Cubs position player pitchers: Franmil Reyes

The Cubs had played a bit better after the All-Star break in 2022, but were still far out of first place, or indeed, any contention.

They had picked up Franmil Reyes on waivers from the Guardians in early August. Just one year earlier, Reyes had a 30-homer season for Cleveland (and had hit 37 for the Padres in 2019), but his offense had trailed off badly and he was let go.

The Cubs got him and figured, “Why not take a chance?” But it didn’t really work. In 48 games for the Cubs, Reyes hit .234/.301/.389 with five home runs and departed as a free agent after the season.

But not before he took the mound for the Cubs!

The Cubs played six doubleheaders in 2022, many of them forced by rescheduling after the lockout. The last of those was Tuesday, Aug. 23 against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. They actually won the first game 2-0, a combined five-hit shutout by Javier Assad (making his MLB debut!), Michael Rucker, Sean Newcomb, Erich Uelmen and Brandon Hughes.

But the Cardinals teed off on Adrian Sampson, Nicholas Padilla and Anderson Espinoza and led 7-3 when Steven Brault entered with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth. He wasn’t any better, allowing a walk, double and triple that made it 12-3.

That brought David Ross out, and Reyes took the mound. He had been the DH that day, so no other lineup changes were needed.

The first batter Reyes faced was Albert Pujols. He ran an 0-2 count on Pujols and then … hit him with this pitch [VIDEO].

This says that pitch was a “curveball” (nope, I don’t think so).

Then Reyes got Paul Goldschmidt to hit into a double play, with a run scoring [VIDEO].

A “changeup”? Nope, again.

The Cubs lost the game 13-3.

Reyes played for the Royals in 2023 and has played the last two years for NPB’s Nippon Ham Fighters. In 2025 he batted .277/.347/.515 with 32 home runs in 132 games, and he’s under contract with the Fighters for 2026.. He’s only 30. The Cubs don’t need him, but I could see a MLB team taking a chance on him in the future.

Yankees Mailbag: Final roster touches and Hall legacy debates

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our bi-weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks:Now that Bellinger is officially back, what’s next?A) Nothing of note.B) Trade of Dominguez or Jones to clear the deck a little.C) Trade not involving those two to better the team.D) Signing another free agent.E) Some combination of these choices — please specify.

I think my answer at this point in the offseason would be E. I don’t think they’ll trade Domínguez or Jones in the next month or so, but rather hold onto them as insurance until the deadline where they can outline their needs more and perhaps have better targets to go after. Could you argue there were solid additions they could’ve made over the offseason by trading one of them earlier instead of letting other teams load up on starting pitchers? Certainly, but they played their waiting game with Cody Bellinger, and while it worked out in terms of getting a deal done without going past a fifth year it did carry an opportunity cost of needing to hold onto them in case they did walk away from Bellinger and needed to have them on hand for a spring training competition.

As for the remaining needs the team has, there’s always room for a reliever and the lineup could use another right-handed bat with a focus on their catching tandem. Both Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra hit from the lefty’s batter box, and Ben Rice hits lefty as well so his occasional forays behind the plate can’t solve that issue. Flipping Escarra for a righty might be something the Yankees explore, and I trust the Yankees brass to find effective targets from other organizations to replenish the bullpen. They could also just end up signing a random reliever, which is the only reason I’m going with E instead of outright answering C, but given how late we are in the winter I think if there were arms they thought could get mileage out of with some tweaks they would’ve gotten them already. There could be a gem hidden on another roster that becomes available for a decent price, however, and if there’s any avenue of roster building I’ll give my full faith to Brian Cashman and company on it’s this one.

Hector asks: Should the Yanks create more playing time for Dominguez by NOT carrying a traditional BUC? Instead, let Rice be the primary 1B and the BUC. When Rice catches, Belli can play 1B, and Jasson plays LF. I prefer Jasson’s good bat/bad glove to Escarra’s bad bat/good glove.

As we just talked about, there’s reason to believe they do want a traditional backup catcher in the mix but also want to add another right-handed bat into the mix. Should they fail to find that, however, I wouldn’t mind this arrangement too much — part of Bellinger’s appeal is his defensive versatility, and I like giving Rice more consistent playing time behind the plate to ensure that he can hold it down. On top of that, if Domínguez is going to be on the roster he needs to find regular playing time or else they’d honestly be wasting him at this point in his development.

The only downside is that it limit’s Aaron Boone’s ability to utilize his bench late in the game if he wanted to, because if he commits to a swap and then an injury happens at any of those relevant positions there’s suddenly not enough bodies to fill the field properly. The team has an abundance of options for the middle infield with José Caballero and Amed Rosario in the mix, and in a pinch could shift one of them there, but over the course of 162 games its safer to have insurance across the field.

OLDY MOLDY asks:Does Beltran’s entry into HOF absolve the taint of the cheating scandals?

It doesn’t surprise me that the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal was treated differently than the steroid era players in the eyes of the writers, namely because one was a case of a team-organized offense versus individuals from across the league making the choice to utilize steroids. You could argue that didn’t save the players in the Black Sox scandal, but clearly throwing games/gambling is put in a higher tier of sin than the sign-stealing operations that were prolific in the 2010s but done to excess by Houston after the league had warned clubs against continued scheming. So the penalty that Beltrán, the first big name of the Astros’ championship roster to find himself up for election into the Hall and with a more than reasonable shot at it? Opening on less than half the ballots and waiting out another year of incremental gain before shooting up to success in his third year of eligibility.

There’s also something to the fact that the upset party in the respective cases were complete opposites. The league was the one that brought the hammer down on the players for the crime of using substances that they tacitly approved of until the Mitchell Report and congressional hearings forced them to change their tune, but the outrage over the Astros’ scheme was in large part stoked by their fellow competitors. That grudge carried over for a number of years, perhaps even still quietly harbored to this day but pushed aside as the core responsible aged and other playoff runs proved Houston a routine contender, but the league itself fumbled their investigation so badly that Beltrán was the only player that could even face punishment of any kind for it, and he was an aged vet on his last pursuit of a ring when it occurred.

It’d be reasonable to assume that the immunity the commissioner offered Houston’s active players for their testimonies will shield them here as well — the voting base has come down extremely harsher on players that faced actual suspensions and league punishment versus speculation. Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez are facing an even tougher uphill battle than Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds faced in their still-unsuccessful bids, so what would the equivalent of an acquittal do for them? It’s mainly a question for Jose Altuve’s candidacy whenever he hangs up his cleats, as he’s the member of Houston’s core most likely to make it and also the one that his teammates were most adamant didn’t contribute to the scheme. Will the denial of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer be punishment enough in the electorate’s eyes, will they come down harder because he’s a career Astro more attached to the franchise and thus the scandal, or will they gloss over it? It all remains to be seen, and Altuve’s career is far from over to make a full judgement on it now, but the litmus test for how the scandal has aged in the eyes of the Hall is very favorable.

Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia, wife share touching tribute to late daughter 3 months after her passing

Three months after their baby’s death, Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, paid tribute to the little girl with a touching social media post.

The Vesias shared a snap of them on Tuesday embracing in front of a sunset with the caption, “Sterlings mom and dad ��.”

In the picture, the two had smiles on their faces.

It’s the first time Kayla has put anything on her Instagram grid since Nov. 7, when she and Alex announced they had lost their daughter on Oct. 26, just two days after the Dodgers and Blue Jays began the World Series.

Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, have been dating for years. @babyy_vesia/Instagram

Alex was left off the roster for the championship games with what the Dodgers called “a deeply personal family matter.”

In the Vesias’ announcement of Sterling’s passing, they wrote, “There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.”

They also penned a thank you message to the Dodgers, the Blue Jays and all their fans for their support.

“Our little angel,” they added in the caption of the post that showed them holding hands with their little girl, “we love you forever & you’re with us always.”

Alex and Kayla Vesia shared a photo of them holding their daughter’s hand when they announced her tragic passing. Alex Vesia

Vesia, 29, made his MLB debut in 2020 for the Marlins and then made his Dodgers debut in 2021 following a trade from Miami.

He’s logged 270 innings pitched in his five seasons with L.A. and has helped the Dodgers win two World Series.

He and Kayla went public with their romance in 2019, and they got married in 2024. Sterling the couple’s first child.

6 Dodgers Saturday games exclusively on Fox in 2026

Fox Sports unveiled the bulk of their 2026 schedule on Friday, which includes six planned exclusive Saturday games on Fox and two more games on FS1.

Saturday games on Fox are exclusive broadcasts, which means no local telecast for those games, no SportsNet LA broadcast for the Dodgers games. The Dodgers’ six games exclusively on Fox include facing each of their last two National League Championship Series opponents as well as a 2024 World Series rematch against the Yankees in The Bronx. All of these Saturday games starting at 4:15 p.m. PT, except for July 18 against the Yankees:

  • April 25 vs. Chicago Cubs
  • May 2 at St. Louis Cardinals
  • May 23 at Milwaukee Brewers
  • July 18 at New York Yankees (5:08 p.m. PT)
  • July 25 at New York Mets
  • August 15 vs. Brewers

The Dodgers also had exactly six games exclusively on Fox each season dating back to 2022, the first four years of the network’s seven-year contract with Major League Baseball that runs through 2028.

Two other Dodgers games in 2026 will be on FS1, which are non-exclusive broadcasts and available locally, offering the rare dual-broadcast option for folks in the home markets for these games. Both of the FS1 Dodgers telecasts are road games — Monday, April 6 at the Toronto Blue Jays, and Thursday, August 27 at the Atlanta Braves.

To date, the other Dodgers games known to be exclusive to national television are opening day March 26 against the Diamondbacks on NBC and Peacock, and on Jackie Robinson Day Wednesday, April 15 against the Mets on ESPN. There are also two Tuesday games in the first half of the season on TBS, with those telecasts not exclusive.

Every Dodgers game on national television in 2026

Here are all the Los Angeles Dodgers games during the 2026 season that will be available to watch on television or streaming nationally.

NBC Sports is the newcomer among Major League Baseball’s broadcast partners this season, signing a three-year deal to take over the former ESPN ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ slate as well as Sunday leadoff games on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and Peacock. ESPN will still have exclusive games this season and through 2028, but those will now be during the week.

Other national broadcasters are Fox Sports, Apple TV+, and TBS.

The Dodgers’ first game of the season will be exclusively on national television, with NBC and Peacock showing opening day, March 26 against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will also have three Sunday Night Baseball games on NBC/Peacock in July and August.

Six Dodgers Saturday games will be exclusively televised by Fox this season, beginning on April 25 against the Chicago Cubs. Two more games will be on FS1, though those games aren’t exclusive, which means the Dodgers’ own telecast on SportsNet LA will be available locally as well.

ESPN has already announced a little more than a handful of games this season, including the Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day April 15 against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

TBS announced its Tuesday night games through the end of June, including two Dodgers games on that first-half schedule.

Apple TV+ has not yet announced any of its exclusive Friday Night Baseball broadcasts. Typically, Apple TV+ announces the first half of its schedule before the season, then announces each successive month over the course of the season.

The Dodgers in 2025 had 17 games exclusively televised or streamed nationally, with 16 such games in 2024, and 17 exclusive national games in 2023.

DateOpponentTime (PT)TV/streamer
Thu, Mar 26D-backs5:30 p.m.NBC/Peacock*
Mon, Apr 6at Blue Jays4:07 p.m.FS1
Tue, Apr 7at Blue Jays4:07 p.m.TBS
Wed, Apr 15Mets7:10 p.m.ESPN*
Sat, Apr 25Cubs4:15 p.m.Fox*
Sat, May 2at Cardinals4:15 p.m.Fox*
Tue, May 5at Astros5:10 p.m.TBS
Sat, May 23at Brewers4:15 p.m.Fox*
Sun, Jul 5Padres4:20 p.m.NBC/Peacock*
Sat, Jul 18at Yankees5:08 p.m.Fox*
Sun, Jul 19at Yankees4:20 p.m.NBC/Peacock*
Sat, Jul 25at Mets4:15 p.m.Fox*
Sun, Aug 2Red Sox4:20 p.m.NBC/Peacock*
Sat, Aug 15Brewers4:15 p.m.Fox*
Thu, Aug 27at Braves4:15 p.m.FS1
*exclusive to network

Former Blue Jay Seranthony Dominguez Signs with the White Sox

Seranthony Dominguez, the long time Baltimore Orioles reliever whom the Blue Jays acquired at this past season’s trade deadline, has signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the deal is for two years and $20 million.
Dominguez has been a steady performer throughout his career, with an ERA between 10 and 30% better than league average in all but one season and a 3.50 mark overall in 306.0 innings. Since missing 2020 and most of 2021 with injury, he’s managed at least 54 appearances and 50 innings in four straight seasons. His 10.5% career walk rate and very good but not elite 27.9% K rate aren’t quite high end closer material, but he has consistently limited hard contact and fits as a high quality setup man in a contender’s bullpen.

After being traded to Toronto in exchange for Juaron Watts-Brown, the Jays’ 2023 third round pick, he posted a 3.00 ERA in 24 appearances with 12 hits, 12 walks and 25 strikeouts in 21.0 innings. He also appeared in a dozen games during Toronto’s playoff run, allowing four runs over 11.1 innings. 

This winter, he entered free agency in the second tier of the relief market, behind elite closer Edwin Diaz. His contract is 10th in AAV and seventh in total value among relievers who have signed. 

The White Sox seem like an unlikely landing spot for an expensive 31 year old reliever. They project as one of the three worst teams in the league and solidly the worst in the American League. They have money to spend, though, with only four players making over a million dollars. The signing will push their payroll up from 30th in the league to 28th, ahead of the Miami Marlins and roughly tied with the Cleveland Guardians. They’ll also likely be able to flip him at either this deadline or the next, especially if they’re willing to keep some money. That’ll secure some prospect capital to continue their never ending rebuild. From Dominguez’s point of view, he lands a solid payday and a closer job, and while he isn’t going to get a chance for a ring in Chicago he might wherever they inevitably deal him.

For the Jays, this further reinforces that they’re probably done on the free agent market. The position player market is all but barren, with arguably no one left who would crack the starting lineup. Barring a shocking move for Framber Valdez, the same is true of the rotation. Dominguez coming off the board also means that there’s no remaining reliever who would move the needle. Any additions at this point will have to come from trades, if they don’t feel like they’re ready with the roster they currently have.

Best of luck to Seranthony in Chicago.

Astros Out on Red Sox OF Duran?

This would be a significant change on the trade winds rumor front.

According to former Fox 26 Houston Sports Director Will Kunkel, the Astros are not currently in trade discussions with the Boston Red Sox for OF Jarren Duran:

Now, trade talks and rumors are a fickle entity, as not currently being in trade talks doesn’t mean they weren’t previously in trade talks, nor does it mean they cannot be involved in future trade talks. However, at the current time, it would appear these trade talks have stalled/ceased.

The Astros have also been linked to another Red Sox player, OF Wilyer Abreu. While not possessing Duran’s offensive upside, Abreu is also a lefthanded hitter, is younger, and has won 2 consecutive Gold Gloves in the outfield. Abreu is not arbitration eligible until 2027, making him far cheaper than Duran.

As posted on Crawfish Boxes yesterday, the Red Sox may be transitioning off of Isaac Paredes and looking for a more defensive-minded player for 2B instead. You can see that information here:

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/houston-astros-discussion/71855/are-red-sox-pivoting-away-from-astros-paredes-as-trade-target

The Astros are still considered likely to clear up their current logjam in the infield by trading either Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker. Paredes has far more value, and a Walker trade would be more of a salary dump.

40 in 40: Leo Rivas, what are you Brewing

The Milwaukee Brewers play big. The zythophilian juggernauts of the NL Central have the same number of division titles as the Dodgers over the past half decade. They’ve been punching down on the incompetent and/or uncompetitive clubs in their division, while managing to outmaneuver the Chicago Cubs, and pushing the St. Louis Cardinals into their first period of irrelevance in the 21st century. Many of those haymakers have come from a vaunted pitching development program, generating aces from unexpected places. Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta have benefited from brilliant bullpens, too, with Josh Hader, Devin Williams, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill blossoming on the West Coast (of Lake Michigan).

The newest focus for the Brew Crew, however, has been on punching up. While they can frequently outfox their low-effort division-mates, what’s put Milwaukee in perennial competition in recent years has been the capacity to literally punch up. Milwaukee had the shortest position player group in MLB last year, in particular on the infield dirt. None of 3B Caleb Durbin (5’7), SS Joey Ortiz (5’10), 2B Brice Turang (5’11), nor 1B Andrew Vaughn (5’10) clear the six-foot line. Both OF Isaac Collins, since traded to Kansas City, and OF Sal Frelick, are also just 5’8. These are normal sized human beings, even on the taller end in some cases. But like Leo Rivas, clocking in at 5’8, 150, they are players against the grain of the modern, tools-oozing Adonises who will often earn the centerfold from scouts and analysts.

MLB has always had room for the little guy. Unlike basketball and football, which have the occasional pint-sized performer (or have narrow, specialized niches for such players), baseball players have always been able to more easily walk down the street without being immediately identified as athletes. It’s an endearing feature of the game, one that allows people of all ages and sizes to identify more easily with those on the field. There is an immense amount of work that goes into being a pro athlete in any sport, but most of us could simply never be Aaron Judge or Rob Gronkowski, Josh Allen or Victor Wembanyama.

But Leo Rivas? Leo Rivas could be anybody.

The good-natured Venezuelan turned 28 this past October, famously celebrating his birthday with one of the biggest hits in Seattle Mariners history. His game-tying pinch-hit RBI single capped a stellar second season, with Rivas performing his way into a key role late in the season as the 2B and backup infielder.

With Jorge Polanco gone, there’s a case for Rivas to take on the starting 2B spot. After all, in half a season of total big league games, he’s mustered a 107 wRC+ with a patient approach, steals bases frequently and efficiently, and can cover the entire infield capably. Switch-hitting makes him more versatile than many utility players, and yet Seattle seems unlikely to give Rivas the pole position.

Cole Young, no towering titan himself, is much younger and more heralded than the man who came to Seattle as a minor league free agent. Despite a disappointing debut season, Young has shown higher capacity to hit the ball hard, and has on paper and otherwise similar profile to that of Little Leo. I can’t say I disagree ferociously with Seattle’s assessment. After all, for nearly a decade, Rivas struggled to separate himself as a minor leaguer. The area in which hitters who lack meaningful big league power can still be successful is a target you’d want George Kirby or Bryan Woo to be aiming for.

Still, I am concerned Rivas is being literally overlooked. Much of Milwaukee‘s lineup has been effective, not just because of their skill, but because they have been given consistent opportunities. Rivas does not look like most of the sport’s best players. And yet, everything he did last year looked at least like a solid big leaguer. Going out on a limb for players who looked like Rivas has been a boon for the Brewers. In Seattle, soft line drives and free passes are the bread and butter of their long time stalwart shortstop, J.P. Crawford. Why shouldn’t it be the foundation for their keystone as well?

Rivas will likely start 2026 in competition with Miles Mastrobuoni for the utility spot on the bench. Because he still has minor league options remaining, it’s likely the switch hitting Venezuelan starts his season in Tacoma. I can’t help but wonder if he’s capable of more.

Arizona Diamondbacks post trio in MLB Network Top 25 Players

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll ranked ninth on MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now countdown earlier tonight. The two-time All-Star, who was ranked 32nd on the Top 100 Players Right Now countdown last year, finished one spot ahead of five-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and one spot behind 2025 American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. On Carroll, MLB Network analyst Steve Phillips said, “He now is that combination of power and speed, and those are the most impactful players in the game. Those 30-plus homers, 30 doubles from him, the stolen base numbers from him, and he’s doing such unique things right now with what he’s done at the plate.”

In addition to Carroll, teammate Ketel Marte ranked 19th last night while Geraldo Perdomo ranked 24th on Monday on the Top 100 Players Right Now. Here is the top 25 listing, along with the previous year’s position in brackets.

  1. Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Dodgers (1)
  2. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees (2)
  3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals (3)
  4. Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners (59)
  5. José Ramírez, 3B, Guardians (9)
  6. Juan Soto, SS, Mets (4)
  7. Paul Skenes, P, Pirates (15)
  8. Tarik Skubal, P, Tigers (11)
  9. Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks (32)
  10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays (13)
  11. Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets (6)
  12. Garrett Crochet, SP, Red Sox (56)
  13. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, Dodgers (63)
  14. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF, Braves (16)
  15. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF, Padres (22)
  16. Julio Rodríguez, CF, Mariners (23)
  17. Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies (65)
  18. Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers (5)
  19. Ketel Marte, 2B, Diamondbacks (18)
  20. Will Smith, C, Dodgers (60)
  21. Kyle Tucker, RF, Dodgers (14)
  22. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers (8)
  23. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (no rank)
  24. Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Diamondbacks (no rank)
  25. Trea Turner, SS, Phillies (35)

Obviously, the Dodgers lead the way, with six (!) players on the list above. But nobody else has as many as the Diamondbacks, which is nice. The problem, of course, is not the top of the Arizona roster. It’s the sharp drop-off after that trio which is going to limit the D-backs. You have Gabriel Moreno, who should be solid. But otherwise? With all respect to the likes of Blaze Alexander, Alek Thomas, etc. I can’t feel they were unjustly overlooked for the top 100. The lack of pitchers is also apparent. Maybe next year, the Diamondbacks might have some listed here? Corbin Burnes and, perhaps, Ryne Nelson would be nice.

It’s also interesting to see Perdomo ranked below Carroll and Marte, even though by all metrics he was clearly more valuable than them last season. I think it’s Gerry’s lack of track record which is likely responsible for that. Perdomo was almost the highest new entry on the list this year, just one place beyond Nick Kurtz, who had a similarly unexpected breakout campaign. Anything close to the same season for Perdomo in 2026, and he could be looking at joining Carroll in the top ten.

The regular MLB Network Top 10 Right Now at each position gets under way on Monday. First up are the second baseman, and based on the above, Marte should be leading that group. But for now: what do you think – both of the Arizona player placements, and the top 25 in general?

Pirates get mixed grades for offseason

The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming to the end of their offseason, which has been busy to say the least.

The Pirates have done a decent job acquiring offensive talent, including Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, among others. Some members of the Bucs Dugout staff put their two cents in on the team’s grade for the offseason.

Austin Bechtold: B

The Pirates offseason is still incomplete, in my mind. They need to add a third baseman and left-handed fifth starter. Eugenio Suarez and either Tyler Anderson or Jose Quintana would be an A. Right now, it’s a B. They finally signed a free agent to a multi-year deal and I’m intrigued by O’Hearn. I like the Lowe and Garcia trades from Tampa and Boston. They need to solve third. I’m encouraged but what they’ve done and give Ben Cherington credit for the moves he’s made, but add one significant bat at third and it’s a great offseason.

Darren Yuvan: B+

That might be on a slight curve given that I wasn’t expecting the things that they did, but it was a successful offseason nonetheless. But not perfect, so that’s why it’s not an A. They still need help at third, maybe one more outfielder, and probably another left-handed arm, but there’s no doubt that this team improved.

Ethan Coulehan: B

They made more moves than I thought they would in the offseason. They didn’t sign anyone groundbreaking but I do think the moves they made and the pitching rotation that the Bucs have I think they could be a sneaky playoff team for 2026.

Jaiman White: B+

They added some good pieces on offense that should help to improve what was a terrible lineup in 2025. Adding two All-Stars like Lowe and O’Hearn was a very uncharacteristic move for the Pirates and it should give this lineup a much needed facelift. The Buccos sacrificed some starting pitching to get those pieces, but with one of the best rotations in baseball already the team should be in a good spot. Resigning McCutchen to one last contract will make this the perfect offseason.

Jeremy Brener: C

I think most of my Bucs Dugout comrades have been generous to Pirates general manager Ben Sherrington and what the team has done. The Pirates have made moves, but there’s no guarantee any of these will be a slam dunk. Lowe and O’Hearn are solid signings compared to what they have done in the past, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will get the Pirates out of the doldrums of the NL Central standings.

They have missed on some opportunities, but have made a considerable effort to improve the roster. To me, that results in an average offseason, which explains the C grade.

BD community, what do you think of the team’s offseason? What grade would you give the Pirates for the offseason? Chime off in the comments section below.

Community Prospect Rankings: #10 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system

Righty Chase Petty has the stuff to potentially end up #1 on this list at some point. He also had a poor enough 2025 season that a repeat of said production could see him off this list altogether by 2027.

Here’s hoping the uber-talented starter figured it out over the winter and shows up to Goodyear in February ready to take it to the next level. He’s the #9 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings according to you, the esteemed voters.

By now you know the new voting rules here. There will be an embedded poll at the bottom of this post where you can cast your vote until the poll closes, but if that’s stripped out for you for some reason there will exist a link right here to take you to Google Forms to vote. Both of those will magically disappear when voting closes, though, so that internet chicanery cannot come in after the fact, dump votes, and change the already created history of the world.

Here’s how the list has materialized so far:

  1. Sal Stewart
  2. Alfredo Duno
  3. Rhett Lowder
  4. Hector Rodriguez
  5. Edwin Arroyo
  6. Cam Collier
  7. Steele Hall
  8. Tyson Lewis
  9. Chase Petty

A few new names have been added to the mix for spot #10. Have at it with the votes!

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.

Jose Franco, RHP (25 years old)

2025 at a glance: 3.11 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 118/54 K/BB in 110.0 IP split between AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League) and AAA Louisville Bats (International League)

Pros: Fastball that flirts with triple digits with ease

Cons: Secondary pitches need work, and that’s impacting his overall command (and ability to limit walks)

Franco turned 25 years old in November and earned a promotion to the 40-man roster of the Reds shortly thereafter due to his consistent performance across the upper levels of their farm system.

The Reds have a few hulks they’ve put on the mound in recent years, and Franco thoroughly qualifies. He’s listed at 6’2” and an oddly specific 257 lbs, and his size and frame allows him to tap into his excellent fastball velocity with ease. It’s the pitch he misses bats with the most, but how well he can differentiate his breaking pitches (and improve his changeup command) will determine whether or not he can a) get left-handed hitter out with aplomb and b) avoid ending up in the bullpen.

He’s been a late bloomer, in part due to injuries that cost him his entire 2023 season, and if he continues the path he’s been on since getting healthy there could be a whole lot more from him as early as 2026 for Cincinnati.

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.

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.

Arnaldo Lantigua, OF (20 years old)

2025 at a glance: .268/.345/.519 in 206 PA with ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League); .261/.318/.445 in 129 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League)

Pros: Above-average bat speed and raw power; mashes left-handed pitching; good eye at the plate

Cons: Likely destined for corner OF as his range is a concern, though his arm continues to play

The Cincinnati Reds helped the Los Angeles Dodgers sign Roki Sasaki by shipping them international bonus pool money, and in return for it they landed Lantigua, who only turned 20 in December after holding his own across 32 games in the brutal hitting environment of the Florida State League (where right-handed hitters, in particular, are seriously stifled).

You wont see Lantigua winning sprint titles. You won’t see him making plays in the outfield that simply wow you. There’s not a batting title in his future, I don’t imagine. However, there’s a very real chance he continues to evolve into a classic bat-first corner outfielder who can swat over 30 homers a season, and that’s something the Reds have (as you may have noticed) really failed to produce off their farm for quite some time. He’s not on this list because he’s well-rounded, in other words, but the bat/power combo is a skillset where he’s really impressive already at such a young age, and that’s unique among this class.

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.

White Sox land Seranthony Dominguez for $20 million after trading Luis Robert Jr. to Mets

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Seranthony Domínguez mid-pitch during Game 7 of the World Series, Image 2 shows Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. pointing upward after hitting a solo home run
White Sox signing

The White Sox didn’t wait long to reinvest their Luis Robert Jr. savings.

Chicago struck a two-year, $20 million deal Friday with veteran reliever Seranthony Dominguez, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

The White Sox cleared that $20 million off their books earlier this week when they sent the oft-injured center fielder to the Mets in a two-for-one transaction.

Seranthony Dominguez during the World Series. Getty Images

When combining the two moves, the White Sox essentially traded Robert for Dominguez, infielder Luisangel Acuna and pitching prospect Truman Pauley.

There’s certainly the chance that the final outcome could result in Dominguez being turned into more prospects since the White Sox could struggle to contend and relievers are always in high demand.

For now, though, Dominguez is a solid piece to an interesting White Sox offseason.

The 31-year-old posted a 3.15 ERA across 67 game with the Blue Jays and Orioles last year, finishing the season with Toronto in the World Series.

He owns a career 3.50 ERA across seven seasons, six with the Phillies.

Chicago previously added Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami after he smashed 265 homers across eight seasons, and also acquired pitching depth.

While Acuna only showed flashes with the Mets, White Sox general manager Chris Getz is quite bullish on the youngster’s upside.

Luis Robert Jr. at Citi Field in 2023. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“We’re talking about a player that’s five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game,” Getz told reporters earlier this week. “Hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level. We have opportunity here and we can provide that runway to show off his talent and his ability and his ceiling, in which the industry’s been very high on this player for a long time.

“(The Mets) did not want to get rid of him, I know that. That’s because of how valuable he can be to the team. Now, he was on a roster that didn’t really allow him to let him go out there and show what he could do on a regular basis, which we’re going to be able to provide that.”

The White Sox are looking to climb back toward respectability after three seasons with 61, 41 and 60 wins, respectively.

Thankfully for Chicago, playing in the AL Central usually allows for an easier path to contention.

2026 Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List No. 32

Diego Velasquez throwing a baseball on the run.

Don’t look now, but pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training is really and truly right around the corner. In less than three weeks, San Francisco Giants will be descending upon Scottsdale, ready for a new season and all the hopes, dreams, and platitudes that come with it. We won’t be done with our Community Prospect List by then, but we’ll be getting fairly close.

We’re into the 30s now, and the next name on the list is someone who is likely in consideration to be a non-roster invitee next month: it’s second baseman Diego Velasquez, who has been named the No. 31 prospect in the system. That’s a drop of 15 spots for Velasquez, who was No. 16 in last year’s CPL.

Velasquez’s fall is less about his 2025 performance, and more about the increasing strength of the system … after all, a full third of the 30 names above him are new to the organization, while a sizable handful are players who weren’t even in consideration for last year’s CPL before breakout campaigns. While the Giants handled those breakouts and welcomed in those newcomers, Velasquez simply held serve with a full season at AA Richmond.

A switch-hitter who was signed out of Venezuela in 2021, Velasquez showed off his outstanding contact skills and control of the zone in 2025 with the Flying Squirrels, as he struck out just 14.3% of the time, while sporting a 12.4% walk rate (for context, those rates were ninth and 24th, respectively, out of the 58 Giants prospects with at least 200 plate appearances last year). Despite the strong contact skills, Velasquez’s batting average took quite a tumble in 2025, which he can’t really afford given his lack of power. He ended the year with a .256/.362/.315 line, for a .677 OPS and a 107 wRC+, while hitting two home runs and stealing 19 bases in 128 games.

It was a bit concerning seeing Velasquez move in the wrong direction statistically, after he ended 2024 with a late season promotion, and posted a .763 OPS and a 127 wRC+ in 42 games with Richmond. But adjustment periods have funny trajectories, and the positive side is that Velasquez remains on the young side. He turned 22 after the season ended, and spent the season playing in the Eastern League, where he was two-and-a-half years younger than his average peer.

One of the notable things about Velasquez’s season was that the Giants finally committed to him having a spot on one side of the bag only. Velasquez had spent most of his prospect career splitting time between second base and shortstop, with evaluators pegging him strictly as a second baseman. Perhaps the Giants took until 2025 to agree, or perhaps it was a logistical matter (Velasquez had a natural shortstop partner in Richmond in Aeverson Arteaga), but he played just one game at the six last year, while manning second base 123 times.

He’s a decent enough defender at second that a path exists for him to make the Majors … albeit a slim path, given his lack of positional versatility and, more damning, his almost complete lack of power. If his profile remains as an all-contact, no-power player, he’ll need everything to go right to have a sustained MLB career. But he is young, so maybe there’s a little extra power hiding in there somewhere.

Given his so-so season, and that the Giants should have Tyler Fitzgerald and Osleivis Basabe manning the middle of the diamond in Sacramento, I’d guess that Velasquez is slated for a return to Richmond in 2026, though a promotion isn’t out of the question. It could prove to be a critical year for him.

Now let’s add to the list! As a reminder, voting now takes place in the comment section.

The list so far

  1. Bryce Eldridge — 1B
  2. Josuar González — SS
  3. Jhonny Level — SS
  4. Bo Davidson — CF
  5. Dakota Jordan — CF
  6. Luis Hernandez — SS
  7. Gavin Kilen — SS
  8. Carson Whisenhunt — LHP
  9. Blade Tidwell — RHP
  10. Keyner Martinez — RHP
  11. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP
  12. Trevor McDonald — RHP
  13. Argenis Cayama — RHP
  14. Luis De La Torre — LHP
  15. Trevor Cohen — OF
  16. Jesús Rodríguez — C
  17. Parks Harber — OF/3B
  18. Carlos Gutierrez — OF
  19. Drew Cavanaugh — C
  20. Daniel Susac — C
  21. Gerelmi Maldonado — RHP
  22. Josh Bostick — RHP
  23. Lorenzo Meola — SS/2B
  24. Will Bednar — RHP
  25. Yunior Marte — RHP
  26. Joe Whitman — LHP
  27. Joel Peguero — RHP
  28. Alberto Laroche — RHP
  29. Trent Harris — RHP
  30. Carlos De La Rosa — LHP
  31. Diego Velasquez — 2B

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 32 prospect nominees

Maui Ahuna — 23.10-year old SS — .871 OPS/144 wRC+ in High-A (52 PA); .802 OPS/122 wRC+ in Low-A (168 PA); .842 OPS/108 wRC+ in ACL (54 PA)

Rayner Arias — 19.8-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)

Reggie Crawford — 25.1-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)

Lisbel Diaz — 20.6-year old OF — .725 OPS/96 wRC+ in Low-A (561 PA)

Cam Maldonado — 22.2-year old OF — .691 OPS/92 wRC+ in Low-A (71 PA)

Reid Worley — 19.6-year old RHP — yet to debut

Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page. All stats are from the 2025 season.

2026 Topps Series 1 Rookie Rankings: Base Bowman Chrome Auto Analysis

2026 Topps Series 1 Rookie Rankings: Base Bowman Chrome Auto Analysis

With 2026 Topps Baseball Series 1 releasing on February 11, 2026, I took a look at its rookie cards and ranked them by their 1st Bowman Chrome Auto prices using recent eBay sold listings. The Series 1 base set contains 350 cards. Of those, 69 are rookie cards featuring players with the RC designation. I found 1st Bowman Chrome Auto sales data for 50 of those rookies. The remaining 19 do not have a 1st Bowman Chrome Auto or had no valid sales data available. All prices come from verified eBay sold listings for raw, ungraded 1st Bowman Chrome Autos. Graded cards, color parallels, and numbered parallels are excluded to keep comparisons consistent.

Below are the top 20 rookies ranked by their 1st Bowman Chrome auto prices. For the full list of the top 50 rookies, subscribe to my substack. 

1. Roman Anthony (Red Sox) | $664 | 2023 Bowman

Roman Anthony entered the 2025 season as one of the most highly touted hitting prospects. He began his season at Triple-A, where he slashed .288/.423/.491 with 10 HR before making his MLB debut in June 2025. He slashed a .292/.396/.463 line with 8 HR over 71 games before landing on the IL in early September with a Grade 2 oblique strain. Prior to being placed on the IL, Anthony won AL Rookie of the Month for August.

2. Jacob Misiorowski (Brewers) | $223 | 2022 Bowman Draft

Misiorowski had an electric start to his MLB career in June 2025, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA over his first five starts and throwing triple-digit heat with a plus curve. He cooled off big time in the second half, however, posting a 5.40 ERA over his final 12 outings, and hit the IL in early August with a left tibia contusion from a comebacker. If he can refine his command and maintain consistency through a full season in 2026, he has frontline starter potential with that fastball-curve combo.

3. Jac Caglianone (Royals) | $221 | 2024 Bowman Draft

Caglianone tore through the minors in 2025, hitting .322/.389/.593 between Double-A and Triple-A with massive power numbers, but he struggled badly when he got to the majors, slashing just .157/.237/.280 with 7 HR in 41 games. He went on the IL in late July with a left hamstring strain, then came back and raked during his rehab stint (.385 with 5 HR in 16 games at Triple-A). His raw power is elite and exit velocities are solid, but he needs better plate discipline and a defined defensive position to stick as an everyday player.

4. Nolan McLean (Mets) | $218 | 2023 Bowman Draft

McLean absolutely dominated in 2025, posting a 2.45 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A with 127 strikeouts in 113.2 innings before getting called up in mid-August. He made an immediate impact in the majors, going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings, showing a rare combo of high strikeout rates (30%) and ground balls (60%+). Since 2026 will be his first full year in the majors, the big question is whether he can handle 150+ innings and keep lefties from exploiting him.

5. Bubba Chandler (Pirates) | $196 | 2021 Bowman Draft

Chandler had a tale of two seasons in 2025, dominating early at Triple-A (2.03 ERA through his first 11 starts) before struggling badly from June on, finishing with a 4.05 ERA and 53 walks. He got called up in late August and was solid in seven MLB appearances (4-1, 4.02 ERA, 31 strikeouts in 31.1 innings), including five perfect innings against Washington. The fastball is legit, sitting 98-101 mph and touching triple digits, and he led the International League with 121 strikeouts, but the command and control issues are real.

6. Cam Schlittler (Yankees) | $181 | 2025 Bowman Chrome

Schlittler debuted in July 2025 and posted a nice 2.96 ERA over 14 starts with a fastball that averaged 98 mph and held hitters to a .178 average. He looked great in the Wild Card round (8 shutout innings vs. Boston), but his overall postseason was more mixed, including a rough ALDS start against Toronto. His biggest issue is pitch mix; he leans way too heavily on the fastball (55% usage), and his breaking stuff hasn’t caught up. The Yankees will likely keep him in the rotation to start 2026, but he needs to develop an off-speed pitch and improve command of his breaking balls to avoid becoming too predictable against good lineups.

7. Samuel Basallo (Orioles) | $142 | 2023 Bowman Chrome

Basallo crushed Triple-A in 2025 (.270/.377/.589 with 23 HR in 76 games) and got called up in mid-August, but he struggled at the plate in the majors (.165 with 4 HR in 31 games). He made some noise with a walk-off homer against the Dodgers and became the youngest catcher in Orioles history to go deep. His defensive tools are mixed (elite power and arm strength, but shaky receiving and blocking), so the Orioles might manage his workload by rotating him between C, DH, and 1B. If he can make adjustments against MLB breaking balls, the raw power gives him middle-of-the-order upside.

8. Dylan Beavers (Orioles) | $135 | 2022 Bowman Draft

Beavers won the International League MVP in 2025 after slashing .304/.420/.515 with 18 HR and 23 SB at Triple-A, showing excellent plate discipline (68 BB, 76 K). He got called up in mid-August and flashed promise (.240/.383/.423 with 4 HR in 33 games), though he faded badly in September (going 5-for-43 with 14 K over his final 12 games). The power-speed combo and plate discipline are legit tools, and he can play all three outfield spots. He keeps rookie eligibility for 2026 and could be a Rookie of the Year candidate if he stays healthy and builds on the late-season experience.

9. Chase Burns (Reds) | $84 | 2024 Bowman Draft

Burns dominated at Double-A in 2025 (6-1, 1.29 ERA, nearly 12 K/9 over 42 IP) and got the call to the majors in late June, where he showed electric stuff but struggled with results (0-3, 4.57 ERA in 8 starts). He struck out the first five batters he faced in his MLB debut and finished with 67 strikeouts in 43.1 IP. The fastball-slider combo is legit, and he had great control in the minors, but MLB hitters adjusted to his patterns, and he gave up too many walks and mistakes over the heart of the plate.

10. Colson Montgomery (White Sox) | $83 | 2022 Bowman

Montgomery had a wild 2025, struggling badly in Triple-A early (.149 average through his first 103 PA), getting reset in Arizona, bouncing back briefly, then slumping again before finally getting called up in July. He made an immediate impact in the majors, hitting .239 with 21 HR and 55 RBI in 71 games, and finished 5th in AL Rookie of the Year voting. The power is undeniable (21 HR in 71 games), and he has the tools to stick at shortstop despite being 6’3″ and 225 pounds.

11. Jonah Tong (Mets) | $80 | 2025 Bowman

Tong absolutely dominated the minors in 2025 with a 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 113.2 innings across Double-A and Triple-A, posting the best K/BB% in full-season minor league ball at 29.9%. He got called up in August but struggled in five starts (7.71 ERA, though his 3.96 xFIP suggests he was unlucky), showing that his stuff can still miss bats but his command needs work. His fastball sits mid-to-upper 90s with elite vertical break, and his changeup is a legit weapon, but he leans too heavily on the heater, and his slider needs development.

12. Owen Caissie (Marlins) | $68 | 2020 Bowman Draft

Caissie crushed Triple-A in 2025 (.286/.386/.551 with 22 homers and a .937 OPS) before getting called up to the Cubs in August, where he hit just .192 in limited action across 12 games. In January 2026, he got traded from the Cubs to the Marlins in the Edward Cabrera deal, which changes his path to the majors and could give him more playing time opportunities. The power is real and his plate discipline improved down the stretch in the minors, but he needs to prove he can make consistent contact against big-league pitching and stay healthy. His strikeout rate is still high, and 2026 will be about whether he can translate his Triple-A dominance into MLB success with his new organization.

13. Payton Tolle (Red Sox) | $60 | 2024 Bowman Draft

Tolle had a strong 2025 in the minors, posting a 3.04 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 91.2 innings across High-A and Double-A before getting called up in late August. He made his MLB debut against the Pirates and looked good (5.1 IP, 8 K, fastball near 99 mph), but finished with a 6.06 ERA in 7 games (3 starts) as MLB hitters adjusted. The big lefty (6’6″, 250 lbs) stayed healthy all year with no reported injuries, which is encouraging given his size and workload. His fastball sits 95-98 mph and touches higher, and he has a slider, changeup, and curve/sweeper to work with, though the changeup is seldom used and his command in the majors was shaky.

14. Kyle Teel (White Sox) | $44 | 2024 Bowman

Teel earned White Sox Minor League Player of the Month in May 2025 after hitting .333/.444/.613 at Triple-A, then got called up in early June and posted a solid .273/.375/.411 line with 8 HR and 35 RBI in 78 MLB games. He showed excellent plate discipline (high walk rates) and good defensive tools behind the plate, including a strong arm and solid blocking and framing. The power is decent but not elite, so developing more pop will be key to raising his ceiling.

15. Carson Williams (Rays) | $43 | 2021 Bowman Draft

Williams is the best defensive prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline (70 grades for both glove and arm), but his bat is still a major work in progress after hitting .213/.318/.447 with 23 HR at Triple-A in 2025. He got called up in August when Ha-Seong Kim went on the IL and struggled badly (.172 average with a 41-42% strikeout rate in roughly 100 plate appearances), though he did hit 5 HR. The strikeout issues are real and got worse as he moved up levels (35% K rate at Triple-A), and his contact problems against breaking balls are a major concern. If he can cut down the strikeouts and improve his pitch recognition in 2026, he has 20/20 potential.

16. Cole Young (Mariners) | $34 | 2022 Bowman Draft

Young crushed Triple-A in May 2025 (.366/.467/.673) and earned a promotion to the majors, but he hit just .211 with 4 HR in 77 games before losing playing time in September. The plate discipline is legit (strong walk rates, low strikeouts in the minors) and he has speed (23 steals at Double-A in 2024), but the power hasn’t translated to the majors yet. He can play both second base and shortstop, which helps his versatility.

17. Jakob Marsee (Marlins) | $32 | 2022 Bowman Draft

Marsee won NL Rookie of the Month in August 2025 after slashing .352/.430/.629 with 4 HR and 9 SB following his debut on August 1, though he faded in September (.231/.292/.327). Before his call-up, he hit .246/.379/.438 at Triple-A with 14 HR and 47 SB in 98 games, showing elite plate discipline and speed. His strengths are his elite eye at the plate (he walks more than he strikes out at times), plus speed, and solid center field defense, but his power ceiling is limited by lower exit velocities.

18. Brice Matthews (Astros) | $30 | 2024 Bowman

Matthews put up big numbers at Triple-A in 2025 (.260/.371/.458 with 17 HR and 41 SB), then got called up in July and hit just .167/.222/.452 with 4 HR in 42 AB. The power-speed combo is real, and he has positional versatility since he can play second base and center field. The strikeout rate balloons as he moves up levels, and his .167 average in the majors shows he needs to make better contact and improve his plate approach against big-league pitching.

19. Jhostynxon Garcia (Pirates) | $30 | 2025 Bowman

Garcia posted solid numbers at Triple-A in 2025 (.271 average, .498 slugging, 18 HR in 88 games) and made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in late August, though he went just 1-for-7 in 5 games. After the season, he got traded to the Pirates in the Johan Oviedo deal. The power potential is clearly there (21 total HR across Double-A and Triple-A), and he can play all three outfield spots, but his strikeout rate is a problem at around 30%.

20. Alex Freeland (Dodgers) | $29 | 2022 Bowman Draft

Freeland hit .263/.384/.451 with 16 HR and 18 SB at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2025 (115 wRC+), then struggled in his MLB debut with a .190 average and 36% strikeout rate in 29 games. As a switch-hitter, he is much stronger from the left side against righties, and his plate discipline (high walk rates) is a real strength.

For the full list of the top 50 rookies ranked by Bowman prices, subscribe to my substack here. 

Which rookies in 2026 Topps Series 1 Flagship are you chasing? Let us know on Mantel. 

Phillies announce list of non-roster invitees for Spring Training

Ah yes, the dream of spring. With a major winter storm barreling down on the Philadelphia area this weekend, thoughts of Clearwater are most welcome. The Phillies have obliged by giving us their list of non-roster invitees that will make the trek to spring training.

Lots of interesting names here. Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller stand out (note: Crawford is not on the 40-man, hence the invite) as ones that have a shot at making the major league team, Crawford a near lock to be in the Opening Day lineup.

Here is the full list of names:

Pitchers: Génesis Cabrera, Tucker Davidson, Tim Mayza, Andrew Walling, Andrew Bechtold, Jonathan Hernández, Michael Mercado, Trevor Richards, Bryse Wilson

Catchers: Kehden Hettiger, Mark Kolozsvary, Paul McIntosh, René Pinto, Caleb Ricketts

Infielders/Outfielders: Keaton Anthony, Christian Cairo, Carson DeMartini, Aroon Escobar, Aidan Miller, Liover Peguero, Bryan Rincon, José Rodríguez, Felix Reyes, Dylan Campbell, Justin Crawford, Bryan De La Cruz, Dante Nori