the downside, I think he’s technically a shortstop prospect but nobody thinks he’ll stick at SS. And there are some reported attitude concerns of which I hesitate to even share because it’s kind of like sharing rumors, but most of you have seen what Keith Law wrote, it’s not exactly a secret anyway. I do remind people of his age though, you tend to be immature at that age.
I’m pointing out this point for Fajardo, but it could be just about any pitching prospect. The scouting I give you is from one source. Go to a different source, someone will be higher or lower from a scouting perspective. For example, Baseball Prospectus, definitely higher on this dude than Fangraphs, shared that he added a kick change last season and that it immediately flashed above average. That tells me it disagrees with the characterization of 50 potential scouting that Fangraphs gives it. Fangraphs happens to be easy access and actually has easy scouting to post, so that’s why I use it.
Okay it’s here where I feel like his injury hurt him in the voting. I haven’t been totally sure yet that he’s been hurt by the injury news, but he’s kind of been stuck as the guy who has almost been selected for a few votes now. He was in 2nd for the 14th vote and stayed 2nd. Like I’ve mentioned before, I wish we could have completed the voting before spring training injuries start affecting the vote, but that’s kind of the trade-off; earlier and all the trades would have thrown a wrench in the plans too. I’m otherwise happy with when I started.
Scouting: 40/50 Hit, 40/50 Game Power, 60/60 Raw Power, 30/30 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
There is a bright side to Jordan’s struggles in AAA – it probably saved the Cardinals from having to add him to the 40 man roster. It’s pretty clear that his main issue in Memphis was BABIP – give him a .300 BABIP, he might actually have been added to the 40 man. Unfortunately, it’s always hard to know how deserved a BABIP is in the minor leagues. Ironically, I wonder if he’d have a better shot of being selected if he stayed crushing in AA all year. He was only 22.
Scouting: 30/35 Hit, 40/50 Game Power, 55/55 Raw Power, 50/40 Speed, 50/50 Fielding
You might be mistaken for double checking his stats and scouting numbers, because they don’t exactly line up. It makes more sense if you include his 2024 into the equation. He had actual power in High A, but struck out quite a bit. Actually his 2024 season lines up pretty well with the scouting. It doesn’t mean the scouting is outdated, because the effort to strike out less by Ledbetter seemingly led to a big drop in power. The power may not exist without the bad hit tool. Of course if he manages to maintain the K rate and add power, well then we may have something here.
You can count Lin among the many pitching prospects the Cardinals seem to have who had injury troubles, and whose pitch profile point to a very good reliever if the starting thing doesn’t work out. Lin is considered a potential starting pitching prospect, because he is 6’7 and if you can believe the scouting, has the potential for two elite pitches. The fastball might already be there.
Ryan Mitchell, 19 – OF
No stats
Scouting: 25/55 Hit, 25/50 Game Power, 40/55 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 25/50 Fielding
Mitchell seems to be the wrong kind of prospect for this group. That’s because he hasn’t played a single inning in professional ball. There might be one or two examples of this group selecting a prospect who has yet to play an inning, but it was certainly in a weaker system than this and it definitely fits on one hand. It tends to affect the pitching prospects moreso (hello Cade Crossland), but we haven’t really had a chance to vote for a legitimate prospect who was a position player because those guys tend to be college-age and thus we have some stats to use.
Those stats come via Baseball Savant, the only source that I think has his scouting. I listed them them that way to indicate that the scouting numbers are potential and I’m fairly certain they are potential and not current. If you look at the scouting of all the players above, well it seems fairly clear these can’t be current grades or he’d be MLB ready right now.
Scouting: 25/55 Hit, 20/55 Game Power, 40/60 Raw Power, 50/40 Speed, 30/40 Field
An example of the scouting maybe being different elsewhere is that I would be surprised if other outlets thought Padilla’s potential fielding grade was a 40. Because that would make him not a shortstop prospect really. He’d be in the same boat as a Jesus Baez really. On the positive side though, the potential suggested by his offensive scouting indicates he doesn’t need to be at shortstop.
Scouting: 20/30 Hit, 30/50 Game Power, 50/60 Raw Power, 60/60 Speed, 45/55 Fielding
That pesky hit tool is getting in the way of a really glowing scouting report. But the 30% K rate and 30 grade hit tool are not great, to be honest. On the positive side, he’s being scouted while being an 19-year-old playing against High A competition. I’d venture to say most 19-year-olds will look like they don’t have a good contact tool in that context. If he played the next two seasons in High A, and then got promoted to AA the following season, he’d still be kind of young for AA. There’s some context.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Franklin Arias of the Boston Red Sox fields ground balls during a workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 11, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The calendar has officially turned to March, which means we get some honest to goodness, legit baseball to talk about. The World Baseball Classic begins this week, and in just a few weeks time the Boston Red Sox will begin their 2026 season in earnest against the Cincinnati Reds.
Until the really good stuff can start, though, we’ve got a few more days of regular Spring Training coverage to get through. I don’t know how many “He’s in the best shape of his life” comments I got left in me, folks, but one development is catching my eye: the opportunity for infielder Franklin Arias to prove himself in Fort Myers.
The 20-year-old, who will start today against the Blue Jays, might still be a year or so away from prime time, but he’s certainly turned some heads in scouting circles. He’s currently ranked as the number 31 prospect in Boston’s system by MLB Pipeline. SoxProspects has him listed as the number two youngster in the minors after Payton Tolle. Keith Law of The Athletic took it one step further, ranking him as the Red Sox’s top prospect and the 12th ranked prospect league wide while adding that he could’ve been in the running for the first overall pick of the 2027 MLB Draft if he were currently in college.
Now granted, there isn’t a ton we can take away from Spring Training performances one way or the other. That’s especially the case for a prospect who’s only now getting his first big taste of MLB-caliber opposition.
Even then, though, I still think this is a great opportunity for Arias to strut his stuff. With the WBC opening some playing time for other members of the organization, this provides us with a chance to take stock in the youngster at the very least. His stock has been on the rise—and even some voices at places like Baseball America think there could be even more to come, especially offensively—and if he’s able to hold his own this spring, I’d feel very confident about his development leading up to his eventual debut at the top level of the sport.
What does a successful spring look like for Arias against MLB talent? Far be it from me to establish the standards, I suppose, but I’d imagine it looks something like this:
Keep everything clean with the glove. He’s a 60-grade fielder per Pipeline, so I’m hopeful we get to see that tool in action.
Maintain good plate discipline and make good swing decisions in the box, even if the end results aren’t perfect. Process over results in the spring is fine, though flashes of that 60-grade hitting tool would be swell as well. Arias only struck out about 10% of the time across three levels in 2025 while posting a swinging-strike rate of just over 5%, according to FanGraphs. That’s great, especially for a player of his age.
If I’m being selfish: any signs of increased slugging potential would be awesome. You can’t expect a middle infielder who stands under six feet and weighs about 170 to be a consistent power threat, but the Red Sox live by the gospel of bat speed; even if it’s just a few examples of line drives into the power alleys, some evidence of impressive exit velos and bat speed would be icing on the cake on top of the prior two points. He currently rates out as a 40-grade power hitter, but again: he’s only 20 and there’s opportunity for more progression on that front.
Uhh, don’t get hurt, I guess. Florida’s a crazy place.
If all of that is put together in the coming weeks, then consider me the conductor of the Franklin Arias hype train. All aboard, dear readers.
Pipeline lists his ETA to the big leagues at 2027. Trevor Story and Romy Gonzalez, as important as they may be for the 2026 Red Sox, will not be around forever; we’re fairly close to a reality where Arias and Marcelo Mayer are manning either the left side of the infield or the middle infield for a considerable period.
If that ends up being the case, perhaps the spring of 2026 will act as the foundation of a great start to Franklin Arias’ MLB journey.
TAICHUNG, TAIWAN - MARCH 08: Jose Caballero #77 of Team Panama scores after Jahdiel Santamaria # 81 of Team Panama hits a 2 RBI double at the top of the 4th inning during the World Baseball Classic Pool A game between Panama and Chinese Taipei at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on March 08, 2023 in Taichung, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Move over spring training, the World Baseball Classic is here. Many of the best players in the world will be suiting up for their countries to compete in this two-week-long triennial tournament. Over the next few days, we’ll be previewing the teams in each of the four pools, starting with Pool A. There are five teams in each pool, and all will play a single game against each of the other four teams in their pool between March 6th and March 11th. The top two teams in each pool advance to the quarter finals, which begin on March 13th.
Today, we’ll take a look at Pool A — consisting of Puerto Rico, Canada, Cuba, Panama, and Colombia — whose games will be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.
Team Puerto Rico
One of the host nations of this year’s tournament, Puerto Rico will be without some serious firepower. Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, José Berríos, Emilio Pagán, and Alexis Díaz are all ineligible to participate after failing to secure insurance to participate, while Javier Báez was disqualified after testing positive for marijuana on a drug test at the end of the last tournament. That leaves newly minted Diamondback Nolan Arenado as the unquestioned leader on the position player side having switched allegiances after appearing for Team USA in 2017 and 2023. Martín Maldonado and Christian Vázquez will share catching duties while the outfield wasn’t left quite as bare as the infield by the insurance issues, with Willi Castro, MJ Melendez, Heliot Ramirez, and Eddie Rosario in the mix.
The bullpen is Puerto Rico’s undeniable strength, headlined by new Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz — whose patellar tendon injury suffered while celebrating a win in the 2023 tournament led to the more stringent insurance regulations. He’s joined by Yankees setup man Fernando Cruz as well as the likes of Rico Garcia and Jorge López. Their rotation has got some decent arms as well, led by 2024 AL Cy Young runner-up Seth Lugo as well as the Yankees’ top pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez. Manager Yadier Molina should have enough talent at his disposal to emerge from the group stage.
Team Canada
They may be without team leader Freddie Freeman this year — sitting out due to personal reasons — but Team Canada’s offense still should have enough thump to advance to the knockout stages for the first time in their nation’s history. They’ll be led by the Naylor brothers, Josh having recently re-signed with the Mariners on a five year deal and Bo the starting catcher for the Guardians. In fact, they probably have the deepest roster on the position player side of any team in Pool A. Filling out the rest of the infield are Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez and utilitymen Abraham Toro and Edouard Julien of the Royals and Rockies, respectively. Their outfield is quite strong as well, with A’s defensive wizard Denzel Clark flanked by Tyler O’Neill of the Orioles and Owen Caissie — the headliner in the trade that netted the Cubs Edward Cabrera from the Marlins.
Their starting rotation will be without its ace Nick Pivetta, but they’ve still got a pretty decent unit. Jameson Taillon, Mike Siroka, and Cal Quantrill will be joined by a pair of 37-year-olds coming out of retirement just for the tournament, “Big Maple” James Paxton having last pitched for the Red Sox in 2024 and Phillippe Aumont having last made a major league appearance for the Phillies in 2015. The bullpen is also affected by absences, foremost Guardians closer Cade Smith — the most valuable reliever in baseball in each of the last two seasons — as well as the Mariners’ Matt Brash. Their only reliever currently on an MLB team is the Brewers’ lefty specialist Rob Zastryzny.
Team Cuba
Team Cuba loosened their roster restrictions before the start of the previous tournament, extending invitations to certain MLB players whereas in the past they refused to roster those who had defected. However, the arbitrariness and lack of transparency behind that invitation process is the principal reason why new Met Luis Robert Jr. has declined to participate. Yoenis Céspedes isn’t coming out of retirement at age 40 to suit up, and Yordan Alvarez has not received an invitation this year or in 2023. In fact, things are so dire that the 44-year-old Alexei Ramirez, who last played for the Rays in 2016, will likely start at shortstop. The onus is on the Angels’ Yoán Moncada to lead the position players alongside four-time Japan Series champion Alfredo Despaigne.
Blue Jays pitcher Yariel Rodríguez is the only pitcher on Team Cuba with MLB experience. However, they do have two of the best pitchers from NPB on the roster. Livan Moinelo pitched to a 1.46 ERA with 172 strikeouts in 167 innings last season, while Raidel Martinez led NPB with 46 saves in 2025. Team Cuba may have surprised many when they advanced all the way to the semifinals in 2023, losing 14-2 to Team USA, but it will likely require a miracle for a similar performance in this year’s edition.
Team Panama
Team Panama returned to the WBC in 2023 after failing to qualify for the previous two tournaments. Their speed will be one of the stories of the tournament, Yankees shortstop José Caballero having led the AL in steals in each of the last two seasons and Orioles center field prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. assigned 80-grade speed by certain publications. Their infield is the undoubted strength of the team, Caballero joined by Phillies third baseman Edmundo Sosa, Blue Jays second baseman Leo Jiménez, Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya, and former Phillies first baseman Johan Camargo. Heck, even former Mets shortstop Rúben Tejada made the roster at age 36. They’ll definitely miss Cardinals DH Iván Herrera after he failed to secure insurance, but it’s still a deeper group in terms of MLB talent than many WBC rosters.
The pitching side is where things get a little shaky. Outside of Guardians starter Logan Allen, there isn’t much big league experience in the rotation or bullpen. Jaime Barria pitched for the Angels for six seasons while Poalo Espino bounced around various bullpens for seven seasons, both having most recently pitched in the Mexican League. Otherwise, their best option at starter is probably Ariel Jurado, who has been one of the best starters in KBO in the last few years.
Team Colombia
Colombia are likely to struggle the most of any of the teams in Pool A having won just two games in two WBC appearances. However, they also return the most players from their 2023 roster of any team in the pool. They are led by a pair of grizzled veterans in 37-year-old Jose Quintana — now playing for his ninth team with the Rockies — and 38-year-old free agent infielder Donovan Solano.
There’s a sprinkling of big leaguers across the roster, but otherwise this is a team that’s light on big names. Julio Teherán is a two-time All-Star with the Braves now pitching in the Mexican League at age 35 — he’ll join Quintana in the rotation — though the loss of fellow starter Nabil Crismatt to injury is a blow. Jorge Alfaro has been a backup catcher for six different organizations and Gio Urshela is the Yankees’ former third baseman now playing for the Twins.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: Team USA hoists the World Baseball Classic trophy after Game 3 of the Championship Round on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Team USA defeated Team Puerto Rico 8-0 in the final game to win the 2017 World Baseball Classic. (Photo by Matt Brown/WBCI/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
Hello and happy Monday, folks. Happy March, too.
The World Baseball Classic starts this week! That’s awesome! A total of 14 players within the organization—the baker’s dozen I highlighted a few weeks ago on OTM plus Roman Anthony—will be competing in the international tournament.
That leads to the question of the day: which of those guys will put up the best performance in the tournament? Does Jarren Duran continue his hot streak this week while playing for Mexico? Does Roman Anthony emerge as a key part of Team USA? Does Masataka Yoshida turn it on for Samurai Japan? Will any of the three Venezuelans that the Red Sox Boast vault them to a championship run? Is it someone else?
You tell me in the comments below and talk about whatever else you want.
Mar 1, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jose Alvarado (46) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the third inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Not only did Andrew Painter have a good outing yesterday, but the trio of left handers that the team is looking to bring north – Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks and Kyle Backhus – all had scoreless outings as well. Might they all actually be on the team on Opening Day?
Sounds like you’re looking for a roster projection! Stay tuned.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto signs autographs for fans at Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., last month. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
For Angels fans, these are the worst of times.
Their team is coming off back-to-back last-place finishes for the first time in 50 years. The team 30 miles up the freeway is coming off back-to-back World Series championships, led by a global icon who left Anaheim when the Angels could not deliver a winning team and would not promise him $700 million. The owner says he wants to win but also says winning does not rank among the top-five fan priorities. The Angels and the city of Anaheim remain at a stalemate over what to do about the aging stadium.
The negativity dissipates as a young man walks into the clubhouse, baseball cap on backward for the moment, energetic and respectful and joyful and supremely confident. This is his team, and he is here to win.
If the Angels could make one move to try to persuade fans better days are ahead, the suggestion here would be to sign Neto to a long-term contract. They could hold a signing ceremony with the same enormous red banner they used the day they signed Mike Trout to his last extension, with “LOYALTY” splashed across the banner and a halo atop the A.
That loyalty is tested annually. The Angels have baseball’s longest playoff drought — 12 years and counting — and Neto said the Trout drought in particular was a focus of the initial team meeting here.
“We need to help Mike — and we all pointed at Mike — get to the postseason,” Neto said. “He is, if not the greatest player to play this game, one of them. He needs to be in the playoffs.”
Baseball Prospectus projects the Angels to lose 95 games this year, the most in the American League. As we said, Neto is supremely confident.
“We all know and we all believe that, if we play with each other, and if we play how we want to play, there is nobody that can beat us,” he said.
In the year Trout was first eligible for salary arbitration, the Angels signed him to his first long-term contract. This year, when Neto was first eligible for salary arbitration, the Angels did not make him a formal long-term contract offer, according to Ryan Hamill, co-head of CAA Baseball, which represents Neto.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto at spring training at Diablo Stadium last month. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Perry Minasian, the Angels’ general manager, declined to comment for this column.
The parallel only goes so far. Trout had two second-place MVP finishes at that point, and Neto has not gotten any MVP votes. Trout also signed on the eve of a 98-win season, and not long after the Angels’ run of six postseason appearances in eight years.
When I asked Neto whether he would be interested in a long-term contract with the Angels, he talked first of loyalty. When he established himself in high school, bigger schools tried to lure him to transfer. In college, same thing. He did not transfer at either level.
“The biggest thing with me, the biggest thing my family has taught me, is loyalty,” Neto said. “It’s something I still stick with today.
“It’s just a matter of being loyal, seeing the growth that we have here. If it happens, it happens. I would love to stay here. I would love to be here. But, if it doesn’t, then not every road is meant to be.
“I am going to be where my feet are every day, and that is here, with the city of Los Angeles and with the Angels, and give it my all every single day.”
Owner Arte Moreno recently told reporters from the Orange County Register and the team website that, among fans’ priorities, “winning is not in their top five.” Would that be a concern for Neto in deciding whether to sign a long-term contract?
“I really don’t have an answer to that,” he said. “But we all know how important the fans are. They help us big time. They motivate us and give us energy. So I’m just going to be where my feet are and go out every single day and play the game.”
He is playing for his fourth manager in four seasons.
Would he harbor any reservations about signing with the Angels and then missing the playoffs as much as Trout has?
“We’ll see,” he said.
Said Hamill: “That is a priority for any player: to have a winning culture and a winning team around him. That’s what he wants, and he wants to do that in an Angels uniform. He wants to go out and compete and win this year. Whatever the front office is willing to do and ownership is willing to do to facilitate that, it would be welcome.”
Neto is an outstanding modern shortstop, with power and speed to complement excellent defense. He ranked third among major league shortstops with 26 home runs last season, and he stole 26 bases.
What is he worth? Neto put up 5.1 WAR last season, according to Baseball Reference.
The four shortstops with the biggest contracts all put up a better WAR: Bobby Witt Jr. (7.1 WAR, $289 million); Corey Seager (6.2 WAR, $324 million); Francisco Lindor (5.9 WAR, $341 million) and Trea Turner (5.4 WAR, $300 million). Neto’s performance fit comfortably above the next financial tier of shortstops: Dansby Swanson (4.5 WAR, $177 million); Willy Adames (3.7 WAR, $182 million) and Xander Bogaerts (2.0 WAR, $280 million).
Angels shortstop Zach Neto throws during a spring training game against the San Diego Padres on Feb. 25. (Mike Christy / Getty Images)
(Mookie Betts, signed to his $365-million deal as a right fielder before converting to shortstop, put up 4.9 WAR last season.)
Under baseball’s current economic system, Neto cannot become a free agent until after the 2029 season, giving him a chance to improve his game and giving the Angels and his agents plenty of time to determine a mutually agreeable value. On the other hand, the players’ union generally favors earlier free agency, so there is a non-zero chance the Angels could lose some or all of the 2027 season to a lockout and then, in the absence of a long-term deal, lose Neto to free agency after the 2028 season.
Neto left all of that in the hands of his agents last winter, focusing on training but also on a charity bowling tournament to benefit Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Miami.
“My high score is 297,” Neto said with a smile.
Betts, the other shortstop in L.A., has rolled a perfect 300. Neto said he would love to bowl against him. It shouldn’t be a rare event. The Dodgers have signed Betts through 2032. The Angels should do the same with Neto.
Happy Birthday to Reese McGuire* and other former Cubs, fighting amongst themselves,and other stories.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Today in baseball history:
1874 – At the fourth meeting of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players in Boston, the batter’s box is officially adopted. It is also decided that expulsion will be the penalty for any player betting on his own team and any player betting on any other team will forfeit his pay. (1,2)
1888 – The National League meets in New York and abolishes all discounts from the 50-cent minimum admission price. Despite the demands of the Brotherhood and the fact that the rule is practically a dead letter, the NL refuses to drop its $2,000 salary limit rule. The schedule committee recommends that the season go to 140 games from the current 126. (2)
1899 – At the National League meeting in New York, an attempt to expel the St. Louis Browns, who had a 39-111 record in 1898, fails by a 7-4 margin. It is also decided that no club may hold more than 18 players on its reserve list. St. Louis will play as the “Perfectos” in the upcoming season. (2)
1927 – Babe Ruth becomes the highest-paid player in major league history when the Yankees announce he will earn $70,000 per season for the next three years. Ruth will sign the historic contract on March 4th. The “Sultan of Swat,” who had asked for $100,000, meets Colonel Jacob Ruppert at the owner’s brewery in the Yorkville section of Manhattan to finalize the historic deal. (1,2)
1966 – CommissionerWilliam Eckert voids the contract recently signed by collegiate star Tom Seaver. The Atlanta Braves had signed Seaver to a $50,000 bonus a week earlier, but Eckert cites a rule prohibiting teams from signing players while their college seasons are ongoing. A special draft will be held after the collegiate season to reassign Seaver’s rights. (2)
1992 – The highest-paid player tag now belongs to Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs. The All-Star second baseman signs a four-year contract extension worth $7.1 million per season.
2011 – A fight breaks out in the Cubsdugout between P Carlos Silva and 3B Aramis Ramirez after a dreadful performance in the first inning of a Cactus League game against the Brewers, when the Cubs commit a slew of mistakes and fall behind 6-0. The fight reminds everyone of a similar occurrence in June of the previous season, when P Carlos Zambrano and 1B Derrek Lee came to blows in the dugout. (2)
2012 – Major League Baseball confirms that starting this year, the postseason will be expanded from eight to 10 teams, with an extra wild card team in each league. The two wild card teams in each league will play one game to determine which one will then face the team with the league’s best record in the Division Series. (2)
2021 – In one of these bizarre twists only seen in spring training games in pandemic times, pitcher John Means of the Orioles is pulled out of a Grapefruit League game after two outs in the first inning for having reached his pitch count limit, and then re-enters the game to pitch the second. He needs 29 pitches in the first, but after his rest, retires the side on just 10 offerings. This is possible thanks to the special Coronavirus rules that have seen these games be limited to seven innings, and teams only suit up a small number of players to avoid crowding the dugouts; conversely, players are allowed to re-enter games, something that has been prohibited in meaningful games since the demise of the courtesy runner. (2)
Casey Stengel, an eccentric man himself, called Moe Berg “the strangest man ever to play baseball.”
Today in history:
1776 – American troops begin shelling the British in Boston.
1791 – Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris.
1824 – Interstate commerce comes under federal (U.S.) control.
1836 – Republic of Texas declares independence from Mexico in Columbia.
1867 – US Congress creates the Department of Education.
1888 – The Convention of Constantinople signed, guaranteeing free maritime passage through the Suez Canal during war and peace.
1966 – Black Hawks right wing Bobby Hull becomes the NHL’s first two-time 50-goal scorer when he strikes in a 5-4 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Stadium.
1969 – Boston center Phil Esposito becomes first player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season when he scores two 3rd-period goals in the Bruins’ 4-0 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.
1970 – Supreme Court ruled draft evaders can not be penalized after five years.
1974 – Grand jury concludes US President Richard Nixon is involved in Watergate cover-up.
1998 – Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter’s moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
FORT MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Minnesota Twins at Lee Health Sports Complex on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! We are now in the month in which real baseball will take place. In less than three-and-a-half weeks, the Orioles will take the field at Camden Yards to kick off the 2026 season. It’s way too early, of course, to look ahead to the weather on that day. But things are trending upward, and we could see 70 degrees by the end of the week.
The Orioles faced the Red Sox on the road yesterday in Grapefruit League action. They came from behind with seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings to capture an 8-7 win. Chris Bassitt made his spring debut and allowed two runs in two innings. Jeisson Cabrera (#92) allowed four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. No, I don’t know who that is either.
The best news from yesterday’s game was that Samuel Basallo was back in the lineup. He was pulled from Thursday’s game with an apparent injury, but it was thankfully minor enough to only keep him out a few days. He celebrated his return with a single, a double, and a walk. He did make an error, one of three in the game for the Orioles. I dunno about this defense, guys.
Basallo took a baseball to the hand early in the game while blocking a pitch. It seemed to bother him a bit after it happened, but he shook it off and stayed in the game. Stop scaring us, Samuel!
Other offensive standouts in yesterday’s game were Dylan Beavers, with two doubles, and Heston Kjerstad, who had three more hits. The Hestonaissance continues to be one of the most pleasing things of the spring for me. Also, Enrique Bradfield started the game and impressed with a single and a walk, along with some sparkling defense in right field. You won’t hear much more about Bradfield out of Sarasota as he will be representing Team Panama in the World Baseball Classic.
The Orioles are off today, just one of two off days they have this spring. Tomorrow, they welcome Team Netherlands to Ed Smith Stadium for an exhibition game. Trevor Rogers will make the start, but the game will not be broadcast anywhere. We’ll have to rely on the beat writers to tell us how impressive he looks.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five birthday buddies, including Jay Gibbons (49). Gibbons was a Rule 5 pick by the Orioles in 2000 who went on to play in 779 games with the Orioles from 2001-07. He was something of a poster boy for those dark days teams and was ultimately released after being named in the Mitchell Report.
Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Bud Norris (41), Leo Gómez (60), Joe Taylor (b. 1926, d. 1993), and Cal Abrams (b. 1924, d. 1997).
There isn’t anything interesting on this day in Orioles history, but on this day in baseball history:
In 1927, Babe Ruth became the highest-paid player in Major League history with a $70,000 salary announced by the Yankees.
In 2005, Jackie Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is accepted on his behalf by his widow, Rachel Robinson.
Also in 2005, the Washington Nationals played their first game since moving to DC from Montreal.
In 2012, MLB announced that the playoffs would be expanded to ten teams, with an additional wild card. That was good news for the Orioles, who captured one of those wild-card spots that year.
Billy Sullivan began what at one time was the longest career in a White Sox uniform on this day, 125 years ago. | (Photo by Chicago History Museum/Getty Images)
1901 Billy Sullivan of the National League’s Boston Beaneaters jumped to the upstart AL and the White Sox, where he would end up catching for 13 seasons.
With a 63 career OPS+, Sullivan was considered a glove-first leader on the field. He was always among the AL leaders in fielding and had the best throwing arm in the game. Sullivan complied 12.4 defensive WAR with the White Sox, which remains 10th all-time and second behind Ray Schalk among catchers.
But in reality, just 8.8 WAR for his career indicates a pretty subpar player, even as a part-timer (87 games per year). His .213 lifetime average is the second-lowest in history for a player with more than 3,000 at-bats.
However, Sullivan did have two starter-plus seasons, in 1904 (2.1 WAR) and the title year of 1906 (2.2). Ironically, Sullivan went hitless in the 1906 World Series upset (0-for-21, nine Ks).
Sullivan also caught the first-ever major league AL game, with two hits in Chicago’s 8-2 win over the Cleveland Blues on April 24, 1901. He took over for Fielder Jones as White Sox player manager in 1909, finishing 78-74 before stepping back down into a player-only role. Sullivan also partnered with Jones in retirement, running a farm in Portland, where both ex-players settled.
Sullivan’s son, Billy Sullivan Jr., had a 12-year playing career and when he appeared in the 1940 World Series with the Detroit Tigers, the two Billys became the first father-son duo to have appeared in the Fall Classic.
1902 Moe Berg, never a notable player but finding notoriety as a spy leading up to World War II, was born in New York City.
While Berg would see an equal number of seasons for both Sox (Chicago and Boston), he played by far his most major league games (279) with the South Siders. When the White Sox snagged him off of waivers from the Brooklyn Robins in 1925, Berg was still a shortstop (and was possibly regarded as the original good-field, no-hit player), but a succession of injuries to Chicago backstops in 1927 led him to give catcher a try — and he stuck there. Berg’s only two career positive-WAR seasons came with the White Sox, both 0.7 WAR, in 1928 and 1929. All in all he was a -0.2 WAR player for the White Sox, with a .250/.292/.294 slash and 54 OPS+. He did catch 76-of-157 (48.4%) base-runners stealing, so Berg’s arm was nothing to trifle with. That defensive reputation propelled Berg to a 30th-place finish in the 1928 AL MVP race.
It was as his playing career was winding down that Berg found a second job. His linguistic ability (speaking 12 languages) led to spy opportunities for the Office of Strategic Services (predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency) during overseas baseball tours. He filmed industrial sites in Tokyo during an All-Star trip (Berg was added for his language abilities, not his hitting), and he did OSS work in Zurich as well. There, Berg was charged with killing German atomic scientist Werner Heisenberg, but the catcher determined that Germany was nowhere close to developing an atomic bomb, sparing Heisenberg’s life. Berg also influenced Italian atomic physicist Enrico Fermi to work for the U.S. instead of the Nazis.
In 2018, Paul Rudd starred as Berg in the film The Catcher Was a Spy, and the Baseball Hall of Fame dedicated an exhibit to Berg’s espionage and baseball careers.
1995 Reece McGuire, who briefly caught for the 2022 White Sox but will forever live in tabloid headlines after lingering a bit too long in a strip mall parking lot, was born, in Seattle.
1999 Orlando Cepeda, whose White Sox ties extend to just one year as a batting coach despite owner Bill Veeck’s attempts to snatch him away from San Francisco in 1960, headlined a four-member Veterans Committee Hall of Fame election. Joining him was legendary Negro Leagues pitcher Smoky Joe Williams, 19th Century manager Frank Selee and umpire Nestor Chylak.
Veeck extending an offer to get Cepeda into coaching after a drug trafficking arrest in the mid-1970s allowed the legend to get back into the better graces of baseball, and ultimately election to the Hall.
After falling to Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic,Team USA has assembled a roster loaded with MLB stars for the next iteration of the tournament.
While Team USA's roster was strong in 2022, the pitching staff had some issues. In 2026, though, Team USA and manager Mark DeRosa were able to convince top-end pitching talent to join the roster, despite the tournament being held before the regular season and likely requiring a quicker ramp-up process.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith are the lone position players returning from the 2023 squad. They'll be joined by some of the world's best, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Cal Raleigh, among others.
Team USA is the favorite for the WBC, but it won't be easy, as Japan, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela are also top contenders.
Here's a look at USA's projected lineup for the WBC, which will be held from March 5-17:
Team USA projected lineup for World Baseball Classic
Team USA is only carrying four outfielders for the WBC, which includes Judge, who's expected to play every game. Corbin Carroll was recently replaced by former No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony, one of the best young talents in MLB.
The infield could also get interesting, as Team USA boasts both Gunnar Henderson and Witt Jr. at shortstop. Witt Jr. likely has the leg up as a returner from the 2023 squad, but Henderson should still see his fair share of playing time at his natural position.
Team USA will likely rotate its position players group throughout the group stage, thanks to having a deep roster of MLB stars. The lineup could, and likely will, also change based on if it's facing a right-handed or left-handed pitcher. Byron Buxton could also take designated hitter when Team USA faces left-handed pitchers, with Schwarber taking duties against right-handers.
Here's a look at Team USA's projected lineup when playing its best nine players:
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (R)
DH Kyle Schwarber (L)
RF Aaron Judge (R)
5. 1B Bryce Harper (L)
C Cal Raleigh (S)
LF Roman Anthony (L)
3B Alex Bregman (R)
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong (L)
2B Brice Turang (R)
Bench: Byron Buxton (R), Paul Goldschmidt (R), Ernie Clement (R), Will Smith (R)
Team USA projected pitching rotation
Team USA's rotation is led by the two reigning Cy Young winners in Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes. However, Skubal said he'll only make one start, which will come during the group. Skenes said he expects to make two starts/
Team USA has solid starting pitch depth, especially with top prospect Nolan McLean capable of shifting from the bullpen to the rotation once Skubal is done. Logan Webb is also capable of leading a rotation.
Joe Ryan was projected to be in the rotation, although he was scratched from his first Spring Training start on Feb. 20 due to lower-back tightness, and was eventually placed by Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough.
Here's a look at Team USA's projected starting pitching rotation:
Tarik Skubal (L)
Paul Skenes (R)
Logan Webb (R)
Ryan Yarbrough (L)
Michael Wacha (R) /Matthew Boyd (L)
Other starters on roster: Clayton Kershaw (L), Nolan McLean (R), Clay Holmes (R)
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Max Fried #54 and Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees talk during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 19, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees, knock on wood, have seemingly done OK with injuries early on in camp. Often, when players report to spring training, there’s a deluge of injury news as injuries that occurred during the offseason come to light, such as Francisco Lindor’s wrist injury or Anthony Santander’s shoulder ailment. They’ve had very small scares thus far, such as Cam Schlittler taking a few days off of throwing a couple weeks ago, or Cody Bellinger’s back acting up over the weekend, but as of now, everyone seems to be on track.
Still, injuries happen, and Bellinger’s balky back was a good reminder that guys are going to pick up bumps and bruises. With that in mind, which Yankee would you least want to see get injured?
Of course, this is only a conversation if we exclude Aaron Judge, so let’s set aside the three-time MVP for now. Other than Judge, who do you think would be the toughest guy to see go down? He’s not fully back into action, but could it be Gerrit Cole? We haven’t gotten to see Cole in pinstripes since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, a crushingly long time to wait and a bitter note to have left off on. Moreover, he stands to provide a huge boost once he returns; is there anyone else that could be as hard to lose?
Sure there is. Max Fried was the team’s MVP on the pitching side last year, buoying the club in Cole’s absence. The prospect of him and Cole as co-aces at the front of the rotation by mid-summer is tantalizing. There’s the aforementioned Bellinger, who was the Yankees’ second-best position player last year behind Judge, bringing all-around production at the plate, on the bases, and on defense, and now in the first year of a long-term contract. Not to mention, Cam Schlittler, whose production down the stretch was outstanding and whose continued rise should be one of the most fun storylines to follow this year, or Jazz Chisholm Jr., who might have the highest ceiling of any hitter on the Yankees not named Judge.
What do you think? Who, other than Judge, is the player you most want to see stay healthy in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
The Yankees are off today, but we’ll still have plenty on the site to keep you busy. In the morning, we’ll start prepping for the World Baseball Classic, as Peter previews WBC Pool A. Later, Sam will celebrate Miguel Andújar, Nick continues our Yankees preview series with an analysis of Amed Rosario. Also, Andrés runs down the Braves as part of our broader MLB preview, and Madison puts out the call for this week’s mailbag.
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, who is hosting a few of his new teammates this week, including Boston Red Sox slugger Roman Anthony, wants to spend as much time as possible with New York Yankees three-time MVP Aaron Judge.
The World Baseball Classic is back, with Team USA arriving over the weekend in Arizona, joined by four other national teams. The Americans will gather for a team dinner and have their first practice Monday in Scottsdale with exhibition games Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants and Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies before flying to Houston for the first round of the WBC.
They have assembled easily their finest team in WBC history, loaded with future Hall of Famers, MVPs, Cy Young winners and All-Stars. It’s gold medal or bust after winning the WBC in 2017, but losing to Japan in the finals in 2023.
While Team USA has had difficulty attracting pitchers and a few stars like Aaron Judge in the past, this time had virtually everyone begging to play for them.
No one took a bigger financial gamble than the Detroit Tigers' two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. He’s in line for a historic $400-million-plus contract as a free agent after the season, and everyone would have understood if he declined. He originally planned to decline, but after talking to several of his close friends who were playing, relented and signed up.
“It says a lot about him as a competitor," =Crow-Armstrong tells USA TODAY Sports. “It’s sick that he wants do this on his walk year. His mound presence is how a lead singer would command a crowd or a really good speaker would command the room.
“It’s almost like everybody goes silent when he takes the mound."
Still, as much as Skubal is looking forward to representing the United States, he also realizes he needs to be smart about the potential risk. He informed Team USA he will pitch just once for perhaps two or three innings, likely March 7 against Great Britain, and return to the Tigers’ camp in Lakeland, FL.
“I’d love to do the whole thing, it’s just a timing thing," Skubal told reporters in Florida. “It kills me. I think I got the best of both worlds, getting a start, being in the room, learning from all those guys, but also by being healthy and pitching this season."
Pitching just once was a perfect compromise between the Tigers, Team USA, and his agent, Scott Boras.
So, will Boras be traveling to Houston to keep an eye on Skubal?
“No," he told USA TODAY Sports, “I’ll be home on my couch watching with a knot in my stomach."
USA WBC roster could have been even more loaded
Team USA could have had former MVP Mookie Betts and All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, too, but with their wives soon due with babies, they stayed home. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has played in the past for Team Canada, is staying back in Dodgers camp, too. So is New York Yankees first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, who declined an invitation, though teammate Paul Goldschmidt ended up on the team.
Minnesota Twins starter Taj Bradley elected to stay put to be with his new teammates instead of joining Team Mexico, with Jose Urquidy, Cody Ponce, Aaron Sanchez, Ramon Urias and Isaac Paredes also not playing for Mexico. Team Puerto Rico will be without Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa and New York Mets shortstop Francsico Lindor, while Venezuela is missing second baseman Jose Altuve.
And while four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani plans to play for Team Japan again, there won’t be a sequel to the 2023 WBC when he struck out USA captain Mike Trout to win the gold. He will strictly be a DH and won’t pitch.
“Now it’s time for us to go out there and change that script,” said Judge, USA’s team captain. “I’m excited, just like I was the day I committed. It’s going to be fun. The boys are pumped up, and it’s time to go to work.”
'The greatest country in the world'
The WBC experience will be emotional for players like Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Boston Red Sox lety Garrett Whitlock. Skenes spent two years as a cadet at the Air Force Academy and still wants to serve his country when his playing career ends. Whitlock’s father, Larry, served in Vietnam, and he cried when Whitlock broke the news to him.
“That’s why it’s such an honor to me,” Whitlock told reporters in Fort Myers, FL on Saturday. “Forget the stage and everything else, but just to represent the country. I’ll never be able to sacrifice like so many of our service members do. But it’s the chance hopefully we can bring them some joy.”
Skenes, who plans to start twice in the tournament along with Webb, says he wouldn’t miss the WBC for all of the world.
“We’re doing it to represent the men and women that are fighting for us," Skenes said this winter, “along with many other things that make this country the greatest country in the world. That’s what I believe. That’s why I wanted to serve, why I went to the Air Force Academy."
For Harper, who last represented USA in international competition when he was 16 years old, says he will wear No. 24 in the tournament, the number he world back in 2009 when he still was a teenager.
“There’s nothing like it," Harper told reporters in Clearwater, FL. “You can try to think that there is something like it, but there’s not. Being able to wear the colors of your country and represent something so much bigger than yourself …
“I’m really, really looking forward to this. We’ve got a really good group of players."
You know the team loaded when Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, one of USA’s heroes in the 2023 WBC, declined an invitation when told he would have had to shift to second base. And Trout, who perhaps wouldn’t have been cleared for insurance anyway, wasn’t even invited.
Certainly, there will be nerves by GMs watching their pitchers perform in the event. It really isn’t a concern for position players, but pitchers musth ramp up quicker than normal, and thrown into an environment that replicates the postseason, if not greater.
“It’s a great event," Buster Posey, Giants president of baseball operations, said earlier this spring. “But we’ve also seen over the years that it can derail some pitchers, just because there’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for what’s essentially a playoff baseball atmosphere in early March.”
Still, injury risk or not, or leaving their teammates behind, players absolutely love the event.
“The WBC is great, man," said San Diego Padres All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, who’s playing for the Dominican Republic. “I’m super excited. I think everybody in the world is waiting for it. … It’s just such a cool event. You’re playing for not just your country, not for the fans, but the people in their countries and across the world.
“I get goosebumps just talking about it because it’s such a special event."
WBC reunion for Team USA's rising young stars
The WBC is not only for national pride, but it breaks up the monotony of spring training. Players will stay at five-star hotels with their families, play in a postseason environment, and catch up with long-time friends.
“I think just wearing the stars and stripes across your chest is special for players," said Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, who will pitch for USA. “And then listening to the national anthem with the flag on your shoulder, that’s the highest honor."
Witt, who had only three plate appearances in the last WBC, is the starting shortstop this time around, and says he can’t wait to play alongside Crow-Armstrong and infielder Brice Turang, his teammates from a U18 team.
“Even before they asked if I’d play,’’ Witt said, “the answer was yes. I loved the event just being around the guys. It was unreal."
Now, for the first time since they were teenagers and roommates, Witt and Crow-Armstrong will be reunited on the same USA team. They were merely high school prospects at the time, manhandling the competition. Today, they are All-Stars, with Witt, 25, already establishing himself as one of the finest players in the game.
“I immediately looked up to Bob," Crow-Armstrong told USA TODAY Sports, “and to this day he’s probably the best player I’ve ever seen. It’s not even close. And it’s so cool what he is doing now. …
“I just feel very lucky that I get to experience something like this. I’m ready to play some real meaningful baseball and just wear those colors. I mean, I haven’t done it for some years, and getting to do it at the highest stage if going to be special."
Yet, considering that Crow-Amstrong already has a strong friendship with Witt, there is one star he’d love hanging out with during this two-week tournament.
“Bryce Harper is the guy I’m looking forward to the most,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. “Just being around people who have coached him or played with him, I’m just very excited to see him go about his business.
“He’s been at the peak of everything for the longest time. He’s done it it in a very authentic way, in a very real way. He’s done a lot of good things for the game, but just from a behind-the-scenes perspective, I’m excited to see him.’’
Now, for the first time, they are all teammates, representing their country and going for the gold.
“I’m super proud of being an American," said Bregman, playing on his sixth USA team. “I take great pride in being from the United States. … It’s wearing the Stars and Stripes. You become a family and a team really quickly. Even though we’re all in different camps right now, [Monday] we’ll be in the same clubhouse.
“That’s the coolest part of it is the bond that’s created right away when you step foot in that locker room and know what’re you’re representing and what you’re playing for.’’
BRADENTON, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on February 23, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sportsnet: Another Yankee is off to represent their country at the World Baseball Classic. This time, it is southpaw Ryan Yarbrough, who is joining Team USA as an injury replacement for Joe Ryan. If the US advances past the group stage, Ryan can theoretically rejoin the club. But for now, Yarbrough, the veteran left-hander, will take his place representing the United States.
New York Post | Howie Kussoy: Jasson Domínguez has had an outstanding spring training. Alas, it will almost certainly not be enough to have him on the Opening Day roster. Saturday, General Manager Brian Cashman remarked that “all he can do right now, him and [Spencer] Jones, as well as [Randal] Grichuk and anybody else, is put themselves in a position for us to take notice and we’ll evaluate what opportunities exist at the end of camp and make calls.” With Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Aaron Judge holding down the starting outfield spots and Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter, even if The Martian managed to make the 26-man roster, playing time would be scant.
New York Post | Howie Kussoy: Paul Blackburn has also had a nice spring. His four shutout innings Saturday bring his scoreless spring streak to six frames. Blackburn looked much better last season after lowering his arm angle and provides the Yankees with another arm, one who can pitch in relief as well as start. For his part, Blackburn commented that the more he pitched out of the bullpen last season, the more comfortable he got. With any luck, he’ll carry this strong spring into the regular season and shore up a ‘pen that saw plenty of turnover this offseason.
