We’re midway through the 2025-26 season, and the Knicks are in a solid spot.
They woke up the morning after the trade deadline with a 33-18 record, fully recovered from the January swoon that nearly saw management press the panic button, and tied for second in the Eastern Conference. They even figured to bolster the bench by acquiring Jose Alvarado and opening up space to sign a 15th player in the buyout market.
It’s a lot of work exploring every nook and cranny of NBA business. Thankfully, SBNation is partnering with SalarySwish to use their data and help answer every question we have about the Knicks’ financial situation and what it might mean this offseason and going forward.
Below are the full, comprehensive details from SalarySwish, as well as an FAQ breakdown.
Knicks Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space and More
Here is a table with all of the Knicks’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:
FAQ
Now, let’s answer some of your most frequently asked questions about the Knicks’salary cap and draft pick situations moving forward.
What is the Knicks’ cap situation?
According to Salary Swish, the New York Knicks have a projected cap hit of $206.7 million for the 2025-26 season with 14 players rostered, leaving them $52 million over the projected salary cap. They are $18.7 million over the luxury tax and $10.7 million over the first apron, but remain $1.15 million under the second apron with a hard cap at the second apron.
The team, prior to trading Guerschon Yabusele, was not able to sign a 15th player in the buyout market until early April. That changes now, as the team opened up an extra $1 million and can sign a player immediately, provided they made under the mid-level exception ($14 million) on their initial deal.
Looking ahead to the offseason, the Knicks already have over $200 million allocated next season, despite losing Mitchell Robinson, Jordan Clarkson, and Landry Shamet to free agency. Jose Alvarado’s $4.5 million player option will also go a long way towards whether the team can stay out of the second apron. If he accepts, they have under $17 million in space.
Is the second apron inevitable?
For those living under a rock, here’s a second apron explainer. You do not want to be there.
The second apron is currently causing everyone in Cleveland to panic about their timeline. Why do you think they traded for James Harden? The vaunted apron has already caused (rather successful) teardowns in Phoenix and Boston, and could come for teams like Orlando next.
As of right now, the Knicks will probably be a second apron team next year if they want to be serious about competing. Alvarado could very well decline his player option if he performs well, so he’ll need a raise. As will Shamet. We all know the value of Mitch, as well. Well, you not only have under $22 million in space to sign these three, but an additional minimum contract or two.
Now, this is assuming the Knicks don’t do anything seismic in the offseason, which could very well happen if they flame out in the playoffs. Say they trade Karl-Anthony Towns and his bloated $57 million salary, and that creates space; they’ll be able to stay under. What if they go after Giannis? That’ll likely hard cap them once again due to the rule of aggregating salaries.
How much will the Knicks pay in luxury taxes this year?
SalarySwish currently estimates about $40 million, which is a pretty penny.
This is the team’s second year in the luxury tax, so it’s not cataclysmic yet. It will be next year. It’s hard to project a luxury tax rate next year, but do not be surprised if the bill is nine figures, which will begin to test the mettle of James Dolan if the team isn’t bringing home a Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Who are extension candidates?
Mitchell Robinson is currently extension-eligible, but it is not going to happen in-season. He wasn’t dealt at the deadline, so we have to assume they at least have some interest in retaining him to a certain price point.
Two players become extension-eligible this offseason, and one became eligible in December. All three are intriguing.
Deuce McBride is already extension-eligible and can make up to $95 million on his next contract. While he’s signed through next season on a criminally cheap contract, the Knicks will eventually have to pay up for his services. With the second apron looming, do they really want to do that?
Josh Hart becomes eligible this offseason, but I don’t see that happening. He’s under contract through next season and has a $23 million team option for 2027-28. He’ll be 33 in 2028, so giving him a further extension feels unlikely, especially considering he might not play much longer than that.
Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible for a gigantic extension that he won’t receive. It’s nothing personal; it’s just not wise to give $260 million over four years to a player coming off his worst season in a good bit.
What draft picks do the Knicks have?
The Knicks were able to shed salary and make an upgrade, and it only cost them two inexpensive second-round picks. The picks they traded, specifically, were a (likely) Pistons 2nd this year and a convoluted pick from next.
Unless the Wizards manage to stumble their way out of the top eight, the Knicks will have their own first and seconds in the 2026 draft. If/when the Wizards pick doesn’t convey, the Knicks will possess Washington’s second-round pick in both 2026 and 2027, which could give them a pair of top-40 picks.
Aside from those two likely picks, the Knicks have six additional second-round picks through 2032. If you’re looking at the trade market, the team will be able to trade two unprotected firsts (2026, 2033) as soon as the NBA Draft occurs. They additionally have two pick swaps available due to the Stepien Rule in 2030 and 2032.
If you want to take the role of GM and mock up some trades, check out FanSpo or ESPN’s trade machine. And don’t forget to check your numbers with Salary Swish!
If you found this page useful, please bookmark it and/or share, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 13: Harry Ford #1 of Team Great Britain is is given a crown and robe after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during Game 5 of Pool C between Team Colombia and Team Great Britain at Chase Field on Monday, March 13, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last night, the World Baseball Classic rosters were released. Seeing that got me really fired up, especially considering how much fun the last one was. There are current and former Nationals players and coaches littered across the rosters. I wanted to take a look at some of the Nats ties to this amazing event.
The Nats current roster is not exactly littered with participants. Only two players will be leaving big league camp to play in the event. Harry Ford will be playing for Great Britain and Matt Mervis will suit up for Team Israel. Both players participated at the last WBC as well, so they are not new to this.
C Harry Ford (Great Britain) and 1B Matt Mervis (Israel) are the only Nationals players in big league camp this spring who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic.
While both players are born in the US, they have ties to the countries they are representing. Ford has British parents and has represented the country for a while now. Mervis is representing Israel because of his Jewish faith.
It is interesting timing for them though. Both Mervis and Ford will be leaving camp while competing for a roster spot. Mervis is part of a wide open first base competition. As a left handed bat, his main competition is likely to be Abimelec Ortiz. Mervis leaving camp could provide an opportunity for Ortiz to lock down a job. The same thing goes for Keibert Ruiz, who will get a chance to show what he has without Ford around.
Harry Ford is one of the biggest names on the Britain roster. He will co-captain the team along with Yankees star Jazz Chisholm. Ford was one of the breakout stars of the last competition. The event elevated his stock as a prospect, with Ford swinging a hot bat. He hit a key home run against Colombia, which was his signature moment.
However, these current players are not the only people with Nationals ties participating at the event. There are plenty of former Nats who are in the competition. Team USA has a couple of them, with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Other big stars like Juan Soto will be playing at the event as well.
There are also some lesser known former Nats at the WBC. Cult hero Joey Meneses will be representing Mexico and Erasmo Ramirez will be with Nicaragua. Some of the coaches also have ties to the Nats as well. A pair of 2019 Nationals will be coaching at the event. Gerardo Parra will be the first base coach for Venezuela and Yan Gomes will be the catching coach for Brazil. Here is a list of all the former and current Nats at the WBC.
Current and former #Nats players (farmhands included) participating in the WBC.
There are a lot of forgotten Nats on that list! The WBC is such a special event that I had so much fun watching in 2023. Hopefully this WBC is just as exciting as the last one. However, I am rooting for America to come out on top this time.
Who is your favorite former or current Nat at the event and who are some guys that you totally forgot about that are participating? Let me know down below. Also, who do you guys think will win the WBC this year? Can Japan repeat, or will Team USA or the Dominican Republic be too strong? The WBC starts in about a month and the final is on March 17th in Miami.
Ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Seth Jones and a fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and Spencer Knight.
Florida was able to retain the 2026 first-round pick by giving the Calgary Flames their 2025 pick to complete the Matthew Tkachuk trade. If they didn't, this pick would slide to 2027 for Chicago. That condition was met, and no other conditions were reportedly placed on the pick.
However, 11 months later, it is now confirmed that there were actually stipulations on this first-round pick. It is top-ten protected. Shockingly, the two-time defending champions are having a down year, and this pick falling into the top-ten is possible.
If the Panthers do retain this pick, their 2027 first will transfer to Chicago. That 2027 pick is already set to go to the Boston Bruins from the Brad Marchand trade, but it will slide to 2028 for Boston if the Panthers are forced to give it to the Blackhawks.
Conditions on a pick are rarely misunderstood like this, but it can happen from time to time. Chicago's front office was always aware of it, but it was never reported properly.
Frank Seravalli was the first one to put it out there that this was a top-ten protected pick for Florida on Friday morning.
Some news: I'm in the process of launching a new site, Hockey 24/7, so consider today a soft launch.
A clarification that seemed to catch #TimeToHunt and #Blackhawks fans offguard - yes, Florida's 2026 pick is Top 10 protected.
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MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 8: The Memphis Grizzlies huddle during the game against the Miami Heat on November 8, 2023 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Order has been restored in the NBA universe.
After a weird time where it felt like we were in the upside down, the Lakers and Grizzlies are back to their rightful places.
For those unaware, many years ago, the former fearless leader of the site, Harrison Faigen, once expertly pointed out that the Grizzlies had become the Lakers feeder team. At the time, a string of players came through Memphis, were bought and eventually made their way to LA, including Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard.
That was flipped on its head early last year when the Grizzlies began turning former Lakers G League players into quality role players. Both Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff earned standard contracts in Memphis after failing to stick in LA while Colin Castleton had a brief stint on a two-way there as well.
At last, though, the Lakers are back where they should be after the last two transaction cycles. On Thursday, they acquired Luke Kennard via trade, a player who spent two-and-a-half seasons in Memphis. Notably, he was part of the Grizzlies team that played against the Lakers in the playoffs.
He joins a pair of players on the Lakers who he was already teammates with on the Grizzlies as well. Marcus Smart played a season-and-a-half in Memphis while Jake LaRavia was drafted to Memphis and spent two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise.
So, for the entire 2023-24 season and half of the 2024-25 season, all three players were teammates. Fast forward a couple of years and we’re right back at it with the three of them reuniting in much warmer weather.
“It was a pleasure to play with Luke in Memphis,” Smart said after Thursday’s win over the Sixers. “One of the better shooters in this league. He comes to work every day and I’m excited to see him out here with us again [with] me and Jake, and kind of keep going what we had in Memphis.”
Not only are the Lakers using the Grizzlies as a farm team again, but it’s predominantly guards throughout the years who have made their way through the pipeline. Fortunately, the Lakers already have a couple of prominent on-ball players, so there’s no Ja Morant tenure in purple and gold to worry about, but it’s never too early to start scouting for the next player to come to LA.
Cedric Coward has had a great rookie season and sure would look nice with the Lakers. Jaylen Wells is a promising young player, too. Or maybe we can create a full loop and bring back Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Pippen Jr.
Whoever it is, it’s nice to know things are back in their rightful place in the NBA universe.
After completing a blockbuster trade to send Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, the new-look Memphis Grizzlies travel west to face the Portland Trail Blazers.
Donovan Clingan is one of the NBA’s top rebounders, and my Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers predictions expect him to dominate the glass against a depleted Grizzlies frontcourt.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this Western Conference showdown on Friday, February 6.
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers prediction
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers best bet: Donovan Clingan Over 12.5 rebounds (-112)
Donovan Clingan ranks fifth in rebounds per game this season at 11.2, and he’s pulled down 11 on the road compared to 11.4 at home. He’s pulled down at least 13 rebounds just 15 times in 47 appearances this season, but five of those have come across his last eight games.
The Portland Trail Blazers big man has averaged 13.6 rebounds in that eight-game span, and he’s averaged just over 14 boards per game over his last three at home.
Over the last 10 games, the Memphis Grizzlies have surrendered the ninth-most total rebounds (46) and second-most offensive rebounds (14.1), setting Clingan up for a nice day on the glass.
An already-depleted Grizzlies frontcourt traded Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale, and Santi Aldama and Zach Edey are still sidelined. Clingan should feast tonight against the shorthanded Grizzlies and comfortably clear this rebound line.
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay
Portland has dropped six straight, and they'll be hungry for a victory in front of the home crowd. The Grizzlies made a monster trade this week, and the new players are not yet in place.
Portland is 15-11 ATS at home, while Memphis is just 10-12. I'll take the home team to snap its six-game skid with a comfortable victory over the new-look Grizzlies.
Memphis is 7-15 to the Under on the road and 5-12 to the Under as the road underdog. Memphis will have a tough time scoring the ball with Jackson Jr., and Landale traded, and electric scorer Ty Jerome sidelined.
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers SGP
Donovan Clingan Over 12.5 rebounds
Trail Blazers -8.5
Under 231.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Spencer on Fire!
Cam Spencer's role has taken a hit over the last three games since Jerome's return, but Spencer has still averaged 13.7 points and five assists.
Spencer posted 25 and 21 points+assists across his last two games, and with Jerome out tonight, the former should be in line for strong numbers.
Over/Under: Over 234.5 (-110) | Under 234.5 (-110)
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know
The Trail Blazers have hit the game total Under in 17 of their last 24 games (+9.30 Units / 35% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers.
How to watch Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers
Location
Moda Center, Portland, OR
Date
Friday, February 6, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN southeast-Memphis, KUNP
Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers latest injuries
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It was the worst-kept secret in the league around the trade deadline.
Mike Conley is beloved by the Timberwolves organization and fans, and the feeling is mutual. The second he was traded from Minnesota to Chicago on Tuesday, as part of the three-team deal that brought Jaden Ivey to Chicago, the expectation was that the Bulls would trade him again, allowing Conley to return to Minnesota as a free agent. Sure enough, 24 hours later, Chicago traded him to Charlotte as part of the Coby White deal. Charlotte then announced it was waiving the 38-year-old veteran point guard.
Which clears the way for the news that Conley plans to re-sign with the Timberwolves as a free agent, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. To say this news was expected would be an understatement. The deal likely won't be consummated until after the All-Star break.
Conley returns to a Timberwolves team that will welcome him with open arms in the locker room, but he will not see many, if any, minutes on the court. Conley had been playing less than 20 minutes a game off the bench, and now those minutes (and some of Bones Hyland's minutes) are going to go to Ayo Dosunmu, one of the best pickups of the deadline. Conley will essentially be the last point guard on the bench.
It's been a little over a week since Nikola Jokić returned to the court for the Denver Nuggets following a month-long absence, but things have not gone as swimmingly as many in Denver had hoped.
The three-time NBA Most Valuable Player suffered a bone bruise and a hyperextended knee in a loss to the Heat on December 29th. At the time, the four-to-six week timeframe he was given for his recovery seemed like a potential death sentence for a Nuggets team that was already playing without three other starters: Christian Braun (ankle), Cameron Johnson (knee), and Aaron Gordon (hamstring). Yet, the Nuggets went 10-6 without their seven-time All-Star, thanks to the steady hand of Jamal Murray, the emergence of Peyton Watson, and a handful of other players who stepped into much larger roles.
When Jokić returned to put up 31 points and 12 rebounds in just 25 minutes against the Clippers on January 30th, it seemed like things would kick into gear for Denver. Instead, they've now lost three straight games, with Jokić averaging 23.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 7.3 assists but shooting just 45.5% from the field and 25% from three, both of which are well below his season-long marks of 59.4% from the field and 41.8% from the three-point line.
It's obvious that the Nuggets are better with Jokić on the floor, and three losses to the Thunder, Pistons, and Knicks aren't enough to start ringing alarm bells. Yet, this recent stretch has crystallized one of Denver's biggest struggles this season, which is the seemingly impossible task of being forced to endlessly redefine roles and chemistry in the wake of constant injuries.
“I think the complicated part is that everybody else had a rhythm, and then they come back," Nuggets coach Dave Adelman said about Jokić and also Christian Braun, who returned from his ankle injury earlier this week. "Now those guys, they demand roles, and they deserve them. Obviously, Jokić is one of the best players alive. So I think it's the growing pains for everybody. We’ve just got to find a rhythm together again. While you manage them, you really have to manage the others because those guys are the ones who have been playing and grinding, and now their games are changing a little bit."
Four of those players who have been really grinding during the recent string of injuries have been Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, Spencer Jones, and Jonas Valančiūnas.
Valančiūnas' role is the easiest to modify because he was signed to back up Jokić and will go back to doing that. Watson's situation is also, unfortunately, a bit easier to manage than it was when Coach Adelman made these comments before the Knicks game. The 23-year-old hurt his hamstring during that loss and will be out for "an extended period of time." It's a tough blow for Denver because Watson had emerged as a real driving force for the Nuggets, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on the season and had upped that to 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 15 games without Jokić.
Spencer Jones also played nearly 30 minutes a game without Jokić, averaging 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds, but providing strong defense and doing a lot of the little things in the offense that go unnoticed. Jalen Pickett also played 27 minutes per game without Jokić, averaging 9.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 41.5% from beyond the arc. Now, in the four games that Jokić has been back, Jones is down to 25 minutes per game, and Pickett has taken a much bigger step back, playing just 10 minutes in Christian Braun's first game back and not seeing the floor at all in a double overtime loss to the Knicks on Wednesday.
"I think it’s just redefining roles," explained Adelman. "That's going to happen over the games we play. We're not going to [have time to] practice. We need it, and I'm not talking like running lines here, like just stuff where you actually have some chemistry, script, talk about defensive coverages. You know, different guys are doing different things right now than they were doing two weeks ago. So I think patience is important, competitive patience, if that makes sense. But we'll manage as best we can."
The Nuggets will have to manage that re-definition of roles now and then have to do it all over again in a few weeks.
"We'll redo it again when Cam [Johnson] and AG [Aaron Gordon] come back, so it's just going to be the process," said Adelman. "The bottom line is, we've got plenty of time here to find the right rhythm. Those guys who held things down this past month have put us in a position to have a little bit of leeway. Those guys are the heroes of the season. That's why we're where we're at, and we can have a little bit of a struggle and come out the other side.”
That struggle has also come for Denver's best player. This recent stretch on the sidelines is the longest stretch Jokić has ever had with an injury during his NBA career. Sitting out for that long has not only impacted his rhythm and timing with his teammates, but it also impacted his ability to be himself on the court for an entire game.
“I think that the conditioning is one thing," suggested Adelman, "but I think the rhythm with conditioning, once you feel that and you feel good about the way you're moving, not just the fact that you're running with the game. I think those two different things, once you blend them together, then you'll see who he is. It's gonna take some time."
The Knicks game was a perfect example of that. The double overtime, back-and-forth nature of the game meant that Jokić played 44 minutes, and the coaches were happy with his conditioning, but the big man also couldn't get his shot to fall and was just 1-for-13 from beyond the arc.
“I couldn’t make a shot," said Jokić after the game. "Especially lately, it’s more off, but that's how the game goes. It happens. We’ll probably go back to the gym and work on it."
"I think the rhythm is going to come," echoed Adelman. "You know, the shooting rhythm.” Jokić himself is also not concerned about his ability to find his shooting stroke again: "I think we all have muscle memory. My body, and not just mine, but, like, we're used to it and how we play.” There is little question that the big man will get back to being the player that he was before the injury, but the process of getting back to that consistently is taking a bit longer than some, perhaps unfairly, expected.
"The expectations of him are so high that if he has an off shooting night, I think we probably take it too far," suggested Adelman. "It's coming, man. Everybody knows what this is and who he is, and he'll be what he is in time and with more games under his belt, more experience with the rhythm of the game, and playing with his new teammates, guys that are in and out, I think you'll see the best version of him soon.”
All-Star point guard Jamal Murray agreed. Despite the frustration with the team's third-straight loss and their inability to hold an early lead, Murray seemed confident in the team's ability to right the ship: “We have a great unit. Whoever is on the bench is ready to come into the game. They’ve obviously had experience this year coming in and playing, so there should be no hiccups...Plug and play, and be a bit more aggressive and try to see if we can have a better start."
With the injury to Watson, more guys are going to get a chance to come into the game, and the Nuggets will need that much more time to adjust to their new roles.
“It's just the next iteration," sighed Adelman. "We’ll have to reevaluate the starting lineup, reevaluate the rotation, get ourselves to the break, and take a long, long rest...I just feel bad for the guys in the locker room. It's deflating when you keep seeing people go down around you when you're trying to build towards something...But I'm excited for the whole group to get back. I think they've earned themselves a chance when things could have really gone the opposite way, and I think patience will be key with that.”
Patience with a coach tinkering with new lineups. Patience with players adjusting to new roles, and patience with a star making his return from a long layoff. While that patience could result in continuing to lose some games in the short-term, the Nuggets and their head coach believe that it will ultimately help lead them to where they want to go.
"You know, we got whatever 30 games to go," said Coach Adelman, "so I'll take the ugly times for the pretty ones. They're going to come.”
Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks the ball during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Spurs outlasted another short-handed opponent for their second win in a row. Victor Wembanyama led the team with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Harrison Barnes contributed 19 points, and De’Aaron Fox scored 17, while Stephon Castle chipped in 18 off the bench.
Congratulations to De’Aaron Fox on his 900th career 3. Here’s to 900 more and all hopefully with the Silver and Black.
OK Carter Bryant, I was not familiar with your game. Apparently the rookie has been grinding tape of Chris Paul lobs. Speaking of which, CP3 is going to be a Spur right? I mean the good guys are the second seed in a stacked West, and maybe they could use the depth, basketball wisdom, and veteran presence—he’ll bring the same tenacity and accountability that the Clippers wanted no part of?
Discuss amongst yourselves. I’ll throw in a second subject to discuss: For the sake of random chaos, let’s bring back those synthetic basketballs the NBA tried to use 10 years ago and then subsequently ditched to go back to the old leather balls because the players complained (reasonably so) that it tore up their hands like paper cuts.
On Thursday night, you cannot stop Cooper Flagg, you can only hope to contain him. Dylan Harper did his best with this fresh and so clean block on the rookie big man. While Flagg has the unenviable task of shouldering the Mavericks franchise in the aftermath of Luka Doncic’s trade to L.A. and Anthony Davis’s trade to Washington, Dylan Harper has been afforded every opportunity to grow and develop his game with the Spurs.
The participants for the 2026 3-Point Contest have not been finalized with only Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel being the first confirmed player. To that point, I think we’re all waiting for Wembanyama’s invite. He could just casually step over each cart after coolly draining threes from each area behind the arc. I’m rather interested in him creatively finding a way to gain an advantage only for officials to step in and declare it “illegal,” similar to last year’s skills contest with Chris Paul.
You cannot spell so efficient planchettes without Stephon Castle. But you don’t need a Ouija board to have the clairvoyance to know that Castle made the most of his 21 minutes off the bench, scoring 18 points, pulling down 7 boards, dishing out 6 assists, and swiping 3 steals.
A quietly dominant performance from Stephon Castle who came in off the bench for San Antonio (something Mitch Johnson was likely a one-off thing as teammates get healthy).
• Game-high +27 in 22 minutes • 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists • 61.5% shooting from the field
If you wonder how Castle could be so efficient in so little minutes, it’s due to plays like this where he has a steal and an assist in under 10 seconds flat.
Castle smartly turned down the invitation to reappear in the Slam Dunk Contest because you know they’re just going to unearth Mac McClung from the depths of space to come rumbling in at the last minute in front of a panel of biased and misguided judges? Yeah, I said it and am still salty over last year’s snub for Castle.
Which bears a legitimate thought exercise: The NBA should not announce who is participating in the dunk contest. What if we turned the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest into an unhinged, chock full of surprise, pro wrestling-style extravaganza? Imagine an over exuberant Kevin Harlan on his 5th cup of espresso losing his mind when he sees a mystery player come down the ramp, “OH MY GOODNESS I CANNOT BELIEVE IT . . . IT’S . . . ANTHONY EDWARDS!! AND HE’S WEARING A CAPE!! WHY DID HE JUST HIT RUDY GOBERT HIS OWN TEAMMATE IN THE BACK WITH A METAL CHAIR? WHO CARES?! HE’S ABOUT TO THROW DOWN A REVERSE, INVERTED, 360 BACK FLIP ONOMATOPOEIA BOOMSHAKALAKA DUNK OVER A WALL OF FLAMESSS! I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE!!”
Akron RubberDucks starting pitcher Yorman Gomez delivers to a New Hampshire batter during the first inning of a Minor League Baseball game at Canal Park, Aug. 21, 2025, in Akron, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The people have spoken and right-handed pitcher Yorman Gomez is our No. 18 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Gomez snuck through in a tight race, earning 22.9% of the vote, defeating the likes of the likes of Andrew Walters (17.1%), Austin Peterson (12.9%), Josh Hartle (20%) and Petey Halpin (10%).
Not every path to becoming a top prospect is a straight line. Gomez was signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2019. Due to the lost COVID season, he didn’t make his pro debut until appearing in the Dominican Summer League in 2021, where he had a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts at age 18, striking out 23.3% of batters he faced.
Gomez made his stateside debut in 2022, posting a 3.76 ERA and a more impressive 3.49 FIP over 10 starts in the Arizona Complex League. The following season, he spent the entire year at Single-A Lynchburg where he made 25 appearances (22 starts) and had a 4.40 ERA. He repeated 2024 at Lynchburg, but earned a late promotion to High-A Lake County after 20 additional starts where he dropped his ERA to 3.81 and FIP to 3.75.
The talented right-hander took off as a prospect after adding some velocity this past offseason, which paid dividends across the board with all of his numbers. He began the year repeating at Lake County as a piggyback partner, pitching 4.0 or more innings of long relief after another starter began the game.
Gomez pitched so well out of the piggyback role that he was moved back to starting pitcher by early June and he continued to dominate. Over 17 appearances (six starts) at High-A spanning 76.0 innings, he had a 2.84 ERA and an elite 2.92 FIP. Gomez’z strikeout rate improved six percentage points to 27.3% while his walk rate was 9.5% with a rock solid 1.11 WHIP.
This earned Gomez a promotion to Double-A Akron for the final 1/3 of the season. He did not slow down while there, maintaining his improved strikeout numbers at 28.0% and not dropping his walk rate even one-tenth of a point, keeping it at 9.5%. Over nine starts spanning 45.2 innings, he had a 3.15 ERA and a career-best 2.50 FIP at Akron.
Gomez had been Rule 5 eligible for several years, but Cleveland protected him this past November by adding him to the 40-man roster. He’s now one of the team’s top starting pitcher depth options, although with two above average pitches and the ability to hit 97 mph, he could eventually be slated for the bullpen at the major league level.
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 19 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Robert Arias, OF (Age 19) 2025 (ACL) 198 PA, .287/.389/.402, 2 HR, 29 SB, 14.6 BB%, 11.1 K%, 116 wRC+
A top Cleveland international signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2024, Arias has easily walked more than striking out and had a strong stateside debut last year in the Complex League.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.
Selected as a defense-first catcher with some pop in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart had above-average offensive seasons at both High-A and Double-A in 2025.
Earned a cup of coffee in Cleveland last season after an average year at Triple-A at age 23. Impressed with five runs scored in just six games played with the Guardians.
Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) 2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+
One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.
Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.
Our list so far: 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
Legendary Blue Jays announcer Buck Martinez’s career ends in the World Series.
Martinez announced his retirement Friday in a statement, citing that he and wife Arlene came to the decision that he should step away from the booth through conversations after the season.
He went on to thank the Blue Jays and their fanbase, along with Sportsnet, Toronto’s broadcasting partner. He added that he will miss taking selfies, shaking hands and seeing the smiles of fans everyday.
Legendary Blue Jays Broadcaster Buck Martinez Announces Retirement
“I had hoped to be part of the 50th year of the Toronto Blue Jays but it’s time to pass the torch. Enjoy 2026 and beyond, I will see you down the road,” Martinez wrote at the end of his statement.
Before getting into broadcasting, Martinez enjoyed a 17-year MLB playing career.
From 1969-86, he batted .225 with 58 homers and 321 RBIs. His final six seasons were spent in Toronto after a trade to the Canadian franchise, which Martinez referenced in his statement.
“It’s hard to believe I came to Toronto in a trade in May of 1981, thinking that would be the end of a very good career,” Martinez said. “Little did I know that I still would be associated with the Blue Jays through the 2025 season.”
After retiring in 1986, Martinez immediately turned to the mic as the Blue Jays’ color analyst in 1987. He then spent a few years as the color commentator for the Baltimore Orioles’ broadcasts, even winning a Sports Emmy Award for helping broadcast Cal Ripken Jr.’s 2,131st straight game.
In 2010, he returned to the Blue Jays and remained with the team before taking a leave of absence in 2022 to undergo treatment for cancer.
Buck Martinez began broadcasting for the Blue Jays in 1987, and his last year with the team will be in 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Following New York’s 10-run loss to the Detroit Tigers, Martinez eviscerated the Bronx Bombers’ playstyle, ultimately foreshadowing their eventual loss to Toronto in the playoffs.
“The Yankees — they’re not a good team,” Martinez said. “I don’t care what their record is. They have a lot of wild pitches, they make a lot of mistakes in the field, they don’t run the bases very well. If they don’t hit home runs, they don’t have a chance to win.”
Martinez’s career with the Blue Jays ended in nearly the best way it could have.
Toronto made the World Series for the first time this century and fell one win — and two outs — away from downing the Dodgers in Game 7.
Now, Martinez will watch from the stands as Toronto tries to finish the job.
AUSTIN, TX - MAY 18: Northwestern outfielder Kelsey Nader (7) screams after making a diving catch during the NCAA Division I Regional game between Texas Longhorns and Northwestern Wildcats on May 18, 2024, at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As we continue our Northwestern softball 2026 positional previews, it’s time to take a look at the outfielders. NU returns some top talent in the outfield this season, and it has also added some newcomers who will seek to make an impact. Let’s take a look.
Kelsey Nader, Senior
Put simply, Nader is a franchise cornerstone. She started every single game for Northwestern last season, batting .340 and putting up a team-high .454 on-base percentage. Last year proceeded an incredibly-prolific 2024 where she finished eighth in the Big Ten with a .375 batting average.
Nader is also reliable in center and right field, with no errors in each of the past two seasons, and she’s started nearly 150 games in her illustrious Wildcat career. She can be counted on as a steady lineup presence in 2026.
Isabel Cunnea, Junior
After a quiet first-year season where she started seven games and batted .250, Cunnea exploded onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting a team-high .360 and starting in 47 of her 48 appearances. The junior outfielder doesn’t hit for quite as much power as many of her Wildcat teammates, but she makes up for it with speed and efficiency, and her .928 OPS was still good for third on the team among regular starters in 2025.
The Wildcats are also fortunate to have Cunnea’s presence back in left field, as she has not yet committed an error in her career. Nader and Cunnea are likely locks to hold down the fort in two of the outfield spots.
Avery Garden, Sophomore
Garden has the versatility to play almost anywhere in the field, and she showed that in 2025, making 34 starts in her first-year campaign. She wasn’t as efficient of a hitter as Nader or Cunnea, batting .245 overall, but there’s still plenty of potential for rapid growth in her sophomore season, as shown by Cunnea’s rapid rise last year.
The ‘Cats are fortunate to have Garden’s presence, as she gives them the outfield flexibility they need. Wildcat coach Kate Drohan could opt to give Garden time all over the field, and she could theoretically slot in at right field if Nader sees regular time in center. Because Northwestern’s infielder group is extremely deep in 2026, fans should expect to frequently see Garden as an outfielder or designated player.
Kate Dowden, Sophomore
Dowden made one start as a designated player last year, and barring an unexpected turn of events, she will likely be the fourth outfielder or a pinch-hit option for the ‘Cats in 2026. Dowden could still see playing time depending on where Garden slots in consistently, but the former will certainly have work to do to crack the starting lineup. The good news for Dowden is that she was efficient despite few plate appearances last season, picking up four hits in eight at bats (including a double and a triple).
Kate Renschen, First-Year
Renschen has a high-level bat and blazing speed, and she showed it in her senior season at Lake Central High School, racking up a .510 batting average and 36 stolen bases without committing a single error. Because of the depth that Northwestern has in the outfield, Renschen may struggle to gain initial playing time, but she certainly has the potential to jump into that third outfield spot at some point this year.
Abby Harvey, Graduate Transfer
Harvey is listed as a catcher/outfielder on Northwestern’s website, so she may not see a ton of time in the outfield, but she did show a lot of potential at Indiana Wesleyan in the NAIA, batting .426 in her senior season. The lone transfer in Drohan’s upcoming class of newcomers, Harvey adds much-valued experience to this Wildcat squad, but it remains to be seen just how well she is able to adjust to Big Ten play.
May 10, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Mark Vientos (27) congratulates third baseman Brett Baty (7) for hitting a two run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
With the recent moves made by David Stearns and the Mets, the team’s starting lineup has finally come into focus. As everyone’s positions and roles have become more clear as a result, so has the bench situation for the Mets, and it’s looking to be a fairly strong group, though the DH position is one of the few places that still could be open to some interpretation for New York.
Last year, the Mets relied heavily on Starling Marte (when healthy) to man the DH spot, and with Mark Vientos’ subpar defense, he spent a lot of his time DHing as well. The bench mostly consisted of younger guys like Brett Baty, the now-traded Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio taking turns shuffling between the minors and majors depending on their play. In addition, guys like Jared Young got a lot of playing time with the Mets. Behind the plate, Luis Torrens mostly manned the bench spot held set aside for the backup catcher, though Hayden Senger spent a lot of time in the majors as well when Torrens was filling in for an injured Francisco Alvarez.
This year, the DH spot is likely to be split between Baty and Vientos, neither of whom necessarily has a set position with the club. Stearns alluded to Baty getting a lot of time at a number of positions, something Joel Sherman’s recent article referenced, so you can expect to see Baty get some reps at third, second, and even a lot of action in left field, depending on how Carson Benge impresses in spring training and whether the club wants him to get some more time in the minors. However, if he’s still on the team come Opening Day, DH also makes a lot of sense. Vientos, meanwhile, doesn’t really have a home anywhere else. He’ll probably be expected to pick up a first baseman’s glove this year and could split time with Jorge Polanco (another guy who could spend some time at DH). However, should Vientos remain a Met, DH makes the most sense for him, since his bat is more valuable than his glove.
The Mets will also likely use the DH spot to give some guys a breather from the field. The club will probably try to get Juan Soto some at-bats at DH when they want to rest him in the field, and the same could go for Bo Bichette, who is learning a new position at third. Should Alvarez’s bat finally progress like the club is expecting, he would also be a solid candidate to start a game or so a week at DH, in order to keep his bat in the lineup while giving the defensively-superior Torrens some reps behind the plate.
As for the bench, the team will carry four guys (13 pitchers: six starters and seven relievers; 13 position players: nine starters and four bench players). Torrens has an automatic spot on the bench (with Senger serving as the emergency catcher on the 40-man roster, and Austin Barnes waiting to battle it out in spring training). From there, one of Vientos or Baty (whoever is not serving as Designated Hitter) also has a guaranteed spot on the bench. That leaves two openings: One for a fourth outfielder, and one for a utility player. On the former, Tyrone Taylor, now relegated to the bench after the Luis Robert Jr. trade, is going to be the main guy on the bench and see plenty of action (as mentioned, Baty will also get his chance in the outfield, especially in left).
That leaves one spot remaining to fill. The club recently acquired Vidal Bruján in a trade with the Twins, and as he played almost every position last season for Minnesota, he couple be a valuable asset for New York. He was a former top-100 prospect, but he has not enjoyed anything remotely resembling success in the majors. To date, he has hit .199/.267/.276 with five home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 54 wRC+ over parts of the past five seasons. Nick Morabito is on the 40-man, but that was mostly to protect him from the Rule V draft, and there’s little chance he snags a spot on the Opening Day roster.
So there are basically two options to compete with Bruján right now: Jared Young and Ronny Mauricio. Young hit .186/.234/.488 with four home runs in 43 at-bats last season. Young brings a lot of potential power, which is demonstrated in the fact that four of his eight hits left the yard. However, he doesn’t provide much beyond that, as his hitting overall is hardly something to write home about, and he’s mostly someone who would play outfield and DH, though he could see a little time at first two. That leaves Mauricio, who struggled in his first season back from a torn ACL. He hit .226/.293/.369 with six home runs in 168 at-bats for New York last year. Mauricio can play a number of positions, including second, third, and short, but with Baty around, he may be seen as redundant and not worthy of a roster spot. He also has an option left, so stashing him in Triple-A to start the year makes the most sense for the club as opposed to DFAing one of the other players.
The Mets could still acquire someone to play left field instead of rolling with Baty or Benge (they have been linked to guys like Lars Nootbar via trade and Austin Hays via free agency so far), which could change the equation in terms of the DH and bench spots. However, as things stand today, you can expect Baty and Vientos to split the DH duties on most days, and the bench to consist of whomever is not DHing, alongside Torrens, Taylor, and either Bruján, Young, or Mauricio. The safe bet is for Mauricio to start the year in Triple-A, giving Young and Bruján the leg up, unless the team makes another move to fortify their bench. All that said, you could make a case that the team’s bench is in a better spot than last year, while the production they receive at DH depends largely on how well Vientos rebounds from a rough 2025 (or how well Baty progresses at the plate after an up-and-down 2025 campaign).
Today we’re counting down the top five prospects in the Cubs minor league system. Because of the requests of some of you, I’m going to do today’s in reverse order. I’ll try it this year. If I don’t like it, I’m going back to the other way next year.
If you want to look back, here are the other four entries:
Because I know some of you are going to ask, I had made up a preliminary list that I was working off of at the time of the Edward Cabrera trade. When the deal was made, I had Owen Caissie as the Cubs’ number-three prospect. I was considering moving him up to two. It was a hard call. I can see the argument for making him the number-one prospect, but I don’t think I would have done that. So he would have been two or three.
I had Cristian Hernández at 20 when the trade went down, but I was really playing with the picks in the teens and I was strongly considering moving him up. Off the top of my head, I think putting Hernández at 15, give or take a place or two, would be the right call.
So with that said, here are my top five Cubs prospects.
5. Kevin Alcántara. OF. B:R, T:R. 7/22/2002. 6’6”, 188. Trade with Yankees (2021).
Alcántara has been around so long that it’s easy to forget he’s still only 23 years old. The scouting report on Alcántara is pretty much the same as it’s been the past five years. He’s a terrific athlete with great raw skills and a sky-high ceiling. He has plus raw power and plus speed. He’s a very good defensive center fielder with a strong arm who could be a Gold Glove right fielder. The only thing holding him back is a difficulty making consistent contact at the plate, particularly against breaking pitches from right-handers.
After making his major league debut at the tail end of the 2024 season, there were big expectations for Alcántara in 2025. Instead, he battled a nagging sports hernia for much of the season and seemed to be stuck in a holding pattern. Alcántara went through hot streaks and cold streaks in 2025 and finished with a line of .266/.349/.470 with 17 home runs and ten home runs over 430 plate appearances. That’s not bad, but we were all hoping for more.
There were some bright sides to that line. For one, Alcántara destroyed left-handed pitching in a way he had not done in previous years with a line of .320/.396/.588 versus southpaws. He also became slightly more selective at the plate and was able to draw a few more walks. And while it was a minuscule sample size, Alcántara didn’t look as overmatched in the majors in his brief cup of coffee with the major league team at the end of the season like he did in 2024.
The downside is that he still swings at too many pitches out of the zone, especially curve balls from right-handed pitching. His strikeout rate of 29.8 percent in Iowa last year is scary high for a top prospect. He will probably always strike out a lot with that big body and big strike zone, but major league pitchers will be merciless on those weaknesses unless he can demonstrate that he can either lay off those pitchers or do damage against them. Alcántara’s ground ball rates also increased last year and his fly ball rates decreased. Maybe that was because he was playing hurt. Maybe it wasn’t.
Despite the somewhat disappointing season, Alcántara did seem to make some progress in pitch recognition. Not enough, to be sure, but he was at least moving in the right direction.
Alcántara apparently got an extra option year, so that should give the Cubs the flexibility to let him build on the good parts of 2025 in Iowa, as well as work on eliminating the bad stuff. His defense and ability to hit left-handers would make him a good fourth outfielder right now, but the Cubs obviously have higher hopes for him than that. He has been around seemingly forever, so this is the year that Alcántara is going to have to prove to the Cubs that he can be their right fielder of the future.
Here are some highlights of Alcántara in Iowa for the first half of last season.
I have to keep myself from getting too excited about Ethan Conrad. The Cubs first-round draft pick last year has yet to make his professional debut after a season-ending shoulder injury during his junior year at Wake Forest. So all I have is the video that I can find online about him and those highlights get me very excited about Conrad.
Ethan Conrad went to Marist College for two years where he was an elite talent in a small school. He hit .389/.467/.704 his sophomore season before going .385/.433/.486 in the wooden bat Cape Cod League that following summer. Those numbers had the the power four conference of Wake Forest and the ACC calling. Conrad was just as impressive there—.372/.495/.744 with seven home runs in 21 games before he suffered a season-ending injury to his left shoulder when he was diving for a ball. Unfortunately, the ACC regular season had just started when he suffered the injury, so those numbers were put up against non-conference competition that wasn’t much better than what he faced at Marist. In fact, two of those games were against Marist. Conrad did put up those good numbers in the competitive Cape Cod League and we know the Cubs place a lot of emphasis on results in the Cape. So it’s not like he has no experience with tough competition, but his resume is thin on that front.
Conrad is the kind of player that I fall in love with quite easily — the guy who is above-average but maybe not plus in every category. Maybe his arm rates out more as average, but the other four tools are in the 55 to 60 range on the 20-to-80 scale. Conrad has a simple left-handed stroke and features above-average contact skills. He only struck out 14 times in 97 plate appearances last season. He’s also getting better at identifying pitches and laying off stuff out of the zone. Conrad walked 18 times, which is more than he struck out.
With good loft in his swing, Conrad projects out to be a 20-to-25 home run player. Some think that he still has room on his 6’3” frame to add a little more weight, which might push up his power totals some more. However, that could come at the cost of his above-average speed, which is an asset both on the base paths and in center field, where he’s an above-average defender. The Cubs are hopefully set in center field for quite a while, but Conrad projects out to be a very good defensive right fielder. His arm isn’t his best tool, but it’s at least average and good enough to play right.
From all accounts, Conrad is fully healthy now and you can see video on social media of him working out in Mesa. He should make his professional debut in Myrtle Beach this March or, less likely, South Bend. There will be a lot of eyes on him in this season. There is always concern that his shoulder injury will linger and affect his swing, although that’s no more likely with Conrad than with any other hitter with a shoulder injury. His upside is a 25-25 above-average outfielder who will make a few All-Star Games. He has a very good chance to be the Cubs’ number-one prospect at this time next year.
Here are some highlights of Conrad playing for Wake Forest before he got hurt.
3. Jefferson Rojas. SS. B:R, T:R. DOB: 4/25/2005. 5’11”, 150. International Free Agent (2022) Dominican Republic.
On July 18, 20-year-old Jefferson Rojas was promoted to Double-A Knoxville. There he did something he’d never really done before: he struggled. Over 39 game in the Southern League, Rojas hit .164/.279/.205 with no home runs with the Smokies.
That’s not good, but I’m not overly concerned for several reasons. Rojas was promoted after having the best half-season of his career in South Bend. Over 67 games in the Midwest League, Rojas hit .278/.379/.492 with a career-high 11 home runs. He became a more selective hitter and drew walks at a career-high percentage of 12.7 with no real increase in his strikeout rate at 15.7 percent. Rojas also started to drive the ball much harder with more pulled contact in the air.
Rojas also suffered a from poor luck in Knoxville, hitting just .211 on balls in play. Also, it was just 39 games at a new level. I won’t argue that it’s a good thing that he struggled here so that he learns to deal with adversity, but it did give Rojas a good sense of what he needs to work on over the winter.
Rojas was also just 20 years old in Knoxville, which is very young for Double-A. In fact, throughout Rojas’ career he’s been either the youngest or one of the youngest hitters in the league.
So overall, I’m not worried. At least not yet. What makes Rojas an exciting prospect is his above-average contact skills and growing power profile. He pulled the ball in the air a lot more in South Bend, which is a very good sign. Rojas hit left- and right-handed pitching roughly equally in 2025. Rojas is a smart baserunner, which allows his average raw speed to play up. He stole 19 bases in 22 attempts between the two levels last year.
Defensively, Rojas has a strong arm and all the tools to stick at shortstop. He still makes some mistakes, which I chalk up more to inexperience than a lack of skills. Rojas could be a roughly average defensive shortstop, but he does have the arm to move to third base if necessary where he could be above average.
Rojas still doesn’t turn 21 until April, so he’s still quite young for his level. Obviously he has to demonstrate that the poor performance in Double-A last August was just a small speed bump on the road to Wrigley. If Rojas continues to improve like he did in South Bend last year, he’ll be a top 100 prospect at this time next year and he will be knocking on the door for his major league debut in 2027.
Jaxon Wiggins is something the Cubs have not had in a long time — a big hard-throwing right-handed starter. Wiggins blew through three levels last year, starting the season in High-A South Bend and finishing the year in Triple-A Iowa. While he is not quite ready to make his major league debut to start the season, he certainly could be a fixture in the Cubs rotation down the stretch if he can stay healthy. That last caveat is certainly a big one, however.
Wiggins has one of the best fastballs in all of the minor leagues. It sits at 95-to-98 miles per hour and has touched 100 on more than one occasion. It also has good arm-side movement. His second pitch is an 88-90 mph cutter/slider that grades out as a second plus pitch. His upper-80s changeup is a solid third pitch that plays well off of his fastball. He also has a curve that he rarely throws and even more rarely throws for strikes. It does, however, have a real “fall of the table” movement when it’s right.
Wiggins has a very simple, whip-like pitching motion that should be easy to repeat. Of course, that didn’t stop him from getting hurt in college.
Despite blowing through three levels, Wiggins only threw 78 innings last season. The Cubs only let him make one start over a two-month period from mid-June to mid-August because of “arm fatigue” on his right arm, which is just two years removed from Tommy John surgery which cost him his junior season at Arkansas. They were also limiting his innings. After June 20, Wiggins did not make another start all season more than four innings and only one more than three innings.
Between the three levels last season, Wiggins went 3-4 with a 2.19 ERA. He struck out 97, which works out to 11.2 batters per nine innings. He walked 36 men, which translates to a too-high but not terrible 4.2 per nine. He does have some control issues, which limits his upside at the moment.
But that upside is still considerably high. With two plus pitches and a third solid one, Wiggins has number 2/3 starter potential. But there are some warning signs. Certainly his control, which abandons him at times, and his health give himself more reliever risk than a lot of pitchers with his talent. And then there is the possibility that I hate to mention, but the last Cubs prospect with a fastball this good was Brailyn Marquez. We hope history doesn’t repeat itself there, but it’s a possibility. Wiggins probably has as much upside as anyone in the system, but his downside should have us crossing our fingers.
Wiggins only made three starts and threw just 9.2 innings in Iowa last year, so he’s certainly ticketed for a return to Des Moines to start 2026. From there, his major league debut is up to him. Cade Horton only made 11 starts in Iowa, and six last year, before he forced his way up to Chicago. History could repeat itself with Wiggins this year.
Here are some highlights for Wiggins from last year.
Moisés Ballesteros can hit at the major league level and he can do it now. Of that, I have little doubt. Last year in Triple-A Iowa, Ballesteros hit .316/.385/.473 with 29 doubles, one triple and 13 home runs over 509 plate appearances. He struck out a minuscule 13.2 percent of the time and walked at 9.6 percent. That earned Ballesteros a September call-up to the majors, where he continued to hit to the tune of .298/.394/.474 with two home runs over 66 plate appearances over 20 games.
It wasn’t just last year that Ballesteros hit. He’s hit at every level he’s been at throughout his minor league career. He rarely even has a bad month. Ballestros has excellent bat-to-ball skills and the ability to drive the ball hard to all fields. He is an aggressive hitter who maybe swings at more pitches than he should, especially out of the zone, but he’s a good enough hitter that he often either fouls those pitches off or gets a base hit off of them. His level swing is geared more towards line drives than home runs, but he hits the ball hard enough that some of them are going to clear the fences. His swing is especially tailored to take advantage of the short power alleys at Wrigley, like the time he hit his first major league home run right at Anthony Rizzo in left center.
As far as a pure hit tool goes, Ballesteros is the best Cubs prospect since Starlin Castro. His power projects out to be more slightly above-average at the moment, but it’s not inconceivable that he’ll add more lift onto his swing as he ages and goes from a 15-to-20 home run a year player to a 30 home run guy. I wouldn’t count on it, but it’s possible. In any case, he’s likely to add a ton of doubles.
Of course, you’re familiar with the downside to Ballesteros. He simply isn’t a good defensive catcher. While his raw arm strength is good, he struggles to get out of the crouch and takes way too much time releasing the ball. Opposing teams tend to run wild on Ballesteros. He only threw out 13 percent of baserunners trying to steal on him in Iowa last year. He also doesn’t block the plate well and he’s slow even by catcher standards, although he always hustles the best he can. The one thing Ballesteros does well behind the plate is deciding which pitches to challenge on the Automatic Ball/Strike system. That could be a plus with the majors adopting this system this year, but it doesn’t make up for all the other minuses.
Most of you are familiar with Ballesteros’ body by now and while he’s definitely slimmed down a bit over the past two seasons, he’s still a big man and all that getting up and down as a catcher is going to be hell on his knees eventually. Conditioning is going to be a key for him going forward.
Keith Law of The Athletic wrote last week that he thought Ballesteros was “OK” as a first baseman, and that may be a way of getting him some more at-bats. Most likely, he’s a designated hitter who plays occasionally behind the plate and at first base. Fortunately, he’s got the kind of bat that they you have to find a way to get into the lineup.
Some minor league highlights for Ballesteros.
And because it’s too fun not to re-live, here is Anthony Rizzo muffing Ballesteros’ first major league home run.
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FORT WORTH, TX - JULY 14: Cam Caminiti puts on a Braves hat after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the 24th pick of the first round during the 2024 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Cowtown Coliseum on Sunday, July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
And just like that….we find ourselves at the end. After a rather fun week where we got to profile a lot of new intriguing players in the organization, we turn our focus to the top of the list. Players that come with the shine of being high round draft picks, big bonus international prospects, and the absolute steal that is Didier Fuentes. It’s been a really fun week rolling this out, and we genuinely look forward to connecting with you all this evening at 7 for our Q&A.
How he got to the Braves: 2025 1st round pick (22nd overall)
The Braves took Tate Southisene in the first round this year out of his Las Vegas high school. The 5’11, 180-pound infielder is the brother of 2024 Cubs fourth rounder Ty – and they have a bunch of similarities – but is considered a stronger prospect because he has more power in his game. Tate is a player who is considered to be average or above with all five tools, with his speed being his only true plus tool. He is a potentially above average hitter with a good approach and feel for hitting, and his average power can play up because of that. He’s an average defender with an average arm who will get a real shot to stick at short, but is athletic enough that some teams liked him as a center fielder going into the draft. In 66 plate appearances after signing with Augusta he hit .219/.242/.297 with a walk to 27 strikeouts – though it is a very small sample after making the jump from high school. Tate should be able to adjust after what he showed during his amateur career and MLB Draft Combine, but will likely need the whole year in Augusta in 2026. He is probably a full three years away from making a big league impact, but has the tools to develop into a solid every day shortstop for the Braves.
5. Diego Tornes – OF
How he got to the Braves: 2025 international free agent
The Braves have been searching for an elite position player prospect on the international side now, and reports currently favor Diego Tornes as the clear best of the bunch in the post-sanction era. After the disappointing returns on Luis Guanipa and Jose Perdomo there was a lot of hesitance in raving over Tornes after he received a $2,500,000 signing bonus out of Cuba last January, but he went to the Dominican Summer League and posted a performance that impressed both from a traditional and metrically-inclined perspective. Tornes has elite bat speed and produces eye-popping exit velocities, regularly clearing the 110 mph mark. He has the potential to anchor a lineup with his power potential, and he is able to generate his power and contact without an overly elaborate swing. This gives evaluators a belief he can be an average or better hitter as well, though high now his contact rates and in-game production trail a bit behind the eye test.
Concerns have been raised about his ability to maintain his speed into maturity and the likelihood he will have to move out of center field, though he has the offensive profile to project nicely into a corner if it comes to that. Tornes should get an opportunity to come stateside in 2026, giving us a better opportunity to see him against competent pitching and a larger sample size to work with. Tornes missed nearly 40% of his games last season. Tornes is the highest ceiling offensive talent in the system and could be the next elite hitting prospect, a profile which gives him huge helium in the ranking. Yet, he is also highly volatile (as is any 17 year old) and hasn’t proven himself against legitimate competition yet. Tornes’s profile will likely change significantly over the next calendar year, and he is arguably the most exciting player to anticipate going into 2026.
Cuban outfielder Diego Tornes (16) has officially signed with the Atlanta Braves.
Bonus deal: $2,500,000.
Trained by Alex Sanchez Academy, Tornes left Cuba in 2021 at the age of 13. A switch-hitter with power from both sides of the plate. Five-tool player. pic.twitter.com/rQMRC0cgMS
How he got to the Braves: 2022 1st round pick (20th overall)
The 2025 campaign for Owen Murphy could have simply been about getting him back on the mound. Recovering from Tommy John surgery, simply seeing Murphy back in action would have been a good enough win across the board.
What ensued for the 22-year-old, however, exceeded even the greatest expectations as he reminded everyone why the Braves took him with their first round selection back in 2022.
Murphy finally made his season debut on Aug. 2, tossing 3.1 innings is masterful ball in which he struck out eight batters and scattered just two hits. From that point forward, Murphy proceeded to dominate the competition as he got back into a familiar groove after being out of action for more than a year.
In six starts for Rome, Murphy posted a dominant 1.32 ERA across 27.1 innings pitched. He also managed to strike out 26 batters and only walked six over the course of his outings while opposing hitters batted just .161 against him.
Sure, it may have been a relatively small sample size of only six games, but the simple fact that Murphy seemed to return with little to no hiccups after his lengthy absence is very encouraging for one of Atlanta’s top arms.
There’s no reason to rush Murphy, so there’s a strong likelihood he returns back to Rome for a few starts to make sure he’s in physically good shape before giving him the bump to Columbus for his first taste of double-A ball. Unlike other arms in the minors, there’s a legitimate chance we could see Murphy in Atlanta some time this season — depending on injuries and his individual performance.
If he doesn’t make it to the big leagues this year, all eyes will be on him competing for a backend rotation spot in 2027 right out of the gate.
3. Didier Fuentes – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2022 international free agent
Didier Fuentes had an incredible 2024 season, and he bankrolled his second-half momentum into a dominant 2025 that saw him blaze through the system in a fashion typical of top pitching prospects for the Braves. With that came the same pitfalls faced by many pitching prospects before him, as Fuentes made four major league starts and never looked ready for that stage with a 9.14 FIP over 13 innings. Fuentes struggled a bit to transition back to Triple-A after this disappointing stretch, but finished with two incredible outings at the end of the season totalling 11 innings with one run and two walks allowed while striking out 16 batters. Fuentes will be 20 still for much of the 2026 season, and will likely get a second shot to make a major league impact throughout the season. Fuentes operates with a fastball that sits in the mid-90’s with a low release point and average carry that is able to produce high whiff rates. He pairs that with a sweeper that projects to be below average, and he is working to develop a curveball and spliiter.
Fuentes showed potential for an average splitter throughout the 2025 season, but struggled with the shape and consistency of the pitch which made it difficult for him to rely on in games and got him hit hard. For Fuentes to stick as a starter the development of that pitch is key, as his fastball, command, and slider are already MLB-ready. Without the splitter it was difficult for him to approach major league hitters, who were able to key in on and exploit his high fastball usage and hit him hard especially late into outings. Fuentes has the athletic traits to develop plus command and continue to improve his splitter while potentially adding other pitches, but he is currently just a hair off from being a major league starter. For Fuentes, he is either going to drop significantly by midseason or graduate entirely, as if he shows the sort of success that will get him bumped up he is almost certain to earn a permanent major league spot.
2. JR Ritchie – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2022 CB-A pick (35th overall)
Coming off of Tommy John surgery JR Ritchie finished out with a solid series of starts to end 2024, but he raised significant questions when he showed well-below average velocity and struggled to snap off his sliders as well as he had prior to his surgery. When Ritchie showed upper-90’s velocity in his spring breakout performance that question immediately became secondary, and though his velocity did dip with regular work it was still higher and more consistent than it ever was prior to his surgery. His slider was still a tick below where it was at its best, and that may have hurt him later in the season when he struggled to find a consistent whiff pitch at the Triple-A level, but it looked solid and was paired with a much-improved changeup. His changeup was his best pitch at times in 2025, and his overall command and raw stuff improved over even where he was prior to surgery. Still, he had some trouble with inconsistency and walked too many batters, though many believe with more reps he has the athleticism to grow into above average command.
The Braves made changes to Ritchie’s delivery which gave him more carry on his fastball, improving its results, and with that he was able to diversify his arsenal by adding a sinker, a cutter, and a curveball. Right now his arsenal is a bit quantity over quality as none of his pitches has emerged as a clear plus offering, though his ability to command six pitches and force weak contact gives him a high floor. Ritchie has no glaring holes in his game at the moment and is more in a state of needing seasoning across the board. His cutter in particular showed significant improvement throughout the season, and if he can see a bump from his slider or changeup, he could settle in as a mid-rotation starter this upcoming season. A true step forward from his slider and the consistency of his fastball velocity could even push that ceiling higher, but in any case Ritchie is on the right path to being a major league starter in the immediate future.
1. Cam Caminiti – LHP
How he gotto the Braves: 2024 1st round pick (24th overall)
Cam Caminiti was selected with the 24th pick of the 2024 MLB Draft and signed to an overslot bonus after many expected him to end up being a Top 10 pick. His first year got off to a late start thanks to a minor injury early in his spring, but he was excellent after making his first four decent rehab starts in the FCL. Over his 13 starts with Augusta he went 2-3 with a 2.08 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts to 26 walks in 56.1 innings. Those numbers are especially impressive considering he didn’t turn 19 until August, as he was initially set to be a member of the 2025 MLB Draft, before a reclassification into the 2024 crop. Caminiti has a plus fastball that has previously touched as high as 98 MPH, a slider and change that can get swings and misses but will need to continue improving each, and an average curve. He will also be adding a cutter for this year and has solid command at present despite spending his prep career as a legit two-way prospect. He is expected to start the season in Rome, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he reached Double-A this year. The ceiling if he has everything come together is a top of the rotation arm, but he still has middle of the rotation potential even if he doesn’t max out.
