Mar 10, 2026; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Gavin Lux (11) throws to first few an out against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Rays projected starting second baseman Gavin Lux has been battling through a right shoulder impingement, with manager Kevin Cash saying the team was in a time crunch ahead of Opening Day.
As the best cure for such irritations in the rotator cuff region is rest, the Rays have opted to move Lux to the injured list to start his Rays career, clearing a roster spot for Richie Palacios to make the Opening Day roster.
Palacios has had a long road to making the Rays 2026 roster, having been expected to make the team out of Spring Training in 2025 until he suffered a broken finger. Palacios returned for one game on April 17 before picking up yet another injury through a right knee sprain. He wouldn’t make his way back to the Rays until September, with 2025 getting chalked up as a lost year.
On the bright side, Palacios was able to finish the year with a 138 wRC+ over 48 plate appearances, so hopefully the left handed hitting utility man can make an impact early on. No matter what happens, Lux will be expected to receive a roster slot when he returns from injury.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home against the Atlanta Braves, where they will try and pick up one last win in the Grapefruit League.
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TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05, 2026: Luis Morales #19 of the Athletics throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We did it folks. The A’s are set to play their final exhibition game this morning, taking on the Chicago White Sox for the spring finale. Let’s finish out camp in a winning note.
Right-handed Luis Morales is set to get the bal for the Athletics this morning. The righty has made five appearances so far with uneven results but spring stats aren’t all that matter, especially for a young pitcher like Morales. It would be nice to see him put up some zeros today though.
Here’s the bating order the A’s will go with today:
Lots of regulars in today’s starting nine. And look at that, Jacob Wilson leading off in front of Nick Kurtz. A more typical lineup that we haven’t seen much of this spring.
The Sox meanwhile have lefty Anthony Kay getting the ball for them this morning. The former top prospect has had a strong camp for the South Siders this spring and will be looking to keep that rolling into the regular season.
NORTH PORT, FL- FEBRUARY 22: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on February 22, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins had a purported “fire sale” last summer, but they didn’t completely clear out the racks of all their talent. They still have All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton on the field – while he’s still healthy – and All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan. However, they have decimated much of their depth, and it will be up to the farm system to replenish much of it.
They enter the season with Derek Shelton as their new skipper. He never won more than 76 games in four full seasons with the Pirates. The Twins are projected by most to be around that number of wins this season.
Minnesota Twins
2025 record: 70-92
2026 PECOTA projection: 78-84
2026 ZIPS projection: 79-83
Manager: Derek Shelton
Key additions: Anthony Banda, Josh Bell, Vidal Bruján, Victor Caratini, Tristan Gray, Zak Kent, Ryan Kreidler, Eric Orze, Taylor Rogers, Eric Wagaman
Key losses: Mickey Gasper, Edouard Julien, Christian Vázquez
Offense
The Twins had the eighth-fewest runs in baseball last year, and that was with Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, Ty France, and Willi Castro on the roster for more than half the season. The team went 19-35 after the July 31 trade deadline. Buxton played in 126 games last year, the most he had played in a season since 2017. Josh Bell will be on his eighth team in seven seasons, but he has put up an above-average OPS+ in each season since 2020. Rookie Luke Keaschall had an impressive debut last year, including hitting 9-for-25 (.360) with a home run against the Royals.
Pitching
Trade rumors swirled around Ryan all off-season, but the Twins held onto him after he set career-bests in innings (171), wins (13), strikeouts (194), and ERA (3.42). Taj Bradley had a 6.61 ERA in six starts with the Twins after they acquired him from the Rays last summer. Mick Abel was a former top 100 prospect acquired from the Phillies for Jhoan Duran, and he had a 2.20 ERA in 18 starts in Triple-A last year. The bullpen had a 4.93 ERA after the trade deadline and has been completely overhauled from last year. The Twins bring back veteran Taylor Rogers, but much fo the rest of the staff is inexperienced.
The Twins have been a thorn in the side of the Royals, and will likely to continue to be pesky, even if they don’t win as many games as they used to. With the sale of the team now finalized, they could move into a different direction and look to build back up this summer. Or perhaps the debt issues that have plagued the franchise will continue to direct them towards austerity measures that could lead to Ryan and Buxton being traded. Either way, they have just enough talent to make them a pain to face up against.
Can anyone stop the 2009 Mets? No, this matchup wasn’t comparable to their staggering upset victory against the 1986 World Champions last round, but it was surprising all the same — partially because one would think the 1968 home-field tendencies exposed their biggest weakness: the rotation. Instead, ’09 received fantastic starting pitching, including 8.2 innings of two-run ball from John Maine in Game 2 and a complete-game, four-hit performance from Mike Pelfrey in Game 3. In Game 1, when Johan Santana got lit up after earning an MVP last round, the ’09 offense was able to mount a six-run comeback, with Carlos Beltrán delivering the game-tying hit and Jeff Francoeur providing the go-ahead knock in the eighth inning while Francisco Rodríguez (who has been utterly un-hittable in the tournament) fired two perfect innings of relief. ’68 completed a comeback of smaller magnitude in Game 2. Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ed Charles lined a game-tying single up the middle, and two innings later Bud Harrelson snuck a grounder past the dive of Luis Castillo to secure a walk-off victory. But the ’09 team didn’t falter again, propelled by the heroics of Pelfrey and Ángel Pagán, who accounted for two runs with his bat and his speed in Game 3 while going 4-for-4 in Game 4. J.J. Putz induced a ground ball from Ken Boswell to Alex Cora at short to end it as the first Citi Field squad got to celebrate in their new ballpark.
The ’68 Mets were able to take down the 2005, 2024, and 2002 squads, but not this mysteriously magical ’09 team, which I can only imagine enters the Final Four with a sense of overwhelming confidence. They mustered just 70 regular season wins, but they slew the giant of ’86. They’re no joke. Plus, if they beat the ’68 Mets, how afraid can they really be of the ’69 team lurking on the other side of the bracket? If anything, they might as well be more afraid of the other pesky underdogs awaiting them in the next round…
2001 (8) vs 2013(11) G1: 9-4, ’13 G2: 4-3, ’13 G3: 7-4, ’01 G4: 6-4, ’13 Series MVP: Daniel Murphy
The 2001 Mets might have eliminated the 2015 team back in the Second Round, but the 2013 Mets — having a fair amount of players in common with the N.L. Champion roster two years later — were here to avenge that upset. That felt particularly true for Daniel Murphy, who channeled his 2015 postseason mode by going 8-for-19 with seven RBI (all of them relatively clutch) in the series. Matt Harvey was also in vintage form in Game 1, out-dueling Al Leiter by allowing just one run through his first seven innings of work (he did tire in the eighth, but reliever Scott Atchison was able to get out of trouble before things got too dicey). The ’13 Mets won Game 2 thanks to a four-hit day from Juan Lagares and a three-hit day from the next season’s Opening Day left fielder Andrew Brown, overcoming a late homer from Mike Piazza. In Game 3, ’01 saw an early 5-0 lead cut to 5-4 due to RBI from Brown, Murphy, and David Wright; but they got insurance runs thanks to a late hit from Piazza, who reached base five times in the game. Game 4 began in similar fashion, with the ’01 Mets going up big early and the ’13 Mets making an ambitious comeback attempt, only this time it was successful. A critical error by Todd Zeile in the bottom of the seventh set up a Murphy go-ahead, two-run double, and Bobby Parnell was able to pin down the save.
With the ’01 team’s elimination, it officially marks the end of the road for a number of iconic Mets in the tournament (Piazza, Leiter, and Edgardo Alfonzo to name a few). As for the ’13 Mets, the most promising sign as they advance to the Final Four is that they didn’t even need two starts from Harvey to win this series, since their relatively unassuming offense is performing unfathomably well. If middle-of-the-order bats like Lagares and Brown keep their hot streaks going while Murphy mashes like it’s October 2015…who’s to say they can’t be this tournament’s Cinderella story?
1969(1) vs 1985 (3) G1: 4-1, ’69 G2: 4-0, ’69 G3: 5-4, ’85 G4: 6-1, ’69 Series MVP: Jerry Koosman
For all those who may have wanted a championship matchup between the 1969 and 1986 Mets, this is about as close as you’ll get. And for all those who wanted an epic battle of Cy Young Award winners Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, that’s exactly what happened…from the second inning onward. Seaver surrendered a run on a Darryl Strawberry RBI single to right in the top of the first, while Gooden was tagged for four consecutive singles to open the game; when Doc finally recorded his first two outs, they scored the ’69 Mets’ third and fourth runs of the inning. Both starters were impenetrable from that point forward (each tossed a complete game), but Gooden’s inability to limit early damage cost him and the ’85 team a win. Game 2 featured another pitchers’ duel, but Ron Darling ultimately fell to Jerry Koosman, who threw an incredible three-hit, complete-game shutout. The ’85 Mets’ sole win came in Game 3, when they jumped out to a 5-0 lead early off Gary Gentry and fended off a four-run seventh inning from the scrappy ’69 offense. In Game 4, Donn Clendenon and Tommie Agee took over, combining for five of the team’s six RBI. In the bottom of the seventh, ’85 got their golden opportunity. Trailing by four, Keith Hernandez came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded against Tug McGraw and lined the first pitch he saw, but it was snagged out of the air by Ken Boswell at second base. Two innings later, Agee sprinted into shallow center field to catch the final out off the bat of Gary Carter.
It’s a devastating loss for the ’85 Mets, who had to feel confident after taking down the No. 2 seed ’88 Mets in the previous round. For the Miracle Mets of 1969, a championship sits firmly in their sights — but their stellar starting pitching staff will face its greatest challenge yet in the Final Four…
2006 (2) vs 2011 (8) G1: 10-6, ’11 G2: 5-2, ’06 G3: 5-4, ’06 G4: 8-6, ’11 G5: 5-4, ’06 (f/12) Series MVP: David Wright
The 2006 Mets sure do know how to script an ending. For the third time in four rounds, their series came down to a winner-take-all Game 5 — and this time, it ended in walk-off fashion. ’06 might have thought this series would be a walk in the park while leading Game 1 by a score of 5-2 thanks to a Shawn Green three-run homer, but the 2011 team announced their presence with a resounding comeback kicked off against reliever Aaron Heilman. Tom Glavine pitched ’06 to victory in Game 2, while a homer and 3 RBI from José Valentín (this tournament’s unexpected slugger) supported a quality start from Orlando Hernández to secure a Game 3 win. ’11’s lineup walloped John Maine in Game 4, setting up the thrilling, twelve-inning Game 5. The ’11 Mets simply would not die, coming back from being down 3-0 in the fifth inning thanks to clutch hitting from Justin Turner and Josh Thole. The ’06 Mets rallied multiple times in extra innings but came up short, with Mike Baxter (who hit a homer earlier in the night) making a game-saving catch to rob Carlos Delgado in the tenth and 38-year-old Jason Isringhausen retiring Paul Lo Duca to evade trouble in the eleventh. Carlos Beltrán led off the bottom of the twelfth with a single, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch with David Wright at the plate. Seconds later, Wright sent a 2-0 fastball hurtling towards the center-field grass, notching his second walk-off hit in as many rounds while punching his team’s ticket to the Final Four.
The ’11 Mets showed some serious fight, as they have for the entire tournament, but this time they will not be advancing along with their ’09 and ’13 neighbors. Meanwhile, the ’06 Mets now enter a scenario which may spark traumatic memories: if they win the coming seven-game series, they advance to the championship. Their semifinal matchup against the ’69 Mets should be the most high-octane showdown in Mets Madness thus far.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 9: Hoby Milner #41 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on September 9, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at reliever Hoby Milner.
The Texas Rangers signed Hoby Milner to a one year deal for the 2025 season, coming off a season for the Milwaukee Brewers where he had a -0.6 bWAR and 0.9 fWAR in 64.2 innings over 61 games, with a 4.73 ERA and a 3.14 FIP.
For the Rangers in 2025, Hoby Milner had a -0.6 bWAR and a 1.0 fWAR in 70.1 innings over 73 games, with a 3.84 ERA and a 3.39 FIP.
Weird, huh? An ERA almost a run lower, but the same bWAR and fWAR, essentially.
fWAR is based on FIP, with relievers having leverage factored in as well, so the similarity in FIP (and FIP- — 80 in 2025, 77 in 2024) and similarity in Clutch performance (-0.26 in 2025, -0.19 in 2024) helps explain why the fWAR is virtually the same.
bWAR is based on RA/9, and of course, as we all know, B-R’s park effects are much different than Fangraphs’ park effects for the Shed in 2025, with the result being that Milner’s ERA+ in 2025 (95) is very close to his ERA+ in 2024 (88).
And to further illustrate the complexity, Milner’s xERA in 2024, when he had an actual ERA of almost 5, was lower than his xERA in 2025 — 3.20 in 2024 versus 3.79 in 2025.
Milner is a lefty-on-lefty specialist, and is one of those guys who is hurt by the three batter limit that MLB introduced. He allowed an 820 OPS against righthanders in 168 plate appearances, compared to a 526 OPS against lefties, in line with his career 794 OPS against righties and 608 OPS against lefties.
As with Robert Garcia, Milner gets dinged for his performance in high leverage situations last year. He allowed a .333/.362/.448 slash line in high leverage situations, though that was driven largely by a .413 BABIP. The upshot is that, despite having just 105 of his 293 batters faced being in high leverage situations, 22 of the 36 runs he allowed were in high leverage situations.
Milner had a career high in appearances and innings in 2025. Perhaps not coincidentally, he hit a wall in mid-August. Through August 13, Milner had 56 appearances in 122 team games, and had a 2.15 ERA and 2.44 FIP. From August 14 through year end, Milner appeared in 17 games, threw just 11.2 innings, and had a 12.34 ERA, 6.97 xERA and 7.94 FIP.
Milner signed a one year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs for 2026, with incentives that would potentially increase the deal to $4 million, so he got a raise off of his $2.5 million salary in 2025. The Rangers are, I imagine, more or less satisfied with what they got from Milner in 2025.
Editor’s note: Leading up to Opening Day, our staff will share several predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season. In Part 4 of the season preview series,our three-person panel predicted the headlines that will surround the club during the All-Star break.
The Boston Red Sox will be a fascinating club to watch in 2026.
Last year, the Red Sox clinched a Wild Card spot for their first postseason berth since 2021. Many expect them to take another step forward after a productive offseason, while others are skeptical about the lineup having enough firepower to keep up in a tough American League East.
Regardless, there will be no shortage of interesting headlines and hot takes on this year’s team come summertime. In the latest installment of our season preview series, our staff shared Red Sox headlines they believe we’ll see during the All-Star break in July:
Justin Leger: Wilyer Abreu shines in first All-Star Game appearance
Abreu should get more opportunities against left-handed pitching this year. If so, he’ll be a candidate for 30-plus homers after notching 22 last season, when he mostly sat against southpaws. His unique blend of power and stellar defense will earn him his first career All-Star nod, and just as he did in the WBC, he’ll shine on the big stage.
Nick Goss: Roman Anthony has become one of MLB’s biggest stars
Anthony will live up to expectations offensively and be one of the starters for the AL at the All-Star Game, paving the way for him to become a household name by the time the 2026 season concludes.
Darren Hartwell: What does the future hold for Marcelo Mayer?
Yes, Mayer is only 23 and is about to enter his first full MLB season. But the former first-round pick has suffered season-ending injuries in three consecutive seasons and struggled during his brief big-league cameo in 2025.
The Red Sox have a crowded infield, so if Mayer gets off to a slow start in 2026, the conversation around his future in Boston will grow louder.
Mike Vaccaro’s book, “The Bosses of the Bronx,” detailing the Yankees’ five-plus decades under the House of Steinbrenner, will be released by Harper Books March 24. You can pre-order here. Here is the third of three excerpts being shared with The Post:
His final captain would afford George Steinbrenner the last of his endless, priceless moments — and mementos — as Boss, even if he now went by Boss Emeritus. George Steinbrenner had, after all, made the unilateral decision to install Thurman Munson as captain 45 years after Lou Gehrig’s death.
Steinbrenner the erstwhile Big Ten coach never could shake his football instincts and viewed captains differently, and more fondly, all of them: Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry and Don Mattingly.
Now Derek Jeter.
One last time, Steinbrenner made the flight to New York. Once, as a young businessman crammed into a middle seat in coach, he’d sworn as his plane from Cleveland descended into LaGuardia Airport that he’d one day fly first class. Now, he’d made this trip thousands of times in his own jet.
Mike Vaccaro’s upcoming book, “The Bosses of The Bronx.”
Now he was three months shy of 80, and required a wheelchair. But he wasn’t going to miss the home opener of the 2010 season, April 13. By now, the Boss Watch — the gaggle of reporters assigned to his Stadium comings and goings — had been abandoned; he arrived in Box 44 comfortably.
Soon he was joined by two special guests.
Jeter and Joe Girardi walked the forty or so steps from the Yankees clubhouse to the VIP elevator, stepped in the Boss’ suite, and surprised him. They wanted to personally present his World Series ring. Jeter noticed the Boss was wearing two rings: one for the 2000 Yankees, and one an Ohio State ring.
Jeter looked into Steinbrenner’s eyes and laughed. “Boss, take off that Ohio State ring.”
Steinbrenner’s eyes brightened. He pointed at Jeter.
“Michigan,” he said to Jeter, a son of Kalamazoo and nearly a Michigan Wolverine before the Yankees signed him out of the 1992 draft. Jeter took the 2000 ring off instead, replaced it with the 2009 one, and everyone applauded. Later, in the bottom of the third, before Jeter stepped to the plate the scoreboard camera captured Steinbrenner wearing sunglasses in his box as “My Way” played over the public address system.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (l.) and wife Joan (r.) watch the team’s home opener against the Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 13, 2010. Getty Images
Jeter waited a respectful amount of time for the 49,293 to roar for the Boss.
Then swung at the first pitch and dunked one over the wall in right-center.
“None of us would be here, the stadium wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for him,” Jeter said. “He’ll always be The Boss.”
Ninety-one days later, sitting behind a podium at the All-Star Game, Jeter had this to say about that boss: “I was 18. Suddenly here he is, walking toward me, addressing me by name, and said, ‘We expect big things from you.’ I’ll always remember that.”
Jeter was stone-faced. The news he’d received he’d been dreading for a long while, same as everyone around the Yankees. It might not have been stunning that George Steinbrenner died earlier that day, July 13, 2010, of a heart attack at his home in Tampa, it was still hard to immediately calibrate. He’d turned 80 just nine days earlier.
Derek Jeter (l.) and George Steinbrenner (r.) during spring training in 2000. New York Post
After a few respectful days, it also became clear that the Boss left a remarkable legacy for his family, which you might call priceless except it absolutely had one. The federal estate tax expired the previous January, and that would’ve cost the family around a half-billion dollars had the Boss passed in 2009. Had he died in 2011, the renewed law was to be upped to 55 percent, so it would’ve siphoned $600 million. Without an inheritance tax the Yankees remained comfortably in the hands of his children.
It was a perfect bookend for an initial investment of $168,000.
“One of a kind,” Reggie Jackson said.
“A life almost impossible to imagine,” said his friend, Donald Trump.
“I still hate his guts,” said Howie Spira, who planned on holding his grudge long into the next life and beyond.
For a brief, colorful moment, Hank Steinbrenner, George’s eldest, happily morphed into his old man, into the biggest elephant in any room he walked in, trouncing those rooms with various opinions and observations before heading outside for a satisfying smoke.
Hank had a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. And what quickly became apparent was that Hank was every bit the back-page goldmine his father had been — maybe more so. He was happy to hand out his cell phone number to reporters, happier to take their calls, downright gleeful at returning calls he’d missed, and happiest still to fill empty notebooks with gold.
(Hank really was a columnist’s best friend. Once, searching for an idea on a random Tuesday, The Post’s former sports editor, Greg Gallo, reached out to me. “Call Hank,” he said. “See what he has to say.”
“About what?” I asked.
“About anything,” Gallo said.
I called Hank, he picked up right away, and for 25 minutes he provided me that day’s column, which became the next morning’s back page: “HANK UNPLUGGED!”
After we were done, as I was hammering my laptop to beat deadline, my phone rang. It was Hank. “And a few other things …” and by the time he was done I had about 15 minutes left to finish the column. It ran a little long that day.)
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (right) sitting with his family, (l-r); Sons Hal and Hank, daughters Jenny and Jessica. Charles Wenzelberg
Hal Steinbrenner was not his brother. But Hank, who died in 2020, wearied of the spotlight’s glare and happily ceded control of the Yankees to his kid brother without much of a fight, joining his sisters Jennifer and Jessica in unanimously voting Hal managing general partner in 2008.
“My father was more about the back pages of the tabloids,” Hal said in 2013. “I’m more about a back room, away from prying eyes. Anyone who thinks I don’t want to win? Well, how does the saying go? ‘Show me you’ve never met me without telling me that you’ve never met me.’”
Hal knows that every time the Yankees go on a five-game losing streak the familiar chorus surfaces: “If only George were still alive …” He also understands that fans don’t want to hear about baseball’s ever-shifting economic realities (and was, in fact, excoriated in some circles when he seemed to cry poverty after the Dodgers spending spree in December).
Those realities happen to be true, though. When the elder Steinbrenner shocked the baseball world by authorizing (while serving the first of his two suspensions) a five-year, $3.75 million contract that temporarily made Catfish Hunter baseball’s wealthiest player on New Year’s Eve 1974, it felt like all the money in the world, especially for the time.
But in 2026 dollars that still translates to only $25 million, which is just $2 million less than what Hal paid in 2023 alone for the services of Carlos Rodón, a starting pitcher who went 3–8 with a 6.85 ERA and who never on his best day pitched as well as Hunter on his worst.
The 1977 team, dubbed “The Best Team Money Could Buy?” Total payroll: $3 million. In 2026 dollars: $16.1 million, or about what the Yankees will likely pay Gerrit Cole before he ever throws a pitch in a regular-season game this year.
There have been various times when people wonder why the family doesn’t just cash out, assuring prosperity for untold future generations of Steinbrenner, and it’s a subject that makes Hal Steinbrenner laugh.
“The Yankees,” he says incredulously, “is our family business.”
This, then, is a story about one American family business and one city’s fascination with the proprietors of that corner store.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Josh Kasevich #86 of the Toronto Blue Jays tags out Adolis García #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies during a stolen base attempt during the sixth inning of a spring training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last Spring Training game is upon us and baseball will officially return to South Philadelphia in three days. Here are the lineups for the final matchup, let’s discuss!
We’re just three short days away from the first game of the regular season, and there’s still so much to look forward to. Here are three happy moments from the final week of Spring Training.
Messick Makes the Rotation
The Guardians announced on Saturday that Parker Messick will start the 2026 season in the starting rotation. While they rolled with a six-man rotation in 2025, they’re sticking with five this season. This meant that Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus, but gives Messick a very important chance to prove himself. He finished the 2025 season with a 2.72 ERA, 3-1 record, and 1.31 WHIP in 39.2 innings. Given a full season of work, he has the chance to become one of the best pitchers in the rotation. He’s had a successful Spring so far, striking out 11 and owning a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings.
Bibee to Make First Career Opening Day Start
Well, this gets a little complicated because you probably read this same headline last year. While Tanner Bibee was in fact named the Opening Day starter in 2025, he wasn’t able to complete the task as he fell ill the day before. Bibee finished the 2025 season with a 4.24 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 182.1 innings. Spring hasn’t been as successful for him with 19 strikeouts and a 6.65 ERA in 23 innings, but as he gets into the regular-season-mindset, there’s almost no doubt he’ll be able to settle into his regular success.
Spring Breakout Brings a Win
A number of the Guardians top prospects faced off against those of the Los Angeles Angels in Thursday’s Spring Breakout game, and they sure did break out. They took the win 4-2 over the Angels thanks to some defensive errors from Los Angeles as well as a huge three-run home run from Wuilfredo Antunez. The pitching staff also had a great day with Yorman Gómez going three scoreless innings, while Josh Hartle and Joey Oakie each struck out three across their two innings of work apiece. I didn’t need any more reasons to be excited about our prospects, but they certainly provided me with a few anyway.
Social Media Spotlight
Those of you reading this from anywhere in northern Ohio have most certainly read about (or maybe even experienced) the meteor that passed through the sky on Tuesday. The Guardians’ Twitter account had some fun with it, posting the below picture of Superman flying over a Meteors sign at Progressive Field.
The Atlanta Braves now have an entire starting rotation ticketed for the injured list for opening day. And that's left the club in a difficult position as they aim to turn things around in 2026.
Spencer Strider will begin the season on the IL with an oblique strain, manager Walt Weiss announced Monday, March 23.
While the club hopes the absence is measured in weeks, obliques are notoriously unpredictable, and would likely knock Strider out through April.
Braves starters on injured list
He'll have company in the rehab room: Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep (elbow bone spurs removal), A.J. Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Joey Wentz (ACL tear in right knee) will miss anywhere from several months to the entire season, leaving the Braves in a lurch.
Strider required a second elbow reconstruction surgery after two starts in 2024, returned one year later but suffered a hamstring injury and other setbacks that limited him to 23 starts and a 4.45 ERA. Better results could have been anticipated this season, with Strider another year removed from major elbow surgery.
Now, he may require an additional build-back period if the oblique prevents him from throwing for several weeks.
Braves rotation options after Strider injury
For a club that prides itself on pitching, the Braves are about out of options. Ace Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner, is healthy but at 37 may not be a lock to make 30-plus starts. Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are all middle- to back-end options suddenly bumped up a spot.
And No. 5 starter José Suarez appeared in seven games for the Braves last season, but was waived in January before the Braves re-claimed him from Baltimore weeks later.
One proven option remains on the free agent market.
Lucas Giolito is still unsigned just three days before Opening Day, an indicator he did not find an asking price to his liking on the market. Giolito, 31, pitched to a 3.41 ERA over 20 starts last year in Boston, but ended the season with right elbow discomfort and has extensive injury history with his forearm and elbow.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 19: A general view of the field as members of the Tampa Bay Rays warm up prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies is at 12:05 at BayCare Ballpark and the Phillies will be providing tv coverage.
The season is here — and it’s time to ask the big question: How good can the Royals actually be?
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco deliver a full Kansas City Royals season preview, breaking down the starting rotation, offensive projections, and key roster battles shaping the team ahead of Opening Day. The hosts analyze the finalized rotation — including the unique dynamic of three consecutive left-handed starters — and discuss whether improved pitching depth can elevate the Royals in 2026.
On the offensive side, Jacob and Jeremy dig into projections from sources like FanGraphs and ZiPS, evaluating whether the Royals can realistically push toward a top-10 lineup in MLB. The conversation highlights expectations for cornerstone players such as Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Maikel Garcia, while identifying potential breakout contributors who could raise the team’s ceiling.
The episode also explores bench battles, roster construction decisions, and farm system depth, offering insight into how the Royals may utilize their emerging talent throughout the season. To wrap things up, the hosts bring some fun with a “burn or buy” segment featuring classic and modern Royals uniforms.
From pitching strategy to lineup potential, this episode provides a comprehensive, data-driven look at the Royals’ outlook and what fans should expect in the season ahead.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 09: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after driving in the game winning run in the eleventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Five years ago, the only thing that mattered in the Orioles organization was the farm system. Would the team be able to develop a core that could compete, year in and year out? After the team stumbled a year ago, this question remains unanswered. With how Mike Elias has used his farm system lately, the role the prospects will play could be to supplement (or, in time, replace) the current core of players or they might be traded for more established major leaguers.
We have already seen both of these in action for the 2026 roster. The two top prospects below, Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers, are ticketed for the Opening Day roster, with the Orioles having hope that they will compete for the AL Rookie of the Year award and qualify the team for a bonus draft pick. Several other prospects who might have otherwise made this list were traded for Shane Baz, and one was even included in the deal for Blaze Alexander.
My two big questions for the farm this year: Can they finally look like they’re going to develop some successful major league pitchers? Can the top of the 2024 draft class revive from its severe misfortunes of a year ago?
This ranking is a composite made up of five different prospect lists. Four of the lists are from mainstream national publications: Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, The Athletic, and MLB Pipeline. One list is local, coming from the Orioles prospect enthusiasts of the On The Verge podcast and Substack. As has been the case for a few years, FanGraphs has not produced an Orioles list in time for inclusion in this ranking.
The composite list takes each ranking on the separate lists and averages them together. The ranking below is the direct result of that average. The #1 prospect – Samuel Basallo unanimously, for a second year in a row – is a 1, #2 is a 2, all the way down to 20. Anyone not ranked 1-20 gets a 26 for the purpose of this average. Baseball Prospectus’s list this year is only 15 names, so for that one I have made anyone not ranked 1-15 at 26.
There’s been a good bit of turnover since last year’s list. The top 10 from a year ago has seen one prospect graduation (Coby Mayo), one trade (Michael Forret), and three guys who sank because they stunk (Vance Honeycutt, Chayce McDermott, Griff O’Ferrall). As you’ll see, some new arrivals have debuted highly, while others who’ve been around for a couple of years have worked their way closer to the top.
More turnover is coming, since we can count on Basallo and Beavers at a minimum to graduate from prospect status soon after the season begins. I think that trades will impact this list one way or another as the season goes along as well.
#1 – C Samuel Basallo
Likely starting level: MLB
Age (on July 1, 2026): 21
How he got here: International amateur signing, January 2021
Where he ranked last year: #1
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: As close t0 100% as anything in this world
What’s his deal? (from Baseball America)
Basallo boasts elite bat speed and generates significant power to all fields thanks to his advanced bat-to-ball skills. As he continues to mature and gain experience at the plate against higher-level pitching, he is improving at swinging at pitches he can drive rather than ones his contact ability will allow him to get to. … His flexibility and mobility are good for a catcher of his 6-foot-4, 250-pound dimensions. Basallo’s progress toward mastering the mental and game-calling side of the position, and his consistency in his receiving, will determine his viability at the position.
#2 – OF Dylan Beavers
Likely starting level: MLB
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: 2022 draft (CBA round)
Where he ranked last year: #6
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: See previous entry
What’s his deal? (from MLB Pipeline)
Beavers really figured things out this past year. He cut down his swing-and-miss and did a lot more damage with fastballs compared to his 2024 campaign. He also was much more impactful in zone … Beavers runs very well and has shown he can be a very efficient basestealer … He has the chance to fit the profile of an athletic run-producing right fielder with a strong arm well.
#3 – OF Nate George
Likely starting level: High-A Frederick
Age (on July 1, 2026): 20
How he got here: 2024 draft (16th round)
Where he ranked last year: Unranked
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from Baseball Prospectus)
George will stick in center field and offers an above-average, hit-over-power offensive projection. He flashes power potential though, and his bat speed beats out his actual present exits, as he can be content to work the opposite field, or stay back on offspeed and try to send it back up-the-middle. Those are already impressive tools to see in a 19-year-old prospect’s belt … average power will come for George as he both gets stronger and swings with more intent.
#4 – C/OF/? Ike Irish
Likely starting level: High-A Frederick
Age (on July 1, 2026): 22
How he got here: 2025 draft (1st round)
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from BA)
Irish controls the strike zone well, has good bat speed and feel for the barrel and rips line drives to all fields when he’s at his best. He uses his whole body and keeps the bat in the zone well. That profile makes him a potentially above-average hitter with above-average power … The Orioles plan to have him catch while rotating in at first base and right—where his plus arm shines—but he’ll need to improve his blocking and framing as he develops in pro ball to have a future at the position.
#5 – RHP Trey Gibson
Likely starting level: Triple-A Norfolk
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: Undrafted free agent, 2023
Where he ranked last year: #15
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 50/50; more optimistic people would give you a higher number
What’s his deal? (from BP)
The 6-foot-5 righty shows a bunch of different looks to batters but mostly works off his four-seam and sinker, both of which sit in the mid-90s. He gets good extension on his fastballs, and while his four-seam is pretty generic, his sinker does show good sink and armside movement … Gibson has a a deep repertoire and while nothing may be out and out plus, he should be able to navigate a lineup of lefties and righties multiple times.
#6 – SS Wehiwa Aloy
Likely starting level: High-A Frederick
Age (on July 1, 2026): 22
How he got here: 2025 draft (compensation pick after 1st round)
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from On The Verge)
Questions about the hit tool may have left some teams docking him a bit, but there’s strong belief that Aloy’s hit tool can progress with better pitch recognition. He’s a large, physical presence who has all the tools necessary to stick at shortstop as he develops the power to hit 20+ home runs a season as one of the better shortstop defenders, if all development goes well, of course. That’s an uber attractive profile, even if he’s a .240 or so hitter.
#7 – OF Enrique Bradfield Jr.
Likely starting level: Triple-A Norfolk
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: 2023 draft (1st round)
Where he ranked last year: #3
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 40%
What’s his deal? (from Pipeline)
Bradfield’s carrying tool is his 80-grade speed, a game-changing tool that instills nightmares in pitchers and catchers alike. It colors him as a kind of throwback table-setter, with excellent contact skills, little pop, and a penchant for laying down bunts and legging out infield hits. … He doesn’t drive the ball with much authority, but he can be an impact offensive player if he consistently hits line drives and continues to slash his ground-ball rate.
#8 – RHP Esteban Mejia
Likely starting level: Low-A Delmarva
Age (on July 1, 2026): 19
How he got here: International amateur signing, January 2024
Where he ranked last year: Unranked
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from BP)
Mejia has about the best arm speed of any 18-year-old pitcher you will find. The fastball shape and command is inconsistent, and he throws both a sinker and four-seam at present, but there’s the potential for a ride and run four-seam from a lower release slot. That would miss plenty of bats at higher levels—the pure velocity will suffice at the complex and A-ball ones—but Mejia isn’t a mere velocity merchant at present either … he has a rather advanced change-up for a teenager that throws 100 mph, a power pitch that can dive below bats.
#9 – LHP Luis De León
Likely starting level: Double-A Chesapeake
Age (on July 1, 2026): 23
How he got here: International amateur signing, December 2021
Where he ranked last year: #11
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 10%
What’s his deal? (from BA)
De León’s raw stuff has always been among the best in the Orioles’ system. He boasts a four-seam fastball and two-seamer in the 95-98 mph range that yields a ton of weak, grounded contact. … De León’s command has always been inconsistent, but he has good zone rates with his fastball, suggesting it’s a trait that can continue to improve. Even in the zone, De Leon is hard to square up. He didn’t allow a home run in 87.1 innings in 2025.
De León would have ranked higher on this list except he was left off of Baseball Prospectus’s top 15 list, an outlier among these other rankings. The BP writer who left off De León said “he’s always been very relieverish, so he’s not quite fourth starter enough or close enough as a pen arm.”
#10 – LHP Boston Bateman
Likely starting level: High-A Frederick
Age (on July 1, 2026): 20
How he got here: O’Hearn/Laureano trade with Padres, July 2025
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from Pipeline)
Bateman’s stuff befits the enormous high-makeup package it comes in. His fastball can live in the low-to-mid-90s and touched 98 mph during his debut, part of a four-pitch mix that features a pair of breaking balls. … he is seen as having the aptitude to tackle his developmental needs and potentially add pitches to that mix with time. … He still has work to do overall to get to average control, though if he gets there, he’ll look like a mid-rotation starter given his ability and pitch mix.
#11 – RHP Nestor German
Likely starting level: Triple-A Norfolk
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: 2023 draft (11th round)
Where he ranked last year: #8
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 45%
What’s his deal? (from BP)
Another Orioles pitching development success story … German wasn’t particularly good (at Seattle University) … He’s missed plenty of bats in the pros though. … German’s four-pitch mix makes him a likely starter.
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from BA)
Bragg added a couple ticks of fastball velocity and a new changeup and was promoted out of High-A Aberdeen to Double-A Chesapeake after just three dominant starts. He ended up with a 1.68 ERA and 11.75 strikeouts per nine with a 1.000 WHIP in 59 minor league innings before requiring Tommy John surgery. … Bragg’s kick-changeup, a new addition in 2025, is at least above-average and flashes plus. That’s another bat-misser added to a mix that also includes an above-average sweeper and cutter.
#13 – IF Aron Estrada
Likely starting level: Double-A Chesapeake
Age (on July 1, 2026): 21
How he got here: International amateur signing, January 2022
Where he ranked last year: Honorable mention
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 2%
What’s his deal? (from On The Verge)
Estrada has shown strong bat-to-ball skills (since his pro debut) … added strength, muscle, and bat speed have brought out more power in his game … With a near 80% contact rate, the ability to steal bases at a high clip, and growing power, or at least more impact on his contact to drive more balls into the gaps, Estrada has emerged as a prospect of note … The groundball rates have improved, but are still high, and he doesn’t have a firm defensive home.
#14 – LHP Joseph Dzierwa
Likely starting level: Low-A Delmarva
Age (on July 1, 2026): 22
How he got here: 2025 draft (2nd round)
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from Pipeline)
Dzierwa showed real ability to limit walks in college and can pinpoint his entire arsenal wherever he wants, pounding the strike zone and also working the edges well. In terms of total package, it’s a lot to work with. His foundation of size, two potentially plus pitches and command gives him one of the highest floors in the Orioles system as an almost surefire starter, with the development of a reliable breaking pitch determining whether that’s in the middle or the back-end of a big league rotation.
#15 – RHP Juaron Watts-Brown
Likely starting level: Double-A Chesapeake
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: Domínguez trade with Blue Jays, July 2025
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 1%
What’s his deal? (from BA)
Watts-Brown can pitch in the big leagues in some capacity simply because of his slider, but a starter’s role depends on improving his fastball, be it a different shape or adding velocity, to help him get deep into games at the highest level.
#16 – RHP Levi Wells
Likely starting level: Triple-A Norfolk
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: 2023 draft (4th round)
Where he ranked last year: Unranked
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 20%
What’s his deal? (from BP)
Wells is currently a starter, but his best fit is in the pen, where he can air out his upper-90s fastball and roll out a cutter and sweeper behind it. This may or may not come in 2026 though, as he’s likely earned a shot to prove the control and command won’t make him another future fourth starter.
#17 – OF Jordan Sanchez
Likely starting level: Low-A Delmarva
Age (on July 1, 2026): 20
How he got here: International amateur signing, December 2023
Where he ranked last year: Unranked
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from Pipeline)
The bat is the carrying tool for Sanchez, a left-handed-hitting outfielder with tremendous raw pop … When Sanchez connects, he hits the ball hard and rarely puts it on the ground. But there is real swing-and-miss alongside the exit velocity and on-base ability, with Sanchez running a 25 percent career strikeout rate in the low Minors. … He needs to refine his approach and prove he can hit advanced pitching as he climbs the system.
#18 – OF Thomas Sosa
Likely starting level: Double-A Chesapeake
Age (on July 1, 2026): 21
How he got here: International amateur signing, January 2022
Where he ranked last year: Honorable mention
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from BA)
Sosa has the makings of a prototypical slugging corner outfielder thanks to his hard contact ability. … His swing decisions and the swing-and-miss in his game will influence how much of his plus raw power Sosa can get to in a game, and he may end up a below-average hitter as a result. Defensively, Sosa has played some center field but profiles more as a right fielder thanks to average speed and a plus arm.
#19 – RHP JT Quinn
Likely starting level: Low-A Delmarva
Age (on July 1, 2026): 22
How he got here: 2025 draft (2nd round)
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: Zero
What’s his deal? (from Pipeline)
Quinn is a 6-foot-6 power righty. … He has a much better grip on his fastball command (compared to off-speed pitches) as he’s able to run that pitch past hitters up in the zone or throw it with downhill plane toward the bottom of the zone to induce ground balls. … Quinn also operates exclusively from the stretch — all of which gives him the look of a power reliever who would be best running his raw stuff wild in short sprints.
#20 – RHP Anthony Nunez
Likely starting level: Triple-A Norfolk
Age (on July 1, 2026): 24
How he got here: Mullins trade with Mets, July 2025
Where he ranked last year: Not in system yet
Chances of seeing him on the Orioles this year: 95%
What’s his deal? (from BA)
Nunez’s pitch mix is the type one would draw up when designing a modern pitcher … His control is good enough for a high-leverage role—he closed games at Double-A and Triple-A—but he needs to dial in the strike zone in 2026 to ensure that is the case. … Nunez could be the next (unheralded pitcher) they put into a high-leverage role in relief.
Honorable mentions
These players appeared on at least one of the lists but did not have sufficient support to crack the composite top 20. July 1 age is in parenthesis.
RHP Chayce McDermott (27) (from BP)
McDermott can touch 99 and has a suite of swing-and-miss secondaries he can deploy. His change has been one of his better ones too, so he can handle multi-inning work with multiple lefties. The walks are still a problem in the pen, but if the stuff plays up a bit, he could settle into a useful relief role.
C/1B Ethan Anderson (22) (from BA)
Anderson has the potential to be an average hitter thanks to his combination of plate discipline and contact skills … He’s still growing into his ability to impact the ball in-game, which might ultimately limit his offensive upside and keep him from having more than fringe-average game power. That profile will mean he’ll have to continue what was meaningful improvement behind the plate
RHP Tyson Neighbors (23) (from Pipeline)
The 6-foot-2 Neighbors looks like a potentially electric closer who could move quickly. … Neighbors is energetic and fiery on the mound, having long grown comfortable pitching in high-leverage situations. He doesn’t issue too many walks for a relief prospect and trusts his stuff enough to work it outside the zone, where it gets whiffs.
SS Wilfri De La Cruz (18) (from BA)
De La Cruz has an attractive offensive profile for several reasons: his swing decisions and lack of whiffs with elevated contact from both sides of the plate give him a chance for an average hit tool moving forward. … He is also an above-average runner who can be an average defender at shortstop but would fit fine at third base if he outgrows short, given his plus arm.
C Andrew Tess (19) (from On The Verge)
With a strong eye at the plate (17.6% BB rate last season), sneaky speed (18 stolen bases), and a good bit of raw power in the bat, Tess’s offensive performance as an 18-year-old, first-year pro catcher was eye opening and a fun setup for a potential breakout in 2026.
OF Stiven Martinez (19) (from Pipeline)
Martinez shows better on-base ability and can hit the ball harder than most players his age. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 200 pounds, he’s strong and athletic and capable of producing 90th percentile exit velocities as high as 108 mph, which hint at a chance at plus raw power. Martinez generates similar hard-hit metrics as Samuel Basallo did at his age and can drive the ball to all fields.
SS Colin Yeaman (22) (from Pipeline)
Yeaman brings a strong track record of hitting to the Orioles organization. He’s adept at finding the barrel, doesn’t chase and draws walks. He can really punish fastballs, and he puts up good in-zone contact numbers … He’s a fringy runner who likely won’t be a basestealing threat at the next level.
C/1B Creed Willems (23) (from On The Verge)
While the bat struggled through the first few years of his career, Willems has dedicated himself to his craft and is coming off a 118 wRC+ season at Double-A during his age 21/22 season. The power has never been in question (50 HR last three seasons), but the significant drop in strikeouts as he’s moved up the ladder has been comforting.
COLUMBUS, GA - MAY 24: Ty Johnson #19 of the Montgomery Biscuits pitches during the game between the Montgomery Biscuits and the Columbus Clingstones at Synovus Park on Saturday, May 24, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Welcome back to the annual DRaysBay Community Prospect List, a treasured tradition at the site where our community diligently votes for the top prospects in the Rays system.
This off-season saw a dramatic overhaul of the Rays system, and accordingly the DRaysBay list has also shifted dramatically year over year. Only one prospect graduated last year’s list in OF Chandler Simpson (ranked 5th in 2025), while others were traded in Yoniel Curet (7), Mason Montgomery (18), and Colton Ledbetter (22).
Williams made his MLB debut on August 22nd and proved the be the real deal on defense: an elite athlete with excellent movement and a great arm. It was his performance at the plate that has caused his prospect status to lose some shine, at both the MLB and Triple-A levels, particularly due to some trouble with the curve. In the majors he saw 162 breaking balls across 37 plate appearances and got on base only four times (three hits, one walk) with 20 strikeouts, and the results were similar for off-speed pitches as well. It was a strong enough underperformance at the plate that Williams might not make the big league roster out of Spring Training, despite the trade of Brandon Lowe. As a top flight defender at the hardest position, he doesn’t need to be tearing the cover off the ball, but the bat will need to improve for Williams to be a positive contributor moving forward.
Hopkins was late to pitching, having done so essentially one season in college before being drafted in 2023, and accordingly has been refining his control throughout his pitching career. This was no different in 2025, as Hopkins saw his performance dramatically improve throughout the Double-A season. He’s a pure power pitcher, a rarity these days, but doesn’t allow much hard contact thanks to a plus-plus curveball, a promising in-development sweeper, a plus cutter, oh and a fastball that touches 100. He’s the type of starter that makes batters say “good luck” to the man in the on-deck circle during their walk back to the dugout. Given the quality of stuff and trajectory of performance, he might be one of the top prospects in baseball by mid-season.
A scoreless start as smooth as butter in Game 1 of @BiscuitBaseball's Southern League playoff run 🧈
Brought over from Houston in the Brandon Lowe deal, Melton was the Astros top prospect and provides strong value defensively, pairing excellent first-step instincts and above-average range with an arm that, while light, is sufficient for the position. At the plate, his 2025 season provided a clear breakout through a dramatic spike in both hardhit rate and exit velocity. Ongoing mechanical refinements have unlocked more of his natural strength without eroding his contact skills. While this approach leaves some exposure to soft stuff and pitches on the outer third—placing added importance on continued growth in swing decisions—the overall profile fits comfortably as an above-average everyday center fielder with power upside.
4. Theo Gillen, OF 20 | L/R | 6’2” | 195 A | .267/.433/.387 (151 wRC+) 324 PA, 5 HR, 36 SB, 19.8% BB, 23.1% K
Gillen fell to 18th overall in the 2024 draft due to shoulder and wrist injuries, despite being considered by some to be the best teenage bat in the draft. Now healthy, so far he has delivered on that promise, despite a calf injury early in the season and a hand injury while sliding that ended his year early by three weeks. The Rays moved him from short to center after drafting but that has so far not yielded any concerns; the power projection is still unknown. As things stand, Gillen has the floor of a major league contributor and the ceiling of an All-Star, but he has to stay on the field, and has a long way to go.
The only prospect in the minors to have a 150 wRC+ or higher, 35+ SB, and a BB% over 17%
Theo Gillen
A 6'2"/195 frame w/ great zone awareness, quiet movements prior to getting swing off, & direct w/ hands at the point of contact. More power to tap into with increased FB contact pic.twitter.com/drYJxcieqz
5. Ty Johnson, RHP 24 | 6’6” | 205 AA | 2.61 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 110.1 IP (26 G, 20 GS), 34.7% K, 8.8% BB
A dip-and-drive pitcher with a quick arm action and a limited arsenal with a flat plane have given Johnson a reliever projection most of his minor league career, but his success speaks for itself. Johnson has a fastball that continues to be difficult for batters to see. It sits around 94 as a starter and can ramp up to 98, but talking about the fastball buries the lede. Johnson’s slider passed the test of Double-A in part because he was able to throw it fast and slow to keep hitters off balance. Accordingly, he hasn’t really needed a third pitch just yet, but there’s a change up in development for problematic lefties.
Most underrated: Ty Johnson 🎥
Best 1st year pros: Theo Gillen, Nathan Flewelling, Ryan Andrade, Andreimi Antunez
Most likely to breakout in 2026: Dean Moss, Nathan Flewelling, Maykel Coret, James Quinn-Irons
The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Pierce is a preternatural defender at short stop, with a top flight glove that could rival any player in the organization. Early reports say he’s already started building muscle as a professional, which is helpful for his projection on offense. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to Bobby Witt Jr. — out of the draft he received comps of a “faster Dansby Swanson.” A coach’s son, he has the good face, and should get the starting role in the Holy City and have plenty of time to develop into or above his projection of an above average regular.
Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league and earned him the ROY award. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.
Ridiculous play by Jadher Areinamo, after a deflection by Tyson Hardin (who is off to a *very* good start) pic.twitter.com/UECeUrmOBX
A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.
I’m really excited to watch TJ Nichols today. In a loaded group of pitching prospects for the Rays, he’s one of the best, and doesn’t get talked about as much as some of the others. He has a solid 3 pitch mix. Sits mid 90s with his fastball, and has a slider/changeup as his main… pic.twitter.com/PTW1tW2Zbm
A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” Forret pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.
Michael Forret with a strikeout on a curveball.
This was one of the more frustrating outings I’ve seen from a pitcher in a long time. He kept slipping on the mound (it was pouring to start his inning) and then on his 31st pitch of the inning he gets hit with a ground ball.… pic.twitter.com/3OW59cfdIC
10. Santiago Suarez, RHP 21 | 6’2” | ? A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K
Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.
No pitcher in the minor leagues throws as many strikes with better pure stuff than Santiago Suarez 👀
Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list. Baseball Prospectus describes him as having “Shohei Ohtani’s stuff with Johnny Cueto’s body.”
21 year old Anderson Brito, acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, showcased his absolutely electric stuff.
Fastball was in the 97-98 range, and the breaking stuff is just silly. 2 Ks for him in his first inning. pic.twitter.com/6RS2s9lQBT
Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.
This is a freak swing by Xavier Isaac. Whiff is there for sure but there’s too many of these types of swings along with ++ EVs that make me believe he’ll make it work. pic.twitter.com/ichWZmJVSy
13. Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to 60 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
14. Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
15. Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
16. Nathan Flewelling, C 19 | L/R | 6’2” | 200 A | .229/.393/.336 (126 wRC+) 439 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 20.3% BB, 27.6% K A+ | 22 PA, 4 H, 5 BB, 6 K
The 94th overall pick from 2024, Flewelling made his debut at 18 years young and caught a full season (75 C, 26 DH), plus a five game cup of coffee (3 C, 2 DH). Taking the longview, he could grow into 50-60 grade power with 50 grade defense, which makes him one to follow. His plus zone awareness at the plate offsets his lagging contact, and most importantly for the position his ability to call games and frame pitches are already plus. A strong season with the bat at High-A could vault him into Top-100 consideration.
Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)
18. Jose Urbina, RHP 20 | 6’3” | 180 A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB
Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
20. Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August and salvaged the season with a brilliant finish. The tough luck continued, however, in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
22. Homer Bush Jr., OF 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
23. Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
24. Gary Gill Hill, RHP 21 | 6’2” | 160 A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB
A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.
25. Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | .249/.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
27. Adrian Santana, SS 20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155 A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K
Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
29. Taitn Gray, 1B/OF/C 18 | S/R | 6’4” | 220
The Rays 86th overall pick in 2025, Gray fell to the third round due to some concern about whether he will stick at catcher, but that buries the lead. Still just 17 at the time of the draft, Gray showed up to the Rays organization and proved his rumored power was real, running exit velocities up to 115 mph from both sides of the plate, although the left handed swing is sweeter. He has plus athleticism, which elevated his bat speed, foot speed, and fluidity — despite his size. It will be interesting to see where the Rays deploy him on defense, but it’s a great bat to dream on.
30. Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
Honorable Mention
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Dean Moss, OF 19 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
Signed well above slot out of the 2025 draft at No. 67 overall, Moss’s family moved from California to the Tampa Bay Area to enroll Moss at IMG, and it earned him a new-home-town selection. A jack of all trades, Moss’s hit tool shades his best thanks to plus bat speed. His swing is clean, with and the projection for his power over time is major league average. He will have competition internally to stick at center, but may get the first nod in the rookie league.
The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.
Alex Cook, RHP 25 | 6’2” | 220 AA | 2.30 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 15.2 IP (13 G), 30.5% K, 5.1% BB
The Rays added Cook to the 40-man roster this off-season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, despite only throwing 20 innings (if you include four appearances in the complex league) after a slow start to the season. Cook attempted to convert to starting in 2024 and succumbed to a should injury, but bounced back in the bullpen in 2025 throwing 99 mph — and he has shown up to camp continuing to pitch with confidence. He has plus control and command, with stuff that leans into his low release point, including a cut-ride fastball and two-plane slider, and an MLB average cutter to prevent platoon slit problems. He should slot into high leverage for Durham and ride the shuttle in 2026.
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Tampa Bay’s top signee from the 2025 international class, Coret reported tall and young with a lot of projection. His future depends mostly on his hit tool, with prospect evaluators divided on a player that has a long way to go, but the exit velocity (111 mph) and foot speed are plus for his age. Promisingly, after he had a hot start to his professional career, Coret saw his strikeouts elevate in July, but he got them back under control in the final month. A move to the complex league in 2026 would be aggressive.
Alexander Alberto, RHP 24 | 6’8” | 203 A | 1.98 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 13.2 IP (11 G, 0 GS), 35.2% K, 7.4 BB A+ | 2.83 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 35.0 IP (31 G, 0 GS), 29.0% K, 11.0% BB
Taken in the Rule 5 draft this off-season, this lanky Dominican fireballer was returned to the Rays organization by the White Sox on March 19 after not making their MLB roster. At FanGraphs, Longenhagen notably compared Alberto to “an Andean condor” that needed five years professionally to finally start throwing strikes, while Fegan compared his throwing motion to a “baby giraffe running for the first time,” given his penchant to tumble off the mound. Alberto’s next step will be locating his 100 mph heat at the top of the zone to challenge more advanced hitters, and continue refining his cutter and slider. In camp with the White Sox, Alberto allowed 10 runs (8 earned) over seven appearances (6.2 IP) with seven strikeouts against 12 hits and four walks.
Jonathan Russell, RHP 21 | 6’1” | 180 CPX | 3 H (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 3.0 IP A | 2.17 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 37.1 IP (25 G, 0 GS), 30.5% K, 7.3% BB
The Rays signed Russell (no relation to yours truly) out of Cuba in May 2023 at 18, slotting him directly into the DSL team where he made the All-Star roster. The Rays brought him stateside in 2024 and it didn’t go great! He started in the FCL again in 2025 though and in two weeks he was at Charleston, getting 15 appearances as their closer and pitching to a 2.17 ERA, striking out 46 batters in 151 faced (30%) with only 11 walks. Where he should have been thinking about Bowling Green next, the Rays decided to give him some chances in the Arizona Fall League, where he closed out two games in six appearances. It’s majority fastball with some slider, mechanics are solid, if anything I’d like to see him try to get his release point closer to the plate. With his age 21 season coming up, he could be something if/when he adds a third pitch.
