MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 12: Gabriel Moreno #14 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning of the game at Target Field on September 12, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden released his offseason grades for all 30 MLB teams for The Athletic. Bowden gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a scathing critique of their offseason, assigning them a D+ grade. He also predicts a fourth-place finish for Arizona.
“The Diamondbacks have had a rough offseason. So far, their only significant move was to bring back right-hander Merrill Kelly. They traded for Nolan Arenado, whose production has been declining, took a chance on the oft-injured Michael Soroka and added a backup catcher in James McCann. They also traded for a good bullpen arm, righty Josh Grosz, but had to part with speedy outfielder Jake McCarthy in the deal.”
The move marks a major shift from the 2023 tournament, when Arenado played for Team USA, as he now looks to represent his heritage after previously competing for his home country. The Diamondbacks’ third baseman has Puerto Rican heritage through his mom’s side and now has the opportunity to represent his roots on baseball’s biggest international stage.
It’s usually a good sign when a top prospect gets a camp invite. That typically means the organization wants to evaluate them as potential additions to the big league roster. Some prospects will have a chance to break camp on the Opening Day roster.
The most recent example is infielder Blaze Alexander, who hit .400 in Spring Training to win the backup shortstop job in 2024. I had him as the D-backs’ No. 25 prospectgoing into that season.
We’ll take a look at some candidates who could accomplish that feat in 2026. Since there are a lot of potential relievers on my prospect list, I’ve elected to break this into two pieces.
Six teams officially left their regional sports network, Main Street Sports, and joined Major League Baseball on Monday, essentially shedding their local-media contracts.
The Padres have been close. So, so close. They have been chasing the Dodgers for many years, and don’t forget that in 2022, they did in fact catch them, beating them in the NLDS. The problem is that the Padres lost to the Phillies in the NLCS and haven’t gotten that close since … while the Dodgers, well you know what the Dodgers have been doing.
The Padres should be commended for their ambition (and financial commitment) in pursuing their rivals to the north, but now their once-strong farm system has been mostly decimated by trades to fortify the big league roster, which, alas, still doesn’t look nearly as good as that of the Dodgers. (Who have a much better farm system now, too.) Bringing back Michael King is a sign that the Padres aren’t giving up yet, nor should they. But if they don’t catch the Dodgers soon, San Diego might be out of the race for a while.
Fine, the Dodgers aren’t actually projected for a clean 100 wins, but 99.6 is close enough for me. Believe it or not, this is the most wins we’ve ever projected them for. Projection systems are inherently conservative; 100-win projections are rare. This team simply looks that good. When you take the two-time defending World Series champions, lose almost no one, and add the top hitter and top reliever available in free agency, an already-rosy projection simply spikes to the moon. We think the Dodgers have a comically high 94.1% chance of winning the NL West. That’s silly.
The other teams in the West are actually locked in an interesting race for second. The Padres and Diamondbacks have made playoff noise in recent years, but we have the Giants narrowly ahead of those two this year despite a relatively quiet offseason. Their big addition will be a full season of Rafael Devers, and adding solid veterans like Harrison Bader and Luis Arraez won’t hurt. The Padres, on the other hand, lost three important contributors and added no one of note to replace them. The core group of Machado, Tatis, Merrill and Co. is still excellent, but the long-term impact of the trades the Padres made to surround that core with a good supporting cast means that there’s very little depth to go around here at the moment.
The Diamondbacks are more of a wild card than the Padres, who we know will be good, but expect to be less so than in recent years. The D-backs, on the other hand, has been pivoting all over the place. They sold at the deadline last year, then added this offseason by trading for Nolan Arenado and bringing Merrill Kelly back to replace Zac Gallen. There’s a ton of upside here – three different Snakes project for 4 WAR or more, with Gabriel Moreno not far behind at 3.9. But between some lineup holes – presumptive DH Adrian Del Castillo feels particularly risky to me, but first base isn’t great either – and a thin pitching staff, it’s easy to see how this team could fall out of the race early.
A Donovan trade has felt inevitable for quite a while. The Cardinals have been leaning harder into a rebuild this winter. They tried to kick off a reset last offseason but struggled to move their veteran players with no-trade clauses and ended up mostly standing pat. With president of baseball operations John Mozeliak ceding the reins to new president Chaim Bloom after the 2025 campaign, it became clear that the club would push harder to focus on the future.
Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras all had no-trade clauses in their contracts and seemed reluctant to approve deals in the 2024-25 offseason. As last year was winding down, they all publicly expressed a greater openness to playing for new teams in 2026. That has now come to fruition for all three. Gray and Contreras were both traded to the Red Sox, while Arenado landed with the Diamondbacks.
Donovan’s situation was slightly different. Those other three guys were all veterans making eight-figure salaries. Moving them out of St. Louis was partially about slashing the payroll and also about opening up opportunities for younger players as part of the rebuild. Donovan, on the other hand, is still in his arbitration seasons. He will make a relatively modest $5.8MM in 2026 and would be due a raise in 2027.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks walks off the court after a game against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum on January 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s a possibility that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded from the Milwaukee Bucks. Of course you’ve heard about it because it is all anyone has talked about for the last 3 months and off and on for the last several years. Insert your own dating/breakup analogy here because I don’t have the patience to come up with anything original.
Still, you have to admit it is a topic that is interesting and pretty relevant to the Celtics in both the near and long term future. So let’s talk about it.
Where do you think he’ll end up? When do you think he’ll get traded? Who has the best trade package to offer? What are those impacts to the Celtics? Could the Celtics get (indirectly) involved? Will the trade (if/when it finally happens or completely falls through) open things up for the Celtics to make other moves?
In case you haven’t been following along closely, at the moment it seems like a few teams are discussed most often (and they tend to read as a Usual Suspects lineup).
Golden State Warriors – Offering up picks, Jonathan Kuminga, and salary filler to help extend Steph Curry’s window. Do you think they’ll include Draymond?
Minnesota Timberwolves – Apparently Giannis wants to play with Anthony Edwards. Who wouldn’t? They have a number of moveable contracts.
Miami Heat – Tyler Herro (perhaps to a 3rd team), young players, and picks? Everyone wants to play in South Beach but can they offer the best trade package?
New York Knicks – They were the rumored desired location for Giannis in the offseason. But I would imagine they’ll need a 3rd team to take KAT. They might have more picks available to trade in the offseason as well.
Are there any other team’s I’m forgetting? Sixers? Magic? Any dark horse candidates you could see getting in the bidding?
There are a lot of different directions this could go. So let’s talk about it.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 21: Ranger Suárez #55 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during a press conference announcing his contract agreement with the Boston Red Sox on January 21, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been three months since any action took place on the baseball field, and we’re still one month away from meaningful baseball (the world classic variety) kicking off. If you’re like me, you’ve had enough of the contract talk, trade speculation, and the word “control” and want to get back to the on-field action.
I got the itch and wanted to break down some tape, so here’s a look at the Red Sox’s newest starting pitcher, Ranger Suarez, attacking hitters from this past season.
We’ll start with Jose Altuve. He’s super aggressive at the plate, swinging at the first pitch about half the time. His power is to the pull side, with most of his damage coming against pitches up in the zone.
Suarez starts Altuve off with a curveball, and it’s a perfect one. Altuve was looking to ambush a first-pitch fastball, and winds up out in front as a result. If he were looking for a curveball, Suarez put it in a spot where it’s difficult to keep fair. Now at 0-1, Suarez can either work to the other side of the plate with a changeup or change speeds with one of his fastballs.
He goes to a cutter, and it’s in a good spot on the inside edge. It’s another pitch that’s difficult to keep fair if he does get a swing, but still gets a called strike if it doesn’t. Altuve is looking to bunt and gets a piece of it, but fouls it into the mitt. Now at 0-2, Suarez can throw whatever he wants, as long as it isn’t good to hit. Following two pitches to the inside part of the plate, I’d look for either a sinker that starts at the front hip to try to freeze Altuve, or a changeup low and away.
Before the pitch, Suarez was called for a pitch timer violation, making the count 1-2. I somehow managed to pick the at-bat with his only violation of the season, believe it or not. Anyways, it’s his first changeup of the game, and it’s non-competitive. At 2-2, he can still throw whatever he feels good about. Personally, I like doubling up on the changeup. With two outs and nobody on base, it’s a low-risk opportunity to make the adjustment and find the feel for an important pitch early in the game. Worst case, you spike another one and throw something else in a full count.
Beautiful. He goes back to the slow ball and hits his spot precisely. Altuve is looking for something hard and takes an ugly swing to end the inning. That’s a pretty low-stress at-bat for Suarez, and he didn’t throw anything harder than 87 mph. Let’s do another one.
Jumping ahead to the second inning, Cam Smith is up with one out and nobody on. Smith hit lefties well in his rookie season, but struggled with pitches inside. I’d expect Suarez to work the cutter up and in to prevent Smith from getting his arms extended and driving the baseball.
Suarez starts with a sinker on the outside edge. It’s not a great pitch to hit, but hitters often shoot the balls down the right field line. Smith fouls this one straight back, an indication that he just missed it. I’d shy away from throwing a sinker to this location again.
At 0-1, it’s a perfect cutter that starts over the middle and cuts to the inside edge. Smith gets jammed and bloops it foul to run the count to 0-2. At 0-2, a curveball down and in makes sense, as does a changeup away. Basically, anything but a fastball over the middle.
I believe David Cone calls this “X Games”. It’s a sinker that starts at the front hip and runs back to the inside edge for strike three. It looks like the cutter out of his hand — Smith likely thinks it’s running inside and is frozen for strike three. If you want to see more of how Suarez attacks righties, that game against the Astros (June 24) is a great start to watch. It’s a lineup entirely of righties, and Suarez is at his best.
What about lefties? Here’s Jackson Holliday on August 6th with one out and nobody on in the third inning.
Suarez starts the at-bat with a four-seam off the plate. Obviously, you want to start every matchup 0-1. For Suarez, this isn’t the end of the world, though. He throws both a four-seam and a sinker, and the four-seam just off the plate sets up the backdoor sinker later in the at-bat.
Suarez goes back to the fastball, this time hitting the outer edge to even the count. After two fastballs on the outer half, a sinker inside might get in on the hands, or a sinker away could freeze Holliday for a second called strike.
Perfect. It’s the sinker that looks just like the four-seam, but it runs inside and drops more. Holliday swings on top of it and grounds it to first base for an easy out. That’s basically the blueprint for Suarez against lefties, minus the breaking ball. Had Holliday fouled that one off, he’d likely have gone to his slider or curveball on the outer half. Here’s that sequence.
The sinker starts on the inner edge and fades off the plate, while the slider starts on the outer edge and runs away. It’s almost all East-West for Suarez against lefties as he tunnels his fastballs and uses the breaking pitches for whiffs.
So we saw a few examples of Suarez pitching well, but he’s not perfect, and it’s not hard to imagine how things go wrong. Here’s Logan O’Hoppe with one out in the second inning on July 20.
The first pitch is a sinker at the bottom of the zone for called strike one. Good start.
At 0-1, Suarez tries to go to the cutter that we saw him jam a few hitters with earlier. It’s in a decent location, but this one is 84 mph, as opposed to the ones we watched earlier at 87/88 mph. Lower velocity means it’s easier to get the bat around, and while O’Hoppe doesn’t kill it, he does drop it in for a base hit.
The next batter is Luis Rengifo.
It’s a four-seam fastball over the plate at 90 mph. Again, it’s a fine pitch if the hitter is taking, but this is roughly what most hitters are looking for to start an at-bat. Rengifo lines it up the middle, and there are two runners on.
We’ll fast forward a few hitters to Taylor Ward with the bases loaded and two runs already in. Suarez made a pitch to Mike Trout the previous at-bat that should have been called strike three, but went for ball four. With the ABS system, he’s out of the inning with one run allowed, but that didn’t exist yet, so he had to keep fighting.
The first-pitch sinker is fouled off for 0-1.
Here’s another cutter on the inside edge that’s grounded foul to make the count 0-2. At 87 mph, this one is tougher to get around and keep fair.
Suarez goes to the changeup, and it’s way off the plate for ball one. To that point, he had already missed badly with his changeup three times in the inning. While hitters are still aware of the pitch, his inability to locate it in the inning makes it less of a threat, and they can look for more pitches on the inner part of the plate as a result. A well-located changeup would work at 1-2, but Suarez doesn’t want to throw another non-competitive pitch and get closer to a full count with the bases loaded.
He tries to go inside with the fastball, but leaves it over the plate, and it’s in the gap to drive in three runs.
Suarez relies on finesse over power. His stuff is good, but he doesn’t have one pitch he can use to dominate a lineup. He needs to locate his pitches and sequence properly to get hitters out. Fortunately, he’s shown the ability to do that consistently over the past several seasons, and it’s an attack plan that should age well with his contract. If he can find some of the velocity he lost over the past two seasons, there’s that much more margin for error.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 29: Jonah Tong #21 of the New York Mets arrives at Citi Field prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets on Friday, August 29, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Pitchers and Catchers don’t officially report for another eight days, but Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, and Jonah Tong have already arrived at Port St. Lucie.
Tong talked about the Brandon Sproat trade and his goals for the upcoming season, stating “I’m just going to be where my feet are and let everything else take care of itself…I’m looking forward to having fun along the way”
Clay Holmes also arrived to Port St. Lucie ahead of the report date.
Anthony DiComo analyzed the Mets’ revamped bullpen, which no longer has Edwin Díaz but makes up for it with a ton of upside.
Joe Pantorno wondered if Framber Valdez, who remains unsigned, could fall into the Mets’ lap as the offseason reaches its final days.
There is still a chance that Francisco Lindor could suit up for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. They are currently working on a private insurer to cover Lindor, at which point they will seek approval from MLB and the Mets.
Huascar Brazobán will play for the Dominical Republic in the WBC, joining teammate Juan Soto.
The Dallas Mavericks aim to end a three-game home losing streak when the Boston Celtics come to the American Airlines Center tonight.
With Jaylen Brown consistently dominating the boards, our Celtics vs. Mavericks predictions anticipate another strong rebounding performance from the star forward.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference tilt on Tuesday, February 3.
Celtics vs Mavericks prediction
Celtics vs Mavericks best bet: Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds (-105)
Jaylen Brown’s 6.9 rebounds per game tie a career-high mark, and he’s the Boston Celtics' second-leading rebounder. His work on the glass has been even more prolific over the last two weeks.
Boston’s superstar has pulled down 9.6 boards across his last seven games, reaching 8+ six times in that span, including three straight on the road.
The Dallas Mavericks have allowed the fourth-most rebounds per game this season at 46.9 and the second-most offensive rebounds at 12.4. Leading rebounder Anthony Davis (11.1) remains out, and second-leading rebounder P.J. Washington (7.3) will be sidelined tonight.
An already-favorable matchup gets a boost with Washington out, and I expect Brown to crash the glass with authority.
Celtics vs Mavericks same-game parlay
The Mavs have lost three straight at home, but have covered the spread in seven of 10, and are 12-5 ATS as the home underdog. The Celtics are 9-7 ATS as the road favorite, but Boston has failed to cover in two straight road games.
The Mavs are 5-5 to the Under across their last 10, and the Celtics are 2-8 in that span. Dallas is 13-15 to the Under at home, and Boston is 10-15 on the road. Boston has hit the Under in five straight, and Dallas has done so in three of its last four.
Celtics vs Mavericks SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds
Mavericks +7.5
Under 222
Our "from downtown" SGP: Plant Your Flagg
Cooper Flagg is averaging just below 20 points per game, scoring 22+ in 17 of 45 appearances. He's on a major heater, however, having scored 34 and a historic 49 across his last two games. Since December 23, he's averaged 21.8 points and hit the Over on this scoring line in seven of 16 outings.
Celtics vs Mavericks SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds
Mavericks +7.5
Under 222
Cooper Flagg Over 21.5 points
Celtics vs Mavericks odds
Spread: Celtics -7 (-110) | Mavericks +7 (-110)
Moneyline: Celtics -270 | Mavericks +220
Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)
Celtics vs Mavericks betting trend to know
The Dallas Mavericks have covered the 2H Spread in 32 of their last 50 games (+11.43 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Mavericks.
How to watch Celtics vs Mavericks
Location
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Celtics vs Mavericks latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
We are launching a new daily article here at South Side Sox, more prominently than our items that pop up on The Feed. It falls under the category of White Sox Discussions, which you’ll see in a few weeks will also be our new branding for Game Threads.
While the White Sox have pulled off a number of heists over the years (Nellie Fox, Luke Appling, Wilbur Wood, Billy Pierce, among others), they have been on the losing end quite a bit as well. Entire novellas have been written about the acquisition, and quick dumping soon thereafter, of Nick Swisher. But there have been more than “Swish”; in fact, a bad trade doesn’t have to be one where too much is given away but what was received was such a turkey, as in the trade that brought Ron Santo to the South Side (and sent, among others, Nick’s dad Steve to the Cubs).
What trade still feels like a stake in your heart?
Despite offseason expectations, the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders find themselves in the Top 3 of the Metero standings — and their defensive play is a big reason why.
My Penguins vs. Islanders predictions expect both teams to rely on their goal-suppression abilities in tonight's important divisional clash.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.
Penguins vs Islanders prediction
Penguins vs Islanders best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)
The Pittsburgh Penguins (ninth) and New York Islanders (third) are both Top 10 teams in goal prevention, while they each rank in the bottom half of the league in pace.
Pittsburgh and New York played on Monday night and used the lesser of their goaltenders in Arturs Silovs and David Rittich. That sets up for Stuart Skinner and Ilya Sorokin to square off this evening.
Skinner is quietly playing excellent hockey. He has been terrific since the holiday break, posting an 8-1 record, .916 save percentage, and stopping +6.25 goals above expectation through nine starts.
Sorokin has stopped 14.19 goals above expectation over the same period, the second-highest mark in the NHL. He also leads the league in GSAx on the season. We should expect great goaltending.
These two sides also don’t force the issue when facing other strong defensive teams. They don’t change their style, open up, and try to flex their muscles offensively. Instead, they lean into lower-event, defensive battles.
An average of 5.5 goals have been scored in Pittsburgh’s last 10 games against Bottom-10 teams in goals allowed.
Conversely, Islanders games have averaged 4.0 goals over the last 10 against teams in the Bottom-10 in goals against. Five goals or fewer were scored in each.
Penguins vs Islanders same-game parlay
Tony DeAngelo has averaged less than 19 minutes per game this season, but that number has grown above 21 over the past 10 games. He’s responded with more shot volume, averaging 2.9 shots and 5.1 attempts in that span while clearing his line eight times.
Pittsburgh is an older team, so it might need to rely on fresh legs in a back-to-back. That’s no problem for Ben Kindel, who has generated multiple shots on goal in eight of his last nine games on zero days of rest.
The New York Islanders have hit the Game Total Under in 14 of their last 25 games (+4.15 Units / 15% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Islanders.
How to watch Penguins vs Islanders
Location
UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Penguins vs Islanders latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Every good analysts has to start with an acknowledgement of limitations. As much as we might want to rely on the numbers on the back of the baseball card, each season exists in its own universe. One of the axioms I always go by is that I don’t really start worrying or getting excited until Memorial Day. Every season exists in its own universe and teams have to spend much of April and May figuring out who is going to do what. The Astros consistently start very slowly and one of the reasons is that it takes that much time to figure out what combination of guys are going to work.
Most successful teams have a core of good players and they ride them for the balance of the season. If you look historically at the greatest teams in history, they have a core group of four to six players that play consistently at an all-star level. The current iteration of the Astros do not have that. Even if we assume health, Yordan Alvarez is the only player that stands out on a roster of solid players that aren’t likely to perform at a traditional all-star level.
The good news is that they are deeper in terms of solid players than in some years. Assuming health, there aren’t any positions that project to be gaping holes, but there are very few that project to be very good. With Dana Brown and Joe Espada on the last years of their contracts, there is added pressure to get this right. Say you want about Espada (and I know every fan has their opinions), his job will not be an easy one this season. He needs to find the right combination of guys to make this work.
We will focus on a number of different positions as we move closer to spring training, but if we look at the career numbers of just those in the outfield, we see an opportunity to mix and match to create the best result. Of course, with opportunity also comes risk. It also comes with roster decisions for Dana Brown. The question will be whether younger players can serve you better on the bench or getting regular plate appearances in Sugar Land.
Below we take a basic look at slash lines (AVG/OBP/SLG) for all of the players that could potentially play in the outfield. We will include Jose Altuve in these because he will likely get some starts in left field. The task for Joe Espada and Dana Brown is to figure out how exactly to deploy who they have to the best results. For Brown, he needs to see if there is anything out there that could fill in some of those gaps.
AVG
OBP
SLG
Jose Altuve RHP
.296
.352
.451
Jose Altuve LHP
.324
.385
.508
Yordan Alvarez RHP
.286
.388
.569
Yordan Alvarez LHP
.316
.391
.580
Jake Meyers RHP
.236
.301
.353
Jake Meyers LHP
.265
.324
.421
Zach Cole RHP
.282
.317
.641
Zach Cole LHP
.125
.364
.125
Cam Smith RHP
.227
.292
.325
Cam Smith LHP
.261
.365
.452
Jesus Sanchez RHP
.253
.324
.450
Jesus Sanchez LHP
.181
.234
.289
Zach Dezenzo RHP
.262
.319
.400
Zach Dezenzo LHP
.167
.242
.233
One of the more intriguing works in the stats community is a book by former SABR president Vince Gennaro called “Diamond Dollars”. There were a few landmark nuggets in that book, but the biggest one was what he termed the “platoon advantage.” Essentially, the idea is that teams will pay a premium for a player that will hit from both sides of the plate.
For instance, Alvarez has a .900+ OPS against both righties and lefties. That kind of proficiency is expensive on the open market. Most players have one side where they are dominant and one side where they aren’t. The general premise is that if 75 percent of the pitchers in baseball are right-handed then a player that performs well against right handed players is worth 75 percent of that player that performs well from both sides. Yet, most of the time those players get a fraction of the money.
For instance, Jesus Sanchez will earn just under seven million dollars a year, but he has a career OPS against righties that is well above the league average. If you paired him with Cam Smith then the total player with an OPS approaching .800. How much would you pay for a player that would produce that level of production from both sides of the plate?
The question is how far you take the platoon advantage? There are 26 guys on a roster and 13 of them are pitchers. So you have only four bench slots and one of those will be a backup catcher. So, you need to be as strategic as possible with those remaining three bench slots. One of those decisions will be whether to carry a fifth outfielder.
When you look at the breakdown, Zach Cole performed better against right handed pitchers than against lefties. Granted, that was in a limited number of plate appearances at the big league level. However, he is a left handed hitter, so those splits would be more or less expected. He would be a natural platoon partner with Jake Meyers if given the opportunity.
This is where Dana Brown comes into play. He has to decide whether Cole is better served playing every day in Sugar Land than two or three days a week at the big league level. Players like Dezenzo offer some flexibility due to his ability to play first base. You also need to have a reserve infielder as well and that is where a player like Nick Allen comes into play.
It definitely won’t be easy for Espada and Brown in Spring Training and that is assuming there are no more moves that are made between now and then. It will take a lot of mixing and matching, but based on the career numbers above, there are opportunities to maximize production against both righties and lefties. Next time, we will take a look at the infield to see what opportunities are there.
Los Angeles, CA - January 31: Manager Dave Roberts greets players Mookie Bets, Will Smith and Max Muncy while making her way to the stage during Dodgerfest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“Projection systems are inherently conservative; 100-win projections are rare. This team simply looks that good,“ Ben Clemens wrote at FanGraphs. ”When you take the two-time defending World Series champions, lose almost no one, and add the top hitter and top reliever available in free agency, an already-rosy projection simply spikes to the moon. We think the Dodgers have a comically high 94.1% chance of winning the NL West. That’s silly.”
Mookie Betts talked about how he prepared during the offseason to rebound from the worst offensive season of his career, as chronicled by Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic. Also within the article was manager Dave Roberts hinting at some more clarity to the Dodgers lineup, hinting that he likes Betts hitting third and catcher Will Smith hitting fifth (which would mean newcomer Kyle Tucker batting second and Freddie Freeman cleanup).
“He peaked at an EV of 111.4 mph last year and his hard-hit rate was just over 50 percent, while he’s an above-average runner and can handle an outfield corner or first base,” Law wrote of Ward. “He does have a big platoon split, but he’s left-handed and should probably play as the strong side of a platoon for someone this year — like, how is this guy not a Marlin or a Rockie by now?”
Need a break from the Timberwolves rollercoaster? You got it! We’re bringing you our newest edition of Eyes on Iowa Wolves, where you get all the Iowa Wolves updates. You can show off to your coworkers, friends, or nieces/nephews that you know what Rocco Zikarsky’s true shooting percentage is.
Record: 6-2
Player of the Month: Zyon Pullin (27.7p, 3.3r, 6a, .667/.545/.903)
Recap: Iowa was in prime position for a spot in Winter Showcase tournament spot behind the strong play of their backcourt. Pullin, Tristen Newton, and Jules Bernard, all averaged over 20 points each, spearheading a league-best offense.
Record: 5-6
Player of the Month: Tristen Newton (26.4p, 4.6r, 4.9a, .506/.374/.830)
Recap: Iowa stumbled as they lost previous POTM, Zyon Pullin, to a wrist injury. They missed out on the Winter Showcase playoff tournament, but found their form to end the month thanks to Tristen Newton’s outstanding play.
Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer also made his debut this month with some impressive performances of his own.
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January Overview
Overall Month Record: 8-5
Current Regular Season Record: 11-7 Current Standing: 4th in Western Conference
Just when it looked like the sails were adjusting back in the right direction, the Iowa roster was hit with another gut punch. On January 3rd, the Houston Rockets waived the 33rd pick of the 2024 NBA draft, Tyler Smith, and replaced his two-way spot by snagging Tristen Newton from the Wolves. In case you forgot, Newton was on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves last season and heading into the start of the 2025-2026 season, but Johnny Juzang won the preseason battle for that slot.
Just like that, Iowa lost it’s two leading (and most efficient) scorers who were also their primary ballhandlers (Pullin still out with injury). Not great. It was evident to start 2026, as they dropped two of their first three games in January.
Head Coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was eventually going to get through the choppy waters though. Jules Bernard and Alize Johnson would adapt to their increased usage, helping Iowa win seven of their next ten games to end the month. Iowa also had a number of other players help fill the void in the backcourt. Nate Santos, a 3&D wing, and newly acquired guards Jalen Crutcher, a veteran G League point, and Dajuan Harris Jr, a defensive-minded guard, have all stepped up as well.
Iowa’s strong finish to January was important for their playoff chances. They rocketed back up to fourth in the Western Conference standings (Top eight make the postseason). The Wolves have failed to reach the playoffs in the past 11 seasons.
The drought could end soon if they keep riding this momentum.
The NBA recently announced the participants of the Castrol Rising Starstournament which included G League players for the fifth time. Former Timberwolves legend, Austin Rivers, was announced as the coach of Team G League, a collection of seven players that have played significant games in the G. Unfortunately, no Wolves made that team, unless you count Tristen Newton.
That said, January did not come and pass without any accolades for Iowa. Alize Johnson was named Player of the Week after averaging a whopping 33 points on 64% shooting from the field. Potential good news also soon followed, as it appears Zyon Pullin could be nearing a return. The Iowa broadcast mentioned during a January 27th game that Pullin’s wrist cast has come off so hopefully he’ll resume basketball activities soon.
Two-Way Wolves (And Joan) Update
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 06: Joan Beringer #19 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter at Target Center on January 06, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Heat 122-94. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The rookie played just the first two games of the month before being reassigned back with the Timberwolves. He made sure to get to work in those games though. In his last game with Iowa, his fellow rookie, Rocco Zikarsky, was unavailable due to an illness.
Beringer went on to have his best professional game of the season.
Going a perfect seven for seven from the field with loads of defensive highlights wasn’t too shabby. As Timberwolves fans have seen during recent stint with the main club, the game is certainly slowing down for the Frenchman. Minnesota Head Coach Chris Finch recently likened Beringer’s tendency to go after things like “a dog chasing a car” which is pretty apt, for better or worse.
Perhaps the most impressive development that Beringer has shown, other than increased game sense, is his touch around the rim. He’s been finishing more plays without needing to dunk the ball, hitting a few soft hooks and dinkers off the glass.
The ceiling remains the sky for Young Joan.
DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 3: Rocco Zikarsky #44 of the Iowa Wolves handles the ball during the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce on January 3, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Coming into January, the other 19-year-old rookie was shooting a ridiculous 48.4% mark from beyond the arc. That number caught the eye of numerous observers. Unfortunately, Zikarsky’s three-point percentage has since dropped down to 38.5% after shooting 29.7% from perimeter in January.
There is still reason for optimism for the seven-footer’s shooting development though.
His three-point volume has increased from 1.6 attempts per game in November, to 2.0 in December, to 3.1 in January. His free throw percentage has increased from 64.3%, to 76.9%, to 88.5% on increasing volume each month as well. The Australian’s true shooting percentage (63.9%) is well above league average. In fact, Zikarsky’s 37.1% three-point percentage would rank eighth among all active NBA centers, above the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, Lauri Markkanen, or Victor Wembanyama.
Zikarsky played in 12 of 14 games in January, averaging a double-double in just 26 minutes per game. If he was on the floor as much as the leaders on his team, his per 36 minutes numbers would include 21.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.1 blocks.
There are still several areas of improvement that remain for the big man. He still gets pushed out of position far too often on both ends of the court. There are times he struggles to get up and down the court at an acceptable pace. Most importantly, he is far too careless with his high and loose handle. Zikarsky’s turnover issues also take shape in his tendency for throwing way too ambitious of passes on plays that just aren’t there.
DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 3: Enrique Freeman #25 of the Iowa Wolves shoots the ball during the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce on January 3, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Similar to Zikarsky, Enrique Freeman had a promising month shooting the ball in December. A crucial part of his development was going to be his ability to space the floor. Unlike Zikarsky, the promise has been dissipating. His three-point percentage has plummeted down to well under 30%. It seems that Freeman is falling further into the category of dirty work, garbage bucket getter, and less as a potential versatile stretch big.
It wasn’t all negative for Freeman in January though. His two-point percentage is up, notching his best scoring month of the season. He’s still rebounding at a strong rate and been a consistent force in the frontcourt for Iowa. At 25 years old, it’s reasonable to consider what his ceiling may be and if the use of a two-way contract on him will be wise for the rest of the season.
DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 3: Jules Bernard #14 of the Iowa Wolves handles the ball during the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce on January 3, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One of the primary reasons for the Wolves hanging around in the playoff picture has been the improved play of Jules Bernard. The aforementioned losses of Pullin and Newton have thrust a ton of opportunity onto Bernard’s shoulders.
The most noticeable changes have been his huge scoring uptick and increased efficiency at all three levels. I was skeptical of his ability to be the lead guard due to his tendency to force up tough shots. However, he’s proven to be more than capable. His new found stroke from deep hasn’t stopped him from continuing to punish the paint with his physicality.
When looking at just the regular season, Bernard is second in the G League in total points scored behind just Tristen Newton (Fourth in points per game). The freshly turned 26-year-old has had a couple brief stints in the NBA before, but it looks like he is making quite the case for another shot if he keeps this play up.
DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 3: Alize Johnson #24 of the Iowa Wolves handles the ball during the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce on January 3, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Alize Johnson has continued to be a rock for this Iowa Wolves team. You would expect nothing less from the soon-to-be 30-year-old veteran. Often times when things bog down for Iowa, they turn to Johnson to get things going.
The results are usually good.
At this point, we know what Johnson excels at. He’s an aggressive rebounder. A plus passer playing in a point-forward role. An effective paint scorer despite lacking positional size. However, the one thing that should raise the eyebrows of scouts is his developing three-point shot. Johnson’s career history is littered with low to sub 30% seasons on low volume from perimeter.
This season?
November: 0.6 3PM / 2.4 3PA (26.3%)
December: 1.4 3PM / 3.6 3PA (37.5%)
January: 1.8 3PM / 4.3 3PA (42.3%)
Is someone developing a three-point shot like this at age 30 believable and sustainable? Maybe. Was his January numbers boosted by an anomalous eight for eight display? Sure. But this is certainly something to keep track of as Johnson looks to make one final run at landing a NBA contract.
DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 18: Nate Santos #1 of the Iowa Wolves dribbles the ball during the game against the Long Island Nets on January 18, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If the Wolves had a “little fish gets eaten by a big fish, eaten by a bigger fish” graphic, it would look something like Nate Santos gets eaten by Jules Bernard, who gets eaten by Zyon Pullin.
They’re all stout, bulky guards who aren’t necessarily elite at any one skill, but can do a little of everything at a mediocre level.
There’s some different shades of skills they possess. On one end, you have Pullin who’s elite in the paint and not as much of a perimeter threat, then you have Santos who’s more of a perimeter threat and not as effective inside the arc.
The 24-year-old stands at six foot, seven inches (Don’t do it) so he has a bit of size to him. Santos was a four year college player for Pittsburgh and Dayton before going undrafted in 2025. He played for the Orlando Magic summer league squad before getting picked up by Iowa. The losses in the backcourt have thrust Santos into a larger role in 2026, and he’s responded.
The Puerto Rican native has been a much needed floor spacer for a Wolves team that is bottom five in the league in both three-point makes and attempts. He’s been in a little bit of a drought in the last three games, but prior to that, he was ripping nets at a crisp 45.6% mark from distance, on volume, in January.
He has potential to be a 3&D prospect to keep an eye on.
Tune in at the end of February for our next Eyes on Iowa update! If you don’t want to truly commit as a sicko by watching full Iowa Wolves games live, you can just follow me on BlueSky for occasional videos and updates.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 31: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates up ice against the Detroit Red Wings. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Colorado Avalanche teams up with “Dungeon Crawler Carl” author Matt Dinniman to support cat rescue. [CBS News]
MacKinnon scores twice to become first 40-goal scorer of season, Avalanche blank Red Wings. [TSN]
There’s still something special about Canadiens-Avalanche games. While broadcasters love to babble about NHL “rivalry” games these days, the Habs-Nordiques clashes provided unmatched drama. [Montreal Gazette]
Ottawa Senators topple first-overall Colorado Avalanche with a 5-2 victory. [Ottawa Citizen]
News Around the League
Will Canada regret not taking Evan Bouchard? [Sportsnet]
Lightning owner to miss outdoor game with ‘major leg fracture’. [USA Today]
Ullmark overcomes emotions, Devils in winning return for Senators. [CBC]
Ice hockey venue will not be ready for start of Olympics. [BBC]
2026 U.S. Winter Olympics Hockey Roster: Why The NHL’s Top American Scorers Missed The Cut. [Forbes]
Lightning’s Hagel scores 11 seconds into outdoor game, a record. [ESPN]
Every NHL player participating in 2026 Winter Olympics. [Sports Illustrated]
Olympics to help satisfy international appetite for hockey best-on-best. [NHLPA]
Olympic ice hockey vs. NHL rules: How are they different? [NBC LA]
Lack of Quebec-born NHL stars, Olympians mystifies Marc-André Fleury”It’s a little sad,” retired goaltending star and two-time Stanley Cup champion says of his province’s hockey pipeline running dry. [Montreal Gazette]
The news keeps checking in on the checking in and so we continue to await with bated breath while the machinery spins. The Giants no longer need a second baseman and so the Red Sox are the only destination to hang speculation on.
Smart money says Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw stay put but there’s always that slim chance of the experts being wrong.
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Hundreds of fans stand for the Pledge of Allegiance before the start of the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, April 4, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sports Business Journal reported on Monday afternoon that the Detroit Tigers, along with nine other major league teams, have cut ties with Main Street Sports, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network. Of those nine, the Atlanta Braves are currently the only club planning to start their own regional sports network (RSN).
Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reported that the Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Rays, are all leaving FanDuel Sports Network.
All of them other than the Braves are expected to move to MLB, where games will be streamed on MLB TV or the MLB app with a subscription. The terms of such a subscription remain to be seen. Will your normal MLB TV subscription that comes with blackouts of home games simply remove the blackouts? Or will it take a specific “home team” subscription? We have questions, and Grapefruit League action is only a few weeks away.
Of course, teams have seen this coming, so hopefully most of the planning is already arranged. The Tigers, who canceled their previous contract with Main Street back on January 8, have notably hired radio and tv play-by-play announcers Dan Dickerson and Jason Benetti as team employees. That moves was in anticipation of something like this happenign, and so their status was kept separate from the regional sports networks. The broadcasts should at least sound and look basically the same in whatever format is arranged.
However, unlike most MLB clubs, the Tigers ownership also owns and operates the Detroit Red Wings, so there’s always been talk of simply putting together a Detroit sports RSN on their own and bringing the Pistons along as well if Tom Gores is on board.
For now, Friend reports that the Tigers are going to MLB media to produce their broadcasts and stream games, and like the other clubs excluding the Braves, will look for local distributors to keep games on local cable packages. So for 2026 we’re going to have to adapt to that. But beyond the Pistons’ and Red Wings’ current broadcast contracts there may be an opportunity to develop a Detroit sports network. Currently this seems like the unlikely outcome of the two long-term, so if people want it they better make their feelings known.
Meanwhile, sources said NBA and NHL teams are in a business-as-usual holding pattern, with the sense that Main Street still plans to air their games the rest of the regular season and simultaneously attempt to negotiate deals beyond this year. A resolution with those leagues is expected to play out over the next two weeks.
At the same time, sources said those NBA and NHL teams did not receive their recent February rights fee payments on Sunday, and it is unclear whether future payments will be reduced by 20% or more — or even arrive at all.
Either way, we’re unlikely to be consulted, so you might as well have your say here. Considering the number of sports fans and the prices of streaming services, I personally haven’t been able to unpack why Diamond Sports and now Main Street Sport Group, can’t get their act together, regardless of declining ad revenues. Maybe a different company could create a more viable RSN. Maybe the Detroit teams doing it together would work out. Or, maybe the simplest solution is to simply let each team handle its own broadcast, stream games themselves, and try to do better by being able to customize everything to their individual markets.
What’s your preference for sports going forward? Would you prefer to simply buy yearly broadcast subscription through the individual teams you follow on their websites/apps? Or do you follow all three teams and prefer an Ilitch/Gores fusion to create a Detroit sports RSN covering all three sports to simplify things?
Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Yankees’ outfield is loaded with star power on both sides of the ball, as any group led by Aaron Judge should be. The generational slugger won his third AL MVP award in 2025 after yet another season that had to be seen to be believed: .331/.457/.688 (a career-high in batting average), 53 home runs, 114 RBI, .357 ISO, 18.3/23.6 BB/K%. For the third time in four years, Judge posted a wRC+ over 200 (206 in 2022, 220 in 2024, 204 in 2025), meaning he was more than twice as valuable as a league-average hitter.
Before the 2025 season, the Yankees acquired Cody Bellinger from the Cubs in exchange for Cody Poteet in a salary dump move for Chicago. Bellinger has had ups and downs ever since winning the NL MVP award in 2019, but he was a reliable and productive option for the Yankees with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 152 games. Bellinger resigned with the Yankees after a long period of negotiations, agreeing to a five-year, $162.5 million contract.
They were also able to re-unite with Trent Grisham, who signed the qualifying offer the Yankees extended to him at the beginning of the offseason. This came as a surprise to many fans and possibly even the organization itself, after Grisham doubled his career-high in home runs with 34 in a breakout offensive season. Many expected him to test the free-agent market, but Grisham decided the best play for this season was to return to the Bronx and make $22 million. Judge, Bellinger, and Grisham combined for 116 home runs in 2025 and all three will be returning to their starting outfield gigs next season.
This is a tough development for Jasson Dominguez, who showed flashes of offensive upside in 123 games during his first real run as an MLB hitter but is still unable to firmly lock in a role in the starting lineup. Dominguez slashed .257/.331/.388 with 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases, but struggled mightily on defense and looked like the elbow surgery he underwent in 2023 might still have been affecting his power output. Grisham and Bellinger returning means Dominguez is the odd man out with Giancarlo Stanton permanently locked into the DH role, and his name has been floated in trade rumors although returning in a bench role appears to be the most likely immediate outcome. It’s fair to say his future as a Yankee is in limbo.
With so much competition in the outfield at the big-league level, it’s unlikely that any outfielders currently in the minor leagues find their way to the Bronx this season. This leaves the organization with another question to answer about the most polarizing prospect in the minor-leagues: Spencer Jones. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Jones was drafted out of Vanderbilt in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft and features jaw-dropping raw power alongside as much swing-and-miss risk as you could possibly imagine. Jones spent his age-24 season between Double-A and Triple-A, recording 35 home runs and 29 steals in 116 games and striking out 35.4 percent of the time between the two levels. Jones will turn 25 in May and needs to at least get a chance at the big leagues sometime soon.
If you think this sounds eerily similar to the trajectory Aaron Judge followed at the start of his career, you’re not alone. It’s why the organization is still so high on his potential despite all the red flags. However, the consensus around analysts is that Jones is a fringe top-100 prospect and not everyone thinks he’ll be able to produce at the big-league level at all. It is the definition of a high-ceiling, low-floor outcome. The Yankees will have to make a decision about him soon.
Outside of Jones, the Yankees don’t have many notable prospects in the outfield and the ones they do have are far away from being in the conversation for big-league at-bats. They signed Seth Brown, who put up two 20-homer seasons with the Athletics in 2021-22, to a minor league contract and will likely start him in Scranton. The 25-year-old Kenedy Corona, who played his first three MLB games with Houston last year before signing with the Yankees, should join him.
The outfield in Double-A Somerset should be led by Jackson Castillo and Jace Avina, both of whom were consistent contributors deep in the organization last season. Castillo put up slightly above-average numbers with High-A Hudson Valley before struggling a bit after earning a promotion to Somerset. Avina followed a similar path. He tore up High-A pitching with a 168 wRC+ and eight home runs in 52 games, but came back down to Earth in 46 games in Double-A. Both players should stay in Somerset for most, if not all of the year.
There’s a larger crop of outfielders competing for spots in High-A and Low-A, a few of whom saw their stocks rise in 2025 and cracked MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 organizational prospects list to close 2025. The prospect who could be an immediate option at these levels is Wilson Rodriguez, who made his stateside debut in 2025 and adjusted nicely to Low-A pitching. At 21 years old, they may try to see what he can do in Hudson Valley before too long. Tyler Wilson and Joe Delossantos, both mid-round picks from the 2024 MLB Draft, struggled in their small samples with the High-A club but could be due for more playing time with Hudson Valley in 2026.
Richie Bonomolo Jr, the Yankees’ seventh round pick from the most recent MLB Draft, also struggled in his first sample against professional pitching but should remain a contributor in Low-A for the time being. Also in the mix for at-bats should be a few players looking to make their stateside debuts after spending 2025 in the Complex League. Brando Mayea was one of the more promising acquisitions in the 2023 international free-agent class, and despite struggling with injuries last season he put up a 137 wRC+ in his second year in the Complex. He should be due to start the season at Low-A assuming his health is in good shape. The same goes for Gabriel Lara, who spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and last year in the Complex league.
The most notable name among the Yankees’ rookie-ball outfielders is Francisco Vilorio, the only other outfielder to rank among MLB Pipeline’s most recent Top 30 in the organization. Vilorio was part of the team’s 2024 IFA class and has spent the past two seasons in the DSL. He hasn’t been able to access much game power (he didn’t homer once in 2025), but his profile is based around his ability to grow into more consistent hard contact. FanGraphs is particularly bullish on Vilorio’s raw power, projecting him to develop it into a 70-grade tool. He should be bumped up to the Complex to start 2026.
The Yankees’ system is top-heavy at a lot of positions entering the 2026 season, but particularly so in the outfield. The star power in the starting lineup should be the team’s main source of offensive firepower, health-permitting, and the two names to know outside of the starters are Dominguez and Jones. How the team deploys those two, either on the field or in trades, will be a major storyline to watch moving forward. Aside from those either at or approaching the big-league level, the outfield depth in the organization won’t make too many headlines in 2026. If the team adds a new outfielder at any time soon, it will almost certainly be a player brought in from another organization.
Paul DePodesta sits in the Purple Row at Coors Field. | Colorado Rockies
It became a punchline for Colorado Rockies fans.
“That’s the main thing, he wants to be here and be part of the turnaround,” manager Bud Black said of Germán Márquez in 2023 when the RHP signed a two-year, $20 million deal.
Here’s Charlie Blackmon in 2023: “The Rockies want me to be here. Obviously, I want to be here.”
In October 2024 when campaigning for a contract extension, Black told Patrick Saunders, “I’m invested in this team and this organization and I want to be part of the solution to see this through.”
I could go on, but you get the idea. Organizational loyalty was a valued commodity.
Given that Dick Monfort was famous for being loyal to a fault, statements like these suggested fealty on the part of players and staff. This was probably, in part, an effort to ensure no more Arenado-esque defections — because if one thing became clear in 2020 and 2021, Nolan Arenado definitely did not want to be there.
Fans questioned what mattered most to the Rockies as they continued to promote from within and sign marginal free agents: baseball talent and winning or a commitment to the Rockies at all costs?
Here’s the interesting thing: “He wants to be here” is back, but it has a different meaning for DePodesta et al.
This time, wanting to be in Denver isn’t about loyalty or comfort: It’s about embracing challenge and being uncomfortable.
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak with pitching coach Alon Leichman. When I asked why he signed on to solve one of the most perplexing problems in baseball, he said, “I think in baseball, especially in the pitching world, you have kind of two schools of thought: either stay away from Denver, or you want the challenge. So I’m when an opportunity was given to me, I definitely wanted to run with it and see what we could do.”
The Rockies are clear that they want players and staff in the latter category, those who want to be here and embrace the challenge.
“He ran toward this challenge. Michael actively wanted to pitch here. He’s done a lot of different things in his career – he was an outfielder, he’s been a reliever, he’s been a starting pitcher. I don’t think he’s afraid of anything. He’s also got some history with some of our staff members, so I think there was some appeal there as well.”
“It feels like there’s a lot of new information to be learned, and that’s kind of right up my alley. I enjoy problem solving. Failure is going to happen; trials are going to happen; you’re going to get your teeth kicked in. But it’s the problem solving and how to make the adjustments that I really enjoy. And Colorado, I feel like, presents that opportunity.”
Here’s what Josh Byrnes, who left the best organization in baseball to join the Rockies, said when asked what made him decide to come to Denver:
The challenge. I think it’s a great challenge. I loved every day with the Dodgers. I mean, part of it, even leaving the Dodgers is like, never complacent about anything, always pushing, pushing, pushing, to be the best version of the Dodgers. So I think it’s totally different here, right? 119 losses. Altitude. There’s a lot, and never going to be that kind of payroll. So it’s going to be a different puzzle, but very exciting: working with Paul again; knowing a lot of people in the organization; knowing the city. So if I were to leave the Dodgers, it had to be like the right people and the right challenge. You know, it wasn’t an easy decision, but I think I’m very glad I did it, and I can feel the challenge.
I want to quote one more player, this time Hunter Goodman:
Last year, we had a super young team — me included. And I think we had a lot of guys, at least from watching games or being in the clubhouse, I think we had a lot of people that were happy to be here.
When I first got called up, it’s like, you’re just happy to be here, and you can’t play like that.
You’ve got to walk on the field and be like, “We’re the best team. I’m the best player on the field.” You got to walk on the field with a different level of confidence.
And I think there were some series and some games last year where you’re walking onto the field as a team looking around, and maybe guys aren’t super confident. Guys aren’t. They’re just happy to be there. So I think bringing a different mentality to the game would be a big step in the right direction.
If a player is “just happy to be there,” then taking on a challenge doesn’t really enter the equation.
And that’s where “He wants to be here” 2.0 comes in.
DePodesta, Byrnes, and Leichman are building a staff and a team that invites problem solving. In other words, this year, it’s not enough to be happy to be there: A player has to embrace the challenge.
In an early morning Rockies Fest panel with season ticket holders, Byrnes stressed that they were looking for players with “curiosity” and “problem solving” skills, the kinds of skills that help players embrace, and not avoid, challenges. In other words, on-field skills aren’t enough. There’s an attitudinal component as well.
And, just to be clear, this attitude isn’t just about players. Every member of DePodesta’s staff I spoke with wanted the challenge. DePodesta has built a team of young and innovative minds willing to model for players the kind of experimentation, tenacity, and courage they will need for a successful rebuild.
After all, a rebuild isn’t just about players; rather, it’s redoing the philosophy and infrastructure of an entire organization.
DePodesta has his staff, a philosophy, and a plan. In a couple of weeks, we can start watching the implementation.
