Category: Baseball

Previous Winner

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.

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
21	Aidan Smith	OF	17	29	59%	6
22	Homer Bush Jr.	OF	10	25	40%	21
23	Dom Keegan	C	10	28	36%	9

Keegan will pick up MLB reps this year, in all likelihood, so now was the time for him to get some love on the list. We had lots of testers this poll, don’t hesitate to make your vote known there too, the biggest vote getter was the Canadian so we add him next.

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.

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).

Gary Gill Hill, RHP
21 | 6’2” | 160
A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB

A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.

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.

Victor Mesa Jr., OF
24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195
AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K
MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA

This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.

Austin Overn, OF
23 | L/R | 6’0” | 175
A+ (BAL) | .242/.367/.386 (127 wRC+) 341 PA, 8 HR, 43 SB, 15.5% BB, 28.2% K
AA (BAL) | .266/.326/.427 (112 wRC+) 136 PA, 5 HR, 21 SB, 6.6% BB, 25.0% K

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.

Émilien Pitre, 2B
23 | L/R | 5’11” | 185
A+ | .268/.356/.393 (122 wRC+) 524 PA, 9 HR, 14 SB, 11.6% BB, 20.4% K

The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.

Adrian Santana, SS
20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155
A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K

Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?

Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B
24 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
AA | .173/.289/.286 (77 wRC+) 437 PA, 8 HR, 17 SB, 14% BB, 27.7% K
AFL | .264/.400/.472 (.384 wOBA) 65 PA, 1 HR, 5 SB, 12 BB, 19 K

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.

PHOENIX — Even with longstanding traditions, it’s not a bad idea to change things up a little every so often.

This year’s League of Alternative Baseball Reality drafts were unique in that they were held in conjunction with the annual Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics Conference at Arizona State University.

So for the first time in its 33-year history, LABR paired with SABR. Pretty cool.

That could also describe the auction room, where – outside of Shohei Ohtani at $47 and Ronald Acuña Jr. at $40 – the bidders seemed intent on conserving their cash.

In contrast to the LABR AL auction the day before, the top NL players at several positions went for what felt like slight bargains.

Through early drafts this season, either the Braves’ Matt Olson or the Phillies’ Bryce Harper lead the way at first base. However, Rafael Devers of the Giants was the most expensive in this one, going for $30, which was $3 more than Harper, $4 more than the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman and $5 more than Olson.

On the other corner, third basemen Manny Machado, Eugenio Suarez and Austin Riley barely cleared the $20 mark.

Bidders were a little more willing to spend on outfielders, but after a power trio of Juan Soto ($39), Kyle Tucker ($32) and Fernando Tatis Jr. ($31), just seven other flychasers made it into the $20s.

That reluctance to spend early on the most talented performers had serious repercussions later when demand outpaced supply on middle- and lower-tier players.

FULL DRAFT GRID: NL LABR dollar values, team rosters

Strength up the middle

One of the first things any fantasy manager should do in preparing for a draft is take a good look at the player pool. When breaking down the NL, one thing that stands out is the exceptional depth in the middle infield.

Coming off an outstanding 2025, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (22 HR, 107 runs, 37 SB) was the first infielder nominated. Predictably, the talented 24-year-old set the bar at $33, but those who missed out were still able to find capable alternatives.

Eight other shortstop-eligible players fell in the $20 range, with eight more between $11 and $19. Similar depth exists on the other side of the keystone.

As a result, 10 of the 12 LABR NL teams paid double-digit prices for both their primary second baseman and shortstop.

DHs invade the NL

Another wrinkle in the NL player pool is an unusually large number of hitters who are eligible only at the utility spot.

Certainly, Shohei Ohtani is in a class by himself and also able to slot in on the pitching side (but not both at the same time). But managers who drafted Kyle Schwarber ($27), Ivan Herrera ($17), Christian Yelich ($16), Marcell Ozuna ($9) or promising Cubs rookie Moises Ballesteros ($7) had to tie up that utility spot for the rest of the draft.

As a result, those players seemed to come at a decent discount – especially Schwarber, who was the NL’s third-most valuable fantasy hitter last season.

Precarious pitching prices

Defending NL champion Matt Cederholm, Baseball HQ’s injury expert, had the honor of kicking off the auction with the first nomination, calling out the name of … Brandon Woodruff.

The oft-injured Brewers ace, who was part of the title-winning squad last year, returned to his old (Cedar?) home for $17, even though he might not be ready for opening day.

From there, prices on the top starting pitchers – with the exception of $35 for reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pirates – didn’t really set the auction room ablaze. The Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez was the second-most expensive pitcher at $30, but only six others even went in the 20s.

The bidders’ reluctance to spend on the elite arms had serious consequences in the middle and later stages, with prices getting pushed up on far less-talented pitchers. A total of 28 starters (2.3 per team) fell into the $10-19 range. That made it almost impossible for teams to find late bargains to round out their pitching staffs.

With closers, there’s a distinct tier of four elite ones in the NL And you’ll have to pay up to get them.

Jhoan Duran, Edwin Diaz and Mason Miller (nominated in that order) all went for the exact same price of $24. New Mets closer Devin Williams joined them at a slightly discounted $20.

After that quartet, it’s anyone’s guess how the rest will shake out. On this day, the Reds’ Emilio Pagan was next at $16, with Raisel Iglesias of the Braves and Daniel Palencia of the Cubs just a dollar less. Perhaps the most interesting bullpen situation is in Milwaukee, where Trevor Megill cost $14 and Abner Uribe $10.

NL prospect watch

Finally, one of the most exciting things about the NL this season is the wealth of top prospects expected to see big-league action.

Here’s how optimistic LABR managers were about this year’s crop:

• Reds 1B Sal Stewart: $15
• Pirates SS Konnor Griffin: $13
• Cardinals SS J.J. Weatherholt: $13
• Phillies OF Justin Crawford: $10
• Diamondbacks 3B Jordan Lawlar: $9
• Mets OF Carson Benge: $7
• Marlins OF Owen Caissie: $6
• Phillies SP Andrew Painter: $4
• Diamondbacks OF Ryan Waldschmidt: $3
• Marlins SP Robby Snelling: $3
• Marlins SP Thomas White: $1

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy baseball NL-only auction results: LABR bidders frugal

And the injuries just keep piling up. While spring training stats and records do not matter, the Twins do have the worst run differential through nine games across the majors this spring. That being said, we did have some good news on the injury front. Royce Lewis’ recent MRI is clean (Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune), and he’s expected to return to the team this weekend. Meanwhile, while the team expects to place David Festa on the injured list to start the season, Pablo Lopez did not get full reconstructive surgery on his torn UCL and could return by Opening Day next season (Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune). Unfortunately, Walker Jenkins has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. While he was a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, it’s definitely not providing any confidence to Twins fans that the newest star in the making could also just be another injury-prone player.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

• Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
• We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
• With spring training underway, game threads are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we prepare for Opening Day.
• James Fillmore recaps the Stratton Story for our Twinkie Town Movie Night. Stop Making Sense is now on deck.
• Zach Koenig asks an intriguing question: “What would you do as MLB commissioner?”
• Matt Monitto looks at the shortest-tenured Twins in history.
• We’re onto Round 18 in Zach Koenig’s list of the Greatest Twins Moments and Performances.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

• One of the returns in last year’s Louis Varland trade was Alan Roden. Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune has more on the very interesting outfielder.
• Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic recaps his trip down to Fort Myers to see the Twins at spring training.
• Matthew Leach at MLB.com checks in on Bailey Ober and his offseason work.
• Cody Christie at Twins Daily gives a few reasons why the Twins should extend Pablo Lopez.

In the World of Baseball:

• The MLB.com beat writers identify one prospect from each team that could make a big impact at spring training.
• The World Baseball Classic is also starting soon – Kiley McDaniel at ESPN has his list of prospects that he’ll be watching in the tournament.

Is the game on TV?

Yes, first pitch is at 1:07 PM (what? why?) on NESN. I’m guessing this broadcast be similar to a few days ago, though, when NESN simply streamed the home team’s feed, so don’t expect to get your daily dose of Tom Caron.

What’s the lineup?

What should we watch for?

Man, would you get a look at that dog of a lineup? This is the worst type of Spring Training game. Thankfully, though, Franklin Arias gives us a reason to watch. And it’ll be nice to get a second look at Johan Oviedo.

Monday notes…

• FORMER CUBS IN REDS CAMP: P. J. Higgins — who has become the best catcher at getting ABS challenges overturned, per this chart.
• CUBS NUMBERS TO DATE: (Minimum 11 AB). Alex Bregman, .455/.571/.909 (5-for-11, two doubles, one HR, three walks. Dylan Carlson, .455/.647/.545 (5-for-11, a double, five walks). Jefferson Rojas, .313/.389/.625 (5-for-16, two doubles, one home run, five RBI, two walks).

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

On the road.

Watch the game live on Marquee Sports Network. pic.twitter.com/bQqiBtNKG7

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 2, 2026

Reds lineup:

Gather 'round the TV and watch some baseball. pic.twitter.com/oR6ivKmV8Y

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 2, 2026

Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Porter Hodge, Jack Neely, Collin Snider and Connor Schultz.

Brady Singer will start for the Reds. Other Reds pitchers scheduled today: Brandon Williamson, Sam Moll, Yunior Marte and Sam Benschoter.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network and also on Reds TV. No radio today.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds 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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

The St. Louis Cardinals begin their trek through the 2026 Spring Training schedule with a Monday game against the Miami Marlins. According to MLB.com, Andre Pallante gets the start for St. Louis while the Marlins will send Adam Mazur to the mound.

Detroit Tigers vs. Atlanta Braves

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland, FL
SB Nation Site: Battery Power
Media: MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

It’s a road spring training game, folks, so that means the Atlanta Braves are going to be letting their organizational depth shine in this one. With that being said, there’s still plenty of reason to tap in. Bryce Elder is right in the thick of the race for the final spot in the rotation and he’ll be looking to make sure that he can continue to fortify his position in this particular race.

Also, rising prospect John Gil will be leading off for the Braves in this one. Gil has already crushed two homers so far this spring and all eyes will be on him as he sits at the top of the order in this one. Here’s the rest of the lineup for the Braves:

Bryce on the bump! pic.twitter.com/ZNaCH9hoDp

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 2, 2026

Here’s how the Tigers are shaping up for this afternoon’s game:

Monday Tigs ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/PWGMQ4m7z2

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 2, 2026

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET and the good news is that it will be televised! Yeah, it’s on ESPN but that’s still TV! If you prefer the radio, then make sure to tune in to 103.7 FM in the Atlanta area.

Not all ballplayers need to be well-rounded in order to find success. Sometimes, one skill is enough to keep them in demand. That’s the case for Amed Rosario, who’s played for six teams over the last three seasons alone for one simple season: the man hits lefties.

2025 Stats (with Nationals and Yankees): 191 PA, .276/.309/.436, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 16.2 K%, 3.7 BB%, 106 wRC+, 0.4 WAR

2026 ZiPS Projections: 393 PA, .255/.288/.373, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 16.8 K%, 3.8 BB%, 83 wRC+, 0.5 WAR

Rosario began his career as a highly regarded Mets farmhand, rising as high as the number-five prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline. After mixed results in parts of four seasons, he was moved to Cleveland as one of the centerpieces of the blockbuster that brought back Francisco Lindor. Rosario was Cleveland’s primary shortstop for two-and-a-half seasons and, while his hit tool consistently played, the defense was not up to par; among 41 qualified shortstops from 2021-2023, his -27 Outs Above Average ranked dead last.

The Dominican Republic native then began what has been a nomadic journey, usually occupying a niche role as designated lefty masher while failing to carve out a starting job or nail down a single defensive position. His 2025 season was typical of this stage of his career. After starting the year with the Nationals, he was traded to the Yankees in a deadline deal, where he would finish out the year.

In total, he faced lefties in nearly two-thirds of his at-bats and posted an .819 OPS against them, more than 200 points higher than his mark against righties. And, while seeing time at second, third, shortstop, and the outfield (as well as DH and pitcher for good measure) he graded out with -7 OAA. With the Yankees facing tough lefties like Garret Crochet in the postseason, he appeared in four of their seven playoff games, going 3-for-10.

This offseason, the Yankees re-signed the 30-year-old to a one-year, $2.5-million deal to fill a similar role for 2026. It’s a low-risk play that does not prevent the team from pursuing other avenues should he fail to repeat his excellence against southpaws. With lefties Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. slated for regular playing time at third and second, respectively, it’s easy to see Rosario gaining a path to considerable usage as the weak side of a platoon rotation. It’s also plausible he could see time at corner outfield with lefties Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger installed as everyday players, though Randal Grichuk, who the Yankees recently brought to spring camp as a non-roster invitee and has a similar track record against left-handers, could end up occupying that role instead.

ZiPS is anticipating a pretty significant offensive regression for Rosario from his recently established norm — all three elements of his expected slash line would be his lowest since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. If deployed strategically against left-handers as he was last year, there is good reason to expect him to exceed a .255 batting average. Don’t expect much pop or plate discipline, though, and the defense will be weak wherever he plays. Instead of rostering a higher-ceiling all-around talent, like Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones, the Yankees seem likely to enter the season with specialists on their bench while allowing their prospects to see regular playing time at Triple-A. Even if injuries take their toll on the team, expect the front office to look elsewhere for everyday players while allowing Rosario to continue filling his niche.

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See more of the Yankees Previews series here.

With twenty games left in Spring Training, it’s looking like the Guardians are going to be pushed to put their money where their mouths have been when it comes to not blocking young players.

All offseason, President of Baseball Operations, Chris Antonetti, and General Manager, Mike Chernoff, have been clear about the plan to fix the Guardians’ hitting woes of 2025 without spending a dime in major league free agency in the attempt to do so:

“As we looked at a lot of the external the possibility of external additions, one of the questions we continually have to ask ourselves is, ‘whose opportunity does this impede’”? – Chris Antonetti, 1/23/2026.

“We need to get better offensively. …we believe that growth and development can come from the guys we have in the organization.“ – Antonetti, 1/30/2026

“One of our key goals was not to impede players with the most upside (from playing in Cleveland). We saw a glimpse of what Chase DeLauter could do in the playoffs. George Valera and C.J. Kayfus also showed up pretty well at the end of the season.” – Chernoff, 1/30/2026

Right now, projected to be on the Opening Day Guardians’ roster, there are two players who have over 1,000 plate appearances who are blocking younger players with less experience, eager to prove themselves as more valuable major leaguers: Nolan Jones and Gabriel Arias.

I am not writing this post to criticize the Cleveland front office for believing in Jones and Arias and for giving them their fair shot. Two years ago, I believed Arias had shown enough to get his fair chance, and last spring, I agreed with the idea of bringing Jones on board in a weak outfield group to see if he could regain his 2023 form at the plate. However, over the past two seasons Jones has now put up a 71 wRC+ in 700 plate appearances and Arias has put up a 75 wRC+ in 634 plate appearances. Jones will turn 28 years old this season and Arias just turned 26 years old; neither is likely to experience a breakout at this point in their major league careers.

In Arias’s case, replacing him involves putting Brayan Rocchio at shortstop. Rocchio is 10 and half months younger than Arias, has 100+ fewer plate appearances. He also finished 2024 with a league average 100 wRC+, while Arias finished with a 65 wRC+. There is still some slim hope remaining that Rocchio can be a league average bat – hope that no longer exists for Arias. So, the team needs to give Rocchio the reigns at shortstop and let him sink or swim, while also letting star prospect Angel Genao develop at short in Akron and, soon, Columbus. Most importantly, however, moving on from Arias with a designating for assignment, will allow the team to let Juan Brito try his hand as a full-time second baseman while the team allows Travis Bazzana to heat up at Columbus. Both Brito and Bazzana offer FAR more potential as hitters than either Arias or Rocchio and need to be featured in the Guardians’ lineup in 2026 as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Daniel Schneemann offers a perfect utility bat, capable of playing any position except catcher, and not someone who needs to be given regular plate appearances (ahem, PLEASE catch that last part, Manager Stephen Vogt). Additionally, should an injury take place with Rocchio, Milan Tolentino is having an excellent Spring Training, has an exceptional glove at shortstop, and should be capable of providing something similar to Arias’s career 76 wRC+ at the plate if called upon in a pinch. Arias is not needed on this team; while right-handed, he has a career 50 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. He also looked horrendous when asked to play outfield in the past, so he isn’t as good of an option as Schneemann in the super utility role.

As for Jones, bringing him back as an option in centerfield made sense this offseason, but spring training is making clear that keeping him as that depth is not a priority. Both Kahlil Watson and Petey Halpin have looked very good at the plate and in the field in center. It’s one week of Spring Training, so, please, don’t think I am saying either will be good major league players. However, neither has to be good to surpass average (at best!) defense in center and a 71 wRC+ at the plate provided by Jones these past two seasons. With Steven Kwan gamely taking on the challenge of center field, DFA’ing Jones allows the team to get good, solid looks at George Valera and Chase DeLauter, as well as allowing CJ Kayfus to work on his corner outfield skills in Columbus should either of the above players get hurt. If Jones were capable of hitting left-handed pitching, he’d be a roster shoo-in, but give me Stuart Fairchild and his potential for above-average centerfield play and career 106 wRC+ vs. LHP over Jones’s fielding and career 76 wRC+ against southpaws in the fourth outfielder role.

Finally, with the Guardians’ committed to Jones for $2 million for 2026, designating him for assignment makes it likely no team will claim him. Since Jones is short of five years of major league service time, Cleveland can option him to Columbus when he likely clears waivers and mix him into all three outfield positions there, hanging on to him for needed outfield depth. In effect, they will gain an option on a player who has potential to be a league average bat against RHP and a playable fielder in center. That’s worth retaining… but not at the expense of a roster and lineup spot needed to give exciting, young players like Valera and DeLauter a real chance at establishing themselves.

If the Guardians start the season – as I expect they will – with Jones and Arias on the roster, I will be disappointed. I know, I know… it’ll probably just be for the month of April, but April games count just as much as September games. The reps that players like Brito, Bazzana, Valera and DeLauter could get in April can help them work out early struggles to be prepared for summer success. Nothing against Jones and Arias, personally, as both seem like good dudes, but we need to be clear-eyed about what is best for this team. Giving further opportunities to two players who are extremely unlikely to be above-average major league contributors would be a mistake, given the strategy that Cleveland has espoused publicly all offseason.

The Braves, as they are required, released their 2025 financial results on this past Wednesday. Revenue was up 18% despite the nightmare 2025 season on the field, powered by countless injuries, Alex Verdugo, and Scott Blewett. The Braves have cobbled together commercial real estate, concerts and shows, Banana Ball, parking and oh yes, a Major League Baseball franchise playing 81 games at home and broadcasting 162 regular season games plus Spring Training. If this is all new to you and you’re not familiar with how the Braves get their money outside of ticket sales, please check out this article that has much more background. We’ll look at some of the numbers but first, a brief aside.

No one at Battery Power is going to talk you into buying, selling, or holding financial instruments. Battery Power is interested in a millimeter-level understanding of each and every facet of the Braves organization. That’s why we cover the financials, and we love reporting all of it to you. Also, even if I had a take on a stock don’t listen to me, but rather you should make your own decisions about your financial needs.

Top-Line Numbers

From the release:

• Total revenue grew to $732 million in 2025, up 11% from the prior year.
  • Baseball revenue increased 7% from the prior year to $635 million.
  • Mixed-Use Development revenue grew 45% from the prior year to $97 million.
• Total Adjusted OIBDA [Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization] grew to $108 million in 2025, up 172% from the prior year.
  • Baseball Adjusted OIBDA grew to $51 million in 2025, an increase of over $44 million from the prior year.
  • Mixed-Use Development Adjusted OIBDA grew 51% from the prior year to $69 million.
• Operating income (loss) improved by $26 million to $(14) million, down from $(40) million in the prior year.

The Braves somehow increased baseball revenue this year over last. The Braves had 1800 fewer attendees per game in 2025. But the former streaming option, the Apple TV deal, and Banana Ball helped fill the gap. Premium seating options also help reduce the need to fill every seat.

However, the big difference is the Mixed-Use Development revenue. It increased to a financial-analyst-mouth-watering 45 percent in 2025. There are very powerful and innovative tech firms that don’t increase their revenue 45 percent year to year. Mixed-use development is rental income from The Battery Atlanta, parking-and-tenant-flush Pennant Park, and Truist Park and The Roxy events and concerts.

What’s an impairment charge?

The Braves took an operating loss of $40 million in 2024, but it was $14 million in 2025. But actually, they made money, depending on how you look at it. The Braves took a $30 million impairment charge due to the loss of the contract between their Fanduel-branded television partner Main Street Sports Group, formerly known as Diamond Sports Group. My understanding of impairment charges is when a company has something of value that they thought was worth one amount, but it was worth significantly less later.

So the broadcasting contract was worth $30 million dollars to them, but it’s worth nothing now. But as we have covered here, giving up their contract and going their own way is their more lucrative destiny. But in the financial world, the bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush. Although in reality, the Fanduel spoiling fish in the hand is worth less than the three fresh BravesVision ones on a stringer.

Accounting methods are weird, and full of guesses, goodwill, and estimation. But bottom line, the Braves would be up 16 million dollars on 732 million dollars in revenue without the impairment charge. This is pretty good overall for a sports franchise.

The taxing 162 million dollar problem

Since the Braves are a publicly traded company, one of the advantages is that we can get better clarity into their financials. But that comes at a cost. Turns out, it’s easier to claim IRS tax writeoffs as a private-held company versus a public one. Per Investment News/Bloomberg:

Privately held teams like the New York Mets, owned by Point72 Asset Management founder Steve Cohen, and billionaire John Middleton’s Philadelphia Phillies, won’t get hit by the tax. The Mets, for example, can deduct every dime paid to outfielder Juan Soto, a free agent lured from the New York Yankees with a record-setting $765 million, 15-year contract.

[Atlanta]’s five most generously compensated players are set to collectively earn $96 million in 2027 — the year the new rule limiting salary deduction for all but $1 million of each of the top five most highly compensated players’ pay.

That amounts to a potential $19.1 million tax hike on the Braves, assuming a 21% corporate tax rate. The team paid $4.2 million in federal income taxes in 2024, according to a regulatory filing. 

Terry McGuirk was asking in a winding question about this issue. He said that the Braves know which “162M issue” that was asked. He declined to comment, saying that the Braves are weighing their options on how to proceed. They have been lobbying Congress on this issue, but analysts feel this may be unsuccessful.

Ticket sales are very robust

Per the Braves:

Heading into the 2026 season, we were encouraged by strong ticket demand, having already sold more than 1.9 million tickets across seasons, groups, hospitality packages, and single-game inventory. Our premium clubs continue to be sold out, and there is a robust wait list on all season product offerings exemplifying one of the most sought-after season ticket memberships in MLB…

I believe the 2026 premium options (the club seats, private boxes, and suites) were already sold out in October. But the Braves did update us, saying that these are booked solid. On top of that, they have sold 1.9 million overall tickets for 2026. That’s over 57% of the inventory before the season has started. That’s also 23,170 tickets per game sold, which is around 3500 fewer attendees than in 2025. Seems like even after the reported price hikes, fans are buying as if 2025 was a fluke.

Total number of tickets sold doesn’t necessarily tell you everything about revenue, as I reported three months ago:

It would be helpful if you’re trying to put a valuation on the stock if you knew what the price per ticket is, especially since most of their income comes from ticket sales. But I don’t think it’s as easy as average ticket price anymore.

Sports teams are able to price the premium seating behind home plate, in the suites, and in the club level differently. You can raise much more money from this clientele that the rest of us. The New York Knicks make more profit from a floor seat than some entire sections of the regular seating. So it doesn’t make sense to compare the two.

BravesVision revenue won’t show up in financials until next quarter

The Braves announced BravesVision the day before they announced earnings. It’s almost like they expected to get a lot of questions about it. They did tell us that the revenue won’t be reported until Q2, aka three months from now. The BravesVision release did announce a lot of questions, though. However, cable viewers are left in the lurch for the time being. But they could announce cable deals this week, so stay tuned.

Parking and concerts matter, everybody

The Braves took a lot of stick for purchasing Pennant Park. This was not great timing of optics after being pretty quiet in free agency. And then in April, the Braves were terrible out of Opening Day and Jurickson Profar was suspended for PEDs. But honestly, it was the right move. If they want to increase their earnings, they have to buy and enhance properties. They need to collect rent and charge for parking. Truist Park is in one of the busiest places in Atlanta. Parking is at a premium, and the Braves are there to collect.

From the Braves:

Our mixed-use development revenue was $97 million in 2025, a $30 million increase from $67 million in 2024. This was primarily driven by a $27 million increase in rental income due to new lease commencements and in-place leases acquired with Pennant Park and to a lesser extent, sponsorship and parking revenue… Our tenants collectively achieved a new annual sales milestone of approximately 137 million across just 30 doors, which we believe ranks among the most successful mixed-use operations… In 2025, we welcomed nearly 9 million visitors to the battery, mostly in line with our levels from 2024, even as baseball attendance was softer last season.

The Braves are a baseball club and also practically a real estate investment trust. Don’t make me tap the sign. It’s boring, but mixed-use development is where they profit the most. And to be honest, they could double their hotels, shops, restaurants, and parking outside the ballpark and still have room to grow.

Event hosting on the Braves’ properties is strong. They said there were 380 total events and concerts in 2025. And of these 147 were held at the Coca-Cola Roxy, 144 on the common areas, and 95 Truist Park events.

Banana Ball is a gold mine

The row of revenue known as “other” increased 25% this year. Per their statement, “Other revenue increased primarily due to an increase in events held at Truist Park, including concerts and other special events such as hosting two games for the Savannah Bananas.” They made $9 million more through special events at Truist Park. The Savannah Bananas were in town for two games. This May, they are back for three games.

Debt up yearly, down quarterly

The Braves paid off 21 million dollars in debt this last quarter. Their long term debt is up slightly more than 10 million dollars. Pennant Park cost the Braves 93 million. If you assume the Braves debt obligations are 21 million in a three-month period (as is the case with fixed payments), they have made 84 million dollars in debt payment this year. They did this without touching their revolving debt (kind of like a line of credit) and actually pay it down by 25 million.

So they effectively made almost one Pennant Park-sized property worth of debt payments this year. They appear to have the head room for more purchases. Another way to look at it is that in seven or so years, they can be debt-free. With zero debt payments, they could have pay 84 million dollars worth of players.

Braves look to be strong financially overall

Eleven percent revenue growth is great. They had the headroom to increase the payroll, and they’ve done it. They may not be done (please don’t be done, please don’t be done) and if they aren’t, they have the funds to cover it. I’m excited to hear about BravesVision and the numbers behind that. Also, the back-of-the-envelope math suggests that divisional round playoff home games are worth around 7-8 million. You know, just in case the Braves are looking for more revenue growth opportunities.

Perusing former big leaguers as one does and Jose Guillen fascinates me. A freak athlete with a ridiculous arm, he was utterly terrible for the first few years of his career. From 1997-2002, he had -6.1 fWAR, easily the worst of any player over that stretch of time (next closest was Neifi Perez, -3.8 fWAR).

Then from 2003-2005, Guillen produced 10.0 fWAR and had a 124 wRC+.

Funny how this game works.

There will be MLB.tv coverage of the games today with the Pirates broadcast available, along with the Pirates radio feed.

First pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates is at 1:05 at LECOM Park

Today’s highlight package is from June 29, 2008 when the Devil Rays took on the Pirates

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, March 2, 2026, 1:05 p.m. ET

Location: LECOM Park, Bradenton, FL

How to Watch: Sportsnet Pittsburgh

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time this spring in hopes of sending the fans in Bradenton home happy.

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Our trip through each AL West rival continues this week with a look at the Oakland Sacramento Las Vegas Athletics. With a target arrival date in Las Vegas of 2028, this period of limbo for the Athletics is a crucial time to set the foundation for a competitive ballclub by the time they arrive in the desert. Playing in Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento certainly has its challenges — the team’s pitching staff allowed nearly a full run more per game at home than they did on the road — but that same hitter-friendly environment absolutely bolstered their position players.

If there is one reason to fear the A’s in 2026, it’s because they’ve assembled one of the most dangerous young lineups in baseball. Last offseason, they signed Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler to long-term contract extensions. This winter, they locked up Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson to a pair of seven-year contract extensions. Along with Rookie of the Year winner Nick Kurtz, this quintet should form the core of the next great Athletics team, and all of them are signed or under team control through at least 2029.

In 2025, the A’s had the 12th best offense in baseball by runs scored, 10th best by wRC+, and eighth best by wOBA. At home in their cozy little minor league ballpark, they sported a .331 wOBA, though that mark dropped to .317 while on the road. As far as home/road splits go, the A’s weren’t as extreme as teams like Rockies or Mariners, which is a testament to the quality of their batters.

With the strength of their team clearly established, the Athletics spent this offseason adding around the margins of the roster and improving their depth.

Notable Transactions

Out: OF JJ Bleday, UTIL Max Schuemann
In: 2B/OF Jeff McNeil, INF Andy Ibáñez, UTIL Justin Riemer, 1B Joey Meneses, INF Michael Stefanic
Italics = Minor League Deals with Spring Training Invite

The biggest move the Athletics made this offseason was bringing in Jeff McNeil in a trade with the Mets just before Christmas. He had fallen out of favor in New York after a couple of injury-plagued seasons in 2024 and ‘25, undergoing thoracic outlet surgery this offseason to relieve an issue in his shoulder. He’s playing out the final season of his four-year extension he signed in 2023, though he does have a $15.75 million club option for next year. I have a hard time seeing the A’s pick up that option, especially since they have Leo De Vries quickly pushing for a debut within the next couple of seasons.

Andy Ibáñez had a bit of an interesting offseason; he was non-tendered by the Tigers in November, signed a major-league deal with the Dodgers in January but was designated for assignment just a month later — ostensibly to sneak him through waivers so that Los Angeles could stash him in Triple-A. The Athletics swooped in with a waiver claim and now he’ll serve as a right-handed utility infielder for them. It’s not that impactful of a move, but Ibáñez mashes left-handed pitching (career .335 wOBA vs. LHP) and can reasonably play almost everywhere on the field.

The Lineup

Order/Role	Player	Age	Position	Bats	PA	wRC+	Fld	WAR
1	Nick Kurtz	23	1B	L	616	137	-1.6	3.6
2	Shea Langeliers	28	C	R	524	117	-8.6	2.7
3	Tyler Soderstrom	24	LF	L	588	114	-2.1	2.1
4	Brent Rooker	31	DH	R	665	130	0.0	3.1
5	Jeff McNeil	34	2B	L	581	110	-1.6	2.6
6	Jacob Wilson	24	SS	R	616	113	-2.3	3.5
7	Lawrence Butler	25	RF	L	588	104	3.5	2.5
8	Max Muncy	23	3B	R	322	90	1.4	1.0
9	Denzel Clarke	26	CF	R	420	85	3.1	1.3
BN	Colby Thomas	25	OF	R	259	98	1.1	0.7
BN	Andy Ibáñez	33	INF	R	245	89	0.3	0.5
BN	Austin Wynns	35	C	R	166	79	0.3	0.5
BN	Darell Hernaiz	24	INF	R	147	92	0.2	0.5

It took a while for Nick Kurtz to acclimate to the majors after getting called up on April 23, but about a month into his big league tenure, he collected three home runs in two games on May 20 and 21. From that point through the end of the season, he was the best hitter in baseball — yes, better than Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Cal Raleigh. He wound up blasting 36 home runs — including a historic four home run night on July 25 — and easily won the AL Rookie of the Year award for his efforts.

If Kurtz hadn’t erupted in late May, it’s quite possible Jacob Wilson would have won the award anyway — he wound up getting second place behind Kurtz’s unanimous selection. These two players are polar opposites. While Kurtz produces some of the most potent damage on contact in baseball, Wilson relies on elite bat-to-ball skills to put the ball in play more than nearly any other player in baseball. But rather than a prototypical slap-dash approach, Wilson can produce a bit more power than you might expect from someone with just a 24.7% hard hit rate; he surprisingly hit 13 home runs last year! The tiny stadium in West Sacramento certainly helped, but if he elevates to his pull side, he can muscle out a few long balls just over the left field wall.

And then there are the breakout kids Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom. During the second half of the season, Langeliers was the best hitting catcher in baseball. He managed to cut his strikeout rate by 7.5 points thanks to a career-high contact rate. His contact quality was already excellent, so more balls in play meant a lot more hits. As for Soderstrom, the A’s finally settled on a permanent position for him — left field — and he responded with a huge season at the plate. As a prospect, he was always known for his bat rather than his defensive prowess behind the plate. The challenge, then, was finding a way to get his bat into the lineup without any defensive lapses. The outfield grass turned out to be a good fit as he turned in an above average season in the field.

While those four youngsters enjoyed tremendous success in 2025, it wasn’t such smooth sailing for Lawrence Butler. He struggled to follow up his big breakout in ‘24, seeing his strikeout rate spike up to 28.4% and his power output drop a bit. He had the opposite problem as Soderstrom; his contact rate fell by 5.5 points and fewer balls in play, despite excellent contact quality, meant fewer hits. Brent Rooker also struggled to replicate his massive ‘24 season last year. I actually think he was a bit unlucky to post a 122 wRC+; his plate discipline metrics have significantly improved year-over-year the last three seasons and his contact quality remained excellent, if a little less excellent than in his breakout season. Even though it feels like he’s been around forever — he’s the elder statesman of the A’s core at 31 years old — he’s only been a full-time player for three years.

With seven positions filled by fantastic regulars, third base and center field are a bit of a question mark for the A’s. Max Muncy — no, not the Dodgers’ Max Muncy, the other one — is penciled in at third base, but Darell Hernaiz, Carlos Cortes, or Zack Gelof could see some time there throughout the season. There are fewer options in center field. Denzel Clarke is a phenomenal defender in the middle of the park but there are real questions about his bat. He ran an untenable 38.4% strikeout rate in limited action last year, though he does have a bit of pop if he can ever make contact. Colby Thomas is more suited for an outfield corner and has the same concerns about his bat as Clarke. It’s possible the A’s would slide Butler over into center if Clarke’s bat falters, but I think they’d prefer the elite defender to find a way to stick in the majors.

The single most important Kansas City Royal player in 2026 (non-Bobby Witt Jr. division) is Jac Caglianone by a mile. Cags’ rookie campaign in 2025 was a disaster; he didn’t hit well, he didn’t field well, and the end result was a negative Wins Above Replacement campaign. But those results were incongruous with Cags’ immense talent, and no other Royal has the power and potential that Caglianone does.

So it’s been somewhat of a relief to see the large man absolutely tear the cover off the ball in the first few games of Spring Training.

As I type this, Cags has 17 Spring Training plate appearances. He has gotten on base 10 times, which, lol. That’s split between six hits and four walks against only two strikeouts. Caglianone is also displaying his most important skill: elite exit velocity. The harder you hit the ball, the better your result at the plate. The above video is an example of what happens when he elevates and connects with his bat (IE, home runs; big, gigantic, towering dongs).

But it’s not just the home runs that Caglianone has been unleashing so far. A few days ago, Caglianone hit a ball 120 (!!!) miles per hour for a resounding double. The list of players who hit a ball harder than that last year in the regular season is two: Oneil Cruz and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. 

Now, I will be the first to say that Spring Training stats should always be taken with a grain of salt. Players are warming up, they’re working on specific aspects of their game, and rosters are stuffed with Minor League guys on both the pitching and hitting side. And that’s to say nothing of the Small Sample Size problem, which is a thing even in the regular season. A great 17 plate appearances only count for, well, to 17 plate appearances.

And yet, Spring Training is where hope lives. I also think that the mental side of baseball goes underappreciated by many. Last year, Caglianone learned a new position, played on two minor league teams, and made his MLB debut–all one year after being drafted out of college. A little Spring Training success, in other words, may be contagious.