Say hello to William Bergolla Jr., early contender for White Sox Cactus League MVP for 2026. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sure, it’s too early to start counting on the calendar to determine which White Sox arm is in line for Opening Day on March 26 but … well, OK, I just did. And today’s starter, Shane Smith, going every five days lands him at March 25. So, as makes absolute sense, Shane Smith is your Opening Day starter.
In addition to Smith, Grant Taylor and Seranthony Domínguez are scheduled to pitch today. Though there could be surprises, that likely means any other arms (say, five innings’ worth?) will be from minor league camp.
Of additional interest is Munetaka Murakami getting a back-to-back start after playing half of the game on Sunday, slotting into the 3-hole and DHing. We’ll also get another look at the possible right side of the outfield in 2026, with Luisangel Acuña in center and Jarred Kelenic in right. Finally, camp sensation William Bergolla Jr. (who had Bergolla and Sam Antonacci as your second-half 2026 middle infield?) hits ninth, playing shortstop. Bergolla has gone 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, a steal and an RBI so far this spring.
So now, the bad news: It’s a Gameday view today, with no TV, webcast or even radio from Chicago or Colorado. You’re dependent on my take on the game … which will be through Gameday! See you then.
RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Sabin Ceballos #8 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels makes a throw to first base during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
We have reached the final chapter in the 2026 Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List! Just one more ballot must be submitted, and then we will have successfully ranked the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization. And with time to spare, I might add!
The penultimate name on our list is someone who was opening a lot of eyes this time last year: it’s third baseman Sabin Ceballos, who has been voted as the No. 43 prospect in the system. That’s a drop of 25 spots for Ceballos, who made his CPL debut at No. 18 a year ago.
That paints the picture of someone who had a tough 2025, but that doesn’t quite do justice to the narrative arc of his prospectdom. The right-handed hitter was a third-round pick in the 2023 draft by the Atlanta Braves, and received a signing bonus in line with a mid-fourth round pick. He was coasting along in Atlanta’s system, playing decently but not making a lot of noise: during his first full season, in 2024, he had a .706 OPS and a 117 wRC+ for Atlanta’s High-A affiliate.
Then he was traded the Giants in the Jorge Soler deal. He stayed in High-A, heading straight to the Northwest League to join the Eugene Emeralds. That was a homecoming for the University of Oregon product, and it seemed that the refreshing Pacific Northwest air ignited something in Ceballos. He hit the cover off the baseball with the Emeralds, posting a .913 OPS and a 152 wRC+. After hitting just three home runs in 377 plate appearances in High-A at the time of the trade, Ceballos smashed seven dingers in just 140 plate appearances the rest of the way.
He quickly proved that the success wasn’t just due to a reunion with the state of Oregon. Ceballos popped over from Minor League camp to fill in for a handful of Cactus League games in 2025, and the results were mesmerizing. He appeared in 15 games for the Giants this time last year, and hit 9-20 with three extra-base hits, four walks, and just three strikeouts, leaving the desert with a 1.633 OPS, a 317 wRC+, and some serious prospect shine.
Those highs were very high, but what followed was not. The Giants assigned Ceballos to AA Richmond, where he spent the entirety of the 2025 season, and the results were not very good. He had a rough debut, barely staying above the Mendoza Line in April, and then things got very ugly.
In May, Ceballos hit just 12-70 with no home runs, for a .171/.301/.214 line. In June, he went 9-61 with no home runs, and a slash line of .148/.235/.180. He entered July with a .178 batting average, a .522 OPS, and just one home run.
But the good news is that the slump did not last all year, and Ceballos put in some serious work turning around his season. You certainly would not have been able to predict, as the calendar turned to July, that Ceballos would end the year with a triple-digit wRC+, but he did exactly that.
After two straight months well below a .200 average, Ceballos nearly hit .300 in July … and did in August. From July through the end of the year, he went 46-150 with 16 extra-base hits, including five home runs. That brought him all the way up to a .670 OPS and a 102 wRC+. Those numbers look even better when you account for age: Ceballos turned 23 towards the end of the season, making him roughly 1.5 years younger than his average peers.
While Ceballos ended the year on a tear, the overall numbers are still not particularly good. His overall line was carried in large part by his strong walk rate of 11.2%, which ranked 46th out of 134 Eastern League hitters who had at least 200 plate appearances last year. But his batting average of .232 ranked 72nd, while his isolated slugging of .106 was 91st.
Despite those poor numbers, Ceballos had little issue making contact in 2025. His strikeout rate was a very tidy 17.4%, which ranked 24th out of those aforementioned 134 hitters, and his swinging strike rate of 7.3% was 16th. He does a tremendous job of making contact … he just struggles to make good contact.
But wait! There’s even more optimism. Ceballos is not your prototypical Minor League third baseman, hoping that the bat can carry a no-place-to-put-him-throw-him-in-a-corner-and-hide-his-glove defensive profile. No, Ceballos was a bonafide defensive weapon at the hot corner last year. I’d stop short of calling him Casey Schmitt or Matt Chapman out there, but he’s very strong defensively. If the bat can rise to meet the glove, then he’ll be cooking, and have a Major League career ahead of him.
I would presume that he’ll be back in Richmond for a repeat of the level in 2026, though he’ll be sharing real estate with Parks Harber if that’s the case. And given how hot his second half was in 2025, it probably won’t take too many weeks of swinging the bat well to get a promotion to AAA where, as they say, you’re only one call away.
Now let’s vote on the final name for our list! As a reminder, voting now takes place in the comment section, using the “rec” feature.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
No. 44 prospect nominees
ScottBandura — 24.6-year old OF — .626 OPS/88 wRC+ in AA (186 PA); .838 OPS/136 wRC+ in High-A (373 PA)
ReggieCrawford — 25.2-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)
JoseOrtiz — 21.7-year old OF — .803 OPS/134 wRC+ in Low-A (66 PA)
Jean CarlosSio — 21.10-year old INF — .808 OPS/130 wRC+ in High-A (122 PA); .821 OPS/129 wRC+ in Low-A (385 PA)
CharlieSzykowny — 25.7-year old 3B/1B — .816 OPS/122 wRC+ in High-A (549 PA)
TylerVogel — 25.3-year old RHP — 18.00 ERA/6.47 FIP in AAA (2 IP); 1.13 ERA/2.42 FIP in AA (16 IP); 2.83 ERA/3.86 FIP in High-A (41.1 IP)
Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2025 season.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Seth Lugo #67 of the Kansas City Royals poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In today’s spring training matchup, the Royals take on the Cubs. We’ll get our first look at Seth Lugo after his injury-plagued 2025 season. Lugo’s 4.15 ERA from 2025 outperformed his 5.09 FIP, and he pitched only 145.1 innings. The Royals gave Lugo an extension instead of trading him last season, so it’s crucial that he rebounds this season.
The Cubs will start Ben Brown. He’s been a starter and come out of the bullpen as the bulk guy for the past two seasons. He sports a high strikeout rate and a decent walk rate so far. If he can be consistent as a starter, he’ll be really good. He did pitch against the Royals on July 21st and gave up seven runs in four innings of work.
The game starts at 2:05pm Kauffman time (US Central). You can listen on 96.5 The Fan.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres attempts to turn a double play as Noah Miller #88 of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides into second base during the fourth inning of a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers at San Diego Padres, February 23, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV and MLB Network (Out of Market Only)
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Walks came back to haunt the Colorado Rockies in their 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday. The minor league arms struggled to find the zone, but it was non-roster invite Parker Mushinski who struggled the most of the arms that day, walking three and giving up five runs in his 2/3 of an inning. Still, there are some worthwhile things happening with the offense and the pitchers, with a strong shot of making the roste,r so that is good.
Michael Lorenzen will make his Cactus League debut as he takes the ball against the Chicago White Sox. Signed to an $8 million deal, the Rockies are hoping that Lorenzen’s intellectual mind, deep mix of pitches, and desire to solve Coors Field will make him a valuable asset in 2026. He is embracing the challenge and welcomes the role of mentoring and teaching the young guys in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, you’ll only get to watch clips of him pitching after the game today since it isn’t available on television or the radio.
Shane Smith will take the mound for the 3-0 White Sox. Selected in the Rule-5 draft in 2024, Smith was a darling for Chicago in an otherwise forgettable season. He ended up making 29 starts and posting a solid 3.81 ERA with 145 strikeouts against 58 walks in 146 1/3 innings of work, and was named an All-Star in his first big league season while finishing 10th in Rookie of the Year voting.
On the position player side of things, the Rockies continue to experiment with new positions, as Ryan Ritter, who started at third base recently, is now getting some looks in the outfield as he starts in left field. As for the White Sox, Munetaka Murakami will continue getting exposure while their other new additions fill up what could be a fairly regular lineup for them come April.
In the wake of two lackluster performances to open their spring training schedule, the Athletics have another chance today to nab their first preseason win as they travel to Scottsdale to take on the San Francisco Giants.
The A’s starter this afternoon will be JT Ginn, a youngster who bounced between the starting rotation and bullpen last season. This appearance will be the first of many for Ginn in what could be a pivotal spring training for him. Ginn is in a similar situation as Jack Perkins, who started the A’s first spring training game. Both of these pitchers have the ability and experience of being starting pitchers, yet seemed to pitch better in the bullpen last fall. Also given the A’s current roster construction, they may have a better chance of making the team as long relievers or guys who can pitch the sixth inning or later. That may benefit Ginn, who seemed to tire as a starting pitcher last year, especially when facing batters for the third time.
After Ginn, things get exciting on the mound. Today will be the first spring training outings for A’s top pitching prospects Gage Jump and Braden Nett, the latter one of the return pieces in the Mason Miller trade. Both of those highly-regarded pitchers have a chance to impact the A’s pitching staff this season. Get ready to jump around today A’s fans! In addition, relievers Elvis Alvarado and Tyler Ferguson are lined up to pitch today, both hoping to have more success this year.
Here’s how the A’s starting lineup looks today:
A’s lineup at Giants: Kurtz DH, Wynns C, Cortes LF, Muncy 3B, Ibáñez 2B, Hernaiz SS, Harris 3B, Bolte RF, Perez CF; Ginn P pic.twitter.com/05aN7POgv0
It seems that manager Mark Kotsay intends to keep Nick Kurtz first, much to the chagrin of many in this community. The third base competition is front and center today, with all four candidates in the lineup as the A’s starting infield. In the outfield, prospects Henry Bolte and Junior Perez will get more playing time to make an impression. Having only scored two runs in their first two games, the A’s hope that this lineup will put some runs on the scoreboard.
Here’s how the Giants will line up for their game today against the Athletics:
That Giants lineup looks really close to their Opening Day lineup, so it will be a true test for Ginn. Catcher Daniel Susac, who the A’s lost in the Rule 5 draft, will be playing against his former organization in his bid to win the Giants backup catcher job.
Who is ready for more spring baseball? Time to secure that first win. Let’s go A’s!
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 22: New York Mets catcher Hayden Senger (6) reacts after he rounds second base after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees on February 22, 2026, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets got their first win of spring yesterday against the Yankees, by a 6-4 margin. Jared Young, Luis Torrens, and Hayden Senger all hit solo home runs, and JT Schwartz provided the lion’s share of the offense with a three-run home run in the eighth inning. Justin Hagenman looked good in his 2.1 innings, giving up just one run on two hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Mets’ top prospect Carson Benge had his spring training debut, but he blanked with an 0 for 3 final line.
After his departure from the Mets, Brandon Nimmo opened up about his leadership style, how the trade transpired, and his future with the Rangers.
Buster Olney ranked the top 10 third basemen in the league, and new Met Bo Bichette has made the cut.
John Harper investigated rookie Met sensation Nolan McLean and what gives him an edge.
Around the National League East
Marlins middle infielder Graham Pauley has been shut down from all baseball activities due to forearm tightness.
Around Major League Baseball
The Twins dodged a bullet, with Joe Ryan’s MRI only revealing inflammation.
Rhys Hoskins has joined the Cleveland Guardians, signing a minor league contract with an invite to major league spring training.
Angels players have taken notice of Arte Moreno claiming that their fans don’t prioritize winning, and have met with the new director of MLBPA.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe fields a ball during spring training workouts Sunday, February 15, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Cactus League Brewers are back in action and looking to get off the schneid this afternoon after losing both games in split-squad action yesterday. They’ll travel to Peoria to take on the San Diego Padres.
Today’s lineup features a balance of regulars and minor leaguers, as Jackson Chourio, Joey Ortiz, Andrew Vaughn, and Gary Sánchez make up the top of the lineup but Jett Williams, Luis Lara, and Eddys Leonard — who has not appeared in a Cactus League game yet — bring up the rear. In the middle are two guys likely to figure into the Brewers’ plans as bench players this season, Brandon Lockridge and David Hamilton. The Padres also have a couple of established big leaguers at the top of their lineup, most notably Fernando Tatís Jr., who will bat third as the designated hitter.
Plenty of guys in the major league bullpen conversation will appear today, as Easton McGee is today’s listed starting pitcher with Abner Uribe, Craig Yoho, Drew Rom, and Jacob Waguespack scheduled to follow. Lefty JP Sears will be the first pitcher out for the Padres.
First pitch is slated for 2:10 p.m. CT and this one will be televised for free on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network, including 620 WTMJ in the Milwaukee area.
As noted in the post above, today’s game is available for free on brewers.tv, and it’ll also be shown on MLB Network for those out of market. You can also hear it on the Brewers Radio Network.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Darryl Strawberry believes that Pete Alonso will come to "regret" leaving the Mets for the Baltimore Orioles this offseason.
Strawberry said he was “really shocked” that the man who broke his all-time home run record with the franchise traded Queens for Charm City.
“Pete could have broken all the records and could have been on top of every offensive category for this organization and then sometimes when you don’t see that and realize how important that is, one day he is going to wake up just like I did and regret you didn’t stick where you are at,” Strawberry said, via The New York Post’s Mike Puma.
Strawberry added that Alonso “deserved all the credit” for what he accomplished during his seven seasons with the Mets, but questioned his decision to go to the Orioles.
“I just don’t leave New York to go to Baltimore,” Strawberry said. “Don’t get me wrong, I am not getting on Baltimore. But I am saying, this is New York, come on. Baltimore is a good place, but it’s not New York.”
Alonso opted out of the second year of the two-year deal he signed with the Mets the previous offseason after the final game of the 2025 season and hit the open market for the second time in as many winters, but this time he ended up signing elsewhere.
Strawberry believes that it was a “combination” of the club and player not working hard to get a deal done: “I think they both could have fought harder in that situation,” he said, via Puma.
“The biggest mistake I saw was after they lost in Miami he opted out,” Strawberry said of the final game of the regular season that saw New York eliminated from postseason contention. “I think if he just waited and said, ‘OK, I’ll stay at that, but give me a four-year deal, something like that, they could have worked it out.’”
After the game, Alonso said from the clubhouse in Miami that he would be foregoing the final year of the deal and leaving $24 million on the table in the hopes of securing a longer-term deal after a stellar regular season.
“Playing for this organization and this city, they've continued to believe in me. And I’ve loved playing here,” Alonso said at the time. “There's some great guys in this clubhouse, there’s some great people on the staff. Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.
“For me, I've really appreciated it and have been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Nothing is guaranteed, but we'll see what happens – I've loved being a Met. Hopefully, they've appreciated me the same."
It has been reported that the Mets did not offer Alonso a deal. The first baseman signed a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore 73 days after the end of the regular season.
FORMER CUBS IN ROYALS CAMP: Jose Cuas, Eli Morgan and Hector Neris.
SEE YA, SEIYA: According to this Tribune article, on Sunday Seiya Suzuki played in his final Cactus League game before departing to join Samurai Japan for the World Baseball Classic, where he’ll play center field. Depending on how far Japan goes (and they won last time), Suzuki should be back for the last few Spring Training games.
Ben Brown will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Javier Assad, Porter Hodge, Ryan Rolison and Collin Snider.
Seth Lugo will start for the Royals. Other Royals pitchers scheduled today: Luinder Avila, former Cubs prospect Alex Lange, former Cub Jose Cuas and Eric Cerantola.
No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast on the Royals flagship station, 96.5 The Fan.
Please visit our SB Nation Royals site Royals Review. If you do go there to interact with Royals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
For years, league wide fastball usage has been on the decline, as after decades of being used over 60% of the time by pitchers, it dropped below 50% in 2022, and even lower to 47% by 2023. The biggest proprietor of the change in fastball usage has been the introduction of Statcast to Major League Baseball, as in 2015, the first year of Statcast’s usage, all 30 MLB teams threw fastballs over 50% of the time, and now just 7 MLB teams remain who throw fastballs over 50% of the time.
Under Davey Martinez and his coaching staff, the Nationals were one of the last teams holding onto the fastball, being in the top 2 in fastball usage each of the last 4 seasons. While the higher heater usage than most certainly wasn’t the sole reason for the pitching staffs bad results over the last few years, it showed the lack in forward thinking the organization had, sticking to tradition and ignoring trends that could have had benefits for them.
With Blake Butera and his staff running the show, we knew things were going to look different in 2026, but not the full extent, as Butera, POBO Paul Toboni, and pitching coach Simon Mathews were all coming from organizations which ranked between 10th and 20th in fastball usage in 2026.
Would the club overcorrect and throw fastballs at a much lower rate in 2026, or would they stick to the status quo and cut down the teams fastball usage only a little? Although we’re just 3 games into Spring Training, I believe we have our answer.
So far, the Nationals have used 24 different pitchers in Spring Training over the course of 3 games. Of those 24 pitchers, only 5 of them have used their fastball as their primary pitch, those pitchers being Gus Varland, Zach Penrod, Tucker Biven, Sandy Gaston, and Erik Tolman. Compare this to the 2025 Nats’ pitching staff, where of the 25 pitchers to throw at least 10 innings in the big leagues last season, ALL of them threw their fastball as their primary pitch.
Perhaps the most notable example of a pitcher moving away from their fastball this spring has been Mitchell Parker, who, in a 43 pitch outing yesterday, threw his fastball just 27.9% of the time, well below his 55% usage rate in 2025. Instead, he favored his slider and curveball much more, throwing both pitches 30.2% of the time. The results: 2 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and plenty of soft contact.
Mitchell Parker only threw 4 fastballs in 18 pitches in the 1st inning. Will be interesting to monitor for a guy who threw 55% 4-seam fastball last year
Of the 5 pitchers who did throw their fastball primarily in their outings, they all had one thing in common; they throw it really hard. Varland, Gaston, and Tolman all sat above 95 with their heaters in their outings, with Penrod and Biven not too far behind at just below 95. While there are more variables that make a fastball good than its velocity, it’s still clear that the new coaching staffs focus is having its pitchers focus on their strengths on the mound, even if it means using an unorthodox pitch the most often.
Spring Training is a time for players to tinker with new approaches and ideas since the results won’t count against them, so I wouldn’t expect the number of Nationals pitcher who throw a heater primarily to remain this low in the regular season, but it’s still new and exciting to see the coaching staff having the pitchers trying something new with their approach. Hopefully, this new approach will help some pitchers, such as Mitchell Parker, have newfound success in 2026.
Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) looks on during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals take on the Miami Marlins for game 3 of Spring Training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium starting at 12:05pm Monday, February 23. According to MLB.com, Michael McGreevy will take the mound for the Cardinals while Eury Pérez will start for the Marlins.
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Kyle Backhus #19 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning of a spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies kicked off the start of their season over the weekend with games against the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. Many of the names competing for the final few spots in the bullpen and bench played and look to make good impressions for the rest of camp.
The first two games of spring training will not tell you much how the season is going to go. It would take some scenarios no one wants to imagine for Bryse Wilson to start on opening day or for Trevor Richards to pitch in high leverage but there are still things to take note of.
Justin Crawford’s swing
Here is a Justin Crawford swing on February 23 of last year:
And now here is a Justin Crawford swing from February 21 of this year:
I’m not a swing expert but there are two easy things to notice. His hands are a bit lower in the second clip and it’s helping him get to a more compact swing. The second thing is that his lower half is more in sync with his upper half, which might help him access more power either of the gap to gap variety or homers.
For most of Justin Crawford’s professional career, it often looked like the bat was swinging him and there were big questions about how he was going to cut down on the groundballs he hit. Matt Winkelman took a deeper look into Crawford’s season in AAA and found his groundball rate dropped over six percent from July to August that can be tied to swing adjustments he made.
Crawford is betting on those swing adjustments as he looks to solidify himself as the Phillies center fielder for 2026.
A Pair of Velocity Bumps
One pitcher fighting to make the final 26 who caught attention this weekend was left-hander Kyle Backhus. He throws from a funky, dropped-sidearm slot with over 7 feet of extension. He pitched 25.1 innings for a depleted Arizona Diamondbacks pitching staff last year. He excelled against left-handed hitters but got barreled against righties.
It seems like his strong first impression to start camp translated to Sunday’s outing. Backhus’s sinker was up a tick from 91.0 mph last season to 91.9, and he flashed 94. Any extra velocity to help him against right-handed hitters would be huge for his chances of making one of the final two bullpen spots.
The Phillies spent most of their offseason looking to bolster their right-handed reliever depth. They swapped Matt Strahm for Jonathan Bowlan and signed Brad Keller. They signed Zach Pop to a major league deal, added three right-handed arms to their 40-man roster from other organizations, and signed another 3 arms that have extensive major league experience to minor league deals.
But their only external left-handed reliever adds this off-season were the aforementioned Backhus and Génesis Cabrera on a minor league deal. With José Alvarado and Tanner Banks as the only lefties out of the bullpen on the major league roster, there is room for Backhus to make the club with a good spring.
Seth Johnson was granted a fourth minor league option this off-season and showed some flashes in 12.2 innings last season. He struck out over 31% of hitters he faced at the big league level in 2025 with a slider that generated a whiff rate north of 40%.
Johnson flashed 99 mph and sat 98.3 against the Blue Jays on Saturday. He threw noticeably more fastballs that outing, probably to work on something, because it’s February but it’s still worth paying attention to.
Among 40-man pitchers with minor league options that are expected to pitch in AAA and the majors this season, Johnson flashes the most upside because of his velocity and ability to generate whiffs. The problem with him is that he does not throw enough early count strikes and has to throw more four-seam fastballs because of it.
MESA, AZ - OCTOBER 14: Jackson Baumeister #32 of the Mesa Solar Sox pitches during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Mesa Solar Sox at Sloan Park on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Previous Winner
Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August and salvaged the season with a brilliant finish. The tough luck continued, however, in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/R
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
The top 20 is a bit of an inflection point for our list. Thus far half of the players ranked did not appear on last years list, with eight having been newly added to the Rays system during that time. Players from last year’s list that have not ranked yet made the list:
Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B (2nd)
Aidan Smith, OF (6th)
Dom Keegan, C (9th – added as candidate for this vote)
Gary Gill Hill, RHP (11th)
Brailer Guerrero, OF (14th)
Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B (19th)
Dylan Lesko, RHP (20th)
Homer Bush Jr., OF (21st)
Maykel Coret, OF (23rd)
Joe Rock, LHP (24th)
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
OF Victor Mesa Jr. 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
