KANSAS CITY, MO - CIRCA 1986: George Brett #5 and Bo Jackson #16 of the Kansas City Royals circa 1986 Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
I didn’t care for baseball as a young child. I knew the Royals were in the World Series, but I was more enamored with the guy in the red uniform doing backflips when he ran on the field than I was with any Royals players. At school, we were asked to draw a picture of our favorite Royals player. I asked my teacher who played left field for the Royals, since that was the position I played in t-ball (reflecting my playing ability at the time). She told me Lonnie Smith. I didn’t know what he looked like, so I drew a white guy with curly blonde hair. Lonnie Smith is not a white guy with curly blonde hair
But in 1987, my next-door neighbor set up a small TV in his garage and we watched the American League Championship Series between the Twins and Tigers on that thing. The Tigers are my ancestral team – my dad grew up in Detroit (attending Al Kaline camp!), and I was born there before we moved to KC when I was a tot. So I was rooting for them and slowly getting hooked on baseball. That offseason, I read everything about baseball I could get my hands on, and when the next season rolled around, I was a rabid fan.
I am pretty certain I could name every player on the 1988 Royals from memory, from Bo Jackson and George Brett down to Rey Palacios and José de Jesús. It was a fun team to follow with Bo becoming a superstar, George still in his prime, recognizable vets like Willie Wilson and Frank White, exciting young players like Danny Tartabull and Kevin Seitzer, and a terrific pitching staff with Bret Saberhagen, Mark Gubicza, and quirky submarining closer Dan Quisenberry.
But they floundered around .500 much of the year and were overwhelmed by an emerging mini-dynasty in Oakland, the “Bash Brothers.” They won 84 games, finishing a distant third place, 19.5 games back.
Still, I had watched as many games as I could (it was like 30-40 games on TV back in those days, kids!) and listened to the rest on my radio, sometimes cradling it in bed for the late-night West Coast games, drifting off to sleep as Denny Matthews described Charlie Leibrandt’s battle against Claudell Washington. I read the Star sports section on a regular basis – Dick Kaegel, Gib Twyman, and Jonathan Rand in those days. I asked for Royals Starting Lineup figures for Christmas. I got a Bo Jackson poster in my room. I got my first Royals cap.
That was my first season following the Royals. What was yours? What was the team that got you hooked?
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 14: Quinn Matthews #68 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Friday, March 14, 2025 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals prepare to do Spring Training battle with the New York Mets on Friday, February 27, 2026. According to MLB.com, Quinn Matthews will start the game for St. Louis while the New York Mets will have Freddy Peralta on the mound. Here are the lineups according to the Cardinals website:
FORMER CUBS IN GUARDIANS CAMP: Shawn Armstrong, Codi Heuer
ABOUT CUBS CAMP: The Cubs opened their training camp with 58 players in camp: 31 pitchers, six catchers, 13 infielders and eight outfielders. Included in that group were 18 non-roster players: eight pitchers, three catchers, four infielders and three outfielders. Currently, the Cubs have 63 players in camp. Both Christian Bethancourt and Moises Ballesteros have now reported to camp.
Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Daniel Palencia, Jacob Webb, Porter Hodge, Ethan Roberts, Ryan Rolison, Collin Snider and Gavin Hollowell.
Logan Allen will start for the Guardians. Other Guardians pitchers scheduled today: Hunter Gaddis, Parker Messick, Jake Miller and Jack Leftwich.
Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs out a hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning of a spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When I get older, losing my bat speed/many seasons from now/will you still call me among the best/putting up a .900 OPS?
Those lyrics to the Beatles’ When I’m Sixty Four—very slightly modified from the original— must be ringing in Bryce Harper’s ears right now. Entering his age-33 season, he is no longer young. He’s not overwhelmingly old, either. But he is well into the years in which aging becomes a factor. The oft-asked question about his potential to return to elite status is really a question about aging; his talent, drive, and tenacity are certainly not in question. The sole consolation to the aging is that it is not personal, as none are spared from it. Perhaps a gentler way to put it would be that we do not walk that path alone. Harper can turn to the examples of other Phillies legends to see how they took the sharp turns and gradual declines of the aging curve. Someday in the future, another Phillies great will come along, and and further still in the future he will hit his thirties, and will look to the example of Harper to provide signs and portents of how his own travels through that decade of life will go. Whether that example will be encouraging or not is yet to be seen.
Richie Ashburn
The comparison here is going to be extremely inexact, given that modern conditioning regimens and medical treatments far outstrip what Whitey had available in his era. Still, Putt-Putt (forgive the injudicious use of nicknames, Ashburn’s are just too good to leave out) offers a somewhat encouraging example for Harper. In 1958, his age-31 season, Ashburn took home the Senior Circuit’s batting title with a .350 average (that also beat out anything the Junior Circuit’s bushers could produce). In 1959, at the age of 32, Ashburn’s production fell off a cliff. His batting average dropped to .266. He went from leading both leagues in triples with thirteen to producing only a pair. Perhaps the starkest way to present it is by rWAR: in 1958, he had a rWAR of 7. In 1959, he dropped beneath replacement value, with an -0.9. He went from elite to being far from it. He also, unfortunately, went from being a Phillie to not being one, arriving in his new ivy-strewn home of Wrigley Field via trade following that dismal ‘59 campaign.
But though he did leave Philadelphia, he did not leave the ranks of the productive pros. His first season in Cubbie blue, his age-33 campaign, saw him revitalize himself, boosting his OPS from .667 to .753. He lead the National League in walks, and both leagues in OBP. He concluded the campaign with 4.4 rWAR and, one must imagine, a jolt of confidence. Sadly, it would be something of a last hurrah: he had a -0.4 rWAR season with the Cubs in 1961, then concluded his career with a 2.1 rWAR effort for the newly-born Mets.
Mike Schmidt: Mike Schmidt’s decline came suddenly, shockingly, saddeningly. But it didn’t come in his age-33 season. It wouldn’t come for years afterward. Schmidt’s 1983 performance was indeed a downturn from his age-32 season, but not even the harshest Phillies fan could call a decline from 7.4 rWARto 6.9 all that worrying. The age-33 version of Michael Jack Schmidt lead both leagues in round trippers with 40, and in free passes with 128. If there was anything to complain about, it was his National League-leading 148 strikeouts. Those punchouts were probably cold comfort for the pitchers who he otherwise pummeled with four-baggers and tormented via the extraction of walks (128, more than anyone else in baseball that season). Schmidt would remain a top player, never dropping beneath 5 WAR until 1988, when a 1.9 rWAR season presaged the abbreviated campaign that would prompt his sudden retirement the following year.
Ryan Howard
The Big Piece’s age-33 campaign was a resurgence for the slugger, though not a terribly encouraging one in context. Howard’s age-32 season, 2012, was a major disappointment: hampered by injuries, he played in fewer than half of his team’s games, and posted career-lows in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. In a bit of fearful symmetry, his rWAR was precisely the opposite of what it had been the year prior: 1.2 in 2011, and -1.2 in 2012. In 2013 Howard still struggled with injuries, managing just a few more games than he had the year prior. But he did recover his performance somewhat, with his batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage all jumping back up. He provided production above replacement value, if just barely. Unfortunately, it proved to be the last time he would do so. He struggled at the plate in the next three seasons and was a below-average hitter by OPS+, a major retreat from the ground upon which he had once stood.
Jimmy Rollins
Thirty is a big turning point in life, and, it would turn out, in Jimmy Rollins’ career. In 2009, his age-30 season, Rollins dropped from 5.5 rWAR the season prior to 1.8. His performance at the plate declined in all three slash line categories, and he stole 16 fewer bases. The next few seasons were much the same, and by the time he was 33 he was batting precisely .250, no longer flirting with .300 as he had in his younger days. He remained resilient, playing in no fewer than 138 games per season between 2011 and 2015, and he remained fast, putting up 30 stolen bases at 32 and 33. But his best days were firmly behind him.
Chase Utley
As the 2010 season reached its midpoint, Chase Utley, age 31, took the field for the All-Star Game introductions. It was his fifth appearance in the Midsummer Classic, and it wouldn’t be his last. But it would be his last for a while. Utley’s age-32 season saw his performance drop, with his batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging all dropping. He still ended up an above-average hitter and player, though not to the same extent that he had been before. His age-33 season was marred by injury to the point where he only played half of it; it was to be hoped that his good, not great performance could be blamed on that. It was not to be. Utley was a solid player for the next few seasons before the decline worsened. He ended up retiring just before he turned 40. A good career, and a long one. But Harper, who has stated a desire to take the field at 40, is hoping his thirties will look more like Schmidt’s than Utley’s.
LAKELAND, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Wenceel Pérez #46 of the Detroit Tigers bats during the second inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on February 25, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On this day two years ago, the White Sox re-acquired a 2020 draft pick, Bailey Horn. | Tiffany Wintz/South Side Sox
1973 Coming off of his 1972 MVP season, Dick Allen signs a three-year, $750,000 contract with the White Sox, making him the highest-paid player in baseball. While contract details for early baseball are sketchy, this is believed to be the first time a White Sox player has been the highest-paid in the game.
Oakland owner Charlie Finley, himself embroiled in salary wars with players on his world champion A’s team and once aspiring to own the White Sox, blustered in the aftermath of Allen’s deal: “There’s an old saying that pigs get fat and hogs go to market. Well, some of the payers these days aren’t even pigs or hogs — they’re gluttons. We have to keep salaries within reason. If we just rolled over and gave them what they wanted, we’d price ourselves out of business.”
Allen earned his deal by leading the AL in homers (37), RBIs (113), on-base percentage (.420), slugging percentage (.603) and OPS (1.023).
It would be 24 years before the White Sox would boast the highest-paid player in the game again, when Albert Belle signed a deal that paid him $11 million for the 1997 season.
1986 Former White Sox ace LaMarr Hoyt checks into drug rehab after having been arrested twice already in 1986 for drug possession.
Hoyt had excelled for the Padres in his first season in San Diego in 1985, going 16-8 with a 3.47 ERA and 2.5 WAR in his only All-Star season. While trade centerpiece Ozzie Guillén won the 1985 AL Rookie of the Year for the White Sox and would go on to amass the most defensive WAR in franchise history, Hoyt would see 1986 as his last season in the majors, as his ERA swelled to 5.15/71 ERA+ with a -1.0 WAR.
1990 After meeting for five hours and casting three votes in Tampa despite four of its 18 members (Birdie Tebbetts, Stan Musial, Red Barber and Roy Campanella) absent, the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee failed to elect a single person for the 1990 class to join BBWAA honorees Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan. It was the second time the group had refused to elect a player in three years.
The group started with 25 candidates and debated that list down to 11, including White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox. Fox, who would be elected by the Veterans Committee seven years later, was last considered for the Hall on his 15th ballot, in 1985 — when he infamously fell just two votes shy of enshrinement.
“All of them got heavy support,” committee member Ted Williams said. “It just shows how conscientious the members are about their voting, and the concern they have for putting someone in the Hall of Fame.”
2008 In their first game of Spring Training, the White Sox wear Northern Illinois University baseball caps, honoring the victims of the shooting rampage on the school’s campus earlier in February. The game-worn, autographed hats were later auctioned off to build a scholarship fund set up in memory of the five students who were killed.
2024 The White Sox reversed a trade of three years earlier by re-acquiring lefty Bailey Horn from the Cubs for righthander Matt Thompson.
Horn had been the final White Sox pick of the 2020 draft, which in that lost season was just the fifth round. After pitching in just 14 games in 2021 and reaching High-A, he was swapped across town for reliever Ryan Tepera. To get him back, the White Sox swapped a once-promising high school arm in Thompson, their second-rounder in 2019. Thompson had labored through a 6-15 season at Double-A Birmingham in 2023 and performed about the same at Double-A for the Cubs in 2024; he was released by the north siders before the 2025 season and is out of baseball.
Just two months later, the White Sox sold Horn to the Red Sox. He has since made the majors, with both the Red Sox and Tigers.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Marcelo Mayer #11 of the Boston Red Sox throws during a spring training workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 16, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is it on TV?
It’s on NESN at 1:05 PM
What’s the lineup?
What should we watch for?
It’s been an… interesting spring training for Marcelo Mayer so far. The wrist surgery he underwent last August was said to necessitate only a three-month recovery and Mayer arrived at Fort Myers claiming he was fully healed and ready to go. But then the Red Sox deliberately slow-walked his hitting program, while Alex Cora made a point to say that he hadn’t earned his position on the big league team yet. I don’t think either of these things warrant getting too worked up about, but they are two things most people didn’t expect just a few weeks ago. So I’ll be watching Marcelo today.
Might keep an eye on that Braves starting pitcher, too…
There’s a quick turnaround in action from the Yankees first night game of the Grapefruit League yesterday to a day game at the Twins. Let’s take a look at the starting pitchers and the lineups for both teams.
Luis Gil makes his second start of the spring after giving up a run and striking out four across 2.2 innings against the Mets on Sunday. His fastball velocity was still down, something which became a talking point when he returned from a lat injury last season. but he maintains that it’s not something he’s worried about since it’s early in spring training. In 11 starts last year, Gil went 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA (123 ERA+), 4.63 FIP, and 41 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Marco Raya was the Twins’ 18th-ranked prospect in 2025 according to MLB Pipeline, drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He throws a four-seamer and a sinker in the mid-90s, both topping out at 97, and a variety of secondaries including a slider, sweeper, curveball, and changeup. He made 30 appearances (20 starts) in Triple-A last season, going 2-8 with a 6.02 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 98.2 innings.
Aaron Judge may not have made the trip to Fort Myers, but there is still plenty of pop in the Yankees lineup. Ben Rice leads off, while Jasson Domínguez and Paul DeJong continue to get consistent reps in left and at shortstop, respectively. Top prospects Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. bat sixth and seventh, the former with a pair of booming home runs already this spring sporting an Ohtani-like toe-tap and the latter raking a two-run double last time out.
The Twins lineup more closely resembles what we might see on Opening Day than does the Yankees lineup. Byron Buxton leads off after reaffirming his commitment to the franchise amid trade rumors over the winter. Luke Keaschall burst onto the scene as a rookie last year and the second-year second baseman looks to be a cornerstone of their rebuild. We even get a visit from old friend Gio Urshela, who is in Twins camp as a non-roster invitee.
How to watch
Location: Lee Health Sports Complex — Fort Myers, FL
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: Gotham Sports App, Twins.TV, FOX9+KMSP, Gray Media
Radio broadcast: WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM (Twins broadcast)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 28: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day, another Spring Training game day for baseball fans.
After dropping a game yesterday’s performance to the Yankees with Carlos Carrasco on the mound, the Braves are set to face the Red Sox with a more competitive squad showing up, with Ronald Acuña Jr. batting leadoff, and a newly girded ace, Chris Sale, ready to close out the first full week of spring training games.
Gametime is set for 1:05 p.m. EST at CoolToday Park, North Port, Florida. You can catch it streaming on Gray TV, and listen on ESPN 103.7.
Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jesus Sanchez (12) is congratulated by manager John Schneider (14) after he scored a run against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Jesús Sánchez is a 28-year-old, left-handed hitting, outfielder. The Jays traded Joey Loperfido to the Astros to pick him up. Loperfido will be 27 in May, so there isn’t that much difference in age. Sánchez has played 580 MLB games and has a 4.8 bWAR. Loperfido has played 122 games and has a 1.1 bWAR. We could debate which player will be the most valuable for the rest of their careers, but, if we are talking this season, I’d bet Jesús will be more valuable, and that’s more important to the Jays at the moment.
Jesús isn’t a free agent until 2028.
Sánchez was traded from the Marlins to the Astros at the deadline last year. With the Marlins he was hitting .256/.320/.420, with the Astros .199/.269/.342. David Popkins, Jays hitting coach, told Keegan Matheson:
Popkins: “He went over to Houston, and they had some ideas for him to change some things and I think they didn’t quite resonate with his personality and who he is as a hitter. It kind of went more towards weakness prevention than his strengths, so we’re shifting him back more towards, ‘We want you to do what you do well.’ Let’s start there, then we can go elsewhere. We’re just trying to see him have rhythm again and get his swing off. We’re excited. He’s had some good days the last couple of days.”
Basically, ‘the Astros ruined him’. I always take these things with a grain of salt. I think if you can hit you can hit and a batting coach shouldn’t be able to change that. Or at least ruin that. But I’m hopeful that Popkins will help him find his way back to the swing that made him valuable. I also think Popkins says that to build up Sánchez’s ego a bit. Sports physiology is a big thing.
The best thing about Sánchez is that he hits the ball hard, 93rd percentile in bat speed, 79th percentile in Average Exit Speed last year. The year before (when he was just with the Marlins) he was 95th percentile in Bat Speed, 93rd in Exit Velocity and 95th in Hard Hit %. He was 46th percentile in strikeout rate and 51st in walk rate.
Ideally, he is a low average/high power hitter (though he hasn’t cracked the 20 home run barrier yet). Career, his batting average is .239. I’m hoping he’ll do better than that this year. It would be nice if he had more than 20 home runs.
Defensively? He’s ok. Outs Above Average had him at a +1 in right field. Savant has him a 41st percentile in range and 80th percentile in Arm Strength.
He steals some bases too. 13 last year, caught 3 times.
Steamer has Sánchez playing in 88 games, hitting .248/.317/.427 with 13 home runs. Seems somewhat pessimistic to me.
I don’t know what to expect, but I think he’ll be playing against right-handers everyday (presuming no injury issues). I’d like to think the batting coaches can unlock his power and he hits a few more than 13 home runs.
I think there are lots of reasons to be optimistic. He was a little unlucky last year. His strikeout rate improved a lot last year. I’m taking Popkins at his word that Popkins can improve his swing from last year.
MONTGOMERY, AL - JULY 03: Homer Bush Jr. #35 of the Montgomery Biscuits pose in the dugout before the game between the Columbus Clingstones and the Montgomery Biscuits at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Previous Winner
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.
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
22
Homer Bush Jr.
OF
10
25
40%
21
Dom Keegan got his first votes this most recent round and almost took it from Bush, an impressive showing after no votes in any previous round. Keegan could get MLB reps this season, so this range is right. We add sleeper short stop prospect Adrian Santana after receiving an “other” vote.
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Gary Gill Hill, RHP 21 | 6’2” | 160 A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB
A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
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.
Adrian Santana, SS 20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155 A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K
Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?
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.
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers play two games on Saturday, their first of two split-squad games this spring. Both such days involve both the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. This time, the Cubs come to Camelback Ranch and the game vs. Texas is in Surprise. On March 15, the Dodgers host the Rangers and travel to Mesa to take on the Cubs.
On Saturday, Justin Wrobleski will start for the Dodgers in the home game of the Cubs. Right-hander Colin Rea is first on the mound for Chicago.
Jackson Ferris starts on the road for the Dodgers at Surprise against Texas, with Jack Leiter pitching for the Rangers.
Port St. Lucie, Florida: New York Mets' players Juan Soto (left) and Freddy Peralta share a laugh before opening day game against the Miami Marlins, February 21, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca /Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF
Juan Soto – LF
Christian Arroyo – 3B
Jose Rojas – 1B
Hayden Senger – C
MJ Melendez – DH
Vidal Brujan – 2B
Jackson Cluff – SS
Nick Morabito – CF
SP: Freddy Peralta
Cardinals lineup
JJ Wetherholt – DH
Jose Fermin – SS
Nolan Gorman – 3B
Nelson Velazquez – LF
Ramon Urias – 2B
Thomas Saggese – CF
Pedro Pages – C
Nathan Church – RF
Blaze Jordan – 1B
SP: Quinn Mathews
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:05 PM ET Radio: Cardinals Radio Network, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM
How to Listen: 93.7 The Fan, 100.1 FM, AM 1020 KDKA, Sports Net Pittsburgh app SNP 360
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home today against the Baltimore Orioles looking to grab a win in Spring Training.
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PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Ryan Pepiot #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during the Tampa Bay Rays photo day at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ryan Pepiot takes the hill the today as he makes his first appearance of the Spring.
There will be local radio coverage of the game today by the Rays.
First pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays is at 1:05 at Charlotte Sports Park
Today’s highlight package is from September 14-16, 1999 when the Devil Rays took on the Seattle Mariners
