BCB reader Clark Addison sent me some more photos to sleuth, and said none were easy.
Well! I love a sleuthing challenge.
Today, we have a photo of actor Joe Mantegna, a big Cubs fan and creator of the play “Bleacher Bums.” He’s with Cubs manager Joe Maddon, which already dates it between 2015 and 2019.
The first clue is on the jersey Mantegna is wearing. The No. 18 likely means this was taken in 2018.
The next clue — and the most important one — is on the ribbon board you can see behind the two men.
Nick Pivetta is pitching against the Cubs. Only part of the Cubs pitcher’s name is visible, but it’s clearly Tyler Chatwood.
Pivetta was pitching for the Phillies in 2018. There was just one game he pitched against the Cubs in Wrigley Field that year, and indeed, the Cubs pitcher that day was Tyler Chatwood.
That game happened Thursday, June 7, 2018.
Anthony Rizzo homered to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The Phillies tied it up off Chatwood in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom of the inning, the Cubs put three on the board. Tommy La Stella and Kris Bryant had RBI singles and Rizzo’s sac fly scored the third run of the inning.
The Phillies scored a pair off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth, but Justin Wilson, Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow shut them down the rest of the way and the Cubs won 4-3. They were 35-24 after this win and in second place in the NL Central, half a game behind the Brewers.
Fortunately, this game happened in a time when MLB was putting all games on YouTube after they went final, so here’s the entire game:
Obviously, Joe Mantegna was at Wrigley that day to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. There’s no video I’ve been able to find of this, but here’s a photo taken that day:
Lastly, if you look very closely at the fans in the bleachers in the photo at the top of this post, I’m in it. Back row, section of the bleachers closest to the foul pole.
From left, Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) talks to bench coach George Lombard (26) and pitching coach Chris Fetter (41) during the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Presumably, the Detroit Tigers 2026 roster is pretty well set at this point. It’s really hard to expect any more major moves after the addition of Framber Valdez, while that and Tarik Skubal’s victory in arbitration has likely maxxed out their payroll for the season.
Still, rosters always end up getting tweaked a little bit between now and Opening Day. It might take an injury, such as rumors of ongoing shoulder trouble with Reese Olson, to push the team to another major league signing, and even that probably isn’t enough after the Valdez addition. The Tigers are still pretty weak at the shortstop position, but there are no major league caliber shortstops available in free agency, and trading for one at this point is virtually impossible. In center field, there are plenty of questions about Parker Meadows, but for now Javier Báez, Matt Vierling, and eventually Max Clark are the likely internal solutions. Perhaps Trei Cruz or Wencell Pérez can help out there as well as required.
That doesn’t mean that building in a little more depth in out of the question, however.
There’s always some nagging detail we’d like to see addrsesed even on the small side of the scale. Is there a position or a role on the bench, or even at the Triple-A level that you’d like to see addressed with a minor signing or trade to help bulk up the depth chart and provide a little more competition in spring camp?
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 15: Ben Hess #73 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday, March 15, 2025 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees announced their non-roster spring training invitees on Thursday, a total of 27 players. This means 14 new pitchers will be reporting to camp: seven from within the organization and seven who signed some version of a minor-league contract for the 2026 campaign. Among the invitees are two of the organizations’s most notable pitching prospects and a few more players who found success last season and will look to keep the momentum alive.
The prospects headlining the list are the two pitchers by far the most likely to pitch in the Bronx at some point in the near future: Ben Hess and Carlos Lagrange. As a reminder, well-regarded young starter Elmer Rodríguez will be there as well, but’s already on the 40-man roster and doesn’t need an NRI.
Hess was the Yankees’ first-round draft pick in 2024, and rewarded their investment by posting much better numbers as a pro than he ever did at the University of Alabama. The 23-year-old has a lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a deep arsenal with two plus breaking balls and an effective changeup. He ended the season with Double-A Somerset, and while he’s likely to start the 2026 season there as well, Hess is a top candidate to earn a promotion to Triple-A sometime this year. If all goes right, he could even make his MLB debut à la 2025 Cam Schlittler — though the latter gained far more in-season helium last year.
Lagrange’s stock is in a similar place as Hess’s with both pitchers usually somewhere in the back end of Top 100 overall prospects lists, but his career journey to this point has looked a lot different. The 6-foot-7 Lagrange struggled severely with command issues prior to last season and walked 20 percent of the hitters he faced in Low-A and the Complex league in 2024. His 2025 campaign was a revelation, as much-improved control allowed his lethal fastball-slider combination to pop. He struck out 33.4 percent of the hitters he faced. The walks issue was more apparent in Double-A than it was in High-A and a few flare-ups caused his BB% and ERA to inflate, but when Lagrange was on his “A” game, he recorded several of the mostimpressivestarts at any level of the Yankees’ minor leagues. If the 22-year-old’s ability to reign in his electric stuff continues on its current path of linear development, he will be an incredibly exciting pitcher and should draw comparisons to the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski, who shares not only Lagrange’s frame but also many of his strengths and weaknesses.
Kyle Carr fits the mold of the crafty left-handed starter that found success around MLB in 2025; a pitcher who won’t blow hitters away with his fastball but has a deep enough arsenal to navigate starts effectively and efficiently. His numbers in the minor leagues jumped off the page. Carr posted a 1.96 ERA in 119.1 innings at High-A Hudson Valley despite a mediocre 11.9 K-BB%. He was older than most High-A hitters and will turn 24 in May, so Double-A will be a big test for him this upcoming season.
The Yankees drafted Brendan Beck out of Stanford in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, and the now-26-year old finds himself on the verge of a big-league debut after only being able to make 10 professional starts from the time he was drafted up through the end of 2024. Finally healthy last year, Beck spent 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A. Beck dominated Somerset with a 1.82 ERA in 54.1 innings, but hit a wall for the first time in his pro career in Scranton with a 4.44 ERA in 77 innings. It’s unlikely Beck plays a pivotal role at the big-league level in 2026, but his proximity could make him a viable trade candidate. If you’re watching the World Baseball Classic this year, you’ll also probably glimpse him on Team Great Britain alongside his brother, Tristan (of the Giants), and the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Michael Arias spent four years in the Cubs organization between 2021-24 before signing a minor-league contract with the Yankees for 2025. Arias pitched just 29.2 innings last season, but did so across four levels and ended the season with Double-A Somerset (and was briefly on the 40-man roster). He turned 24 in Novmber. Although Arias records a lot of strikeouts, he struggles with his command to the point where it could derail him from ever reaching the big leagues.
Harrison Cohen is another high-strikeouts, high-walks type and is primarily deployed out of the bullpen. Cohen spent his 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A where he recorded an ERA of 2.01 and 1.57 respectively, and picked up five saves. He walked 14.4 percent of the hitters he faced last season, so that number will need to come down for him to be considered a legitimate bullpen option in the Bronx. The 26-year-old will also be on the Team Israel pitching staff in the World Baseball Classic.
A former Rule 5 pick by the Rangers who was returned after never pitching for Texas, Carson Coleman made his first professional appearance since 2022 last season, spreading his 17 innings out between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A. He posted a 1.59 ERA with a 23.8-percent strikeout rate and 3.2-percent walk rate, but the sample size is too small to get excited about. FanGraphs put a 70-grade on his fastball, however, so that pitch coupled with the pinpoint command he displayed in 2025 could put the 27-year-old on the radar this season with more opportunities.
Dylan Coleman has 93 innings of MLB experience under his belt, almost entirely with the Kansas City Royals. He appeared in 68 games in 2022 and was a reliable bullpen option for Kansas City with a 2.78 ERA. His performance fell off a cliff the following year, and he pitched just one inning in 2024 with the Houston Astros before missing out on MLB play last year entirely. A stint with the Orioles’ Triple-A team went awry, and after being released in May, he exclusively trained with Feole Pitching. The minor-league contract he signed with the Yankees in January represents a comeback opportunity for the 29-year-old’s career.
Alexander Cornielle spent three years with the Milwaukee Brewers’ High-A affiliate before earning a long-awaited promotion to Double-A where he spent most of 2025 before getting a cup of coffee with the Triple-A team to end the season. The 24-year-old will probably report to the Yankees’ counterpart in Scranton and remain there for most, if not all of the season unless Matt Blake and company have a trick up their sleeves with him.
Yovanny Cruz is another career minor-leaguer who spent 2017-23 with the Cubs organization with most of his time spent in the lower levels of professional baseball. He took a two-year hiatus in 2020 & 2021 due in part to COVID-19 and Tommy John surgery, and never pitched more than 30 innings in a season again until logging 59.1 innings in Double-A last year as part of the Red Sox organization. Command issues have plagued Cruz his entire career, and at 26 years old he’ll need to sort them out now in order to reach the next level.
Drake Fellows spent the past five years in the Pirates organization, and spent most of that time getting hit pretty hard. He pitched 112.1 innings in Triple-A last season with a 4.41 ERA, which was the lowest mark of his career since 2021 in the Complex league. It’s a step in the right direction, but for a guy who will turn 28 next month, he has many more steps still to take before popping up on the big-league radar.
Bradley Hanner is a bullpen arm who was with the Cleveland Guardians organization from 2023-25. He pitched well in Double-A during those first two seasons, but Triple-A proved to be a daunting challenge and he posted a 4.74 ERA at the level in 49.1 innings in 2025. Hanner struck out an impressive 29 percent of hitters, but the contact he did allow was loud and punishing. Entering his age-27 season, Hanner appears to be a minor leaguer for the foreseeable future.
The one MLB inning Adam Kloffenstein pitched in 2024 went smoothly and he got out unscathed, but 2025 was disastrous as he pitched 82 frames in Triple-A with the Toronto Blue Jays organization to the tune of a 6.26 ERA. Kloffenstein had a good year in 2023 at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, but his results since then have been a lot closer to the dud of a season he recorded last year. The 25-year-old will likely come out of the Triple-A bullpen in 2026.
Travis MacGregor spent most of 2023 and 2024 in Triple-A with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels organizations, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers chose to deploy him in Double-A instead in 2025. The Yankees will be his fifth team in three years, and he’s less likely to earn a spot in this big-league bullpen as he was with the rest. The 28-year old is not exactly expected to make his MLB debut in the immediate future.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals looks on during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While Pasquantino perceives a vast number of ways to try to process what this means, he is exhilarated by the concept in terms of individual production — “you kidding me?!” — and appreciates the move in the context of the Royals’ history … and future.
The bottom-line rationale, as he sees it:
“Most people that follow baseball would agree the Royals have always built their teams in specific ways, which was to fit the ballpark,” he said at Royals Rally. “The Royals have not traditionally won a ton of games.”
There are still some good arms out there on the free agent market. Some are lottery tickets, but I would still have no problem adding someone like Justin Wilson or even taking a chance on Michael Kopech or someone like them. I just think it’s so interesting how much they’ve talked about adding in the bullpen when the bullpen looks pretty full at this moment. Even if you say that Lynch and Falter aren’t guarantees and Schreiber is getting moved, there are options to replace them who have already fared well in the big leagues. I’m intrigued by this idea that they might be looking at more bullpen help.
I haven’t heard about Bubic in the bullpen for a long time, but I feel like that’s still a possibility if it needs to be one.
There were some high hopes last season for Nivens, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Missouri State in Springfield. In 99 games and 412 plate appearances in High-A Quad Cities in 2024, he hit 20 home runs, posted a .369 wOBA, and 130 wRC+. He had a slightly high strikeout rate at 26.9%, and his 0.44 BB/K ratio was good, not great. Furthermore, he only hit .243, though his .290 BABIP did him no favors in the Midwest League.
That said, the power was enticing, and there was some hope that Nivens could be a 20+ HR and 15-20 SB threat at the MLB level in 2027 or 2028.
José Ramos | / Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Having spent the entirety of his professional baseball career in the Dodgers organization until he signed a minor league deal with the Mets this offseason, José Ramos has yet to get a shot in the big leagues. And heading into his age-25 season, he seems most likely to begin the year in Triple-A Syracuse.
After signing with Los Angeles as an international free agent out of Panama in 2018, Ramos first played in the Dominican Summer League in 2019, putting up a relatively pedestrian .739 OPS. Like all minor league players, he didn’t play in any games in 2020, but he came back strong in 2021 with a .329/.396/.576 line and 11 home runs in just 288 plate appearances in Rookie and Single-A ball.
As he moved up the ranks of the Dodgers’ system, though, Ramos tended to see worse results. In 2022, between Single-A and High-A, he finished with an .818 OPS. And in Double-A the following year, he wound up with a .742 OPS. The Dodgers had him repeat the level in 2024, and things went worse the second time around, as he hit just .221/.308/.388. He started the 2025 season in Double-A once again, and things didn’t improve, as he hit ten home runs but had just a .688 OPS in 58 games at the level to start the year.
Despite those struggles, the Dodgers bumped Ramos up to their Triple-A affiliate for the first time in July. The change of scenery seemed to help, even if the Pacific Coast League features some particularly hitter-friendly parks. Ramos hit .295/.359/.557 with eight home runs in 167 plate appearances.
Defensively, Ramos has played center field the majority of the time in his minor league career, but he’s logged significant innings in right field and played a little bit of left field, as well. That relative flexibility could give him a better chance at getting his first look in the big leagues this year with the Mets, as the team’s outfield is perhaps the most uncertain part of its roster.
Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t been the most durable player, Tyrone Taylor struggled mightily at the plate last year, and Carson Benge isn’t a lock to hit the ground running this season, even if there’s very good reason to be excited about the Mets leaving the left field job open for him to win in spring training. And we’ll see if the Mets really intend to use Brett Baty at all in left field.
Ramos would have to establish himself as the team’s best option should they need to call someone up from the minor league ranks, and he won’t be without competition. Mets prospects A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito might both start the year in Syracuse and have center field experience and at least some innings logged in a corner outfield spot. And Ramos isn’t the only mid-to-late 20s outfielder who will be in the mix, either.
There are quite a few variables in the mix here, but we know that David Stearns likes a center fielder who can hit home runs. We’ll presumably get a look at Ramos a bit in spring training and then plenty more in Syracuse, and if he’s a good defender in center, even a decent line at the plate in Triple-A might be enough to get him a look.
Coming off a season where Missouri baseball sat at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference with a 16-39 record and three wins in SEC play, there’s no place to look except up for a bounce-back season. Injury returnees, a revamp in identity, and a building project were some of the main talking points from Tigers head coach Kerrick Jackson on Friday afternoon when he met with the local media.
One key point in the talking points of positivity was that the build is going to take time, and there is no satisfaction with where the program is currently. A flip on the constant reality of the Tigers being an underdog in the all-powerful SEC baseball conference this season is to simply use that status to help themselves play their best baseball.
“It’s year three for us, and we finally have the right people in place,” Jackson said. “Whenever you’re building something, it takes time. My first year here, we didn’t bring in 25 portal guys. We didn’t do that in year two, either. We slowly pieced things together and got the right people in for the system we want. Now we have people who have been here for several years, and they know what our culture needs to be, and how we need to go about things.”
“For me, it feels comfortable,” Tigers infielder Kam Durnin said. “Growing up where I did in the middle of nowhere, the closest facility I had to play baseball at was Columbia, which was an hour and a half away. I’m used to the underdog mentality, to having to work more to get the same amount done as everyone else.”
Durnin is certainly a player who could help the Tigers reach that timeline. A standout not just due to his two years at Wichita State, but also because of his off-the-charts season in the summer of 2025. The numbers and achievements at the plate speak for themselves: .407 batting average, 56 RBI, and a 1.181 OPS in 40 games, with his BA and RBI both Appalachian League records according to MU athletics.
In that timeframe, Durnin achieved a 13-game hit streak, which also led the Appalachian League, and ultimately finished the season with a 10-game hit streak. Durnin went 1-for-3 at the plate in the scrimmage Friday afternoon with a single and a stolen base.
“He’s a high-IQ baseball guy,” Jackson said. ”Obviously, he’s really talented. He’s a really good shortstop, and he’s going to be solid there. Offensively, he really hadn’t come into his own until this past summer, and then it took off. He’s made himself a complete baseball player. He comes from a baseball family, and what he’s done by coming in here — bringing that energy and that desire to compete — has been really infectious for our guys. It’s been really good.“
The Tigers are coming off a season in which their pitching staff posted a team ERA of 9.19 and allowed a conference-worst 458 earned runs and 290 walks. Enter new pitching coach Drew Dickinson.
In June 2025, Jackson announced the hiring of Dickinson, who coached a Virginia Cavaliers pitching staff that made three total trips to the College World Series since 2021 and ranked in the upper echelon of ERA, including the fourth-best in the nation in 2021, according to MU Athletics.
When asked about the mojo the revamped pitching staff aims to develop, Jackson had two words for what Dickinson will bring: energy and identity.
“That’s something our pitching staff hasn’t had — an identity,” Jackson said. “Now they do. He’s a competitor. He’s going to compete in anything: chewing gum, walking down the sidewalk, whatever it is. He loves to compete, and he puts that on those guys. They’re embracing that, and as a result, you’re going to see our guys go out and do just that — be relentless, put pressure on teams.”
Two arms on the pitching staff, JD Dohrmann and Dane Bjorn, both stood out among the appearances in Mizzou’s intersquad scrimmage on Friday afternoon. Dohrmann tossed six innings, allowing three earned runs, while Bjorn kept the bats quiet in his two scoreless innings of relief.
Javyn Pimental was accustomed to keeping runners off the basepaths himself, leading the Tigers in team ERA at 3.61, and allowed nine base hits, the least conceded on the Mizzou pitching staff. This strong 2024 season appeared to be a resurgence for the left-hander, before the nightmare scenario for every pitcher hit him: Tommy John surgery, which kept Pimental sidelined for the whole of the 2025 season. Pimental, being one of the multitude of starters who had limited time on the mound last season.
“I couldn’t really make an impact on the field where I wanted to, but in the locker room and clubhouse, I could still make an impact,” Pimental said. ”That year and a half where I sat on the sideline, I took things for granted, and when things get taken away, you have a different gratitude for it.”
2026 will mark the third season at the helm at Mizzou for Jackson in the rebuilding process of the Tigers’ program. Jackson said the difficulties have given him lessons, but one important one in particular.
“All good things take time. We’re building, not reloading. Nobody likes to build except the builder. It’s like the North End Zone project — nobody likes what it looks like right now, but when it’s unveiled, everyone’s going to love it. You have to enjoy the process and not get frustrated. Once we reach our timeline, we’re not going backwards.”
The West Michigan Whitecaps host Opening Night against Dayton on Friday, April, 4, at LMCU Ballpark. | Adam Vander Kooy/Holland Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
If you’re following along with our prospect rankings and reports, you’ve noticed several themes developing. One low key trend that’s less obvious is the Tigers success with inexpensive college pitchers from smaller schools. While the Detroit Tigers have focused their bonus pools at the top of the draft and then on prep talent later on, they’ve done a pretty nice job plucking the right college pitchers beyond the top three rounds. A few have already turned into minor trade chips, while Troy Melton and to a lesser extent, Jaden Hamm, developed into legit upper level pitching prospects. 2023 ninth rounder Hayden Minton may be another one in the making, but a big test is coming in 2026 as the right-hander makes the Double-A leap.
The Tigers paid Minton the minimum after a good senior year for Missouri State. The Oklahoma product pitched there without much to recommend him as a freshman and sophomore, and spent his junior year in community college before earning his way back. On draft day, the 6’3”, 210 pound right-hander was an unheralded senior signing with just one good season for a solid but unspectacular D1 program, but good strikeout rates, advanced strike throwing, and a strong trendline after having to work his way back to Missouri State drew the attention of the Tigers’ scouting department hoping for a bit of a late bloomer.
Beyond his size and control, there were a few other traits the Tigers were intrigued by. They like pitchers with good extension, and Minton gets almost seven feet of extension to the plate, well above average. He can also rip the baseball, averaging 2720 rpms on his mid-80’s slider, a little less with his 80 mph curveball. In pro ball, Minton has leaned into the slider and it has developed into an above average pitch for him. Even better, he arrived with some changeup feel as well, understanding how to kill spin and velocity on his 85 mph circle change while maintaining his armspeed.
Minton’s fastball isn’t a standout pitch, but his size, extension, and fairly limited pitching background in college argued for plenty of upside. He arrived in Lakeland in 2024 with a fringe average sinker sitting 93 mph, and while its movement profile out a low three-quarters arm slot needed some tuning in pro ball, Minton arrived with the ability to locate it around the strikeout zone and induce weak contact.
Minton struck out his share of hitters in 2024, but as he and the Tigers worked on his stuff, his strike throwing suffered at points. He pitched a lot better than his 4.65 ERA. A 26.6 percent strikeout rate against his 10.4 percent walk rate was a good ratio, and he didn’t allow many home runs. Instead he was mostly BABIP’d to death. Still, the stuff developed, his command started to come around as the season progressed, and he made 21 starts and threw 93 innings.
That pro debut didn’t wow anyone, and Minton wasn’t jumping up any prospect lists, but his 2025 season showed signs of growth. He cut his walk rates down to nothing in seven starts at Single-A Lakeland to start the year, then made the move to High-A West Michigan. He had some trouble making the move, giving up a few more home runs as he continued to tweak the fastball and slider in particular. His results were fine in June, but the strikeouts were lacking a bit, and then he had a rough stretch of starts in July that contined after the All-Star break.
Finally, everything started clicking for Minton in August, and he posted a 2.63 ERA for the month. His fastball velocity was up a bit and his ability to command the slider and curveball combination sharpened up considerably. Over his final six outings, he issued just five walks, while striking out 29 hitters and allowing just two home runs across 29 innings. The timing couldn’t have been better as the Whitecaps stormed down the stretch with momentum that would carry them to a Midwest League championship. Minton’s contribution was six no-hit innings with five strikeouts and one walk to lead the Whitecaps to a divisional title over Lake County on September 11. You can watch that outing here courtesy of Tigers Minor League Report.
At season’s end, Minton looked like a much more well rounded pitcher. He was sitting 94 mph consistently and touching 96-97 when he let it all out. He appears to be mixing in more fourseamers with the sinker and is getting more whiffs up in the zone as a result. His low three-quarters armslot doesn’t produce great ride, and this is still an average set of fastballs, but by mixing types and taking advantage of his extension and improved command, he’s become much more effective with it. A steadier bump in velocity or some tweaks to get a little more seam-shifted wake movement will still be required to really develop an above average heater, but he’s a lot closer than he was at the beginning of 2025. The hints of 96-97 mph heat showing up bodes well for his future.
Another area in which he shines is in pairing the tilt on his slider and curveball to keep hitters guessing. The slider will draw plenty of whiffs and is an above average pitch when he’s dialed in. The curveball is fringe average, but because he’s able to make the pair look the same out of his hand, he’s often able to get hitters off balance and induce routine contact off the curveball. His changeup still has nice depth, but his command of it remains fairly crude. As a result, Minton was really tough on right-handed hitters, but sometimes struggled against lefties.
Essentially he reminds me somewhat of another Sawyer Gipson-Long in the making. It’s natural to look for guys with plus raw stuff and hope they round out their arsenal and develop command. Eye-popping stuff is the quickest path to big bonuses and focus from prospect hounds. Minton is a bit ahead of the curve in terms of command, particularly for a pitcher with a fairly long arm path. He also now boasts a pretty well rounded pitch mix. Still, it’s true that the stuff is still pretty average overall with the exception of his slider.
While Minton will be 25 this year and has two full seasons of pro ball under his belt, I still think his limited college career, size, and extension bode well for a little upside remaining in terms of pure stuff. Some of those late bloomer tendencies have already come to pass to get him this far. He’ll need a bit more to make the leap and thrive at the Double-A level this season. If things come together a little more the Tigers will have a pretty good depth starter candidate who can swing to middle relief as well.
Sep 20, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (48) hits a single during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Howdy friends! It’s the final weekend before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. As the offseason draws to a close, here are the big stories of the day.
In Mariners news…
Amanda Lane Cumming told the story of the Seattle Alkis, the first base ball club to grace the city way back in the late 1800s.
Daniel Kramer provided a primer for Mariners spring training, including the timeline of major events and information for those interested in attending games and workouts.
The A’s hired former All-Star slugger Mark McGwire as a special assistant to the player development department.
Longtime Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez announced that he is retiring.
Former Dodgers star outfielder Yasiel Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and lying to federal officials investigating an illegal gambling operation.
We are launching a new daily article here at South Side Sox, more prominently than our items that pop up on The Feed. It falls under the category of White Sox Discussions, which you’ll see in a few weeks will also be our new branding for Game Threads.
The World Baseball Classic is back this spring, with action kicking off at the Tokyo Dome on March 5 (9 p.m. CT on March 4). The White Sox are sending five players to the WBC: Kyle Teel and Sam Antonacci (Team Italy), Curtis Mead (Team Australia), Munetaka Murakami (Team Japan) and right-handed pitcher Seranthony Domínguez (Team Dominican Republic).
Murakami is the only player to have previously appeared in a World Baseball Classic; in 2023, he hit a two-run, walkoff double in the semifinals and a game-tying solo homer vs. Team USA in the finals.
Of course, you don’t have to root for a team with a White Sox player on the roster. But White Sox reps or no, who you got in the WBC?
San Diego, CA - November 10, 2025: San Diego Padres new manager Craig Stammen speaks at a news conference as President of baseball operations and General Manager A.J. Preller looks on at Petco Park on November 10, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The finances of the San Diego Padres have been scrutinized since at least 2023 and each of the past two offseasons have been clouded with speculation about the lack of financial flexibility for the club. Padres president of baseball operation and general manager A.J. Preller has been able to walk the monetary tightrope the last couple of seasons and produced back-to-back postseason rosters. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball looks at what the financial picture is for San Diego in 2026 and what it will look like in the years ahead and if Preller or another general manager will have the ability to spend money to address roster needs.
Padres News:
The Padres added Miguel Andujar earlier this week and his ability to hit left-handed pitching and play multiple positions on the field makes him a valuable addition to the roster. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com looks at how manager Craig Stammen will use his players to put a competitive team on the field game after game.
The strength of the Padres in 2026 will be their bullpen. According to experts and fans alike, the Padres have the best bullpen in the sport. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at what fans can expect from the group this season.
In recent days the Padres have reportedly been interested in signing free agent pitcher Framber Valdez and most recently free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Of course, neither player will play for San Diego in 2026, but it shows San Diego is trying to shore up the roster holes.
The New York Yankees and veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are finalizing a one-year contract, according to ESPN.com.
No financial terms were disclosed, but the New York Post reports the deal is worth $4 million and Goldschmidt can earn an extra $2 million based on plate appearances.
In Goldschmidt's first season in pinstripes, the seven-time All-Star hit.274 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 146 games.
For the 2026 season, the 38-year-old Goldschmidt is expected to back up Ben Rice at first base and get spot starts, especially against left-handed pitchers.
The Yankees were especially quiet during the free agent period, resigning a half-dozen players from last year's squad, instead making a splash by bringing in a big name from another team.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP and a four-time Gold Glove winner, has also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals during his career. He has 372 home runs and 1232 RBI in 15 major league seasons.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: River Ryan of the Los Angeles Dodgers is interviewed at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball America rated the Dodgers to have the 13th-best farm system in baseball. Not only is that lower than some other publications ranked Los Angeles this year — second at The Athletic, fourth at ESPN — that’s also rare in recent BA history. It’s the first time the Dodgers’ haven’t been ranked in the top 10 farm systems since 2014, thanks in part to some injuries and also a pitching prospect corps relatively light compared to years past.
“If that seems like an anomaly, it’s because it is,” Josh Norris wrote. “The 2026 season marks the first time since 2001 that BA’s preseason Top 100 has not included a Dodgers pitching prospect.”
“He’s turned himself into a pretty good shortstop, can play all over the infield, and should be around an average hitter,” Jeffrey Paternostro wrote. “It’s not exciting, but it is effective.”
Freeland was also ranked the 87th-best prospect at The Athletic, and was ranked 103rd by ESPN.
“if you are the kind of person whose knees shake every time you see a hitting prospect’s z-contact drop below 83% in the minors, this is not going to be the system for you,” Paternostro wrote. “But just about every prospect here hits the ball very hard, and enough of them will keep doing it that the decade-plus of success might just stretch into two.”
May 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) tags out Philadelphia Phillies second base Bryson Stott (5) at home plate during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The season is just around the corner with pitchers and catchers reporting this week and we’ve seen a few changes to the Phillies’ roster. For some, the changes have been too few; for some, the changes are just right. Everyone harbors opinions about the direction of the franchise, or else you wouldn’t be here talking about them. However, sometimes there are things that cannot be conveyed to anyone but the still, small voice in our heads. There might be an opinion we agree with, but we just don’t want anyone to know about it.
We’re all friends here, so let’s get it out. What is the one thing you are afraid to say out loud about the Phillies? Maybe there is a bit of positivity inside that is bursting to be set free. Maybe there is a negative take on a player that would put you in the very small minority. Let us all hear that one thing.
I’ll start: not only should the Phillies be retaining Bryson Stott this year, they should be extending him for the foreseeable future.
Mar 24, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on from inside the dugout against the New York Yankees during the third inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: JR Ritchie #24 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field during player introductions prior to the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a minute since we have had real, actual Braves baseball news to talk about. Oh sure, we’ve covered the nearly interminable Braves TV partner saga. At least it looks as if we are going to have a happy ending there.
Braves released their non-roster invitee list. This is the deep cut. These are prospects that are not on the 40-man roster and older players that are just on the outside of staying on an active roster. As we shared on Wednesday:
Non-Roster Invitees (24)
Pitchers (10): RH Garrett Baumann, RH Carlos Carrasco, RH Javy Guerra, RH Elieser Hernández, RH James Karinchak, RH Owen Murphy, LH Martín Pérez, RH Austin Pope, RH JR Ritchie, RH Tayler Scott
Infielders(7): Tristin English, John Gil, Jim Jarvis, Alex Lodise, Aaron Schunk, Luke Waddell, Luke Williams
Outfielders (4): José Azócar, Ben Gamel, Brewer Hicklen, DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
So who you got for your favorite NRI this spring? JR Ritchie might be the best prospect in that list, but Battery Power’s #4, #9 and #12 are there too. There are guys that are trying to grab that last guy on the bench role like Luke Williams. Martin Perez and James Karinchak will be pitchers to watch. Backup catcher for Opening Day is up for grabs, and we’ve got three options there. And in the “this guy here is dead” portion of the NRIs, Carlos Carrasco is hanging around.
I have my favorites but I’ll hand the mic to y’all as usual.
