Category: Baseball

Happy Friday A’s fans!

In back-to-back days our division rivals have added to their rosters looking to improve their chances for the coming season. Two days ago the Los Angeles Angels came to terms with third baseman Yoan Moncada, bringing back a decent hitter with major health questions hovering over him. Moncada was a potential target for the A’s to upgrade at the hot corner themselves but evidently one or both sides didn’t see a path to joining forces.

Then yesterday afternoon we got news that the Texas Rangers made a bold move to bolster their pitching staff, acquiring left-hander MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals for a massive, five-player package. Gore was considered one of the top trade target all offseason long and now finds himself in the AL West, where he’s set to face the A’s multiple times a year. It’s a small sample but in two career starts against the Green & Gold he’s pitched eight innings and allowed eight runs, so there’s that.

Texas surrendered their numbers 2, 6, 12, 16, and 18th top prospects to land the rights to Gore, who is under contract for just two more seasons. It was a massive package for a starter that has yet to fully reach his high ceiling. While the left-hander showed his immense potential in the first half last year with an All-Star selection, injuries and underperformance hindered him in the second half. Overall in his four-year big league career he’s sporting a 4.19 ERA, which is solid in its own right but not what the Nationals expected when they made him a central return piece for Juan Soto.

On the plus side for the Rangers he’s generally been durable and there’s nothing to suggest that’s going to change in Texas. Gore looks like a dependable arm that could have mid-rotation upside, but that’s a lot of prospect capital to cash in for that type of arm. That seems to be the going rate nowadays though. Texas may end up regretting giving up a few of those prospects down the line but for them, adding to a rotation fronted by JacobdeGrom is worth it, and they’re clearly expecting to contend again this coming year.

The A’s weren’t in on Gore by any means but his trade could have down the line implications for the Athletics. Baseball is a long season and the A’s have options for the starting rotation. At least to begin the year. As we have seen in recent seasons though that pitching depth can be tested early and run out by the time June rolls around. The A’s have understandably focused on different parts of the roster to upgrade (namely second base and the bullpen) but the starting staff has also been mentioned as an area that the team could use a boost.

There are still plenty of solid, durable arms on the free agent market that could provide a boost to an A’s team that has just two starters that pitched over 100 innings last year (plus JP Sears, but he’s no longer around obviously). Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs aren’t world beaters by any imagination but they do soak up innings, and the A’s will need more than just those two to last long in their starts.

The other rotation options are exciting in their own right, but haven’t pitched a full MLB season. Jacob Lopez is currently penciled in as the #3 starter, but he nearly reached his career-high in innings pitched last year at just 92 IP and also went down with an elbow injury near the end of the year. JT Ginn looked over his own elbow problem but also reached a career-high in innings pitched overall at 90 (plus 20 in Triple-A). Luis Morales looked fantastic in his short big league stint but pitched a career-high 89 innings in 2025. Luis Medina is coming off a lost season due to Tommy John surgery. Gunnar Hoglund and Mason Barnett can’t be counted on to provide innings this season and Hoglund has his own extensive injury history. Lots of interesting names, little in the way of sure things.

Removing Sears and Osvaldo Bido and the A’s are in need of nearly 200 innings pitched just from losing those two pitchers alone. We’re not even factoring in the potential loss of Severino or Springs to injury/trade. The Athletics have to know they can’t go into the season with the current group as is and expect to get through the year happy and healthy, let alone contend. Injuries/ineffectiveness will happen to multiple of those names mentioned above. The front office would be wise to bolster the starting staff before the remaining options find other homes, and now that Gore is off the table those other options may find their phones ringing more often than they have all winter.

Luckily for the A’s there’s still 20 days until pitchers and catchers report and plenty of viable options. Names like Chris Bassitt (an old friend!), Nick Martinez, Zack Gallen, Zack Littel, Lucas Giolito and Erick Fedde aren’t exciting names but you know the one thing they all have in common? They’re innings eaters, all of whom pitched at least 165 frames (except Giolito and Fedde, who pitched 145 and 140 respectively). And they would be all but guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation should they sign on with our A’s. There may be some favorites in there but frankly any will do. The Rangers weren’t happy with their starting rotation and they went out and added an upgrade. It’s time for the A’s to do the same with their own addition to an unproven starting staff, before the remaining innings eaters find their home for the coming campaign elsewhere. Time is ticking for the front office to get a move on.

Have a great Friday all!

A’s Coverage:

• A’s 2026 Community Prospect List: De Vries Obvious For #1 Spot
• A’s prospect Mason Barnett has an atypical arm angle and an old school approach
• A’s spend weekend embracing Sacramento supporters
• Former A’s great Eric Chavez says Dodgers “might be the best team ever constructed”
• A’s had deal in place for Nolan Arenado prior to D-Backs trade
• Happy 104th, Betty White!
• Polarizing Prospects: #2, Junior Perez
• A’s land 3 of MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospects
• Athletics hire former Rockies GM Bill Schmidt as Special Assistant
• Party Like It’s 1981! Why A “Split Season” Is The Way To Go
• A’s excited by lefty prospect Lin, a ‘Taiwanese Snellzilla”

MLB News and Interest:

• Texas Rangers trade for Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore for five prospects
• Twins sign lefty reliever Taylor Rogers to 1-year, $2 million contract
• Who might be the next starter moved after Peralta, Gore?
• White Sox plan to be active after Robert Jr. trade
• White Sox sign LaMonte Wade Jr. to minors pact
• How Bellinger, Peralta moves affect remaining free agents, trade market
• Yankees claim Marco Luciano off waivers
• Andruw has easy cap decision; Beltran’s to come later
• Beltran: Astros scandal doesn’t define me
• Friedman: Dodgers’ roster “feels pretty set”
• These are the top prospects at each position entering 2026
• Poll: Who will sign Eugenio Suarez?
• Today in baseball history

Best of X:

Jamie Arnold hard at work:

A's 1st-round draft pick Jamie Arnold… https://t.co/65zUev0MGN

— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) January 22, 2026

Most definitely not. It was all Lindor’s fault:

Is Jeff McNeil a 'locker room problem' or just a dawg who hates losing? pic.twitter.com/eRGj1PkoQ0

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) January 22, 2026

Well, uh…. hopefully not…

"I think we're pretty confident that the Athletics thing is going to work out."@Brent_Rooker25 doesn't anticipate the A's being renamed to the Las Vegas Strippers. 😂 pic.twitter.com/roRieTZMNu

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 22, 2026

Welcome back (kind of) Bob Costas!

Bob Costas returns to NBC Sports, to host Sunday Night Baseball pregame showhttps://t.co/Q2vbmoCAOLpic.twitter.com/h0fu6XWoCo

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 22, 2026

Did the Rangers overpay for Gore?

Full trade, per ESPN sources:

Rangers get: LHP MacKenzie Gore

Nationals get: 3B Gavin Fien, SS Devin Fitz-Gerald, RHP Alejandro Rosario, 1B Abimelec Ortiz and and OF Yeremy Cabrera

A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 22, 2026

25. Michael Prosecky (89 points, 12 ballots)

When the Rockies signed Prosecky to a slightly over-slot $300k bonus after drafting him in the sixth round in 2022, most observers thought the left-handed pitcher would be ticketed for the bullpen. After all, that’s where the 6’3” hurler had distinguished himself in college as Louisville’s closer. Instead, the now 24-year-old made the transition to the starting rotation in his first full professional season and has stayed there ever since. As a prospect, Prosecky pairs a deceptive low to mid-90s fastball with a high spin rate curveball, slider, and change-up.

After a strong 2023 spent in Low-A Fresno, Prosecky was delayed by elbow inflammation in 2024 until mid-June, which limited him to 48 2/3 innings across 14 games for a combination of the ACL team, Low-A, and High-A. The good news was that he struck out a sterling 14.4 batters per nine innings, albeit against younger competition. Prosecky also received an Arizona Fall League valedictory, where he threw an additional 15 ¹⁄₃ innings with poor run suppression numbers (7.63 ERA, 2.02 WHIP, and 5.3 BB/9 rate) and strong strikeout numbers (13.5 K/9 rate). All told, across 22 appearances in four leagues in 2024, Prosecky ended up with 101 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched (14.2 K/9 rate), 30 walks (4.2 BB/9 rate), and 37 earned runs allowed (5.20 ERA).

In 2025, Prosecky went back to High-A Spokane, where he was 0.8 years older than league average. He stayed healthy and threw 88 2/3 frames of 3.86 ERA ball in 18 starts with a 1.26 WHIP, 9.4 K/9 rate, and 4.2 BB/9 rate. That’s a significant K/9 rate drop, but the run prevention numbers improved enough to earn Prosecky a post All-Star break promotion to Double-A Hartford, where he was 0.7 years younger than league average. In nine starts with Hartford, Prosecky posted a 4.97 ERA (4.81 xFIP) in 38 innings built on his 1.55 WHIP, 8.1 K/9 rate, and 5.4 BB/9 rate. Overall, it was nice to see Prosecky succeed against upper minors hitting.

Here’s Prosecky striking out ten in a start for Spokane last year:

Prosecky is ranked 22nd in the system by MLB Pipeline as a 40 FV player:

The 6-foot-3 left-hander does have the size and repertoire to potentially start, with a four-pitch mix. At his best, he runs his fastball up to 95-96 mph and can command it well, missing bats with it along the way. He has a slider that has late action with depth, a slower curve that he can use to steal a strike and an improving feel for his changeup as well.

Prosecky had thrown just 64 innings in college before topping 100 IP in 2023. The Rockies are hopeful that a now completely healthy Prosecky, who has generally been around the zone when he’s at his best, can hit the reset switch and start moving up the ladder again in 2025.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked Prosecky in the 35+ FV tier and 30th in the system on the strength of a 60 future grade curveball:

Prosecky only sits 91-93 mph, but hitters don’t seem to pick it up. The southpaw has a short, vertical arm stroke that helps his heater play as an in-zone bat misser despite below-average velocity. He hides the ball forever and it appears to jump on hitters very quickly. He throws a classic 12-to-6 curveball off of that, a pitch that’s virtually indistinguishable from his fastball until it starts to bend with huge, bat-missing depth. Those two pitches give Prosecky a lower-leverage reliever’s foundation. Prosecky’s arm stroke isn’t always well timed, and his strike-throwing results have been mixed during this try as a starter. In the 2024 Fall League, Prosecky was working with a second breaking ball, a slider in the 82-84 mph range that looked below average. There’s definitely more variance here than is typical for a guy who sits 92, but Prosecky is tracking like a low-leverage lefty.

Baseball Prospectus ranked Prosecky 20th in the system last January:

Prosecky fails to light up the radar gun but gets by thanks to plus carry on a low-90s heater. With a four-pitch mix, Prosecky has more of a typical starter’s repertoire. What he lacks is reps, as a reliever in college who then missed time due to injury. Colorado sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he continued to miss bats but also yielded runs in an environment more friendly to older hitters. A full-health season would see Prosecky end next year having handled a decent chunk of time in Hartford, continuing to miss bats. His floor is lofty as a bullpen piece, but as long as he seems startable he’s performed enough to merit the looks.

Keith Law of the Athletic ranked Prosecky 14th in the org last February:

Prosecky was my sleeper for the Rockies last year, but after he went to an outside lab to try to boost his velocity, he came down with elbow inflammation and never got on track, throwing 63 innings total between the regular season and Arizona Fall League, with terrible results in the fall and in High A. Even when he did pitch, he was 90-94, down from 92-95 the year earlier; he barely used his slider; and his command was way off. When healthy, he’s got a four-pitch mix, with the slider his best offering and a changeup that could flash plus but didn’t sit there. There’s deception in his delivery to help the fastball play up as well, as long as he’s locating it. Let’s hope a full offseason of rest gets him back to his 2023 form, when he looked like he might be a mid-rotation starter.

It’s interesting to see the difference in evaluation on the curveball — for Law and MLB Pipeline, it’s Prosecky’s weakest pitch but for Longenhagen, it’s his best.

Prosecky has been a pleasant player-development surprise for the Rockies thanks to his jump up the pitcher role value spectrum and effectiveness in the role. He missed fewer bats in 2025 but took a step forward in run prevention at a higher level while throwing 126 2/3 innings. The Rockies didn’t protect Prosecky from the Rule 5 Draft this off-season but he wasn’t selected, so he will likely return to Hartford to begin 2026 and he will be a big league rotation option later in the season. I ranked Prosecky in the middle of my 35+ FV tier, 29th on my list.

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Good morning! MLB Network just completed its annual exercise in ranking the top-100 players in Major League Baseball. You already know who number 1 is, and he doesn’t play for the Red Sox. But Garrett Crochet does, and he led the way for the Sox by coming in as the 12th-best player in the game. Rounding out the rankings for the Sox were Roman Anthony (41), Jarren Duran (58), Ranger Suárez (79), and Aroldis Chapman (81). Only four other teams in baseball have as many as five players on the list: the Dodgers (8), Yankees (6), Mariners, (5), and Phillies (5).

What’s interesting about the Red Sox rankings is that, with the exception of Crochet, the Sox contingent has a lot of variance. I would not at all be surprised if neither Suárez nor Chapman turned out to be top-100 players this year, while I also wouldn’t be surprised if Jarren Duran is on another team. As for Anthony, I would actually be disappointed if he’s only the 41st-best player in baseball. He has the potential to establish himself as a top-10 player as soon as this year and, if I had to wager on it, I’d tab him to finish at least in the top-30 in 2026.

Talk about what you want, think about whether your one of the top-100 anythings in the world, and be good to one another.

The people have spoken and newcomer pitching prospect Khal Stephen is our No. 8 Cleveland Guardians prospect. Stephen won convincingly, earning 40% of the vote, beating out Juan Brito (24.3%), Jaison Chourio (12.9%) and Jace LaViolette (11.4%). He is making his CTC prospect list debut.

Stephen was a second round pick (No. 59 overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State.

He didn’t pitch the year he was drafted, but Toronto debuted him at full-season Single-A last year, where he shredded opposing hitters. Over the course of eight games (seven starts), Stephen posted a 2.06 ERA with a ridiculous 1.97 FIP over 39.1 innings while striking out a whopping 31.4% of hitters while walking just 4.6% of them.

This earned Stephen a promotion to High-A, where Stephen continued to dominate. He dropped his ERA to a miniscule 1.49 while retaining an elite 2.70 FIP and an absolutely redonkulous 0.85 WHIP over nine starts spanning 48.1 innings. Despite the quick promotion, Stephen was named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month for June

Stephen was promoted to Double-A, making one start and immediately being placed on the injured list with a shoulder impingement following his first start there. One week later, he was traded to Cleveland in a one-for-one deal for former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Stephen was activated three weeks later and made four starts with Double-A Akron. Three of the starts were spectacular, allowing one run in 4.0 innings twice and tossing 3.0 scoreless innings once. Unfortunately, one of those starts was a disaster, allowing six earned runs in 0.1 innings, which inflated his numbers at the level before the season ended.

Stephen possesses excellent control, striking out 110 batters versus 20 walks across three levels in 2025. He sits in the low to mid 90s and touches 96 with his fastball and every one of his pitches have the potential to be plus. I could easily see him being a mid-rotation starter for Cleveland for years to come if he stays healthy. Look for Stephen to begin 2026 repeating at Double-A, but if performs well, he could be promoted quickly and could make his MLB debut at some point this summer or fall if he continues to impress.

Now, it’s time to determine who is number nine in the Guardians’ loaded farm system! Your options are below:

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Juan Brito, 2B (Age 24)
2025 (CPX) 26 PA, .190/.346/.333, 1 HR, 0 SB, 11.5 BB%, 30.8 K%, 93 wRC+
2025 (AAA): 99 PA, .256/.357/.463, 3 HR, 4 SB, 13.1 BB%, 21.2 K%, 115 wRC+

Was lined up to make his MLB debut in 2025, but multiple injuries prevented the switch-hitter from getting his opportunity and it’s possible he could be passed up completely.

Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 18)
2025 (CPX) 160 PA, .289/.419/.469, 3 HR, 5 SB, 16.9 BB%, 11.3 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (A): 130 PA, .250/.331/.345, 1 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 13.1 K%, 103 wRC+

Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.

Jaison Chourio, OF (Age 20)
2025 (CPX) 27 PA, .261/.370/.304, 0 HR, 1 SB, 14.8 BB%, 37.0 K%, 95 wRC+
2025 (A+): 353 PA, .235/.380/.284, 2 HR, 9 SB, 18.7 BB%, 21.8 K%, 103 wRC+

Chourio was lining up to be Cleveland’s top prospect after a sensational 2024, but he was slowed in 2025 by a nagging shoulder injury and had a very average season. He’s looking to bounce back in 2026.

Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22)
2025 (A+): 22 GS, 103.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 24.0 K%, 8.9 BB%, 1.05 WHIP
2025 (AA): 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 16.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.

Jace LaViolette, OF (Age 22)
2025 (NCAA) 262 PA, .258/.427/.576, 18 HR, 7 SB, 21.8 BB%, 25.2K%, 120 wRC+

Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette instantly becomes one of the top power hitting prospects in the system. Strikeouts and contact have been an issue, however.

Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 21)
2025 (A+) 354 PA, .268/.362/.490, 16 HR, 12 SB, 10.8 BB%, 25.1 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (AA): 145 PA, .211/.303/.391, 5 HR, 2 SB, 10.3 BB%, 33.1 K%, 105 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.

Kahlil Watson, OF (Age 22)
2025 (AA) 253 PA, .247/.337/.461, 8 HR, 7 SB, 10.3 BB%, 28.5 K%, 134 wRC+
2025 (AAA): 176 PA, .255/.358/.477, 8 HR, 10 SB, 12.5 BB%, 26.7 K%, 121 wRC+

Acquired in the Josh Bell trade, Watson had his best season in 2025 after switching to the outfield from shortstop. Possesses a unique blend of speed and power mixed with great athleticism.

Good morning, LSB.

The Rangers made a trade yesterday.

Kennedi Landry writes that the Rangers go from floaters to “win now” mode with their acquisition of MacKenzie Gore.

Evan Grant says that Chris Young is making a definitive statement on 2026 with the move.

Jeff Wilson writes that Gore has the potential to be one of the league’s best lefties.

Fangraphs’ Ben Clemens says the Rangers are aiming for one more shot at playoff glory (Gorey) with the move.

Keith Law thinks Fien et al in exchange for Gore is a hefty price to pay.

Ken Rosenthal has various other notes and rumblings from the trade.

And the DMN has five things to know about the newest Ranger.

That’s all for this morning. Happy Friday!

Chase Petty did not have a good 2025 season.

At the big league level, he was roughed up for 14 R (13 ER) in just 6.0 IP, with a trio of long balls yielded – and walked more (8) than he struck out (7). Down at AAA Louisville, he was tagged for 91 R (80 ER) in just 112.2 IP, his 102/58 K/BB far from anything worth writing home about.

Still, there’s a ton there to like. He’s a guy who has thrown as hard as 101 mph in his career, and he has a full five-pitch mix when things are going well. Over at Reds Minor Leagues, Doug Gray even openly wondered if a mid-season alteration to how he used that mix was behind some of his late season struggles, and that will certainly be something to watch with Derek Johnson as Petty revvs up for the 2026 season down in Goodyear, Arizona.

Petty also doesn’t turn 23 until shortly after the season begins, and there’s still ample time for development from him if he can rediscover the kind of consistency needed to be a big league starter. And if that doesn’t pan out, he’s still got the kind of arm that could make him follow the path of, say, Connor Phillips to the back of the bullpen.

Petty checks in 9th in this year’s CPR, and did so with a pretty overwhelming portion of the vote this round.

Previous winner (via runoff)

7. Jadher Areinamo, INF
22 | R/R | 5’8” | 160
A+ (MIL) | .255/.316/.397 (126 wRC+) 415 PA, 11 HR, 15 SB, 8.2% BB, 11.6% K
AA (TB) | .255/.316/.697 (111 wRC+) 159 PA, 4 HR, 6 SB, 7.5% BB, 11.9% K
VEN | .364/.420/.692 162 PA, 13 HR, 5 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.3% K

Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league and earned him the ROY award. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.

8. TJ Nichols, RHP
24 | 6’5” | 190
A+ | 3.63 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 96.2 IP (19 G, 18 GS), 30.4% K, 5.4% BB
AA | 0.97 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 37.0 IP (6 GS), 28.0% K, 6.8% BB

A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.

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

The runoff between Areinamo and Nichols was well rewarded with a very close vote. There seems to be an open question if Areinamo’s ceiling justifies his ranking, but in my view the floor is on par with what many Top-100 prospects eventually deliver, which leads us to where we are today. The next round adds two pitchers: Harrison and Urbina.

Candidates

Caden Bodine, C
22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200
A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K

Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to 60 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.

Anderson Brito, RHP
21 | 5’10” | 155
A+ (HOU) | 3.28 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 49.1 IP (12 GS), 31.1% K, 13.4% BB

Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list. Baseball Prospectus describes him as having “Shohei Ohtani’s stuff with Johnny Cueto’s body.”

Slater de Brun, OF
18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187

Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.

Michael Forret, RHP
22 | 6’3” | 190
A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB
AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB

A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” Forret pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.

Trevor Harrison, RHP
20 | 6’4” | 225
A | 2.61 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 82.2 IP (17 GS), 22.4% K, 10.7% BB
A+ | 3.33 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 24.1 IP (5 GS), 23.8% K, 12.4% BB

Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)

Xavier Isaac, 1B
22 | L/L | 6’3” | 240
AA | .201/.366/.446 (144 wRC+) 175 PA, 9 HR, 1 SB, 19.4% BB, 29.7% K

Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.

Tre’ Morgan, 1B/LF
23 | L/L | 6’0” | 215
AAA | .274/.398/.412 (119 wRC+) 402 PA, 8 HR, 8 SB, 15.9% BB, 19.2% K

Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.

Santiago Suarez, RHP
21 | 6’2” | ?
A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB
AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K

Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.

Brendan Summerhill, OF
22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200
A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K

Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.

Jose Urbina, RHP
20 | 6’3” | 180
A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB
A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB

Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.

Jake Cronenworth has been talked about as a potential trade piece for the past couple of seasons. He has value in that he can play multiple positions and is steady at the plate. For now, Cronenworth is projected to be the second baseman for the San Diego Padres on opening day although that could change in the coming weeks. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at Cronenworth and what he can bring to the 2026 team as part of his ongoing Padres roster review.

Baseball News:

• MacKenzie Gore is moving to Arlington to become a member of the Texas Rangers after the Washington Nationals traded their ace pitcher for five minor league prospects.
• Reliever Taylor Rogers and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a one-year deal. The Twins also sent utility infielder Vidal Brujan to the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations. In a corresponding move the Mets designated reliever Richard Lovelady for assignment.
• A day after agreeing to terms with Cody Bellinger, the New York Yankees made another addition claiming Marco Luciano off waivers.

Baseball America just announced their top 100 prospects in baseball heading into the 2026 season. Let’s take a look at which Brewers prospects made the cut:

4. SS Jesus Made

I’ve written about Made a lot over the last year (and this offseason), so there isn’t a lot to say about him that hasn’t already been said. BA considers him a 70-grade (!) prospect with average risk, but nothing he’s shown so far has indicated that he won’t be able to adjust as he continues to rise through the minor league system.

Made is pretty much the complete package at the plate, showing above-average speed, power, and contact throughout three different levels of minor league ball. He may not stick at shortstop long-term, but that’s mainly due to Cooper Pratt’s presence as opposed to any inherent defensive deficiency. He made some errors over the course of the year, but his defense improved significantly — he projects to be, at the very least, a slightly-above-average defender.

After a hot start with Low-A Carolina in 2025, Made earned a mid-season promotion and hit even better (.915 OPS) before being promoted again — just in time for the Double-A playoffs. If he keeps improving (he should), he’ll be knocking on the door of the Brewers’ clubhouse in no time. He’s the best prospect Milwaukee has had since Jackson Chourio and should be very fun to watch in a Brewers uniform someday.

47. SS/2B Luis Peña

Peña has just as high of an offensive ceiling as Made despite questions surrounding his plate discipline and long-term defensive abilities. He’s an “athletic, aggressive hitter who tracks pitches well with excellent hand-eye coordination.” He also doesn’t strike out all that much (8.2% in 2025) despite often swinging at pitches that maybe he shouldn’t. Peña frequently posts high-level exit velocities (up to 106 mph), although his swing is geared toward top-spin line drives — meaning that his home run numbers (1 HR in 2025) are somewhat lacking despite having tons of raw power.

Peña’s ranking, per BA, is honestly quite a bit lower than I thought it would be. Peña got promoted to High-A alongside Made, but while Made improved on his Low-A stats, Peña faltered a bit (.844 OPS with Carolina, .517 over 101 at-bats with Wisconsin). He’ll need to show improvement on his numbers to justify ranking him this high, but if he starts the season off hot, he’ll probably rise significantly up BA’s rankings.

50. SS Cooper Pratt

Out of the three shortstops at the top of the Brewers’ farm system, Pratt is the best defensive prospect. I’ve said it before, but I genuinely think he’d be an above-average shortstop at the major league level in 2026. I absolutely love his defensive game. He gets to balls a lot of other shortstops don’t get to and doesn’t make many mistakes.

The bat is still a work in progress, although Pratt shows traits that hint at his bat developing further. Per BA, swing is simple, balanced and stays short to the ball for a 6-foot-3 hitter. Pratt will expand the strike zone a touch more often than he should, particularly against sliders down and away, but he has a good sense of timing with the hand-eye coordination that leads to a low swing-and-miss rate.“ For what it’s worth, scouts don’t think he’ll develop much power due to his low top-end exit velocities and lack of bat speed. Still, if he develops as hoped, a defensive wizard shortstop who can hit for average is a highly valuable player.

71. SS/2B/OF Jett Williams

Williams and his former teammate in the Mets organization, Brandon Sproat, deserve their own article once I have the time to watch some film. For now:

There was a reason many Mets fans are disappointed that Williams, the No. 14 overall pick back in 2022, was part of the return for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers. He could be very good, very soon. His best traits at the plate are his on base ability and swing decisions, both of which sound very Brewers. Unlike most recent Brewers acquisitions, he comes with a ton of accolades. Williams was BA’s No. 1 overall Mets prospect coming into last season. Also according to BA, Williams was the best baserunner and had the strongest infield arm in the Mets organization. After the 2025 season, Williams was named the Eastern League’s top Major League prospect.

Williams also boasts significant power (17 home runs in 130 combined games last year) and should be able to hit for power at the next level, despite his diminutive stature (5’6”). Williams’ final standout trait is his versatility — while he’s mostly played shortstop as a member of the Mets organization, he’s notched at least 33 career starts at both second base and center field.

Williams had an .868 OPS in 96 games for the Mets’ Double-A affiliate last year. Upon his promotion to Triple-A, his OPS dropped a little bit (.718 OPS in 36 games), but I’d bet on his numbers bouncing back up somewhere closer to where they were in Double-A once he spends significant time at that level. It doesn’t hurt that the Brewers front office clearly thinks he could be someone (remember Caleb Durbin…).

81. RHP Brandon Sproat

Sproat, the other player that the Brewers got in return for Peralta and Myers, is going to fit in great with the Brewers’ “pitching lab.” Fun fact about the 25-year-old righty — the Mets actually drafted him twice, selecting him in the third round in 2022 and second round in 2023. He more than lived up to that draft capital through Double-A, but eventually hit a bit of a wall in Triple-A. Through his first 22 starts in Triple-A, Sproat posted an abysmal 6.45 ERA. His last 11 starts, however? A 2.44 ERA and 30% (!!) strikeout rate. He was called up in September and made four starts with the Mets before the end of the season, with varying results.

While he’s not quite as highly ranked of a prospect as Williams, he’s a legitimate talent. Sproat only posted a 4.24 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) at Triple-A Syracuse last season, but the underlying peripherals — 113 strikeouts in 121 innings pitched, .218 opponent batting average — point to a pitcher who could find success in the big leagues. Per BA, his standout traits are his control (“good enough to start” in the majors) and his breaking balls, which “stand out.” Sproat threw his mid-80s sweeper and high-70s curveball about a third of the time in his MLB debut and leaned on them as putaway pitches. He also throws a harder slider. Sproat’s sinker sits 94-96 mph, but despite that velocity, it operates as a groundball or set-up pitch rather than a whiff pitch.

96. RHP Logan Henderson

Most of you saw Henderson in his stint with the Brewers last year, a stint that was cut short due to right elbow inflammation. Despite the injury, the promise that he showed in 25 1/3 IP (1.78 ERA) with Milwaukee was enough to land him on BA’s Top 100. Henderson isn’t going to blow anyone away, but he’s a smart pitcher who gets good movement on his pitches. His standout pitch is his 80-ish mph “Nintendo pitch” changeup, which played off his fastball effectively both in Triple-A and in the majors. It’s fair to wonder whether he’ll have the same level of success once major league teams get a full year of film on him, and he certainly (almost certainly?) won’t post an ERA under 2.00 next year.

Still, Milwaukee trading Peralta and Myers shows that they have confidence in their pitching depth heading into 2026, and Henderson looks to be a significant part of the Brewers’ rotation plans for 2026. He won’t be on this list next year.

Others Receiving Votes

• RHP Bishop Letson
• OF Luis Lara
• C Jeferson Quero
• C Marco Dinges
• 2B/OF Josh Adamczewski
• 3B Andrew Fischer
• RHP Tyson Hardin

When it comes to the starting rotation, the Orioles’ 40-man roster currently includes these names: Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Brandon Young, Tyler Wells, Trevor Rogers, Cade Povich, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin.

True to GM Mike Elias’s promises, the Orioles have been beefing up the offense with some new bats, notably the Polar Bear, Pete Alonso himself. They even added a new starter in Baz, acquired from Tampa for a hefty passel of prospects. But if 2026 is to go well, the Orioles need to complement their rebooted offense with a return-to-form from one or more of Povich, Kremer, and Young, plus a successful return-from-injury from Baz, Bradish, Wells, and certainly, Zach Eflin.

You may recall that the Orioles acquired Eflin from the Rays in July 2024. He joined a rotation helmed by Corbin Burnes, but suffering from the loss, due to injury, of Kyle Bradish, John Means and Grayson Rodriguez. Eflin was really good down the stretch, exceeding expectations with a 5-2 record, 2.60 ERA, and 149 ERA+ over nine starts. The Orioles fell flat in the playoffs, but it was hardly his fault.

Eflin’s dominance, paired with the loss of free agent Burnes, made him the clear choice to be Baltimore’s Opening Day starter in 2025. He make that start, but then things quickly went sideways.

Eflin struggled to stay healthy last year (he wasn’t the only one). After just three starts, the righty went down with a right lat strain on April 9. He returned a month later but couldn’t find a groove. By mid-May, this team was in freefall, and a healthy Eflin could have provided a stabilizing presence for the roster. Instead, he hit the IL again on June 30 with lower back discomfort. It’d prove his last start of 2025, as he eventually underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy in August.

All in all, Eflin would do four stints on the IL while pitching to a 5.93 ERA in just fourteen starts.

As a pending free agent, Eflin could have been a trade chip in a season going nowhere. Instead, injuries prevented the Birds from flipping the starter for any value, and he elected free agency at season’s end. Though it wasn’t clear whether a reunion was in the cards, on December 29, the Orioles announced they were bringing him back on a one-year, $10 million deal, with a mutual option for 2027.

In a December Zoom call with the media, Eflin spoke candidly about his back issues. The injury, he explained, dated back roughly a decade, but last year it had progressively worsened, and it was the first time he couldn’t manage it at all. Surgeons discovered a bone spur pressing into a nerve—which explained the shooting pains Eflin had been dealing with. And unlike a Tommy John recovery, which can take fourteen-to-eighteen months, Eflin said he felt immediate relief after the operation, and now says he’s now in the best physical condition of his life. His first bullpen was scheduled for January 6 and his goal is to be ready for Opening Day.

So what to expect from this new-and-improved Zach Eflin?

The pessimist’s version: A guy who’s started more than 25 games only three of ten seasons in his career and who just posted a 5.93 ERA in an injury-shortened season.

The optimist’s version: The guy we saw in 2023 with Tampa Bay, when he went 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA, led the American League in wins, and finished sixth in Cy Young voting. That season, his first in Tampa, Eflin set career highs in starts (31), innings (177.2), and strikeouts (186), while posting career-best marks in ERA and WHIP (1.02). Then he outdid himself the next year!

I think the bet here is reasonable, although a one-year deal certainly suggests caution by the front office. If the back pain really was a substantial part of why Eflin had an ERA near 6 for the 2025 season—his time missed strongly suggests it was—and it was corrected by a reasonably simple surgery, then there’s a plausible story where 2026 looks for him a lot more like 2023.

Plus the Orioles don’t need Eflin to be their ace this time around. Bradish, Rogers, and Baz should occupy the top spots. Guys like Eflin, Wells, and Kremer can fill out the rotation. In that role, the pressure is lower. A healthy Eflin as your No. 4 starter? Teams would kill for that.

This doesn’t mean the Orioles should stop looking for pitching. They shouldn’t. Free agents like Framber Valdez would obviously upgrade the rotation. But a healthy and effective Eflin represents a scenario where the Orioles might not need to make a splashy signing to have a good rotation. If he bounces back, if Bradish returns well from Tommy John, if Baz fulfills his potential—that’s a rotation that can compete in October. The margin for error is thin, but it exists.

Eflin himself seems to understand the stakes. “[I didn’t want] to be the guy they traded for and get hurt and not be the guy that they wanted,” he said. “That really weighed on me.” He wants to prove something. He’s motivated. And for the first time in years, he’s pain-free.

Championship windows don’t stay open indefinitely. “We want to win the World Series,” says Eflin. The Orioles know this; it’s why they signed Alonso, traded for Ward and Baz, brought in Ryan Helsley, and resigned their No. 4 starter. A bounce-back Zach Eflin might be one of the quieter pieces of this puzzle, but he could end up being one of the most important.

Happy Friday everyone! We’re light on Tigers news, but there are still some big baseball stories to check in on. The Hall of Fame inductees were announced this week, and Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones will be heading to Cooperstown. We also check in on Matt Vierling, plus a big move for the White Sox, and some major trades involving starting pitchers (but thankfully none of them named Tarik Skubal).

Let’s just get right into today’s news bites.

Detroit Tigers News

• The Tigers have signed outfielder Corey Julks to a minor-league deal.
• A look at the Tigers’ Venezuelan pipeline, which is working stronger than ever right now.
• The Detroit News look at where Matt Vierling is currently, and his hopes for the coming season.

AL Central News

• Luis Robert Jr. has drawn a lot of attention over the last two seasons as to whether he would be traded by the White Sox, and now he’s a New York Met.
• Taylor Rogers is reuniting with the Twins.

MLB News

• Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones will be headed to the Hall of Fame.
• A look at the deal that sent MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers.
• And a deeper dive into the prospect return that the Nationals hope will shape their future.
• A candidate-by-candidate look at everyone who was on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot.
• Michael Baumann has some very strong opinions about pitchers wearing single-digit jersey numbers.
• Which starting pitcher might be traded next? (Hint: It likely won’t be Tarik Skubal)
• A look at the “win-win” Freddy Peralta trade.
• Which team’s cap will the new Hall of Fame inductees be wearing when they’re immortalized in Cooperstown?
• Yadier Molina will be taking on a new role with the Cardinals.
• Three teams with the most confusing offseasons.
• Bob Costas will host the pre-game show for Sunday Night Baseball.
• Does the Hall of Fame have a starting pitcher problem?
• Is MLB parity possible without a salary cap?
• This is wild.

MLB's current combined 2026 payrolls by division:

NL West — $1.072 billion
NL East — $1.063 billion
AL East — $1.012 billion
AL West — $843 million
NL Central — $676 million
AL Central — $560 million

And the NL is outspending the AL by $396 million.

(Payroll data: FanGraphs)

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) January 22, 2026

• A look at the potential first-timers who could be on next year’s Hall of Fame ballot.

A first look at the potential first-timers on the 2027 @BaseballHall ballot 👀 pic.twitter.com/Y5y6f9K7aY

— MLB (@MLB) January 21, 2026

• This is an interesting fact!

Carlos Beltrán is the first player drafted out of Puerto Rico to be elected to the Hall of Fame — the first five Puerto Rican Hall of Famers were all signed as free agents before Puerto Rico was incorporated into MLB's amateur draft in 1989.

It's not a coincidence. The draft…

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) January 21, 2026

Last time, we took a look at starting pitcher projections for ERA. We will do the same here for relief pitchers. Obviously, there is a ton to get into here and before we dive in we need to talk about some issues that come up with all pitchers. Certainly, hitting and pitching is partially reliant on luck. Over the last decade, there have been exciting advancements in data primarily from a company called Statcast. They essentially can pinpoint exit velocities on batted balls and therefore can better predict trends in performance.

Chuck Palahniuk (the author of “Fight Club”) wrote one of my favorite lines in literature: “on a long enough timeline, the survival rate drops to zero.” Generally speaking the more data we receive the more reliable that data is going to be. We can predict outcomes and the underlying data (like Statcast) will match the manifesting data. In other words, pitchers that miss bats and induce weak contact will perform better than pitchers that don’t.

However, when you condense a 200 inning season into a 50 inning season, there are fewer opportunities for the data to normalize itself. This is why we often see wide variations from one season to the next for relief pitchers. They themselves are likely not radically different. They are getting different results because when sample sizes are smaller, there is more variance with luck.

This has two immediate implications for us today. First, the idea of giving a relief pitcher a multiyear contract is a risky proposition because of this variance. That’s why we don’t see them very often and it is much rarer for teams to get consistent bang for their buck. Secondly, the ERA predictions will seem higher for some players than what is likely to happen. When we go with batted ball statistics we tend to see a narrowing in projections across different pitchers because we cannot predict good or bad luck. For starting pitchers, that usually is not as big an issue. For relievers we will see wider variation in these numbers when the season ends.

The Numbers

	Steamer	ATC	The Bat	OOPSY	B-Ref	Aggregate
Josh Hader	3.29	3.25	3.39	3.00	3.41	3.27
Bryan Abreu	3.24	3.20	3.65	3.07	3.18	3.27
Bryan King	3.72	3.63	3.65	3.70	3.48	3.64
Bennett Sousa	3.60	3.66	3.96	3.43	3.78	3.69
Steven Okert	3.99	4.01	4.07	3.61	4.02	3.94
AJ Blubaugh	4.35	4.29	4.02	4.36	3.35	4.07
Miguel Ullola	4.18	4.15	3.72	4.45	——-	4.13
Jayden Murray	4.61	4.39	4.22	4.22	3.86	4.26
Enyel de Los Santos	4.27	4.42	4.82	4.26	4.36	4.43
J.P. France	4.38	4.45	4.82	4.91	4.34	4.58
Roddery Munoz	4.48	4.76	4.94	4.39	5.12	4.74

Just like with the starters, we have more relievers than spots. MLB rules dictate that you can only have 13 pitchers on your ML roster. If the Astros go with a six man rotation then that means only spots for seven relievers. Naturally, at least one of those starters would probably double as a long reliever. However, there are eleven names here and all of them have unique situations as it pertains to options and status. For instance, Munoz looks like the worst candidate, but he was a Rule V draft choice, so he would need to remain on the roster or be sent back.

You will also notice that four of the top five relievers are lefties (in bold and italics). That creates some interesting roster construction issues as the Astros will need to prioritize right handed middle relief if they are to make any changes to the staff. Most organizations have only two lefties in their pen, so the Astros appear to be dealing from a position of strength. It is certainly possible for one or more of them to be dealt in a theoretical deal to add to other parts of the roster.

Roster Flexibility

As we noted in the last piece, Nate Pearson was projected as a reliever, but the Astros have labeled him as a candidate for the rotation. Similarly, Miguel Ullola and AJ Blubaugh were starters in the minors, so they could easily serve in that capacity. We also should note that JP France was a prominent start on the 2023 club before arm injuries limited him. He could also return to the rotation in Sugar Land to provide more depth in case of injuries.

As much as we would like to see the very best 26 guys on the final roster, teams often have to make difficult decisions at the end of the rotation and bullpen. As previously mentioned, Munoz has to make the final roster or be sent back. If they feel he is reasonably close in quality to a player with options then those players with options will likely be optioned back to Sugar Land. Teams use err on the side of keeping as many of their guys as they possibly can.

Fans and analysts also often forget the fourth dimension: time. Just because someone starts in AAA doesn’t mean they will end up there. Sometimes players need a little seasoning before coming up or they need to wait for a logjam to clear itself. We saw that with the rotation last season as there were even a couple of rotation arms I left off of the final list. Odds are pretty good that every name above will see some time at the big league level.

Future Considerations

I mentioned the reluctance to sign players to multi-year contracts. That will be put to the test following the season when Bryan Abreu becomes a free agent. Abreu is the only relief pitcher in baseball with 100 or more strikeouts in each of the last three seasons. He has averaged nearly 100 a season for the last four years. Add in a fifth season this year and there will be a ton of pressure to sign him to a Rafael Montero like deal.

However, we should note what happened with Montero. Obviously, Abreu has a longer track record of success than Montero did, but the question remains. How long will he be able to hold up this level of performance? Some team will likely offer him closer money and it is hard to imagine paying two players closer money. So, a large part of the season will be trying to find that guy that can eventually become the 8th inning guy when Abreu walks in free agency.

I hesitate to suggest it because the names above are generally unproven, but the Astros might consider moving him before the deadline. If they do not foresee re-signing him then it makes sense to consider getting something long-term to help your team. However, leaving your team without an effective 8th inning reliever is not conducive to contending, so the Astros will need to either be out of the race or have someone that can immediately take his place.

The Atlanta Braves snuck this through the transaction wire earlier this week, but the team has brought back utility player/pitcher Luke Williams on a minor league deal. The moved happened the same day the team announced that Ha-Seong Kim will be lost for most of the first half of the regular seasons. The move to bring back Williams – who the Braves listed as a shortstop on their transaction – was speculated in the linked article.

While the Braves signed Jorge Mateo mid-week as a back-up shortstop option behind now presumed starter Mauricio Dubon, that doesn’t mean that Williams doesn’t have a path to a big-league roster spot at some point during the season.

As it stands now, the Braves do have one open position player spot on the 26-man roster. The addition of right-handed power-hitting reserve of some kind – Justin Turner, Gary Sanchez, maybe even Marcell Ozuna – seems like a more valuable addition to the roster than Williams.

Williams is not a good hitter. Full stop. He had a 0 (zero) wRC+ last year and for his career has a 63 wRC+. But, he is a good and versatile defender who can play in the middle infield and outfield. He is also a good base runner, making him an often-used pinch-runner option during his 221 games with Atlanta going back to 2023.

Here’s the punch-line to the joke that isn’t really a joke. Williams is also a useful pitcher. As a position player, he has pitched in 10 career games – including nine over the past two seasons with Atlanta.

In 2025, he made six appearances, tossing six innings and striking out four while allowing only two earned runs. His career WHIP is 1.18 with an xERA of 4.25 against an actual ERA of 3.27. His FIP and xFIP aren’t as good but this is a position player, not an actual full-time pitcher. Last year, if not for his own injury, he likely would have pitched in at least two more games.

Williams is-what-he-is. A player who can be useful as the 26th an on a roster where his positive attributes can be utilized if the other position players are going to see the majority of the playing time during the season. This has been something he has been able to do the last couple of season with Atlanta.

Is there a chance he is nothing more but break-in-case-of-emergency depth at Triple-A this season? Absolutely, and hopefully so. But don’t be surprised if Williams doesn’t appear with Atlanta at some point this season.

Dundee head coach Steven Pressley believes there are similarities between the progress Rangers have made under Danny Rohl and that of his own side over the past few months.

The teams meet at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday aiming to continue strong form.

Rohl, having replaced Russell Martin in October, has Rangers on a seven-game winning run while Dundee have four victories in their past five fixtures.

"Rangers' situation on a greater scale is similar to our own," said Pressley.

"Danny went in there, they became a little bit more pragmatic, they addressed some of the outstanding issues like their vulnerability from set-plays and now that is a real strength.

"I think once you start taking small steps and seeing the results from that, a confidence grows within the team and just organically things improve. I think Rangers, it is a bit like our own journey.

"So very similar but a really good Rangers team just now."

Dundee drew 1-1 at Ibrox last August during Martin's calamitous Rangers tenure.

"Any time you go to Ibrox it is a really big challenge for ourselves," added Pressley.

"But to face a Rangers team that are on the back of six [now seven] straight wins, five of those in the league, that are growing in confidence, have a lot of momentum and have just recruited a number of very talented players makes the job in hand very difficult.

"But equally we go there with a little bit of form ourselves so it is a game we are excited about. Like we did the last time we went there, we need everything to go right and if that happens you never know."

While Dundee are deservedly getting plenty of plaudits, Pressley is keeping his feet on the ground.

"There are so many other aspects that we still need to improve around the club and in our own performance," he said.

"That is what excites me, we are making progress but a lot more to come."

Wednesday was quite a baseball day in New York. The Yankees signed Cody Bellinger back to their squad for $162 million, and the Mets acquired Freddy Peralta from the Brewers in exchange for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat.

This has ramifications for the Red Sox on a few fronts: First, the deal for Bellinger again verifies the price for free agent outfielders remains astronomically high. Second, the Yankees retained another piece of their 2025 outfield that hit a combined 112 home runs (it’s a good thing the Sox have a bunch of high ceiling lefty pitchers if they need to go in there next fall). And lastly, the Mets are becoming a less ideal trade candidate as they continue to clear out interesting young players and also traded for Luis Robert earlier in the week.

So where do the Red Sox go from here?

Couple the Bellinger money with the $240 million Kyle Tucker got from the Dodgers last week, and in theory, the Red Sox should be sitting pretty with their surplus of outfielders. But my guess is, and this is purely a guess, Craig Breslow and the front office are not finding a certain left handed starting major league outfielder valued as high on the trade market as he probably would be if he was a free agent. Thus, the hold up.

If this is the case, it puts them in a difficult spot. They can either trade for 80 cents on the dollar and get a badly needed infield piece that works for this roster right now, or they can hold out until their demands are met. Unfortunately, the problem with holding out is you might be left without a dancing partner, and looking at the landscape after this Mets’ deals this week, the herd is thinning.

We’re much closer to the start of spring training than we are to the end of the 2025 season, and the enormous log jam across the outfield and DH positions still hasn’t been addressed. The Red Sox roster remains stacked with Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran as headliners in the outfield. Then there’s Kristian Campbell, who may need to ultimately end up out there. And the club still hasn’t sorted out how Masataka Yoshida and Triston Casas, who seem destined to battle for their share of DH at bats, fit into the equation.

Conventional wisdom says a trade partner must be found soon to clear out this mess and address the infield hole, but conventional wisdom has been screaming into the void on this topic for months without a response. Making matters murkier is the unfortunate darkness surrounding any details when it comes trade rumors in modern MLB. We typically have no clue how these things progress until Jeff Passan drops a tweet with the final product. As a result, we don’t know the structure of any proposed deals, making it hard to evaluate whether Craig Breslow and company are valuing players too high, or if the rest of the league is refusing to play ball at a fair price.

For now, we remain stuck waiting in winter’s cold darkness.