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The calendar has barely turned to March and we’ve already had a Francisco Lindor hamate surgery, dominant early performances from Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta, a chess club, and a Soto shuffle.

And now, in addition to all of that, we will be kicking off our annual King of Spring Training contest, in which we honor the less heralded players in camp—the non-roster invitees, the less touted prospects, and the journeymen. This year’s contest will look a little different because a significant number of players are now missing from Mets camp due to the World Baseball Classic, but that may mean some more opportunities for potential KoST candidates.

Let’s meet the 2026 field, shall we?

Cristian Pache – .727/.750/1.182 in 11 ABs

The Mets signed Pache to a minor league deal in December before they brought on Luis Robert and also MJ Melendez and Mike Tauchman—both also KoST candidates themselves—which makes his path to making the team quite difficult. But the 27-year-old former top international prospect and NL East journeyman has led the team in hits this spring with eight, which is twice as many as anybody else.

Not known for his power, Pache has also already gone deep once this spring. Unexpectedly leading the team in hitting certainly rockets him to the top of the KoST leaderboard early.

KoST Points: 5

MJ Melendez – .364/.364/1.000 in 11 ABs

The battle for right field and the fourth outfield spot for the Mets is looking stiff this spring.

Melendez, much like Pache, is another player who once had quite the prospect pedigree, but he never lived up to his potential offensively. He is now trying to revive his career with the Mets. “I’ve had conversations with [the Mets] and saw that they definitely believe in me,” Melendez told NJ.com at Clover Park recently. “I definitely want somebody who has that same kind of thought process as me. I’m excited for a fresh start, excited for what’s to come and excited to get to learn here.” He also cited a great first impression from the Mets’ hitting and coaching staff. That two-home run performance on Friday was certainly a good start and has been the highlight of his spring so far. Those two long balls represent half of his four hits so far in Grapefruit League action. Though the outfield battle is crowded (and chock full of KoST candidates), Melendez’s defensive versatility may give him an edge.

KoST Points: 4

Austin Barnes – .500/.556/.875 in 8 ABs

The veteran third string catcher the Mets brought in as an NRI popping off in spring? Yeah. That’s the stuff KoST is made of, baby. Three of Barnes’ four hits in his first eight spring at-bats went for extra bases.

KoST Points: 3

Mike Tauchman – .286/.444/.857 in 7 ABs

Rounding out the hot right field battle this spring is Mike Tauchman, who has more of a track record of success at the big league level than either of our other KoST candidate outfielders Pache and Melendez. He was also signed most recently, shortly before spring training began. “I think I have a good opportunity to make the team out of camp and then also have a Spring Training that I think is going to allow me to prepare myself for a season regardless — just in terms of reps, at-bats, opportunities,” Tauchman said shortly after he was signed. Thus far this spring, he has been proven right in a very small sample size, demonstrating that he is absolutely a factor in this roster battle, along with Pache, Melendez, Carson Benge (who I felt was not KoST eligible being the Mets’ top position player prospect), and Tyrone Taylor (who I also felt was too established to be KoST eligible, even if his exact role is not guaranteed). Tauchman has the fewest at-bats of any of our position player KoST candidates so far, but he is certainly one to keep an eye on in this contest.

KoST Points: 3

Tobias Myers – 1.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7 Ks in 5 1/3 IP

Though Tobias Myers has already had success in the big leagues and is probably close to a lock to make the team, I still feel he has a certain, shall we say, KoSTiness about him because I get the sense he is thought of as the throw-in in the Freddy Peralta trade. I don’t think that characterization does Myers justice and if he keeps pitching like he has early this spring, he might shoehorn his way into the rotation picture despite the presence of at least five or six other major league quality starting pitchers in camp. A crowded rotation is a good problem to have and I hope that at the end of the month, it’s a problem the Mets still have. Either way, don’t be surprised if Tobias Myers makes a huge contribution to the 2026 Mets—whether it’s in the rotation or as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.

KoST Points: 4

Robert Stock – 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 6 Ks in 3 IP

I know the community is very divided on the idea of pitchers as KoST candidates, particularly relief pitchers, but Robert Stock would be one of the most fun success stories of the spring if he managed to make the bullpen. The 36-year-old journeyman tweeted the following after the Mets decided to bring him back on a minor league deal this offseason.

Stock is a student of his craft, always tinkering with his repertoire and diving into the data. He is the sabermetrics nerd’s pitcher. And this spring so far, he is getting results.

KoST Points: 3

Austin Warren – 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 2 Ks in 3 IP

Austin Warren got some big league innings for the Mets last season and he looks good again this spring, making him a dark horse to make the bullpen, which would certainly boost his KoST candidacy. But even if he does not make the team out of camp, he seems like a guy who is sure to see the big league mound again this season at some point or another.

KoST Points: 2

Matt Turner – 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5 Ks in 3 IP

Matt Turner is arguably the KoSTiest type of KoST candidate of all: a minor league Rule 5 guy. The Mets clearly saw potential in him by claiming him from the Yankees and he has been lights out so far this spring. If he keeps it up, his stock in this race could rise very quickly (Robert Stock pun intended).

KoST Points: 2

For the 2026 Chicago White Sox, the arrival of Opening Day isn’t just a celebration of a new season; it’s also a deadline for a game of “Roster Tetris.” With a front office focused on a deep rebuild, the team finds itself with a critical mass of “bubble players.” Guys who are talented enough to be on a 40-man roster, but out of minor-league options, and facing the cold reality of the waiver wire.

If these guys don’t crack the 26-man, it’s DFA city — tossed to the wolves, with 29 teams circling for scraps. In a league desperate for cheap depth, most of them are one waiver away from vanishing off the South Side for good.

Top of the line talent crew

First up: the ex-top prospects, now dangling at the end of their developmental rope.

Lenyn Sosa (INF): Once a prized international signing, now a walking question mark. He led the team with 22 bombs last year, but can’t find a glove that fits. With Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and the rest of the infield mob breathing down his neck, Sosa is squarely on the must-keep-or-must-lose chopping block.

Luisangel Acuña (INF/OF): The Sox have no choice but to keep Acuña on the 26-man. That sets off a domino chain with someone else getting the boot. Getz keeps promising Acuña the runway he never got with the Mets, but with the infield jammed, he’ll be scrapping for second base and probably thrown into center, the spot vacated by Luis Robert Jr.

Everson Pereira (OF): Acquired from the Rays, Pereira has “bust-level” hit tool concerns but “All-Star” athleticism. If the Sox can’t find 400 at-bats for him, another team surely will take a flyer on his raw power.

Miguel Vargas (INF): A key piece in the Michael Kopech/Erick Fedde trade, Vargas certainly improved in 2025, but how he fits in 2026 is uncertain. The White Sox need him to work out, but if he struggles in camp (he’s actually been killing it) and they attempt to “hide” him in Triple-A, he’s as good as gone.

Jarred Kelenic (OF): Kelenic isn’t just a typical non-roster invitee; he signed with Chicago specifically because hitting coach Ryan Fuller, who worked with him in Nashville during the offseason, believes he can help him adjust his swing. To keep Kelenic, the White Sox must add him to the 40-man roster, but since the 40-man is already bursting with “no-option” players, adding Kelenic means the Sox would likely have to designate someone else.

With Andrew Benintendi and Pereira both nursing “right side soreness” in early March, Kelenic may have a window to seize an Opening Day starting role. If he hits as he did in the 2023 season (.253/.327/.419), he isn’t just a bubble player, but rather a middle-of-the-order threat. Although his play in Spring Training so far hasn’t indicated that guy is in there, as he’s slashing .176/.222/.235.

Pitching logjam

Tyson Miller (RHP): Not on the 40-man, minor-league deal in January, and the poster child for Catch-22. If he shoves in spring, someone else gets the axe. He was nails for the Cubs in 2024, then his hip exploded in 2025. Now he’s healthy, but a 7.36 ERA in Arizona is not exactly banging down the door.

Tyler Gilbert (LHP): Ate innings for the 2025 Sox — 46 games, 3.88 ERA, and plenty of opener gigs. He’s out of options, and the Sox have a lefty pileup with Brandon Eisert and Chris Murphy lurking. If they only keep two southpaws and Gilbert gets the chop, he’s gone. At 32, a lefty who can start or mop up is catnip for contenders.

Odd man out in a three-headed monster

Korey Lee (C/OF): The White Sox are currently carrying three catchers who all arguably belong in the majors: the veteran-minded Lee and the “future of the franchise” duo of Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. Because Chicago cannot send Lee down without clearing waivers, he is essentially holding a roster spot hostage. In a desperate bid to increase his value, Lee began taking reps in left field late in the 2025 season and made one in-game appearance, even making a sliding catch against the Padres.

If he makes the Opening Day roster, it likely won’t be as a primary catcher, but as a “Swiss Army Knife” who can catch, DH, and fill in at the corners. If the Sox decide they can’t afford to carry three catchers, Lee is a prime candidate for a claim. At 27 years old, with a first-round pedigree and a respectable .762 OPS in his limited 2025 action, a team would likely snatch him up the moment his name hits the wire.

The land down under

Curtis Mead (INF): Came over for Adrian Houser at the deadline. Former Top-100 guy, with a quick bat and sharp eye. He’s off to play for Team Australia in the WBC, so his Cactus League showcase is done. The Sox have no choice but to keep him on the 26-man because if they let him hit waivers, he’s gone in a heartbeat.

Defensive insurance policy

Derek Hill (OF): The White Sox signed Hill to a unique split contract ($900k MLB / $450k MiLB) this winter to try to create “artificial” flexibility. However, Hill has no options left. The split contract is a gamble by the front office, betting that other teams might be deterred from claiming him because they’d have to inherit those specific contract terms. Hill is effectively the “store-brand” version of Michael A. Taylor, elite speed and defense, but a career 32% strikeout rate. If the Sox keep the high-upside youth (Acuña, Pereira), Hill is the most likely veteran wire sacrifice.

Rule 5 blues

While the other players on this list are “out of options,” the Rule 5 picks are in an even tighter cage: they must remain on the active MLB roster for the entire season. If the White Sox want to move them to the minors, they have to pass through waivers and then be offered back to their original teams (the Red Sox and Rays) for just $50,000.

Jedixson Paez (RHP): Picked second overall from Boston, Paez is the control artist of the bunch. He hasn’t pitched above High-A, but the Sox are betting his 1.40 BB/9 command can play in relief. One spring outing so far: scoreless, hitless, one K.

Alexander Alberto (RHP): A big righthander straight out of the Rays system, he’s got pure stuff with a fastball that touches 101. Three spring games, but the lack of upper-level reps is showing with a 6.75 ERA over four frames. If he can’t find the zone, the Sox have to decide if the 100 mph gas is worth bumping a vet like Tyson Miller.

If Paez and Alberto don’t show “survival skills” in the final two weeks of spring, they surely will be the first dominoes to fall. Their departure would be the only way to save the other “bubble” players from the waiver wire.

The stakes

For Chris Getz and the White Sox, the end of March is a tightrope walk. Keep the wrong guy, lose the right one, and suddenly you’re watching talent blossom somewhere else — looking at you, Romy González.

As Opening Day creeps closer, these guys aren’t just fighting for a spot on the South Side; they’re fighting to stay in the organization, period. For more than a few, the flight out of Glendale is likely a one-way ticket to somewhere else.

In a proceeding that attempted to redefine “exhibition, nonetheless televised for your enjoyment or something like it,” the Braves routed Team Colombia as a warm-up before the latter proceeds into World Baseball Classic play later this week. It’s tempting to describe Team Colombia’s efforts in this game as “going through the motions,” but that wouldn’t be accurate, as they played pretty sloppy ball defensively, and had to use loaner pitchers from Atlanta to get through the game.

The Braves’ lineup of regulars (plus fill-ins for their own guys at the WBC or… suspended for doing dumb stuff again) plated eight runs in the first three frames. Former top prospect Luis Patino struggled as Colombia’s starter, more or less showing why the Padres moved on from him after years of elbow troubles and ineffectiveness. Patino managed just a 1/2 K/BB ratio, and his inning had to be finished by a loaner from the Braves, Isaac Gallegos. Amusingly, Gallegos actually would’ve wrapped up his appearance after just a handful of pitches, but Gio Urshela, playing shortstop, made a not-great throw to first on an Eli White grounder, and the Colombian first baseman absolutely pooched the attempt to scoop the ball.

The Braves also blew up Colombian hurler Pedro Garcia in the third, as six consecutive Braves reached against him, including back-to-back homers by White and Sandy Leon. (In Garcia’s defense, Urshela muffed another ball behind him, as well.) Another loaner, Riley Frey, had to work in Garcia’s stead, and he actually got outs from Drake Baldwin, Austin Riley, and Ben Gamel… but Matt Olson drilled a double as well.

The Braves had fun overall, though the level of competition was really just kind of sad.

On the pitching end, the Colombian lineup wasn’t particularly impressive, so take the Braves’ collective 9/3 K/BB ratio from their pitchers with a grain of salt. Elieser Hernandez got the start and was cruising early, but was pulled after 2 2/3 when his command collapsed. Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee, Jhancarlos Lara, and Austin Pope all threw a perfect frame with a strikeout, and then James Karinchak came in a threw a frame with a walk and a strikeout as well.

There was a point where the game descended into silliness, as Colombia requested loaners not just on the pitching end but also to take the field. Luke Williams had a pop single because Luis Guanipa couldn’t flag it down in left field, that sort of thing. The mercy rule was apparently in effect for this game, and the Braves were a couple of runs from triggering it, which created a weird situation like Shay Schanaman pitching the eighth against his own team in a way where, if he gave up some runs, the game would just end. But, he didn’t, and this one went nine, even if it was a scrimmage more or less the whole time.

The WBC begins in earnest with real competition later tonight. Meanwhile, the Braves will host the Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon in what may be a less silly exhibition contest.

The Mets came back to beat Team Israel, 5-2, in a exhibition matchup Wednesday at Clover Park. 

Here are some takeaways...

- Carson Benge continues to make a strong impression in his bid for an Opening Day roster spot. The 23-year-old outfielder accounted for the Mets' only offense in the early going of this one, taking a 1-2 offering from Israel lefty Ryan Prager just over the right field fence for an opposite-field solo home run. 

Benge played five innings in the field, and finished the day 1-for-3.

- David Peterson was strong in his first outing of the spring. He struck out a pair to dance his way out of a man on third with nobody out jam in the top of the first, worked around a one-out walk in the second, then used a double-play ball to erase a leadoff single in the third. 

The southpaw closed his line with two walks, a hit, and four punchouts over three innings. 

- Christian Scott followed Peterson, and he was tremendous in what was his first game action since July 2024. The returning right-hander worked around a two-out single and a stolen base in the fourth, then struck out three around a two-out single in the top of the fifth -- Scott came back out for the sixth and retired the final two batters he faced. 

He averaged 95 mph on his fastball as he struck out five over 2.2 innings of work. 

- Adbert Alzolay gave up the game-tying solo home run in the top of the seventh, then Nick Burdi handed Israel their first lead of the day with back-to-back extra base-hits in the eighth. 

- The Mets came storming back in the bottom half of the inning, though, led by some of their young talent. After versatile prospect Chris Suero started things with a leadoff walk, Jose Rojas lined a double, followed by a Ji Hwan Bae two-run single, then third base prospect Jacob Reimer laced an RBI single to make it a two-run game. 

Yohairo Cuevas followed that with an RBI single of his own, capping off the four-run eight inning surge. 

Highlights

Carson Benge with a homer the other way to get the Mets on the board vs. Team Israel! pic.twitter.com/PDaTHK689T

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 4, 2026

What's next

The Mets return to Grapefruit League play as they face off with the Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. in West Palm Beach. 

The Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox by a score of 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon. 

Here are the key takeaways...

-- Hello, George Lombard Jr.!

Batting leadoff and playing shortstop, the highly touted prospect launched a solo home run off of Garrett Crochet to lead things off in the top of the first. Lombard demolished a 97 MPH fastball on a 1-2 pitch, easily clearing the Green Monster-esque wall in left, traveling an estimated 392 feet.

His second time up, still facing Crochet, Lombard stung a single 108.5 MPH off the bat, good for a single up the middle. That chased Crochet from the game in the third (he would re-enter the game briefly in the fourth), with Lombard looking very much like one of the top infield prospects in baseball. 

-- Ben Rice continued his strong spring, ripping an RBI double off the wall in left in the third inning, putting the Yankees up 2-0.

Then, in the fifth inning, Rice stung a solo home run over the wall in right, pushing the Yankees lead to 4-0.

Rice went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, and now has a 1.138 OPS.

-- Luis Gil got off to a strong start, striking out the first two hitters that he faced. Gil had an easy first two innings, but walked two batters to start the third. To the right-hander’s credit, thought, he rebounded to strike out the next three hitters to escape the inning without allowing a run. 

Gil pitched into the fourth inning, and was pulled at 56 pitches in the middle of an at-bat. Gil's final line read 3.0+ innings, allowing zero runs on two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.

-- Spencer Jones was kept in the ballpark, but he did have a bloop ground-rule double in the fourth, part of a run-scoring rally.

Jones went 1-for-3 with a strikeout. 

-- Right-handed reliever Jake Bird pitched another 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. While Bird struggled last season after being traded at the deadline from the Rockies to the Yankees, he's pitched well this spring, totaling 4.2 scoreless innings.

-- Braden Shewmake, a 28-year-old infielder claimed by the Yankees off waivers from the Royals in January, made a phenomenal defensive play in the eighth. With the Yankees holding a four-run lead, the Red Sox loaded the bases with no one out. Following a strikeout, Shewmake not only made a diving catch on a humpback liner to shallow left, but then had the awareness to get to one knee and throw a strike home to nab the runner trying to score. 

Highlights

Leadoff homer for George Lombard Jr. against Garrett Crochet! pic.twitter.com/8Z6UY0zNMX

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) 

Ben Rice with an RBI double off the Fort Myers Green Monster pic.twitter.com/7vGTfZwCh8

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) 

A sparkler from Shewmake to get us out of the inning 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ib3rf6kvPK

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) 

Up Next

The Yankees host the Minnesota Twins in Tampa on Thursday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.

The Phillies will embark soon on a season that is under some rather intense scrutiny. It’s not just the fanbase that is expecting some results this year when it comes how and where the team ultimately finishes, it’s national media as well. Look around at different people talking about who is on the hot seat and who is not, you’ll probably find multiple outlets talking about the Phillies. It’s also the players themselves. Everyone kind of knows what is at stake here with the team. While we largely preach patience here when it comes to the team, with the players that are impending free agents and the prospects that are nipping at their heels to take over that vacated spot, this does have a bit of a feel of the last hurrah for this form of the team.

Since 2022, we have come to see the team as it being led by a Bryce Harper-Kyle Schwarber-Zack Wheeler core, buffeted by other players like J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez. With the departure of Suarez this past offseason, we have started to see layers of that team that went to the World Series in 2022 started to fall away. No longer are Suarez and Nick Castellanos gracing the corridors of Citizens Bank Park; now, we will see Adolis Garcia and Andrew Painter. Much as people would like to spin it as the team running it back, a more considered take is that there has been a decent amount of turnover.

Yet the players that remain still have that feel of “we’ve been here before”. Bohm, despite some of the team’s best attempts to move from him, remains probably the best option to give whoever hits third the protection that is required. Realmuto and Schwarber were brought back as the best available free agent options at their positions while Harper, Bryson Stott and Trea Turner continue to provide value in the infield. The outfield does have a different mix of players with Garcia joining Brandon Marsh and (probably) Justin Crawford to form maybe not the most powerful trio of outfielders in the game, but certainly some of the better defensive options the team has had in many a moon.

The pitching staff even has a different vibe to it. This isn’t one led by Wheeler, though he still remains one of the better pitchers in the game. No, this one now has a different Ace in Cristopher Sanchez, backed (at least until Wheeler is ready to resume his duties) by a burgeoning frontline starter in his own right in Jesus Luzardo. The bullpen looks like one of the best overall units on paper now that they have finally decided to hand specific roles to specific pitchers, anchored by Jhoan Duran and Brad Keller at the end of games.

This is a good team, but what ultimately will define a successful season?

The “ring mentality” that has permeated fanbases around the game has warped what constitutes a successful season. We have been conditioned to think that a season is a failure if it is not draped in confetti on the final day the team is together. Many people are criticized for believing that a team has had a good season if they make it to the playoffs, shouted down by those that would like hardware to show for their troubles.

Make no mistake, the Phillies should and could contend for a World Series title this season. Should they join the overwhelming majority of other teams in the game and not hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season, there will be disappointment to go around for all, but that should not push their season to the dustbin of obscurity. They have a roster that should make the playoffs and should contend for the National League pennant and should put up a fight if it reaches the World Series.

It just has to.

But the question here is: what does the team have to do this year to make it successful? That’s what we ask of you.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

After yesterday’s excursion into international waters, normal, Cactus League service resumes this afternoon for the D-backs with a relatively short trip to Hohokam Park. The D-backs come into this game with a four-game winning streak (not including yesterday, obvs), not having lost a regular pre-season game in a week. It’s the offense who has been getting it done: while Arizona has conceded 22 runs over those four victories, they have scored 33. They have all been pretty close, each ending in a save situation. In fact, the last six Diamondbacks’ contests have all been decided by three runs or fewer. Here’s the line-up for this afternoon:

After Brandon Pfaadt, candidates to pitch are from the following: RHP Yilber Díaz, LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Tom Hatch, RHP Andrew Hoffmann, LHP Philip Abner, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, RHP Jonathan Loaisiga and LHP Spencer Giesting. Plenty to choose from there, and a few names who I expect to be competing for spots in the bullpen by the end of the month. As for Pfaadt, this is his first game in the Cactus League: he has thrown on the backfields. This is because he is being eased into action after having a “side issue” earlier in the off-season. We’ll see how deep he goes into the game today.

No TV or radio today, so a Gameday only kind of afternoon. Probably be fairly quiet.