Category: Baseball

The Mets defeated the Yankees by a score of 6-4 in Grapefruit League action on Sunday.

Here are the key takeaways...

-- The Mets have said that top prospect Carson Benge is going to get a legitimate shot to win the starting right field job, and they backed that up by having Benge lead off and play right on Sunday.

In his first at-bat against Luis Gil, Benge was sawed off and hit a jam-shot pop-up to shortstop. In his second AB, Benge hit a grounder to first and nearly ran it out for a hit, but was out by half a step or so. 

Benge's toughest at-bat came in the top of the fifth, facing veteran lefty Tim Hill. After falling behind 0-2, Benge laid off a ball and fouled another pitch off before grounding into a 6-3 double play. He was replaced defensively in the bottom of the fifth inning.

-- The first Mets home run of 2026 spring training came off the bat of Jared Young in the second inning, when he clobbered a high fastball for a solo homer.

Young played in 23 games for the Mets last season and hit four home runs. He’ll likely start the season in Triple-A, but could be a left-handed hitting option off the bench.

-- The Mets flashed some more pop in the top of the fourth, when Luis Torrens lifted a solo home run to right-center. Barring anything unexpected, Torrens will be the Mets' backup catcher behind Francisco Alvarez come Opening Day.

Not to be outdone, fellow catcher Hayden Senger joined the power party in the top of the sixth, hitting a solo shot to right-center. Senger has major league experience and could be in the mix for the backup catching job.

-- And for good measure, and for further proof that the wind was blowing out to right, JT Schwartz lifted one up into the jet stream in the top of the eighth, and it carried well out of the ballpark for a three-run shot.

-- Righty Justin Hagenman started for the Mets, going 2.1 innings while allowing one earned run on two hits. He walked three and struck out three, and figures to be in the mix if the Mets need a spot start during the season.

YANKEES

-- Gil went 2.2 innings for the Yankees, throwing 48 pitches. He allowed a pair of hits, including the solo homer, but he struck out four and didn't walk a batter. His fastball sat around 96 MPH, and 33 of his 48 pitches were strikes.

-- Shortstop is an area of focus for the Yankees, considering Anthony Volpe will miss the beginning of the season and is no sure bet to start once he returns, and Jose Caballero made an impact on Sunday, smacking a solo home run on a hanging Hagenman breaking ball in the third inning. Caballero will likely be the Opening Day starter at short for the Yanks.

-- Coming off a two-homer game in his spring debut, Aaron Judge went 0-1 with a groundout to third, but he did reach base twice via walks. Cody Bellinger had a pair of base hits, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached base twice with a single and a walk.

-- Outfielder Kenedy Corona drew the Yankees closer with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. Corona spent the entire 2025 season in Triple-A in the Houston Astros system before the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal.

Highlights

Jared Young hits the Mets' first home run of the spring 💣 pic.twitter.com/jcWwuMZx2r

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 22, 2026

Torrens leaves the yard! 💪 pic.twitter.com/p5DvEWf5Hb

— New York Mets (@Mets) February 22, 2026

Torrens leaves the yard! 💪 pic.twitter.com/p5DvEWf5Hb

— New York Mets (@Mets) February 22, 2026

J.T. Schwartz breaks it open with a three-run homer! 💥

It's the fourth home runs the Mets have hit today pic.twitter.com/pfu1l0Zcn7

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 22, 2026

A solo shot for José Caballero! 💪 pic.twitter.com/WpVFa6mwC3

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 22, 2026

Kenedy Corona hits a three-run homer to bring the Yankees closer! pic.twitter.com/XfUywfaGV9

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 22, 2026

What's next

The Mets visit the Toronto Blue Jays for a 1:07 p.m. start time on Monday afternoon, while the Yankees visit the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 1:05 p.m. start time.

Rhys Hoskins is now a Guardian, agreeing to a deal with Cleveland on Sunday morning. His lengthy stay in free agency and non-guaranteed deal indicate that he wasn’t in high demand. However, there was at least one team that showed some interest in him, according to this report from Devan Kaney:

Sources tell me Bryce Harper has been advocating for more right handed power and someone who could give the Phillies more emotional edge/swagger. I’m told Harper suggested Dave Dombrowski look into a reunion with Rhys Hoskins who remains a free agent.

I’m told Hoskins is game…

— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) February 20, 2026

That certainly got Phillies fans talking. Reactions to this generally fell into one of three categories:

1. Heck yeah! We loved that guy and the Phillies haven’t been the same since he left! Bring him back!
2. The Phillies need right-handed power to protect Bryce Harper in the lineup! Bring him back!
3. Um…where would he play?

I understand the first reaction as nostalgia can be a hell of a drug. Now that we’ve had a few years of separation (and playoff failures), it seems people are remembering Hoskins more fondly than they actually thought of him while he was here. For most fans, the home run binges and the bat spike against the Braves are the lasting memories of his time in Philadelphia.

October 14th, 2022. Rhys Hoskins hits the biggest Home Run of his career and has the best bat spike in Phillies history. pic.twitter.com/DdfACNX5WJ

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) December 26, 2023

Less remembered are the deep, prolonged slumps that he endured every season. That bat spike, as well as his performance against the Padres have made people think of him as a good playoff performer, but part of the reason, he was so emotional was because he had been 1-20 in the playoffs up to that point. Later in those same playoffs, he recorded a .394 OPS in the World Series. And for what it’s worth, he was 0-9 in the playoffs with the Brewers in 2024.

As for the belief that Hoskins would have provided Bryce Harper with right-handed protection in the lineup, I have to disagree. Hoskins’ two-year stint with the Brewers didn’t set the world on fire. In 2024, while coming off a missed season due to a knee injury, Hoskins had a .722 OPS with 26 home runs. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they’re also not great ones, especially for a right-handed first baseman who is a negative in the field. He was having a better season in 2025 (.748 OPS) before missing most of the second half with a thumb injury. He returned before the end of the season, but the Brewers didn’t include him on their playoff roster.

Based on recent history, there’s no reason to think Hoskins will be a great player in 2026, and based on the terms of his new contract, that is the consensus opinion throughout MLB. That said, if you want a right-handed hitter who provides 25+ home run power, Hoskins can probably give you that over a full season.

But – and this is probably the main reason why Hoskins is not a Phillie – Hoskins likely wouldn’t have provided that power for the Phillies because there was no place to play him.

Hoskins is limited to first base and designated hitter, and the Phillies already have All-Stars at those positions. Please don’t suggest he play left field. Hoskins was a disaster playing there in 2018, and I suspect that eight years and one major knee injury later, he’s not going to be any better.

Yeah I don’t care. Castellanos played all year in right. Playing outfield is not like playing free safety. Anyone can do it.

— Kevin Reavy (@76pack) February 22, 2026

I saw suggestions that Hoskins be used in a platoon-type role where he would play first base against left-handed pitching with Bryce Harper going to left field in place of Brandon Marsh. But I’ll believe that Harper is willing to play the outfield when I see it. We’ve heard whispers about it, but I don’t think there have been any official quotes. This plan would also weaken the Phillies defensively at both first base and left field, although Otto Kemp – presumed to be the right-handed half of a platoon with Brandon Marsh in left – is certainly not a plus on defense either.

Hoskins also doesn’t have drastic platoon splits over his career, and he actually had a higher OPS against right-handed pitching in 2025 (.756 vs. .731). While I’m sure he’d do better than Marsh against lefties (a low bar to be sure), if you’re going to use a player in a platoon, you’d want him to crush opposite hand pitching.

There was talk about using him as a bench bat, and I agree that it would be nice to have a legit power threat off the bench. But I doubt that Hoskins was even interested in that.

Besides, if the point was to protect Harper in the lineup, I’m not sure what good a bench bat would have done. So, even if they had signed Rhys Hoskins, we still would have likely had Alec Bohm as the Opening Day cleanup hitter. (Cue the grumbling from the fans.)

I think part of the discontent with that arrangement is that people are still holding on to outdated ideas as to what a “cleanup” hitter actually is. Not so long ago, Alec Bohm would have been batting second or third with Kyle Schwarber – a stereotypical power hitter – batting fourth. But these days, teams tend to put their best hitters as high up in the lineup as they can, and the modern two-hole hitter is generally a bigger power threat than the man in the four-hole. (The venerable Schmenkman can provide more information.)

Over the last 3 years, Bohm has had less power, but a higher average, and overall has been almost exactly today’s typical 4 hitter:

Average cleanup hitter:

.249/.320/.432
➡️ .752 OPS, 107 wRC+
⁰Bohm overall:

.280/.330/.433
➡️ .763 OPS, 108 wRC+https://t.co/ZWbb3csPHdhttps://t.co/pIAhJuB1ba

— schmenkman 🇺🇦 (@tgpschmenk) February 20, 2026

The most important takeaway from this Hoskins report is that the team’s team president and franchise player are still very much not on the same page. Harper clearly believes the team isn’t good enough as is and seems to be putting some of the blame for his “nonelite” season on his supporting cast. Dombrowski’s attitude seems to be: “We’re paying these players as if they’re stars, so they need to play like stars when it counts.”

They’ve both got a point – although I know that far more Phillies fans share Harper’s opinion – but unless one of them does something to solve the problem, it is likely to continue, and the relationship between Harper and Dombrowski is unlikely to improve.

The Guardians added a right-handed bat, finally, bringing Rhys Hoskins in on a minor-league deal today.

First, the reasons the team is bringing Hoskins in:

• The price is right. The team doesn’t have to guarantee Hoskins a roster spot while also only owing him $1.5M if he makes the team.
• Hoskins is 33 years old, which is not young but not old for a baseball player. This is not a 39 year-old Carlos Santana signing.
• Even in a bit of a down year for him compared to his career 121 wRC+, Hoskins still put up a 109 wRC+ last season, which would have been third-best among Guardians’ players who got 300 or more plate appearances in 2025. He also has a 137 wRC+ against left-handed pitching for his career. Some have noted that his wRC+ against southpaws is only 109 in 2024-2025, but it’s generally wiser to look at his career numbers when there is a large enough sample size. I’d expect that Hoskins, if healthy, will be capable of putting up something closer to his career 137 wRC+ against LHP than the 109 of the past couple years.
• Hoskins had his best year defensively since 2019 in 2025, putting up 2 Defensive Runs Saved and 1 Out Above Average at first base. This is a solid indicator of a player not willing to rest on past achievements, but willing to work to continue to contribute as his career wanes.
• Hoskins had his lowest chase-rate in six years in 2025 (19.9% out-of-zone swing rate) and the highest hard-hit rate of his career (46.4%). These are decent indications that he still has potential to be the 120 wRC+ hitter he has been for his career for another season if healthy and given the opportunity.
• Most importantly, the addition of Hoskins provides needed depth in several areas. First of all, if neither David Fry nor Juan Brito are looking at their best, either or both can be optioned to Columbus. CJ Kayfus, now, can provide much needed depth in left and right field, given the potential for either (or both) of Chase DeLauter or George Valera to be affected or limited by injury concerns. I realize that some folks are concerned that Kayfus and Valera, especially, may not get the opportunities they deserve, but, it’s important to remember that good teams, playoff-contending teams, need the depth to make sure they do not have to rely on every young player to succeed, every injured player to be healthy, and every long-shot cause to pay off.

I think the player this addition affects most is likely Johnathan Rodriguez. Hoskins is very likely a better DH option than Rodriguez will be, and I think the Guardians are likely correct in that assessment. Hoskins also gives the useful aspect of being an average defender at first (vs. Rodriguez being a terrible defender everywhere). This move also probably makes Nolan Jones more of a depth piece than a relied upon starter, which is good news.

I expect that as long as Hoskins is healthy, he will make the Opening Day Roster, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see David Fry become an option in right field, despite Vogt’s earlier indications that he wouldn’t be. The collection of hitters for Opening Day seems likely, at the moment, to be:

C – Bo, Hedges, Fry
1B – Manzardo and Hoskins
2B – Arias or Brito
3B – Jose
SS – Rocchio
LF – Kayfus or Valera (or Kwan, if centerfield doesn’t pan out)
CF – Kwan (or Jones or DeLauter if Kwan is in left)
RF – DeLauter (or Valera or Kayfus if Kwan is in left)
Utility Infielder: Daniel Schneemann (or Gabriel Arias if Brito makes the team)
Utility Outfielder: Stuart Fairchild or Angel Martinez

The good news is that Fry, Kayfus, Rodriguez, Schneemann, and Valera all have options and can be useful depth in Columbus as need be. Nolan Jones, also, can probably be designated for assignment and passed through to Columbus if he doesn’t make the roster (though I suspect he would probably be traded, instead). This is important for a team that wants to have the piece necessary to survive the grind of a 162-game season while maintaining a consistent level of offense.

Finally, Hoskins had a wRC+ of over 130 last season before he injured his thumb a couple months into the season. Seems a reasonable chance that healthy thumb Hoskins can be that kind of threat again. Choosing the Guardians as his minor-league deal option means Hoskins thinks he has a good shot to make the roster here.

I feel much better about the Guardians’ offseason. I’d like to see Randal Grichuk also brought into camp to add to the competition for right-handed outfielders, but this is enough to call off the worst of the dogs in terms of Guardians’ offseason inactivity for me. Last second heave by Chris Antonetti with the game clock expiring – and it’s good!

Rhys Hoskins is not heading back to Philadelphia after all.

The former Phillies slugger, who spent his first six MLB seasons in the city of brotherly love, has agreed to a minor league deal with the Guardians, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

Hoskins’ deal is worth $1.5 million if he makes the team out of spring training, according to The Athletic.

His new contract comes days after a report that Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, desiring “emotional edge/swagger” for the lineup, suggested a reunion with Hoskins to team president Dave Dombrowski, per 94WIP’s Devan Kaney.

The first baseman was “game to come back and finish the job with the Phillies,” per Kaney, who added that Dombrowski decided against a reunion.

Harper’s desire for offensive reinforcement after an eventful offseason in which Dombrowski lost out on infielder Bo Bichette, who spurned the Phillies to join the National League East rival Mets.

Dombrowski re-signed JT Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber while also stirring controversy by questioning if Harper, a two-time MVP, is still an elite player.

Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Hoskins averaged 30 homers and 82 RBIs from 2018 through 2022, establishing himself as one of MLB’s most consistent sluggers.

He cemented himself in Phillies lore with a standout postseason in 2022, blasting six home runs as the Phillies reached the World Series.

The following spring, Hoskins was carted off the field days before the regular season after suffering a season-ending torn ACL in a devastating blow.

“I just put my hand on his shoulder, but you know, no words needed to be said right there,’’ then-Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos said in the aftermath. “What is there really to say? Everybody knows exactly what’s going on. When something like that happens, it’s not taken lightly.

“I think every single person on that field around him [realized] the seriousness of that moment.’’

The brutal injury was compounded by the fact that he was set to hit free agency after the season.

The Phillies did not re-sign Hoskins as he joined the Brewers on a two-year, $34 million pact – but he did not recapture his prior success in Milwaukee.

Hoskins tormented the Mets to begin 2024, but managed a meager .213 average and -0.9 WAR despite notching 26 homers and 82 RBIs.

He started strong last season, but a thumb injury limited him to just 90 games, where he slashed .237/.332/.416 with 12 homers and 43 RBIs.

Today, the Guardians will play the Athletics

Cleveland will lineup as follows:

Schneemann 3B

Valera RF

Fry C

Manzardo DH

Fairchild CF

Jones LF

Velazquez 1B

Bazzana 2B

Genao SS

Messick P

It will be fun to get a glimpse at a potential infield of the future in Velazquez, Bazzana and Genao, as well as see what Fairchild looks like in center and Fry at catcher.

The Texas Rangers welcome the Colorado Rockies to their spring home in Surprise, Arizona for a Cactus League matchup.

The most notable thing about today’s contest is the debut in Texas attire for big lefty offseason acquisition MacKenzie Gore. Opposing Gore and Texas for Colorado will be former Ranger Jimmy Herget, a right-handed reliever who pitched for Texas in 2020-21.

You can listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

Well, at least it’s not the Rockies! We will be seeing them again later in the preseason, but for now we move outside of the complex, and welcome the Angels as the first team to visit Salt River Fields this spring. Like the D-backs, they had a bit of a rough day yesterday om their home openers. Actually, it was probably worse: they were 9-0 down by the middle of the second, on their way to a 15-2 loss at the hands of their city rivals. The eleven pitchers used by the Angels gave up sixteen hits and eleven walks. So both teams today will be looking to flush that one and move on. Here’s the Arizona line-up this afternoon.

Another one at our place. pic.twitter.com/MJ0Jw6HiAW

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 22, 2026

After Kohl Drake, we can expect to see some of these arms: RHP Yilber Diaz, RHP Kade Strowd, RHP Junior Fernández, RHP Landon Sims, RHP Roman Angelo and LHP Avery Short. Diaz and Stroud are one I’ll be paying particular attention to this spring. Like Mitch Bratt yesterday, Drake came over from the Rangers in the Merrill Kelly deal at the trade deadline. Interesting to see Waldschmidt in center. He started in left for the spring opener, and had one obvious misplay. It’s certainly a better Arizona line-up, with a regular infield, bar Aramis Garcia behind the plate.

No television here, but you can listen through Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, or perhaps online if you are not in the state.

One more road game this weekend for the Dodgers, with Jackson Ferris starting on the mound against the San Diego Padres in Peoria. Kyle Tucker makes his Dodgers debut.

Today’s #DodgersST lineup at Padres: pic.twitter.com/xcJGhlkjwt

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 22, 2026

Sunday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Padres
• Ballpark: Peoria Sports Complex
• Time: 12:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (simulcast), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Having crunched their first two opponents by a combined score of 19-3, the White Sox will try to extend the streak of slaughters against a Brewers split squad today.

Mike Vasil, who did an excellent job in relief last year and is under consideration for a rotation slot for 2026, will start the parade of pitchers for the Sox, with righty Logan Henderson first on the mound for the Brewers.

Henderson, who had a blazing beginning as rookie in 2025 only to have his season shut down by a flexor strain that limited him to five starts, will face a Sox lineup which, in keeping with usual spring one-on/one-off patterns, is largely the same as that in the opener against the Cubs Friday, but with Lenyn Sosa at second and Braden Montgomery in right. Kyle Teel and Korey Lee switch DH/C roles.

Which means that Sox fans get their first chance today to watch Munetaka Murakami on TV.

Vasil et al. will be facing the Brewers lineup that includes old buddy Andrew Vaughn but with most Milwaukee probable regular season starters on the other half of the split.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Central under (surprise!) sunny skies and temps around 80°. Usual broadcast suspects, which, for those who have forgotten since last year, means CHSN and ESPN 1000.

The Kansas City Royals are back in action after getting crushed yesterday by the Padres 10-3. The Royals won their first Spring Training game against the Rangers 7-3 and will look to get back in the groove of things today taking on the Brewers.

Bailey Falter takes the ball to start today. Falter, a trade acquisition last summer, needs a good spring season to make the team, as the Royals have plenty of starting pitching depth. Here is the lineup behind Falter to start the contest today.

Spending our Sunday in Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/kDe3FzdjhG

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 22, 2026

Notable things today: Jac Caglianone batting second, Carter Jensen hitting cleanup and catching, Michael Massey out in left field. Finally, Maikel Garcia is leading off again, the second time in the first three games.

The game can be listened to on 96.5 The Fan today. It’ll be nice to hear the voices of all the guys again, as we are just under 5 weeks away from games that count and matter in Kansas City. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. CT.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres, February 22, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV and MLB Network

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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It feels good to be back 💛 pic.twitter.com/WOqbGT69wv

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) February 22, 2026

Today’s #DodgersST lineup at Padres: pic.twitter.com/xcJGhlkjwt

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 22, 2026

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GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

The Mariners close up the first weekend of Spring Training 2026 with a game against the Reds. As opposed to the B-lineup we saw yesterday, today looks more like the spring training opener, aside from those last three. Top prospect Michael Arroyo gets another chance at second base, and the left side of the infield will be held down by a pair of NRIs. As a reminder, if you don’t know that “Wilson” here is not our Dear Leader suiting up at the hot corner, you can find writeups on Will Wilson and Brock Rodden in our NRIs article.

The Mariners will travel to Goodyear to play the Reds and former Mariners Eugenio Suárez IS in today’s Reds lineup. If you see anything that said that he isn’t, no you didn’t, is lie, liar told you that. Huh, JJ Bleday is a Red now? Bless spring training baseball for keeping us abreast of the more minor moves via lineups. JJ Bleday, you’ll always be spiritually an Oakland Athletic to me.

This is the last day for a while we’ll have an NRI starter: Logan Gilbert is scheduled to start tomorrow’s game against the Dodgers, and George Kirby is penciled in for Tuesday’s game against the White Sox. But today will be a chance to see NRI Randy Dobnak in person. He’ll be followed, in some order, by Jhonathan Díaz, Casey Legumina, Ryan Loutos, Robinson Ortiz, Cole Wilcox, and Domingo González. The “jicky” (Just In Case) pitchers being brought over from minor-league camp are Jimmy Kingsbury, Jean Muñoz, Jason Ruffcorn, and Ryan Hawks.

Offensively, highlights from the backups include several top prospects: catcher Luke Stevenson, who saw his first game action of the spring yesterday, working a walk; infielder Felnin Celesten, who didn’t receive an invite to big-league camp this year; and Lazaro Montes and Jonny Farmelo. Also Sammy Siani, who I somehow didn’t even realize was in Mariners camp. I really liked Siani in the 2019 Draft, when Pittsburgh took him 37th overall.

Today’s game is sadly not televised. It will be broadcast live on 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call.

Game time: 12:05 PT

Watch: No

Listen: Seattle Sports 710 AM

As a reminder, we’re hoping to build our community before Opening Day for what promises to be an exciting 2026 season and we’d love to have you with us. If you haven’t yet, sign up (it makes the site function much better for you, as a bonus) and jump on in to the conversation! This is especially helpful on radio-only games to keep the conversation flowing. And don’t worry about making a mistake – it’s spring training for all of us.

America’s favorite past time is making its way back and now beginning to take center stage as winter sports start to wind down. The one that continues to stand out during the spring months is high school baseball, with there being many great teams all around the national scene ready to hit the diamond to break out the cleats, gloves and bats.

Last week we released our first-ever rankings and we roll out the second edition of the Rivals High School Baseball Top 25 of 2026.

Topping this week’s set of rankings is California’s St. John Bosco Braves as the leap over Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas, which went 31-2 and won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship a year ago. The Braves have yet to play a game this season, but are loaded with talent and expected to contend for the mythical national crown, along with teams like Marjory Stoneman Douglas and IMG Academy. Which other teams join the Braves, Eagles and Ascenders in our second Rivals High School Top 25 baseball rankings?

We dive into the best high school baseball programs around the nation and give you our take on which teams stay in the conversation as of Feb. 22.

1. St. John Bosco Braves (Calif.) (0-0)

St. John Bosco (Calif.) jumps up a spot after Marjory Stoneman Douglas lost their first game of the season. Unlike down in the Sunshine State, the state of California has yet to see its high school baseball season’s first pitch, but that’s right around the corner and topping all of the schools out west is the St. John Bosco Braves (0-0). The Braves’ roster is stacked with returning talent from the 30-4 team from 2025, including on the pitcher’s mound. Returning with the most experience of all the hurlers is senior Gavin Cervantes, who went 8-0 with 44 strikeouts in 2025. Another up and coming arm to watch for is sophomore Brayden Krakowski, who went 5-0 with 31 strikeouts last spring.

2. IMG Academy Ascenders (Fla.) (4-0)

The IMG Academy Ascenders, which are off to a sizzling 4-0 start, jumps up to the second spot after defeating Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) last week 10-8. The Ascenders, one of three Florida teams among the top five, started off fairly high for us due part to the victories they have already notched on their schedule, with wins over nationally ranked Jesuit, No. 6 ranked Etowah (Ga.) and always talented Lowndes (Ga.). IMG Academy (4-0) is always going to be well stocked with baseball talent that’s preparing to head off to the next level and this spring is no different, no by the talents of Maple Mountain (UT) transfer Cry Chrisman, who hit 19 home runs in 2025.

3. Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles (Fla.) (5-1)

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (5-1) ended the 2025 Florida high school baseball season by winning the Class 7A state championship and boasting a 31-2 record. That’s by no coincidence they’re considered one of the best in the nation and much has to do with them being at the top because of some of the returning talent. The Eagles will feature senior left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas, who is committed to the University of Miami. Rojas is a projected first round draft pick in this summer’s MLB Draft and will be one of the country’s best on the mound after going 13-0 with a 0.73 ERA last spring. Marjory Stoneman Douglas dropped down a couple spots in our second set of rankings after an unexpected 4-3 loss to Columbus last week.

4. Orange Lutheran Lancers (Calif.) (0-0)

Checking in at No. 4 of the Top 5 of the Rivals High School Baseball Rankings are the Orange Lutheran Lancers, which could make a strong argument in being higher on this list of teams. The Lancers went 23-7 last season, but with the talent the team possesses at the plate, it’s hard to not have this group in the conversation of the nation’s best. Player to watch for the Lancers on the mound is senior pitcher Gary Morse, who is already committed to the University of Tennessee. Morse led the Orange Lutheran pitching staff in 2025 with a 8-2 record and a 0.94 ERA.

5. Jesuit Tigers (Fla.) (4-1)

Already off to a 4-1 start to the Florida high school baseball season, the Jesuit Tigers look to be the favorites to win it all in the FHSAA’s Class 4A classification. With victories already over Wesley Chapel (9-1 win), Berkeley Prep (5-0 win), Lakeland Christian (8-4 win), Plant (4-1 win), the Tigers have already shown why they’re one of the country’s best programs once again. Lone loss of the season came against No. 2 ranked IMG Academy at home, 10-8. Leading the way for Jesuit this spring is the bat of infielder/outfielder Christian Sheffield (Florida A&M commitment), the son of former MLB star Gary Sheffield. The younger Sheffield has impressed thus far, batting .500 and driving in three runs off of two hits.

Rivals High School Baseball Rankings Nos. 11-25

6. Etowah Eagles (Ga.) (5-1)
7. Venice Indians (Fla.) (6-0)
8. Grapevine Mustangs (TX) (5-0)
9. South Walton Seahawks (Fla.) (4-1)
10. De La Salle Spartans (Calif.) (0-0)

11. Trinity Shamrocks (Ky.) (0-0)
12. Corona Panthers (Calif.) (0-0)
13. Casteel Colts (Ariz.) (0-0)
14. Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors (Fla.) (4-1)
15. Blessed Trinity Catholic Titans (Ga.) (5-2)

16. Huntington Beach Oilers (Calif.) (0-0)
17. Calallen Wildcats (TX) (6-0)
18. Magnolia Heights School Chiefs (MS) (1-0)
19. Mater Dei Monarchs (Calif.) (0-0)
20. St. Laurence Vikings (IL) (0-0)

21. Basic Wolves (Nev.) (0-0)
22. The Stony Brook School Bears (NY) (0-0)
23. Delbarton Green Wave (NJ) (0-0)
24. BufordWolves (Ga.) (3-0)
25. Baylor SchoolRed Raiders (0-0)

Dropped out:Lake Travis Cavaliers (TX), Memorial Warriors (TX)

In the first offensive explosion of spring training, when the Rockies totalled 13 hits and scored 11 runs, including a three-hit, three-RBI performance by Brenton Doyle and a homer from Adael Amador, the Rockies beat Arizona 11-6 for their first spring training win on Saturday.

The Rockies (1-1) will now face their first opponent other than the Diamondbacks when they take on the Texas Rangers (1-1) today at Surprise Stadium.

RHP Jimmy Herget, one of the Rockies best relievers last season, will get the start in his first action of spring training. “The Human Glitch” recorded career highs in appearances (59), innings (83.1 IP) and strikeouts (81) while posting a 2.48 ERA in his first season with Colorado in 2025. Due to his success, Herget is now auditioning for a spot in the rotation.

Warren Schaeffer is starting out with a lefty-heavy lineup, with six left-handed batters, to take on Texas LHP MacKenzie Gore. There are also three non-roster invites in the starting lineup in catcher Brett Sullivan, first baseman TJ Rumfield and shortstop Nicky Lopez.

Sunday will mark Gore’s first action of the spring, as well as his first start with Texas. The third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft is in his fifth MLB season and was an All-Star for the National League, representing the Washington Nationals in 2025. He was traded to the Rangers in January.

First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. MDT

TV: None

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (12:55 p.m. pregame)

Lineups:

Sunday in Suprise ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/m7qmwFI1jl

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) February 22, 2026

Rangers lineup for February 22, 2026 vs. Colorado pic.twitter.com/dQHHans9wd

— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) February 22, 2026

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Early Friday morning on the half field behind Clover Park, new Mets third base coach Tim Leiper played an impromptu game with new Mets second baseman Marcus Semien. When the prescribed number of groundballs were over, Leiper whacked a few extras right at Semien, one after another, moving a few steps closer to the veteran each time.

Semien fielded each one until Leiper blinked, mishitting a soft line drive that Semien caught before gleefully jump-shooting it toward the bucket like a rookie whose legs did not yet know the weight of a full MLB season. But Semien, of course, knows that grind better than anyone in the Mets clubhouse this spring. And he sees no need for workload management.

“My mindset has always been, every day you can do something special. No matter how your body is feeling, and that’s the beauty of our sport. There are plenty of ways to impact the game,” Semien said. “There are so many different ways you can be feeling on a given day, but you still have to get in the box and compete. There are days where you don’t feel your best and you can still have one of your best games.”

Since Semien became a full-time major leaguer with the then-Oakland Athletics in 2015, only five players have played in more games. In the five seasons since he turned 30, he has played fewer than 159 games just once.

In 2023, as a member of the Texas Rangers, Semien played all 162 regular games then started every one of the Rangers postseason games, eventually setting the record for most plate appearances ever taken in a single MLB season (835). After the Rangers clinched a title with a win in Game 5 of the World Series, a champagne-soaked Semien said he was not even tired.

The 35-year-old can make a credible argument that he should still be on the field as much as possible. For example, he won his Gold Glove at second base last year and tied for fourth among all second basemen with seven outs above average, a metric that offers insight into a player’s range. His average sprint speed in 2025 (28.5 feet per second, according to Baseball Savant) is slightly better than it was in his late 20s.

The counterpoint to his optimism is his offense, where bat speed often wanes as the years accumulate: After winning his third Silver Slugger with an .826 OPS in that championship 2023 season, Semien’s OPS dropped below .700 in the two years since, well below his career mark of .756. Since that World Series season, Semien’s bat speed has ranked in the league’s lowest 10 percent. Then again, it was among the league’s worst in that 2023 season -- in which he finished third in American League MVP voting -- too.

“I have not looked into [bat speed] much. I’m sure there are people who will look at that,” said Semien, who added that as long as he feels he can pull pitches in the air when pitchers give him the chance, he should be able to produce the way he expects.

Though he pulled the ball in the air less frequently the past two seasons than he did at his best, he still ranks above average in his ability to do so.

“He wants to play,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, when asked if the Mets are considering limiting Semien’s workload somewhat to keep him fresher. “He takes pride in being available, posting, being in the lineup. We will have to watch him closely. Continue to have constant communication. I will check like I always do with them once we get going and playing every day. But being available is super important for him and us as a team. But again, we just have to be mindful and manage the workload there.”

The Mets have the personnel to spell Semien if they want. Brett Baty worked at second base in 2024, and the Mets will be looking for places to get him at-bats this season now that Bo Bichette is locked in at third base. Ronny Mauricio could play there when he is done filling in for Francisco Lindor at shortstop. But early in camp, Semien has been alone most days at second base, building rapport with new first baseman Jorge Polanco on the right side and chatting regularly with Lindor during drills.

“If you look at all the years in my career, there have been a couple 162s, but those are the best years of my career. I just kept going. One of those years was a World Series,” Semien said. “That’s always going to be my mindset. I’ll leave it up to other people to let me know.”