Category: Baseball

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 Jacob Latz.

The 2017 draft didn’t work out too well for the Texas Rangers.

Texas signed five picks to bonuses of at least $500,000.

First rounder Bubba Thompson got $2.1 million. He was fast and toolsy but didn’t hit. He did spend 109 games in the majors, and stole 27 bases, and got a ring because he was in the majors in 2023 with Texas. Thompson retired from baseball after the 2024 season, enrolled in South Alabama, and walked onto their football team as a quarterback. He was on the roster in 2025 but didn’t appear in a game, and transferred in January to West Florida.

Supplemental first rounder Chris Seise got $2 million. He impressed with his ability and makeup, and was considered at one point possibly the team’s best position prospect, but injuries and the pandemic meant he only played in 31 games from 2018-21, and he has been out of baseball since putting up a 591 OPS for Frisco in 2023.

Second rounder Hans Crouse got $1.45 million. After an impressive 2018 season he was appearing on top 100 lists, but he regressed, was traded to the Phillies in the Kyle Gibson/Spencer Howard deal, had a decent run for the Angels in 2024, was released by the Angels after 2 AAA appearances in 2025, and didn’t sign with another team until January of 2026, when he inked a minor league deal with the Orioles.

Third rounder Matt Whatley got $517,100. He got good marks for his makeup and glove, but didn’t hit. He became a minor league free agent after 2023, re-signed with Texas for the 2024 season, then signed with Toronto for 2025. Toronto released him in May, 2025, without him ever appearing in a game for their organization, and it appears he is out of baseball.

11th rounder Obie Ricumstrict got $500,000. He never hit and was released in 2022.

So the big dollar draft picks from 2017 didn’t pan out.

The Rangers did end up hitting on a couple of pitchers they selected that year, though.

One of them was John King, who got $10,000 as an injured 10th round senior sign out of the University of Houston. King pitched for the Rangers from 2020-23, then was traded to St. Louis as part of the Jordan Montgomery trade in 2023, so like Thompson, King got a World Series ring. He signed with the Miami Marlins this offseason, and made their Opening Day roster out of the bullpen, and will be out in the pen with fellow former Rangers Pete Fairbanks and Tyler Phillips, and teammates with Liam Hicks and Heriberto Hernandez.

The other was Jacob Latz, who got $386,100 as a fifth rounder out of Kent State. Well, kind of out of Kent State…King spent his first two seasons at LSU, redshirting his freshman season due to elbow surgery and pitching only 8.1 innings in 2016. He wasn’t eligible to pitch for Kent State as a junior, but showed enough in side work that the Rangers drafted him and gave him slot money*.

* I am assuming that was slot money for a fifth rounder in 2017. If not, it is close. I’m not going to go look it up.

Latz made his major league debut in 2021 without actually being on the 40 man roster, as he was a COVID replacement call up. He was added to the 40 man late in 2023, made three appearances in September, and earned himself a ring.

After doing good work in the major league pen in 2024, he started 2025 in AAA, but was called up in mid-April, and stayed in the bigs until the numbers game with the trade acquisitions resulted in his being sent down on August 1. He returned in mid-August and stuck around the rest of the season.

Latz had a rather interesting 2025 campaign for the Rangers. Used out of the bullpen early in the year, the team had him make a few spot starts in the middle of the season, and he acquitted himself well. Texas plugged him back into the rotation in late August during the Injurypocalypse, and he made four more respectable starts, went back to the pen for a couple of outings, and then started once more, in the next to last game of the season.

Latz is a four pitch pitcher, throwing his fastball half the time, his change and slider each a little over 20% of the time, and his curveball the rest of the time. His fastball and slider were both were his best pitches.

Latz’s fastball has average velocity, but it plays up due to his extension and vertical movement. Interestingly, Latz’s fastball showed three more inches of armside run in 2025 compared to 2024, going from having below-average horizontal movement on the pitch to above-average horizontal movement. His heat map shows he consistently located the fastball at the top of the zone.

Latz’s slider was his best pitch in 2025, as he allowed a .244 wOBA and .260 xwOBA against it. As one would expect, he threw the slider to lefties much more frequently than righties, but had success against both sides with it.

The changeup was Latz’s weakest pitch. As one would expect, he threw it mostly against righthanders, and generated a 41% whiff rate with it. When batters made contact, however, they hit it hard, resulting in a .362 wOBA and .343 xwOBA on the change.

As one would expect, in light of all that, Latz showed significant platoon splits in 2025. Righthanded hitters hit .250/.338/.382 against him, while lefties hit .170/.239/.302 off of him.

What is notable, though, is that the x-numbers on the splits are much closer than the raw numbers. Righthanders had a .316 wOBA and .318 xwOBA against Latz, while lefties had a .240 wOBA and .309 xwOBA against him. Latz also showed a sizeable split between actual and xwOBA against lefties in 2024, with a wOBA of .303 and an xwOBA of .339.

Latz is a fly ball pitcher who strikes out an average number of hitters and issues an above-average number of walks — his 10.6 walk rate in 2025 put him in the 15th percentile, per Statcast. While one would expect, given that, that Latz’s success is driven by avoiding hard contact, he actually is below average in that regard (31st percentile), although he did avoid barrels.

One would think that, given those peripherals, Latz would have especially benefitted from the Shed’s pitcher-friendly tendencies in 2025. Latz did have a superior ERA at home (2.23) as compared to the road (3.28), but he actually allowed a higher OPS at home (683) than on the road (642), with his slugging allowed being 38 points higher at home, which undercuts that theory.

Given all that, it is not surprising that Latz shows a big spread between his actual ERA in 2025 (2.84) and his FIP (3.72) and xERA (4.11). He benefited from both a .272 BABIP and an 81.1% strand rate, and, I suspect, the stellar outfield defense that he had behind him.

All this makes it hard to figure out what to expect from Latz going forward. He turns 30 in April, but also still has two options remaining, which gives the Rangers some flexibility. He didn’t make the rotation out of spring training, and is probably best suited for a role that allows the Rangers to take advantage of that versatility, spotting him against lefties sometimes, using him in a multi-inning role sometimes, and having him make the occasional spot start when needed.

Previously:

Gerson Garabito

Tyler Mahle

Kyle Higashioka

Adolis Garcia

Luis Curvelo

Alejandro Osuna

Blaine Crim

Jake Burger

Jacob Webb

Nick Ahmed

Jon Gray

Carl Edwards Jr.

Josh Jung

Leody Taveras

Dustin Harris

Marc Church

Luke Jackson

Danny Coulombe

Wyatt Langford

Dylan Moore

Michael Helman

Evan Carter

Cole Winn

Rowdy Tellez

Dane Dunning

Marcus Semien

Billy McKinney

Jose Corniell

Jonah Heim

Cody Freeman

Sam Haggerty

Jacob deGrom

Merrill Kelly

Caleb Boushley

Justin Foscue

Nathan Eovaldi

Chris Martin

Patrick Corbin

Joc Pederson

Phil Maton

Corey Seager

Tucker Barnhart

Jack Leiter

Ezequiel Duran

Robert Garcia

Kumar Rocker

Codi Heuer

Donovan Solano

Hoby Milner

Josh Smith

Today, the Houston Astros finalized their 26-man Opening Day Roster.

The roster includes 13 pitchers and 13 position players.

To finalize the Opening Day roster, the Astros made several roster moves official this morning:

• RHP Christian Roa and C Christian Vázquez have been added to the 40-man roster.
• OF Zach Dezenzo (right elbow sprain) has been placed on the 10-day IL.
• RHP Ronel Blanco (recovery from right elbow surgery), RHP Enyel De Los Santos (right knee strain), LHP Josh Hader (left biceps tendinitis), RHP Nate Pearson (recovery from right elbow surgery), LHP Bennett Sousa (left oblique strain) and RHP Hayden Wesneski (recovery from right elbow surgery)have been placed on the 15-day IL.
• LHP Brandon Walter (recovery from left elbow surgery) has been placed on the 60-day IL.
• C César Salazar has been designated for assignment.
• OF Zach Cole has been optioned to Triple A Sugar Land.

Following today’s roster moves, the Astros 40-man roster remains full.

Several Astros have made their first career Opening Day rosters as active players, including RHP Mike Burrows, RHP AJ Blubaugh, RHP Tatsuya Imai, OF Joey Loperfido, IF/OF Brice Matthews, RHP Roddery Muñoz, RHP Christian Roa, RHP Kai-Wei Teng and RHP Ryan Weiss.

Among the veterans, 2B Jose Altuve leads the club by making his 14th career Opening Day roster. He’s also in line to make his 14th career Opening Day start, which would rank third in club history, trailing only 2B Craig Biggio (19) and 1B Jeff Bagwell (15).

The Astros begin play tomorrow afternoon with a 3:10 p.m. CT Opening Day matchup against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. RHP Hunter Brown will get the start for the Astros, marking his first career Opening Day start.

With Grapefruit League play in the books and Opening Day just days away, it’s time to choose our 2026 King of Spring Training! Let’s review our candidates and their final spring training numbers.

Cristian Pache – .419/.500/.710 in 31 ABs

Pache’s batting line has fallen a touch since our update last week because he’s gone hitless since then, but he still ended up tied with Bo Bichette for the second-most spring training hits on the team, behind only Opening Day right fielder Carson Benge. He also ended up with the highest OPS of anyone on the team with more than a small handful of at-bats. He impressed on both sides of the ball this spring and while most know him for his defensive prowess, it’s unlikely anyone expected him to hit like this. He is the definition of a prime KoST candidate and the current favorite by my (admittedly arbitrary) KoST point tally, but my assessment is not what determines the KoST. It’s you, the lovely Amazin’ Avenue community, who determines the KoST.

KoST Points: 2
Total KoST Points: 14

Mike Tauchman – .241/.371/.448 in 29 ABs

What a terribly unfortunate ending to Mike Tauchman’s fabulous spring.

Based on his spring performance, he was a near lock to make the team, but he injured his knee in the penultimate Grapefruit League game and will now have to miss significant time. It’s a shame for Tauchman, who still has a strong KoST case despite the injury.

KoST Points: 1
Total KoST Points: 9

Vidal Bruján – .273/.400/.273 in 33 ABs

From a KoST perspective, Tachman’s loss may end up to be Bruján’s gain. Bruján was a late addition to the field, but he is making a last minute case, as he improved his batting line from our last update and may end up snatching that last bench spot due to the injury to Tauchman. His seven walks in Grapefruit League action lead the team.

KoST Points: 2
Total KoST Points: 7

MJ Melendez – .364/.364/1.000 in 11 ABs

MJ Melendez sprinted out of the gate with a fast start in our KoST contest, but then was away from Mets camp due to the World Baseball Classic and ended up with only 11 spring at-bats. Still, his brief KoST candidacy demonstrated his value as AAA depth and there’s a chance he could see some big league at-bats this season.

KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points: 4

Austin Barnes – .313/.389/.500 in 16 ABs

Barnes did not appear in any of the Mets’ final few Grapefruit League games and was released by the Mets on Sunday, so he is now a free agent, which possibly disqualifies him as KoST. But for the sake of completeness, I will not allow his brief KoST campaign to be forgotten.

KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points: 4

Tobias Myers – 2.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 14 Ks in 11 2/3 IP

I understand the argument that as a guy who was likely always going to make the team, Myers may not be KoST eligible in the eyes of some. But I believe his candidacy is deserved because heading into spring, he was sort of seen as the “throw in” to the Freddy Peralta trade and demonstrated this spring that he is far more than that. He led the pitching staff in strikeouts this spring, generated a ton of whiffs, and lit up the stuff models. I don’t think it would be all that surprising if Myers was a key contributor to the Mets’ rotation this season.

KoST Points: 2
Total KoST Points: 9

Matt Turner – 3.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 7 Ks in 6 IP

Unfortunately, Matt Turner’s scoreless streak ended in his final spring outing, which was his only bad one. But he still got a long look and distinguished himself from the pack, which is KoST-worthy in and of itself.

KoST Points: 1
Total KoST Points: 7

Austin Warren – 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 5 Ks in 5 IP

Austin Warren was one of the final cuts this spring; he was optioned to Triple-A following Friday’s game. Warren was one of a few pitchers vying for the final spot in the bullpen, but the fact that he has options remaining unfortunately probably worked against him, despite his strong spring that made him a KoST candidate. He will likely be one of the first pitchers called up should the Mets need bullpen reinforcements and I would be surprised if he doesn’t see big league innings this season.

KoST Points: 2
Total KoST Points: 5

Robert Stock – 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 6 Ks in 3 IP

Like Tauchman, Stock had his KoST candidacy cut short by injury and his injury came much earlier in spring before he really had a chance to build his case, unfortunately. But he’ll have that shiny 0.00 spring training ERA in the books forever.

KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points: 3

The hot stove often overshadows changes made to coaching staffs, unless a team is searching for a new manager. The Yankees, of course, were not looking for a new skipper this offseason, but they did make a few changes to ensure the coaching staff was not fully the “run it back” version of last year’s group.

In many ways, the “run it back” Yankees applies just as much to the coaching staff as it does to the roster. The core remains, but a few older voices have been replaced with a group that blends youth, development, and a modern application of analytics. That said, this group also includes two internal promotions and one familiar face returning for a second stint in the Bronx.

Before this season kicks off, let’s remind ourselves of the Yankees’ 2026 coaching corps, with big-league staff tenure entering the season noted:

• Manager: Aaron Boone (9th season)
• Bench Coach: Brad Ausmus (3rd season)
• First Base/Infield/Baserunning Coach: Dan Fiorito (1st season)
• Third Base/Outfield Coach: Luis Rojas (5th season)
• Pitching Coach: Matt Blake (7th season)
• Assistant Pitching Coach: Preston Claiborne (2nd season)
• Assistant Pitching Coach: Desi Druschel (1st season, 5th overall; second stint with Yankees)
• Hitting Coach: James Rowson (3rd season)
• Assistant Hitting Coach: Casey Dykes (5th season)
• Assistant Hitting Coach: Jake Hirst (1st season)
• Major League Field Coordinator/Catching: Tanner Swanson (7th season)

The new additions are Desi Druschel for round two in the Bronx, along with Jake Hirst and Dan Fiorito.

On the pitching side, the Yankees made their most notable change, parting ways with longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey. Harkey had been a steady presence in New York dating all the way back to the old Yankee Stadium, originally serving under Joe Girardi from 2008 through 2013 before taking a job as Diamondbacks pitching coach, ultimately returning in 2016 and remaining through the transition to Aaron Boone. Like the other coaches who weren’t brought back for 2026, Harkey’s contract simply wasn’t renewed.

Harkey represented more of an old-school presence on the staff. His replacement, Desi Druschel, aligns much more closely with the modern, analytics-driven approach that has become central to Matt Blake’s pitching infrastructure.

Druschel’s first stint with the Yankees began in 2019, when New York hired him away from the college ranks to serve as Manager of Pitch Development, a role created specifically for him. In 2022, he was promoted to assistant pitching coach at the major league level, a position he held through the 2024 season before spending last year in a similar role with the Mets.

Now, he returns after a more seismic coach staff shakeup in Queens.

Druschel has built a reputation as one of the more analytically inclined pitching minds in the game. His time away only added to that profile, and he now rejoins a system that has continued to evolve in his absence.

The Yankees have invested heavily in pitching development, and bringing Druschel back signals a desire to keep pushing forward. His role will likely focus on bridging data, pitch design, and in-game adjustments, areas that have become critical to modern pitching success. It is not often that a coach leaves and then returns so quickly, which is exactly what makes this move stand out. The Mets had fired his superior in pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, so they allowed Druschel to talk to other teams and potentially move on if he wanted; he took that path.

There is also one lingering semi-question on the pitching side.

Although Boone said in December that Claiborne—a former Yankees reliever from 2013-14 who later became a minor-league coach and was named to the big-league staff for 2025—would serve as the bullpen coach, the Yanks did not formally designate him in that role, leaving some ambiguity about how those responsibilities will be handled early in the season. Perhaps the Yankees plan to move away from the traditional model and rotate responsibilities within the pitching group—though it would probably be safe to assume that Claiborne will be the one actually standing out in the bullpen on Opening Day in San Francisco.

On the hitting side, Jake Hirst joins the big-league staff as an assistant hitting coach, replacing Pat Roessler. Roessler was not removed due to performance, and while nothing has been formally announced, the organization indicated a desire to keep him in another role.

Hirst’s promotion reflects a continued emphasis on development. He enters his seventh season in the Yankees organization, having served as assistant minor league hitting coordinator in 2024 and minor league hitting coordinator in 2025.

Hirst is on the younger side, as he graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa, as recently as 2017, when Aaron Judge was already socking bombs and leading the Yankees. He played baseball for Central and then coached in Illinois at Augustana College before being hired by New York; he was widely acclaimed for his strong focus on communication and player development. That profile fits the modern assistant hitting coach role, where translating information into actionable adjustments is often more important than the information itself. This has quietly become one of the most important jobs on a coaching staff.

The Yankees are not overhauling their hitting philosophy, but they are doubling down on a coach who has already played a role in developing their next wave of hitters. Just look at Ben Rice and Austin Wells’ development paths to understand what the Yankees are hoping to unlock with this promotion.

The final change comes on the infield side, where Dan Fiorito steps into a big-league role as first base and infield coach, replacing Travis Chapman.

Chapman’s departure followed a 2025 season in which the Yankees’ infield defense and fundamentals were inconsistent (and there was even a rare public show of frustration from Boone toward one of his own in the dugout). Whether fair or not, those areas often fall under the lens of coaching, and the organization clearly felt a new voice was needed.

Fiorito, however, is not an outside hire. The Fordham Prep product has been with the organization since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2012. After his playing career in the Yankees’ system ended in 2016, he transitioned into coaching and was named League Manager of the Year while leading the Somerset Patriots to an Eastern League championship in 2022. Fiorito later served as a minor league infield and outfield instructor before becoming the organization’s coordinator in 2024 and 2025.

The Yankees continue to lean into internal development, not just with players, but with coaching as well. Fiorito’s promotion reflects a belief in the voices already within the organization. Now, that philosophy moves directly to the major league level.

Around these three changes, the rest of Boone’s staff remains in place. That continuity is intentional, and the hires deliberate.

Druschel returns with experience and a deep understanding of the Yankees’ pitching identity. Hirst adds a fresh but familiar developmental voice on the hitting side. Fiorito brings internal continuity and a direct connection to the organization’s pipeline.

Brian Cashman might push back on the idea that this is a “run it back” approach, but the fan base is starved for championships. A lack of visible change can sometimes be interpreted as a lack of urgency. Here’s to hoping this refreshed coaching staff is the group that helps guide the 2026 Yankees to, and through, the Canyon of Heroes.

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While Opening Day technically starts tonight for the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, the real regular season gets underway tomorrow, signaling a fresh start and renewed hope for all 30 MLB teams.

My MLB picks have you covered with five of my favorite futures to bet on for 2026. 

Five best MLB future bets

Market	Best Bet
AL MVP	Wyatt Langford	+4000
NL Rookie of the Year	Sal Stewart	+700
World Series Winner	Detroit Tigers	+2200
NL Manager of the Year	Don Kelly	+750
Regular Season HR Leader	Nick Kurtz	+1700

Wyatt Langford - AL MVP

The fourth-overall selection by the Texas Rangers in 2023, Wyatt Langford has already showcased his raw talent in his first two seasons. He’s appeared in 134 games in consecutive years, improving his OPS+ to 127 after posting a 115 mark as a rookie.

Langford’s BB% and Barrel% both ranked in the 87th percentile or better at Baseball Savant last season, and he's now slotted to hit second between Brandon Nimmo and Corey Seager to start 2026.

Texas's left fielder is in a great spot to produce with more traffic on the basepaths, and he won’t be hitting any lower in the lineup following the departures of Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia. 

A breakout campaign awaits Langford, and at +4000, a bid at AL MVP is worth a sprinkle. 

Pick: Wyatt Langford - AL MVP (+4000 at FanDuel)

Sal Stewart - NL Rookie of the Year

Sal Stewart’s cup of tea with the Cincinnati Reds was a promising one in 2025, launching five home runs in just 18 games.

This spring training, Stewart slashed .327/.450/.592 while swiping four bases, and Terry Francona has the 22-year-old first baseman set to hit cleanup in his first full season with Cincy.

Great American Ball Park remains one of the most hitter-friendly venues in baseball, and Stewart could be in line for an incredible full campaign as the Reds’ cleanup man — one who should easily lead all rookies in HRs and RBI.

Pick: Sal Stewart - NL Rookie of the Year (+700 at FanDuel)

Detroit Tigers - World Series Winner

The Detroit Tigers will run away with the AL Central this season. 

Boasting a rotation that now features Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, and Jack Flaherty, the Tigers open 2026 with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball — especially if they’re able to get something out of their reunion with Justin Verlander.

Top prospect Kevin McGonigle raked during Spring Training and will add some punch to an offense that was their kryptonite in the postseason, while adding veteran reliever Kenley Jansen to the bullpen gives them a closer with no shortage of postseason experience.

After standing pat at last year’s trade deadline, I’d still like to see Scott Harris be more aggressive this time around, even if that means parting ways with a youngster like Max Clark.

Flags fly forever.

Pick: Detroit Tigers - World Series winner (+2200 at FanDuel)

Don Kelly - NL Manager of the Year 

Just like most coaching awards, this one will go to the team that defies expectations. 

Pat Murphy has taken home NL honors in consecutive seasons for the Brewers, but this time around, the Jolly Roger might be flying.

Following a 71-91 campaign, the Pittsburgh Pirates were surprisingly aggressive in free agency, adding DH Marcell Ozuna, All-Star outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, and trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe.

Looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2015 and capitalize on having Paul Skenes while they can, the Pirates should be right in the mix in a wide-open NL Central.

Pick: Don Kelly - NL Manager of the Year (+750 at FanDuel)

Nick Kurtz - Regular Season Home Run Leader

Nick Kurtz burst onto the scene with the Athletics by launching 36 home runs in 117 games last year, running away with AL ROY honors and finishing 12th in MVP voting.

Although Kurtz struggled against southpaws, Sutter Health Park is a haven for left-handed power hitters, ranking 108 in Park Factor in 2025. 

Boasting an exit velocity and Barrel% in the 98th percentile last season, he’s hard to overlook at these odds, especially if he's able to stay healthy. 

Pick: Nick Kurtz - Regular Season Home Run Leader (+1700 at FanDuel)

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming out of irrelevance and into the limelight, with BetMGM reporting they are the most bet team to make the 2026 MLB postseason

Key Takeaways

• The team hasn’t had a winning record since 2018.
  
  
• Bettors picked the Pirates to win the NL Central more than they chose any other team to win a division.
  
  
• Nineteen clubs still lead the Pirates in World Series odds.

While every team in every sport begins its season with dreams of reaching the playoffs and competing for a championship, those ambitions have generally felt very far-fetched for the Pirates. 

This year’s team already looks much different from last year’s, which finished 71-91 and last in the division. The arrivals of Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O’Hearn, and Brandon Lowe should add more firepower to the offense, while young pitchers Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler will be tasked with adding quality starts behind reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller. 

The Pirates’ +220 odds (31.3% implied chance) to reach the playoffs at BetMGM are easily their best since 2017, per Sports Odds History. They also highlight the difference five years can make, as the team was a whopping +10,000 to qualify for the postseason entering the 2021 campaign.

Here’s how the Pirates' preseason odds to make the playoffs have looked for the past 10 years.

• 2026: +220 (TBD)
• 2025: +400 (missed)
• 2024: +450 (missed)
• 2023: +1,500 (missed)
• 2022: +1,500 (missed)
• 2021: +10,000 (missed)
• 2019: +550 (missed)
• 2018: +800 (missed)
• 2017: +185 (missed)

Bettors backing Buccos

While the Pirates' recent history has been forgettable at best, bettors at BetMGM are buying the newfound hype.

BetMGM shared with Covers that the Pirates have received more tickets than any other team in the “Make the playoffs” market. Fittingly, they were supported by more wager money than all other clubs.

Bettors’ optimism didn’t end with the playoffs. The Pirates (+600 to win the NL Central) are also the most popular pick and the biggest liability to win the division out of all teams despite only being fourth in odds to win the Central. The Chicago Cubs (+110), Milwaukee Brewers (+240), and Cincinnati Reds (+500) are all ahead of them, while the St. Louis Cardinals (+3,000) bring up the rear.

Other books are noticing a similar trend.

“There’s a lot of love for the Pittsburgh Pirates,” Caesars Sportsbook’s baseball lead Eric Biggio told Covers this week. “Their win total went from 70.5 to 78.5, as they actually spent some money this offseason.”

Completing such a huge turnaround will require not just improved team play but also huge individual performances.

Skenes, the best player on the roster, is a +220 favorite in Cy Young odds in what would be his second straight Cy Young season. His two-year career marks stand at a record of 21-13, a 1.96 ERA, and a 0.95 WHIP.

The 23-year-old is also +4,000 to win NL MVP, putting him below 12 of his peers. He was sixth in MVP voting a year ago, although the winner, Shohei Ohtani, claimed all 30 first-place votes.

World Series outlook

Even with the piling support for Pittsburgh, the Pirates still have a long way to go to climb the list of World Series odds.

The Dodgers are huge +220 favorites to win what would be their third straight title. The Pirates sit all the way back at +6,600, putting them behind 19 teams.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s here, friends! The start of another glorious season of San Francisco Giants baseball.

After four straight years of extreme mediocrity — since winning 107 games in 2021, the Giants have won 81, 79, 80, and 81 games in the following years — the Giants will hope to break from the middle of the pack, and return to their winning ways this year.

But will they be successful in that goal? We’ll have to wait many months before we know the answer to that question … in the meantime, you get to decide.

The Orioles made their Opening Day roster official on Wednesday afternoon. They will head into the 2026 season looking like this:

Starting pitchers

• LHP Trevor Rogers
• RHP Kyle Bradish
• RHP Shane Baz
• RHP Chris Bassitt
• RHP Zach Eflin

This group was settled several days ago when the Orioles optioned Dean Kremer to the minor league camp.

Relief pitchers

• RHP Yennier Cano
• LHP Dietrich Enns
• RHP Rico Garcia
• RHP Ryan Helsley
• RHP Yaramil Hiraldo
• RHP Anthony Nunez
• RHP Tyler Wells
• LHP Grant Wolfram

Keegan Akin is starting the season on the injured list due to an adductor strain. For the time being, it seems that Anthony Nunez is the beneficiary of that. Or maybe Yaramil Hiraldo is, and Nunez is the beneficiary of the team not choosing the out-of-options Jackson Kowar to make the team.

Catchers

• Samuel Basallo
• Adley Rutschman

This was the easiest one to predict of all of them.

Infielders

• Blaze Alexander
• Pete Alonso
• Gunnar Henderson
• Jeremiah Jackson
• Coby Mayo
• Ryan Mountcastle

Up until a couple of days ago, it seemed like Luis Vázquez might get the last bench spot here, but his broken thumb takes him out of the mix. Jackson gets the nod instead, with hot spring bat Bryan Ramos missing out.

Outfielders

• Dylan Beavers
• Colton Cowser
• Tyler O’Neill
• Leody Taveras
• Taylor Ward

I don’t think that the Orioles were going to go with Heston Kjerstad instead of Taveras anyway, but Kjerstad’s hamstring injury settles that. He, too, is starting the season on the injured list.

**

The official roster moves that set things up this way:

• Jackson Holliday (hamate bone), Heston Kjerstad (hamstring strain), Jordan Westburg (right elbow sprain) placed on 10-day injured list
• Keegan Akin (groin), Andrew Kittredge (shoulder inflammation) placed on 15-day injured list
• Félix Bautista (shoulder surgery), Colin Selby (shoulder inflammation) placed on 60-day injured list
• Jackson Kowar and Bryan Ramos designated for assignment
• José Barrero, Sam Huff, Albert Suárez, Luis Vázquez, and Weston Wilson reassigned to Triple-A Norfolk

Apparently, despite some noise that Suárez might exercise his opt-out clause because of other teams having interest in him, that interest did not materialize and he decided his best bet was to wait around in Norfolk.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers may have taken the fun out of betting on the World Series odds, but there are still MLB win total odds to consider for all 30 teams ahead of Opening Day, even the ones that have no shot at making the playoffs.

My MLB picks and win total predictions for the 2026 season believe the Chicago White Sox will do a little surprising in the AL. I also see the San Diego Padres refusing to go quietly in the NL West.

American League win total picks

Seattle Mariners Over 90.5 wins (-115 at FanDuel)

The Seattle Mariners won 90 games and clinched the AL West last season, falling just short of the first World Series appearance in team history. The Mariners could be even better this year, so I'm pouncing on their Over.

The Mariners have arguably the best rotation in baseball, with Logan Gilbert getting the Opening Day nod. There's a case to be made that Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo could both serve as Game 1 guys on over half the teams in the majors.

They'll each make about half their starts in T-Mobile Park, one of the most pitcher-friendly venues in MLB. They're also backed by a rock-solid bullpen that features closer Andres Munoz.

This lineup is nothing to sneeze at either, with Cal Raleigh looking to build on a breakout year, and Julio Rodriguez featuring as one of the best hitters in the game. The addition of Brendan Donovan is a nice feather in the cap for this bet.

Chicago White Sox Over 67.5 wins (-108 at FanDuel)

The Chicago White Sox improved from 41 wins to 60 a year ago, and I think they're due for another spike in a weak AL Central in 2026. 

I respect the Tigers, the probable division winner, but I'm not bullish on the Royals rotation, nor am I impressed with the Guardians lineup. The Twins were in full-on tank mode last season, and it could happen again if they start slowly. 

This all points to more divisional wins for the White Sox.

Shane Smith and Sean Burke each figure to take a step forward after showing promise while getting meaningful experience in 2025. This bullpen also got better with the additions of Sean Newcomb and Seranthony Dominguez.

If Jordan Hicks can figure things out as he returns to a relief role, that will be all the better for the South Siders.

Finally, while I'm not bullish on the strikeout-prone Munetaka Murakami, I'm interested to see how Colson Montgomery will fare in his sophomore season, and how Luisangel Acuna will do as a full-time player after getting only limited exposure in the big leagues with the Mets.

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National League win total picks

San Diego Padres Over 83.5 wins (-118 at FanDuel)

I'm at a loss to explain why the San Diego Padres are expected to win six fewer games in 2026.

Yes, Joe Musgrove will start the season on the IL, and Yu Darvish is out for the year, but the Padres have more than enough pitching depth to ride out the storm. Nick Pivetta and Michael King both had monster seasons for San Diego in 2025 and can replicate them.

This lineup is still as potent as ever with Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill starring, and Sung-Mun Song joining them in a utility role once he's up to speed following a training camp injury.

And lest we forget, the Padres bullpen, led by Mason Miller, was tops in the big leagues in 2025.

Milwaukee Brewers Over 85.5 wins (-118 at FanDuel)

Oddsmakers are calling for the Milwaukee Brewers to fall off a cliff in 2026, and I'm more than happy to buy the dip.

The Brewers won 97 games last year, and their offseason was not nearly as bad as this line makes it out to be. Staff ace Freddy Peralta is gone, but we've seen this movie before with Corbin Burnes getting dealt ahead of the 2024 season, and Milwaukee still managed to win 93 games.

The rotation is still a decent one with rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski and proven veteran Brandon Woodruff anchoring it. Milwaukee's bullpen was sixth by ERA a year ago, and Trevor Megill is still there to shut the door in the ninth in 2026.

This lineup is young and highly underrated, with stars like Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang in the fold, along with veteran sluggers Christian Yelich and William Contreras.

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The Mets are among more than 15 teams interested in signing free agent reliever Drew Smith, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Smith, 32, was released by the Nationals last week. 

In November, the Mets declined their $2 million option on the right-hander for the 2026 season.

Smith had inked a one-year deal with the aforementioned team option in February of 2025 after having his second Tommy John surgery the summer prior.

In 17.2 innings over 19 games for the Mets in 2024, Smith had a 3.06 ERA and 1.52 WHIP while striking out 23 batters -- a rate of 11.7 per nine. His 2024 season ended after an appearance on June 23, and he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure on July 13.

Smith debuted with the Mets in 2018 and has posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 196.1 innings over 191 big league appearances.

The Mets' bullpen to open the season will be eight deep and include:

Devin Williams
Luke Weaver
Brooks Raley
Luis Garcia
Tobias Myers
Huascar Brazoban
Richard Lovelady
Sean Manaea

Former Pittsburgh Pirate and National League MVP, Andrew McCutchen, will be on the opening day roster for the Texas Rangers. This will be McCutchen’s 18th MLB season.

After going most of the offseason with little to no communication from Pittsburgh’s front office McCutchen signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on March 6. The 39-year-old was with the team for spring training in Arizona for just three weeks but impressed Chris Young, the Rangers’ president of baseball operations, with his play and leadership qualities.

“There were a number of factors that went into it, but ultimately we felt like Cutch earned it just with his performance,” Young said. “The way he’s hit the ball, the way his approach is — [we] felt very good that he’s going to help us win a lot of games.”

While in camp ‘Cutch only had 21 at bats, but made the absolute most of his opportunities. He’d finish spring training with a slash line of .429/.556/.714 with an OPS of 1.270. The former-MVP tallied nine hits, scored five runs, hit 7 RBIs and hit one homer while reaffirming that he’s still got some game left in him.

“I was wrote off in a lot of places, honestly told to retire. But I knew deep down there was something in me that told me that there was still more in the tank and that I could continue to keep playing,” McCutchen said. “For them giving me the opportunity … I’m going to make sure that it’s worth it from both of our ends.”

McCutchen who was drafted by the Pirates in 2005 and then made his MLB debut with the club in 2009 spent his first nine seasons with Pittsburgh. In that time frame he was Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year, the NL-MVP in 2013, a Gold Glove Defender in 2012, a four-time Silver Slugger, a five-time All-Star and was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015. The Fort Meade native helped lead the franchise to a playoff berth in 2013 and beat the rival Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round. Prior to this the Pirates endured a period of 20 consecutive losing seasons, a North American sports record.

The Pirates traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. ‘Cutch would go on to play for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and Brewers before returning to the Pirates in 2023 where he would spend three more seasons with the club before not being resigned this offseason. Last season he had 13 home runs and 57 RBIs with the Pirates.

Now with the Texas Rangers the veteran outfielder and designated hitter is in a locker room with several budding superstars and his leadership will bring just as much to the clubhouse and his bat. Texas manager Skip Schumaker outlined what he envisions for his new leader as a member of the Rangers.

“The more guys around that we can have like Andrew McCutchen, the better,” Schumaker said. “I think he’s going to really help a lot of these young guys play with a different mentality and edge. He came in and performed well right away. He fit right in in the clubhouse, can still play the outfield at times.”

Schumaker went on to say that while McCutchen won’t be a full time outfielder, he is a valuable piece to have in the clubhouse and on the bench.

“I don’t think you’ll see him all the time out there, but if we need him, he’ll play out there,” Schumaker said. “But just a really valuable piece to either come off the bench in a high-leverage spot or also potentially start against left-handed pitching.”

McCutchen echoed the importance of his new role.

“I told them I am at their disposal — no matter what it is, no matter what they need from me, I’m here, and that’s what I’m here for,” McCutchen said.

More than anything this is an opportunity for McCutchen to continue to play and if this is his last season to go out on his own terms, and he seems poised to take control of the situation both as a mentor and as a plug and play type of player in high leverage spots.

“This is the beginning for me to continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing since I got here. And understanding that just because I’m here doesn’t mean that I’m here to stay,” McCutchen said. “I have to remind myself of that every single day that I’m out here and that I am on the field. Even the days that I’m not starting, always knowing that there’s a way to improve, and for my peers and teammates, there’s something that I can do to be able to help them.”

The Texas Rangers open up their season in Philadelphia for a three game series with the Phillies. The Rangers will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Arlington from April 21-23. Barring any kind of reunion with the Pirates this season or a move to a team that will play in Pittsburgh this season, McCutchen will not play at PNC Park in 2026.

Yesterday, I released my first college plus high school big board of the 2026 MLB Draft cycle, which you can find here. My college rankings were what shook up the most in the process of updating my board, as through 6 weeks of NCAA play, we’ve seen some players rise to the occasion and break out, and some have taken a step backwards. With about 3 1/2 months remaining until the draft in July, let’s take a look at some hitters who shot up my rankings and could be in play for the Nats with the 11th overall pick.

Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech

Lackey is my 6th-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class after being ranked in the teens on my first college big board. Entering 2026, Lackey was a tooled-up backstop who I recognised the potential to have a big 2026 in, but needed to see a more consistent plate approach in, as well as more in-game power. So far through 24 games, he’s done both, more than doubling his BB/K ratio from 0.66 in 2025 to 1.50 in 2026 and surpassing his 2025 home run total of 6 with 9 already. His 85th percentile whiff rate and 77th percentile average exit velocity amongst all college hitters in 2025 demonstrated his ability to put it all together, and that’s exactly what he’s done this season for the Yellow Jackets.

Behind the plate, Lackey’s elite athleticism shines through, as he excels at blocking balls in the dirt and gunning down basestealers. He also has some great wheels, not only for a catcher, but for anyone, stealing 18 bags in 2025 and up to 7 already in 2026. Lackey has drawn comparisons to current Nationals catcher Harry Ford as a prospect, who was committed to play at Georgia Tech before being drafted by the Mariners, but Lackey’s success has been against ACC pitching, making it easier to project his success translating to pro ball.

Chris Hacopian INF Texas A&M

Hacopian moved up my college hitter rankings slightly from 6th to 5th, making him my 12th-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class overall. After missing some games with a back injury to start this season, Hacopian has excelled for the Aggies, with a 134 wRC+ and 2.00 BB/K ratio in 10 games. He has one of the best eyes in all of college baseball, with an 87th percentile chase rate in 2025 and walking over twice as much as he’s struck out in both 2025 and 2026. There’s thunder in Hacopian’s bat as well, as he smacked 14 home runs in 52 games last season, with an impressive 97th percentile average exit velocity on the year, and he’s hit 3 in his 10 games in 2026.

Defensively, Hacopian’s most likely defensive home in pro ball would seemingly be third base, as he likely lacks the range necessary for shortstop at the big league level, but he’s gotten plenty of reps at second base as well for the Aggies. Hacopian has the potential to move quickly through a minor league system due to his excellent plate approach and raw power, and could be manning the 4 or 5 spot on the diamond for the Nats before the likes of Eli Willits and Gavin Fien arrive.

Sawyer Strosnider OF TCU

Like Lackey, I recognised the potential for a breakout 2026 for Strosnider due to his excellent raw power, but needed to see more consistency in his plate approach before I could fully buy in, as he struck out 18.7% of the time and posted a 0.43 BB/K ratio in 2025. He’s silenced all concerns of mine to begin 2025, nearly tripling his BB/K ratio from 0.43 to 1.29, as well as tapping more into his power in-game, with 8 home runs in 23 games, well above his 2025 pace of 11 bombs in 56 games. A draft-eligible sophomore this season, Strosnider is putting it all together offensively at the right time, with strong exit velocities and an improved chase rate resulting in a 139 wRC+ so far in 2026.

Defensively, Strosnider is athletic enough to handle center field, but he currently resides in right field for the Horned Frogs due to another draft-eligible outfielder, Chase Brunson, being out there. He’s shown plus run times before, and he’s gotten even better at swiping bags in 2026, with 8 steals so far in 23 games. Overall, if Strosnider continues to outwalk his strikeouts the way he has to start this year, he might outplay himself from Nationals territory in the draft. If the Nats did get their hands on him, he could immediately become the best current outfield prospect in the Nationals farm system, with the potential to be up in DC patrolling the grass by 2028.

Here are the 26 men who will line up on the third-base line at Wrigley Field Thursday afternoon before the Cubs’ season opener against the Nationals.

Most of these were well-known before; a few were added over the last couple of days. All groups are listed in alphabetical order, except for the starting pitchers, who I have listed in the rotation order where I believe they will begin the season.

Catchers (2)

Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly

Infielders (5)

Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Scott Kingery, Dansby Swanson

Outfielders (5)

Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Matt Shaw

Designated hitter (1)

Moisés Ballesteros

Starting pitchers (5)

Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shōta Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon

Relief pitchers (8)

Ben Brown, Hunter Harvey, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb

Of these 26 men, nine (Bregman, Cabrera, Carlson, Conforto, Harvey, Kingery, Maton, Milner and Webb) were not in the Cubs organization last year. Three others (Ballesteros, Horton, Palencia) were not on last year’s Opening Day roster.

Three of these players (Carlson, Conforto and Kingery) were non-roster invitees to Spring Training. As such, three players had to be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for them. Those moves began late Tuesday when Tyler Austin was placed on the 60-day injured list and Carlson was added. It’s entirely possible Austin will never play for the Cubs.

Here are the other two 40-man roster moves to add Conforto and Kingery:

Justin Steele was placed on the 60-day injured list. That would target a late May or early June return.

Right-handed reliever Jack Neely was designated for assignment. Neely, who was acquired along with Ben Cowles from the Yankees in the Mark Leiter Jr. deal in 2024, pitched in six games for the Cubs that year with a 9.00 ERA, but did not appear for the team in 2025.

Three other roster moves were announced Wednesday. Seiya Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain (retroactive to March 22), right-handed pitcher Porter Hodge was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain (retroactive to March 22), and left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks was placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm inflammation (retroactive to March 22).

There are your Opening Day Cubs. Looking forward to a big year for the North Siders!

Doing the A’s and the Astros’ prospect previews was, to be honest, an exercise in schadenfreude. I had a great time doing it! But it’s time now for just freude, no schaden. 

Evaluators Overview

Baseball America: 10th in organizational rankings, 4 prospects in Top 100 (SS Colt Emerson (#7), LHP Kade Anderson (#25), OF Lazaro Montes (#58), RHP Ryan Sloan (#60). 

Baseball Prospectus: 11th in organizational rankings, 5 Top-101 prospects (SS Colt Emerson (#14), LHP Kade Anderson (#28), RHP Ryan Sloan (#32), 2B Michael Arroyo (#35) OF Lazaro Montes (#97) . 

FanGraphs: Org rank not updated, but ended 2025 ~6th, 7 Top-100 prospects: SS Colt Emerson (#11), RHP Ryan Sloan (#20), LHP Kade Anderson (#50), OF Jonny Farmelo (#51), OF Lazaro Montes (#66) 2B Michael Arroyo (#78), SS Felnin Celesten (#86). 

MLB Pipeline: 8th in organizational rankings, 6 Top-100 prospects: SS Colt Emerson (#9), LHP Kade Anderson (#21), RHP Ryan Sloan (#33), OF Lazaro Montes (#43), 2B Michael Arroyo (#67), OF Jonny Farmelo (#78)

In summary, there are 4 consensus Top-100 prospects from across the organization: Colt Emerson (averaging 10th in the rankings), Kade Anderson (avg 31st), Ryan Sloan (avg 36th), and Laz Montes (avg 66th). There’s another three who are consensus top-100 or adjacents in Michael Arroyo, Jonny Farmelo and Felnin Celesten.

The Mariners’ current farm system represents the restocking of the cupboards, another wave that’s beginning to grow after the last washed George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Bryce Miller and Matt Brash ashore. Will this wave of prospects match the group that’s produced, combined, a Rookie of the Year, 7 All-Star selections, 2 Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, a Home Run Derby Championship, and 5 top-15 MVP finishes in four seasons? 

No, probably not. The drop-off is steep after the top 12 or 13 prospects. There’s no longer a seemingly-endless supply of at least replacement level talent keeping Seattle’s farm in the second tier of organizations, and you can’t count only on your top-end guys to succeed – you have to hit on some breakouts from the depths.

That being said, the Mariners have put together a farm system that’s particularly rich at the top, even as they have traded away top-end talent; Harry Ford and Jurrangelo Cijntje (traded this offseason for José Ferrer and Brendan Donovan respectively) both make the back-half of most publications’ top-100 lists, and Tai Peete was also a top-10 prospect in the system. After those trades, MLB Pipeline still has the Mariners tied for the most top-100 prospects. 

We are lucky enough to have Max Ellingsen, professional Ball Knower, writing prospect evals and content for Lookout Landing, which means you are all lucky enough to get to read his work, including the prospect rankings series that is currently underway. With that being said, it would be redundant and silly for me to give you prospect by prospect breakdowns for our top players. Instead, I’ll break this out by approximate ETA and give a high-level overview of who and what is to come, focusing on players in our informal top 4 tiers of prospects and when you might see them. 

2026/2027:

Tier 1: Despite speculation that Colt Emerson might start the season at SS while J.P. Crawford recovers from his shoulder woes, the Mariners shut that down by assigning him to the Minors just this last weekend. It’s the right decision – 20-year-old Emerson should be given the time he needs to develop and be Ready, rather than be rushed up as an injury stop-gap and then sent back down. Emerson didn’t look as overwhelmed as he did last spring, but he still struck out twice as much as he walked, looking overmatched against the top pitching talent he faced. There’s no need to disrupt his development at this point, especially because he doesn’t need that much more time to cook – you’ll probably see Emerson up this summer, where he has a chance to be crucial to the Mariners’ playoff run. 

Kade Anderson is a lefty starter with two plus breaking balls and a fastball that plays up in the zone. Are you sold yet? You should be. That’s basically all we need to say. He’s an incredibly polished 21-year-old who probably would be in the starting rotation for some teams with a weak staff. The Mariners do not, probably to his benefit – again, no need to rush a prospect who could be good now if he could be great in a year or so. He’ll be up next summer at the latest.  

Tier 2: Michael Arroyo has been championed by our own John Trupin for long enough that we’ve all grown used to believing in him, but the national landscape has finally caught up to John. He’s well-regarded as a hitter at this point, shaking off the concerns about his 5’9” frame, showing a little bit of power as well. He’s been moved from shortstop to second, mostly for Seattle’s embarrassment of riches at the position, and will see time in the outfield. I expect to see him playing significant time this year if Refsnyder/Canzone and co. don’t get it done in right field. 

Laz, Laz, Laz. You dirty bastards (and our own staff! shame!) predicted him as the biggest prospect faller for the Mariners in our annual predictions survey. You leave my large barely-adult son alone. Hating on Lazaro Montes is a symptom of 70-power and 6’5” jealousy. His pop is undeniable. His bat? Well. Put it down as potentially deniable. He has a tough road to staying in the outfield, even in the corners, but see him as a potential late 2027 DH fill-in to start. 

Tier 4:Teddy McGraw is the best name in the system by far. Bryce Miller wishes he was named Teddy McGraw. If he can stay healthy, the starter-turned-reliever could see a debut as early as this season. His hot-and-heavy sinker and slider play off each other, and while two plus pitches does not a starter make, a reliever it just may, especially if it plays up in the pen. Call it late 2026 or early 2027. 

2028/2029:

Tier 1: I’m not going to spoil too much for the aforementioned series, but Max messaged me today that he doesn’t recall a pitching prospect that he likes more than Ryan Sloan. There’s everything to love and nothing to hate about Sloan. There’s some minor disagreement about his ETA, and putting him as a 2028 debut might be conservative, but I am having a tough time seeing where he fits in the picture over the next two seasons given the currently-elite five starters the Mariners have. 

Tier 2:Jonny Farmelo is a prospect I will be happy to be wrong about. I’ve never really understood the hype, but that is probably just a me thing. It might be that we’ve just yet to really see him play. He’s seen nothing but injuries over the last two seasons since being drafted in 2023. His talent has been displayed before, but only in short bursts, and I’m not sold enough yet on the bat to feel like it’s only a matter of time. He needs two full, healthy seasons to develop at the plate before sneaking his way onto the 2028 or 2029 lineup. 

Tier 3:Felnin Celesten, the phoenix. A prospect that people loved to love from 2021-2023, and loved to hate the last couple of years. Chalk him up similar to Farmelo – he’s in a real prove-it moment this season. He doesn’t need to hit more than 15 homers if the bat can be plus with great placement into the gaps, and the glovework at shortstop can carry him. I have him as a better defender than Emerson, so perhaps Celesten will be what eventually moves Emerson to the hot corner in 2029. 

Luke Stevenson is allegedly good, according to folks smarter than me. He’s in the same boat as Farmelo – I see him as having a decent floor but I think he’s got a real back-loaded bell curve of outcomes, unlikely to hit his top-end. I’d love to be wrong! He might be ready to backing up Cal by the end of 2028, giving the M’s a reliable backup catcher who can get Cal some more days at DH.

Tier 4: Korbyn Dickerson profiles, on the pessimistic end, as a dynamic center-fielder who can be a dependable 4th outfielder with plus defense at each spot. He’s a fun power-speed guy with a lot of upside but also a decent amount of downside. Planning on 2029 would give him a fantastic amount of runway to iron out some flaws on the hit tool. 

2030 and Beyond:

Tier 3: Nick Becker won’t be in this tier for much longer. Max wrote in his prospect ranking write-up that Becker might have the highest upside in the system. Given that this is a farm heavy on the upside, that’s incredibly high praise. I’m worried about  the janky swing, but he’s 18! This is stuff that can all be worked out. The middle-infield pipeline is thick and rich, so he’s got lots of time to develop. Tools galore – let’s check back in in 2030 and see where he’ll fit in. 

What if Lazaro Montes had plus speed and a cannon for an arm? That might be Yorger Bautista. He’s just 18, signing during the 2025 J15 window, but the young outfielder has ridiculous potential. 70-grade pop in a 6’1” frame with the maturity of a player several years ahead of him should have you drooling. 2026 will be his first time stateside, so give him 4 years or so to develop. 

Griffin Hugus, the funniest name in the system! The most nicknameable, for sure. The most currently Tommy-Johned. So, put the expectations back quite a bit. 2029 will be the first year we’ll be able to get him a real evaluation. 

Tier 4: You’ve heard it first – Juan Rijo could be the real deal. I think that he has upside that rivals some of the prospects in the top tier of the system. I love, love, LOVE the swing – I love the bat path, I love the swing, and I think that as he grows into his frame, we can see true plus power and a plus bat. You don’t see 18-year-olds with this level of polish on the swing. No jank here! Like Bautista, let’s see him with 4 years to play stateside. 

The Mariners are in a rare, blessed spot right now. The major-league club is ultra-competitive and has a wealth of cheap, controllable talent, while the farm is well-stocked with a dozen prospects that gives them the flexibility that every front office prizes. The Mariners can build a sustainable engine of consistent playoff appearances, extending their most key players now and letting this next wave fill in some gaps. Or, they can read the table, push in their chips, and go all in, now, and add great or elite talent for a shot at a title or two. Not a bad place to be.