PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 10: Noelvi Marte #16 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have aged out of their rebuild.
This club that they put together from the draft, international signings, and prospects brought in via trade first assembled when they were mostly young, mostly inexperienced players breaking into the big leagues for the first time. That’s not at all so anymore.
Spencer Steer is now 28 and entering the fifth season in which he’ll don a Reds uniform. He played with the likes of Tommy Pham, Brandon Drury, and Donovan Solano, and has just one fewer dinger as a Red than Dmitri Young. Another 20+ homer year for him in 2026 and he’ll pass guys like Ken Griffey, Edwin Encarnacion, Austin Kearns, and Hal Morris on the team’s all-time leaderboard, and will almost certainly pass Todd Frazier and even Tucker Barnhart on the team’s all-time PA list.
Along the way, we’ve seen flashes of brilliance from a handful of these now-prime Reds. Andrew Abbott surged to a 5.6 bWAR season last year, Matt McLain kicked the doors down in his 2023 rookie year, and even TJ Friedl tossed in a nearly ~4 WAR season in 2023, too. Still, aside from Elly De La Cruz flirting with superstardom at just about every turn, we’ve not yet seen any of the players around him break out in a way that has sustained itself for a full year (or beyond), with Hunter Greene – injuries and all – being the closest thing to it.
The question today is who, if anyone, will see 2026 be the year in which they launch?
Might it be McLain, for real, now that he’s two years beyond major shoulder surgery?
Could 2026 be the year Nick Lodolo puts everything together?
Will Noelvi Marte live up to the hype now that he’s found a more cozy home in RF?
Can Sal Stewart really be as good as his minor league numbers have looked?
Sometimes, these breakouts come out of nowhere, though. That’s where Scooter Gennett came from, fresh off the scrap heap. Maybe it’s JJ Bleday now that he’s in a park that suits his strengths, the former top draft pick now in the stage of his career where he’s got to scrape and claw to get his opportunities. Maybe it’s Will Benson finally getting a bit of luck with the pitches he’s been smashing, luck that somehow eluded him all through 2025.
It could even be Tyler Stephenson, who appears to be entering 2026 with no contract extension and therefore has this as a platform year into free agency. Or, it could be the season where Elly finally wreaks havoc on his opposition for a full six months.
What say you? Which Cincinnati Red is poised for a 2026 breakout?
The Sixers have signed 23-year-old wing Dalen Terry to a two-way contract, the team announced Tuesday.
Terry was the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and spent his first three and a half professional seasons with the Bulls. He got dealt twice at this trade deadline — first to the Knicks, then to the Pelicans — before being waived by New Orleans.
Terry was known for his ability to do a little bit of everything entering the draft. Over 204 games with the Bulls, the 6-foot-6 Arizona product averaged 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.6 steals in 11.1 minutes per contest. Terry tied his career scoring high last February against the Sixers when he posted 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the Bulls’ blowout win.
“It’s sort of annoying just how it all works, that Jabari can’t play for some games here,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said last week. “ … He’s been a tremendous next-man-up type of contributor. We hope to have his services going forward, but we do have to weigh optimal use of our scarce two roster spots and against the other opportunities as well. So that’ll be written over time, whether or not we do that conversion there.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 31: Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, August 31, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Dave Dombrowski spoke on Monday to reporters about a variety of topics. Discussing the state of the pitching staff, how top prospects are expected to get playing time and other things were on the docket, but one of the main things Dombrowski talked about was Nick Castellanos. The “right fielder” and his place on the roster has been largely in doubt as soon as Adolis Garcia was brought into the fold to handle the position and Kyle Schwarber was re-upped for five more years, to say nothing of the spat he had with Rob Thomson last year when removed for a defensive replacement. However, spring training camp opens next week and still, Castellanos remains.
When Dombrowski spoke, it wasn’t hard to glean that the team is going to move on from him as soon as they can, preferably before position players have to report to camp.
“That’s our focus prior to the start of spring training,” Dombrowski said Monday. “So, that’s something that we’ll continue to work on this week.” Asked whether Castellanos will be in camp if he isn’t traded or released by the time position players are scheduled to report, Dombrowski said: “Well, at this point, we’re doing everything we can to make a move by that time period. So, I’ll leave it at that right now.”
So yes, the team is going to move him one way or another. That they would have to eat essentially all of the money owed him is likely something they have accepted and are willing to do if it means getting something back in return. However, it is not easy to find a team that would want to have Castellanos on their roster. His inability to play right field in even an average capacity renders him a DH-only option who can masquerade as a right fielder a few times during the year. Teams increasingly prefer to have that spot open to rotate members in and out of the lineup for rest reasons, so locking in one player that is barely an average one at the bat isn’t a luxury many wish to afford. It’s probably why the Phillies have had trouble finding a trade partner to dance with (to say nothing of the idea that any even slightly interested teams are probably just waiting for the team to release him).
A few teams, though, may consider moving him if the price is absolutely right. There is still a chance that without the burden of having to carry a glove, Castellanos might revive his bat and have a decent season. He’s not far removed from posting back to back >100 wRC+ seasons, so it’s at least conceivable that he can do that again. For the acquiring team, it would be cheap to have that, so there might be someone who says, “Why not?” Let’s guess at who those teams might be.
Minnesota Twins
Last season, the Twins had one of the worst wRC+ numbers (92) coming from their DH spot in the game. One would have thought that with all of the trades they made at the deadline, the team was going for some sort of painful rebuild with their organization, yet they have actually added a few pieces this winter. Maybe respectability is something they have their sights set on? After all, they do reside in the AL Central, where anything can happen. If so, getting something better for that DH spot would behoove them. Right now, their depth chart has Trevor Larnach as the main option there, cycling in with Josh Bell and Ryan Jeffers to presumably keep people fresh. Castellanos might be a fit at that position while also backing up Bell at first base, if we’re to accept the reports that he was working out there this offseason.
The Twins also have Victor Caratini in camp to take some plate appearances at DH as well, meaning the fit for Castellanos becomes a bit narrower. He would have to show that he can handle playing right field and/or first base at least once a week, something that would hide his defensive deficiencies a bit more.
Miami Marlins
Always a rumored destination for Castellanos thanks to his personal ties there, Miami was actually worse by DH wRC+ in 2025 (91) than the Twins. Adding Castellanos would give them another right handed bat to help there, but the situation is complicated a bit by Agustin Ramirez and Owen Cassie.
Ramirez is known in some circles to be a catcher, but by at least one measure, he was one of the worst defensive catchers in the game. There is plenty of thunder in his bat, so it would make sense for the Marlins to continue trying to develop him behind the plate, but keeping that DH spot open for him as much as possible is a sensible piece of roster construction. That would push Castellanos, in theory, back to right field, but that is where Cassie resides. Cassie was the main piece that came back to the Marlins in return for Edward Cabrera and his reputation as a prospect is such that the Marlins would probably give him a decent amount of time to see what they have in him. The Marlins also have Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernandez slated to get some at bats at DH, but both possess strikeout rates over 30%. While Castellanos doesn’t exactly have the most patient approaches at the plate, he’s also striking out far less often than either of these two.
A Ramirez-Cassie-Castellanos-Conine rotation would work in some form, so maybe Miami could make it work if they were interested. It’s just starting to feel more “square peg/round hole”-ish the more one tries to make it work.
Colorado Rockies
This might be something worth pursuing. The Rockies are in the middle of an organizational transformation. The hiring of Paul DePodesta signals that they understand they have to do things differently. Playing catchup with the Dodgers is fool’s errand, so they are going to have to do things a different way. Acquiring Castellanos is something that definitely qualifies as different, but hear me out. Right now, according to Fangraphs, the Rockies are going to give the bulk of the DH plate appearances to Mickey Moniak.
Fine, defensible even.
Moniak also projects to split playing time with Jake McCarthy in right field for the Rockies, so in theory, the DH spot can be filled with Castellanos on days that Moniak is putting a glove on while also serving as part of a platoon if necessary. Castellanos has always been more of a gap power hitter anyway, miscast a bit as someone on whom the lineup should depend for home run power. Coors Field would fit that type of hitter to perfection, perhaps allowing Castellanos’ numbers to play up a bit more than his sea level numbers would.
The more one looks at the depth charts of teams around the game, the more apparent it is why they haven’t found a trade partner yet. The likelihood that they actually do diminishes with each minute that ticks closer to the opening of spring training. Maybe someone emerges, maybe someone doesn’t. At least we know that a resolution is coming.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are underway in Milano Cortina, Italy, and one of the marquee events is the men’s ice hockey tournament, set to commence on Wednesday and will conclude with the gold medal game on Feb. 22.
This year’s tournament is attracting heightened attention and excitement, as active NHL players will participate in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, at the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia. NHL players have played in just two “best-on-best” tournaments since 2014: the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and last year’s 4 Nations Faceoff.
Five members of the Anaheim Ducks organization will be representing their respective nations when the men’s tournament begins, including four of their NHL roster players. Let’s take a look at what to expect from each of them over the next week and a half:
Damian Clara (Italy)
Preliminary Schedule: 2-11-26 12:10 PM PST vs. Sweden, 2-13-26 3:10 AM PST vs. Slovakia, 2-14-26 7:40 AM PST vs. Finland
It’s unclear what role within Italy’s goaltending dynamic Clara (21) will hold. He’s played the 2025-26 season on loan as the starting goaltender for Brynas IF in the SHL. He’s posted a 16-13-0 record, an .888 SV%, and two shutouts.
Italy’s other two goaltenders are Davide Fadani (25), who is the starter for EHC Kloten in the Swiss National League, and Gianluca Vallini (32), who is a backup for HC Bolzano in Italy’s top professional league.
When the Ducks selected Clara (60th overall in 2023), he became the highest-drafted Italian player in NHL history. He has the pedigree advantage over the other two netminders, and he was announced as one of Italy’s first six players on their preliminary Olympic roster.
Italy got an automatic bid to the men’s hockey tournament, as they’re the host nation. They were given a difficult bracket. Sweden will ice an all-NHL roster, Finland is only bringing one player who doesn’t play in the NHL, and Slovakia’s roster includes ten NHL players.
They’ll be lucky to keep any of their first three games close, but this could prove a meaningful test for Clara and an opportunity to make a name for himself on a global scale.
Lukas Dostal (Czechia)
Preliminary Schedule: 2-12-26 7:40 AM PST vs. Canada, 2-13-26 7:40 AM PST vs. France, 2-15-26 3:10 AM PST vs. Switzerland
Dostal (25) comes into this tournament as Czechia’s projected starter and will likely get the call to face the mighty Canadian squad on Thursday. Dostal’s been the Ducks’ heartbeat in a rollercoaster 2025-26 season in Anaheim. He’s started 37 games and appeared in 38 while posting a 21-13-2 record, an .897 SV%, and has saved 3.7 goals above expected.
Dostal has emerged as one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders and is capable of stealing multiple games, which he’ll need to if Czechia has hopes of medaling in this tournament. While he has the ability to dazzle, he’s more reliant on his angles, body control, and puck tracking through and around traffic.
He’ll likely start two of Czechia’s three preliminary games and will share the goaltending room with Dan Vladar (Philadelphia Flyers) and Karel Vejmelka (Utah Mammoth). Dostal’s last endeavor in international play resulted in a gold medal for Czechia in the 2024 World Championships, where he started eight games, posted a 6-2-0 record, a .939 SV%, and three shutouts.
Mikael Granlund (Finland)
Preliminary Schedule: 2-11-26 7:40 AM PST vs. Slovakia, 2-13-26 3:10 AM PST vs. Sweden, 2-14-26 7:40 AM PST vs. Italy
Finland has a bigger uphill battle than they had expected, as their star center and projected captain, Sasha Barkov, sustained a torn MCL and ACL during the Florida Panthers first training camp practice. Anaheim Ducks versatile forward Mikael Granlund (33) will wear the “C” for Finland at his second Olympics this week.
For the Ducks, Granlund represents general manager Pat Verbeek’s biggest free agency signing to date, as on July 1, 2025, he signed a three-year contract that carries a $7 million AAV. Much like he will for Finland, Granlund has been a stabilizing veteran presence up front, especially of late when the Ducks had been without several talented forwards.
Granlund has tallied 27 points (12-15=27) in his first 38 games with the Ducks in 2025-26, finding ways to impact games with his clever corner work, crafty slip passes, and elite vision with the puck on his stick. He represented Finland at last year’s 4 Nations Faceoff, where he scored four points (3-1=4) in three games.
Including the World Junior Championships, World Championships, 4 Nations, Olympics, and World Cup, this will be Granlund’s 14th time representing Finland on the international stage. Granlund is projected to start on the wing of Roope Hintz and opposite Mikko Rantanen, a line that played over 147 minutes together during the Dallas Stars’ 2025 playoff run to the Western Conference Finals.
Radko Gudas (Czechia)
Preliminary Schedule: 2-12-26 7:40 AM PST vs. Canada, 2-13-26 7:40 AM PST vs. France, 2-15-26 3:10 AM PST vs. Switzerland
Ducks captain Radko Gudas (35) will wear an “A” for the 2026 Czech squad, hopeful to lead them to a medal in what will likely be his final opportunity to play on the Olympic stage. Gudas is in the final year of a three-year contract he signed with the Ducks in 2023 and was awarded the captaincy before the 2024-25 season.
He’ll look to translate his physical nature to the biggest international stage and ensure that his Anaheim teammate Dostal can see most pucks heading his way when Gudas is on the ice and clear any loose rebounds. He’s had a bounce-back year for the Ducks and is one of their more reliable blueliners with his no-frills brand.
He’s tallied ten points (1-9=10) in 43 games for the Ducks this season. Gudas projects to play second-pair minutes alongside Michal Kempny (35), who played 247 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, but now plays in the SHL with Damian Clara for Brynas IF.
Gudas last represented Czechia at the 2024 World Championships, where he notched an assist in ten games and won the gold medal playing in front of Dostal.
Jackson LaCombe (United States)
Preliminary Schedule: 2-12-26 12:10 PM PST vs. Latvia, 2-14-26 12:10 PM PST vs. Denmark, 2-15-26 12:10 PM PST vs. Germany
LaCombe was a late addition to the US roster after Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones sustained a broken collarbone during the Jan. 2 NHL Winter Classic. LaCombe was seen as a surprise add, as he was selected to replace a right-shot Jones and selected ahead of a talented offensive blueliner in Lane Hutson.
LaCombe burst on the scene during his breakout 2024-25 campaign, where he solidified himself as the Ducks’ #1 defenseman, the team’s first defenseman over the boards in all situations (even strength, power play, penalty kill). After a relatively slow start to the 2025-26 season, LaCombe has further elevated his game and has tallied 37 points (6-31-37) in 56 games for the Ducks while playing 19:00 TOI at even strength per game, 2:16 shorthanded, and 3:14 on the power play.
He’s been tiptoeing the line of casual vs poised this season, but has erred mostly on the side of “poise” in the last few months for Anaheim. He’s an elite rush defender and breakout specialist with a high success rate on his activations in all three zones. He’s improved his defensive zone coverage habits as the year has progressed.
LaCombe represented the US along with Ducks teammate Cutter Gauthier at the 2025 World Championships, where he scored five points (2-3=5) in ten games en route to the US’s first gold medal at the event in 92 years.
If practice lines and pairs are to hold, LaCombe is the clear eighth defenseman on the American roster. The US has a relatively light schedule, as they will avoid the major hockey powerhouses in the preliminary round, so he may get ice time against Latvia and/or Denmark in their first two games, with further ice time for him up in the air and likely determined by potential injury or insufficient play from others on the blueline.
Note:
Ducks center Leo Carlsson was initially selected to represent Sweden for the Olympic tournament, but underwent a procedure to treat a rare lesion in his thigh. He was given a 3-5 week recovery timetable on Jan. 16, but the seemingly future face of Swedish hockey will be unable to participate in Milan in what would have been his first Olympics. He was replaced on Sweden’s roster by Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson.
Indiana plans to build a permanent bronze statue of former men’s basketball coach and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Knight inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers’ home arena.
"Coach Knight's influence on the game of basketball is immeasurable, but his impact on this university and Hoosier basketball fans is even deeper," said Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said in a statement. "On a personal level, having started my career here as a student manager under Coach Knight, I saw firsthand the unparalleled standard of excellence he demanded. He taught me, and countless others, that success is the result of meticulous preparation and unwavering discipline. This statue will be a well-deserved tribute to a man who didn't just win games; he changed how the sport is played."
Knight’s statue would be displayed in the south lobby of the arena, alongside the statue honoring the 1976 team that he led to an undefeated season. Fifty years later, it’s the last time a Division I men’s basketball champion has finished a season unbeaten.
Details about the project and its timeline, which is being funded by an anonymous longtime Indiana donor, will be released “in the coming months,” the school said.
Knight is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential coaches in the history of basketball at any level. He led the Hoosiers to three national championships — in 1976, 1981 and 1987 — and won 904 games over his 42-year head-coaching career at Indiana, Army and Texas Tech. He went 662–239 in 29 seasons with the Hoosiers. During that tenure, he popularized the motion offense and routinely had some of the country’s toughest, most tenacious defensive units.
Beyond his work at Indiana, which also included 11 Big Ten championships and five Final Four appearances, he was the head coach of gold-medal-winning USA Basketball teams at the 1979 Pan American Games and the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Knight’s legendary run at Indiana came to an abrupt end in September 2000, when the university fired him two months before the start of the upcoming season. His dismissal came after he violated a zero-tolerance behavioral policy that had been placed on him by school president Myles Brand earlier that year when a tape was released of Knight putting his hand around the neck of former Hoosiers guard Neil Reed during a 1997 practice.
In February 2020, nearly 20 full years after his firing, Knight returned to an Indiana game for the first time. He received a standing ovation while being honored at halftime of the Hoosiers’ game against Purdue.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 18: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball while being guarded by Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (34*-19) host the Indiana Pacers (13-40) tonight at Madison Square Garden, pitting a team from the top of the conference against one from the drain. Over their last ten contests, New York has won nine and the Hoosiers have lost seven. One fanbase is salivating about a deep postseason run; the other is checking ticket prices for Fever games.
The clubs last clashed on December 18, 2025, when New York edged Indiana 114-113 in Indianapolis. A go-ahead three-pointer by Captain Clutch with 4.4 seconds remaining saved the day for our heroes. Brunson finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 31 points and Pascal Siakam added 26.
Injuries and inconsistency have undermined Indiana’s season. They’ve struggled on both ends of the floor, averaging 110.6 points per game (28th) while allowing 118.5 (24th). Their 109.4 offensive rating ranks last in the NBA, and their defense is only slightly better with a 117.2 rating (21st). Across the Basketball-Reference stat box, they rate in the top 15 for only two categories, two-pointers attempted (12th) and turnovers (11th).
In the absence of Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam (23.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 3.9 APG) remains Indiana’s primary offensive engine. Guard Andrew Nembhard (17.3 PPG, 7.4 APG, 36% 3P%) continues to handle much of the playmaking responsibility, and young contributors like Jarace Walker (10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and Ben Sheppard (6.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG) have assumed larger roles with the roster depleted. They last played on Sunday, in a 122-104 loss to Toronto. The starters for that game were Nembhard, Sheppard, Walker, Siakam, and Jay Huff.
Both teams enter the game dealing with multiple injuries. The Pacers list Ivica Zubac, Aaron Nesmith, Micah Potter, and T.J. McConnell as game-time decisions with ankle, hand, hip, and hamstring issues, respectively. For the Knicks, OG Anunoby (toe) is a game-time decision, while Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is out.
Prediction
ESPN projects an 82% win probability for New York. That checks out. Given the roster and record disparities, this should be a Me: Godzilla, You: Tokyo sorta game for the home team. Total demolition, ya dig? Sure, the last game between the two teams was a one-point squeaker, but KAT, Josh, and Deuce were out, the Knicks hadn’t yet added Jose Alvarado, and Mohamed Diawara was still gestating in his cocoon.
Tonight, the Knicks should rest OG Anunoby and give more reps to the rising rookie Diawara against an (allegedly) NBA team. When the teams played in December, New York allowed Indy to score 36 in the opening quarter and 30 in the third. Look for the Knicks to right their defensive sins of the past. The Hoosiers don’t even have Bennedict Mathurin anymore, since he was jettisoned to the Clippers at the trade deadline. If anything, this should be a short night for the starters and a nice showcase for Knicks’ bench mob. Knicks by 10.
Game Details
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.
May 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Andrew Walters (91) leaves the game with an apparent injury during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The people have spoken and right-handed reliever Andrew Walters is our No. 20 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. It was a tough final vote, but Walters came out on top with 26.2% of the vote, defeating the likes of the likes of Dauri Fernandez (15.5%), Austin Peterson (11.9%), Jacob Cozart (16.7%) and Petey Halpin (10.7%). Walters drops nine spots after being the No. 11 prospect in 2025.
Walters was selected by Cleveland in the competitive balance portion of the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami. Unlike many pitching prospects, he had always been a reliever, even in college.
He made his pro debut by beginning the 2024 season at Double-A Akron where he flat out dominated to the tune of a 1.35 ERA and a ridiculous 17.1 K/9 with a puny 3.6 BB/9 over 17 appearances spanning 20 innings pitched. Walters quickly was promoted to Triple-A Columbus, where he had a wake-up call, giving up four runs in his first appearance with the Clippers.
He quickly put the jitters aside, however, putting up a 1.84 ERA over 32 games at Triple-A, striking out 41 batters in 29.1 innings pitched.
Walters earned a trip to Cleveland upon the conclusion of the Triple-A season, where he did not allow a run over nine appearances at the MLB level, although his command wasn’t quite as effective and his strikeout rate dipped. This still earned him an opportunity to pitch on Cleveland’s postseason roster. He made four appearances in the playoffs, allowing one run in 3.0 innings with four strikeouts, proving he was ready for primetime.
The flamethrowing right-hander was expected to be a key Cog in Cleveland’s bullpen for 2025, but it turned into a lost season. He battled shoulder soreness throughout Spring Training, which forced him to begin the year at Triple-A. Then he pitched just 1.1 innings in Cleveland before tearing his right lat tendon, which ended his season and required surgery.
Depending on his recovery timetable, Walters could miss the beginning of the 2026 campaign as well, but as long as he returns at 100%, he’ll slot right back in as a reliever the team will hopefully be able to rely on for years to come.
Thank you all for voting for this year’s top 20 Cleveland Guardians prospects!
Our list: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF 12. Daniel Espino, RHP 13. George Valera, LHH OF 14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF 15. Joey Oakie, RHP 16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF 17. Juneiker Caceres, LHH OF 18. Yorman Gomez, RHP 19. Josh Hartle, LHP 20. Andrew Walters, RHP
The surging San Antonio Spurs (36-16) look to extend their four-game winning streak as they visit the Los Angeles Lakers (32-20) tonight at crypto.com Arena, aiming to take the season series against their Western Conference rivals.
Following a 40-point triple-double from reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and consistent dominance from MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs enter as favorites on the first night of a back-to-back for them whereas it’s the second half of a back-to-back for the Lakers. Los Angeles lost last night to Oklahoma City, 119-110.
With Luka Doncic (hamstring) a question mark for this one, LeBron James and co. will have their hands full against an athletic and confident Spurs' team that has beaten them the last two times they have played.
Having not played since Saturday, the Spurs are the far fresher team taking the court tonight. As mentioned earlier, this is the second game of a back-to-back set for the Lakers. They are a respectable 4-4 in Game 2 of back-to-back games.
Despite the loss last night, the Lakers still sit atop the Pacific Division by 1.5 games over the Phoenix Suns. The Spurs lead the Southwest by 3.5 games over the Rockets.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Spurs at Lakers
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Game Odds: Spurs at Lakers
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs (-345), Los Angeles Lakers (+275)
Spread: Spurs -8.5
Total: 227.5 points
This game opened Spurs -7.5 with the Total set at 227.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Spurs at Lakers
San Antonio Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SF Devin Vassell
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Los Angeles Lakers
PG Luka Doncic
SG Austin Reaves
SF Marcus Smart
PF LeBron James
C Deandre Ayton
Injury Report: Spurs at Lakers
San Antonio Spurs
Lindy Waters (knee) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic (hamstring) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Adou Thiero (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Spurs at Lakers
The Spurs are 16-10 on the road this season
The Lakers are 14-9 at home this season
The Spurs are 28-23-2 ATS this season
The Lakers are 29-22 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 29 of the Lakers’ 52 games this season (29-23)
The OVER has cashed in just 21 of the Spurs’ 53 games this season (21-32)
LeBron James has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games
Austin Reaves has pulled down 15 rebounds in his last two games
Stephon Castle has averaged 6.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists in each of his last three games
Dylan Harper has at least 5 assists in 2 of his last 3 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Suspensions are coming after a gnarly fight broke out between the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons on Monday night. The Hornets entered as the hottest team in the NBA riding a nine-game winning streak. The Pistons entered with the top record in the Eastern Conference and tied for the fewest losses in the NBA. Detroit beat Charlotte, 110-104, but a great game was overshadowed by a fight that is going to have long-lasting consequences.
Tensions had been building between Hornets big man Moussa Diabate and Pistons All-Star center Jalen Duren earlier in the night, and they boiled over in the third quarter after Diabate fouled Duren on a drive to the rim. The two started shoving each other, Miles Bridges got involved, Isaiah Stewart ran off the bench to fight, and all four players were ejected. The traditional TV camera angle doesn’t really do this brawl justice, but it’s still important context. Watch the fight here:
Diabate has been known for his extra efforts this season, and he really did give multiple efforts in this fight to try to sock Duren. He had to be held back from the Detroit All-Star multiple times, and while it was happening, Bridges and Stewart were fighting on the other side of the court.
This alternate angle from inside the building best shows the full scope of the fight. This was legitimately chaos.
Absolute CHAOS at The Hive tonight! Moussa Diabate and Jalen Duren were teeing it up all game. Both throwing punches. Miles Bridges and Isaiah Stewart also went at it. Insane, wild scenes.
As Diabate was being held back by teammates and coaches, Miles Bridges charged in and threw a punch at Duren. That escalated the fight to a new level and triggered Isaiah Stewart enough to run off the bench. Stewart is not someone you want to mess with, and has a long history of fighting tied to his reputation.
Watch Stewart charge in off the bench here. The WWE announcers added by the poster really makes the whole thing work:
Stewart is a repeat offender at this point, and is probably going to get hit with a long suspension. That’s a bummer, because it will likely cost him a spot on the All-Defense team at the end of the year. Stewart has been a fantastic paint defender for the Pistons this year, and deserves to be recognized for his work. He also has to be poised enough to stay on the floor.
Stewart has never been All-Defense before. He probably won’t go down in the history books for his work this season, but it’s another reminder that he needs to keep himself under control.
We’ll update this post when the suspensions are announced.
MONTREAL, CANADA- JANUARY 29: Colorado Avalanche during the singing of the National Anthems of the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre on January 29, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With the NHL now firmly in the Olympic trade freeze period through February 22nd, it’s time to look at what roster holes the Colorado Avalanche might try to address before the March 6th NHL trade deadline.
Candidates
Third Line Center
The center market isn’t shaping up to be fantastic this season but it’s the area of a most obvious upgrade for the Avalanche. There’s been some pushback to this idea citing that Jack Drury can do the job just fine but what makes an even stronger Stanley Cup contender is the depth to withstand the two-month long war of attrition. Drury starting the postseason at fourth line center makes Colorado just that much stronger.
Seventh Defenseman
In the grand scheme of things, an extra roster player isn’t all that important, which is true until he’s in the lineup every night when even one injury strikes. This is what the Avalanche have just experienced with the Devon Toews injury. Acting seventh defenseman Ilya Solovyov was shipped out on January 20th, which opened a revolving door of AHL recalls. It’s pretty obvious this hole is going to be addressed before the trade deadline because fortifying depth on defense is always an objective for Stanley Cup contenders.
Middle-Six Scoring Winger
This is an area where there might be the greatest number of options on the trade market and an extra winger could be the backup plan if the third line center upgrade doesn’t materialize. It also means replacing the player, or at least their role, on the Avalanche. Victor Olofsson has gone cold with just five points in his last 23 games and Gavin Brindley still doesn’t have a defined role on this team. In 2022 both Andre Burakovsky and Alex Newhook began the postseason as healthy scratches, something both Olofsson and Brindley could be if the Avalanche find enough forward depth prior to this year’s playoff run.
Top Line Left Wing
It is a wish list item and would come at a price but if the Avalanche are truly fortifying for a long playoff run, they need to make an addition that moves the needle. Recently there’s been tantalizing glimpses of the impact Artturi Lehkonen makes on the second line but at the cost of the failed experiment of Olofsson on the top line in his place. Jared Bednar hasn’t made a secret that he likes the look of that second line but a solution for the top line is still needed. Bringing in a top player could also help the hapless power play giving them a true trigger man on the right side again.
TORONTO – With Artturi Lehkonen dropping down, the Avs think they’ve found a second line that they can use in any situation.
The idea of making four roster moves might threaten the chemistry, consistency and continuity of this team, so GM Chris MacFarland should tread lightly. Ideally the goal would be to just add extra depth but as previously discussed, the Avalanche are light on trade chips and assets so to make upgrades might mean moving a few more players out and making additions with term on their contract.
A return to a previously successful strategy, which helped shape the 2022 Stanley Cup championship team, of targeting Restricted Free Agents or at least players with term beyond this summer would help to add talent greater than the usual trade deadline rental fodder and hopefully find someone that can contribute for multiple playoff runs such as the aforementioned Lehkonen addition in 2022 was. Again, this takes assets and is tougher to pull off in-season but is much more impactful than a bunch of temporary rentals.
Sep 26, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (38) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
As you probably already saw, I provided my knee-jerk reaction to the Durbin trade last night. Despite Harrison’s willingness to publish the articles that I send him, Brew Crew Ball doesn’t keep me around for my hot takes — they keep me around for my analysis.
As BCB’s resident optimist (usually), I figured it would be a nice change of pace to dive a bit deeper into the return for Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler. Milwaukee traded two players (Durbin and Monasterio) who both played significant roles for last year’s NL Central champions, while the third player (Seigler) served as valuable depth for a couple months. If a trade isn’t coming, that means that the Brewers are confident that the players coming over from the Red Sox — Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, and David Hamilton — are going to help in 2026.
So, what do the Brewers see in each player?
Kyle Harrison
Harrison, in my opinion, is the crown jewel of the deal. I have an article coming on why Brandon Sproat will be the next Brewers’ “pitching lab” success story, but that label could also very well apply to Harrison.
San Francisco picked Harrison in the third round of the 2020 draft, signing him away from his commitment to UCLA. Per Paul’s article from yesterday morning, Harrison “was ranked as a top 25 prospect in the league prior to the 2024 season by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline” and was one of the main pieces (if not the main piece) in the deal that sent Rafael Devers to the Bay Area.
While Harrison’s stats as a major leaguer aren’t half bad (4.04 ERA last year), there’s reason to believe that he has yet to unlock his full potential. His best pitch is his fastball, which has been pretty great so far in his time as a major leaguer. Opponents hit .195 with a .310 slugging percentage against his fastball in 2025. He doesn’t throw all that hard (although he sometimes touches 96-97 mph), but his fastball plays up due to above-average vertical movement from a low three-quarters arm slot. Lower arm angles also generally produce lower vertical approach angles, which is something the Brewers have been looking for in their pitchers.
Harrison’s other pitches are still mostly question marks. He threw his fastball nearly 60% of the time last year. His second- and third-most commonly used pitches were his slurve (27.4% of the time) and changeup (8%). Per a scouting report from SoxProspects.com, Harrison added a cutter and sinker while with the Red Sox. While the cutter shows “potential playing off of his fastball,” he barely threw either pitch in 2025 (3.7% and 2.0% respectively) so there’s not a lot to analyze there.
According to that same scouting report (published around the time of the Devers trade), the Red Sox “tweaked his slurve” upon joining the organization — perhaps explaining why he threw it over a quarter of the time last season. When his slurve is on, it looks good, but it was fairly inconsistent — as shown by the stats. Opponents hit .333 against the pitch in 2025 (.639 slugging percentage).
To put everything above more succinctly: Harrison has one great pitch (his fastball), a second offering that the Red Sox thought would be serviceable with some tweaks (his slurve), and a couple other pitches that are pretty much unknowns. This fits the profile of a number of pitchers acquired by Milwaukee in recent years (most recently Ángel Zerpa). The acquisition of Harrison probably means that the Brewers “pitching lab” thinks they can turn one of his secondary offerings into a second out-getter. Considering his prospect pedigree, already solid numbers as a big leaguer, and the Brewers’ track record of maximizing their pitching talent, I think Harrison’s ceiling as a Brewer is higher than some might think. Remember the reaction to the Quinn Priester trade?
Shane Drohan
The 27-year-old Drohan had a great season last year after a few rough seasons in the minors. He ranked 15th on Baseball America’s list of the top 30 Red Sox prospects. Drohan was originally a fifth rounder out of Florida State but stalled out and was eventually selected by the White Sox as a Rule 5 draft pick. Unfortunately, Drohan suffered a shoulder injury that necessitated nerve decompression surgery and ended up back with the Red Sox. After rejoining Boston’s organization, he proceeded to have his best season yet (2.27 ERA over 12 Triple-A appearances). Health is the main worry with Drohan at this point — he’s only thrown 70 1/3 innings since the end of the 2023 season.
Drohan’s arsenal is a little closer to Sproat’s than it is to Harrison, Zerpa, and other acquisitions that have one or two standout pitches and a couple offerings that need work. Drohan has four pitches that, per Baseball America, are “fringe-average.” Baseball America sees him as a “multi-inning reliever/spot starter who could bounce between Triple-A and the majors.” I’d be inclined to agree that he’s probably just a depth option, but maybe Milwaukee really likes one of his offerings and thinks that with a few tweaks he could be something more. Regardless, as last year’s pitching injuries made obvious, any contender needs a stable of arms who can show up when called on, eat innings, and get outs. If he turns into something more, that’s a bonus.
David Hamilton
The 28-year-old Hamilton is versatile, fast, and solid defensively. He was pressed into action due to injuries in 2024 and had a solid season (.248/.303/.395 in over 300 plate appearances). However, Hamilton came back down to earth last year, hitting under .200 as a part-time player.
Hamilton, in my opinion, projects as a utility infielder. It’s easy to see him playing the Monasterio role, picking up innings at a few different positions and providing somewhere around replacement-level offense. As in the case of Drohan, if he turns into anything more, that’s a bonus.
Boston, MA - October 6: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and president/CEO Sam Kennedy field a question during the Red Sox end-of-season press conference with team leadership at Fenway Park on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Good morning and welcome to one of the best days of the year. Say it with me: pitchers and catchers.
Red Sox spring training officially opens today and, with yesterday’s Caleb Durbin trade, Craig Breslow is probably done making any significant transactions.
So with the offseason essentially closed, let’s take a look at how the Red Sox organization has changed since the Cam Schlittler Game.
Notable MLB Departures
List organized by 2025 bWAR:
Alex Bregman, 3.5
Lucas Giolito, 2.1
Rob Refsnyder, 1.2
David Hamilton, 1.0
Chris Murphy, 0.5
Steven Matz, 0.5
Hunter Dobbins, 0.4
Nathaniel Lowe, 0.4
Justin Wilson, 0.3
Luis Guerrero, 0.1
Brennan Bernardino, 0.0
Vaughn Grissom (N/A)
Cooper Criswell, -0.1
Josh Winckowski, -0.1
Richard Fitts, -0.3
Liam Hendriks, -0.3
Dustin May, -0.6
Jordan Hicks, -1.8
Notable MLB Additions
List organized by 2025 bWAR:
Ranger Suárez, 4.7
Caleb Durbin, 2.8
Willson Contreras, 2.5
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 1.7
Sonny Gray, 1.4
Johan Oviedo, 0.8
Andruw Monasterio, 0.8
Seth Martinez, 0.0
Tsung-Che Cheng, 0.0
Brendan Rogers, 0.0
Anthony Seigler, -0.1
Mickey Gasper, -0.3
Vinny Capra (-0.6)
Kyle Keller, N/A (NPB)
Notable Minor League Departures
List organized by highest SoxProspects.com ranking:
Luis Perales (3)
Jhostynxon Garcia (5)
Shane Drohan (5)
Brandon Clarke (6)
David Sandlin (8)
Yhoiker Fajardo (8)
Kyle Harrison (N/A)
Jedixson Paez (16)
Jesus Travieso (19)
Alex Hoppe (28)
Justin Riemer (30)
Blake Aita (33)
Notable Minor League Additions
List organized by current SoxProspects.com ranking:
Jake Bennett (6)
Ryan Watson (20)
Tyler Samaniego (28)
Gage Ziehl (3o)
Adonys Guzman (31)
Luke Heyman (32)
Isaiah Jackson (50)
Nate Baez (N/A)
Matt Fraizer (N/A)
Braiden Ward (N/A)
67th draft pick, 2026
So what conclusions can we draw from this. I’ll take a stab at a couple.
First, I think it’s inarguable that, barring injuries, the roster that will open the 2026 season is more talented than the roster that closed out 2025. Craig Breslow has assembled arguably the single best pitching staff in baseball — one that is not only strong at the top of the rotation, but deep, with a couple of high-end prospects who will start the season in Worcester. And while the lineup may not perform as well as it did in 2025 without Alex Bregman and a half a year of Rafael Devers, Willson Contreras is a solid addition while Caleb Durbin looks to be a good bet to be league average.
But having said that, the roster remains unbalanced and I am very worried about the lineup in general. There is a lot of pressure being put on young players to step up. Roman Anthony probably needs to perform at an All-Star level in his first full season for this Red Sox team to go anywhere (I think he can and will). While Marcelo Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela, Carlos Narvaez, Triston Casas, and Caleb Durbin — all of whom have significant question marks — all need to contribute. It’s easy to simply say that Anthony will replace Devers production and Contreras will replace Bregman’s. And perhaps that will happen. But Contreras comes with significant risk of age-related decline (as does Trevor Story) and we cannot count on linear progression from Anthony. The lineup could potentially be anemic against left-handed pitching, while an unfortunate injury or some stalled development could make things ugly in the infield.
Speaking of age-related decline, can we count on Aroldis Chapman to once again be one of the best relievers in baseball? Craig Breslow is essentially doing just that, as he has barely touched the bullpen.
And, of course, we can’t ignore the minor leagues. Breslow has expended a lot of prospect capital over the past two years, particularly on the position player side, where you could argue that Franklin Arias is now the only notable prospect in the entire system.
All of this brings me to my conclusion: Craig Breslow improved the Red Sox in the 2025-26 offseason, but he didn’t improve the team enough. With an emerging superstar in Roman Anthony, one of the game’s very best starters in Garrett Crochet, a deep rotation, and a core of cheap, exciting young players, the Red Sox should be in a position to push for ~98 wins and a stress-free ride to the postseason. Instead, I think they’re probably only a couple wins better than last year’s team and, with a few bad breaks, could miss the postseason entirely.
For those reasons, I’ll give him a solid B. What’s your grade?
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 26: Vinnie Pasquantino #9, Paul DeJong #15, Bobby Witt Jr. #7 and Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate a win after the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Players are beginning to report to Spring Training, and while there is still time for big moves – as I write this, the Red Sox just traded away a top pitching prospect for a shiny new starting third-bagger – the look of teams is really beginning to shake out in a way that lets us begin to do silly things like rank who is the best at each position around the sport.
For this exercise, I counted all of the guys I felt were clearly ahead of a given Royal and then ranked the Royal in that spot. This means that, in most cases, there are multiple guys you could make a case to bump ahead of the Royal, but it would be a discussion. For example, Salvador Perez and Adley Rutschman feel pretty similar – in terms of ranking, not skillset – heading into 2026, so you could reasonably bump Rutschman ahead of Salvy, and I wouldn’t quibble too much. But you have to set the bar somewhere, and this is a blog about the Royals, and I wanted to be generous because Spring is the time for hope and excitement. Still, if you want to be pessimistic, you can bump any of these guys (minus one) down as many as five spots and you’d probably still be in the right range.
Catcher – 12
For the purpose of this exercise, I’m going to rank Salvador Perez as a catcher and Carter Jensen as a designated hitter. If I were ranking Carter here, he’d be a lot higher. But I didn’t, so he isn’t. Salvy has been a mainstay for the Royals for more than a decade, so it might seem insulting to rank him so low. But the fact that, entering his age-36 season, he still looks like a top-half-of-the-league guy is impressive as all get-out. Cal Raleigh leads the pack here, naturally. However, I also estimate Will Smith, Alejandro Kirk, Hunter Goodman, Drake Baldwin, Shea Langeliers, Kyle Teel, William Contreras, Dillon Dingler, Gabriel Moreno, and Francisco Alvarez above him.
First base – 8
You can put me down for thinking Vinnie Pasquantino has another gear available to him in 2026. The Pasquatch had a 30-homer, 100-RBI season in 2025, and I think with a longer lineup, he will rediscover the plate discipline that defined him as a prospect in 2022. His ability to tailor his approach to the situation has been a boon to the Royals at times the past two seasons, but has hurt his overall production as he’s tried to carry more than his fair share of the RBI load. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. comes up tops for me. The additional players I have ahead of Vinnie are Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso, Freddie Freeman, Nick Kurtz, Michael Busch, and Jonathan Aranda. There are a lot of guys around him that could push him lower if you wanted: Matt Olson, Josh Naylor, Ryan O’Hearn, Willson Contreras, Ben Rice, and Spencer Torkelson. But I’d take him over any of them.
Second base – 29
If I rank primary second basemen with at least 200 PAs by fWAR in 2025, India comes in at 49. Behind Adam Frazier, ahead of Michael Massey. The unsigned Luis Rengifo – someone the Royals should seriously consider for a utility role, if they aren’t – is ahead of him. But the Rangers don’t appear to have a real primary second baseman after trading away Marcus Semien. FanGraphs has the Angels positionally behind the Royals here, too, but I believe in Christian Moore more than they do, I guess.
To be clear, there’s a lot of room for advancement here. If India can bounce back at all, or if Michael Massey can supplant him and come back, the Royals could jump up this list in a hurry. I’m just not sure I see it.
Third base – 5
Now that’s more like it. I almost took Maikel Garcia all the way up to fourth, but I think Matt Chapman has one more really good year in him. Jose Ramírez is a future Hall of Famer and leads the way here. Junior Caminero and Bo Bichette are also ahead of Maikel, but I think if he can find another step, he could pass Bichette as well as Chapman pretty easily. The easiest path for finding that step is probably to run the bases as well as he did in 2024 while hitting like he did in 2025. That would get him up next to Caminero; I just don’t see any way he can reach J-Ram’s heights in 2026, though, unless the Guardian starts falling like a meteor.
Shortstop – 1
It’s Bobby Witt Jr. He has a bad season, and that lands him fourth in MVP voting. What are we even doing here? There are lots of good shortstops in baseball. Francisco Lindor, Gunnar Henderson, Geraldo Perdomo, Trea Turner, and Corey Seager all immediately spring to mind. But as far ahead as Ramírez is over Maikel, Bobby is that far ahead of everyone else at his position. ZiPS projects him for the fourth-most WAR in baseball. It would be silly to pretend he’s anything but one of the top 10 best players in the sport at any position.
Left field – 13
I think people might be sleeping a little on Isaac Collins. I get that he’s not a big-name guy, but he finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting last year. I’m not sure who the clear-cut best left fielder in 2026 is. Steven Kwan gets the best projection on FanGraphs, but I have him down in the mud with Collins thanks to a lackluster 2025. If you threatened my life, I’d probably offer up Roman Anthony. Riley Greene and Wyatt Langford both feel like pretty good picks, too, though. The others I have definitively ahead of Collins are Ian Happ, Cody Bellinger, Jackson Chourio, Tyler Soderstrom, Kyle Stowers, Randy Arozerena, and Heliot Ramos. Ramón Laureano, Taylor Ward, Lars Nootbar, and Mike Yastrzemski round out the group of guys similar to Collins in my mind.
Center field – 12
Twelfth seems way too high for Kyle Isbel, but well, let’s go through them all, I guess. First, the 11 clearly ahead of him: Julio Rodríguez is the best, followed by Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jackson Merril, Byron Buxton, Trent Grisham, Michael Harris II, Cedanne Rafaela, Evan Carter, Daulton Varsho, Parker Meadows, and Jo Adell. Here are the rest of the projected starting centerfielders: Andy Pages, Oneil Cruz, Colton Cowser, Jake Meyers, Harrison Bader, Jakob Marsee, Luis Robert Jr., Garrett Mitchell, Justin Crawford, Denzel Clarke, Brenton Doyle, Chase DeLauter*, Jacob Young, TJ Friedl, Victor Scott II, Cedric Mullins, Luisangel Acuña, Alek Thomas.
*DeLauter is a top prospect, and maybe he should be a for-sure ahead of Isbel but….
And yeah, sure, when I look at that group, I’d assume that some number of them will be more valuable than Isbel. Let’s say at least six of those guys are going to be better than Isbel. But if I compare them individually, I have a hard time saying, “Yes, this guy specifically will be more valuable than Isbel.”
If I had to guess which ones would climb out of the much, I guess I’d pick Pages, DeLauter, Bader, Robert, Cruz, and Cowser. But I’m betting any money on any of them to do it, that’s for sure. Still, if you wanted to say Isbel was more like eighteenth, I’d probably agree. I’m just not super sure about exactly who pushes him that low.
Right field – 12
Jac Caglianone is getting a huge lift here from both his prospect status and his projections; it’s certainly not from what he did in 2025. Though I’ll continue to insist that if he’d played a full season and hit 21 homers (which is what he would have had if you multiply his playing time and homers by three to get to full-season stats), even with those terrible rate stats, we’d be a lot less scared about his potential. Aaron Judge is naturally the top dog here. Also clearly ahead of Jac are Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., Kyle Tucker, Corbin Carroll, Wilyer Abreu, Seiya Suzuki, Matt Wallner, and Addison Barger.
If Jac actually lives up to his projections, he’s going to pass several of those guys. Maybe even more than half of them.
Designated Hitter – 8
This time last year, I was advocating for Carter Jensen to get traded because I really didn’t believe in his future potential. I was wrong. Now I’m ready to project him as the eighth-best designated hitter in baseball. Though I hope he’s catching more and designated hitting less. I hope I’m right this time.
Shohei Ohtani is, as usual, in a league of his own. Behind him, but ahead of Carter Jensen, I have Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Schwarber, Brent Rooker, Ivan Herrera, Jarren Duran, and Yandy Díaz.
Just because I’m unhappy with how all this worked out, if I flipped Salvy and Jensen, I think Salvy would still rank between 8 and 10 in DH. George Springer and Christian Yelich might pass him. Carter would be ahead of Teel, Baldwin, Dingler, Alvarez, and Contreras at least. That would put him at seventh.
Taking into account the caveats I laid out at the start, this all still makes me feel better about the Royals’ lineup than when I started. Some of them will not end the season as high as they ranked here, but compare it to last year. Catcher might have gone up a few slots, second would have gone up a bunch (and been wrong, but that’s how it goes.) Shortstop, center, and first would have remained roughly the same. But third would have been much lower. Designated hitter and both corner outfield spots would have been near the bottom.
We’ve spent all offseason lamenting that the Royals didn’t make a big move to improve the outfield or second base, but even the middling moves they’ve made should lead to drastic improvements from awful to mediocre. The rotation is very similar to last season but with more depth, and the bullpen should also be improved. Until July 31, there’s always more opportunity to improve the roster. But even until that happens, the Royals should be pretty fun to watch this year.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Marcell Ozuna #20 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo homer in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 24, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 2: Sterlin Thompson #60 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the game against the Seattle Mariners at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 2, 2025 in Scottsdale, AZ. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fair or not, Thompson’s progress will be judged in part by Rockies fans by the fact his draft pick (31st-overall in 2022) was the only compensation Colorado received for Trevor Story leaving in free agency, in lieu of a deadline trade. Thompson signed for a slot bonus of just over $2.43 million as a productive draft-eligible sophomore college hitter from the SEC. The 24-year-old 6’4” lefty hitter, righty thrower split time between second base and the outfield in college at Florida, but as a professional he’s played everywhere except shortstop and catcher. In 2025 though he was mostly a left fielder or DH with a little right field action.
Mid-season 2025 Rank: 18
High Ballot: 6
Mode Ballot: 13, 14, 15
Future Value: 40+, platoon outfielder
Contract Status: 2022 First Round, University of Florida, 40 Man Roster, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2026
Thompson mashed his way to Double-A by the end of his first full year in 2023 and had a strong stint in that year’s Arizona Fall League, hitting .338/.460/.475 with nine extra base hits in 80 PA. That led to some top 100 discussion for Thompson, but it wasn’t a smooth ride for him in 2024. Thompson went back to Hartford, where he was 0.6 years younger than average. Thompson wasn’t bad offensively — his .245/.319/.385 line in 518 plate appearances with 13 HR among his 35 XBH and 12/16 steals translates to an above average 103 wRC+. Still, it was below his 2023 level and certainly below expectations for fans and scouts alike, especially given that he slid down the defensive spectrum (from second base to left field).
In 2025, Thompson got the bump up to Triple-A Albuquerque. As the team’s primary left fielder on a team that has several highly regarded outfield prospects, Thompson’s .296/.392/.519 batting line in 513 plate appearances — including 18 homers, eight triples, and 28 doubles with 12 steals — looked pretty good. Of course, the hitter-friendly nature of the Pacific Coast League took the air a bit out of those numbers, but his production was still a very respectable 118 wRC+. The lefty hitter has some pretty big platoon splits, with a strong OPS against righties (.950) vs. his mark against southpaws (.793). In 101 games in the outfield (95 in left), Thompson committed six errors but also added nine outfield assists.
Those full season numbers look pretty good, but the trajectory was even better. Thompson started the 2025 season off very poorly, hitting for a .562 OPS in April, but after that Thompson was excellent. His monthly OPS numbers after the tough start were 1.103 in May, .935 in June, .783 in July, a scalding 1.222 in August, and a 1.013 total in September. Thompson cut his strikeouts year over year by 2.7% while raising his walks 2%, which is also a positive development.
Those developments were enough to earn Thompson a 40-man roster spot this off-season. Here’s a good piece by Manny Randwana of MLB.com on Thompson’s 2025 after he earned that 40-man roster spot.
Here’s some video of Thompson from Albuquerque last year:
Thompson has always been a bat-first prospect and he continued to hit the ball hard, peaking at 112.9 mph with a 90th percentile EV of 105.1. He didn’t hit breaking stuff that well even with the benefit of altitude, and now that he’s ensconced in the outfield, there’s more pressure on the bat. He could get to everyday status, more likely sticking around a while as a sometime regular and more frequent bench/platoon bat, starting this year.
Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs slots Thompson as a 45 FV player, fourth in the system as a left fielder with a 50 future hit tool to go along with 50 power (as of last January):
Thompson is a left-handed Miguel Vargas of sorts, a bat-only prospect without superlative physicality. Built in the Daniel Murphy and Nolan Schanuel mold, Thompson isn’t an especially mobile athlete, and he has trended down the defensive spectrum during the last few years from 2B/3B to 1B/LF, where he isn’t particularly sound. Thompson has great hands in the batter’s box, his pretty swing generates airborne contact from pole to pole, and he does not miss mistakes. He’s going to actualize the power he has, but it will only be fair pop unless something about his physicality changes drastically in his mid-20s. Now a career .270/.345/.430 hitter in the minors, Thompson has a roughly average contact and power combination undercut a bit by a lack of plate discipline. It’s enough to consider him a high-probability platoon piece, but not enough to consider him a foundational everyday player at the positions he’s capable of playing.
MLB Pipeline ranks Thompson 15th in the system as a 45 FV player (as an OF) with a 50 hit tool:
The Rockies think the adjustments Thompson made as the season went on bode well for him reaching his offensive ceiling. He still has a smooth left-handed swing and is capable of using the whole field, hitting the ball hard for extra bases. He’s had a little difficulty keeping weight on his 6-foot-3 frame, but he showed up in Arizona after his offseason more physical, which should help him get to a little more power. Because he trusts his feel to hit so much, he sometimes isn’t patient enough and increased discipline could allow him to get more pitches to drive.
The hardest thing to figure out has been where Thompson could play defensively. He’s seen time at third, second and first on the dirt, but he may have finally found a home in left field, looking more athletic than he has anywhere on the infield. Removing defensive stress could also help him unlock his offensive potential, with the knowledge it’s the bat they were buying in the first place.
Contrary to many of his contemporaries in the system, Thompson is a bat-first prospect whose ability to cover an outfield corner is in question. Previously trusted with greater responsibility at the hot corner, Thompson played just a single game at third in 2024, covering first most after a corner outfield role. Suffice to say, the pressure on Thompson’s bat grew significantly, and it’s not clear he met the challenge. Precisely average at a 100 DRC+ in Double-A Hartford across 518 plate appearances, Thompson’s swing is still slightly longer and floatier than may be ideal. He coils his body as he loads, in a move that generates significant bat speed but can leave him closed off as he attempts to whip the bat through the zone. The swing is well planed to elevate line drives, but leaves him little recourse when fooled, and does not create as much over the fence pop as might be necessary to cover his athletic but limited efforts in the field.
Thompson’s 2025 season (especially the post-April performance) was quite encouraging for his future big league prospects given the improved production and plate discipline. He’ll enter spring training with a slim chance to crack the Opening Day roster, but if he doesn’t do so, Thompson will be one of the first options for the Rockies (along with fellow PuRP Zac Veen) for a big league call-up. The most likely outcome may be that Thompson gets a few different stints in the big leagues this year.
In Thompson, I see a hit-over-power prospect with limited usable defensive utility where the hit tool will need to carry him to the Show. To make that work, he needs his plate discipline improvements from 2025 and the improved ability to get his power into games to stick moving forward — a narrow path to be sure, but not an impossible one. The hit tool the most important one and Thompson has big league potential there, which is why (despite the limited utility he may offer elsewhere) Thompson is a 40+ FV player for me, ranking 14th on my list.
