Two different billionaire English Premier League owners are among those who have expressed interest in buying the San Diego Padres, according to multiple people familiar with the process.

Dan Friedkin, whose Pursuit Sports owns Everton and AS Roma, and José E. Feliciano, whose Clearlake Capital is a backer of Chelsea, are two of a handful of potential bidders engaged in the ongoing sale process, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Others include Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, who has hinted about his potential interest.  

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The Padres, Feliciano and boutique investment bank BDT & MSD, which was retained last November to explore a potential sale of the MLB club, declined to comment. An email sent to the Friedkin Group was not immediately returned.

Friedkin is worth roughly $10 billion and Feliciano an estimated $3.9 billion, according to Forbes. The Padres are worth $2.31 billion, per Sportico’s latest MLB valuations, up 14% over the previous year, thanks to strong results on and off the field. Attendance in 2025 was 3.44 million, which ranked second in baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gross revenue topped $500 million last year, Sporticopreviously reported.

The record sale price for an MLB franchise is $2.42 billion for Steve Cohen’s purchase of the New York Mets in 2020.

The Padres’ sale is viewed as a litmus test for valuations at a critical time for baseball. Many investors believe the sport’s clubs are undervalued—the MLB revenue multiple is 6.6x in Sportico’s valuations, by far the smallest of the five major U.S. leagues—and there are potential structural changes coming that could grant owners greater cost certainty. To get there, however, the league and its players must navigate a labor battle that many believe could result in missed games in the 2027 season.

Feliciano, who co-founded Clearlake with Behdad Eghbali in 2006, has become a more prominent sports investor in the last few years. Clearlake provided a large portion of the funding for the $3.16 billion purchase of English soccer giant Chelsea in 2022 and now has more than $90 billion under management. Feliciano was close to buying a minority stake in the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers two years ago and was among those who bid unsuccessfully for the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Feliciano’s bid would be through his family office and include his wife, Kwanza Jones. The two of them have been active recently in women’s sports, including a partnership with the Monarch Collective. If successful with his bid, Feliciano, who was born in Puerto Rico, would join the Los Angeles Angels’ Arte Moreno as the only MLB control owners of Latin descent.

Friedkin’s Houston-based business spans automobiles and luxury hospitality, and he has also expanded into sports in recent years. In late 2024, his company acquired a majority stake in Everton, which joined a portfolio with other soccer assets. He’s been discussed as a potential owner for an NHL expansion team in Houston and was a finalist in the bidding for the Boston Celtics. Last year, he created Pursuit Sports to house his sports investments and to seek more opportunities across the industry.

The Padres’ owners announced the team was for sale in November, amid a legal battle between family members of late owner Peter Seidler, who died in 2023. Seidler’s widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler, sued his brothers, Bob and Matt, in Texas probate court last year, alleging they breached their fiduciary duties as trustees of Peter’s trust. One of the trusts’ key assets is the principal ownership stake in the Padres.

On Monday, a Travis County, Texas, court filing revealed that Sheel has dismissed most of her original claims.

The current Padres ownership group, which includes at least 10 people or entities, bought the team in 2012 for $800 million. The largest stake of roughly 24% is held by the Peter Seidler Trust, with Sheel and her three children the beneficiaries.

Michael McCann contributed additional reporting.

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Fresh off taking charge of the business aspect of Twins baseball operations of the Twins, team owner Tom Pohlad has announced a partnership with Brasher Microform, a company specializing in DNA experimentation and cloning.

“It’s in our identity: Twins,” Pohlad said. “We brought back Taylor Rogers, and he’s a twin. It seemed apropos to craft our entire bullpen out of copies of him.”

Rogers returned to his debut team on January 23, signing a one-year, $2 million deal and providing left-handed help to a bullpen still foundering since last year’s trade deadline fire sale. The team only has one other active southpaw reliever with MLB experience: Kody Funderburk, from whom Rogers has reclaimed his old number 55 (Funderburk will now wear #57).

“With a full slate of Rogerses in the bullpen, imagine the lack of worry about pitcher exhaustion,” Pohlad said. “One Rogers blows out his elbow? No problem, we can pop another one out of the tank. It worked for Tom Brady’s dog.”

The Brasher Microform website touts its experimental “Inner Safe” technology, allowing for DNA reproduction without having to re-age the cloned subject from infancy. Curiously, there is no contact information for the country listed on the website, nor is there any address or location listed.

Upon being asked why the Twins did not simply attempt to sign Taylor’s twin brother Tyler in free agency (Tyler signed with the Blue Jays) if they wanted multiple Rogerses in the home bullpen, Pohlad said, “The cloning partnership was less cost-prohibitive.”

It’s day three of our countdown of the top 25 prospects in the Cubs system.

11. Jostin Florentino. RHP. DOB: 12/01/2004. 6’0”, 175. International free agent (2023) Dominican Republic.

One of the disappointing aspects of the Cubs 2024 minor league season is that while players at the top of the system graduated to the majors (or were traded), the players near the bottom of the system did not, for the most part, rise to the occasion to take their place. You can’t say that about Jostin Florentino, who made one of the biggest leaps forward of anyone in the Cubs system and earned Cubs Minor League Pitcher Of the Year honors.

No pitcher anywhere in the minor leagues added more velocity on his fastball than Florentino did in 2025. Now the bad news is that means it went from averaging 84.9 miles per hour to 90, but if you think there’s another tick of velocity in there as he ages, then there could really be something there. On top of that, Florentino has a very simple and fast delivery with a low arm-slot release that doesn’t give hitters much time to react, allowing all his stuff to play up. 

Florentino’s best secondary pitch is an upper-70s sweeper/slider that has a ton of spin and lateral movement. Florentino also has a cut fastball and a changeup that will have to improve to retire left-handed hitters as he moves up the system. But currently, left-handed hitters in the Carolina League are just as clueless against his stuff as right-handers are, so platoon splits aren’t a big issue yet.

Florentino made his US debut after spending two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. After 21.2 innings and a 3.74 ERA in Mesa, Florentino was promoted to Pelicans where he dominated the Carolina League. Over 11 appearances and ten starts for Myrtle Beach, Florentino went 4-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He missed a ton of bats in Low-A, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings in Low-A and 11.2 per nine overall. His walk totals for a young pitcher in Low-A were also excellent as he walked just eight percent of the batters he faced. 

Florentino’s results, albeit in just 81.1 innings between the two levels, indicate that he’s a potential major league starter. But the stat line runs into conflict with the scouting report. While Florentino has made big gains, he’s still just throwing 90-91 mph and is still mostly a two-pitch pitcher. 

Florentino should start the season in High-A South Bend and all eyes should be on whether he can build on the gains he made in 2026. If he improves that velocity even more with no loss of control or develops a better third pitch, Florentino could be a top-five prospect in the system at this time next year.

Here are the highlights of a six-inning start for Florentino in June that featured nine strikeouts and no hits. [VIDEO}

12. Josiah Hartshorn. OF/1B. DOB: 2/02/2007. B:S, T:L. 6’2”, 200. Drafted 6th-round (2025), Orange Lutheran HS (CA).

I hate to rank high school players who have yet to make their professional debut, but in the case of Hartshorn, I’ve read and heard too much positive stuff to keep him out and at least there is some online video for showcase events where I can see his talents for myself. The Cubs also gave him $2 million to keep him from going to Texas A&M, which is bonus money commensurate with someone taken at the end of the first round. So this is probably a fair ranking of a guy with some sky-high potential.

The first thing you notice about Hartshorn is that he’s a huge man with a fairly level swing from both sides. He does have a bit of a leg kick that he apparently uses as a timing mechanism, but it’s nothing exaggerated. He also appears to be fairly athletic for someone as big as he is, which would be a positive for him staying at a corner outfield position. He does look like a natural first baseman, however, and that may be where he ends up by the time his career is over. He will have to maintain his conditioning to stick as a corner outfielder. 

Hartshorn’s high school career was littered with injuries, which has led to some odd stuff. For his first three years in high school, a nagging left elbow injury meant that he batted almost exclusively from the right side. His elbow was better by his senior year, but then he suffered some back issues that made him bat mostly from the left side in his final year in high school. So while he is a switch hitter, he’s had plenty of experience facing same-side pitchers. Hartshorn’s left-handed swing looks more natural to me, but I’ve read scouting reports that like his right-handed swing better. He did tie for the championship in MLB’s High School Home Run Derby hitting exclusively left-handed. He had reportedly returned to hitting from both sides by the time of the draft last year. 

In any case, Hartshorn has tremendous bat speed from both sides of the plate. He’ll probably need to get more loft in his swing to become a true power threat, but he certainly has a raw power ceiling of a 65 or 70 on the 20-to-80 scale. He’ll have to make good swing decisions for that to become game power, but the reports on that front are positive. 

Because he’s so young, I’d expect Hartshorn to start this year playing in Mesa, but if the Cubs are really convinced he can handle it, Myrtle Beach isn’t out of the question. He certainly would hope to play for the Pelicans sometime this summer. Hartshorn is a guy with some real boom-or-bust potential. He could be a top-five prospect at this time next year with a strong 2026 season.

Here’s some workout video of Hartshorn at a showcase event before the draft.

13. Will Sanders. RHP. DOB: 3/30/2002. 6’6”, 230. Drafted 4th round (2023) South Carolina.

Sanders has been a tantalizing prospect since the Cubs drafted him in 2023. He has a lot of raw talent and has shown some real promise at times in the Cubs minor league system. However, he hasn’t shown the kinds of consistency that you want out of a major league starter.

Sanders is a big right-hander with a fastball in the 92-to-94 mile per hour range and it can touch as high as 96. His height gives hitters unusual release point to pick up the pitch from. He uses a mid-80s splitter as a changeup and both pitches can miss bats when they’re on. Sanders also features a curve and a slider, both of which are fringy. He does have above-average command, which allows his stuff to play up a bit.

Sanders started last year  in Double-A Knoxville and it looked like he had put everything together. In the Southern League, Sanders made some major improvements in his control and he got good results over nine starts for the Smokies: 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA. The peripherals were even better as his walk percentage dropped from 10.3 percent in 2024 down to 4.6 percent. Meanwhile, his strikeout percentage stayed level at 25.1. 

When you do that well in Double-A, you get promoted to Triple-A, so Sanders packed his bags and headed up to Iowa. Unfortunately, the gains he made in Double-A did not continue in the International League. Triple-A hitters lit up Sanders in Iowa and over 17 appearances (14 starts), he went 7-4 with a 6.38 ERA. Some of that was because of a poor strand rate, but a lot of that was because he gave up a ton of home runs. His walk rate also jumped up to 9.3 percent, which is still lower than it was in 2024 but not what he needs to succeed at this level and the majors.

Sanders should return to Iowa this summer and hopefully he figured out over the winter what he needed to work on. He is an emergency option for a major league debut this summer if he improves. Sanders has the upside of a number-five starter. 

Here’s Sanders striking out nine over 3.2 innings for the I-Cubs in August. [VIDEO]

14. James Triantos. 2B/CF. B:R, T:R. DOB: 1/29/2003. 5’11”, 195 lbs. Drafted 2nd round (2021) Madison HS (VA)

James Triantos had a poor 2025 season. There’s no denying that. In his first full season at Triple-A Iowa, Triantos hit just .258/.315/.369 with seven home runs. He did struggle with leg soreness all season and missed most of June on the injured list because of it. That could be the reason for his downturn, which seems mostly related to an inability to pull the ball with authority at the same rates that he had in 2024. His swing decisions and contact rates remained mostly the same as the year before, although he only played 26 games for Iowa in 2024. 

So was this past year simply a result of nagging injuries or have opposing teams found a weakness in his game? That’s the big question coming into this year.

Triantos, at his best, is a pesky hitter with terrific contact skills. He doesn’t get a lot of lift on the ball so his home run rates are always going to be low, but he does hit the ball hard. He’s also a terrific baserunner. He stole 31 bases in 110 games last year and 47 in 114 games the year before. 

It’s been an adventure trying to find a defensive position for Triantos, The Cubs originally planned to make him a third baseman, but despite an above-average arm, he couldn’t handle the position. He was better after he moved to second base and the Cubs could live with his glove there as a bat-first second baseman. But the Cubs tried moving him to center field this past summer. The move made sense, as he has the foot speed and arm to play there. But so far, Triantos has struggled in center. Most of that can be chalked up to inexperience and it is entirely possible that he gets good out there with more repetition. He’s got the raw tools to succeed in center. On the other hand, you could have said that about his work at third base as well. 

In any case, the Cubs still thought enough of Triantos to protect him from the Rule 5 draft this winter and place him on the 40-man roster. So he is still on track for his major league debut sometime this season. Right now he projects as a bench bat who is limited to second base and maybe the outfield. But he’s still young and if he can return to his earlier form, then there may be a starting second baseman or center fielder in there.

Here’s Triantos hitting a home run last September [VIDEO].

15. Ty Southisene. 2B. DOB: 7/08/2005. B:R, T:R. 5’9”, 170. Drafted 4th-round (2024) Basic HS (NV)

A lot was expected out of Southisene when he arrived in Myrtle Beach last May and for two months, he was terrible. His stat line for his first 33 games was .151/.318/.160. He was making contact at a decent clip, but it was weak contact and on the ground. But in the second half, Southisene improved his contact rates and started to barrel up the ball for harder contact. He looked like the guy the Cubs expected when they took him in the fourth round last year. Southisene hit .292/.422/.335 in the second half. That gave him an overall line of .244/.387/.276.

Southisene is from a baseball family—his younger brother Tate was taken in the first round last year by the Braves. His twin brother Tee played for Southern California last year but appears to have transferred to Southern Nevada, which would make him draft-eligible this year. He has another brother, Troy, who is committed to play baseball at Oregon State this upcoming fall, assuming someone doesn’t draft him and sign him away.

Southisene’s game is contact and speed. He has a good eye at the plate and even with his first-half struggles, only struck out in 15 percent of his plate appearances in his first year as a professional. He had 63 walks compared to 59 strikeouts. Southisene also boasts plus speed as he stole 41 bases in 49 attempts last year. His defense at second base is average, but his arm probably isn’t strong enough to play on the left side of the infield regularly. 

The biggest concern with Southisene revolves around his small size, which limits his ability to hit for power. Of his 78 hits last year, 70 were singles, six were doubles and two were triples. He’s yet to connect for a home run as a professional and isn’t likely to hit many of them down the road. He might be able to gain enough muscle to hit a few every year, but his swing doesn’t  really have any lift to it. Southisene’s ground ball rate last year was 59 percent and his fly ball rate was just 15 percent.

Without power, Southisene is probably limited to being a bench player in the majors. His arm also limits his utility as a backup infielder, but the Cubs have found ways to make below arms work on the left side of the infield before. But Southisene’s contact rates and base running skills still make him an interesting prospect. 

Here’s a game in July where Southisene had three hits and two steals. [VIDEO]

Tomorrow: Prospects 6 through 10.

Folks, we’re almost there. Winter still has us in its icy grip here in the north, but a week from today, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Lakeland. The anticipation of spring training is often followed by a minor letdown as March’s interminably long slate of Grapefruit League games grind by and the desire for Opening Day and regular season baseball builds pressure. However, we’ll also get the World Baseball Classic to break things up, as well as the Spring Breakout games for prospect hounds. It should be a pretty fun spring camp, as they go.

Of course, how we’re all going to figure out how to actually watch the Tigers remains up in the air. Hopefully the club will offer some clarity on their broadcast situation shortly. They’ve had plenty of time to prepare their alternate plans, so we’ll be looking for more word on that soon.

In the meantime, the Tigers released the full spring training roster for major league camp on Wednesday. The list includes 23 non-roster invitees, and just the sight of certain names should get you juiced up for baseball.

Top prospects galore will be involved this time around, and to a degree the Tigers haven’t really seen since 2020-2021, if then. Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, Thayron Liranzo, Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, and more will be on hand. Left-hander Jake Miller is still rehabbing from hip labrum surgery, so we may not see him until late in camp, while Jackson Jobe is rehabbing from Tommy John and will move to the 60-day injured list immediately, opening up a 40-man spot for a signing or promotion. Slugging C/1B Eduardo Valencia will be a name to watch after a breakout 2025 season. Veteran minor leaguers like Jace Jung, Trei Cruz, Tyler Mattison, and Ben Malgeri will also be fighting for some kind of a role, at least as an up and down option throughout the season. Sawyer Gipson-Long will try and put Tommy John behind him after a tough reintroduction to the major leagues in 2025, and we’ll be curious to see how he looks as rotation depth.

And of course we’ll have the usual batch of veteran relievers and depth pitchers. As always a few will stand out in spring camp. Someone will have a little extra velocity, or a new pitch that could unlock their game. Free agent signing Drew Anderson will have plenty of eyes on him, as will veteran relievers like Tanner Rainey, Tyler Owens, Dugan Darnell, Phil Bickford, Jack Little and more. Of course, those spring standouts often crumble later in camp as the hitters get up to speed, but it’s all a normal part of spring camp. Seeing how the Tigers are trying to help pitchers adjust and find something new in their game is always interesting, if usually futile for all but a few.

It’s been a long winter, and it sure isn’t over yet, but the promise of spring camp is better than a groundhog for signaling that spring is finally around the corner.

As if the last part of our list wasn’t fun enough, we begin to see a major influx of tools as we enter our top 18 prospects. After adding the likes of Isaiah and Guanipa back in 2023, the Braves made serious changes to what kind of players they were looking to add which is why we are beginning to see an influx of position prospects beginning to make the list. Speed, and overall approach stand out the most with this group of teenager, but there is a lot more to like about them including their untapped power potential. Owen, Cody, Isaiah, Conor, and Luis possess the tools that make you excited about watching minor league baseball. With proper development you’re looking at five position players that have the tools to be impact major leaguers whether that be with Atlanta, or via a trade with another organization. We are also entering the part of the list where things start to get REALLY fun. So pour yourself a glass of water, do some reading, and let’s hear your thoughts on the list below.

19-24 | 25-30 | Honorable Mentions

18. Blake Burkhalter – RHP

How he got to the Braves: 2022 2nd round compensation pick (76th overall)

It’s been an eventful winter for Blake Burkhalter. First he was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft, and went unpicked by the 29 other teams. Then it seems like his Triple-A move to the pen is a move that is going to stick for him on a more permanent basis. Last year he spent the season split between Columbus and Gwinnett and starting and relieving, posting a 3.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP as a starter in Columbus. With Gwinnett he made two starts and 16 relief appearances, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP – though a 3.86 ERA and 1.33 WHIP as a reliever. After he struck out 65 in 72 innings with Columbus, he struck out 23 over 31 innings in Gwinnett – though it worth noting that he struck out 16 over 21 relief innings. Burkhalter has a fastball up to 98 MPH and cutter that can miss bats, plus a slider and change that are more average, and has above average command. In a relief role he will be able to rely more heavily on the fastball and cutter combo that are his better pitches. He is likely to start back in Gwinnett considering he isn’t on the 40-man roster, but is likely to see Atlanta at some point this season. Although he was a college closer his upside is probably more of a 7th/8th inning guy.

17. Owen Carey – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2024 15th round pick (461st overall)

In terms of players in Atlanta’s system with significant helium to their status, Carey has to be near the top of anyone’s top prospects list. 

While he was a late-round pick in his respective draft class, the Braves felt confident enough in Carey’s abilities by handing him a signing bonus of $150,000. So far, Carey has made good on that investment.

On the surface, Carey’s numbers weren’t exactly eye popping in his first professional season. Across 469 at-bats, Carey posted a .675 OPS for low-A Augusta, to go along with four homers and 63 RBI. However, considering he was nearly 2 and a half  years younger than the competition, those numbers actually stand out as fairly solid for the young outfielder.

What is more encouraging for Carey, is that he showed tremendous plate discipline during his stint with the GreenJackets. Carey struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances for Augusta, and while he didn’t walk much – only 7.2% of the time – there’s still plenty to like with what Carey did while with the GreenJackets.

The main thing you want to see from Carey moving forward, is for him to get some lift on the ball, as he hit the ball on the ground in roughly half his at-bats for the year. If he can do that as he builds more muscle and taps into a bit more power, Carey could be a legitimate top-10 talent in the system by the time the season comes to a close.

It will be fascinating to see where Carey’s bat takes him in 2026. He’s likely slated to repeat at Augusta, at least to begin the season, as he gets back up to last year’s speed. From there, he should have a relatively quick bump to Rome where he and fellow teen outfielder Eric Hartman could suit up together at high-A before the all-star break.

16. Cody Miller – SS/3B/OF

How he got to the Braves: 2025 3rd round pick (96th overall)

The Braves surprised many when they drafted East Tennessee State shortstop Cody Miller in the third round in July and proceeded to sign him for an underslot bonus of $297.5k. Miller was way under the radar leading up to the draft, but his 2025 saw him rise the rankings of the Braves. After hitting just two home runs in each of his first two college seasons, Miller blasted 18 last spring with a slash of .331/.430/.623, and also added 27 steals while drawing 28 walks to his 35 strikeouts. He followed that up by heading to the Cape Cod League and slashing .261/.333/.439 with three more homers there against better competition than he faced at ETSU. Miller wasn’t just taking advantage of lesser competition, as he fared quite well against power conference teams as well last spring. He was drafted as a speed and hit tool guy, who has a little bit of pop, and also some defensive versatility. After signing he went to Augusta and hit .372/.417/.488 with a homer in 10 games before quickly being promoted to Rome. His time in Rome saw him play in 16 games and hit .297/.357/.422 with a homer. Combined he hit .327/.381/.449 with two homers, five doubles, a triple, 10 steals, and eight walks to 32 strikeouts over 118 plate appearances. He is likely to head back to Rome, but could push his way to Columbus quickly – even out of camp, and has played second, third, short, and left within the last year and has the speed to get a look in center as well. He has a Trea Turner-like skill set in that he should be able to make good contact, elite speed, and could be able to punch out 15-20 homers a year, though the first real test for him will be Double-A against upper level pitching

15. Isaiah Drake – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2023 5th round pick (162nd overall)

Headed into 2025, there was no prospect who needed to have an above-average year more so than Isaiah Drake. Coming off back-to-back seasons in which he posted a sub-.600 OPS, Drake needed to find an offensive switch, and it needed to happen sooner rather than later.

Needless to say, he found it.

Drake posted his best season yet at the plate, which culminated in a late season promotion to Rome, where he continued to show his offensive strides. In 84 games with Augusta before his promotion, Drake slashed .260/.341/.364 with five homers and 47 RBI. He also managed to swipe 35 bags while only getting caught 9 times.

With Rome, Drake suited up for 32 games in which he hit .303 with an OPS of .682. He also swatted one homer and drove in 12 runs. The biggest detriment to his game has been his inability to cut down on the strikeouts – in which he did so 23 times in 122 at-bats for Rome.

Drake’s skillset is well-documented; He’s a quick-twitch outfielder with exceptional speed and athleticism. The only thing lacking in his game thus far had been his offensive profile, which appears to have possibly made a turn for the better. However, it’s too small a sample size to determine that aspect for certain, so we’ll need to see Drake carry that into the 2026 season.

Drake appears slated to spend a majority, if not all, of the upcoming season with Rome as he continues to refine his approach at the plate. He doesn’t have to hit for a ton of power, as he can let the rest of his tools do a lions share of the talking. If he can tap into a little bit of power while keeping his batting consistent, Drake could be a sneaky guy to move up into the upper minors this season considering the sheer lack of depth the Braves have when it comes to outfield prospects.

14. Conor Essenburg – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2025 5th round pick (157th overall)

One of the biggest wildcards on the list, Braves 2025 fifth round draft pick Conor Essenburg finds himself all the way up at No. 14 overall on our list. With Essenburg comes pure projection – a surprisingly polished prep bat with strong exit velocities, and power projection that can make every Braves fan happy. He was a two way player that can touch the low-to-mid 90s on the mound, but it’s the potential with the bat that the Braves are interested in as they selected him as an outfielder during the draft. As with any prep player the question is will the hit tool translate – so that is something to keep an eye on this year as he makes his professional debut, likely in the FCL. But as is, Conor immediately becomes one of the highest upside outfield prospects in the system which is a group that is rapidly growing with power potential, a solid hit tool, average speed, and a big arm. Look for him to slot into that right fielder spot, though if the size and power continue to grow there is a tiny risk he profiles more as a first baseman. That said, there’s no reason to go down that route now because he has not shown any of that risk.

13. Luis Guanipa – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2023 international free agent

The Braves signed Luis Guanipa as their top international free agent three years ago for $2.5M. He was seen as a potential five-tool talent and backed that up in his pro debut. In the DSL in 2023 he hit .238/.361/.384 with four homers and 20 steals over 46 games. That was enough to shoot him up the rankings ahead of 2024, but unfortunately that ended up being a lost year for him due to injuries. He hit a combined .219/.286/.291 with two homers and 10 steals over 52 combined games between Augusta and the FCL after a late start to his season and then an additional injury layoff. The hope was that he would be healthy again and bounce back in 2025, but injuries hit again and limited him to just 35 games combined between Augusta and the FCL. He hit just .262/.345/.325 with just one homer and two steals – however he did show some growth during the season. He had monthly OPS marks of .182 and .636 in April and June, but .708 and .830 in July and August as he seemed to hit a lot better – however it needs to be noted that all of these months are small sample sizes, between 11 and 66 plate appearances. Guanipa when healthy still has shown five-tool ability, though will need to do a better job of translating his raw power into games. He is still just barely 20 years old and has the time to repeat Augusta and work with a strong coaching staff there again

With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Today we are looking at second baseman Marcus Semien.

Former second baseman Marcus Semien, I guess I should say.

Marcus Semien being traded felt like…not the end of an era, necessarily, but definitely the end of a particular chapter in the book of the Texas Rangers.

51 months ago, the Texas Rangers were coming off a disastrous season. The team had committed to an (arguably) long overdue rebuild after a disappointing 2020 season. The 2021 team was bad, reaching 100 losses for the first time since the first two years the franchise was in Arlington. Joey Gallo, a year and a half away from free agency and playing like a superstar, was traded to the Yankees at the deadline after rejecting a contract extension as the Rangers took on a “no half measures” approach. Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy were shipped off to Philadelphia at the break. Things appeared bleak, to say the least.

At the end of season press conference, Jon Daniels and Chris Young told fans that the rebuild was over, and the team was committed to going big in the free agent market that winter. Payroll would be going up, the Rangers were looking to get much better, quickly, and they were going to spend money to accomplish that. It was a very strong free agent class, headed by five stellar shortstops, and the Rangers were going big game hunting.

The reaction was predictable. There was scoffing. There was mockery. There were predictions that the Rangers would miss out on the top players, say they made competitive offers and were really trying, and then add some third-tier free agents and call it a day. Folks pointed to the pursuit of Anthony Rendon after the 2019 season, a player the Rangers prioritized, and how they fell woefully short to the offer made by Arte Moreno and the Angels. That was proof the Rangers might talk a big game, but when push came to shove they would fall short.

Then, on the afternoon of November 28, 2021, news broke that the Texas Rangers were landing Marcus Semien, one of the big five shortstops, on a 7 year, $175 million deal.

The baseball world was shook. Rangers fans were floored. The skeptics had to eat their words. The Rangers went big, on a long-term contract for a guy with two top-three MVP finishes in the previous three years.

The rebuild was over, and the Rangers were committed to winning again.

A day later, news broke that the Rangers were signing Corey Seager to a 10 year, $325 million deal. In a two day period, a team that had just lost 102 games committed a half-billion dollars to two of the best free agents available. And they still weren’t done, agreeing to terms with free agent pitcher Jon Gray on a four year deal. All three players were officially signed right before the owners locked out the players, resulting in an especially frustrating period where our celebration over the new acquisitions was muted due to the uncertainty of the coming 2022 season.

Seager, of course, was the prize addition, and so far appears to be one of the best signings in Texas Rangers history. He’s who we think of first when we think about the big moves that offseason that kickstarted the return to contention, ultimately culminating in a World Series title in 2023, the first in franchise history.

But it all started with Marcus Semien.

And now, Semien is gone, traded with three years left on his deal, to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo. Gray is gone, a free agent, his career in question because of ongoing health issues. Corey Seager is still here, of course, and hopefully isn’t going anywhere. But both the roster and the dynamics of this club are much different now.

Marcus Semien’s final season with the Rangers was much like his first and third seasons with the team. He was excellent defensively, not so excellent offensively. He won a Gold Glove, and gets a good chunk of credit for the Rangers’ team Gold Glove award in 2025. He also put up a 97 OPS+ and an 89 wRC+, which isn’t ideal.

Semien slashed .230/.305/.364 in 2025, and regardless of circumstances, that’s not what you want. He did have a noticeable home/road split, slashing .217/.303/.314 at home and .242/.308/.410 on the road. He also missed the final six weeks of the season, and one could possibly surmise that his overall slash line would have looked better had he not missed that time, since over the course of his career, his OPS by month goes up in orderly fashion, lowest in April, second lowest in May, and so on. He has a career 815 OPS in the month of September, 59 points better than his career OPS, and his 65 career homers in the final month of the season is 19 more than his second highest month (August, natch).

Looking at Semien’s offensive profile, you can see how he would be particularly affected by the Shed in 2025, and the way the ball just flat didn’t travel well there. Semien hits the ball in the air a lot, particularly to the pull side — in his four seasons with the Rangers, he had just two opposite field home runs. However, he’s never hit the ball particularly hard — his hard hit rate was right at his career average in 2025, but was just good enough to be in the 17th percentile in 2025, per Statcast.

Hitting the ball in the air but not particularly hard is how you end up with a .251 BABIP, which is what Semien sported in 2025. It was tied for fourth lowest among 145 qualifying hitters in 2025, behind Eugenio Suarez, Josh Bell, and Cal Raleigh, and tied with Sal Perez. And if the ball isn’t carrying, that exacerbates the power problem, since you aren’t picking up doubles as much either. Semien’s 16 doubles in 2025 were the lowest in a full season in his career, and even if you extrapolate it out to 160 games like he usually plays, it would be the lowest total. His ISO of .134 was the second lowest of his career, behind only 2018, when he had a .133 ISO.

Marcus Semien is still a good player. In 127 games, he put up 2.1 fWAR and 3.3 bWAR. At the age of 35, he is obviously in the decline phase of his career, but a 2-4 win second baseman has value, and I don’t think there’s any question he will work to get as much as he can out of himself for the remainder of his contract.

He’ll just be doing it with the Mets, instead of the Rangers, going forward.

Previously:

Gerson Garabito

Tyler Mahle

Kyle Higashioka

Adolis Garcia

Luis Curvelo

Alejandro Osuna

Blaine Crim

Jake Burger

Jacob Webb

Nick Ahmed

Jon Gray

Carl Edwards Jr.

Josh Jung

Leody Taveras

Dustin Harris

Marc Church

Luke Jackson

Danny Coulombe

Wyatt Langford

Dylan Moore

Michael Helman

Evan Carter

Cole Winn

Rowdy Tellez

Dane Dunning

With Monday’s big trade news, the Mariners accomplished one of their major off-season goals, shoring up the infield with the acquisition of Brendan Donovan. That leaves just one item on the off-season shopping list: a reliever to help bolster the bullpen. Obviously, we love us a Pile Guy™, and the staff has already started laying claim to some of our fave breakout picks: Nick is an Alex Hoppe-Hoper, ZAM has a crush on Cooper Criswell, and John just never got over a guy named Robinson (Ortiz, in this case). Personally, I am still licking my wounds after going all-in on Adonis Medina last season and am slow to trust again. But relying on a waiver-wire-castoff reliever to be a steadying force in the bullpen is a risky proposition, despite the success the Mariners have had with that in the past. Commenter AJPDX listed out a few names to consider for free agent relievers in the Moose Tracks yesterday, so I thought we’d take a closer look at some of them today.

AJPDX’s original list was Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, Andrew Chafin, Evan Phillips, José Leclerc, Paul Sewald, Michael Kopech, Nick Martinez. I have a hard time seeing the Mariners adding a third lefty to the bullpen, so I think we can scratch Coulombe, Wilson, and Chafin (sorry to his site doppelganger Connor, who has always wanted the Mariners to sign Chafin).

Having scratched those guys, Nick Martinez is probably the most intriguing name left on the list to me, but I agree with AJPDX’s thought that Martinez probably wants another shot at starting—and given that after Framber Valdez signs he’ll be the best starter remaining by WAR, I think someone will give him a shot to do so.

Next are the injury guys. José Leclerc, who the A’s gave $10M to last season, had season-ending rotator cuff surgery in July. He could be ready for spring training, but is likely not on a regular ramp-up schedule. Evan Phillips had TJ in June and won’t be ready until after the All-Star Break; he also reportedly prefers a straight one-year deal rather than the two-year deal some pitchers have signed post-TJ, making him a tough fit. Paul Sewald is coming off injury and is 36. Michael Kopech also has a lengthy injury history, including last season, and has had problems commanding the zone his whole career, but he offers the highest upside out of this group.

Beyond those guys, the list of available options is…not. Most everyone left has signed or retired. The steadiest hand left might be Luke Jackson, who was with the team last season.

At this point, the Mariners have built a pile and their in-house options likely outstrip anything left on the market. A minor trade is always a possibility as teams finalize their rosters prior to spring training, and feels likelier to me if they’re adding anyone than signing one of the leftover relievers. If you have a favorite target, please toss it in the comments – or if you’re willing to throw your lot in with one of the pitching pile guys, say so. This is a safe space.

Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen is still a free agent going into the final days leading up to spring training.

McCutcheon, 39, is still looking to play this season and would like to return to the Pirates where he has played for each of the past three seasons. However, the Pirates have yet to offer him a contract. The Athletic insider Ken Rosenthal explains why that may be the case.

“The offseason is not yet over. The Pirates’ estimated $95 million payroll is only $8 million above last season’s final number, a total deflated by trades of David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes and several veterans on one-year deals. As the team’s pursuit of Suárez demonstrated, Cherington still wants to add another hitter. If he does not, the spectre of McCutchen will hang over Don Kelly’s first spring training as manager. Not exactly the vibe the Pirates are seeking,“ Rosenthal wrote.

“Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise. But if the Pirates had been more straightforward with McCutchen, they at least would have made clear that they offered him no guarantees beyond 2025. They held internal discussions about relating those intentions to McCutchen, sources said. But they decided against taking a direct approach, perhaps out of fear of confrontation.”

Many Pirates fans, and McCutchen included, hope that he can play in black and gold this season, but the longer he is off the roster, the less likely it seems that will be the case. McCutchen shared his thoughts on the matter in a social media post last month.

“If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years,” McCutchen tweeted.

“Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt [sic] a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me.”

Pirates pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton for spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 11.