SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: A general view of the stadium during the spring training game between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Evil Empire arrives at Salt River Fields, and the run they had last post-season is ongoing. The Dodgers have won their first four games, outscoring their opponents by a whopping 34-6 margin so far. So let’s hope this is not an omen of things to come in the regular season. But we are sending Zac Gallen to the mound today – and I would imagine, after the news that Merrill Kelly won’t be ready to start the season, he’s most likely to be the Opening Day starter for the D-backs in four weeks time, against these same Dodgers. But it will be Gallen’s first start of spring, so I wouldn’t expect him to throw more than a couple of innings. Here’s the full Arizona line-up:
Also potentially pitching: RHP Dylan Ray, RHP Drey Jameson, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, RHP Alfred Morillo, RHP Hayden Durke, LHP Spence Giesting, LHP Avery Short, RHP Casey Anderson, RHP Indigo Diaz and LHP Carlos Rey. Jameson is probably the one I’ll be keeping a particular eye on, seeing if he can flash the sharply increased velocity he showed in the Arizona Fall League. He was hitting 99 mph there after, of all things, a botox injection in his neck helped relieve elbow discomfort. If he can get back to the form he had, I’d not be surprised to see him getting the chance to close out games for Arizona.
This one is going to be streamed through dbacks.com, though I haven’t clicked around enough to find the exact location yet. Mike Ferrin is on the call, and will be joined by former D-back Jake Lamb, acting as the color commentator. That should be fun.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: James Tibbs III #98 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on February 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers look to remain undefeated this spring, as they are on the road take on the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
Roki Sasaki makes his spring debut against right-hander Zac Gallen.
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi (44) dries his hands off in between pitches during the first inning of Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field, Oct. 2, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No TV or Radio today, so discuss statcast/GameDay/hope one of our community members is on site.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 28: Starting pitcher Noah Cameron #65 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Kauffman Stadium on May 28, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals take on their biggest rivals in baseball today – the Seattle Mariners. Noah Cameron makes his Cactus League debut. Does he actually have to “win” a rotation spot?
Kameron Misner is in the lineup – he’s been up five times this spring and has yet to put the ball in play with two walks and three strikeouts.
Yesterday, the Brewers finally picked up their first Cactus League win behind Tyler Black’s six (!!) RBIs. They’ll be looking to make it two straight in today’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants, who haven’t lost a game yet this spring.
Carlos Rodriguez, who appeared in four games last year, will be on the mound to start. The only other probable pitcher listed for today’s game is Peter Strzelecki, who pitched in 66 games for the Brewers between 2022 and 2023. He’s back on a minor league deal with a big league spring invite. Starting for the Giants is another familiar face, former Brewer Adrian Houser.
Today’s lineup consists entirely of players who project to play a role for the big league squad this season, although it’s probably not a lineup Milwaukee will ever roll out in the regular season (maybe on a getaway day?). Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras make up the top of the lineup. Hitting cleanup today is Jake Bauers, who’s recorded a hit in each of his two at-bats this spring. Andrew Vaughn is in the five-spot followed by the newly signed Luis Rengifo, who starts at third. Garrett Mitchell will hit seventh in his first Cactus League appearance. Rounding out the bottom of the order are Joey Ortiz and Brandon Lockridge, who’s already hit two home runs in seven at-bats.
Notable names in San Francisco’s lineup include Jung Hoo Lee, Harrison Bader, Bryce Eldridge, and former Brewer Eric Haase (hitting cleanup!). First pitch is slated for 2:10 p.m. CT and this one will be broadcast on 620 WTMJ and the Brewers Radio Network.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres swings and hits the ball during a Spring Training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on February 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Nick Castellanos - Getty Images
Los Angeles Angels at San Diego Padres, February 25, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies looks on during a spring training bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 13, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
Yesterday, the Rockies beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5 for their third win in five spring games. Cole Carrigg and Ryan Ritter stayed hot at the plate, and Charlie Condon launched his first home run of the spring.
Today, Colorado faces the Chicago Cubs for the first time this spring, looking to extend their two-game win streak. The bats have shown encouraging signs early in camp: through five games, the Rockies have struck out 10 or more times just once – a welcome development for a lineup emphasizing contact and competitive at-bats.
Defensively, things have been sharp as well. Colorado has strung together three consecutive error-free games, an impressive stretch considering how many players have rotated through multiple positions during the first week of action.
On the Mound: José Quintana (Rockies)
Veteran free agent signing José Quintana – a former Cub – makes his Rockies debut this afternoon. Quintana posted a 3.92 ERA across 131.2 innings last season with the Brewers, striking out 89 while continuing to rely on craft and pitch mix rather than overpowering velocity.
Quintana now leans heavily on his sinker and off-speed offerings, with his four-seam usage dropping from 36% in 2022 to just 11.7% in 2025. He’s typically effective at limiting hard contact, generating ground balls, and pitching to contact rather than chasing strikeouts. For a Rockies staff looking to induce weak contact and stay efficient, that profile fits well.
2025 Stats:
11-7, 3.96 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 89 K, 131.2 IP
In addition to our first look at Quintana in purple, Mickey Moniak makes his spring debut at DH (Moniak has been dealing with right oblique tightness). Today also offers another opportunity to evaluate players competing for roster spots: Troy Johnston and Zac Veen are in the outfield, TJ Rumfield gets the start at first base, and Nicky Lopez slots in at second.
It’s particularly intriguing to see Johnston continue to get run in the outfield. If he’s going to make this team, what role does he actually fill?
On the Mound: Jameson Taillon (Cubs)
Opposing Quintana is veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon. Injuries interrupted Taillon’s 2025 campaign, but when healthy, he remained effective. Like Quintana, Taillon features a diverse pitch mix and relies on command and sequencing as his fastball velocity has ticked down in recent seasons.
Taillon excelled at limiting hard contact last year, finishing with a 3.68 ERA and a stellar 1.05 WHIP across 129.2 innings. This will be his second outing of the spring; in his first appearance, he allowed four runs – including two home runs – in 1.2 innings against the White Sox.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 09: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals and CJ Abrams #5 look on from the dugout during the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, August 9, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It wasn’t supposed to go like this. When the Nationals looked to jumpstart their rebuild by trading Juan Soto to the Padres at the 2022 Trade Deadline, I imagine they expected to be reaping the competitive rewards by this point. It’s not often that you can acquire four foundational pieces of a future window of contention in one fell swoop — in the Nationals’ case a windfall of James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, and Robert Hassell III looked like enough to remake their farm system entirely and form the core of extended success in the future.
Fast-forward three-and-a-half years and it’s hard to say the Nationals are in a better place competitively than the day after they made that blockbuster. 2025 was supposed to be the first year that it all started coming together, the year that the fruits of that trade would would pay off in the form of on-field performance. Instead, the Nationals endured a train wreck of a season with 96 losses.
They fired 2019 World Series-winning manager Dave Martinez and longtime team president Mike Rizzo in July after a sluggish start, creating massive upheaval just days before the MLB Draft and weeks before the trade deadline. They traded away one of the aforementioned foundational pieces of the Soto trade, sending Gore to the Rangers for a quintet of prospects to seemingly restart a rebuild that was supposed to be complete. By the end of the season, they found themselves dead-last in the NL East with the third-worst record in baseball. They had been leapfrogged by the upstart Marlins, who exited their own rebuild ahead of schedule, and were miles behind the Phillies, Braves, and Mets, whose spending effectively prevents the Nationals from climbing higher than fourth in the division for the foreseeable future.
The sum result of these developments is another dreary outlook for 2026. No matter which way you slice it, pretty much every projection system pegs them as a bottom-three team in MLB. FanGraphs forecasts a 94-loss season, third-worst and ahead of the Rockies and White Sox, with just a 0.7-percent chance to make the playoffs. PECOTA is even more pessimistic, pegging them for 96 losses — again, third-worst behind the Rockies and Cardinals — with a minuscule 0.5-percent playoff odds. Only the Rockies (23.0) are projected for less overall fWAR than the Nationals (25.6), Washington projected as the fourth-worst offense (17.1 batting wins) and the second-worst pitching staff (8.4 pitching wins) in the sport.
There’s not much help coming from outside either, as the Nationals were one of the quietest teams of the winter. Their most notable offseason addition saw them steal promising young catcher Harry Ford from the Mariners for a middle-inning reliever, and while they should be praised for that piece of business (since even a quality bullpen arm only matters so much for a rebuilding club), it’s still pretty disappointing for their biggest splash to be a relatively unproven, recently graduated prospect. They inked a pair of fifth starters to one-year deals in Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin, so at least they’ll have a warm body at all five spots in the rotation.
Turning attention to the composition of the roster, there are a few bright spots in an otherwise bleak landscape. Wood had something of a breakout in 2025 and is expected to lead the line with a 128 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR. He nearly set the single-season strikeout record with 221 (two shy of 2009 Mark Reynolds, pre-iconic Yankees tenure), but he can absolutely destroy a baseball, socking 31 homers at age-22. However, Wood is the only hitter on the roster with a projected wRC+ above 106 and the only player on the roster pegged for more than three wins.
Abrams turned in a decent three-win campaign last season in wake of a publicly embarrassing end to 2024 and is expected to just about replicate that production. A lot of the sheen has come off the second banana to LSU teammate Paul Skenes in the 2023 Draft, Golden Spikes Award winner Dylan Crews, but the 24-year-old should get a decent runout in 2026. Zooming out, however, it’s not a pretty picture — there’s not a single hitter projected to slug at least 30 home runs nor drive in at least 100 runs.
It’s even more depressing on the pitching side of the ball. They don’t have a single arm projected to reach two fWAR, and none of their starters are expected to log an ERA below 4.00 nor post a strikeout rate above 21.2-percent. Their rotation looks to be a cobbled-together mess, none of their starters projected to reach the 30 start threshold, though seven players are projected to make at least 13 starts. The bullpen is even worse — FanGraphs’ prediction for their best reliever: Yankees castoff Clayton Beeter (who admittedly pitched very well after arriving at the deadline for Amed Rosario).
Suffice to say there is not much to look forward to for baseball fans in the nation’s capital. The Nationals are more likely to deal away the remaining two blue chips of that Soto trade — Wood and Abrams — at the deadline than they are to contend for the playoffs. Washington was supposed to be competitive in 2026, but with erstwhile Red Sox executive Paul Toboni now steering the ship as the new president of baseball operations for a young front office, all signs point to them being back to square one.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews will be available here.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 13: Kansas City Royals players celebrate with Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) after his game-winning hit during the New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals MLB game on June 13, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Baseball is a team game, with everyone on the roster contributing in their own way. Some players get the accolades, the awards, the Whataburger endorsement opportunities. But there are other players that grind, that do the “little things” that help the team win ballgames.
Today’s question of the day is “who is the most underrated player on the roster”? Maybe its an overlooked bullpen piece, a hitter who doesn’t get his due, or maybe you think some of the stars on this team still don’t get the credit they deserve?
CLEARWATER, Fla. – A year ago, Brad Keller was in camp with the Chicago Cubs. He was a starting pitcher on a minor-league contract looking to put his career back together after a health issue and a lackluster 2024 season.
“I was basically destined to go to (Triple A) Iowa, be a bulk starter down there and kind of see what happens,” Keller said.
What ended up happening, in his words, was “definitely a career-changer for sure.”
The Cubs opened the season early, in mid-March against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo. That necessitated carrying a reliever capable of pitching multiple innings.
“Are you willing to go to the bullpen?” the team asked Keller.
The rest, as they say, is history. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound right-hander went to the bullpen, pitched in 68 games, put up terrific numbers, and in the offseason scored a two-year, $22 million contract with the Phillies.
“It felt like a new lease on my career,” he said of the move to the bullpen.
Keller, 30, made his Grapefruit League debut with the Phils on Wednesday. He was the first of a cast of relievers to pitch against the Detroit Tigers. He needed just 11 pitches to retire the side. He got a line out, a strike out and a ground out. He topped out at 97.2 mph on the gun.
“Great,” manager Rob Thomson said of Keller’s performance. “He was high velocity and the slider was really good.”
Keller, who will join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic next week, was originally drafted by Arizona in 2013 and made it to the majors with Kansas City in 2018. After pitching well for a couple of seasons, he sputtered. The Royals let him walk after an injury-plagued 2023 season in which he pitched just 45 1/3 innings.
In October 2023, he had surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome. He wore Sox in 2024 – White in Chicago and Red in Boston – but did not pitch well enough to earn a big-league deal entering 2025. He signed with the Cubs, moved to the bullpen and everything clicked. He pitched to a 2.07 ERA in 68 games. His WHIP was an impressive 0.962. After averaging 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings over the first seven years of his career, that mark jumped to 9.7 last year.
“Just getting back to the big leagues, taking advantage of an opportunity and then just being healthy, putting the TOS in the rearview mirror,” Keller said of his turnaround with the Cubs.
The move to the bullpen allowed Keller to empty the tank with his four-seam fastball. His average on the pitch rose to 97 mph last season. But he held on to his sinker, a pitch that he uses to get ground balls. He also added a sweeper and the pitch became a weapon once he got the feel for it around mid-season.
“I try to get outs and however it happens, it happens,” Keller said. “That’s why I don’t want to abandon the sinker. I feel like, especially to righties, it helps me a lot, especially incorporating the sweeper. I can play those two off each other.”
With the Phillies, Keller will be the right-handed setup man for closer Jhoan Duran. Jose Alvarado will be the left-handed setup man. Righty Orion Kerkering and lefty Tanner Banks will bridge the way to the late innings. Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, acquired from Kansas City in the offseason for Matt Strahm, projects to have a role in the bullpen. That leaves two open spots with at least a dozen candidates, most of whom have big-league experience. Six of them – Zach Pop, Kyle Backhus, Zach McCambley, Tim Mayza, Trevor Richards and Genesis Cabrera – got work in Wednesday’s 5-3 win over Detroit.
The competition for the final two bullpen jobs will continue until the final week of camp. Keller knows what that feels like. He was there a year ago, but this year … different story.
“It’s nice to have some comfort, knowing where I’m going to be,” he said.
Other notes
Outfielder Brandon Marsh will miss a few days, Thomson said, after he jammed his hand in a sliding drill. X-rays and other tests were clean, Thomson said.
Infielder Aidan Miller is still receiving treatment for a sore lower back. He has yet to play. The team says it is not serious, but there’s no timetable for Miller to be back in action.
Alec Bohm had a pair of RBI hits and made a nice play at third base to start a double play in Wednesday’s win over Detroit. Otto Kemp homered and Bryce Harper had an RBI double. Center fielder Justin Crawford made a nice running catch at the wall in center field.
Bader has been tearing it up for San Francisco so far in his four spring training games, going 4-for-9 at the plate with today’s home run and five RBI.
The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Giants this offseason and will likely slot himself in center field for San Francisco for much of the next two seasons.
Pitching his first inning of the spring as he ramps up for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Team USA's World Baseball Classic squad, Skenes faced called strike challenges from Atlanta Braves batters on three occasions.
And the Braves successfully challenged all three calls by homeplate umpire Chris Segal - and added another in the second inning.
Two of the overturns definitely made life more difficult for Skenes. Braves first baseman Matt Olson - one of the game's most disciplined hitters - challenged a 1-1 curveball that Segal called a strike, nicking the outside corner. Olson, a sheepish grin on his face, tapped his head just, you know, to see what happened.
Sure enough, Segal erred - by one-tenth of an inch, ABS ruled - and a 1-2 count became a 2-1 count. Olson went on to draw a two-out walk, illustrating how certain counts - such as 1-1 - are more pivotal and perhaps crucial to challenge.
Thusly emboldened, Jurickson Profar followed by challenging the first pitch - a 98.3 mph fastball seemingly on the outside corner. Segal? Wrong again, this time by a half-inch. And 0-1 became 1-0 and Profar drew a walk.
On challenge No. 3, Skenes finally took matters into his own hands. Jumping ahead 0-2 on Austin Riley, he fired a 99-mph fastball at the top of the zone. Segal punched Riley out - and Riley was tapping his helmet before Skenes could even think to trudge off the mound.
Call overturned - a whole 1.5 inches above the zone.
At that point, the camera turned to Skenes' girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in the stands at the Braves' CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla. She looked far more relieved when Skenes threw an almost identical pitch - just a smidge lower and in the zone.
And Riley swung through it anyway.
The Braves' pedantry cost Skenes anywhere from three to 13 more pitches, finishing with 31 for the inning. Not necessarily what the Pirates or Skenes wanted.
But he still put up a zero and struck out two - proving robots can only break Skenes down so much.
Yet challenges will be a way of life in this, the first year of the ABS system in which teams are granted two challenges for both sides of the ball - and get to keep them if they're successful. Spring 2025 was a trial run, but with the system going live on Opening Day, teams are doing what they can to ace the system.
And perhaps the Braves got the NL's reigning Cy Young Award winner off his game just a bit.
In his second inning of work, Skenes was his own enemy, issuing walks to Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubón. Leadoff batter Ronald Acuña Jr. then challenged a fastball that ABS ruled was 1.5 inches outside.
Skenes got Acuña on a pop-up, seemingly no worse for wear. Yet this was Skenes' lone spring start for the Pirates before the WBC, and they'd hoped to get him through three innings.
Instead, he was lifted with one out in the third, his 53 pitches not enough to complete the frame. Skenes struck out four but also walked four - technology no help in his efforts at pitch efficiency.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates scoring a run with players in the dugout during a MLB spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 23, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We are less than a week into Spring Training, but that does not mean we cannot make some observations. There have been a few trends I have noticed through the first five games of Spring Training. With the Nats sitting at the top of the Grapefruit League, things have mostly been good, but it has not been perfect.
The Boys are Winning Ballgames:
The first takeaway from the beginning of Spring Training is that the Nats are winning! They are 4-0-1 in their first five games and are the only unbeaten team in the Grapefruit League. Of course, these games do not count, so this does not matter much. However, I like the way the boys have been fighting.
Final: Nats 6, Cardinals 1. Cade Cavalli looked good. Riley Cornelio looked good. They scored 5 runs with 2 outs in the 8th on only 2 hits. They remain undefeated this spring at 4-0-1.
Building a new culture is a big part of this spring. It is a new regime with new ideas. We want to see that new philosophy manifest itself on the field. While these games do not count, we are seeing some promising signs.
For years, the Nats have been overly aggressive at the plate. They have not made pitchers work, and often starters can just cruise through six innings in 75 pitches or less. However, the Nats are second in the league in walks so far this spring. This probably means nothing, as it is just Spring Training but I am going to monitor this as we get into the real season.
Cutting down on chase and being a pesky lineup should be a goal for the Nats this year. You do not need to be an Aaron Judge level talent to be a tough out. If the Nats just become a pesky lineup, they could find a way to be close to an average offense this year. With James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and other young players, this lineup is not devoid of talent. They just have not had a great approach as a team. Hopefully that will change this year.
Nats Saying No to Fastballs:
In my opinion, the most consequential storyline of Spring Training so far is the Nats pitchers moving away from fastballs. We did a deep dive on this the other day, but I want to revisit it here.
Last season, the Nats were near the top of the league in fastball usage despite not really having many pitchers with dominant heaters. Mitchell Parker and Jake Irvin, two guys without premium velocity, were throwing their heaters over half the time. If the start of this spring gives us a hint, the Nats will be throwing way fewer heaters. Heading into last night, the Nats were throwing fastballs at the third lowest rate of any team this spring.
Lowest combined four-seam and sinker usage through the first couple games of Spring Training…
This is something I love to see. I have been calling for this for a while now. We saw what happened when Kyle Finnegan cut his fastball usage when he went to Detroit. He became a much better pitcher who struck out hitters at a significantly higher rate. Cutting fastball usage has been low hanging fruit for smart organizations for years. It is nice to see the Nats joining the party.
Last season it was so frustrating to see Nats pitchers trying to establish their mediocre fastballs. Pounding fastballs that are not good was an example of the Nats outdated philosophy. It is not some magical elixir, but throwing your best pitches more often will be a helpful strategy for Nats pitchers.
This is a trend that I am confident will carry over into the regular season. Paul Toboni came from the Red Sox, who have been as aggressive as anyone in cutting fastball usage. It seems like he is bringing that trend with him to DC and I love to see it.
Defense Still a Work in Progress:
While it has been a really strong start to Spring Training, things have not been perfect. Last season, the Nats defense was really bad and that still appears to be an issue. The Nats made four errors in a game against the Phillies the other night and have been prone to mistakes early this spring.
One thing I have noticed is that the pitchers have not been fielding their position well. It is still early in spring, so I am willing to give grace. However, the Nats are going to have to clean this up as we get deeper into camp and approach the regular season.
Defense has been a major point of emphasis at camp so far. There have been many videos of Nats players working on their fundamentals and fielding ground balls. Yesterday, I saw a video of the Nats working on defense and situational plays in the main stadium.
Nationals working on game situations with defense and baserunners inside the stadium today. pic.twitter.com/TblvKV9nkW
You cannot accuse the new regime of not trying to improve the defense, but these changes do not happen overnight. Guys are also shaking off rust and have not been in game action for a long time. Errors are going to be inevitable, but I hope to see the Nats play cleaner baseball as we enter March.
Overall, I have been impressed with the Nats early this spring. They are competing hard and seem bought into the new vision. These players have a lot to prove in Spring Training, so I am not totally surprised to see them come out of the gates hot. It is just a few games that don’t count in February, but this week has me looking forward to the start of the season which is just a month away now.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 13: Mac Horvath #19 and Aidan Smith #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays sign autographs for young fans prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
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/A
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
Smith surged from only late consideration in the voting to surpassing a player he tied with last week — stopping his free fall before Bush Jr. could rise further in the rankings. Farther in the rankings? Not sure. Adding Gill Hill!
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr., OF 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a three-day hiatus from our television screens, the Orioles are back on the air this afternoon with a MASN broadcast against the Rays. Trevor Rogers becomes the first O’s starter to make an encore appearance this spring after opening with two scoreless innings against the Yankees last Friday.
He’ll take on another AL East opponent today, though this Rays travel lineup bears little resemblance to the one they’ll use in the regular season. There are nearly no recognizable names in Tampa Bay’s order. The bottom of their lineup includes players like Tre’ Morgan, Raynel Delgado, Bradford Dill, and Tatem Levins. Those guys are so anonymous that I just made up one of those names and you don’t know which one!
The O’s, by contrast, have a lineup full of guys who will be on the Opening Day roster (aside from #9 hitter Weston Wilson, who is a long shot). Dylan Beavers will be making his first start in center field, something he’s done 70 times in his minor league career but never in the majors. Beavers isn’t considered a great defender in center, but if he can hold his own at the position, that would give the O’s some added flexibility in the outfield and allow Colton Cowser to get more rest. Today the Orioles are facing Brody Hopkins, one of the Rays’ top prospects.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson LF Taylor Ward 1B Pete Alonso RF Tyler O’Neill C Adley Rutschman DH Ryan Mountcastle 2B Blaze Alexander CF Dylan Beavers 3B Weston Wilson
