CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 30: Dylan Cease #84 of the San Diego Padres speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the NL Wild Card Series between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers report to Dunedin tomorrow, so I wanted to ask who you’re most interested in watching this spring?
All eyes are going to be on Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, as the big offseason signings. We know that Cease will look great, it’s just a matter of seeing whether his stuff translates into results this season. Ponce will be interesting, we’ll get to find out how his improved stuff translates back to North America after his time in Japan and Korea
We’ll also have last year’s guys to scrutinize. Will Jeff Hoffman bounce back? Can Jose Berrios regain his form?
Prospect hipster that I am, though, I might be most intrigued by Spencer Miles. The Rule 5 pick touches 98 with what’s reported to be a nice slider and even some command. He’s managed just 23 innings in three and a half seasons since being drafted, but then he’s punched out 34 in that time. He’s a long shot to stick with the team, but if he does there’s some fun upside.
Whose shaky iPhone workout videos will you be poring over this week as we desperately pretend that baseball is here?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 02: Gabriel Arias #13 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on prior to Game Three of the American League Wildcard Series against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field on October 02, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Now is the winter of our discontent. So, spake Shakespeare and so speak many Guardians fans right now.
Currently, the Cleveland Guardians seem set to enter the 2026 baseball season cutting almost $30 million from their 2025 payroll and trusting internal options and Stuart Fairchild to improve their 28th-best MLB offense from last year. Understandably, I have heard from many fans who are so frustrated they are canceling ticket plans, streaming options, instituting boycotts, etc. Seeing ownership cut payroll after a miraculous division run is a tough pill to swallow.
I have used my cognitive dissonance theory techniques to bring myself around to place of acceptance and excitement about this team, while realizing that when they force Gabriel Arias as their Opening Day shortstop and Nolan Jones as their Opening Day centerfielder on me that I’ll be due for another outbreak of resentment. But, for fans whose discontent is at a more unbearable level, I do think the Guardians could still do one or more of five different moves to bring understandably upset fans back into the fold:
Move #1: Trade for Nico Hoerner from the Chicago Cubs
Analysis: I believe Nico Hoerner would be available at the right price, given the Cubs’ current players and needs. The Guardians should find that price and meet it. Hoerner has one year of control remaining, but the team could pay the return price for Hoerner and pursue an extension that he should be amendable to considering. Hoerner has a career 103 wRC+ which won’t excite anyone, but he has a career 120 wRC+ vs. LHP and 11 Defensive Runs Saved and 23 Outs Above Average for his career at shortstop. He’s a better second baseman, but he is perfectly capable of winning a gold glove at short. Acquire Hoerner, install him as the shortstop, move Brayan Rocchio to second base and you have Travis Bazzana behind him in case he proves to be more of a fit in the utility role. If Rocchio succeeds as a hitter and Bazzana is succeeding in Columbus, you can flip Hoerner at the deadline. I don’t think there is a better fit for a potential trade anywhere in baseball, and I know the Guardians like Hoerner. Now, if they have a trade fit for a centerfielder that I don’t see… I am certainly on-board for that. Making A move for an established veteran hitter to plug into the lineup and raise the roster floor just seems like a necessity… and it has all offseason.
Signing Rhys Hoskins, Randal Grichuk or Griffin Canning would be nice, but I am not pounding the table for them. If it happens, cool. If not, I get it.
Move #2: Indicate that Gabriel Arias and Daniel Schneemann are in content for the utility role, not starting roles.
Analysis: I am not saying this indication should or will be made publicly, but, if the roster remains as is, I’d like to see Rocchio playing at shortstop every time he is on the field in Spring Training. Folks, we know who Arias is as a hitter. He isn’t going to change. There is still hope with Rocchio, albeit getting slimmer by the day. But, his 100 wRC+ performance to end the last three months of play gives some hope that needs to be tested (if the team doesn’t add a Nico Hoerner, of course). Arias and Schneemann are 75-85 wRC+ hitters who offer defensive versatility of different sorts, so let me start to see a lot of “A” lineups in Spring Training with Rocchio at short and Juan Brito, Travis Bazzana and even Angel Martinez paired with him at second base and I will start to feel a lot more optimistic that the team is serious about not wanting to block their young players.
I am tempted to say the same thing about wanting Chase DeLauter, Stuart Fairchild and Angel Martinez to get the majority of “A” lineup reps in centerfield over Nolan Jones, but I think it may just be untenable to play DeLauter in centerfield because of his injury risk. In that case, Jones is probably the best option on the roster for those primary reps in centerfield (which is SAD, but, ANYway…). Just have to hope that Jones’ back issues have resolved and his trip to Driveline has helped him get to more of his potential as a hitter.
Move #3: If healthy, don’t mess around with Parker Messick in Columbus.
Analysis: Messick was a revelation last season. I suspect IF the team has their top six pitchers emerge from Spring Training healthy (which would be a minor miracle) that they may have Messick start in Columbus and Logan Allen in Cleveland, mostly to help manage Messick’s innings load. Forget that. Let Messick pitch in Cleveland and manage his innings with bullpen help. Let this bulldog eat and show us you’re going to try to field a top 5-10 rotation in baseball. This one of a series of things the team can do to show us they are not going to block their best prospects (as they have REPEATEDLY stated) and try to let their best players lead them back to a division title.
Move #4: Pursue extension talks with Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo, Cade Smith, Gavin Williams and Chase DeLauter.
Analysis: First of all, I know Williams isn’t going to extend because Boras is his agent. Still… approach him with an offer, just in case. Aside from that quixotic effort, see if Kwan’s injury issues make him more apt to consider a reasonable extension. If he’s dedicated to getting to free agency and being paid as a 4-win outfielder… that’s his right, but I am fine letting him pursue that goal and not being willing to pay him at that rate given his struggles to stay healthy. Manzardo seems like the most reasonable extension candidate – let him lock in arb salaries and buy out some free agency years in a deal that should be team friendly. See if Smith wants to lock in some security given his age and the volatility of relief arms. And, finally, I’d love it if the team would be able to use DeLauter’s injury struggles to lock him in at a reasonable salary for his arb years and buy a couple years of free agency. I don’t expect it, but that would be the most exciting extension they could do, in my humble view.
Move #5: Announce that Guards Fest will be an annual event, again, starting in 2028
Analysis: Yes, I am still bitter. No, I won’t give it up.
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 12: Los Angeles Dodgers fans wait in the ticket line to get refunds at Camelback Ranch after Major League Baseball suspends Spring Training on March 12, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. MLB suspended spring training due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training for the Dodgers begins in earnest this weekend at Camelback Ranch. Here are a few dates to keep in mind for the next six weeks.
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco welcome the return of baseball with a wide-ranging discussion that blends spring training excitement, roster analysis, and the broader culture surrounding the game. The show opens with reflections on spring training energy, recent MLB trades, MJ Melendez’s fresh start with the Mets, and the lasting legacy of Terrance Gore, before shifting into how changes to MLB TV and global events like the World Baseball Classic affect fans and players alike.
The heart of the episode focuses on an in-depth breakdown of the Kansas City Royals’ pitching rotation, ranking current starters and evaluating both established arms and emerging prospects. Jacob and Jeremy analyze the importance of bounce-back seasons for veterans like Seth Lugo, the stability provided by arms such as Stephen Kolek, and the upside of younger pitchers including Noah Cameron, Kendry Chourio, and Mason Black. With thoughtful context on injuries, command, and player development, the episode offers a clear-eyed look at the Royals’ pitching depth and what it means for the team’s competitiveness moving forward.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 28: Jose Corniell #59 of the Texas Rangers walks off the field after the eighth inning of his Major League debut against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond 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 pitcher Jose Corniell.
It was a positive, encouraging season for Jose Corniell.
That is a strange to say about a guy with a 16.20 ERA, I know. Even stranger when that 16.20 ERA came in one appearance where he recorded five outs. Or, I guess, maybe not…if he had accumulated, say, 10 innings and allowed 24 runs (18 of them earned) that would probably be less encouraging than going 1.2 innings and allowed four runs, three of them earned.
Still, all things considered, Corniell just getting to the big leagues in 2025 was an accomplishment. And the overall body of work suggests there’s more to come from the 22 year old righthander.
Wait, 22? Seriously? Let me go double-check on that…
Okay, yes, I have double-checked, and that is correct. Corniell is just 22 years old. He turns 23 in June.
Its weird because it feels like he’s been around long enough that he should be older than that. 24, maybe.
Corniell was signed by Seattle as part of their 2019 J-2 class, back when the J was for July, rather than January, and the 2 represented the date you could begin signing players, rather than just a carryover, a vestige of an earlier time. He never pitched for the M’s organization in an official game because the pandemic wiped out the minors in 2020, and he was sent to the Rangers in December, 2020, in exchange for Rafael Montero, who I only have a vague memory of ever playing for the Rangers. I associate Rafael Montero with the Astros, in much the same way I associate Jose Abreu with them, and may be soon associating Christian Walker with them.
Corniell was one of the more heralded members of the M’s 2019 international signing class, receiving a $630,000 signing bonus which appears to be the second highest bonus Seattle handed out that July. The Rangers that year gave Bayron Lora one of the largest bonuses of any international signee in 2019, with Maximo Acosta and Zion Bannister also being prominent signees, so, you know, didn’t get a lot of bang for their buck with the big money guys that year.
Anyway, Corniell toiled in the ACL in 2021 as a just-turned-18 year old and then low-A in 2022, where he was the fifth youngest player in the Carolina League on Opening Day. Both seasons were pretty meh, and he didn’t crack BA’s top 30 prospect list for the Rangers heading into 2021, 2022 or 2023.
2023, though, was his breakout year, as he put up a 2.92 ERA in 101 innings over 23 appearances between low-A and high-A, with 119 Ks against 31 walks. He was the team’s Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year for 2023 and was added to the 40 man roster, then, because the Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year Award seems to be cursed, he had elbow issues that sidelined him at the start of 2024. He ultimately required Tommy John surgery, costing him the entirety of 2024 and half of 2025.
Corniell’s return in 2025 was impressive, however. After four rehab appearances for the ACL Rangers, he made six appearances for Frisco and was dominant, allowing one earned and one unearned run in 20 innings, striking out 20 batters and walking just one. That earned him a promotion to Round Rock, where he allowed five runs in 12.1 innings over three appearances, walking 6 and striking out 14.
Which led to Corniell getting called up to the big leagues for the final series of the 2025 season. After not appearing in the first two games of the series, he was summoned in the bottom of the eighth of Game 162 with the score tied at 5, one out, and the go-ahead run on second.
Corniell got the first major league batter he faced on a K swinging. He got the second major league batter he faced on a fly out. Now, those two batters were Daniel Schneemann and C.J. Kayfus, but still, they count as major leaguers.
After the Rangers went down in order in the top of the ninth, Corniell kept the Guardians off the board in the bottom of the ninth. A Rowdy Tellez three run homer in the top of the tenth made it an 8-5 game, and it looked like Jose Corniell would get a win in his major league debut, a win that would allow the Rangers to finish the season with a winning record, at 82-80.
As a side note, current Ranger Zak Kent gave up that Tellez homer. Kent came into the game in relief of former Ranger Kolby Allard, who came into the game in relief of former Ranger Matt Festa.
Anyway, the happy ending didn’t happen. Corniell gave up a double, a walk, and then a walk off homer. Instead of a W in his first major league game, he picked up the L.
How disappointing.
Still, this appears to be the beginning, rather than the end, for Corniell. He will likely start the season at AAA, and while his workload will need to be managed, much like Kumar Rocker last year in his return to action after Tommy John surgery, he will have the opportunity to contribute at the major league level in 2026 if he performs.
The Rangers optioned Corniell in both 2024 and 2025, rather than putting him on the 60 day injured list, but he should qualify for a fourth option, so 2026 shouldn’t be his final option year. Hopefully, though, that won’t be an issue either way — hopefully, Corniell continues to build on his success, and puts himself in a position to be a member of the 2027 Opening Day pitching staff.
We didn’t do sleeper prospects or anything like that last season, but Wenninger would have been mine. Even though his 2024 season was so-so, I ranked him 20th on my 2025 personal list based on the power of his control and strikeout stuff. This past season Wenninger continued showing that control and strikeout stuff, but the results were there and he rocketed up the cumulative list. The fact that the improvements were seemingly based on pitch refinement, particularly his slider and curveball, is encouraging, because it shows that his success was real and sustainable and not just based on random luck. I am not going to be as bold as to say that Wenninger has as much front-line starter potential as Nolan McLean or Jonah Tong do, but the right-hander has kept pace with those two in terms of statistical domination and I would not at all be surprised if he performs at an order of magnitude higher than what most are expecting when he makes his eventual MLB debut sometime soon.
Lukas says:
The Mets’ pitching development apparatus is unstoppable. Wenninger was a 6th round pick out of Illinois who never posted an ERA under 4.50 in college. Two years later, he’s dominating Double-A with an ERA under three. He’s throwing harder, has improved breaking ball shape, added a good splitter – basically the Mets (and Wenninger, who deserves a great deal of credit as well) managed to pull every single development lever simultaneously here. The upside here is still probably more like #4 starter rather someone w/ top-of-the-rotation potential, but it’s an extraordinary win, and he’ll be in the picture if and when the Mets need arms at some point in 2026 (and beyond).
Will Watson (9)
Steve says:
A year ago, I was skeptical of Will Watson, comparing him to Trey Cobb and Cole Gordon as cautionary mid-90s-fastball-guys-with-a-slider tales if something in his profile didn’t pop. Well, Will Watson popped. He started throwing harder, added a cutter, improved his changeup, and now we’re cooking. I don’t remember exactly when it was, sometime in the summer, but I was watching a game and seeing Watson’s stuff and how his pitches were moving, it really wowed me. It’s one thing to read the data saying that his fastball is averaging 15 inches of induced vertical break or that his slider is averaging 2,500 RPM or that his changeup is producing an above-average 31 inches of vertical movement and 18 inches of arm-side movement and another to see live how those pitches are moving and how batters are reacting to those things. It is definitely hyperbole to say that the organization has another round of top-tier pitching prospects cooking in the minors, but I think there is enough depth emerging that the bargain bin might not need to be perused for middle relievers, or that potential substantial trades can be made in the future without feeling too much of a system-wide loss of talent.
Lukas says:
The Mets’ pitching development apparatus is unstoppable. Watson was a 7th round pick whose most notable pre-draft resume item was 50.1 middling innings as a swingman at USC. Now he’s a top-100 prospect, with a very promising four-pitch mix, including a recently introduced changeup. I think there’s more relief risk here than with some of the other arms in this range (Wenninger being the most direct point of comparison), but we live in an era where multi-inning relief arms or low-inning starters are frequently leveraged and quite valuable. Maybe he’s a guy who makes it up as a multi-inning reliever / swing-man first and eventually shifts back to the rotation. Or his upward trajectory could continue and make that sort of worry look silly in 12 months time. Like the others before him, expect to see Watson at some point in 2026.
Ryan Clifford (8)
Steve says:
As much as he destroys baseballs, I can’t get on the Ryan Clifford train. I value him certainly, but big-time power hitters with suspect hit tools just don’t really do it for me; what good is 80-grade power (Clifford does not have 80-grade power, to be clear) if you have a 20-grade hit tool (Clifford does not have a 20-grade hit tool, either)? Even Adam Dunn, the modern-day archetype of the three-true-outcome player, was a .300+ hitter in his formative years in the minors. Clifford showed incremental improvements last year in certain areas as compared to his 2024 season, and he still is just barely able to legally drink, but he feels like the kind of player who will be maddeningly inconsistent and never fully live up to expectations. As we’ve seen in the past, he can go 2-27 with 2 home runs and 1 walk to 10 strikeouts one week (July 8-13), then go 12-31 with 2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 walks to 6 strikeouts the next week (July 22-27), and then go 5-23 with 1 double and 1 walk to 4 strikeouts the week after that (July 29-August 3). Game changing power doesn’t grow on trees, and while I’m not sure how much there is to realistically work on or optimize that isn’t going to fundamentally change Clifford as a player, he should be given every opportunity to develop and eventually fight for some kind of big league role.
Lukas says:
It wasn’t the biggest breakout in the system by any means, but Ryan Clifford had an extremely successful 2025 that restored a lot of the faith we lost in 2024. If you looked only at his wRC+ in Double-A between the two seasons, you’d probably wonder what the hell I’m talking about (137 in 2024, 148 in 2025). The shape matters though, and Clifford improving the net production while reducing his strikeouts, swinging more frequently, and translating more of his good contact into homers are all moves in the right direction. We got a glimpse of how this looks in Triple-A at the end of the season as well, and while the total production was only average, all the key markers were very promising; 93rd percentile damage, 83rd percentile SEAGER (indicative of his less passive approach) and 66th percentile Z-contact. The Mets are telling you something by leaving Clifford a potential path to playing time at 1B/DH this season; he’s firmly back on the map as a potentially valuable long-term piece.
Jacob Reimer (7)
Steve says:
This past season, Jacob Reimer hit .279/.374/.479 in 61 games at Double-A Binghamton with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 5 attempts, and drew 26 walks to 60 strikeouts, good for a 150 wRC+. Back in 2004, another Binghamton third baseman hit .363/.467/.619 in 60 games with 27 doubles, 10 home runs, 20 stolen bases in 26 attempts, and drew 39 walks to 41 strikeouts, good for a 160-ish wRC+. David Wright was also a five-tool third baseman, whereas Reimer is lacking in the speed and defense departments, but it just goes to show that Reimer’s hit tool is legitimate and his power is indeed coming along. As long as he continues hitting, you live with the poor defense at third, but because the profile is so weird and so offensive-driven, it feels hard to really commit and say that Reimer is the future of the hot corner.
Lukas says:
The second I get out, he finally has a healthy season and starts hitting for power like we’ve all been hoping he’d do since 2022. A swing change and a bump in in-zone swing rate really brought all the pieces together; Reimer maintained his overall strong approach while leveraging his bat speed more effectively, impacting the ball more out in front of the plate and getting more pull-side damage. He struggled briefly at Double-A, then decided to just not do that and finished the season with a 150 wRC+. There might be a 6 hit, 6 power bat with a good approach here. So why isn’t he higher? Well he can’t defend basically anywhere. He’s a non-viable 3B, probably doesn’t have the foot speed for the outfield, and would be a very short / small first baseman. The cold corner is where I’d guess he winds up, but that puts a lot more pressure on the bat. If he keeps hitting like this though, it really won’t matter.
A.J. Ewing (6)
Steve says:
Back in 2024, when A.J. Ewing hit 5 homers in 19 games with the FCL Mets, I was kind of blown away because that kind of power was unexpected. Earlier in the process, when the reports came out, I had to kind of tell myself, “Wow, this is coming out.” I had to think about it. And I was a little bit, somewhat, “Let’s find out about this. We really have to do a thorough investigation of this.” And lo and behold, Ewing really was hitting the ball hard. While the home run numbers have stagnated, he is averaging about a 90 MPH exit velocity since then, with multiple 100+ MPH readings and high-water marks around 110 MPH. He is going to need to activate some more of that power into doubles, triples, and homers in order to be a productive hitter going forward, but it’s not like he needs to magically revamp his entire game and become a slugger in order to have utility to the organization; far from it, with his hit-tool, great eye at the plate, strong swing decisions, elite speed, and more-than-capable center field defense, Ewing has an incredibly high floor, and the more power he can generate, the higher his ceiling becomes. There is some overhype risk in Ewing, but at 21-years-old this upcoming season, he is well ahead of the curve with plenty of time to put in the work.
Lukas says:
It’s been less appreciated because of the breakouts from the first three names in the system, but A.J. Ewing actually had an incredible 2025. He came into the season with a totally revamped swing and immediately demonstrated high-end contact skills. Ewing also hits the ball harder than you’d think, though his spray angles – both vertically and horizontally – currently limit the over-the-fence pop. Couple those skills with a disciplined, appropriately-aggressive approach and elite speed that may make him a 7 in center and you have a prospect who, in my opinion, is pretty clearly the fourth best player in the system. Oh and he’s also still only 20 and finished the year with a successful run at Double-A. There’s a reason the Mets balked when the Brewers asked for him in the Freddy Peralta deal.
Brandon Sproat (5)
Steve says:
Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter much now since he was traded, but I think the concept of Brandon Sproat is better than Brandon Sproat. A big, strapping 6’2”, 215-pound lad that flirts with triple-digits, throws a decent slider, and has a solid changeup, what’s not to like? But then you look into Brandon Sproat, and there’s a lot of pretty problematic data in his pitch characteristics- and not just semi-problematic under certain conditions, I’m talking fundamentally problematic. His four-seam and two-seam fastballs are both highly flawed pitches, and that’s not good when you’re a power pitcher and you’re going to be throwing those two pitches in whatever ratio about 50% of the time. There’s definitely a pathway for Sproat to be a good starting pitcher- he obviously wouldn’t be ranked so highly if we didn’t think that potential was there- and I personally think that he has even more potential as a reliever, perhaps a high leverage reliever, but that’s for Milwaukee to decide now.
Lukas says:
Brandon Sproat does a lot of things well. He throws pretty hard, he finally landed on a breaking ball shape that works, and the change is still a decent pitch. Put in terms of physical skills, you can say that he has good arm speed and feel for spin. However, this has never really all come together for him, in large part because his fastball shape is just too bad to be an effective offering. Even with the addition of a sinker last season – one that grades out better but still not great – I’m still not convinced he’s the type of arm who can make it through a lineup two or three times. If you couple that with the lack of development runway relative to other arms (Sproat is older and was selected as a senior out of a major college program, which would normally mean there’s less juice to squeeze) in the back of the top-10 and I think I’d actually prefer Sproat a good deal lower, even though he’s a totally justifiable top-100 prospect.
Jett Williams (4)
Steve says:
It’s not something that the Mets, or us as Mets fans need to deal with anymore, but Williams was definitely the victim of post-hype prospect fatigue. I have literally read people saying, seemingly without jest, “Jett isn’t any good.” I don’t have a crystal ball and don’t know what the future holds, so Williams may not actually end up being any good, but players solidly ranked by all of the major outlets and at the front of the second half of the Top 100 lists clearly must be well regarded to wind up there. I’ll put it like this: in 2026, his age 21 season, if A.J. Ewing hit .288/.390/.477 in 96 games with Double-A Binghamton with 10 homers, 32 stolen bases in 39 attempts, and drew 62 walks to 96 strikeouts, we might be hearing about how he might be the best prospect in minor league baseball. Ewing plays better defense, so it’s not an exact 1:1 comparison, but the point is that reports of Jett Williams prospect death are greatly exaggerated, which is why he, along with Brandon Sproat, were able to net the Mets a two-time all-star pitcher. As a fellow 5’7”-er (on a good day), I have watched his career with great interest and look forward to Milwaukee Brewers photo day during spring training, when Jett is invariably positioned between the 6’8” Trevor Megill and the 6’7” Jacob Misiorowski.
Lukas says:
I don’t disagree that much with Jett’s ranking here (I had Ewing above him), but I still find myself pretty down on him as a prospect, and I don’t think it’s just prospect fatigue. I began voicing concerns about Jett’s hit tool ~2 years ago, and in that time he’s not really assuaged any of those worries. Sure, injuries have played a role and the strikeout rate has held steady in the low-20s, but that’s not because Williams is great at putting bat on ball, it’s because he just doesn’t swing. He ranked in the 6th percentile for hittable pitches taken, nuking his SEAGER down to 3.9 despite the aforementioned healthy walk and strikeout rates. Couple that with what is still just okay damage on contact and a tweenerish defensive profile and this is trending more towards “high quality bench bat” or “second division starter” rather than the sort of player we were extolling as the future of the team in 2023.
Jonah Tong (3)
Steve says:
I will always be a sucker for overslot prep pitchers and Jonah Tong piqued my interest back in 2022. In 2024, Tong had a breakout season, but little did we know that he was just getting started. When he was called up at the end of 2025 after absolutely crushing it in Double-A, the results weren’t there, but honestly, none of that matters to me. What is more important to me is the dominance he showed over the course of the 2025 season, not a handful of games in September. His fastball? Plus. His changeup? Above-average. His slider? Above-average. His curveball? Average. Tong throws a four-pitch mix where everything is average of better. The Mets threw him into the fire in a last ditch effort to salvage the 2025 season, and while it did not work out, Tong has showed that not only does he have physical skill, but he has the mental acuity to work on what went wrong, figure things out, and address what held him back. While he is high on the depth chart, Tong should have some time early in the season to get acclimated to the MLB/Triple-A ball and work on adjusting his pattern of attack against wily veterans and players with MLB experience before finally getting the call to Queens once again.
Lukas says:
Tong was not good in the majors, there’s really no other way to slice it. It wasn’t just the top-line results that were concerning either; major league hitters just did not chase his changeup, nor did they whiff as frequently on his fastball. This is a problem both of command (Tong’s is not exactly precise) and pitch mix; Tong simply doesn’t have a good glove-side / breaking ball option right now, and it’s hard to succeed without that in your arsenal in the bigs. Thankfully, Tong has two things working for him. First, his fastball and changeup are still just silly good pitches. Second, the Mets have done enough that he can start the season in Triple-A and have ample runway to make the necessary improvements. I’m still quite bullish and think there’s clear top-of-the-rotation upside, we’re just going to have to wait a little bit long for the 22-year-old Tong to get there.
Carson Benge (2)
Steve says:
On the heels of Kevin Parada and Alex Ramirez fizzling out because of some odd swing mechanics, I had a sinking feeling when Carson Benge’s name was called in the 2024 MLB Draft. Like those aforementioned two, Benge had some funk in his swing…except he didn’t! Around three months or so into the NCAA season, Benge eliminated some of the extra movement in his swing, and by the time he was drafted, it more or less resembled the swing that he is using currently. As highlighted by his numbers over the course of 2025, and his placement on this list, the outfielder clearly did not have any issues hitting the ball as a professional. Benge is about as well-rounded a player as one can be, with an above-average hit tool, average power, average speed, an above-average arm, and average defense. There are areas of improvement to be sure, such as the need to pull-and-lift more, or emerging platoon splits against lefties, but Benge looks to be the real deal and the best outfielder drafted and developed by the organization since Michael Conforto.
Lukas says:
That two of the biggest 1st round coups of the decade – Benge and Trey Yesavage – were taken back-to-back in 2024 is a cool little oddity Yesavage’s postseason heroics have vaulted him ahead, but Benge isn’t far behind and will likely be a universal top-10 or top-20 prospect by the time the offseason is over. He made an absolute mockery of both Brooklyn and Binghamton in 2025, and the key performance metrics didn’t change all that much in Syracuse even though the top line was ugly (getting hit in the hand didn’t help either). Benge has about as ideal a combination of contact and power as you could hope for without setting cheats and pushing the sliders up to the max. He’s also likely to be a viable center field defender in the near term. That the Mets are giving him ample runway to win a starting job out of Spring Training tells you basically everything else you need to know; this is a potential 5-tool player who is ready now.
Nolan McLean (1)
Steve says:
I was a Nolan McLean doubter last year, and he certainly proved me wrong. It’s not that I didn’t think that he could have success, but with him only having two highly above-averages pitches and- at the time- a lack of innings, I thought he would be a high leverage bullpen conversion candidate. It may be my own preconceived notions stemming from my doubt at this point last season, but even in the face of what he did last season, I don’t know how much of the magic he might capture in 2026. The history of Major League Baseball is littered with well-considered minor leaguers who impressed in their initial debuts and then never were able to recapture that kind of magic ever again. There have been plenty who did find their footing, of course, but there are enough chinks in the armor and little things here and there to dissuade the notion that he is not second only to Paul Skenes, as his 2025 sample size suggests, at the very least. That does not mean that I think McLean will be bad in 2026, or unrosterable, or anything like that, but a McLean that regresses to the numbers that Steamer or ZiPS think he will- an ERA in the high 3s, a strikeout per nine rate just south of 9 and a walk per nine rate hovering around 3.5- is a solid pitcher, but not exactly an “ace”. Projection systems like Steamer or ZiPS have a bit of a blind spots when it comes to certain things, newly promoted rookie players being one of them, so obviously Steamer and ZiPS should not to be taken as gospel, but I think we all do need to hit the breaks a little before we anoint McLean the next deGrom.
Lukas says:
McLean, by all rights, is no longer really a prospect, but he technically missed the innings threshold by six outs so here we are. His electric MLB debut featured a 2.06 ERA backed by a 21.8% K-BB% and a 60.2% GB rate (he’ll surely benefit from improved infield defense). His fastball, slider, cutter, and sweeper all had 90th percentile or better quality metrics per Rob Orr’s app, and his slider wasn’t shabby either. You could project some eventual struggles against left-handed batters, but McLean has such innate feel for spin and has already evolved his arsenal so thoroughly that it’s reasonable to expect he figures that out in time. However you slice it, he’s the best or second-best pitching prospect in baseball alongside Trey Yesavage.
So we took a look at the experienced guys in the dirt with the infield preview yesterday. Today we take a look at the outfield. It does have some familiar names, but the entire starting outfield for the postseason run in 2025 is gone either with the transfer portal or graduation. Husker head coach Will Bolt has said who will get the first crack at starting in the new look outfield. So lets go through that group of returners and then check on who will be pushing them for playing time.
Left Field
Gone: Gabe Swansen (Sr.), Hayden Lewis (R-Soph.)
Back: Will Jesske (Jr.)
Mr. May, Gabe Swansen, is leaving quite a void in left field. He finished 1 home run shy of tying Ken Harvey for 10th all time in program history. Combine that with the numerous clutch hits in some of the biggest games of the last 20 years for the program, and it’s going to take a lot to replace him. Will Jesske is going to get the first opportunity to take over his spot. Jesske will be fully giving up his original position of catcher to move into the outfield full time. He has always been a good line drive hitter, but added some more power last year with 11 extra base hits in his 29 starts.
It’s hard to see the outfield defense being anywhere near as good as 2025. Riley Silva roamed the Haymarket Park outfield as well as anyone of recent memory. And Robby Bolin looked primed to succeed him the same way he did in JUCO. Bolin was probably the biggest surprise of the transfer portal departures. He would have been the only true outfielder returning, but instead chose to head south to Kansas State.
That void in center will be filled by Devin Nunez. Originally brought here as a second baseman, he transitioned to the outfield to get more at bats as the outfield was really struggling offensively for large stretches of the 2025 season. His bat has been elite since he was inserted into the lineup, so he has to be an everyday player, and the most obvious slot for him is taking over the center field duties. He is a good athlete and has great natural baseball instincts, so I don’t feel he will be a liability on defense, but it’s going to be hard to live up to Silva and Bolin’s playmaking abilities.
Right Field
Gone: Cael Frost (Sr.)
Back: Max Buettenback (Jr.)
Cael Frost was supposed to be the big addition offensively in 2025. He had the long 0-for start to the season and despite showing off his incredible power when he did make contact, his hits were few and far between. He left to use his extra year of eligibility from the JUCO ruling at Western Kentucky.
After his breakout summer ball campaign, Max Buettenback was the best and most consistent hitter in the Husker lineup until he was sidelined with mono. He never really regained his form, as he only had 3 hits in the month of May. Before that he had a stretch where he had multiple hits in 7 out of 14 games, batting .417 over that stretch. He will be the everyday right fielder to start the season, and a fixture in the middle of the lineup.
New Faces: Mac Moyer (Jr.), Preston Freeman (R-Jr.), Drew Grego (Fr.)
An Oregon commit out of high school, Mac Moyer comes to Lincoln after a very productive JUCO career. Baseball fans will know his dad, Jamie Moyer, a left handed pitcher who lasted 25 years in the Major Leagues despite never getting close to throwing 90 mph. He was a World Series champion with the Phillies in 2008 and has the wild fact of having faced 7.5% of all batters to have ever played in the majors when he retired. Both of Mac’s brothers have also been drafted into the MLB. Like his old man, Mac throws and hits lefty. He batted .394 his first year in JUCO and .354 last season with 38 extra base hits in his two seasons in which he was named first team all conference both times. Baseball is in his blood, and he will be hard to keep down.
Nebraska tried to get some speed back with Preston Freeman. Freeman didn’t get on the field much his first year in JUCO, but then took off in his second year to the tune of a .355 batting average, 16 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs and an OPS of .966. Freeman has the ability to play a high level of defense at not only the outfield positions, but on the infield as well, providing a lot of versatility.
The Huskers added one of the best baseball athletes in the state in Drew Grego. He owns nearly every record at Bellevue West playing mainly short stop and pitcher. He was a two time Super State honoree and tabbed the #7 ranked recruit coming out of his class in Nebraska. Grego hit over .450 both of his last two seasons, and had 27 RBIs and 26 runs scored last season. His future looks bright, but it will take some fighting to get through all the bats ahead of him.
On Deck
Two of the most important bats in Nunez and Buettenback reside in the Husker outfield, but none of the main contributors in the outfield are in their natural position. Nunez, a middle infielder and Jesske and Buettenback are former catchers and 3rd basemen. The coaches tried this a few years ago with mixed results defensively. This outfield is better athletically than the one in 2022, so hopefully that wont be quite so glaring. Speaking of athletes moving positions to the outfield, don’t be surprised to see Jeter Worthley out in left field should the staff deem he needs a day off from the rigors of catching. He was there in fall ball and didn’t look out of place in the least.
Our preview extravaganza continues Wednesday with a look at the pitchers. The weekend rotation has been set by Coach Bolt, so Todd will dig into the roles of the staff and what to expect for the coming season.
TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 06: Members of Team Brazil pose for a photo to celebrate a win after the game between the Team Germany and the Team Brazil at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Kino Sports Complex on Thursday, March 6, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Maybe it’s just a runoff from my olympic fever, but the WBC being right around the corner has me so deeply excited. More than anything I’m looking forward to having a little baseball background noise in my life. The best form of past time exists prominently from spring to fall, and this year we’re getting an extra little something-something from the (Gage) jump.
Circle March 3rd on your calendars, folks — right before all the WBC tournament action, the A’s will be going head to head with Team Brazil in what’s likely to be a matinee classic. You have know idea how so absolutely seated I am for something like this. It’s taking care of an itch only scratched by the occasional pointlessness of MLB scheduling. Though with the game taking place so early in spring training, I’m fascinated in how the A’s will approach it. What’re the odds they lose to a team headlined by Manny Ramirez’s son?
On the bump. three innings from Jack Perkins just might not be on the table unfortunately,. They’re more than likely to throw Eduraniel Nunez and Kenya Huggins and pray they don’t get shelled. Either way, it’s a total drop-everything-you’re-doing-and-get-out-to-Hohokam type game. One of the more mildly fascinating ones I can think of in recent history.
What’s a total obscure curio game you would’ve liked to have caught in person? Playoff games obviously don’t count here, I’m more referring to an oddball giveaway day or matchup. The 1999 A’s vs Angels Turn-Ahead-The-Clock’s of the world. I was fortunate enough to experience the MC Hammer bobblehead giveaway back in 2011. Not only was it already an all-timer from a promotional sense, but the A’s also schwooped the Daniel Pinero led Angels 9-1 in the throwbacks. That day, I’m pretty sure Gio Gonzalez shoved for six to seven frames. I know for a fact Conor Jackson hit a grandy in like the first inning. All of this unfolded on an overcast sunday in Oakland. Forget their 42-54 record, you could’ve told me we were in heaven.
Now obviously I can’t expect an A’s-Brazil exhibition to be all full of whimsy like that, but it can at the very least provide charm — which is all I really care about. The older I get, the more I feel like The Pat Venditte’s big league debut type games really prevail sentimentally in the long run. Who needs ESPN’s Sunday night baseball when you could have a Coco Crisp chia pet?
It’s 2033 and Luis Burgos has just secured the final out in the ALCS, sending the A’s to their third World Series appearance in five years.
Max Schuemann is the third base coach.
The Athletics have acquired RHP Luis Burgos from the Yankees in exchange for Max Schuemann.
Burgos is a high-upside arm coming off a dominant 2025 season in the DSL, where he posted a 2.44 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 51.2 IP. #Athleticspic.twitter.com/8Xl0mVMxA4
Good for Kurtz, but I am literally so over these lists. Spring training needs to finally get here so MLB Network can stop recycling the same five narratives to death.
More than anything, I’m a bit concerned on who will be filling out these games. What’s the fandom going to look like? Who will be able to afford a ticket to an A’s game and what type of fan base will that cultivate?
Las Vegas hotel room rates crashed again for Super Bowl weekend.
Nevada committed $380 million in public money to a A's ballpark, on the promise attendance would include an estimated 9,000 tourists a game. But has Las Vegas priced out baseball fans? https://t.co/ATNLsQEnZ2
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 26: Catcher Jonah Heim #28 of the Texas Rangers throws out Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians at first to end the third inning at Progressive Field on September 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Atlanta Braves pitchers and catchers have officially reported to spring training and as it turns out, there’s another catcher who has joined the Braves for the first day of camp. I suppose that things have been hectic down there in North Port because we didn’t get the usual Braves tweet with a block of white text on a navy blue background announcing their latest out-of-the-blue acquisition.
Instead, we got it the “old-fashioned” way: Via sources. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com was the first to report that the Braves had signed veteran catcher Jonah Heim to a one-year deal. We don’t have the financial numbers yet but MLB.com Braves beat writer Mark Bowman (who is in Florida to report on spring training, as usual) also confirmed that Heim was in camp, so this appears to be happening.
Jonah Heim was a free agent in the first place after he got non-tendered by the Texas Rangers following two underwhelming seasons. He hit .213/.271/.332 with a .266 wOBA and 69 wRC+ last season, which would be an acceptable amount of production for a catcher if their defense was good. Unfortunately for Heim, his defense was not good in 2025 as he graded below average in plenty of defensive catching metrics in 2025. This continued a trend from 2024 where his defense started to decline while putting up similarly anemic numbers at the plate as well.
However, Heim is not-that-far removed from a breakout season in 2023 where he hit .258/.317/.438 with a .324 wOBA, 107 wRC+ and 18 home runs. His defense was also excellent during that 2023 season, as he finished in the 92nd percentile of catchers when it came to Caught Stealing Above Average and in the 95th percentile in terms of Framing. If there’s an way that he can bounce back to anywhere approaching that level of performance behind the plate then whatever he does at the plate will at least be acceptable.
Either way, it sure seems like he’s got a very good chance of making the Opening Day roster as the backup. With Sean Murphy being out and the other two options being non-roster invitees in the form of Chadwick Tromp and Sandy León, Jonah Heim appears to be in the drivers’ seat to lock down a spot as the backup behind Drake Baldwin as we head into the regular season. He’ll still have to have a productive spring but even if things go sideways for him personally on the field, Baldwin should still benefit from being around an experienced catcher like Heim.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 10: Noelvi Marte #16 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have aged out of their rebuild.
This club that they put together from the draft, international signings, and prospects brought in via trade first assembled when they were mostly young, mostly inexperienced players breaking into the big leagues for the first time. That’s not at all so anymore.
Spencer Steer is now 28 and entering the fifth season in which he’ll don a Reds uniform. He played with the likes of Tommy Pham, Brandon Drury, and Donovan Solano, and has just one fewer dinger as a Red than Dmitri Young. Another 20+ homer year for him in 2026 and he’ll pass guys like Ken Griffey, Edwin Encarnacion, Austin Kearns, and Hal Morris on the team’s all-time leaderboard, and will almost certainly pass Todd Frazier and even Tucker Barnhart on the team’s all-time PA list.
Along the way, we’ve seen flashes of brilliance from a handful of these now-prime Reds. Andrew Abbott surged to a 5.6 bWAR season last year, Matt McLain kicked the doors down in his 2023 rookie year, and even TJ Friedl tossed in a nearly ~4 WAR season in 2023, too. Still, aside from Elly De La Cruz flirting with superstardom at just about every turn, we’ve not yet seen any of the players around him break out in a way that has sustained itself for a full year (or beyond), with Hunter Greene – injuries and all – being the closest thing to it.
The question today is who, if anyone, will see 2026 be the year in which they launch?
Might it be McLain, for real, now that he’s two years beyond major shoulder surgery?
Could 2026 be the year Nick Lodolo puts everything together?
Will Noelvi Marte live up to the hype now that he’s found a more cozy home in RF?
Can Sal Stewart really be as good as his minor league numbers have looked?
Sometimes, these breakouts come out of nowhere, though. That’s where Scooter Gennett came from, fresh off the scrap heap. Maybe it’s JJ Bleday now that he’s in a park that suits his strengths, the former top draft pick now in the stage of his career where he’s got to scrape and claw to get his opportunities. Maybe it’s Will Benson finally getting a bit of luck with the pitches he’s been smashing, luck that somehow eluded him all through 2025.
It could even be Tyler Stephenson, who appears to be entering 2026 with no contract extension and therefore has this as a platform year into free agency. Or, it could be the season where Elly finally wreaks havoc on his opposition for a full six months.
What say you? Which Cincinnati Red is poised for a 2026 breakout?
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 31: Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, August 31, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Dave Dombrowski spoke on Monday to reporters about a variety of topics. Discussing the state of the pitching staff, how top prospects are expected to get playing time and other things were on the docket, but one of the main things Dombrowski talked about was Nick Castellanos. The “right fielder” and his place on the roster has been largely in doubt as soon as Adolis Garcia was brought into the fold to handle the position and Kyle Schwarber was re-upped for five more years, to say nothing of the spat he had with Rob Thomson last year when removed for a defensive replacement. However, spring training camp opens next week and still, Castellanos remains.
When Dombrowski spoke, it wasn’t hard to glean that the team is going to move on from him as soon as they can, preferably before position players have to report to camp.
“That’s our focus prior to the start of spring training,” Dombrowski said Monday. “So, that’s something that we’ll continue to work on this week.” Asked whether Castellanos will be in camp if he isn’t traded or released by the time position players are scheduled to report, Dombrowski said: “Well, at this point, we’re doing everything we can to make a move by that time period. So, I’ll leave it at that right now.”
So yes, the team is going to move him one way or another. That they would have to eat essentially all of the money owed him is likely something they have accepted and are willing to do if it means getting something back in return. However, it is not easy to find a team that would want to have Castellanos on their roster. His inability to play right field in even an average capacity renders him a DH-only option who can masquerade as a right fielder a few times during the year. Teams increasingly prefer to have that spot open to rotate members in and out of the lineup for rest reasons, so locking in one player that is barely an average one at the bat isn’t a luxury many wish to afford. It’s probably why the Phillies have had trouble finding a trade partner to dance with (to say nothing of the idea that any even slightly interested teams are probably just waiting for the team to release him).
A few teams, though, may consider moving him if the price is absolutely right. There is still a chance that without the burden of having to carry a glove, Castellanos might revive his bat and have a decent season. He’s not far removed from posting back to back >100 wRC+ seasons, so it’s at least conceivable that he can do that again. For the acquiring team, it would be cheap to have that, so there might be someone who says, “Why not?” Let’s guess at who those teams might be.
Minnesota Twins
Last season, the Twins had one of the worst wRC+ numbers (92) coming from their DH spot in the game. One would have thought that with all of the trades they made at the deadline, the team was going for some sort of painful rebuild with their organization, yet they have actually added a few pieces this winter. Maybe respectability is something they have their sights set on? After all, they do reside in the AL Central, where anything can happen. If so, getting something better for that DH spot would behoove them. Right now, their depth chart has Trevor Larnach as the main option there, cycling in with Josh Bell and Ryan Jeffers to presumably keep people fresh. Castellanos might be a fit at that position while also backing up Bell at first base, if we’re to accept the reports that he was working out there this offseason.
The Twins also have Victor Caratini in camp to take some plate appearances at DH as well, meaning the fit for Castellanos becomes a bit narrower. He would have to show that he can handle playing right field and/or first base at least once a week, something that would hide his defensive deficiencies a bit more.
Miami Marlins
Always a rumored destination for Castellanos thanks to his personal ties there, Miami was actually worse by DH wRC+ in 2025 (91) than the Twins. Adding Castellanos would give them another right handed bat to help there, but the situation is complicated a bit by Agustin Ramirez and Owen Cassie.
Ramirez is known in some circles to be a catcher, but by at least one measure, he was one of the worst defensive catchers in the game. There is plenty of thunder in his bat, so it would make sense for the Marlins to continue trying to develop him behind the plate, but keeping that DH spot open for him as much as possible is a sensible piece of roster construction. That would push Castellanos, in theory, back to right field, but that is where Cassie resides. Cassie was the main piece that came back to the Marlins in return for Edward Cabrera and his reputation as a prospect is such that the Marlins would probably give him a decent amount of time to see what they have in him. The Marlins also have Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernandez slated to get some at bats at DH, but both possess strikeout rates over 30%. While Castellanos doesn’t exactly have the most patient approaches at the plate, he’s also striking out far less often than either of these two.
A Ramirez-Cassie-Castellanos-Conine rotation would work in some form, so maybe Miami could make it work if they were interested. It’s just starting to feel more “square peg/round hole”-ish the more one tries to make it work.
Colorado Rockies
This might be something worth pursuing. The Rockies are in the middle of an organizational transformation. The hiring of Paul DePodesta signals that they understand they have to do things differently. Playing catchup with the Dodgers is fool’s errand, so they are going to have to do things a different way. Acquiring Castellanos is something that definitely qualifies as different, but hear me out. Right now, according to Fangraphs, the Rockies are going to give the bulk of the DH plate appearances to Mickey Moniak.
Fine, defensible even.
Moniak also projects to split playing time with Jake McCarthy in right field for the Rockies, so in theory, the DH spot can be filled with Castellanos on days that Moniak is putting a glove on while also serving as part of a platoon if necessary. Castellanos has always been more of a gap power hitter anyway, miscast a bit as someone on whom the lineup should depend for home run power. Coors Field would fit that type of hitter to perfection, perhaps allowing Castellanos’ numbers to play up a bit more than his sea level numbers would.
The more one looks at the depth charts of teams around the game, the more apparent it is why they haven’t found a trade partner yet. The likelihood that they actually do diminishes with each minute that ticks closer to the opening of spring training. Maybe someone emerges, maybe someone doesn’t. At least we know that a resolution is coming.
May 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Andrew Walters (91) leaves the game with an apparent injury during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The people have spoken and right-handed reliever Andrew Walters is our No. 20 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. It was a tough final vote, but Walters came out on top with 26.2% of the vote, defeating the likes of the likes of Dauri Fernandez (15.5%), Austin Peterson (11.9%), Jacob Cozart (16.7%) and Petey Halpin (10.7%). Walters drops nine spots after being the No. 11 prospect in 2025.
Walters was selected by Cleveland in the competitive balance portion of the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami. Unlike many pitching prospects, he had always been a reliever, even in college.
He made his pro debut by beginning the 2024 season at Double-A Akron where he flat out dominated to the tune of a 1.35 ERA and a ridiculous 17.1 K/9 with a puny 3.6 BB/9 over 17 appearances spanning 20 innings pitched. Walters quickly was promoted to Triple-A Columbus, where he had a wake-up call, giving up four runs in his first appearance with the Clippers.
He quickly put the jitters aside, however, putting up a 1.84 ERA over 32 games at Triple-A, striking out 41 batters in 29.1 innings pitched.
Walters earned a trip to Cleveland upon the conclusion of the Triple-A season, where he did not allow a run over nine appearances at the MLB level, although his command wasn’t quite as effective and his strikeout rate dipped. This still earned him an opportunity to pitch on Cleveland’s postseason roster. He made four appearances in the playoffs, allowing one run in 3.0 innings with four strikeouts, proving he was ready for primetime.
The flamethrowing right-hander was expected to be a key Cog in Cleveland’s bullpen for 2025, but it turned into a lost season. He battled shoulder soreness throughout Spring Training, which forced him to begin the year at Triple-A. Then he pitched just 1.1 innings in Cleveland before tearing his right lat tendon, which ended his season and required surgery.
Depending on his recovery timetable, Walters could miss the beginning of the 2026 campaign as well, but as long as he returns at 100%, he’ll slot right back in as a reliever the team will hopefully be able to rely on for years to come.
Thank you all for voting for this year’s top 20 Cleveland Guardians prospects!
Our list: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF 12. Daniel Espino, RHP 13. George Valera, LHH OF 14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF 15. Joey Oakie, RHP 16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF 17. Juneiker Caceres, LHH OF 18. Yorman Gomez, RHP 19. Josh Hartle, LHP 20. Andrew Walters, RHP
Sep 26, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (38) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
As you probably already saw, I provided my knee-jerk reaction to the Durbin trade last night. Despite Harrison’s willingness to publish the articles that I send him, Brew Crew Ball doesn’t keep me around for my hot takes — they keep me around for my analysis.
As BCB’s resident optimist (usually), I figured it would be a nice change of pace to dive a bit deeper into the return for Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler. Milwaukee traded two players (Durbin and Monasterio) who both played significant roles for last year’s NL Central champions, while the third player (Seigler) served as valuable depth for a couple months. If a trade isn’t coming, that means that the Brewers are confident that the players coming over from the Red Sox — Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, and David Hamilton — are going to help in 2026.
So, what do the Brewers see in each player?
Kyle Harrison
Harrison, in my opinion, is the crown jewel of the deal. I have an article coming on why Brandon Sproat will be the next Brewers’ “pitching lab” success story, but that label could also very well apply to Harrison.
San Francisco picked Harrison in the third round of the 2020 draft, signing him away from his commitment to UCLA. Per Paul’s article from yesterday morning, Harrison “was ranked as a top 25 prospect in the league prior to the 2024 season by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline” and was one of the main pieces (if not the main piece) in the deal that sent Rafael Devers to the Bay Area.
While Harrison’s stats as a major leaguer aren’t half bad (4.04 ERA last year), there’s reason to believe that he has yet to unlock his full potential. His best pitch is his fastball, which has been pretty great so far in his time as a major leaguer. Opponents hit .195 with a .310 slugging percentage against his fastball in 2025. He doesn’t throw all that hard (although he sometimes touches 96-97 mph), but his fastball plays up due to above-average vertical movement from a low three-quarters arm slot. Lower arm angles also generally produce lower vertical approach angles, which is something the Brewers have been looking for in their pitchers.
Harrison’s other pitches are still mostly question marks. He threw his fastball nearly 60% of the time last year. His second- and third-most commonly used pitches were his slurve (27.4% of the time) and changeup (8%). Per a scouting report from SoxProspects.com, Harrison added a cutter and sinker while with the Red Sox. While the cutter shows “potential playing off of his fastball,” he barely threw either pitch in 2025 (3.7% and 2.0% respectively) so there’s not a lot to analyze there.
According to that same scouting report (published around the time of the Devers trade), the Red Sox “tweaked his slurve” upon joining the organization — perhaps explaining why he threw it over a quarter of the time last season. When his slurve is on, it looks good, but it was fairly inconsistent — as shown by the stats. Opponents hit .333 against the pitch in 2025 (.639 slugging percentage).
To put everything above more succinctly: Harrison has one great pitch (his fastball), a second offering that the Red Sox thought would be serviceable with some tweaks (his slurve), and a couple other pitches that are pretty much unknowns. This fits the profile of a number of pitchers acquired by Milwaukee in recent years (most recently Ángel Zerpa). The acquisition of Harrison probably means that the Brewers “pitching lab” thinks they can turn one of his secondary offerings into a second out-getter. Considering his prospect pedigree, already solid numbers as a big leaguer, and the Brewers’ track record of maximizing their pitching talent, I think Harrison’s ceiling as a Brewer is higher than some might think. Remember the reaction to the Quinn Priester trade?
Shane Drohan
The 27-year-old Drohan had a great season last year after a few rough seasons in the minors. He ranked 15th on Baseball America’s list of the top 30 Red Sox prospects. Drohan was originally a fifth rounder out of Florida State but stalled out and was eventually selected by the White Sox as a Rule 5 draft pick. Unfortunately, Drohan suffered a shoulder injury that necessitated nerve decompression surgery and ended up back with the Red Sox. After rejoining Boston’s organization, he proceeded to have his best season yet (2.27 ERA over 12 Triple-A appearances). Health is the main worry with Drohan at this point — he’s only thrown 70 1/3 innings since the end of the 2023 season.
Drohan’s arsenal is a little closer to Sproat’s than it is to Harrison, Zerpa, and other acquisitions that have one or two standout pitches and a couple offerings that need work. Drohan has four pitches that, per Baseball America, are “fringe-average.” Baseball America sees him as a “multi-inning reliever/spot starter who could bounce between Triple-A and the majors.” I’d be inclined to agree that he’s probably just a depth option, but maybe Milwaukee really likes one of his offerings and thinks that with a few tweaks he could be something more. Regardless, as last year’s pitching injuries made obvious, any contender needs a stable of arms who can show up when called on, eat innings, and get outs. If he turns into something more, that’s a bonus.
David Hamilton
The 28-year-old Hamilton is versatile, fast, and solid defensively. He was pressed into action due to injuries in 2024 and had a solid season (.248/.303/.395 in over 300 plate appearances). However, Hamilton came back down to earth last year, hitting under .200 as a part-time player.
Hamilton, in my opinion, projects as a utility infielder. It’s easy to see him playing the Monasterio role, picking up innings at a few different positions and providing somewhere around replacement-level offense. As in the case of Drohan, if he turns into anything more, that’s a bonus.
Boston, MA - October 6: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and president/CEO Sam Kennedy field a question during the Red Sox end-of-season press conference with team leadership at Fenway Park on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Good morning and welcome to one of the best days of the year. Say it with me: pitchers and catchers.
Red Sox spring training officially opens today and, with yesterday’s Caleb Durbin trade, Craig Breslow is probably done making any significant transactions.
So with the offseason essentially closed, let’s take a look at how the Red Sox organization has changed since the Cam Schlittler Game.
Notable MLB Departures
List organized by 2025 bWAR:
Alex Bregman, 3.5
Lucas Giolito, 2.1
Rob Refsnyder, 1.2
David Hamilton, 1.0
Chris Murphy, 0.5
Steven Matz, 0.5
Hunter Dobbins, 0.4
Nathaniel Lowe, 0.4
Justin Wilson, 0.3
Luis Guerrero, 0.1
Brennan Bernardino, 0.0
Vaughn Grissom (N/A)
Cooper Criswell, -0.1
Josh Winckowski, -0.1
Richard Fitts, -0.3
Liam Hendriks, -0.3
Dustin May, -0.6
Jordan Hicks, -1.8
Notable MLB Additions
List organized by 2025 bWAR:
Ranger Suárez, 4.7
Caleb Durbin, 2.8
Willson Contreras, 2.5
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 1.7
Sonny Gray, 1.4
Johan Oviedo, 0.8
Andruw Monasterio, 0.8
Seth Martinez, 0.0
Tsung-Che Cheng, 0.0
Brendan Rogers, 0.0
Anthony Seigler, -0.1
Mickey Gasper, -0.3
Vinny Capra (-0.6)
Kyle Keller, N/A (NPB)
Notable Minor League Departures
List organized by highest SoxProspects.com ranking:
Luis Perales (3)
Jhostynxon Garcia (5)
Shane Drohan (5)
Brandon Clarke (6)
David Sandlin (8)
Yhoiker Fajardo (8)
Kyle Harrison (N/A)
Jedixson Paez (16)
Jesus Travieso (19)
Alex Hoppe (28)
Justin Riemer (30)
Blake Aita (33)
Notable Minor League Additions
List organized by current SoxProspects.com ranking:
Jake Bennett (6)
Ryan Watson (20)
Tyler Samaniego (28)
Gage Ziehl (3o)
Adonys Guzman (31)
Luke Heyman (32)
Isaiah Jackson (50)
Nate Baez (N/A)
Matt Fraizer (N/A)
Braiden Ward (N/A)
67th draft pick, 2026
So what conclusions can we draw from this. I’ll take a stab at a couple.
First, I think it’s inarguable that, barring injuries, the roster that will open the 2026 season is more talented than the roster that closed out 2025. Craig Breslow has assembled arguably the single best pitching staff in baseball — one that is not only strong at the top of the rotation, but deep, with a couple of high-end prospects who will start the season in Worcester. And while the lineup may not perform as well as it did in 2025 without Alex Bregman and a half a year of Rafael Devers, Willson Contreras is a solid addition while Caleb Durbin looks to be a good bet to be league average.
But having said that, the roster remains unbalanced and I am very worried about the lineup in general. There is a lot of pressure being put on young players to step up. Roman Anthony probably needs to perform at an All-Star level in his first full season for this Red Sox team to go anywhere (I think he can and will). While Marcelo Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela, Carlos Narvaez, Triston Casas, and Caleb Durbin — all of whom have significant question marks — all need to contribute. It’s easy to simply say that Anthony will replace Devers production and Contreras will replace Bregman’s. And perhaps that will happen. But Contreras comes with significant risk of age-related decline (as does Trevor Story) and we cannot count on linear progression from Anthony. The lineup could potentially be anemic against left-handed pitching, while an unfortunate injury or some stalled development could make things ugly in the infield.
Speaking of age-related decline, can we count on Aroldis Chapman to once again be one of the best relievers in baseball? Craig Breslow is essentially doing just that, as he has barely touched the bullpen.
And, of course, we can’t ignore the minor leagues. Breslow has expended a lot of prospect capital over the past two years, particularly on the position player side, where you could argue that Franklin Arias is now the only notable prospect in the entire system.
All of this brings me to my conclusion: Craig Breslow improved the Red Sox in the 2025-26 offseason, but he didn’t improve the team enough. With an emerging superstar in Roman Anthony, one of the game’s very best starters in Garrett Crochet, a deep rotation, and a core of cheap, exciting young players, the Red Sox should be in a position to push for ~98 wins and a stress-free ride to the postseason. Instead, I think they’re probably only a couple wins better than last year’s team and, with a few bad breaks, could miss the postseason entirely.
For those reasons, I’ll give him a solid B. What’s your grade?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Marcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo homer in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 24, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
