Category: Sports News

With the Super Bowl tonight, I got to thinking. Which Washington Nationals players could be NFL players? There are a lot of really good athletes on this team, so I had plenty of options. However, I settled on four players. Three of them are currently in the organization, while one is no longer with the Nats. 

The four players are Elijah Green, Trea Turner, CJ Abrams and Joey Wiemer. All of them are absolutely freakish athletes that would fit in on an NFL field. All of them have positions on the field that would suit them as well. Without further ado, let’s get into it. 

Elijah Green has struggled due to hit tool issues in pro ball, but the former top 5 pick might be the freakiest athlete of the four. He is 6’3 225 pounds with an elite blend of power and speed. Football is also in his blood, with his dad Eric being a pro bowl Tight End back in the day. 

When you look at him running, you can just picture him being a big safety or a sideline to sideline linebacker. Green is just a freakish mover for his size. There is actually a player in the Super Bowl with a similar combination of size and speed. That is Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori.

Green and Emmanwori have very similar measurables. They are both 6’3, but Emmanwori is 5 pounds lighter at 220 pounds. Emmanwori has been a key part of the Seahawks defense as a rookie. He has been a highly versatile defensive back who specializes playing in the slot. Green has the same sort of movement skills. Given his struggles in pro ball, this could honestly be something to consider.

The only former Nat I put on the list is Trea Turner. You just could not make a list of potential NFL players with Nationals connections without him. Even at 32 years old, Turner is still one of the fastest players in the league. He is also incredibly smooth and fluid as an athlete.

All of those things would make him a great wide receiver. At 6’1 185 pounds, he would probably have to bulk up a bit though. However, if he put on another 10 pounds, his measurables would be similar to Seahawks star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN is listed at 6’0 197 pounds. Turner is 6’1 185 pounds, so not too far off.

I actually think Turner is a bit faster than JSN. However, Smith-Njigba’s route running is what makes him special. Obviously, Turner would not be that level of route runner, but his speed and overall movement skills would make him a good receiver.

To stop elite receivers like JSN, you need lockdown cornerbacks. This is where I think CJ Abrams could thrive. A lot of the best corners are on the leaner side like Abrams. They rely on their speed and ability to turn and run. Abrams certainly has that ability to run, as we see on the basepaths.

At 6’0 191 pounds, he also just looks like a cornerback. He is a very similar size to former Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who is 6’0 185 pounds. Both also have dynamic movement skills and speed.

You can just picture Abrams running with receivers and matching them step for step. While he is not on the list, Jacob Young also has the natural athleticism to be one of the rare white cornerbacks. Cooper DeJean showed us it could be done. Maybe in another life, Young could have followed that career path. 

Finally, the last player I am going to talk about is not as well-known and is new to the Nationals. The Nats claimed Joey Wiemer off of waivers earlier this winter. They did so because of his defense, athleticism and power. He does not have great hitting ability, but he is a tremendous athlete. Wiemer can make highlight reel plays in the outfield.

At 6’4 226 pounds, Wiemer is an impressive physical specimen. With that size, he could play linebacker in the NFL. Fred Warner, the best linebacker in football, is a similar size at 6’3 230 pounds. Wiemer’s size and speed would make him a formidable backer in the league. He probably has the frame to add about 10 pounds if he really wanted to play football as well.

There are a lot of really high level athletes who have played in the Nats organization. Many of them would not look out of place on an NFL field if that was what they decided to pursue instead of baseball. Maybe we could have seen CJ Abrams trying to guard Trea Turner in another life.

I am very excited to watch the Super Bowl and watch these amazing athletes. Who do you guys think will win tonight? Also, do you think I left off any Nationals players who could have been NFL stars if they played football? Let me know in the comments.

If you had to point to one area leading to the Mets’ dramatic collapse last season, it would be the starting rotation. 

A group that started the year consistently putting together quality innings completely faltered off down the stretch, and found themselves costing the team more often than not.

After disappointingly failing to make the playoffs, David Stearns knew he had to fix that weak spot this offseason. 

He ended up making just one addition to that group, but it was certainly a big one. 

After months of searching, New York was able to land the top of the rotation arm they’ve been looking for, landing two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta in a deal with the Brewers last month. 

They did have to pay a hefty price, parting with top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, but it's certainly worth it to bring in an arm of Peralta's caliber. 

The hope is with him and Nolan McLean leading the way, their veterans bouncing back, and some of the other young arms chipping in, this rotation will be able to turn things around. 

Some feel another addition is needed, but the organization is said to be encouraged by what they've seen from Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga this offseason after they struggled mightily in an injury-plagued campaign. 

Whether or not it'll be enough to pitch this team back into contention remains to be seen.  

On paper, though, Peralta and Clay Holmes like how this group is shaping up. 

“I’m excited to see what we’re going to bring this season, I see a lot of talent,” Peralta said in Port St. Lucie. 

“It’s a great mix,” Holmes added. “We have exciting young guys that can really help us, we have guys coming back who have done things before and it’s just a matter of being those players -- we all have a hunger and desire to really push this team, and to come together as a rotation and truly reach our potential."

You can see that hunger and desire early on. 

Peralta, Holmes, Senga, and McLean are among a group of Mets who have been spotted at camp early. 

Pitchers and catchers officially report to PSL on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

Some players show up to the big leagues just in time to win a championship, or two, or more. Many, many more completely miss the boat. Fritz Peterson was a reliable left-handed pitcher who despite his strong nine-year tenure in the Bronx worthy of a spot on our Top 100 Yankees countdown never appeared in a World Series with them. His career began four years after their most recent title, and three years before the next.

If Peterson had been part of a championship team or three, perhaps he wouldn’t be mostly remembered for an incident which made him tabloid-fodder in 1972: a consensual partner-swap between himself and teammate Mike Kekich. If anyone was going to laugh about the uproar which ensued, though, it would be Peterson, whose congeniality endeared him to writers and teammates alike.

Fred Ingles Peterson
Born: February 8, 1942 (Chicago, IL)
Died: October 19, 2023 (Winona, MN)
Yankees Tenure: 1966-74

Peterson grew up outside Chicago and remained in the state of Illinois for college after a solid high school career. With the Northern Illinois Huskies, Peterson honed his craft on the mound—while playing some hockey on the side. He began to seek professional offers after his junior year in 1963, two years before the advent of the MLB draft. He fully intended to sign with the Yankees, and in July, he got his wish.

The Yankees, of course, had just won the World Series in 1962 and 1961, and were on their way to appear in a third consecutive Fall Classic. While the Dodgers swept them that year, and the Cardinals dealt them a bitter defeat in seven games in 1964, it seemed like young Fritz had a great chance to taste championship glory in the Bronx.

By the time he made his debut, though, the dynasty had crumbled. The Yanks lost 85 games and tumbled to sixth place in the American League in ’65, and would finish dead last in ’66, even as Peterson came up and logged a solid rookie year. The southpaw pitched a complete game in his first start, limiting the Orioles to two runs on six hits in a 3-2 victory. He went on to post a 3.31 ERA in 34 starts—good for a 100 ERA+ in a very pitcher-friendly run environment.

Fritz took a minor step back in 1967 in another cellar-dweller season before enjoying a successful 1968—as most pitchers did, frankly. But a 2.55 ERA in 1969 after the lowering of the mound proved he was for real, even as he traded wins and losses at an even rate (17-16).

Peterson was a control maven who avoided walks like the plague. He posted a WHIP of 0.996 in ‘69, the best mark in the AL. That season was the second of five consecutive in which he led either the AL or all of baseball in walks-per-nine innings. Since Peterson rarely let a man reach base for free, his starts tended to fly by. “I like to pitch fast and get the game over so I can find out who won,” Peterson once said, showcasing the sharp wit which made him even more popular among writers than his expediency did.

Ahead of the 1969 season, the Yankees traded outfielder Andy Kosco to the Dodgers for reliever Mike Kekich. This seemingly inconsequential move on paper would become a deeply important event for Peterson, who became fast friends with Kekich. Their families spent so much time together that Peterson and Kekich would joke idly about trading wives.

Well it was a joke, at first. Then it wasn’t.

By 1972, Peterson found himself in love with Kekich’s wife Susanne. In December, the Peterson and Kekich families made a one-for-one deal. The rest of the world was not thrilled.

Peterson divulged the wife swap to the media in March of 1973, drawing the ire of fans and media. A columnist derided their decision and blamed a lack of leadership from manager Ralph Houk, who had defended Peterson and Kekich. Even the commissioner of baseball, Bowie Kuhn, came down from his perch to issue an unofficial condemnation.

If, to put it in sports terms, this trade had a “winner,” it would be Peterson, whose marriage with Susanne lasted the rest of their lives. Not so for Kekich, who split up with Peterson’s first wife Marilyn only a few months later; she hadn’t been that enthused about the idea in the first place. Kekich went on the record to say that he thought the swap should have been called off shortly afterward, but the Petersons refused. It all made for an uncomfortable situation and Kekich grew estranged, doing everything he could to distance himself from the story (and a now-seemingly aborted attempt by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to make a movie about it).

Let’s skip back to a couple years before “the swap.” Peterson enjoyed the best season of his career in 1970, as the Yankees rose from mediocrity to challenge for the AL pennant. While they finished a distant second place behind 108-win Baltimore, their 93 wins were by far the most since Peterson arrived in the Bronx. Peterson, for his part, reached the 20-win total for the first and only time in his MLB career, while pitching to a 2.90 ERA in 260.1 innings. That earned him his lone trip to the Midsummer Classic; in the game, he faced Willie McCovey with the bases loaded, allowed an RBI single, and was relieved by teammate Mel Stottlemyre. The Senior Circuit won 5-4 in 12 innings.

The southpaw continued to pitch well in 1971 and 1972, but the Yankees had returned to their mediocrity, with consecutive fourth-place finishes in the AL. Following the wife-swap in December, Peterson struggled out of the gate in 1973. Fans and media naturally blamed the swap, but he had been struggling with arm fatigue and shoulder pain. In what would ultimately be his final year in pinstripes, Fritz went 8-15 with a 3.95 ERA. The Yankees finished fourth yet again.

Early in 1974, Peterson was traded to Cleveland after starting the season in the bullpen. He rebounded somewhat in 1975, then wrapped up his career after struggling with injuries and inconsistency across 13 appearances in 1976. His overall career numbers across nine seasons in New York: a 109-106 record and 3.10 ERA (106 ERA+) over 1,857 innings, with 893 strikeouts as opposed to only 332 walks. His solid career never coincided with a World Series appearance, but the Yankees would return to the Fall Classic in 1976, then win their 21st championship in 1977.

Peterson wore many hats on retirement, but started a writing career late in his life. His first book was Mickey Mantle Is Going To Heaven, released in 2009, a Ball Four-esque account of his old playing days with an Evangelical flavor. His second book, The Art of De-Conditioning: Eating Your Way to Heaven, was a more humorous account of his decision to stop watching what he ate after retiring. Finally, he wrote a more historical-minded account called When the Yankees Were on the Fritz—about the dim era of Yankees baseball which coincided with his career.

Peterson died from lung cancer in October 2023 at the age of 81, though somewhat oddly it wasn’t reported until the following April. While his exploits were largely overlooked and his career often distilled to a controversial life decision, he was a proud Yankee, even when being a Yankee wasn’t always something to be proud of.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Go Hawks!!

In Mariners news…

• James Johnston is here to remind us all that the Mariners lineup has changed a lot this offseason, and it’s all for the better.

Around the league…

• The Cespedes BBQ Boys analyzed the full WBC rosters, including how Team USA’s roster differs from 2023, and which prospects to keep an eye on in the upcoming tournament.
• Peter Abraham at the Boston Globe categorized and ranked all thirty MLB managers entering the 2026 season.
• Everyday we get further and further away from the Miami rebrand.

• Three-time World Series Champion Terrence Gore, known for kind heart, and his supreme speed that made him one of the most valued runners in the league, passed away yesterday at the age of 34.

Nick’s pick…

• A handful of neutral NFL coaches were asked to predict the Super Bowl and the Seahawks came out on top nearly every time.

Last December, we took a look back at Jared Young’s 2025. It was an uneven affair, particularly at the major league level, but much of what made him an exciting minor league signing remained true. His Triple-A damage numbers were excellent, his approach solid, and his contact metrics viable enough to make him look like a useful depth piece. What was most exciting (to me, at least) at the time was that Young seemingly had a path to more playing time in 2026 where he’d hopefully get a chance to actualize those skills at the major league level.

Needless to say, a lot has happened in the intervening months. Jorge Polanco was brought in to play first base. Bo Bichette signed to play third base in January, and then Luis Robert was acquired to play center. With Carson Benge in line to get the first shot at the left field job and neither Mark Vientos nor Ronny Mauricio traded at this point in the offseason, there’s now no clear pathway for Young to get major league playing time. Per Roster Resource, he’s slated to start the year in Triple-A.

Objectively, this is all a very good thing of course. The Mets brought in several good players—ones clearly better than Young—and now have both a stronger major league roster and intriguing depth in the minors. You’d much rather be the Mets of 2026 than the Mets of the 2010s, who lacked the resources or savvy to make these sorts of additions and wound up relying on guys like Young with nothing even resembling a backup plan.

Still, I can’t help but miss those days just a little bit. There was something special, magical even, in the exercise of convincing ourselves that this washed up veteran or that former top prospect would work out, and that the Mets were geniuses were for scooping them up. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the state of the world around us, or perhaps it’s simply succumbing to nostalgia; whatever the root cause, I long on some level for that special blend of delusion and hope unique to going all in as a fan on this sort of player.

Overtly philosophical commentary aside, Young is set to play a similar role this season to last. He’ll likely have a narrow window of opportunity before the upper minors prospects—Ryan Clifford, Jacob Reimer, A.J. Ewing—push him even further down the depth chart. I for one will continue to delude myself into believing he’ll work out, and I hope he gets a chance to prove me right.

I have been enjoying seeing our site vote for their top 20 Guardians’ prospects. Allow me to join in on the fun by offering my own thoughts for the top 20 players in a loaded Guardians’ system entering 2026.

First, let me clarify that I am not presenting these as any more valid than our site’s voting or even than the rankings our writers and commenters might present. I offer my rankings based on my observations, my reading, and my analysis of available statistics.

20. Daniel Espino, RHP, 25 years old, appeared in Columbus to end the season.
Analysis: It’s the last time one can conceivably have Espino on this list unless this is the year he makes it all happen and stays healthy. But, due to his IMMENSE talent and incredible work ethic, I can’t not have him just slip on, even if he seems likely to have a relief ceiling at this point. I pray we call get to see his sensational fastaball and devastating slider in the big leagues. He deserves it. We deserve it.

19. George Valera, LHH OF, 25 years old, finished in the majors
Analysis: Similarly, I can’t leave Valera off this list. Yes, there are reasons to doubt him because he whiffs and he chases and his defense is suspect. But, his personal makeup is off the charts… i.e. he got that dawg in ‘im. He also has crushed RHP every time he’s been healthy. Get him in Cleveland let him show what he’s got.

18. Yorman Gomez, RHP, 23 years old, finished at AA.
Analysis: At the age of 22 in 121 innings, Gomez put up a 2.76 FIP, a 2.96 ERA, a 10.28/3.55 K/BB% and a groundball rate of 40%. His fastball touches 97 and he sits 93-96 mph. A lot will depend on how his secondaries (a solid slider and developing curveball) grow in the year ahead, but this is a player who got added to the 40 because he has backend of the rotation or high leverage relief potential. He is only 5’11” so he is probably not going to be more than that… but this is a valuable arm, nonetheless.

17. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF, 21 years old, finished at AA.
Analysis: Rosario put up a 129 wRC+ with a 27.5/10.4 K/BB% and a reasonable .317 BABIP. This included an .860 OPS vs. LHP. He’s a corner outfielder but looks like the kind of player who may be able to provide some solid pop as a fourth outfielder/lefty masher if he continues to develop. 2026 will be a big year for him to build on his success in High-A last year and figure out Double-A, earning a promotion to Columbus and putting himself in conversations to help out in Cleveland.

16. Kahlil Watson, LHH CF, 22 years old, finished at AAA.
Analysis: Handling a switch from shortstop to centerfield with aplomb, Watson put up a 129 wRC+ with a 27.7/11.5 K/BB% last season. I am concerned over how much he chases and whiffs, given this organization’s struggle to help those types reach their potential. But, there’s definitely a decent shot that Watson ends up being a 2-win centerfielder who provides a little pop. He will likely get platooned some because he has not hit lefties well in the minors.

15. Jaison Chourio, SH CF, 20 years old, finished at A+
Analysis: Chourio had a bit of a tough 2025, putting up a 103 wRC+ and a 22.9/18.4 K/BB%, and only stealing ten bases on 17 attempts at High-A Lake County. Over the past couple seasons, his splits are about even, but it’s looking like he may be mostly a slap-hitter who puts the ball on the ground way too often (north of 50% of the time). However, the amount of contact he makes and his potential to play centerfield, combined with his youth, keep him in my top 15 for now.

14. Josh Hartle, LHP, 22 years old, finished at AA.
Analysis: Hartle had a 2.54 ERA and a 3.04 FIP with a 8.50/3.10 K/BB/%. He’s a 6’6” lefty and I really like Cleveland’s chances of getting a little more from his fastball or his cutter and pairing that with a good changeup and a solid curve could give them a mid-rotation contract, making him a depth option in the big leagues by the end of this season. He has a good demeanor on the mound, for what’s that worth.

13. Joey Oakie, RHP, 19 years old, finished at Low-A.
Analysis: A 6’3” right-hander with a lively fastball pitching a solid 24 innings at Single-A with a 2.22 ERA and an 11.47/5.55 K/BB/9, Oakie is someone every Guardians’ fan should be aware of. I think this could be a very exciting season for him in which he could put himself in the conversation to end up in Akron IF the Guardians can help him further refine his control and command.

12. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF, 22 years old, yet to play professionally
Analysis: It’s a 6’5” outfielder with potential to play centerfield who hit 50 home runs between his freshman and sophomore year at an SEC school – what more do I have to say? Ok, ok, he had a disappointing junior season, which is why the Guardians were able to draft him where they did. Now, to see if they can fix his 2025 issues and get him back to the promise of 2023-2024. If they can.. LaViolette will be in the top 3 section of this list next year. So, a bit of a mystery box here, but one worthy of a little dreaming.

11. Juneiker Caceres, LHH OF, 18 years old, finished at Low-A.
Analysis: Caceres had a 123 wRC+ and a 12.1/12.4 K/BB% between the Arizona Complex League and Lynchburg. That is very notable production for an 18 year old. He had only a 7.3% swinging-strike rate. He hits the ball hard from all reports, but not very often in the air. It’s very hard to make defensive evaluations on an 18 year-old player, but general consensus is that he’s probably a corner outfielder. He’s certainly an exciting prospect to follow, but I’m a little more “wait-and-see” on him then some others are.

10. Angel Genao, SH SS, 21 years old, finished at AA.
Analysis: Genao had some injury trouble last year and ended up with only a 103 wRC+ and 15.8/8.3 K/BB% at Akron. His primary issue is that he hits the ball on the ground almost 50% of the time. However, he’s still quite young, and he looks to be a solid fielding shortstop. He was also 6 for 6 on stolen base attempts. Hopefully, he will come out strong in Akron this season and force his way to Columbus by the end of the year with increased stolen base attempts, continued fielding improvement and more effective lifting of the baseball, distinguishing himself from folks like Angel Martinez and Brayan Rocchio who began to show cracks in the foundation at the Triple-A level. Genao’s splits as a switch-hitter have been fairly even, solid against both LHP and RHP, so that’s certainly a huge plus. If he can be a 100 wRC+ hitter who hits LHP and RHP at that level and play good defense at short, that would be a 3-4 win player. I think that’s reasonably attainable for him.

9. Cooper Ingle, LHH C, 23 years old, finished at AAA.
Analysis: Ingle had a 139 wRC+ with 16.7/16.9 K/BB% last season. He struggled at the plate at Columbus, especially at the beginning of his time there, but that’s not unusual for a 23 year-old catcher. There doesn’t seem to be much doubt that Ingle will hit in the majors, and take walks. The questions revolve around his ability to stick at catcher, with his 5’8” frame and LIMITED speed not being a great fit anywhere else (perhaps he could become a Steven Kwan clone in left if necessary?). Personally, I think he can become an adequate catcher, defensively, and his successful attempts to decrease his groundball rate and increase his fly ball rate leave me optimistic he could be a 120 wRC+ hitter… against RHP, to be clear. Ingle will likely never hit left-handed pitching well, at all.

8. Kahl Stephen, RHP, 23 years old, finished at Double-A.
Analysis: Stephen is 6’4” and had a 2.53 ERA and a 2.60 FIP with a 9.61/1.75 K/BB% last season in over 100 innings between High-A and Double-A. He does not have an overwhelming fastball but has a good slider and changeup and an excellent curve. Folks, this is the kind of pitcher who, if healthy, EXCELS in Cleveland. In my view, Cleveland traded Shane Bieber for the next Shane Bieber, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Stephen is in Cleveland starting games by the end of this season.

7. Dauri Fernandez, SH SS, 19 years old, finished at Low-A.
Analysis: In 2012 in A-ball, a smaller middle-infield, teenager put up a 145 wRC+ with a 7.7/8 K/BB% in the Guardians’ system. In 2026, a smaller, middle-infield teenager put up a 136 wRC+ with a 12.5/8 K/BB%. The first is Jose Ramirez; the second is Dauri Fernandez. Jose was not pulling balls in the air as much back then, and Dauri does a pretty good job of it aleady. Fernandez also has a better swinging strike rate than Jose did that season and better stolen base numbers (18/22 vs. Jose’s 17/24 at the same age/level). Will Fernandez be another Jose Ramirez? Almost assuredly, no. But, he could still be a very good player, and may be able to stick at shortstop, defensively. He also has amazing work ethic. He’s my pick to make several top 100 lists at this time next season.

6. Juan Brito, SH IF/OF, 24 years old, Finished at Triple-A.
Analysis: I may be the last man on the Juan Brito hype-train, but, here I stand, I can do no other. After a tough start in the cold April-May of Columbus in 2024, Brito proceeded to put up a 122 wRC+ and 15.6/13 K/BB% in Triple-A before getting hurt last season (hand and then hamstring). He hit 15 homers in 108 games (that’s a roughly 23 homer pace, for those of you counting at home). He pulls the heck out of the ball at all times and maintains a 40-45% flyball rate, while holding pretty even splits as a switch-hitter, but particularly handling lefties well. His defense is the question, where his arm is his best quality, but his range is sketchy at best. I think I agree with Keith Law that he can be an average second baseman, but he may end up getting time at first base or a corner outfield spot. In any case, I’m a believer in his bat and I think, if he’s healthy, he’ll get a chance to win a job on the Guardians in Spring Training.

5. Parker Messick, LHP, 25 years old, finished in Cleveland.
Analysis: Messick’s 3.47 ERA/3.67 FIP and 10.85/3.83 K/BB% in Columbus were impressive enough, but he followed that up with a 2.72 ERA/2.98 FIP and 8.62/1.36 K/BB% in Cleveland! Messick will probably walk more hitters than that, but I also think he’ll strike out more hitters, also. Maybe call it a 9.3/2.7 K/BB% and we are still cooking with gas for a midrotation starter. Messick clearly has the mindset of an elite competitor on the mound, also, which should not be dismissed in value.

4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/OF, 20 years old, finished at AA.
Analysis: Velazquez had a 136 wRC+ with a 19.1/9.6 K/BB% last season. It’s easy to try to contextualize those numbers – i.e. “he had a lot of bad batted ball luck to begin the season” (true) or “He put up most of his numbers in one absolutely insane series in Pennsylvania (true), but, overall, his plain and simple numbers indicate that this kid can absolutely mash the baseball, and, from all accounts, his exit velo’s say the same thing. Ralphy has hit lefties and righties well, AND, I think he is a solid corner outfielder. I know folks don’t want to hear this, but I think this is your replacement for Steven Kwan post 2026 (or earlier if things don’t go well for the Guardians but do go well for Ralphy by July).

3. Braylon Doughty, RHP, 20 years old, finished at Low-A
Analysis: As a 19 year old, Doughty put up a 3.48 ERA/2.84 FIP and 10.44/2.43 K/BB/9 at Lynchburg. Those are truly great numbers. Assuming his late-season shutdown was mostly due to innings limits and not any serious injury concerns, I think Doughty has potential to put himself tops of this list by the end of the season. He is an efficient, strike-throwing machine with an underrated fastball to pair with an excellent curveball and slider, and a good feel for commanding all his pitches and managing a gameplan. All at 19, folks. Get excited. But, also, remember… he’s a pitcher. Pray for health.

2. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF, 24 years old, finished in Cleveland
Analysis: Speaking of praying for health, when healthy last year, DeLauter put up a 128 wRC+ with a 15.4/15.4 K/BB% and an unlucky .281 BABIP. He hits the ball hard (52% of the time) and doesn’t chase (ironically!) or whiff. If this kid can just stay healthy, he is going to make a lot of Cleveland fans breathe a sigh of relief when they see him playing outfield and hitting toward the top of the Guardians’ order. He has had some uneven performances against LHP, but has hit them enough where I think he’ll be above-average there and excellent vs. RHP (130 wRC+ or better) when he’s established.

1. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B, 23 years old, finished at AAA.
Analysis: In his first full year as a professional, Bazzana had a 137 wRC+ with a 24.3/17.6 K/BB%. On the surface, those are very encouraging numbers. However, Bazzana’s slugging hanging out in the .430 range, his strikeouts being elevated from what expectations were, and his injuries (both obliques) have led to some serious doubts about his projectability being introduced. Also, fellow-2024-first-round-draft-picks Nick Kurtz (in the majors last season and incredible), Konnor Griffin (top prospect in baseall) and J.J. Wetherholt (top 10 prospect in baseball) have not helped Guardians’ fans maintain optimism about the Australian 1.1 pick. I am here to tell you to relax and trust the process. If Bazzana is healthy, I am very confident we will see growth in power and in strikeout rate reduction, which will put him on the major league roster by June. Also, I think Bazzana is Kipnis-level at second base defensively. Combined with the 130 wRC+ I think he will manage when established in the big leagues, that’s a 4-5 win player, and I learn toward him consistently putting up 5 wins for his prime.

Outside Looking In/Picks to Click: Gabriel Rodriguez, SS, Robert Arias, OF, Michael Kennedy, RHP, Andrew Walters, RHP, Rafe Schlesinger, LHP, Aaron Walton, OF, Nolan Schubert, DH/OF, Dean Curley, IF, Franklin Gomez, LHP, Austin Peterson, RHP, Jacob Cozart, C, Bennett Thompson, C, Will Hynes, RHP, Tommy Hawke, OF, and Luke Hill, 3B.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Team News

Retired D-back David Peralta fondly recalls 2017 Wild Card, not a fan of boos as Dodgerhttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/david-peralta/3610844/

Diamondbacks great Paul Goldschmidt heading back to Yankeeshttps://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/paul-goldschmidt-yankees-2/3610931/

D-backs Outfielder Joins Team Netherlands in World Baseball Classic
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/d-backs-outfielder-netherlands-world-baseball-classic-druw-jones

David Peralta Opens Up on His D-backs Career
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/david-peralta-opens-up-d-backs-career

Insider Says D-backs Manager Torey Lovullo May Be On Hot Seathttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/d-backs-manager-torey-lovullo-hot-seat

Other Baseball

Reigning MVPs, Cy Youngs among 78 All-Stars on Classic rosters
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/2026-world-baseball-classic-rosters-unveiled

World Baseball Classic roster takeaways: Team USA’s elite pitching, Puerto Rico’s missing stars, Team Brazil’s return and morehttps://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/world-baseball-classic-roster-takeaways-team-usas-elite-pitching-puerto-ricos-missing-stars-team-brazils-return-and-more-200115049.html

Terrance Gore, speedster who made mark with Royals, passes away at 34
https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/terrance-gore-passes-away

Terrance Gore, Royals postseason legend, dead at 34
https://www.royalsreview.com/royals-news-transactions-signings/93607/terrance-gore-royals-postseason-legend-dead-at-34

Former Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire returns to the franchise as special assistant to player development

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/former-athletics-first-baseman-mark-mcgwire-returns-to-the-franchise-as-special-assistant-to-player-development-163409875.html

Yasiel Puig found guilty of obstruction, lying to officialshttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47852596/ex-mlb-player-puig-guilty-obstruction-lying-officials

Mexico Red tops Mexico Green in thrilling Caribbean Series final
https://www.mlb.com/news/mexico-red-defeats-mexico-green-in-2026-caribbean-series-title-game

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/february-8

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/February_8

The Hawaiian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

The Hawaiian alphabet contains a total of five vowels that are both long and short. It also contains a total of eight consonants. Hawaii’s alphabet represents all the basic sounds and phonemes in their language. 

Giraffes cannot swim.

A giraffe can maintain its balance on land due to its gait. However, research has shown that this balance is ineffective in the water. This makes them one of the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom.

Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.

The nearest active volcanoes are located off the continent of Australia but are still within its territory. One is located on Head Island and the other on McDonald Islands. The reason why Australia does not have any active volcanoes located on the continent is that it isn’t on a plate boundary.

Spring Training is less than a week away for the San Diego Padres and once again it will not be a normal spring in Peoria, Ariz. The time has come once again for the World Baseball Classic and for the Padres players competing for their respective countries they will have a broken Spring Training. They will start in Peoria, then move onto their respective teams, and then return at the conclusion of their WBC runs. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball gives a breakdown of what the Friar Faithful can expect this spring. She included a comment from one of the longest tenured Padres, Jake Cronenworth, who said some of the San Diego players will report to camp ahead of their scheduled date in order to give them some time to bond prior to WBC players departing to join their teams. We have seen these odd schedules in seasons past for San Diego. All we can do as fans is hope it does not prevent the Padres from accomplishing their regular season and postseason goals, which includes winning a World Series title.

Padres News:

• General manager A.J. Preller has been referred to as the “Rockstar GM” in seasons past. Padres fans are hoping he can reclaim that title with a significant move to address roster needs prior to Spring Training, but there is not overwhelming confidence it will happen. A recent Padres Reacts Survey on Gaslamp Ball found 49 percent of respondents believe Preller will make a move that has a significant impact on the season prior to Spring Training.
• Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune provides readers with a breakdown of various possibilities that could take place for the Padres over the next six weeks. Some of the potential happenings listed by Acee are a new contract for Preller, a fifth starter for the rotation and the sale of the team.

Baseball News:

• Mexico Red beats Mexico Green, 12-11 in Caribbean Series Championship
• Former Kansas City Royals speedster with “blazing speed” Terrance Gore dies at 34 years old. He won World Series titles with the Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves in his eight-year career.