ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves walks back to the dugout in the second inning during Game Three of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Braves defense returned to being a strength of the team in 2026. And for the second straight year, Mauricio Dubon and Matt Olson won Gold Gloves as big reasons for the rebound. Both players played pivotal roles in the Braves defense supporting the pitching staff, with Dubon filling in all over the place while Olson ensured he was reliable as possible to get outs at first. Both players are among the best defenders in their respective roles over the past decade in all of baseball, so seeing them receive just recognition once again is awesome.
NEW YORK, NY - UNKNOWN: Jerry Koosman #36 of the New York Mets poses for a photo with Jerry Koosmans Big Bite Fan Club prior to a National League game on an unknown date at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Jerry Koosman, the greatest left-handed pitcher in Mets history and the man who clinched the first World Series in team history, has died at 83.
Hollywood, - August 13: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chief Operating Officer Bob Wolfe looks on as Los Angeles Dodgers great, Orel Hershiser was honored with a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Thursday, August 13, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Dodgers executive vice president and chief operating officer Bob Wolfe will retire at the end of 2026, the club announced on Friday. He will shift into an advisory role.
Wolfe has been with the Dodgers since Guggenheim Partners took over ownership of the team in 2012, and headed the club’s day-to-day business operations for the last 14-plus seasons.
The longtime executive has worked with current Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten at multiple stops, beginning with the Atlanta Braves in 1980, plus the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Nationals before coming with Kasten to Los Angeles. Wolfe worked with Kasten for the first 12 of the Braves’ first 12 of 14 division titles in a row and for the last 14 Dodgers postseason berths.
“Having worked 47 years in team sports, I’ve been more entertained than anyone deserves,” Wolfe said in a statement. “It’s been a privilege to ride the coattails of so many on- and off-the-field Hall of Famers, will-be Hall of Famers and should-be Hall of Famers. With Stan always providing the vision, I’ve had the latitude to work closely with the talented individuals and departments that make these organizations grow and succeed.”
But there’s another way to parse the situation. The owners might also view an offseason lockout — and maybe a relatively small number of missed games — as a low-risk opportunity to go for what they really want. If that doesn’t work, they move on, and try to leverage the fact they backed off a cap.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 30: Zion Rose #8 of the Kansas City Royals poses for a photo during the 2026 Arizona Fall League media day at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The outfielder, who signed with Kansas City for $2.9 million in January, has impressed against older competition. Through nine games, Gomez is slashing .333/.421/.485 with a .906 OPS, three doubles and one triple. His 70-grade speed has also been on display on the basepaths with four stolen bases.
“The last four months have been a whirlwind, for real,” Rose said. “Just starting off with the draft, that was a blessing in itself. I was just kind of caught off-guard, not by where I went, but you know, by the social media and all that.
“In my head, I knew I could go up there (being a top-10 selection). So I’m super grateful the Royals chose me.”
Loftin, however, helped ease some of the pain of losing Garcia for half the season. He made the best of his first extended opportunity to play regularly, parlaying the chance into a serviceable 118-game, 426-plate-appearance .240/.322/.388 line with career highs in doubles (27), home runs (8), RBI (45), and fWAR (1.3); he also posted a 98 wRC+, .710 OPS, and 100 OPS+.
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Jared Thomas #2 of the Salt River Rafters runs the bases during the game between the Saguaros and the River Rafters at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Steve Chadwick/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Good morning, Purple Row!
Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.
While TJ Rumfield did not end up winning the MLB Gold Glove at first base (that honor went to Matt Olson), third base prospect Ethan Hedges (HM PuRP) won a minor league Gold Glove for his work with the High-A Spokane Indians.
Jared Thomas continues to perform well in his second AFL stint. He went 9-for-18 with 7 runs scored, a double, three triples, four RBI, four walks, six strikeouts and two stolen bases. Fall Star Game rosters will be announced tomorrow — Jack O’Dowd is reportedly participating in the Home Run Derby on Saturday, will Thomas join him?
MLB is continuing its tradition of experimentation in the Arizona Fall League. This year, they are experimenting with defensive positioning of both the infielders (with nobody on base) and outfielders. The outfield positioning rules are creating dramatic results. Ian Cundall writes that through October 26 at Salt River Fields — the only park where the positioning rules are being used due to technology infrastructure — runs per game are up 34%, hits per game are up 32%, doubles per game are up 81% and triples per game are up 236%.
A lot of that is due to the corner outfielders in particular playing both shallower and closer to the line, which means they have to cover a lot more ground and makes for more balls in the gap. This also means teams might not be able to hide defensive liabilites in the corners anymore.
As Jared Thomas said, “Everybody in center, right, left… they’re all going to be center fielders at the end of the day. You’re going to have to have some speed and have good reads on the ball.”
David Laurilla provides his notes column from the Arizona Fall League this week. While the main focus is on Wood the Misiorowski, he also asks Rafters pitching coach Jerry Sullivan about Sean Sullivan (No. 21 PuRP) and his own AFL plan.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 11: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in game one of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sad news as legendary Mets lefty Jerry Koosman died at 83. For those too young to remember, Koosman was the “other” great starting pitcher on the 1969 Mets. Our condolences go out to Koosman’s family, friends and the Mets organization. He also arguably had his best season with the Twins in 1979. Most people forget that.
Going back to the Brewers, they appeared on Saturday Night Live this weekend after their World Series title. I’m old enough to remember Joe Piscopo on “Weekend Update” saying the Brewers lost the 1982 World Series because they were slobs, complete with several video clips of them spitting chewing tobacco.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last offseason, the Cardinals traded Sonny Gray, creating a hole in their rotation. Through trades, the Cardinals added pitching depth, but the Cardinals clearly wanted them to be pitching depth and not Plan A. So they signed Dustin May to take Gray’s spot. Dustin May didn’t really become an ace, but it was wildly successful in the only way that mattered: he netted two great outfield prospects and from a rival to boot.
(Yes, I know the Brewers won the World Series so it’s not like Brewers fans are ever going to regret this, but you better believe I will be annoying as hell if Josiah Ragsdale or Alex Frias become a star, because May was legitimately awful and 8 excellent playoff innings from Romero probably is not worth a star – mostly because they dominated the playoffs so much that there’s no way Romero was the difference maker. I’m already warning you I’ll be annoying about this, might as well start now!)
The Cardinals might be tempted to duplicate that plan. They are returning every member of the rotation from last season, at least as of now, however they might trade either Andre Pallante or Matthew Liberatore. Or Liberatore will be moved to the bullpen. Or maybe they want to go into spring training with Liberatore as the contingency plan, which by the usual Cardinals’ methods, would require an outside addition. Yes, maybe Cooper Hjerpe can be slotted in, but the very likely innings restriction is certainly going to complicate things. I doubt they enter Opening Day ready to put Jurrangelo Cjintje on the MLB roster either. Maybe Richard Fitts, but he missed most of last year and only threw 75 innings in 2025. It would hardly be surprising if they felt like they needed another starter.
The Cardinals could of course re-sign Dustin May, but May probably has different goals on his next contract than he did last offseason. Last offseason, he was coming off a not very good year following multiple injury-filled seasons. He needed to prove he could be good and healthy to set himself for a bigger contract later. Well he did that. With his injury history and being 29, I feel like someone will give him a multi-year deal and I think it would require a level of faith in himself some might call unwise to not go to the highest bidder. Maybe he thinks he has another gear and can get a better contract at 30, but I would imagine he’d be disappointed at a one-year deal.
No a true Dustin May parallel is coming off a bad year. The kind of year where a one-year deal is the best you can do, or some underwhelming two-year deal. He is probably too good to qualify, but Freddy Peralta might fit the bill. He did make all 32 of his starts, but he had his lowest K% of his career, he had his highest ERA since 2019, and his highest FIP and xFIP of his career. He unquestionably had a down season.
You might be thinking: but he was great in the playoffs and that might change things? Analytically, he was actually not very good with the Rays, either after the deadline or in the playoffs. The Rays were very lucky because Peralta wasn’t actually a better pitcher with them, but he got better results. Mainly in the form of home run luck, a talent he hasn’t actually shown in his career. He also struck out less with the Rays. It was even worse in the playoffs: he struck out just 17.6%, walked over 10%, almost nothing was on the ground, and…. somehow that became a 2.62 ERA. It was a 5.62 xFIP.
In the modern age, teams are not fooled by ERA, so I would be surprised if the playoffs had a positive effect on his free agency or his time with the Rays in general. Taken has a whole, he had the kind of season that significantly lowers your free agency prospects. That doesn’t mean he’s destined to get a one-year deal, but he’s merely a candidate for it.
Of course, everything I just said is also a reason to not sign him. The logic for why May’s stats might get better was a lot stronger. May had missed the 2024 season and barely pitched in the three seasons prior, so naturally when he was healthy enough to throw a full season, he was rusty. Naturally, May’s stats were even worse after he was traded because he was tired. He wasn’t used to throwing that many innings. Now that he had a season to work the kinks out, his true talent can shine through in the season after he returns from injury.
With Peralta however…. he might have just permanently declined? It would hardly be the most shocking thing if a 30-year-old got worse and then never actually returned to his former glory. In fact that’s a story that’s been told many times in baseball. Maybe it being his walk year, he fought through some injury stuff that affected his stats and he’s destined to miss significant time in the future.
I know he made some adjustments with the Rays and changed his pitch mix, but I’m actually a little worried his underlying stuff didn’t actually get any better. Some of the results could just be that the Mets are awful defensively and the Rays are very good defensively. By fielding runs, it doesn’t appear to be a huge difference, but when you see the breakdown of how the Rays are +11 in fielding runs by Statcast and the Mets -3, then it looks a little more stark. The Mets catchers are really driving up their fielding run values because infielders and outfielders had -17 range. The Rays had +10 range.
Good news of course: the Cardinals should have a good defense. And I hear it’s hard to hit homers at Busch Stadium. He may very well have a similar advantage with the Cardinals.
Another aspect of Peralta that probably shouldn’t be overlooked is…. I don’t think he has as much upside as you would think. He kind of has this perception, or had anyway, of being ace-adjacent, but that’s never really been backed up by the numbers. He had a 4 fWAR season and a 3.6 fWAR season and they are separated by four seasons. One of those seasons was 2025, so it’s not ancient history. But also his third best season is 2.2 fWAR.
At 31, what is the probability that he reaches his former glory? Former glory that isn’t really ace level. (Again, his 2025 came with an 85.5 left-on base% which is just absurdly high for a starting pitcher – 80% is the absolute upper limit for true talent and Peralta’s career is 74.8% – which is high too to be fair!). I want to talk myself into Peralta, but coming off the season he just had, I think I’ll need the Cardinals to actually sign him to talk myself into it.
Because that’s the thing. Maybe there’s something the Cardinals see. We don’t have any behind-the-scenes info. The Cardinals have more information than me on what Peralta needs to change, how likely he is to change it at this point in his career, maybe how healthy he appears to be, a lot of things. All I have is his down season, moving to a smart organization that enacted changes and it did not result in a fundamentally better pitcher, and I just need a reason to think this wasn’t the beginning of a decline and not a temporary setback that can be fixed.
I may have just wasted everyone’s time however, because here I wrote a whole thing premised on him getting a one-year deal so then I went to Google to see what estimates were for his contract and AVOID AVOID AVOID if any of these are even in the vicinity of being accurate. Jim Bowden said 5 years, $140 million. Hell no. An NYT article said 5 years, $125 million is reasonable. Any team who signs him for over $100 million is insane. I’m very skeptical about these estimates, but it at least tells me that one year is simply not realistic.
Book Corner
I’m currently in the middle of a short, quick book and a much longer book that I’ll reveal later. I was hoping to finish the quick book by now, but Halloween weekend made things difficult. Between work and a party on Friday, a terrible hangover on Saturday plus a block party, and then watching You Can See Everything followed by a family get together, I simply did not have much time to read. So you’ll get my reaction to the short book Thursday.
Quick aside: do not watch You Can See Everything before a social event. I went to see it at 11 am yesterday. I drove straight from the movie theater to my parents’ house. My cousin was in town for the weekend. I ate lunch, found out nobody else had seen it yet, sat on the couch to “watch football”, and inadvertently scrolled my phone for reactions to the movie for the next two hours and barely interacted with anyone. Maybe you go to a social gathering where people have actually seen it. I bet that would result in something different.
In the meantime, I have been meaning to ask a difficult question. I have two books by the same author and no real way to know which to prioritize. Keeping in mind there’s a good chance that the loser of this question won’t be read this year, pick the better book by Cormac McCarthy: The Road or Blood Meridian. I haven’t read a book by him so if that somehow matters to your answer, let me know why. These titles are helpfully not very descriptive towards telling me what the book is about, so as best you can, don’t reveal too much about them in why I should read one or the other first. That’s all I have for you in book corner today.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: Brian Cashman, General Manager of the New York Yankees speaks at the Taylor Hooton Foundation's "Give A Hoot" event at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Michelle Farsi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our final GM approval poll concerning the 2026 season, next month’s poll certain to focus on a potential flurry of activity in November before the owners lock out the players on December 2nd. I’m sure we all wish the Yankees had played more baseball in October, but unfortunately we only got three games as they were unceremoniously dumped out of the postseason getting swept by the Rays in ALDS. Given that this is somewhat functioning as an end-of-season poll as there was scarcely any activity to cover in October, we’ll focus more on the narrative of the campaign rather than zooming in on the month we just completed.
The Yankees raced out to a fast start, pulling out to an early 3.5-game lead after winning seven of their first eight games. They hit their first speed bump in mid April, going 3-8 including a five-game losing streak to temporarily fall behind in the standings. However, winning streaks of eight and five games toward the end of April and in the first week of May meant that the Yankees were back atop of the division, earning Brian Cashman a 41-percent approval rating in both April and May.
However, results had already begun to crater in the middle weeks of May as Aaron Judge attempted to play through what we later learned was a fractured rib. The captain was a shell of what we expect from the three-time MVP, and he finally landed on the IL on May 31st, where he would stay for more than three months. Understandably, the offense lost a lot of its potency, yet somehow managed to stave off the annual Boone June Swoon for half the month.
As it turns out, that was just delaying the inevitable, the downturn in form arriving swiftly thereafter as the Yankees won just four out of 18 games before a modest four-game winning streak to enter the All-Star break with a modicum of positive momentum. The nadir of their season saw them get swept in four games by the last-place Red Sox at Fenway, which to add insult to injury kickstarted the winningest 30-game stretch in Boston franchise history to rocket them back into playoff contention. Cashman’s approval rating predictably plummeted to just nine percent in June, which only improved to 11 percent for July with his team treading water in the standings while the Rays rode a scorching April and May to grab a commanding lead in the division that they would never relinquish.
With Judge and Giancarlo Stanton absent from the lineup all summer, the onus fell on Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger to shoulder the load, and that proved too heavy a burden to bear. Both hitters’ production cratered in June and August, Bellinger also missing a month from the end of July through the end of August to a left hamstring strain. It didn’t help that the pair were dragged down by all the deadwood in the lineup. Austin Wells and Ryan McMahon were two of MLB’s worst qualified hitters through the opening months of the season, though Wells’ production rebounded impressively after he recovered from the cervical headaches that had been plaguing him. Jazz Chisholm Jr. did himself no favors with the bat or glove and missed almost a month’s worth of games injured. Anthony Volpe was sent down to the minors for five weeks and Trent Grisham reverted to the pre-2025 version while suffering through persistent hamstring ailments.
Despite playing to a winning record in August and September, the damage of their summer swoon had already been done. They never looked like threatening the Rays’ lead in the division, though were able to rebuild some momentum and goodwill in the final two months. Trade deadline acquisition Luis García Jr. proved a much-needed shot in the arm (Heliot Ramos not so much), and the promotions of top prospects George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones breathed some youthful life into what had become a stale clubhouse. Lombard started hot before committing a bunch of errors in a short stretch, while Jones was the opposite, taking some time to adjust to major league pitching but looking more assured of himself with each passing week in the majors. These factors allowed Cashman’s approval rating to recover to 29 percent for August, and it jumped up even further to 34 percent in September after the Yankees posted the best record in the AL in the final month.
After he suffered a calf strain in September, the Yankees ultimately left Judge off their Wild Card and ALDS rosters. He wasn’t needed in the ALWCS as the Yankees boat-raced the Red Sox, scoring nine runs in both games to sweep and punch their ticket to the ALDS for a date with the Rays. This offensive outburst proved a mirage of hope as they got one-hit in Game 1, committed four errors in Game 2, and saw their season come to an abrupt end with a 4-3 loss in Game 3. That the Yankees lost the three games they played in October and the manner in which they did so does not bode well for Cashman’s approval rating.
Otherwise it’s been a quiet October in New York. Owner Hal Steinbrenner held a year-end press conference in which he blamed the players while absolving Cashman and Aaron Boone of any responsibility for the team’s demise. For some extra salt rubbed into the wound, Steinbrenner confirmed that Boone would be retained for the final year of his contract in 2027 while also announcing a contract extension for Cashman that will likely take him beyond 30 years at the helm of the team. It’s been crickets since then, with only vague rumors linking the Yankees to possible reinforcements at third base, center field, and the bullpen.
There are some big questions that may or may not get answered in the month before the CBA expires. The Yankees appear ready to let Jazz walk in free agency and hand the keys at second to Volpe. There is little indication that McMahon will not be the Opening Day starter in 2027. David Bednar could return on the QO after stabilizing the closer role, but there are additional departures to address. Most importantly, the Yankees have to start asking why they have collapsed in such similar fashions in the last three postseasons. Why is there a team-wide lapse in concentration in the most important games of the year and why has there been zero accountability for this three-year trend?
Having said this, all is not doom and gloom in the Bronx as there are legitimate causes for optimism. Between Rice and presumptive AL Cy Young Cam Schlittler, the Yankees have developed a pair of franchise cornerstones who should help keep the team’s window open as Judge and Gerrit Cole get deeper into the latter half of their 30s. New York boasted the best pitching staff in the league and are returning the vast majority of those arms. With a few impactful additions, this team is not far from the top of the AL, though it remains to be seen whether ownership has the appetite to increase payroll given Steinbrenner is leading the charge among the owners to institute a salary cap.
That brings us to today’s task. Do you approve of the job Brian Cashman has done through the end of October? On one hand, the player development staff that he is in charge of staffing can boast some real wins between Rice, Schlittler, Lombard, and Jones. On the other hand, there is little to suggest that any team under his direction can turn over a new leaf and play more fundamentally sound baseball in the playoffs. The polarizing GM certainly elicits stronger feelings than can be captured in a one-word response — you may feel a question such as the one being posed requires more nuance, greater elaboration, or a wider selection of options than just a “yes” or a “no,” however for the sake of this exercise, a binary question works best.
Note: This is the same poll that is currently appearing on the Feed, so if you’ve voted there, that should already be counted.
Round 24 of voting was the last of 2023 (we did not do an actual wrap for the voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick), and the full archive.
We are starting the Top 100 Prospect countdown on the same day as our first poll, with the goal of running a new poll every day. At that rate, we should get through 35 Votes before the Top 100 meets our polling, giving SSS readers 35 chances to weigh in on our Top 100. From there, we will stop the polling and run through the remaining players, finishing up as all players report to camp in mid-February.
As of now our countdown will start with Jarold Rosado as our Mr. 100 this year. We’ve customarily turned over the Prospect Vote to the next round as soon as the top vote-getter seems to have an insurmountable lead, but if there’s a rout, we’ll call it in a day. In order to get as many votes as possible in, we’ll try to wait no longer than two days before the next round.
For 2027, after the White Sox had a top overall pick for the first time in almost 50 years, our staff ballots were almost unanimous in picking one player as the top White Sox prospect. Do you agree?
Four players from last year’s Top 10 Prospects have lost their prospect status due to MLB service (Braden Montgomery at No. 1, Noah Schultz at No. 3, Hagen Smith at No. 4 and Sam Antonacci at No. 7). As an indication that there is some continuity in the system, four players on last year’s initial ballot appear in this year’s as well. With Mason Adams having been traded, that means just one player, Christian Oppor, performed poorly enough to drop off of our initial ballot.
Six of the 10 players on this first 2027 ballot played in the White Sox system in 2026, including two who made their major league debuts during the season. As to be expected drafting so early, we have four 2026 draft choices rounding out on the first ballot.
This year, the grandfather of our Top 100 is Tanner McDougal, marking his sixth year on our list and having moved from No. 21 to 22, 26, 63 and 6 so far. If all goes well, it will be his last, as he’ll see significant MLB time.
All right, let’s have some fun. And get voting!
Two rounds in, we’ve had two routs, as Roch Cholowsky ran up an even bigger winning margin than Caleb Bonemer did to open our proceedings, earning 48 of 64 votes (75%):
Cholowsky, just drafted in July, is making his debut in our Prospect Vote.
Past No. 2s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2026 Hagen Smith (40%) 2025 Noah Schultz (21%) 2024 Noah Schultz (34%) 2023 Colson Montgomery (71%) 2022 Jake Burger (43%) 2021 Garrett Crochet (42%) 2020 Michael Kopech (57%) 2019 Michael Kopech (44%) 2018 Michael Kopech (75%)
Another infielder joins the fray this round, as Kyle Lodise hops on the ballot.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
William Bergolla Jr. Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 15 2026 high level Charlotte (AAA) Age relative to high level -5.1 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/AAA) 11 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 9 RBI ▪️ .444/.524/.556 ▪️ 2-of-4 (50.0%) SB ▪️ 5 BB ▪️ 4 K ▪️ 1.000 FLD%▪️ 0.6 WAR
The epitome of a “Chris Getz player,” Bergolla offsets his Punch-and-Judy bat with deft baserunning, a killer glove and incredible plate discipline. Well young for his level, this legacy player (dad, also William Bergolla) has cut through the White Sox system like butter since his acquisition at the 2024 trade deadline (from Philly, for Tanner Banks). After getting some heavy run in Spring Training 2026, Bergolla was on the fast track to Chicago before a collision with left fielder Sam Antonacci in an April game for the Knights gave him a serious bone bruise in his leg; after a lengthy stint on the IL, Bergolla broke his injured leg in his first rehab game in the ACL.
Billy Carlson Shortstop Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 7 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/Low-A) 60 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 21 RBI ▪️ .252/.380/.335 ▪️ 14-of-16 (87.5%) SB ▪️ 41 BB ▪️ 59 K ▪️ .976 FLD%▪️ 1.5 WAR
It was a star-crossed pro debut for the 2025 first-rounder, who broke his left thumb in May and was later shut down for the season with a skin infection on his left leg. Let’s hope Carlson can get right for 2027, as the crush of blue-chip shortstops in the system (led by, of course, 2026’s overall No. 1 pick, Roch Cholowsky) could end up drowning him. Positives? Honestly, in his cameos at the plate Carlson flashed more pop to the gaps and on-base ability than expected.
Jaden Fauske Center Fielder Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 11 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats 118 games ▪️ 4 HR ▪️ 48 RBI ▪️ .250/.388/.360 ▪️ 46-of-56 (82.1%) SB ▪️ 94 BB ▪️ 125 K ▪️ .948 FLD%▪️ 2.8 WAR
A year ago, we were not certain where Fauske would play, as a high school catcher announced at the draft as an outfielder-only. That proved to be the case in his first professional season, but what ho, Fauske saw more time in center than right field. And with quicks that saw Jaden snatch 46 bags in 118 games, the youngster might well stick in center.
Kyle Lodise Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level 0.0 years Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Tanner McDougal Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 23 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 33 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking N/R 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 6 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -6.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 2-3 ▪️ 27 games (7 starts, 3 finishes) ▪️ 50 IP ▪️ 4.86 ERA ▪️ 53 K ▪️ 34 BB ▪️ 1.480 WHIP ▪️0.2 WAR
The good news is that McDougal was enough of a core piece to be promoted to Chicago in the second half of 2026. The bad news … well, where to start. McDougal’s presumptive march to the South Side rotation was stopped dead early in the season, when he was sidelined for weeks with forearm tightness. While the injury was thankfully not severe enough to necessitate a second TJS, Tanner was a relief arm for the rest of the season and not a stable one at that. His brief cameo in Chicago saw him rack up one out along with three walks.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
David Sandlin Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 26 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -4.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 7-2 ▪️ 24 games (22 starts) ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 1 SHO ▪️ 109 2/3 IP ▪️ 3.36 ERA ▪️ 115 K ▪️ 48 BB ▪️ 1.231 WHIP ▪️ 1.8 WAR
Sandlin entered the season late to the White Sox organization after coming over from Boston as the “real piece” of the Jordan Hicks deal. And it didn’t end up mattering much that he was perhaps the No. 10 starter in the organization as the balls rolled out for play in March, because Sandlin was the sole reliable starting pitcher to be promoted throughout 2026, and his numbers were scalded a bit (-0.3 WAR) by being the reliever who had to wear it when Will Venable’s gaffe saw Noah Schultz prematurely pulled from a game back on August 7. As much hype as there will be to wedge Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz or Grant Taylor into the 2027 rotation, Sandlin should have the inside track for a spot.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Happy birthday to Dutch Zwilling, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2016 – The Cubs win their first World Series title in 108 years by defeating Cleveland, 8-7, in Game 7, making up a three-games-to-one deficit in the process as it’s a great day for teams with ursine names. It’s an epic ballgame worthy of the high stakes, as Dexter Fowler hits a lead-off homer off Corey Kluber, but the Indians manage to tie the score in the third. In the fourth, the Cubs score twice, including one run on a daring rush to the plate by Kris Bryant on a fly ball to CF Rajai Davis that travels perhaps 150 feet. Javier Baez and David Ross also homer for Chicago as the Cubs build up their lead, but Cleveland scores two runs on a wild pitch by Jon Lester in the sixth, then trailing 6-4 with two outs in the eighth, Davis homers off Aroldis Chapman to tie the game again. Play is stopped briefly by rain after the ninth inning, but in the 10th, Ben Zobrist, who is named World Series MVP, puts the Cubs ahead with a double and Miguel Montero adds an insurance run with a single, a run which proves important as the Indians manage to score once in the bottom of the 10th before Mike Montgomery retires Michael Martinez on a grounder to third to clinch the title. Cleveland now takes over as owners of the longest championship drought in the majors, their last title having come in 1948, and other stories as well.
Al will have more on the 10th anniversary of the 2016 World Series win coming up at 9 a.m. CT.
Today in baseball history:
1899 – Henry Chadwick, called the “Father of Baseball”, visits US President William McKinley in Washington, DC, to propose that Army regiments be provided with baseball equipment. This is Chadwick’s first presidential interview since his visit with President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
2000 – Wrigley Field has been granted preliminary landmark status by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. Any plans to refurbish or tear down the Chicago Cubs‘ home since 1916 will have to be reviewed by this panel.
2004 – After a groundskeeper finds a grenade in the Wrigley Field turf, police bomb and arson investigators are called to evaluate the discovery. The rusty, hollowed-out shell turns out to be harmless and its origins remain a mystery.
2011 – In one of the first moves of the new management team led by team President Theo Epstein, the Cubs fire manager Mike Quade. The long-time coach and minor league manager found success as Lou Piniella‘s interim replacement at the end of the 2010 season, but 2011 was another story, as the Cubs finished fifth in the NL Central, 20 games below .500.
2025 – Winners of the Gold Glove Award in the major leagues are announced. Both winners in left field, Steven Kwan and Ian Happ, do so for the fourth straight year, while there are nine first-time winners.
1886 – German patent granted to inventor Carl Benz for “vehicle with gas engine operation”, the first automobile.
1903 – British newspaper “Daily Mirror” begins publishing.
1907 – US banker J. P. Morgan locks over 40 bankers in his library to force them to find ways to avert New York banking crisis.
1917 – In WWI the 1st US soldiers are killed in combat: James Gresham, Thomas Enright and Merle Hay.
1947 – After just 6 games of the season, Chicago Blackhawks trade NHL scoring leader Max Bentley along with Cy Thomas to Toronto Maple Leafs for Gus Bodnar, Bud Poile, Gaye Stewart, Bob Goldham, and Ernie Dickens.
1947 – Howard Hughes flies the “Spruce Goose,” a huge wooden airplane, for the first and only time, reaching a height of 70 feet before landing back on the water.
1983 – “Thriller” single released worldwide by Michael Jackson.
2008 – British McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton finishes fourth in season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix at Autódromo José Carlos Pace to clinch his first F1 World Drivers Championship by 1 point from Felipe Massa.
2020 – Baby Shark by Pinkfong becomes the most-watched video on YouTube with over 7.04 billion views.
Today in Presidental history:
1783 – General George Washington, later first US President, bids farewell to his army after the American Revolutionary War.
1852 – Democrat Franklin Pierce elected 14th President of the United States.
1880 – James A. Garfield (R) elected 20th President of the United States.
1920 – Warren G. Harding is elected President of the United States, defeating Democratic candidate James M. Cox.
1948 – US President Harry Truman is re-elected in an upset victory over Republican candidate Thomas E. Dewey.
1976 – Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter is elected President of the United States, defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford; Walter Mondale elected vice president.
2004 – George W. Bush is re-elected as President of the United States, defeating Democratic candidate John Kerry.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 11: Ryan Mountcastle #6 of the Baltimore Orioles waits for a pitch in the second inning during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a fun Halloween weekend. If you’re a Ravens fan, my condolences on whatever that game was yesterday.
It was, obviously, a slow weekend for the Orioles. They made some housekeeping moves, if you missed it. Albert Suárez, Colin Selby, and Codi Heuer cleared waivers. Suárez elected free agency, not that it’ll keep him from being an Oriole next year anyway. Selby and Heuer will remain in the system. If you’re not sure who Cody Heuer is, that’s ok. Nobody is.
There are quite a few things happening today! The BBWAA award finalists will be announced; the same will happen for the Silver Sluggers. It’s possible we could see Pete on the Silver Slugger list; I expect every other finalist for all awards will be non-Orioles.
Also, free agency opens today. So t’s the last day for teams to extend qualifying offers to their free agents, which means the Orioles will be giving one to Trevor Rogers…unless they announce they have signed him to a new contract! (Don’t hold your breath).
Today is also the day that the Orioles must decide if they’ll pick up Ryan Mountcastle’s $7.5 million team option. There doesn’t seem to be a place for him on this team. But sometimes the Orioles do weird things.
In non-Orioles baseball news, the Gold Glove winners were announced yesterday. Former Oriole Christian Walker won his fourth award. Aside from him, nine of the winners were honored for the first time.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies, including Sam Horn (63). Horn DH’d for the Orioles from 1990-92. In his Orioles debut in 1990, Horn hit two home runs and had six RBI. He was a lefty who couldn’t hit lefties, but thrived as a platoon bat. In his best year, 1991, Horn OPS’d .850 with 22 home runs in 117 games.
Other former Orioles born on this day in history are judge puncher Sidney Ponson (50), 2022 three-gamer Denyi Reyes (30), journeyman Wilson Betemit (45), and 1980 pitcher Paul Hartzell (73).
On this day in 1971, Pat Dobson pitched a no-hitter against the Yomiuri Giants in an exhibition game in Japan. The Orioles played 20 games in their tour of Japan and went 12-2-4.
In 2011, the Orioles claimed Darren O’Day on waivers from the Texas Rangers. Yes, he was a waiver claim! O’Day spent seven seasons as a stalwart in the Orioles’ bullpen. He appeared in over 60 games in five seasons. He was especially dominant in his first four seasons, when he pitched to a 1.93 ERA in 273 games.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Philadelphia left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) warms up prior to the start of the Philadelphia Phillies versus the Atlanta Braves in game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series on October 1st, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This is going to be a big week this week, as well as the days after that. We’re getting closer to when teams have to make some interesting decisions regarding the tendering of contracts to arbitration eligible players, which could mean we see a trade or two coming.
SURPRISE, AZ - OCTOBER 04: Calvin Ziegler #30 of the Surprise Saguaros pitches during the game between the Salt River Rafters and the Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Caedmon Parker pitched his way up to High-A in his first professional season. | Caedmon Parker/Instagram
Caedmon Parker Right-Handed Relief Pitcher 6´4´´ 190 pounds Age: 23 2026 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -0.2 years SSS rank among all right-handed relievers in the system 15 Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AA) 5-4 ⚾️ 30 games ⚾️ 91 2⁄3 IP ⚾️ 3.73 ERA ⚾️ 1.484 WHIP ⚾️ 105 K ⚾️ 41 BB ⚾️ 1.5 WAR
The White Sox took a chance on a college arm with some untapped potential when they selected righthander Caedmon Parker in the 15th round of the 2025 MLB draft (No. 436) out of Texas Christian University.
Parker had opportunities to turn pro before landing with the South Siders. After drawing draft interest out of high school in 2021, he chose to attend TCU. The Milwaukee Brewers came calling in the 11th round of the 2024 draft, but Parker opted for another season with the Horned Frogs. A year later, he was ready to trade purple for black and white.
An infielder before transitioning to the mound, Parker had his college development interrupted by Tommy John surgery, which wiped out his entire sophomore season. Across three healthy seasons at TCU, he appeared in 39 games, started 23 of them and posted a 4.95 ERA over 111 innings, with 99 strikeouts and 60 walks. Not exactly numbers that jump off the page, but the White Sox saw something worth developing.
The 6´4´´, 190-pound righty features a fastball that can touch 96 mph, along with an upper-70s curveball, mid-80s changeup and low-80s slider. His pitches drew interest for their movement and underlying metrics, but the results hadn’t quite caught up. The ingredients were there. Getting them to work together consistently was the next assignment.
Assigned to the Arizona Complex League after signing, Parker did not pitch professionally in 2025. The 23-year-old made his debut in 2026 with Low-A Kannapolis in 2026, starting 16 of his 18 appearances. He went an impressive 5-4 with a 3.82 ERA over 75⅓ innings, striking out 86 and walking 34 before earning a July 21 promotion to High-A Winston-Salem.
The move came with a change in responsibilities. Parker worked exclusively out of the bullpen for the Dash, posting a 3.31 ERA with 19 strikeouts and seven walks over 16⅓ innings. An injury sent him to the seven-day IL in early September, ending his first professional season. Between the two stops, Parker finished with a 3.73 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 91⅔ innings across 30 appearances, good for a promising 10.3 K/9 — a respectable introduction, especially for a pitcher who entered pro ball with more promise than polish.
Parker heads into 2027 with a productive debut behind him and a role still worth watching. A return to Winston-Salem would make sense, with a chance to pitch his way to Double-A Birmingham. Whether that comes in the rotation or out of the bullpen, his next step is giving the White Sox a reason to keep moving him up.
Full 2027 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox ProspectsStorystream
The MLB offseason is officially underway after the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory this week.
That means Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has some decisions to make as he looks toward trying to return his franchise to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
He’ll have to do so in an uncertain environment, with players and owners sharply split on what the sport’s next collective bargaining agreement should look like. The possibility of missed games – or possibly an entire missed season – in 2027 could have a major impact on the moves Cherington and his peers choose or choose not to make.
Here’s USA TODAY’s look at the biggest questions facing the club in the months ahead.
A bad season for the 24-year-old ace is a pretty darn good one for most pitchers. He finished 2026 with a 10-11 record, 3.82 ERA and 200 strikeouts across 32 starts.
Those numbers don’t come close to meeting his own Cy Young-winning standard, though. Skenes’ ERA ballooned by nearly two full runs year over year, from 1.97 in 2025. Fangraphs valued him at just 4.2 wins above replacement (WAR) compared to 6.5 the year before.
In a nine start stretch from May 17 to July 1, the team lost each time he took the mound. The Pirates went on to miss the playoffs by six games.
Some in Pirates orbit have probably overestimated the difference Skenes could have made had he been on his game. Six games is a lot for any individual player to make up, which is reflected in those WAR numbers.
He is nevertheless the team’s best player, and any chance the Pirates have at ending their postseason drought begins with him. Manager Don Kelly and pitching coach Bill Murphy need to find some answers, especially considering the Pirates moved on from Oscar Marin, the pitching coach Skenes had the most success with, at the end of 2025.
That move and Skenes’ subsequent dropoff in production has justifiably raised a lot of proverbial eyebrows. So the pressure is on this coaching staff to prove that the transition was not a mistake.
Will Brandon Lowe return?
The veteran second baseman had one of the best power-hitting seasons in recent Pirates history with 35 homers and 29 doubles after he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade last December.
He will now become a free agent, having reached the end of his final season of salary arbitration eligibility.
The choice for Cherington, then, is pretty stark. He can pay the 32-year-old the many millions he will likely command on the open market. Or he can let his best offensive player leave for practically nothing in return.
Each choice carries potential downsides. Of course, the lineup will be worse if he leaves in the short term. But because Lowe is well on the other side of his 30th birthday, a long-term contract extension carries significant risk of diminishing returns.
The team has also developed some potential alternative sources of significant power. Rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez hit 17 homers in 72 games in 2026. That translates to a 38-home run season over 162 games.
Twenty-five-year-old catcher Rafael Flores Jr., meanwhile, had 11 blasts in 47 games. You wouldn’t expect him to play a full 162 games because of his position, but one could reasonably hope for somewhere between 25-30 homers from him in projecting his numbers across a full schedule.
The anger from the fan base will be swift and severe if Lowe leaves, for understandable reasons. The Pirates have earned little benefit of the doubt with their payrolls under Cherington. One can plausibly argue that there’s plenty of money that should be available for a proven commodity like Lowe.
The question becomes whether it’s wise to invest all of it in a single aging player. Or whether Cherington is better off spreading his risk thinner and making multiple bets with the same pile of cash if notoriously tight-fisted owner Bob Nutting approves a payroll bump for him.
Can the bullpen improve?
The Pirates blew 26 saves in 2026, mostly early in the year. That was the 11th-highest total in baseball and a major reason they were on the outside looking in at the postseason despite finishing fifth in runs scored.
By the end of the season, some solutions began to emerge. Yohan Ramirez (2.86 ERA), Mason Montgomery (2.88) and Gregory Soto (3.63) all finished with reasonably solid numbers. Trade deadline acquisition Luke Weaver got off to a rocky start with the Pirates but allowed no runs in six of his final seven appearances.
This group has been a consistent problem during Cherington’s tenure. The fact that he mostly got it right by the end of the year is encouraging, but fans are correct in saying that he should have acted more aggressively early on to correct the issue. And would be justified in worrying about whether he’ll make similar mistakes this offseason.
The pressure is now on to get this group ready to be competitive from opening day in 2027.
