PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets owner Steve Cohen likes the vibe in a revamped clubhouse, and says he'll never have a captain in charge of that scene.
“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said in his first meeting with reporters at spring training Monday. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique. And let the locker room sort it out, year in, year out.”
New York said goodbye to popular slugger Pete Alonso, star closer Edwin Díaz and two other Mets stalwarts before Christmas, but added free agent Bo Bichette and traded for All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta.
The Mets are going into their third season with manager Carlos Mendoza after they missed the playoffs following a run to the 2024 NL championship series.
“I just was in that locker room and in the meeting and I sense an energy that really is exciting,” Cohen said on the day of the team's first full-squad workout. “These are new faces, fresh faces that I think our fans are really going to enjoy watch playing. It’s different. And I think we’ll play a different type of baseball, and I think that’s great.”
The rival Yankees had Derek Jeter, known simply as the “the captain,” for all 20 of the Hall of Famer's seasons. Becoming an owner in the same city won't sway Cohen, whose view might also keep the Mets from having a tricky choice between two of their biggest stars, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
“Just my own views on how I want a locker room to be,” Cohen said. “My view is every year the team’s different and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room rather than having a designation. Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual.”
40 years and counting
The Mets have alternated between making and missing the playoffs during Cohen's tenure. New York made the playoffs in 2022, then missed in 2023 with an underperforming group that led to the unloading of star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the trade deadline.
Disappointment returned last season after the Mets lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. New York's most recent World Series title came in 1986.
“About not winning? Yeah, I’m annoyed,” Cohen said. “I’m absolutely annoyed. Every year that goes by, I get frustrated. I’m really committed to this team. I know how much the fans care. I know we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1986, and that’s just too long.”
Looming labor situation
Asked about the big-spending Dodgers, Cohen said he had no problem with their approach, while drawing laughter from reporters by saying the billionaire hedge-fund manager could spend big, too.
Cohen also didn't sound opposed to a salary cap, which figures to be the primary point of contention during collective bargaining talks that could jeopardize the 2027 season.
“Obviously, I’m listening to all the arguments,” Cohen said. “But I’ve always been a league-first owner. So I’m listening to all the sides and I haven’t made up my mind yet. We’ll see where it goes. Sometimes I put the league’s interests above my own interests.”
Tuckered out
Although the Mets pivoted with the signing of Bichette and the trade for Peralta, they thought they were going to land the biggest prize in free agency before four-time All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker signed with those free-spending Dodgers.
“I’m competitive,” Cohen said. “When you’re actually making a bid and you decide you want that player, you don’t want to lose, like anything else. And then you get over it, and then you move on. It’s sort of like in my business. I have a bad trading day, all right, I move on to the next day, and then the next day's better.”
More investment
The Mets are set to break ground on a player development complex at their spring training home in Port St. Lucie. The 55,000-square-foot facility will include locker space, a training room, therapy pools and a dining facility.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Tuesday morning AEDT to put his side into the Super Eights and leave Australia on the brink of elimination.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game was the most-viewed contest in 15 years.
The game, which was aired on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, averaged 8.8 million viewers, NBC said in a press release Monday. It was the largest audience for the midseason event since 2011.
Viewership peaked at 9.8 million views from 7-7:15 p.m. ET as the Team USA Stars beat Team World in Los Angeles, Calif., at the Los Angeles Clippers‘ new Intuit Dome.
This year’s edition featured the highly anticipated U.S. vs. World format, which saw two U.S. teams and one world squad compete in a four-game round-robin tournament. The Stars, led by eventual MVP Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, won the tournament.
The game also topped last year’s viewership by 87%. It was the first NBA All-Star Game on NBC since 2002.
The path to the big leagues hasn't changed for Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones -- he's entered another spring training blocked by a group of veteran outfielders recognized as everyday starters.
But the slim chance of reaching the majors once camp breaks isn't lost on the 24-year-old slugger.
In spite of the obstacles in his way, Jones realizes the opportunity to wear pinstripes in 2026 also rides upon clear progression, wherever his season begins.
"The biggest focus for me this spring is to focus on the little things I do well," he said Monday in Tampa. "Between hitting the ball, playing good defense, and stealing bases, I'm just going to try to be the best athlete I can be every day."
Jones' stock has fluctuated in recent years, largely due to alarming swing-and-miss habits. He struck out 37 percent of the time across 122 games with Double-A Somerset in 2024, and the contact troubles caused his external value to plummet.
But the 6-foot-7, 240-pound lefty discovered new power in a breakout 2025 campaign, leading all of MiLB in home runs (35) between stints with Double-A and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Overall, he slashed .274/.362/.571 with 80 RBI and an OPS of .932.
Jones credited swing alterations to the boost in his production, and he spent the entire offseason refining his plate approach even further. He believes the changes in the batter's box will "pay off."
"The plan is to stick with [the adjustments] the whole season," Jones said. "I feel like I'm progressing well. I know the organization values me and I've had success. It's only a matter of time... I'm very confident. I'm very excited for this coming year and to show people what I can do."
While the Yankees were reluctant to move Jones as a trade chip last summer, it's unclear when -- or if -- he'll make his MLB debut with the club.
The odds of Jones or Jasson Dominguez battling for the Opening Day job in left field took a huge hit when the Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger, and manager Aaron Boone addressed that topic just a few weeks ago.
"The reality is that [the outlook] does change," Boone said. "We got Cody right back in the center of the mix and [Trent Grisham] back. That maybe complicates some things for [Jones and Dominguez], but we also know what potentially outstanding players they are going to be in this league."
Entering his age-25 season, Jones fell short of appearing on MLB Pipeline and Baseball America's preseason Top 100 Prospects lists for 2026.
Kendrick Perkins if the NBA is ready for life after LeBron James:
“Is the NBA ready for life after LeBron? Hell no. Hell no. They’re not…. We come on television every damn day and if LeBron James played the night before, we gonna talk about LeBron James the next day”
“Is the NBA ready for life without LeBron?” Perkins asked. “Hell no. Hell no.”
The former NBA champ explained for over two minutes on ESPN’s morning show that the league will suffer for a multitude of reasons if James calls it quits after this season.
LeBron James consistently drew the loudest cheers at during Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images
“When you just go and look at his social media following, we’re talking about over 200-million-plus followers,” Perkins said. “Name me another athlete that’s coming close — or another basketball player, should I say — that’s coming close to that. We can’t.
“When you talk about packing out arenas on the road, LeBron James does that in every arena that they pull up in that’s not in [LA’s] Crypto.com. He’s been doing that for the last two-plus decades.”
Perkins also said James helps lift jersey and sneaker sales, and with a squeaky-clean off-court résumé, he’s a great role model, too.
James, who is 41 years old, is currently in the final year of his Lakers contract. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Do a lot of these guys, like a Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Edwards — do they have potential?” Perkins asked. “Absolutely. But let’s not sit up here and take for granted at all what this man has been through and what he has done.
“Hell, we come on television every damn day, and if LeBron James played the night before, damn it, we going to talk about LeBron James the next day.”
James has been in the NBA since 2003, and despite now being 41 years old, he’s still playing at an elite level, averaging 22 points per contest.
But speculation that he might retire this year has grown louder than ever, particularly after he wouldn’t commit to at least one more season while being peppered with questions about his future before Sunday’s All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in LA’s Inglewood.
Despite his advancing years, James is still averaging 22 points per game. NBAE via Getty Images
“When I know, you guys will know,” James said of his basketball plans beyond 2026. “I don’t know. I have no idea.
“I just want to live, that’s all,” he added
James is currently in the final year of his contract with the Lakers, and if the star athlete opts for retirement instead of re-upping with Los Angeles or playing elsewhere, it’s clear Perkins thinks the entire landscape of the NBA will be drastically altered.
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Feb 11, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1), forward Keldon Johnson (3), and guard De'Aaron Fox (4) celebrate as the clock expires against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!
Week 16: The Spurs avoided a series of trap games for their first undefeated week since December, beginning with an Oklahoma City Thunder team that was both injured and “load managing” on the second night of a back-to-back and had none of their top 7 players available, followed by an away/home mini-series against a depleted Mavs team that was waiting for trade assets to become available. In the first two games — against OKC and at Dallas — the Spurs were a little complacent but kept both teams at arm’s length the entire time before exploding at home in the second game against a more complete Mavs team, riding a historic 40-12-12 triple-double from Stephon Castle to a blowout victory.
In a scheduling quirk resulting from the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, the Spurs began their annual Rodeo Road Trip playing in the home of the Lakers for the third time this season. Again facing a depleted team, with Luka Doncic out with a hamstring injury and LeBron James and Austin Reaves load managing on the second night of a back-to-back, Victor Wembanyama left little doubt who was the best player on the floor, scoring a historic 25 points in the first 8 minutes of the game, 37 in the first half, and 40 overall before getting extended second-half rest in a rare wire-to-wire blowout victory.
AGAIN facing a depleted team, with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both out injured, the Spurs initially looked like a tired team on the second night of a back-to-back, out step defensively and getting down by as much as 16 in the the third quarter. However, in a familiar trend from recent weeks, they weathered the storm before flipping the switch in the final 18 minutes, ramping up their defensive intensity while attacking the Warriors down low on offense, making a surging comeback to win their sixth straight game and enter the All-Star break as the hottest team in the league.
All-Star Weekend moment: We can finally say it: the Spurs are ranked above a team they beat four times this season.
Mitch Johnson, coaching the veteran USA Stripes, delivered some of the week’s best pre-All-Star sound — openly wondering why San Antonio had only one All-Star despite strong results against star-laden opponents, and arguing that if De’Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle weren’t All-Stars, Victor Wembanyama should be leading the MVP race.
Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all still on their rookie contracts, and the team has a real chance to finish second in the loaded West.
So, this aim for the team may seem a little nitpicky.
But if Castle (28.8 percent from three this season) and Harper (25.2 percent) enter the playoffs shooting like they are right now, defenses are going to completely ignore them and make life a lot more difficult for every Spur sharing the floor with them.
There isn’t enough time for either to fix their outside shots between now and the postseason, but giving them plenty of opportunities to try should be a priority. Opposing defenses are going to give them opportunities to hit big shots. They’ll at least need the confidence to hit them.
Coming up: Thurs. 2/19 vs. Phoenix Suns* (32-23); Sat. 2/21 vs. Sacramento Kings* (12-44)
* at the Moody Center in Austin
Prediction: 2-0 — For once, the Spurs were able to align their two games in Austin with the Rodeo Road Trip to give them a bit of respite from traveling (although a five-game road trip still awaits afterwards). They’ll be relatively fresh and motivated after a big showing at All-Star weekend, where they were well represented but left wanting coming up short in nearly every event (outside of Carter Bryant in the Rising Stars Challenge). First is a rematch with a Suns team (and possible future playoff opponent) that had their number early in the season but will be missing Dillon Brooks, who will be suspended for receiving his 16th technical of the season. (It’s a little early for that, don’t you think?!) Next will be a directionless Kings team that may have a motivated DeMar DeRozan, who tends to show out against his former teams but otherwise won’t have enough if the Spurs show up.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — There is no grudge, no animosity, no hard feelings.
All Xavier Booker has to do to make sure is check his phone.
That’s where he’ll find friendly text messages from Michigan State’s Coach Tom Izzo. Some light scrolling will reveal congratulatory messages from other Michigan State Spartans staffers after the big man put together the best game of his college career earlier this month.
UCLA forward Xavier Booker during the NCAA college basketball game against Oregon, Dec 2025, in Los Angeles. AP
That he did it for the UCLA Bruins didn’t bother anyone.
Everybody understood that it was time for a new position and a new school after Booker’s two underwhelming seasons as a Spartan.
“Most nights, you are going to play somebody who is just as strong as you or stronger,” said UCLA’s Booker. Getty Images
“It was definitely a little sad,” Booker told the California Post of his departure. “But we kind of all knew what it was and we all came to an agreement.”
Booker will return to the Breslin Center on Tuesday night as a different player, the changes going well beyond a blue-and-gold uniform.
He’s playing center now, starting for the Bruins. That means there’s less lingering on the perimeter and considerably more manning the middle, fighting for rebounds and serving as the last line of defense. Booker still has permission to shoot 3s, his 41.5% accuracy from long-range ranking as the fourth-best percentage on the team.
It hasn’t been the easiest of transitions, with the converted power forward sometimes struggling to hold his own at a wiry 6 feet 11 and 250 pounds.
“Most nights, you are going to play somebody who is just as strong as you or stronger,” said Booker, who is on the way to setting career highs across the board with averages of 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game. “It’s definitely been an adjustment, but I have been getting better every day.”
A reminder of his unique talent came when he made all four 3-pointers and 10 of 11 shots against Rutgers, dominating from beyond and inside the arc. His best moments are when he’s super active, using his elite athleticism and 7-foot-5-inch wingspan to protect the rim and snag rebounds.
Bruins head coach Mick Cronin during the game against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Feb. 14. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
So how has Booker gone about increasing his?
“He’s got a little bald guy chasing him up and down the court in practice,” Cronin cracked, referring to himself, “and I try to tell him every day, ‘You’ll decide your fate in basketball.’”
His future seemed more assured a few years ago, when Booker arrived as the highest-rated high school prospect of Izzo’s three decades at Michigan State. Growing up, he had spent more time on the wing than under the basket before a massive growth spurt in high school.
Even with an almost mythical combination of size and skill, Booker never found a rhythm as a Spartan. On a roster stocked with centers, he mostly played power forward. As a sophomore, he went from starting the first three games to out of the rotation during the team’s final three games in the NCAA tournament.
A departure seemed inevitable.
“We had meetings about it and an almost tearful departure, if you want the truth,” Izzo said at Big Ten media day. “But I just didn’t get his motor going like I needed to.”
Cronin pitched Booker on moving to center as part of a career reboot. The thinking was that this was his most likely path to a spot on an NBA roster. What sparked the idea was Cronin watching Booker produce 12 points and seven rebounds while playing the five during a victory over North Carolina early last season.
“He said the UNC game,” Booker said, “was all he needed to see.”
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg drives to the basket against Booker in Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 14. AP
Many wondered how Cronin could unlock a better version of Booker, given the coach’s similarities to Izzo in terms of a snarling demeanor and prioritization of defense.
The concerns have proven valid, Booker nearly falling out of the rotation last month. But Booker said UCLA’s coaching staff has continued to back him, even before a revitalizing nine-point, four-rebound, three-block performance during an upset of then-No. 4 Purdue.
“The coaches, they all still instill a lot of faith and they believe in me, so they’re on me every day and I just take it, I don’t ever take anything the wrong way,” Booker said. “I just take everything they say with a positive outlook and just try to get better.”
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Motivation won’t be an issue against the Spartans, even if there figures to be plenty of handshakes and hugs. Booker said he still talks to guard Jeremy Fears Jr., his former roommate, nearly every week.
“Definitely going to reconnect with some of the guys there probably before the game or after,” Booker said. “But the main thing is just coming out of there with a win, that’s what I want most.”
Of course, his old pals want the same thing. This could be one day when his phone doesn’t buzz with pleasantries from his former coach.
“I told him I’ll pull hard for him,” Izzo said, “all but one game a year.”
Michigan (24-1) took over the top spot in the poll on Monday, Feb. 16, and has won 10 consecutive games since dropping its only game this season against Wisconsin on Jan. 10. Nine of its wins during the win streak have been by double digits, outside of its 75-72 win over No. 9 Nebraska.
Arizona not only fell out of the No. 1 ranking, but fell behind Michigan, No. 3 Houston and No. 4 Duke after its back-to-back-losses. Elsewhere, Purdue jumped five spots to No. 7 in the update, ahead of the Boilermakers' top 10 showdown against No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 17.
Here's a look at the updated men's college basketball USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for Feb. 16:
FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 16: A detail view of the jersey of Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins prior to a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox on March 16, 2025 at the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers have reported, optimism is in the air, and the first spring training game is this Saturday! Baseball is upon us, and in less than two months, it’ll be Opening Day, and we can enjoy cheap drinks, courtesy of the Twins. All is well in Twins Territory. (besides…y’know, everything else surrounding the team).
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
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How can you not be romantic about Twinkie Town Movie Night? Many thanks to James Fillmore for organizing our Friday movie nights. We’ve got Back to the Future III coming up this week!
Arizona’s reign as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is over for now. After five weeks at the top, the Wildcats took their first two losses of the season, losing their hold on the Big 12 lead as well.
Michigan reclaims the No. 1 ranking, the unanimous choice after the Wolverines extended their current winning streak to 10. Houston, now alone atop the Big 12, climbs to No. 2. Duke vaults to third as Arizona falls to No. 4. Connecticut continues to round out the top five.
It was a mixed week for Iowa State, which drops two positions to No. 6 but picked up a convincing bounce-back win against red-hot Kansas. Purdue leaps back into the top 10 at No. 7, a gain of five positions. Gonzaga, Nebraska and Illinois round out the top 10.
Kansas slips to No. 12 behind Florida, whose late charge continues with another three-spot gain. Texas Tech also moves up three places to No. 13 after beating Arizona on the road.
Virginia checks in a slot higher at No. 14, but a couple other ranked ACC squads weren’t as fortunate as North Carolina tumbles seven places to No. 20 and Clemson takes a six-position fall to No. 24.
Wisconsin, nudges into the poll at No. 25, replacing fellow Big Ten member Iowa.
ALLENTOWN, PA - JUNE 10: Andrew Painter #16 of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs pitches during the game between the Worcester Red Sox and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Olivia Damato/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
With spring training opening up this week, many people are going to start remembering that baseball is about to begin. Hearing the pitchers and catcher popping mitts again is always the best sound reminder that we have that our blessed game is around the corner and soon after that, position players will return.
Then we’ll have actual games!
As always, whenever a new season begins, there are new storylines to follow that will have a rather sizeable impact on how the season could possibly play out. The major ones have already been talked about in other formats – the health of Zack Wheeler, the happiness of Bryce Harper. Instead of simply rehashing them, let’s talk about a little more niche things to keep an eye on once practices and games start to begin.
How does Jose Alvarado look?
There has been a lot of complaining this offseason about the Phillies not making enough changes to a roster that has failed to return to the World Series since making in 2022. Some of it is fair, some of it eyebrow raising. Yet something that has been overlooked is that their bullpen is suddenly, at least on paper, one of the better overall units in the game. They have a lot of pitchers that can get outs by themselves via the strikeout and can do so from the right side. It has been a weakness of theirs the last few years, to have few right handed options that could get outs without having to rely on the defense.
Yet one of their offseason moves involved trading Matt Strahm to Kansas City, weakening themselves from the left handed side in the process. They boasted three left handed pitchers in the bullpen that were all quite good, so trading Strahm represented a belief that the other two returnees – Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks – will be good enough to withstand the loss of Strahm.
That does put a target on Alvarado’s back to regain his form from early 2025.
We know that he was suspended for 81 games last year due to a failed PED test, which makes that success a bit more suspect. He repeatedly said it was a tainted weight loss supplement that he took, which caused him to fail. When he did return, he didn’t look right at all and needed to be shut down for the rest of the season with an elbow issue.
That return from injury is all the more important considering the sudden lack of left handed depth they have in the bullpen. In Alvarado’s absence, Strahm stepped up and had an excellent season while Banks filled in to become one of Rob Thomson’s more trusted relievers towards the end of the season. Strahm is now gone, which leaves just the pair at the major league level. They have other options on minor league deals like Tim Mayza, Kyle Backhus and Genesis Cabrera, but it’s not exactly the same as having the trio the Phillies had to begin 2025.
What Alvarado looks like this spring will go a long way easing that anxiety that they don’t have enough. There are legitimate questions around him: how is his velocity? What kind of shape is he in? The answers to these questions need to be positive. Otherwise, there might be some issues.
What does Andrew Painter’s fastball look like?
Painter’s 2025 was something of a disappointment, depending on how one chooses to view it. From a health standpoint, he was able to get through the entire season healthy, without much of a setback, so that has to be considered a success. Production, on the other hands, was lacking. He just did not come back from his surgery and dominate in the way many thought a prospect of his caliber should. A lot of that is likely because of his fastball. Matt Winkelman put it best:
The problems start with Painter’s four seam fastball. Once an elite pitch before the injury, it was a liability by the end of the season. Predictably for a pitcher ramping back up from not pitching for two years, he gradually lost a little bit of velocity month over month. His arm slot also changed, and it led to less vertical movement. Since Painter’s height is never going to give him good attack angle on the pitch, the loss of movement led to it being very hittable in the strike zone. The problem seemed to also get worse when he introduced a sinker to his arsenal midway through the season. If Painter’s 4-seam fastball is not going to be as dynamic as it was in 2022, the sinker will help him get weak contact in the zone and is a good addition to his arsenal. If the Phillies can clean up his arm slot and find consistency between the two different fastball shapes, it won’t return it to being a dominant pitch, but it will prevent it from being a liability.
It’s going to be something to watch with Painter as the spring progresses. If he does not have that power fastball back, he’s going to have to rely on contact more than he should, which could lead to baseballs being hit into places where fielders are not occupying the space. It’s so important for pitchers in the modern game to be able to get outs via the strikeout and it really does start with the fastball.
For Andrew Painter, it could be very important.
How is Justin Crawford faring against major league pitching?
It would be one thing for Crawford to find lots of success when he’s having that success in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Those are the ones where the big league pitchers have gone home, gone to stretch, gone to run and the minor league options are on the mound in auditions for their organization. Considering that he has had a good amount of success against these kinds of hitters, were Crawford to replicate it during spring training, it shouldn’t be surprising.
Instead, it would be more indicative of where his level is when we see him face major league pitching. How Crawford fares against major league pitching when he gets a chance to face them is going to be crucial to see if he is truly ready to make the leap the major leagues. The team has more or less anointed him as their center fielder to begin the season, likely putting him lower in the order to lessen the burden on his production. So, it would be more productive to make sure he is hitting at or near the top of the order when games start so that he gets a chance to face that major league hitting as often as possible. Things are going to be complicated a bit when scores of pitchers he would otherwise face during Grapefruit League games head out for WBC preparation, but there will still be some that remain in their various camps. Rob Thomson and company should make sure that Crawford is seeing these pitchers as much as possible to make sure he is as accustomed to them as can be. It’s not the same thing, of course, but it’ll be the closest the team can get to major league quality pitching.
Pedro Javier Ramirez is 21 years old and won’t be 22 until April Fool’s Day, which he will most likely spend in Iowa. He has a chance to reach The Show to start the year, but it’s a relatively small chance and he can likely use the time to hone his craft.
In five years, Ramirez has risen through the Cubs system, starting at Myrtle Beach, where he was a Pelican, and moving on to South Bend and Knoxville. He sports a lifetime MiLB slash of .291/.362/.412, which is not bad at all. He has decent wheels, having stolen 86 bases during his time in the organization, and boasts a .774 OPS, again, not bad. He strikes out a bit but in general gets good wood on the ball with a level stroke — his power is limited but he looks to have an MLB future, perhaps as a utility man with starter upside.
He’s a little guy — 5’9”, 165. Unlikely that he’ll develop any more than 10-homer power, but you never know. He can flash some glove — I’ve seen him play a little, and no doubt Josh could tell you more, and probably has, but his time is next year and beyond, I’d say. He does play third, short, and second base, though his numbers have a heavy middle-infield sort of lean.
We’ll have to see how he develops, along with tomorrow’s featuree James Triantos, and the Cubs will have to determine whether they are kept in-house or dealt for other players. Both have room to grow.
But… this bears repeating. Ramirez’ glove is for real and his bat does have life to it.
Stunning ton by Pathum Nissanka seals hosts’ run chase
Australia need Ireland to beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday
Australia could be out of the T20 World Cup before they even play their final first round group match after a stunning fightback by Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Returning captain Mitch Marsh and a revived Travis Head looked to have set Australia on course for a victory that would have kept their tournament hopes alive as they smashed a century-plus opening stand at more than two-runs-a-ball.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 09: A Cincinnati Reds mascot stands on the field beofre the game between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on September 09, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Aaron Doster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sheng-En Lin claimed the #19 spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, doing so after finally getting shifted to a pitch-only player after having previously been considered a two-way prospect. The results were quite good on the mound as he reached Class-A Daytona, and the hope now is that as he focuses solely on the mound that he’ll continue to improve and refine his already talented approach.
Now, we take the voting into the final spot, with #20 next up on the list!
Per usual, you can find the link to the Google Form for voting right here, yet it’s also embedded at the bottom if you want to read through first and not have to embark upon the painstaking process of scrolling all the way back up here. Both link and embed will be removed once voting closes so you can’t stuff the ballot post facto, however, so be advised that this paragraph will make zero sense if you stumble back across it a year from now.
Here’s how the list has materialized so far:
Sal Stewart
Alfredo Duno
Rhett Lowder
Hector Rodriguez
Edwin Arroyo
Cam Collier
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
Chase Petty
Arnaldo Lantigua
Jose Franco
Zach Maxwell
Leo Balcazar
Adolfo Sanchez
Carlos Jorge
Aaron Watson
Julian Aguiar
Tyler Callihan
Sheng-En Lin
A large list of talented names exists below for spot #20. Have at it with the votes!
Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term
Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing
The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.
The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.
It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.
Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League
Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)
Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph
Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.
Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.
He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.
Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi
Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix
Cons: Lack of experience
Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.
The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.
Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.
Mason Neville, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.333/.442 with 1 HR, 2 SB in 90 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .290/.429/.724 with 26 HR, 9 SB in 280 PA with University of Oregon
Pros: 60-grade power with potential plus arm and plus speed & baserunning; chance to stick in CF, though still profiles as a solid RF if moved to the corner; led Division I with 26 HR in final season at Oregon
Cons: Lots of swing and miss in his game, at times, including a 34.4% rate in his short sample with Daytona
The Reds clearly love Neville, as they drafted him in the 18th round out of high school 2022 only to watch him initially attend the University of Arkansas. After transferring to Oregon and swatting more dingers than anyone else in 2025, the Reds went back to him in the 4th round of the most recent draft.
Neville is incredibly toolsy, his left-handed swing producing significant power when he makes contact. He’s good at working walks despite his swing-and-miss proclivities, and posesses the kind of athleticism and speed to be a legitimate CF.
His tiny sample with Daytona has some red flags with the Ks, but it’s such a small sample that it’s hard to take it with too much certainty. For instance, he hit .298/.365/.526 through his first 17 games there only to go 2 for 20 with 9 Ks across his final 6 games – that could, and likely is, all small-sample noise.
Big tools, that Neville. He could well be the steal of the 2025 draft.
Ricky Cabrera, 3B (21 years old)
2025 at a glance: .187/.276/.240 with 0 HR, 0 SB in 89 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Above-average power, speed, and hit tool, with an arm that’s good enough to play at 3B (if he can find his accuracy)
Cons: An absolutely lost 2025 season that included a season-ending knee injury
The optimist in you sees that Cabrera only just turned 21 years old in October, and in 2024 posted a 110 wRC+ with 11 HR and 19 SB in the pitcher-friendly confines of the Florida State League with Daytona (with said wRC+, along with his OPS, both ranking among that league’s top 10). That same optimist probably would point out that 2025 saw the Venezuela native play in the cold April weather of the Midwest League with Dayton for the first time, and he struggled mightily in those new conditions before a knee injury rendered his 2025 completely lost.
There’s still a lot to like about Cabrera, even though he’s physically matured off shortstop at this juncture and likely profiles as a 3B, or potentially at 2B defensively – with his defense needing just as much improvement as his bat at the moment, too. If the batting cage stuff can begin to translate onto the field again post-injury, there’s still a ton to like about the former $2.7 million signee and Top 5 overall international prospect from the 2022 class.
I’m assuming there is no pessimist in you, for now.
Hansel Jimenez, SS/3B (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: .269/.374/.445 with 5 HR, 12 SB in 147 PA for DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League); .229/.345/.364 with 4 HR, 3 SB in 142 PA for Sydney Blue Sox (Australian Baseball League)
Pros: 70 grade raw power (per FanGraphs) with potential to be a plus runner, fielder, and have a plus arm
Cons: Potential swing and miss issues (25.9% K-rate in the DSL, 64% contact rate); may end up at 3B long term
Signed for an undisclosed amount during the 2024 international signing period, Jimenez has immediately hit the ground running in prospect circles with his mix of potentially elite athleticism and batted-ball metrics that jump right off the page.
After dabbling in DSL play in 2024 at age 17 (6 for 14 with a double and 4 steals in 5 G), he repeated that level in 2025 and more than held his own with an .820 OPS. Those solid surface stats hide his pretty monumental 45% hard-hit rate, 106 mph EV90, and maximum exit velocity of 113 mph – all numbers posted by an 18 year old. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs has him ranked 12th (right behind Tyson Lewis) and notes the multiple similarities between the two, though Jimenez is a full year younger.
