Piggybacking off of this Feed post from DJourn from earlier: Are y’all going to Braves Fest on Saturday? Granted, it’s forcasted to be absolutely brick cold in Cobb County on this coming Saturday but hey, it’s Braves Fest. We didn’t get it last year and it only comes once a year. I’m planning on going, myself but also I totally understand if the cold ends up being too much — heck, I’m even second-guessing myself a tiny bit. We’ll see what happens, haha.
Anyways, the floor is now yours. Here’s a random clip:
Realistically, that’s probably a good thing for both the players and the Houston Astros.
Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve will not participate in this year’s World Baseball Classic, despite both players wanting to represent their home teams again. Correa has previously played for Puerto Rico and Altuve has previously played for Venezuela.
Their absence is not one they planned on, but rather one of economics.
MLB hires an outside insurance company to insure any players who participate in the WBC against injury. This insurance company deemed both players uninsurable, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
Carlos Correa will not participate in the World Baseball Classic after he failed to receive insurance on his contract, he tells @TheAthletic. Full story, with Correa's comments – https://t.co/Pl5ySas3l8
Correa has a notable injury history, and Altuve’s recent injury history coupled with age are the most likely factors in the decision.
Both players are expected to be key cogs in the lineup for the Astros in 2026, and getting off to a good start would be paramount for both them and the organization. For a team that missed
In the 2023 WBC, Altuve was hit by a pitch that fractured his thumb and caused him to miss the first 43 games of the 2023 season.
Both players would be at risk of losing salary if they were to be injured in the WBC and miss MLB games as a result.
The Astros want all their players to be focused on being healthy and productive for the 2026 season after missing the postseason for the first time since 2016.
In 2025, Astros players missed over 1800 games due to injury and led the majors with a staggering 17.6 WAR lost due to injury.
You’ve heard it said before. He’ll be different with us. We can fix him.
Former Red Sox top prospect, White Sock, and Dodger, the artist known as Michael Kopech remains one of the great project pitchers of our time. There are always a few guys like this around. Blessed with great stuff but unable to put together the health and the command to really take advantage of their strengths. Garrett Richards, Nick Pivetta…Zack Wheeler was once this sort of guy. Hard-throwers with nasty breaking stuff who continue to break hearts and disappoint fanbases for years. Sometimes, as with Wheeler and to a lesser degree Pivetta, it eventually gels and they become much more consistent major league pitchers. Or like Richards, one or two good seasons are followed by nearly a decade of struggle before the player finally hangs up his spikes for good.
The Tigers have been vaguely linked to free agent starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, with some rumor that the high school teammate of Jack Flaherty might find a comfortable home in Detroit. Lefty swingman Nick Martinez has been mentioned. Justin Verlander is still available, but likes things quiet and is rarely a big subject of rumors until a deal is about to happen. Maybe he’d be best served preparing on his own and waiting until a contender needs him in March when injuries crop up. Zac Gallen and Chris Bassitt are still out there as potentially solid inning eater type arms. However, even if they’re hunting for another arm, it seems likely the Tigers would like to wait another week or so for Tarik Skubal’s final number before they decide to add another pitcher.
But while attention is focused more on a starter, and Kopech hasn’t been a starter since 2023, I just want to personally beg the Tigers to take a flier on the mercurial, oft-injured, hard-throwing right-hander. The Tigers have four main ingredients that could help any pitcher. Pitching coaches Chris Fetter and biomechanics specialist and assistant pitching coach Robin Lund, catcher Dillon Dingler behind the plate, and a reasonably good park for a fly ball pitcher to thrive in.
Kopech history
Of course, Kopech has been on some well coached teams. Ethan Katz of the White Sox seems fairly good, and Kopech spent 2024 and an injury plagued, 11 inning campaign in 2025, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. So we can’t expect miracles, but Kopech has enough potential to recapture his former form that I would love to see the Tigers coaching staff get a crack at him. There are signs that he and the Dodgers were on the right track until a knee injury ended his 2025 season.
Kopech is not going to get a particularly large sum of money. He’s barely drawn any attention in free agent chatter this offseason. So we’re just talking about taking a fun flier where the Tigers get a chance to work with Kopech in the spring and early in the season, and they just see how it goes.
Michael Kopech was the 33rd overall pick out of Mount Pleasant High School in northeast Texas way back in 2014. He quickly emerged as one of the better pitching prospects in baseball, blowing people’s minds with a 105 mph fastball in High-A ball and consistently sitting triple digits as a starter by 2016. That same year the Red Sox dealt him to the White Sox in a hugely consequential deal for Chris Sale.
Things did not work out for the White Sox. As he so often has, Dave Dombrowski won that deal handily. Sale thrived, while Kopech briefly debuted in 2018, then had UCL reconstruction surgery in 2019 and wasn’t back on the mound until 2021. Two mediocre years in a starting role followed, along with nagging injuries, until the White Sox finally dealt him to the Dodgers. There he converted to relief in 2024-2025 and has been reasonably effective in that role.
Of course, a meniscus tear in his right knee caused Kopech to miss most of the 2025 season, so it’s not as though things magically turned around with the Dodgers. However, with the usual monstrous caveat, “if he’s healthy,” Kopech is a quality reliever who has the odd bout of wildness but can also overpower the best hitters in the game when he’s on. And he can do that almost entirely based off his fourseamer alone.
Of course it’s also possible that he’s wild, injured, walks the world, and has to be released. There’s a reason he’s likely to be fairly cheap as a free agent.
Season
IP
ERA
K%
BB%
HR/9
FIP
2023
129.1
5.43
22.7
15.4
2.02
5.68
2024
67.2
3.46
31.5
12.2
1.20
3.81
2025
11.0
2.45
22.6
24.5
0.00
5.76
Kopech’s upside
Kopech still has the power stuff. As a reliever he’s basically fastballs all the time. Over the past two seasons he’s been 81 percent fastballs with an average velo of 98 mph and a slightly above average induced vertical break mark. He also retains his above average extension. Unfortunately he also retains a long arm path and a pretty high effort delivery that will sometimes get off balance as well. Even as a prospect the relief risk was always a part of Kopech’s scouting reports, as his delivery never screamed consistent strike thrower.
Still, while he’s struggled with his breaking stuff and become almost pretty one dimensional as a reliever, that fastball is so good that he has a 3.32 ERA through 78 2/3 innings of relief work, though his 4.09 FIP speaks to the high walk rate as well. Kopech is punching out 30.1 percent of hitters despite the fact that everyone in the stadium and watching at home knows what’s coming 80 percent of the time.
Kopech has also made some moves toward recapturing the higher arm angle he had earlier in his career in his time with the Dodgers. That arm angle had dropped some after Tommy John when he was still trying to hold up to a starting workload. It reached its low in 2023, but with the Dodgers has been moving back up. That seems like the right adjustment for him considering his riding fourseam shape, and may indicate that at least his arm is healthier than he was following TJ.
As a starter, Kopech’s fastball command was occasionally a problem, but his bigger issues came from wildly inconsistent breaking and offspeed stuff. In longer outings, he couldn’t just rely on blowing most hitters away, and that’s when he got into trouble. Kopech’s slider was good but erratic and he had a distinct tendency to hang it in a bad spot. In 2023 he started tinkering with a cutter, and it’s become a bigger part of his repertoire over the past two years, replacing the breaking balls. He only threw 11 innings in 2025, but he ditched the slider entirely, using the 91.1 mph cutter instead. It’s pretty close to a turbo slider not dropping that much but with some gloveside cut. It’s a nasty pitch, and more to the point, Kopech may have a lot easier time locating it than his old slider, which required him to really rip through and spin the baseball.
The case for signing Kopech
The idea is pretty simple. The best pure arm talent still available in free agency is Michael Kopech. The power stuff in relief is pretty hard to argue with here. The questions with Kopech are all about his command and his health, but when he’s healthy he’s remained an effective pitcher who balances out the high walk rate with a lot of strikeouts based on raw stuff alone. This despite a whole litany of mostly minor injuries in the years since he returned from Tommy John surgery.
If the Tigers can do even a little bit to help him refine the arm slot adjustment and the new cutter he’s worked on, they’ll have a top 30 reliever here. The dream of converting him back to starting is probably dead, but the continued excellence in his fastball and the developments he’s been working on with the Dodgers could make him a minor steal for the Tigers and a nice reinforcement for the bullpen.
Yes, the Tigers should probably go out and add the best starter they can if they aren’t comfortable with their rotation depth. Kopech can’t come at the expense of signing another starter if that’s their plan. And yes, adding both Kopech and a Lucas Giolito level starter would require opening two more spots on the 40-man roster. That can be arranged without too much difficulty to bolster the pitching staff.
All bets are off if Kopech ends up getting a flurry of good offers and ends up getting a big enough deal that it would get in the way of the Tigers adding a starter. The Giants have been rumored as interested in recent weeks, but nothing has come of it yet, and beyond that the Kopech news has been light. If the Tigers could snatch him up right now for $5-6 million with a 2027 team option, I would love it.
No argument it’s a volatile profile, but the upside is worth a minor risk for the Tigers. If he’s banged up in 2026? Well he isn’t hurting anything and he won’t cost as much as Alex Cobb. Without access to his medicals, it’s impossible to insist that this is a good idea. Maybe he’s got too much wear and tear in his shoulder, elbow, and knee. The optimistic view is that maybe the things he’s been working on come together and he’s pitching the eighth and ninth inning by midseason, lengthening the bullpen and giving A.J. Hinch even more flexibility.
The Tigers were unwilling to go out on a limb to sign a major free agent this offseason. Perhaps they’ll still go get themselves a mid-rotation starter once Tarik Skubal’s arbitration hearing clarifies their 2026 payroll. Who knows, maybe they’ll blow our minds by signing Eugenio Suarez to play third. Yes I’m kidding. But taking a smaller swing with this kind of upside is a plus and an aggressive, smaller scale move would be welcome either way. In Kopech’s case the potential reward is worth the risk and we’d love to see the Tigers staff get a crack at tuning him up a bit more.
Recently MLB Network hosts Houston native Robert Flores and Harold Reynolds released their own Houston Astros Franchise Favorite list, followed by another Houston native Brian McTaggart Astros beat writer for the Houston Astros. I figured why not weigh in the deep end of this pool. If you look at this graphic you will see the list I have compiled.
This list took some removing and replacing a few times. There simply aren’t enough spots for everyone I think deserves to be on this list.
The Starting 9: Catcher: Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio logged more time at other positions than catcher, he logged only 428 games at backstop, and 1989 games at 2B, 363 games in the OF, so why would I put him as the backstop. First, it is where he began his career, and Second Jose Altuve has already cemented his place in Astros history with 2 world Series titles, batting titles galore. What Biggio did could solidify him as the ultimate utility guy over the tenure of his storied 15 year career. Bottom line, I could not leave him out of the starting 9. Mr. 3,000 was the definition of Houston baseball, both he and his partner in crime Jeff Bagwell never wore another uniform. This scrappy kid from Smithtown, NY made his home in the dirt, he was either sliding in to extend a double, diving for line drive, or sprinting around the bases after one of his famous lead off home runs. THis 7 time All Star, 4 time Gold Glover, 5 time silver slugger and Hall of Famer deserves the ability to be placed on this lineup as a catcher. He may disagree and give the accolades to to Ausmus, but since this is my list he will be our starting catcher.
First Baseman: Jeff Bagwell
Clearly this Hall of Famer is second to none in Houston Astros history. An original member of the Killer B’s, leading the club to division titles and its first ever World Series. This NL Rookie of the Year, MVP, 4 time All Star, as well 3 time silver slugger carved his name in Astros history. This blistering bruiser of the baseball made mincemeat out of pitches thrown his way and executed his defense like an art. His .297 Career Avg. 2,314 hits, 1,517 Runs , and a .408 OBP sets the standard.
Second Baseman: Jose Altuve
Jose Altuve, clearly in the running for GREATEST HOUSTON ASTROS PLAYER OF ALL TIME. Some say the time has not yet arrived, others differ. Since I was a kid I recall seeing Astros greats put on the orange and blue. From the Astrodome to Daikin Park, and I cannot recall a single player who has had a greater impact on a franchise as much as Jose Altuve. He is a 2 time World Series Champion, a Gold Glove winner, AL MVP, 3 time batting champion, 7 time silver slugger, and a 9 time all star. One of the only questions remains for this Titan of the diamond, will he reach the 3,000 hit plateau? I will throw my hat in the “Yes he will”, ring when it comes to 3,000. Beyond that, this man has put his team on his back and done his best “Take out the Yankees”move in the postseason, enough times to never be forgotten, and solidify a case for a statue in H-Town (as we call it.)
Third Baseman: Alex Bregman
Many old school Astros fans will say, what about Ken Caminiti, Doug Radar, Enos Cabel or even Morgan Endsberg? Not to mention Phil Garner clearly in the Top 5 of third baseman. At this point I looked at what happened under their tenure holding down the Hot Corner, and what kind of positional prowas did they represent while in Houston. We know Alex Bregman has moved on, but we will never forget what this 5’11” or 6’0” (depends on the day) kid from Albuquerque, New Mexico brought with him after stopping at LSU where he grew into a favorite to be a Top draft pick in MLB’s amature draft. This 3 time All-Star, 2 time World Series Champion, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and All Star game MVP gave his all to the Houston Astros. An astounding career on the diamond and in the batters box, as well a “Pro’s Pro”. One of my favorite things about Alex was his ability to bridge cultural divides with his teammates, there was no language barrier with him, he was always in the lab with the guys. Having spoken with him on a couple occasions there aren’t many that are obsessed with baseball as this man is and will always be. I think he deserves to have his number retired once his career has come to a close.
Shortstop: Carlos Correa
In 2015 the Houston Astros played the New York Yankees in a 1 game Wild Card Playoff, Carlos Correa was asked , “Being your first postseason game are you nervous about playing here, in Yankee Stadium against such a storied franchise?” Carlos replied, “I have been preparing for this since I was 6, I’m not nervous, I am ready.” That made an impression on me and from that point on he took the mantle of leader. He lead the team to their first World Series in 2017. He’s won Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove, and Platinum Glove, as well a 3 time All-Star twice wit the Astros. Carlos Correa’s speech to Framber Valdez on the mound in the 2020 ALCS Game 6 almost single handedly helped them win that series. When he left the club felt a void and in an unexpeceted return to Prodigal ahs come home. Now at third base this newly minted third baseman has his eyes set on another World Series.
Left Field: Lance Berkman
Lance Berkman fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after 1 time through, I believe something is very wrong with that. The Big Puma was one of the most prolific switch hitters during his playing days, and probably one of the most effective all time in an Astros uniform. Back in 2012 Bleacher Report ranked Switch hitters all time. Lance Berkman was 9th on that list, guess who ranked lower? Newest Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran (12th) he’s the lone Hall of Famer behind him. Those that are ranked 1-8, 6 are hall of famers and 7 if you count Pete Rose. While these things can be debated back and forth, it appears that Lance Berkman is at least by this list a snub. A 6 time All-Star, career .293 hitter, 1,905 hits, 366 Home Runs, 1146 R, and 1234 RBI. Lance Berkman should clearly be in the Hall, and hopefully his peers will feel the same way down the road. His 6 seasons of 100+ RBI, hitting over .300- 5 seasons, and posting a career OPS+ of 144 in my mind puts him up there. Who can forget that amazing iver the shoulder grab on Tal’s Hill quite possibly the worst addition to a MLB field in our lifetime.
Center Field: Cesear Cedeno
Cesear Cedeno was one of the best Center Fielders in baseball, especially playing in the wide open spaces of the Astrodome. He won 5 Gold Gloves navigating the outfield in Houston, as well earning 4 All-Star selections. Some say Cedeno was THE Best CF in baseball those 5 years he won the Gold Glove. He also was able to hit for power at times. I recall a conversation with Jose Cruz at Reckling Park home of the Rice Owls and I asked him. “If you, Cedeno, Wynn, Puhl and others played at Minute Maid park (prior to its name change) would you guys have hit more home runs?” Cheo Cruz, “Definitely my friend, we would have hit soooo many more. That is without a doubt, but when we hit it, there was never a cheap Home Run, it was a feat.” I think Cedeno’s 550 stolen bases is often over looked, along with his 2,087 hits, .285 career avg. and his OPS of .790 (.805 w/the Astros) OPS+ of .123. Cesar was truly one of the greats and earns my center field spot.
Right Field: George Springer
This 4 time All-Star, World Series MVP, and 3 time Silver-Slugger was drafted and grew up in Houston. George Springer is one of the most Clutch MLB Superstars of this generation. I had other options in right field, Kyle Tucker, Terry Puhl (Astros Hall of Fame), Richard Hidalgo and Hunter Pence all deserve a mention. None thought did it like, George Freakin Springer, on a cool October night George Springer went 0-4 with a strikeout. Many wondered “Why is he batting lead off?” Well George found that clutch gene, and the rest is history. Yes I know baseball fans outside of Houston hate hearing this, but what George Springer did was without any assistance, no scandal, no trash receptacle just George being George. He went on to hit a Springer Dinger in 4 consecutive World Series games. Going 11 for 25 and hitting 5 home runs in the next 6 games. This 11th overall pick of the Houston Astros made his mark. Clubbing 20 plus Home Runs 4 seasons in a row, an OPS of .974 in 2019. Not to mention his amazing grabs in Right Field. Springer along with the Golden Era Stros Bregman, Altuve and Correa were a force to be reckoned with until they eventually parted ways.
Designated Hitter: Yordan Alvarez
There I am sure could be others you could slot in here, but no one even in a down year makes the Top 30 after a year where he was limited by games played. Before I move forward I think we lean into the injuries a little to much with Alvarez. The bottom line, he is one of the most prolific Left handed hitters in all of baseball. In his young career he won A.L. Rookie of the Year after only playing 87 games in his rookie campaign, is a 3 time All-Star, a Silver Slugger award winner, hit the series clinching go ahead 3 run home run in game 6 of the 2022 World Series, as well won ALCS MVP in 2021. Yordan Alvarez who hits better when he plays in the field is on a trajectory to become one of the best DH players alongside David Ortiz. The man lights up the score box, as well takes out light panels in scoreboards. He hit 31 or more home runs 4 straight seasons from 2021-2024. He still has more in the tank where that came from.
HONORABLE MENTION: Brad Ausmus
Although he didn’t end his career as a Houston Astros backstop, nor did he endear himself to Astros fans post playing career. There is no doubt that the man who lifted more than Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio in the clubhouse back in the late 90’s was catcher for more games than any other 1,243 games. Brad Ausmus was a defensive menace for opposing base runners, and one of the best battery mates an Astros pitching staff has ever seen. Out of his 3 Gold Gloves 2 were awarded to him while in as Astros uniform. I was in attendance when he hit the biggest home run of his career which sent Game 4 of the 2005 NLDS into extra’s. We all recall the 18 inning marathon that ended with Chris Burke hitting the walk-off. I would say, without Ausmus home Run that obviously never happens.
Who would you put in this list?
Please share in your comments below, agree or disagree as you see fit. I do not believe there is simply one answer to this, and it is always fun to see where others are on these lists.
The Astros Can’t Afford to Stand Pat and Dana Brown Knows It
With FanFest now in the rearview mirror and the Super Bowl still dominating the sports calendar, it’s easy for Houston Astros fans to mentally hit pause before spring training truly begins. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: this roster is not finished, and pretending otherwise risks slamming the Golden Era window shut far sooner than anyone wants to admit.
If the Astros genuinely believe they can make another run at a World Series, Dana Brown has a lot more work to do. And no amount of optimism, prospect hype, or internal faith should change that reality.
Yes, the national conversation has focused almost entirely on Houston’s crowded infield and which piece, Christian Walker or Isaac Paredes, might be moved. That’s fine. It’s a real storyline. But it’s also a convenient distraction from two far more pressing issues that could undermine this team long before October even comes into focus.
The Catcher Situation Is a Problem
Victor Caratini signing with the Minnesota Twins didn’t just create a hole on the roster. It exposed a blind spot.
The Astros can talk all they want about Yainer Díaz being the everyday catcher, and long term, that’s probably the right call. But anyone who watched this team closely last season knows the truth: Caratini carried far more weight than a typical backup catcher should.
He didn’t just fill in, he delivered. He switch-hit. He came up clutch. He stabilized the pitching staff. More often than not, he was the reason the Astros survived injuries and inconsistency without falling out of the AL West race.
Expecting César Salazar to replicate that is wishful thinking at best. This isn’t a knock on Salazar, who is serviceable behind the dish, it’s an acknowledgment of reality. Caratini was a luxury Houston leaned on heavily, and now that safety net is gone.
That makes adding a veteran backup catcher non-negotiable. No, the Astros won’t find another Caratini. But they must find someone Joe Espada can trust to catch meaningful innings, provide competent offense, and step in if Díaz hits a rough stretch or simply needs a breather. Anything less is rolling the dice with a position that quietly mattered far more than fans want to admit.
One Left-Handed Starter Isn’t a Plan, It’s a Risk
Then there’s the rotation, where the lack of left-handed pitching borders on negligence for a team with championship aspirations.
Yes, Houston can go eight or nine deep with starters on paper. But only one of them, Colton Gordon, throws left-handed. That’s not just a minor imbalance. It’s a strategic disadvantage, especially against elite lineups in October.
Gordon was fine. At times, he was even decent. But “fine” is not the standard for a team chasing another American League crown. And relying on him as the lone lefty option is asking for trouble when injuries inevitably hit.
There’s no cavalry coming from the farm system, either. No left-handed starter is knocking on the door ready to provide depth. That means the responsibility lands squarely on Dana Brown to find solutions, preferably plural, not just hope the rotation stays healthy and everything goes “all right.”
Some fans continue to dream about a Framber Valdez reunion on a short-term, high-AAV deal. Don’t hold your breath. That ship has sailed. Valdez will get paid elsewhere, and the Astros were never going to meet that price tag anyway. Brown’s path forward is clear: veteran, plug-and-play left-handers who can stabilize the rotation when chaos strikes.
Trades Aren’t Optional, They’re Necessary
The reality is the Astros no longer have the luxury of relying on their farm system to patch holes. Years of success have depleted that pipeline, and now the only way forward is through calculated, sometimes uncomfortable trades.
Whoever gets moved between Walker and Paredes has to bring back real value, players who can fill multiple needs, not just depth pieces. And if Jake Meyers or Jesús Sánchez are still on the market, those assets must be leveraged to address weaknesses that are glaring to anyone paying attention. You have depth in the outfield and that depth needs to translate into soloutions at other positions of need.
Standing pat isn’t a strategy. It’s surrender by complacency.
Dana Brown still has time, but time is ticking away and you can’t afford to let it run out. The Golden Era doesn’t stay open out of nostalgia, it stays open because tough decisions are made before they become desperate ones. Dana, the ball is in your court, shoot your shots because we all know you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take and you could end up missing the playoffs too.
The Royals announced they have invited 25 non-roster players to spring training in Arizona, including former first-round picks Blake Mitchell, Frank Mozzicato and Gavin Cross. The list also includes some MLB veterans trying to make the club, such as catcher Jorge Alfaro, infielder Josh Rojas, and pitchers Jose Cuas, Héctor Neris, and Aaron Sanchez
Here is a rundown of the 25 players with non-roster invites:
Pitchers
AJ Causey is a sidearming right-hander who was selected by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. He posted a minuscule ERA of 1.72 with 75 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 73.1 innings across High-A and Double-A, and walked just one batter with 13 strikeouts in the Arizona Fall League.
Dennis Colleran boasts a 100 mph fastball that he used to strike out 72 hitters in 66.1 innings last season, while posting a 2.85 ERA.
Jose Cuas pitched for the Royals from 2022 to 2023, and was a very effective reliever his first season witha 3.58 ERA in 47 outings. The 31-year-old sidearmer has since played for the Cubs and Blue Jays, but returned to the Royals on a minor league deal.
Chazz Martinez is a 26-year-old left-hander out of the University of Oklahoma. He had a 1.85 ERA in 31 outings for Northwest Arkansas, before struggling upon a promotion to Omaha.
Frank Mozzicato was the seventh overall pick of the 2021 draft known for a big curveball that causes a lot of whiffs. But he has failed to add velocity and has struggled with control, posting a 1.24 ERA in 36.1 innings at High-A, but struggling with a 7.46 ERA and 53 walks in 56.2 innings at Double-A.
Héctor Neris is a 12-year MLB vet who had 18 saves in 2024 with the Cubs and Astros. The 36-year-old had a 6.75 ERA in 35 games last year, but still struck out 11.8 hitters per-nine-innings.
Helcris Olivárez was signed as a minor league free agent after stints in the Rockies, Red Sox, and Giants organizations. He has a blazing fastball that can hit 100 mph, but has trouble with control. Last year, the left-hander posted a 3.65 ERA but with 43 walks in 37 innings across Double-A and Triple-A.
Shane Panzini is a 24-year-old right-hander drafted out of high school in 20212. He had the best season of his pro career with a 3.39 ERA and an improved strikoue rate of 9.4 per-nine innings in 109 innings.
Hunter Patteson dominated High-A ball this year with a 1.99 ERA in 13 starts, before going to Double-A and posting a 4.41 ERA in 49 innings. The lefty was a fifth round pick out of Central Florida in 2022.
Aaron Sanchez faced the Royals in the 2015 ALCS as a member of the Blue Jays, and was a 2016 All-Star. He has not pitched in the big leagues since 2022, but was named Pitcher of the Year in the Dominican Winter League this year.
Catchers
Jorge Alfaro is a nine-year MLB vet who has hit .253/.301/.391 in his career. The 32-year-old played in a handful of games with the Nationals last year, and last had significant big league time in 2022.
Canyon Brown is a ninth round pick in the 2024 draft who hit .225/.309/.297 in 70 games at High-A.
Omar Hernández is a 24-year-old switch-hitter who hit .225/.259/.275 in 75 games across High-A and Double-A last season.
Elih Marrero is a former Red Sox prospect who spent last season in the Rangers organization and is the son of former Royals outfielder Eli Marrero. He hit .257/.381/.657 with two home runs in 13 games in the Dominican Winter League.
Blake Mitchell is a former first-round pick with the Royals and a top 100 prospect on many lists. The 21-year-old suffered a wrist injury that caused him to miss the start of last season, and returned to hit .218/.390/.320 with three home runs in 60 games, then a .434 on-base percentage in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Ramón Ramírez was the best hitter for the Columbia Fireflies last year, htiting .244/.339/.442 with 11 home runs in 70 games.
Luca Tresh is a 26-year old former North Carolina State catcher who hit .259/.321/.473 with 10 home runs in 72 games for Omaha last year.
Infielders
Connor Kaiser is an Overland Park native who has appeared in a handful of MLB games with the Rockies and Diamondbacks. The 29-year-old hit .236/.345/.406 with six home runs in 71 games at Triple-A last year.
Kevin Newman has played in eight MLB seasons, mostly with the Pirates, as a career .259/.300/.355 hitter. He was a 2.2 rWAR player in 2024 with the Diamondbacks, but hit just .202/.209/.272 in 56 games with the Angels last year.
Josh Rojas is a career .241/.317/.353 hitter in seven MLB seasons as a left-handed hitter. He is an exemplary defender and can play all over the field, and was worth 2.2 rWAR in 2024 with Seattle.
Abraham Toro plays mostly first and third with a little time at second, and hit .239/.289/.371 with seven home runs in 77 games with Boston. The 29-year-old switch-hitter has also spent time with the Astros, Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics.
Daniel Vázquez is a slick-fielding shortstop who was ranked #16 in the farm system by MLB Pipeline last year. The 22-year-old hit .26/.333/.351 in 116 games, but really impressed in the Arizona Fall League with a line of .329/.459/.468 in 22 games.
Peyton Wilson is a versatile, switch-hitting former second-round pick, who hit .259/.353/.389 in 103 games last year.
Outfielders
Gavin Cross was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 draft, but had his career derailed early on by illness. His numbers have been underwhelming, but he seemed to come on at the end of last year, hitting
Carson Roccaforte enjoyed a breakout season by hitting .258/.373/.470 with 18 home runs and 43 steals across High-A and Double-A. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter also led the entire organization with 82 walks.
The first workout for Royals pitchers and catchers is Wednesday, February 11. The first full squad workout is scheduled for Monday, February 16.
Burly right-hander Jose Franco claimed the #11 spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, and now we head into the voting for spot #12.
Per usual, here’s a link to the Google Form where you can vote, though it should be embedded at the end of the list if you’d rater read first and then vote on-page after digesting all the glorious information on these up and coming future Cincinnati Reds.
Here’s how the list has materialized so far:
Sal Stewart
Alfredo Duno
Rhett Lowder
Hector Rodriguez
Edwin Arroyo
Cam Collier
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
Chase Petty
Arnaldo Lantigua
Jose Franco
A large list of talented names exists below for spot #12. Have at it with the votes!
Adolfo Sanchez, OF (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: .339/.474/.504 with 2 HR, 10 SB in 154 PA with DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: Left-handed hitter who profiles to have a plus hit tool and potentially plus power; arm good enough to play RF if he doesn’t stick in CF; shaved 20% off his K% year over year; plus runner
Cons: Questions whether he’s already physically matured to the point where projecting him to be much better exist
The Reds signed Sanchez for $2.7 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2024 and kept him there to ply his trade professionally in the Dominican Summer League. Things went quite poorly for him there during his age 17 season, and he subsequently stuck around there to repeat in 2025 – though this time, things went swimmingly.
He’ll undoubtedly play in the States in 2026, but the question now is just how quickly the Reds might try to move him up if he hits the ground running. At 6’3” and 200 lbs already, he’s not the kind of prospect where you say he’s X now, but when he gets bigger and stronger he’ll be Y in two years. In other words, if he looks the part now, he needs to be challenged immediately, and my hope is that he gets time with Daytona right off the bat.
He’s got a hit tool that comes with all-fields power, excellent patience at the plate, and I really do think his swing will continue to play. Still, it’s likely he ends up in a corner spot in the OF, which means the power’s going to need to continue to show up for him to project as an everyday regular – at least vs. RHP.
Leo Balcazar, SS/2B (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .263/.339/.381 with 12 HR, 8 SB in 560 PA split between A+ Dayton Dragons (Midwest League) and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (AA Southern League); .277/.340/.340 in 103 PA with Peoria Javelinas (Arizona Fall League)
Pros: Good strike zone judgement and plate discipline (52/75 BB/K in 2025); well-rounded tools, continuing to improve off ACL surgery
Cons: Not a ton of power yet; some question whether he’ll be able to stick at SS long term
It’s easy to forget just how good of a start Balcazar had to his pro career after signing with the Reds for $100,000 out of Venezuela. He posted an .882 OPS in 2021 in Dominican Summer League play, an .886 OPS in 2022 with the Arizona Complex League Reds, and was off to a wicked start (.897 OPS) across the first 18 games of his 2023 season with Class-A Daytona before he tore his ACL.
2024 was a bit of a rough year for him, however, as the layoff and working back from the surgery clearly impacted his performance (.264/.295/.354 in 410 PA). However, 2025 saw him look a lot more like his former explosive self – both at the plate and in the field – and he clearly was healthy enough once again as he logged a combined 663 PA across all leagues.
He’s still just 21 years of age (22 in June of 2026), and if he’s shaken the rust off completely and enters this season after a normal winter, there’s a chance we see a whole lot more from him, too.
Aaron Watson, RHP (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy (FL); signed overslot $2.7 million bonus to forego commitment to the University of Florida
Pros: 6’5” frame; potential 60-grade slider; fastball that runs up to 96 mph from a three-quarter arm slot and already has a solid three-pitch mix with his change rotated in
Cons: Did not pitch professionally after being drafted, so he’s a complete unknown
One glimpse of Watson on the mound and you immediately think yep, I bet that guy can turn into a pretty dang good pitcher. He’s got an ideal frame to produce downhill offerings, and his fastball/slider mix is already something on which he can hang his hat.
However, command of all three of his pitches – specifically a very developmental changeup – will be what he needs to work on to begin to move quickly through the ranks. He possesses a good ‘feel’ at the moment in terms of what pitches to throw, which part of the zone to attack vs. which hitters, etc., but how well he can build in more deception with his offerings will be vital.
Carlos Jorge, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .251/.342/.355 with 6 HR, 40 SB in 469 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Plus speed; former infielder moved to CF in 2023 and in 2025 looked like a natural there; plus speed; shaved 12.5% off K-rate from down 2024 season; 60-grade arm strength a weapon in CF
Cons: ISO declined for third straight year, this time precipitously; prone to extreme streakiness
If you threw out every other stop of Carlos Jorge’s pro career and just focused on the good ones, he’d already be ranked by now. The good parts of the best of his years have been quite tremendous, all told. He’s flashed great speed (40 steals in 2025), good pop for a small-ish CF (12 HR in 2023 and 2024; .483 SLG in the cavernous Florida State League in 2023), and the ability to play pretty elite CF defense (as recently as 2025).
However, he’s added some real clunkers in there, too. He hit just .220/.291/.394 with a K-rate over 31% at Dayton in 2024, and that came on the heels of hitting just .239/.277/.398 in 23 games once he reached Dayton at the end of 2023.
Maybe it’s just Dayton, where he was again in 2025 in a much better all-around year, even though his power dried up again. He’ll surely begin with AA Chattanooga of the Southern League in 2026, and at 22 (with his position in CF now settled) the former 2B might finally have a one-track shot to focus on his all around game in a new locale. After acing his move on defense, shaving off a ton of strikeouts, and bumping his walk rate back up over 11.1% (where it’s been for most of his career), perhaps 2026 will have a lot more in store for him.
Zach Maxwell, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: 4.50 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 13/4 K/BB in 10.0 IP with Cincinnati Reds; 4.17 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 59/32 K/BB in 49.2 IP with AAA Louisville Bats (International League)
Pros: Huge. Literally gigantic (6’6”, 275-ish lbs). Throws gas (100 mph+) with a devastating slider (70-grade). And he’s titanic.
Cons: Struggles with control (6.1 BB/9 across 172.1 IP in his minors career)
Maxwell, a former 6th round pick out of Georgia Tech, throws the ball up to 102 mph with his heater, and it’s clear that hitters have just about as little idea where it’s actually going to be as Maxwell himself. That’s the rub here, really, in that Big Sugar has the pure stuff to turn even the best hitters into guessers, and it comes down to whether they’ll guess wrong more often than Maxwell misses the zone in each and every PA.
If they swing, though, they’re likely going to miss, and that’s why he’s right in the mix for a spot in Cincinnati’s bullpen again in 2026 after making his debut there in 2025. He can be a bit wild if it’s effectively wild, and that’s a tightrope he’s been walking since his days back at North Paulding HS in Dallas, Georgia. When he’s locked in, though, the heater is backed up by an absolutely devastating slide piece, and that two-pitch mix – again, when he’s locked in – is good enough to be closer material. He’s just got to continue to refine his delivery.
Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term
Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing
The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.
The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.
It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.
Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League
Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)
Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph
Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.
Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.
He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.
Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta has spoken with a bunch of his new teammates since being acquired from the Brewers in a blockbuster trade last week.
In addition to getting a FaceTime from Tyrone Taylor (the two were teammates in Milwaukee), Peralta has also talked to Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, and Sean Manaea.
"I can't lie. It makes me feel really good," Peralta said during an introductory Zoom on Tuesday. "I told them: I can't wait to be with you guys together and have fun together."
The exuberant Peralta is also excited about making the transition from Milwaukee to New York.
"I feel really good," he said. "It's a different market, different city. There's a lot more fans, a lot more people watching. I like the competition that we're gonna face."
With Peralta set for free agency after the season, and with the Mets having given up two of their most prized prospects to obtain him and fellow right-hander Tobias Myers, one of the biggest questions following the trade has been whether Peralta would be open to an extension -- with reports beforehand indicating that he was.
"I just got here. I think that I got to share time with my teammates, think about different ideas," Peralta explained. "Learn about everybody -- coaches, the organization in general. And then we can see."
The above scenario -- feeling things out a bit before potentially discussing an extension -- is something that worked out with the Mets and Lindor in the not-too-distant past.
The Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland on Jan. 7, 2021 and ultimately signed him to a 10-year, $341 million extension on the eve of Opening Day ahead of what was Steve Cohen's first season of ownership.
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (not pictured) with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
As Peralta gets acclimated to a new team and city, he already has familiarity with president of baseball operations David Stearns.
One of Stearns' biggest moves when he was in Milwaukee's front office was to trade for a then-19-year-old Peralta. And his biggest trade with the Mets was to trade for him a second time.
"It says a lot," Peralta said about the shared history. "It's funny, because my family -- we were speaking about that, too. Being traded for the second time for the same GM, there's a lot of things that come to my mind."
Peralta, who will report to spring training in a few weeks along with the rest of the Mets' pitchers and catchers, said he hasn't yet decided whether he'll be pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic -- which begins on March 5.
The 29-year-old is coming off a phenomenal 2025 season, where he had a career-best 2.70 ERA in 176.2 innings. He posted a 1.07 WHIP, allowed just 124 hits, and struck out 204 batters -- a rate of 10.4 per nine.
In 139 starts over the last five years, Peralta has a 3.30 ERA and 1.09 WHIP and has fanned 895 batters in 738.1 innings while allowing just 536 hits. He has also been reliable when it comes to taking the ball, tossing 165.2 innings or more reach of the last three seasons.
His ability to miss bats and limit hits is elite, as is his stuff.
Peralta relies mainly on a four-seam fastball (which he threw 53 percent of the time this past season), a changeup, and a curve. He'll also mix in a slider.
In 2025, his pitching run value graded out in the 97th percentile, via Baseball Savant. And all of his individual pitches were tremendous -- the fastball was in the 84th percentile, the breaking balls were in the 88th percentile, and the changeup was in the 96th percentile.
The New York Yankees have claimed pitcher Dom Hamel on waivers from the Texas Rangers, it was announced today. The Rangers had designated Hamel for assignment to make room on the 40 man roster for newly signed reliever Jakob Junis.
If you aren’t familiar with Dom Hamel, that’s understandable. The Rangers claimed him on waivers from the Baltimore Orioles at the end of September. The Orioles had claimed him on waivers a week before that on waivers from the New York Mets. The Mets had drafted him in the third round in 2021 out of Dallas Baptist, eight picks after the Rangers selected Cam Cauley, and 16 picks before the A’s picked Mason Miller, who I think everyone picking ahead of them in the third round wishes they had selected instead of whoever they picked.
The Yankees didn’t have an open 40 man roster spot, so to open up a spot for Hamel, they designated infielder Marco Luciano for assignment. Luciano spent several years early in his pro career as a consensus top 20 prospect with the San Francisco Giants, then a couple of years as a consensus top 50 guy, and is now out of options and bouncing around the waiver wire. The Pirates claimed him on waivers from the Giants in December, then the Orioles claimed him from the Pirates in early January, and then the Yankees claimed him from the Orioles earlier this month.
The Yankees are no doubt hoping to sneak Luciano through waivers so they can outright him, and likely will try to do the same thing with Hamel before too long.
Aaron Judge is coming off his third American League MVP season, and now he gets to run back another accomplishment: being on the cover of MLB The Show 26.
"Aaron continues to rewrite history," San Diego Studio, publisher of the MLB the Show series, said in a statement on Tuesday. "... Aaron’s performances have not only inspired players on the diamond, but athletes and fans around the world. We’re excited to have him back as the cover athlete of MLB The Show 26."
This marks the second time Judge has been featured on the cover of the best-selling video game after first appearing in 2018 following his rookie season, joining Hall of Famer Joe Mauer (2010, 2011) as the only player to be selected for the cover twice. In the eight years since, the Yankees slugger has been a three-time MVP, seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger. His 62 home runs in 2022 broke Roger Maris' AL single-season record, which had stood for over 60 years. Judge was recently named captain of team USA ahead of this year's World Baseball Classic.
San Diego Studio teased the reveal on Monday night with a brief statement posted to social media that read, "we wanted to let everyone know we have decided that we will not have a new cover athlete. Please stay tuned to all of our social channels for more information to come."
Jonatan Clase is a 23-year-old (24 in May), switch-hitting outfielder from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He came to us in trade from the Mariners, along with catcher Jacob Sharp, for Yimi Garcia. Sharp played in New Hampshire in 2025, hitting .161/.271/.206 in 68 games
He has played 60 major league games, and lost his rookie status in 2024. In the 60 games, he’s hit .224/.294/.311 with 3 home runs, 6 steals, caught 2 times.
The big news is the MLB has given the Jays one more option year on Clase. Well, good news for the Jays, I’m not so sure it is good for Jonatan. It makes him less likely to be DFAed. But then, if he were on another team, he would be more likely to find a spot on the active roster. With the Jays, he looks to be waiting for an injury or two. He would be a good choice for the 27th man when we have a doubleheader. If you had room on your active roster, he would be the perfect guy to pinch-run in extra innings, being the Manfred Mann. And he would be an excellent defensive replacement. But then, he’d still have to hit better than .161.
At the moment, I’d think he would be behind Joey Loperfido, Yohendrick Piñango, as well as spring training invites RJ Schreck and Elroy Jiménez (though the latter two aren’t on the 40-man roster at the moment) in line for a job in the majors if there is an injury. Of course, we have Daulton Varsho, George Springer, Anthony Santander, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Davis Schneider and Addison Barger all who can play outfield and are expecting a spot on the active roster (I’m not sure how all of them can make it).
Clase played 87 games for the Bisons, last year, hitting .255/.335/.403 with 7 home runs and 30 steals (caught just 4 times). His defense is good, with the occasional poor route (but he generally makes up for that with his speed).
As much as I like him, I really don’t see a path to him getting major league at-bats. I guess a terrific spring training would help.
I often compare him to Otis Nixon. Nixon didn’t have a MLB season with over 200 PA until age 29. Nixon had 727 PA before age 30 and 5073 after age 30. So don’t count Jonatan out. Clase has more power than Nixon had and is a better defensive outfielder.
Steamer projects he will appear in 12 MLB games, hitting .225/.294/.367 in 45 plate appearances.
Rick Rizzs has announced through the Seattle Mariners that the 2026 season will be his final one as the radio voice of baseball in the Pacific Northwest, retiring following this year’s campaign.
The season will be Rizzs’ 41st in Seattle, and his 44th in the big leagues (having spent three years with the Detroit Tigers), and his 52nd overall. Rizzs has been bringing the Mariners to fans over the airwaves longer than any other broadcaster in the franchise’s history, surpassing even his longtime partner in crime, Dave Niehaus, with whom he called games for 25 years. The 72 year old’s career in broadcasting baseball is older than the franchise that he has been the voice of, and the kid from the South Side of Chicago has become a community cornerstone in his adopted home of Seattle for decades.
The Mariners noted that the 2026 season, which will also be the club’s 50th, will be spent celebrating Rizzs’ Hall of Fame-caliber career as the Voice of the Mariners. He is, by all accounts professional and personal, a truly kind man, whose capacity for consistency and warmth is as genuine in the broadcast booth as it is through his interpersonal interactions and indefatigable charitable work. The co-founder of Toys for Kids and the Rick’s Locker program, Rizzs has spent over 30 years raising funds and resources for kids and families in the Pacific Northwest, as well as housing, food, school supplies and scholarships, and baseball gear. Say friends, it’s hard to see him go.
The Yankees announced on Tuesday that they have claimed RHP Dom Hamel off waivers from the Texas Rangers.
Hamel, 26, was originally drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2021 draft. The Arizona native worked his way up the Mets' farm system before making his major league debut in 2025 for the Mets. In that appearance, Hamel allowed three hits and hit a batter across one inning of work against the Padres back on Sept. 17.
The Mets designated Hamel for assignment on Sept. 18 and he was claimed by the Orioles a few days later. The Rangers would claim him off waivers on Sept. 27 before he was DFA'd last week.
In the minors last year, Hamel made 31 appearances (11 starts), pitching to a 5.32 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP across 67.2 innings pitched with Triple-A Syracuse.
Across 111 appearances (89 starts) in his five-year minor league career, Hamel has a 4.72 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP and 511 strikeouts across 438.1 innings pitched.
The Yankees also announced they have designated for assignment LHP Jayvien Sandridge and INF/OF Marco Luciano, who they claimed off waivers from the Orioles a week ago.
His above-average to plus speed is apparent on the basepaths as shown by his 59 stolen bases last season. Miller could lean more into his power with more loft to his swing path, but I have a feeling what he’s doing is already optimized for him and he’ll naturally find his way to 25 homers with a strong on-base rate along with real value in the field and on the bases.
#27 – Andrew Painter
Taking a step back, Painter has four above-average pitches (95-98, touching 100 mph fastball, cutter, slider, changeup) and the components for starter-level command with a real shot to break camp in the Phillies’ rotation in 2026. In my opinion, he should de-emphasize his sweeper (the slowest of his three breaking pitches) from his second-most-used pitch to fourth or fifth, but should get a bigger boost to his performance from simply being another year away from his surgery and long layoff.
#69 – Justin Crawford
Crawford has plus contact skills and a solid approach along with solid-average raw power; he’ll sting the ball (46% hard-hit rate) though without the secondary power skills (loft in the swing and pull/lift ability) to regularly put the ball over the fence. This kind of player is often more productive via WAR than a fan would guess, because he’s racking up solid value in all aspects of the game (hitting, baserunning, fielding) while his speed helps round up his raw hitting ability (legging out infield singles/bunts) and also helps his isolated power (bloop singles become doubles).
Nothing new about this trio making a list like this, but it’s nice to continually see national respect for them.
Even before trading MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 5 prospects, the Nationals’ rotation was looking very subpar entering 2026. Following Gore’s departure, the unit now projects to be 29th in fWAR this season, according to Fangraphs, finishing ahead of only the Colorado Rockies, not great company when talking about pitching. Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli project to lead the rotation, with fWARs just under 2 and ERAs just above 4, but outside of those two, the rotation isn’t looking pretty, with Brad Lord projected around a 4.50 ERA, and Jake Irvin and Josiah Gray with projected ERAs near 5.
The Nats have been mentioned in the starting pitching market a few times, but never tied to any names. It is expected that they won’t want to drop a large sum of money on a pitcher, ruling out top remaining arms such as Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, but that they would bring in a name notable enough to lock into a rotation spot over one of Jake Irvin, Josiah Gray, or Brad Lord. Let’s take a look at a few of the remaining starting pitchers on the free agent market and find one or two who would best fit in the Nats rotation in 2026.
RHP Lucas Giolito
The best available free-agent starting pitcher in the Nationals’ price range is likely Lucas Giolito, the former Nats top prospect who was shipped to the White Sox for Adam Eaton before the 2017 season. After stops with 4 other clubs, including 3 teams in 2023, Giolito now hits the open market, following a 2025 campaign where he posted a 3.41 ERA and 2 fWAR in 145 innings pitched.
While Giolito was the most productive of any free agent arm in the Nats’ price range, there is a few reasons I would be hesitant to pay him. For starters, while the surface-level numbers looked strong for Giolito, a peek under the hood suggests regression coming for him in 2026. His FIP was 4.17, a respectable number, but far off from his 3.41 ERA, and his expected ERA was even worse, sitting at 5.06, in the 12th percentile among all starting pitchers in 2025.
Giolito’s peripherals also don’t suggest his 2025 success will translate so easily to 2026. With his 22nd percentile average exit velocity, 28th percentile strikeout rate, and 30th percentile walk rate, it’s hard to imagine a world where Giolito can be worth whatever the Nats would pay him this winter. Still, perhaps Toboni believes some change Giolito made during his time in Boston can translate long-term, and their connection from that time can get a deal done.
RHP Justin Verlander
After a shaky first half to Verlander’s age-42 season in which he posted a 4.70 ERA and 4.22 FIP in 76 2/3 innings pitched, it looked like the future Hall of Famer’s career may have been coming to a close. Then suddenly, in the second half, Verlander flipped a switch, posting a 2.99 ERA and 3.47 FIP in 75 1/3 innings pitched, showing he still has what it takes to pitch in the big leagues for at least one more year.
Verlander likely hopes to pitch for a contender in 2026, but if no contender is willing to take a chance on him at the moment, perhaps starting the year with the Nationals and being traded to one at the deadline could be what he’s looking for.
Proof that an old dog still can learn tricks is Verlander adding a sweeper to his arsenal in 2025. He used the pitch primarily against right-handed hitters, throwing it to them 13% of the time, and it was a huge success, with a .135 opponents’ batting average. If Verlander is a National in 2026, as the Nats coaching staff, I’d be looking to increase his usage of that pitch even more against righties, making it one of his more used pitches.
RHP Aaron Civale
Like Verlander, Civale got roughed up in the first half of 2025, but found another gear in the second half, posting a 3.58 FIP in 49 1/3 innings pitched. The difference between Verlander and Civale, other than Civale being 12 years younger, is that Civale finished the season as a relief pitcher, making it risky for the Nats to try him out again as a starter.
Civale did a strong job of limiting hard contact in 2025, posting a 69th percentile average exit velocity. He also does a solid job of limiting free passes, with a 59th percentile walk rate in 2025. Civale doesn’t get a lot of swing and miss, so he’s at his best when he keeps the ball out of the air and on the ground, and that was exactly the case in 2025, as when he cut his fly ball rate by 10% and raised his groundball rate by 8% in the second half of 2025 versus the first, his performance greatly improved.
While the 3 pitchers here would be my preference for rotation upgrades in 2026, I am open to whatever moves Paul Toboni and his staff believe they need to make. The new coaching staff specializes in unlocking players’ hidden potentials, and perhaps they see something in a pitcher none of us are thinking about that they can unlock.
