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Despite the wealth of injuries among this cohort already, the Detroit Tigers didn’t back off of their draft strategy in 2025. They went prep heavy from the start, sprinkled in some college players they hope to improve, and tried to save money to lure some talented high schoolers into signing and starting their pro careers. Right-hander Ryan Hall gives the Tigers yet another talented young arm to try and develop. Hopefully things will go more smoothly than the front office’s first two draft classes to date.

The Tigers took the 6’1” 175 pound right-hander in the fifth round last year. Hall got a bonus of $997,500, roughly $550,000 over the slot value, to pass on Georgia Tech. The Georgia raised, North Gwinnett High School product didn’t pitch after the draft, and odds are he’ll get extended spring training time this spring before going out to pitch in the Complex League in May or June, depending on how things are progressing.

Hall was a two-sport athlete in high school who played football as well as baseball. He was a good, if undersized, high school quarterback, but wasn’t really a standout on the mound until his senior year, when he grew a few inches and added muscle and better velocity on his fastball. He went from scraping 90-91 to sitting pretty comfortably in the low-90’s and hitting 95 on the radar gun. Hall moves well on the mound and gets pretty good extension for his size. He backs the heater up with a low 80’s slider with good two plane break and a spin rate that can top 2600 rpms. That pitch flashes above average already while Hall showed some feel for a circle changeup as well.

This is a bit of an upside play based on Hall’s overall athletic ability. His strike throwing is still pretty raw, but that athleticism should help him develop well in pro ball, and the Tigers will expect his balance and coordination to translate into good command in time. He’s got the projection to be a mid-90’s right-hander with a good breaking ball, a solid changeup, and good command eventually. The fact that he was a late bloomer who didn’t really start coming into his own as a pitcher until his senior year prior to the draft doesn’t hurt his profile either. He’s got a fairly low mileage arm as a pitcher and the Tigers scouts no doubt liked adding a young, athletic pitcher with this background who broke out late in his high school career.

Hall is more of a project rather than an established prep standout that tons of teams were on in the early rounds of the draft. He’ll probably take time to find his footing and is unlikely to move quickly in his first pro season. In year one we’re just looking for improved strike throwing and a more consistent breaking ball. He’s got the raw ingredients to be a mid rotation starter someday, but the risk level is high and the road is long.

It’s been quite a journey for Daniel Espino as Covering the Corner readers have selected him as our No. 12 Cleveland Guardians prospect. Espino won a nailbiter earning 24.6% of the vote, beating out Jace Laviolette (23.7%) and George Valera (22.9%). Espino returns to the prospect rankings after missing out last year and previously being No. 1 in 2023 and No. 4 in 2024.

Espino was a first round draft pick by the Guardians back in 2019 when the then-Indians selected him from Georgia Premier Academy with the No. 24 pick overall. He impressed in his professional debut in 2019, then got a year off due to the lost MiLB season from the COVID pandemic. In 2021, he split time between Single-A and High-A, improving his numbers after his promotion.

In the leadup to the 2022 season, Espino’s hype started to skyrocket and he became a top 10 overall prospect in MLB. He blew away Major League hitters in Spring Training, then dominated Double-A to the tune of a disgusting 51.5% strikeout rate.

But then the injuries began.

It started with some knee soreness, and while rehabbing the knee, he sustained a compensation injury to his shoulder, causing him to miss the final four months of the 2022 season. Many hoped the injuries would heal on their own, but Espino instead required anterior capsule repair surgery on his shoulder in May 2023. To make matters worse, he required additional surgery on the same shoulder the following year.

In total, he missed over three full years of baseball before he finally returned to the mound to pitch two-thirds of an inning for Triple-A Columbus late last season. He zipped his fastball at 98 mph and his slider looked as devastating as ever. He then logged 4 and 2/3 scoreless innings in the Arizona Fall League with seven strikeouts. He’s back … knock on wood.

I doubt Cleveland stretches Espino back out to be a starting pitcher again, but if he does — and he stays healthy — Cleveland has an ace up its sleeve. More likely is him becoming a key cog in the back end of the bullpen. Regardless, I couldn’t be more excited for his 2026 season.

Now, it’s time to determine who is number 13 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:

Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 18)
2025 (CPX) 160 PA, .289/.419/.469, 3 HR, 5 SB, 16.9 BB%, 11.3 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (A): 130 PA, .250/.331/.345, 1 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 13.1 K%, 103 wRC+

Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.

Dauri Fernandez, SS (Age 18)
2025 (ACL) 176 PA, .333/.398/.558, 6 HR, 16 SB, 9.1 BB%, 12.5 K%, 147 wRC+
2025 (A): 24 PA, .273/.250/.318, 0 HR, 2 SB, 0 BB%, 12.5 K%, 57 wRC+

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.

Franklin Gomez, LHP (Age 20)
2025 (A): 14 G, 82.0 IP, 1.85 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 21.4 K%, 11.7 BB%, 1.09 WHIP
2025 (A+): 6 GS, 48.2 IP, 1.70 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 23.4 K%, 9.9 BB%, 1.83 WHIP

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.

Yorman Gomez, RHP (Age 23)
2025 (A+): 17 G, 76.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 27.3 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.11 WHIP
2025 (AA): 10 G, 45.2 IP, 3.15 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 28.0 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.25 WHIP

Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.

Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22)
2025 (A+): 22 GS, 103.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 24.0 K%, 8.9 BB%, 1.05 WHIP
2025 (AA): 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 16.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

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.

Jace LaViolette, OF (Age 22)
2025 (NCAA) 262 PA, .258/.427/.576, 18 HR, 7 SB, 21.8 BB%, 25.2K%, 120 wRC+

Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette instantly becomes one of the top power hitting prospects in the system. Strikeouts and contact have been an issue, however.

Joey Oakie, RHP (Age 19)
2025 (ACL): 9 GS, 35.0 IP, 7.46 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 27.6 K%, 13.5 BB%, 1.69 WHIP
2025 (A): 6 GS, 24.1 IP, 2.22 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 30.7 K%, 14.9 BB%, 1.32 WHIP

Cleveland’s 3rd round pick in 2024 out of high school, Oakie got off to a rough start in the Complex League, but then absolutely dominated when promoted to Single-A Lynchburg with a pair of 11 strikeout performances.

Austin Peterson, RHP (Age 26)
2025 (AA): 11 GS, 55.0 IP, 1.47 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 23.9 K%, 4.9 BB%, 0.84 WHIP
2025 (AAA): 15 GS, 90.2 IP, 4.27 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 20.2 K%, 7.8 BB%, 1.37 WHIP

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.

Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 21)
2025 (A+) 354 PA, .268/.362/.490, 16 HR, 12 SB, 10.8 BB%, 25.1 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (AA): 145 PA, .211/.303/.391, 5 HR, 2 SB, 10.3 BB%, 33.1 K%, 105 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.

George Valera, OF (Age 24)
2025 (ACL) 63PA, .421/.460/.702, 4 HR, 0 SB, 7.9 BB%, 17.5 K%, 196 wRC+
2025 (AAA): 107 PA, .255/.346/.457, 3 HR, 0 SB, 12.1 BB%, 25.2 K%, 114 wRC+
2025 (MLB): 48 PA, .220/.333/.405, 2 HR, 0 SB, 14.6 BB%, 27.1 K%, 113 wRC+

Former top prospect returned from a torn knee and put up good enough numbers to finally make his MLB debut with Cleveland in 2025. Hit a memorable home run against the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs.

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

21. Jordy Vargas (161 points, 14 ballots)

Vargas was one of Colorado’s headline prospects from their January 2021 amateur free agent class, signing for $500k out of the Dominican Republic. The 6’5” 22-year-old right-handed starter has MLB bloodlines — he is the son of pitcher Yorkis Perez, who played in parts of nine big-league seasons for five different teams. Vargas boasts a pitch mix that includes a mid-90s fastball, a potential plus curveball, a promising change, and the ability to throw them for strikes consistently. At least, he did before Tommy John surgery wiped out half of 2023 and all of 2024. An uneven and abbreviated 2025 didn’t fully answer the question of if the arsenal is back and Vargas was unprotected and unselected in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.

Vargas wowed observers in his 2022 stateside debut season split between the complex league and Low-A Fresno, then he was sent back to Fresno for 2023, where he was one of the youngest players in the California League (he’s younger than Jackson Cox, for reference). Against competition that was on average 2.9 years older, Vargas was clearly not overmatched by the competition in 64 innings across 13 starts, in which he had a 4.22 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP, 9.7 K/9 rate, and 3.4 BB/9 rate while right-handed batters hit just .202 against him. Then came the injury and a lengthy rehab process.

In 2025, Vargas was assigned to High-A Spokane, where he was 2.2 years younger than average, and was clearly pitch and innings limited. It wasn’t a smooth ride, as Vargas didn’t last longer than three innings in any of his 10 starts, allowing a 7.84 ERA with a 2.03 WHIP driven by a 9.1 BB/9 rate in 20 2/3 innings, though he did strike out 12.2/9 innings. The Rockies sent Vargas back down to the ACL in June, where he made four more starts, all of them four innings or less, the last of them on July 4th. Against lower level competition, the results (especially strikeouts) were a bit better (10 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 10 H, 5 BB, 2 HBP, 17 K) but wildness was still an issue.

Thomas Harding picks up the story from there in his profile of Vargas from early November 2025. Per that piece, Vargas spent time in the Rockies’ pitching performance lab in Arizona and worked on his form. By the time fall instructs rolled around, he seemed to be rounding back into form. We’ll see how Vargas looks after another full off-season this spring.

Here’s some video of Vargas in his first ACL appearance in 2022 courtesy of FanGraphs:

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs gives Vargas a 40+ FV grade (with a plus grade on the curveball) and ranks him 12th in the system:

Vargas is a loose, ultra-projectable, strike-throwing starter prospect with a curvaceous breaking ball who missed 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He checks every scouting box one could hope that a young pitching prospect would check, aside from maybe his fastball shape. From ages 18 to 20, Vargas’ fastball would sit 93-95 early in outings, and he’s built and moves in such a way that he might end up throwing considerably harder as his body fills out. He’s super loose, balanced, and mechanically consistent for a pitcher his age, in the Cristopher Sánchez or Brady Singer mold in terms of build and delivery.

Vargas’ curveball is a knee-buckling parabola of death, he’s adept at creating tail on his changeup, and his general athleticism and the looseness of his arm action portend continued growth in this area. His fastball’s shape doesn’t really complement his curveball right now, and similar to Singer, it might be tough for Vargas to miss bats with his heater unless he ends up throwing really hard (he was 92-94 during instructs in the fall of 2024) or makes a change to the pitch’s shape.

Vargas is also a good bit behind the developmental curve due to the unfortunate timing of his late-2023 Tommy John, which cost him all but a handful of developmental innings during instructs. The 2025 season is technically Vargas’ 40-man platform year, but the 64 Low-A innings he pitched before he blew out in 2023 were a career high. How the Rockies handle his innings load and promotion pace in 2025 will be interesting. They’ve experienced the drawbacks of adding very young pitching to their 40-man roster too soon (Helcris Olivarez), but Vargas is very talented and fairly polished for his age, so it’s plausible he could be sniped in the Rule 5 Draft if left unprotected. He’s among the most exciting pitching prospects in Colorado’s system and has the look of a college pitcher who gets drafted in the middle of the first round.

John Trupin of Baseball Prospectus ranked Vargas 16th before the 2025 season:

Vargas is rail thin, with a whippy, over-the-top delivery that relies heavily on a picturesque 12-6 curveball that just keeps breaking beyond the reach of hitters when the 21 year old northpaw is healthy.

MLB Pipeline ranked Vargas 26th as a 40 FV player before the season, though he is no longer on their system top 30:

When he’s healthy, Vargas might be the best pitching prospect in the system in terms of being able to pound the strike zone with a solid three-pitch mix. He can command his low-90s fastball to both sides of the plate, and the carry it has in the top of the zone helps it play up and keeps hitters from barreling it up. He can get a little fastball-heavy in his pitch mix, but he was making strides in his secondary offerings, especially in focusing in on one breaking ball. Instead of trying to create a distinct slider and curve only to have them run into each other, he’s recognized that the biting slider has a real chance to be an out pitch. There’s a solid changeup in there as well.

With a narrow and slender frame, it remains to be seen if Vargas can put on weight and add strength in order to be durable enough — and maintain his stuff enough — to be a starter. There’s also work to be done in terms of professional maturity and not letting his emotions get the better of him on the mound.

Vargas remains a big question mark entering 2026. If he’s indeed healthy and effective this spring, I could foresee him beginning back in Spokane with a mid-season promotion to Double-A Hartford possible if the results and stuff return. That outcome would presage a 40 man roster placement in the off-season, though another season like 2025 would push Vargas further off the prospect radar.

The potential of what Vargas can be is still tantalizing (and he’s still just 22), though it’s becoming less and less likely he reaches that potential. I ranked Vargas 17th on my ballot near the top of the 40 FV tier, but I’m hopeful another full offseason further away from surgery will get him back on track.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Morning A’s fans!

Spring Training is right around the corner with just 13 days until pitchers and catcher report. The rest of the squad reports a few days later and the first games of the season begin shortly after that. The long winter is coming to a close (except for the people on the East Coast, sorry guys).

Now we know a few more names that will be showing up in those early days. The A’s announced yesterday afternoon their non-roster invitees for this season’s camp, picking 31 guys that will join the 40-man roster for the early days of camp, with a couple of surprising additions and omissions:

The biggest name there is of course Leo De Vries. The young shortstop was always expected to be in camp with the A’s but now it’s official. De Vries of course likely won’t break camp with the club, considering they have Jacob Wilson at shortstop to open the season. That said, a big camp could convince the A’s to be aggressive with him and start him in Triple-A to begin the year, making him just one phone call away from the big leagues. He’s going to be a name to watch this spring.

The same can be said about left-hander Gage Jump, who also made it to Double-A last year. Like De Vries he’s unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster but he’s not as far away as some may think and a big spring could put him on the radar for an early call-up if/when the A’s need pitching reinforcements. The other stud lefty in the A’s system, Jamie Arnold, also got invited to big league camp and he’ll be there when pitchers and catchers report. This’ll be the first real time the coaches and players will get to see Arnold up close and personal after he didn’t make his professional debut last year. There’s almost no scenario where the 21-year-old comes close to sniffing the Opening Day roster but he could be on the fast-track to the big leagues and this will give us a glimpse into the future.

There are a few other interesting prospects that will be in camp with the A’s. Outfielders Henry Bolte and Ryan Lasko face an uphill climb for a roster spot but should be options for the Athletics sooner rather than later. Bolte will be in camp for the fourth time and his solid spring performance last year was a sign of his upcoming big season in the minors. Lasko needs a bit more development down in the minors but offers another interesting young outfielder for A’s fans to watch this spring. In the infield we’ll get a look at young corner infielder Tommy White and see how he handles himself in major league camp. The bat isn’t the question, it’s if he’s going to be able to stick at the hot corner or need to move across the diamond. It’s almost the exact opposite for shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauder, who will need to prove he can handle major league quality pitches in camp and hopefully show some power in the batter’s box.

Other interesting pitchers to watch include prospects Wei-En Lin and Kade Morris. Lin has shot up through the minors and is approaching the big leagues and Morris was one of the return pieces in the Mason Miller trade. Neither are serious contenders for a roster spot but again, a strong spring puts them on the map and in the heads of the coaching staff.

The catchers are all well-known depth pieces but after Shea Langeliers and Austin Wynns the depth chart is extrmely unsettled. Camp will determine who is first in the pecking order behind the plate if one of those two go down to injury. Chad Wallach has the most big league experience of the bunch but with not-so-great results in parts of eight big league seasons. Brian Serven is a quality defender but offers next to nothing with the bat. And the others have little or no big league experience under their belts. The battle for third catcher will be a smaller but important storyline to watch this spring.

The rest of the invitees are entering camp on the outside looking in but with a chance to turn heads in spring, especially the relievers. The A’s were busy early in the offseason loading up on relief pitching depth and soon enough we’ll get those battles underway with all those names vying for a spot in the bullpen when the team travels to Toronto to start the regular season. Will a veteran like Wander Suero or Joey Meneses surprise everyone and land a spot? Or will a younger arm like Gustavo Rodriguez or Michael Stefanic snag a spot to start the year? The battles are almost set to commence, and with that the baseball season begins!

Any NRI you think could crack the roster? Debate below! And have a good Thursday everyone!

A’s Coverage:

• Blogfather Sabotages Own Wins Over Replacement Hip (And A’s Stuff)
• Athletics Community Prospect List: Lin Rockets Up To #4
• Wilson ready to parlay busy offseason into 2026 success
• De Vries (No. 4 overall) leads Athletics trio on Top 100 Prospects list
• After monster stats as rookie, Nick Kurtz has a new number in mind: 162
• Projecting Nick Kurtz after Rookie of the Year campaign
• Analysts say this A’s outfielder could follow Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout path
• Two players the A’s can steal from the Colorado Rockies
• A’s prospect Mason Barnett has an atypical arm angle and an old school approach
• Happy 104th, Betty White!
• Polarizing Prospects: #2, Junior Perez

MLB News and Interest:

• Rockies acquire Edouard Julien in trade with Twins
• Skenes or Skubal at #1? The top starters in baseball are…
• Cashman, Boone say Yankees are title-contending team
• Bellinger contract comes with higher luxury tax hit in first two seasons
• Yankees acquire Angel Chivilli from Rockies
• Freddy Peralta willing to consider new deal with Mets
• Brewers sign backup catcher Reese McGuire to minors pact
• Today in baseball history

Best of X:

The prospects that got a NRI:

Time’s running out to make that starting pitching addition…

That’s because their not using their brains!

Agreed. Who legitimately thinks Vlad Jr. is better than Kurtz at this point?

Spring Training is just around the corner and so is the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which will begin March 4 in Tokyo and March 6 in San Juan, Miami and Houston.

A number of Cubs have already committed to play in the WBC, and there could be others going forward — not all the rosters have been finalized.

But here’s what we know as of now.

Matthew Boyd, Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong will play for Team USA.

Jameson Taillon will compete for Canada. While Taillon was born in Florida, both of his parents are Canadian and he holds dual citizenship. Former Cub Owen Caissie, sent to the Marlins in the Edward Cabrera trade, will also play for Team Canada.

Seiya Suzuki will play for Samurai Japan (that’s the official name of Japan’s WBC entry). Interestingly, Shōta Imanaga — who started the 2023 WBC championship game for Japan — won’t participate this time. It seems likely he wants to devote his time to preparing for the 2026 regular season with the Cubs.

Daniel Palencia is set to pitch for Venezuela.

At this time those are the six Cubs officially announced for the WBC. It seems likely that Javier Assad will play for Mexico’s WBC team, as he did in 2023, but that hasn’t been made official yet.

Cubs minor leaguer BJ Murray, who played for Double-A Knoxville last year, will be on the Great Britain WBC entry. Murray is from the Bahamas, part of the British Commonwealth, so that makes him eligible.

Those are all the Cubs committed to play in the WBC at this time as full official rosters have yet to be announced. One potential very interesting development:

I have not heard anything since the time of that social media post about Anthony Rizzo saying yes — but neither have I heard that he’s ruled it out. That would be an interesting coda to Rizzo’s baseball career, suiting up one final time for Team Italy. Rizzo played for Italy in the 2013 WBC, going 4-for-17 with two doubles and six RBI in five games.

For Cubs fans, if it happens, this could go beyond just rooting for Rizzo. Team Italy is scheduled to play an exhibition game against the Cubs at Sloan Park on Tuesday, March 3. You can bet that would become a really hot ticket if Rizzo decided to play for Team Italy. As always, we await developments.

The Royals have potential arbitration hearings with Kris Bubic and Vinnie Pasquantino this winter. Neither player came to terms on a contract with the team, leading each to file for an arbitration hearing. Bubic filed for $6.15 million, while the Royals countered with $5.15 million. Pasquantino filed for $4.5 million, with the team offering $4 million.

The Royals haven’t gone to an arbitration hearing since 2023, when they won their case over Brady Singer, but they’ve had plenty of experience going head-to-head with players over the years. Since players won the right to go to arbitration in 1973, the Royals have had 23 arbitration hearings so far, winning 12 of their cases, while players have won 11. The table below shows what each side filed for, and how much larger the player request was than the team offer.

The gap between player requests and team offers has shrunk in recent years. Both sides now have tools to better estimate what a player in that situation will receive through arbitration. The difference between what Vinnie Pasquantino is asking for and what the team has offered is smaller than the difference of any arbitration case the team has ever had.

Players won the right to salary arbitration after a work stoppage in 1973 that canceled part of spring training, although it was a concession owners would soon regret. After the season, any player with at least two years of service time could dispute their salary. That means nearly 500 players could have filed for arbitration, yet just 54 did that first off-season, and 25 settled before going to a hearing.

The first player to go to arbitration was Twins pitcher Dick Woodson, who enjoyed a breakout season that year. He was specifically chosen by the union to highlight the alleged frugality and abusive negotiations against Twins ownership. He won his case and was awarded a $30,000 salary, instead of the $23,000 offer from the Twins. Three months later, he was traded to the Yankees.

The Royals had three players file for arbitration that first off-season – infielders Fred Patek and Cookie Rojas, and pitcher Paul Splittorff. Patek and Split settled before going to a hearing, but the Royals could not come to terms with Rojas. The popular veteran second baseman was coming off his second All-Star season in Kansas City, having hit .276 with six home runs and 18 steals, earning a few MVP votes. But the 34-year-old was also mulling retirement, to be with his wife, who was battling health problems, and his four kids.

Rojas decided to return, but wanted money he felt he was owed after a long career and yearly salary disputes in the days when players had little recourse. He knew his earning days were drawing to an end and wanted to take advantage of the new arbitration system. He asked for a salary of $72,500, with the Royals countering with $60,000. The team claimed they were losing money, despite attendance doubling that summer.

Rojas would lose his case, one of 16 players who lost their arbitration cases, while 13 were awarded their requested salary. The biggest winner was slugger Reggie Jackson, who was awarded a salary of $135,000.

At the time, this was the only recourse for players to appeal their salaries. While players eventually secured free agency in 1976, the union continued to advocate for arbitration as a safeguard for players still years away from reaching the open market. Modern arbitration is available to players with three or more years of service but less than the six years needed for free agency, as well as players with two years that are in the top 22 percent of service time, known as a “Super-Two” designation.

Teams must ‘tender’ a contract to eligible players by a November deadline or ‘non-tender’ them, which immediately makes them free agents. Players tendered a contract can continue to negotiate a salary for the next season, and those that fail to reach agreement can file for arbitration by a January deadline. The player will file their salary request, while the team files their offer. They can, in theory, continue to negotiate up until the hearing decision, but many teams have a policy known as “file-and-trial”, meaning once the two parties file, negotiations are over.

The hearing is before a panel of three arbitrators, where the player makes arguments on why they are deserving of their request, while the team argues why their offer should be chosen. This can create animosity, as the team is essentially arguing the player is worth less than they claim. The collective bargaining agreement spells out what factors can be considered by arbitrators:

The criteria will be the quality of the Player’s contribution to his Club during the past season (including but not limited to his overall performance, special qualities of leadership and public appeal), the length and consistency of his career contribution, the record of the Player’s past compensation, comparative baseball salaries…the existence of any physical or mental defects on the part of the Player, and the recent performance record of the Club including but not limited to its League standing and attendance as an indication of public acceptance…

The panel is directed to give particular attention to comparative salaries for players with similar service time. Inadmissible evidence includes the financial position of the player or club, press comments on the player’s performance, and details of salary negotiations prior to the hearing. Only publicly available data may be used; proprietary team metrics are inadmissible. The panel can choose the player’s request or the team’s offer; they cannot choose a middle ground. According to a 2023 study by Devan Fink, teams have a 57 percent success rate in arbitration hearings.

Teams used to be able to release arbitration-eligible players in spring training for termination pay – obligating them to pay just a fraction of the player’s salary – but that provision was eliminated in the most recent labor deal.

More than 50 years after salary arbitration was introduced, the process has become far more predictable than in its early days, even if it remains inherently adversarial. The gap between the numbers filed by the Royals and their players suggests a resolution could come before a hearing is ever necessary. If not, fans can only hope the process doesn’t leave a lingering strain on the relationships between players and the club.

Happy 62nd birthday to John Habyan, a local boy done good who was a key cog in the Yankees’ bullpen for parts of four seasons. Habyan was born on Long Island and pitched well enough at St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip to garner the attention of the Orioles, who picked him up in the third round of the 1982 MLB Draft. He steadily rose through the minor league ranks, culminating in a 1985 campaign in which he earned Baltimore Orioles Organizational Player of the Year Award while going 13-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 28 starts with Triple-A Rochester. He briefly debuted with the Orioles that year as well during a two-appearance stint. He would spend the next four years shuttled back and forth between Baltimore and Rochester. Habyan’s only extended opportunity in the bigs during this period came in 1987, when he pitched to a 4.80 ERA in 116.1 innings while posting a lackluster 64:40 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

John Habyan
Born: January 29, 1964 (Bay Shore, NY)
Yankees Tenure: 1990-1993

In Janury of 1989, Habyan’s career trajectory was thrown violently off course. While sledding near his home in Maryland, he hit an ice patch and flew 10 feet into the air. He came down on his pitching shoulder, suffering a third-degree shoulder separation. It’s the kind of contact injury common in football and hockey, but never expected for a baseball player. “I was scared because no other pitchers ever had this,” he would later say. “I didn’t know if I would be able to pitch again. I put the fear behind me because I wanted to pitch.” While recovering from surgery, Habyan discovered he had lost some heat off his fastball. Instead of seeing this as a setback, however, he saw it as an opportunity. “I learned to pitch a little bit,” he said. “Everything I had ignored from pitching coaches started to make sense.”

In July of 1989, in the midst of this transitional period, the Orioles shipped the right-hander off to the Yankees for outfielder Stan Jefferson. He was assigned to Triple-A Columbus and would not make his debut in pinstripes until the following season, when injuries to Chuck Cary and Lance McCullers pressed him into action. But, after two scoreless outings, it was back to Columbus for Habyan after McCullers’ return. He wouldn’t return until the final weeks of the season. At 27 years old entering the 1991 season, the hurler was likely running out of chances to show what he could contribute at the MLB level.

It was at this inflection point, with his back up against the wall, that Habyan delivered the best season of his career. After cracking the Yankees’ roster out of spring training, the veteran earned his first win since 1988 in a May 10th victory over the Athletics. Joining the likes of Steve Farr, Steve Howe, Lee Guetterman, Greg Cadaret, and Eric Plunk, Habyan helped form a surprisingly potent — if unheralded — bullpen mix that kept a moribund Yankees team above water for much of the season. The reliever remained circumspect in the face of the first sustained success of his career. ‘I don’t think any of us wants to pat ourselves on the back,” he said of the bullpen’s performance in July. “You start to do that and you lose your focus. It’s important to keep respect for the other team. Besides, it’s hard to pitch with one foot in your mouth and the other foot on the mound.”

In July and August, the unassuming pitcher who teammates dubbed “flower pot” due to his low-key nature ripped off a 21.2 inning scoreless streak. In the midst of this run, his pitching coach offered effusive praise. “He went from being the last guy to make the club to being the second guy in the bullpen,” Mark Connor said. “If he is not the best or one of the best setup men in the league this year, I don’t know who is. I don’t think I’ve seen a guy who can consistently throw good pitches like this kid can.”

By season’s end, the sinkerballer had thrown 90 innings out of the bullpen, posting a 2.30 ERA while striking out 70 against just 20 walks. That performance was good enough to earn him a major raise in arbitration, from $148,000 in 1991 up to $500,000 for 1992. He began that season continuing his run of dominance, including a stretch in which he was pressed into closing duty and proceeded to record saves in his first five appearances in the role. When that streak ended on July 9th, Habyan had a 1.54 ERA and appeared locked into a key back-end role for years to come. He’d allow 24 runs in 26 innings the rest of the way, though. Things got bad enough that the Yankees attempted to pass their erstwhile closer through waivers in August to give him a reset in the minors, though he was claimed and the request had to be withdrawn.

Habyan’s struggles continued into 1993, at which point he was relegated from his high-leverage role. He took the move in stride. “Sometimes you have to take a step backward to go forward,” he said. “I’m going to sit tight. I know that I won’t be out there in the late innings in games. I’ve been through this before. My whole career has been up and down.” The resilient Habyan wouldn’t get that chance to go forward in New York. At the ‘93 trade deadline, he was shipped to the Royals in a three-team deal that netted the Yankees left-handed reliever Paul Assenmacher.

Habyan would bounce between the Royals, Cardinals, Angels, and Rockies over the next three-and-a-half seasons, mostly performing capably in middle and long relief. He signed with the Mets as a non-roster invitee for spring training in 1997 but failed to make the cut, ending his career at the age of 33.

After his playing days, Habyan spent 17 years back at his alma mater, St. John the Baptist High School, as head varsity baseball coach before joining Hofstra University as its pitching coach in 2015, a position he still holds. While his best work came during the Yankees’ dark years, his steady demeanor and durability were bright spots as the overlooked reliever helped anchor the team’s bullpen.

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

In the MacKenzie Gore trade, the Washington Nationals got five pieces in return. They received Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Abimelec Ortiz and Yeremy Cabrera. We have talked about the first four prospects, but I thought Yeremy Cabrera was worth discussing too. He may be the 5th piece in the deal, but he is more than a throw in.

On prospect rankings, Cabrera actually ranks ahead of Abimelec Ortiz, but is not as close to the big leagues. Pipeline ranks him as the Nats 17th best prospect, while Baseball America has him at 22nd. The 20 year old outfielder has an intriguing blend of speed, defense and flashes of hitting ability.

Cabrera’s best trait is his defense in center field. Baseball America considers him a 60 grade defender, while Pipeline has him at a 55. BA says he is a plus defender due to his elite combination of speed and instincts. He was actually named the Rangers Minor League defender of the year last season. 

Along with the defense, Cabrera is also one of the fastest runners in the system now. He stole 43 bases in the minors last year. Cabrera was actually one of just six teenagers to post a wRC+ above 115, steal at least 25 bases and hit at least 7 homers last year. Most of these players are top 100 prospects.

While Cabrera is a legitimate prospect now, it was not always this way. He signed for just $10,000 in 2022. His minor league production and his inclusion in a major trade made this more than a worthwhile investment for the Rangers. He is a player with helium attached to his name.

While speed and defense are Cabrera’s calling card, he also shows promise at the plate. In a pitcher friendly environment, Cabrera hit .256 with a .730 OPS in A ball last year. While those numbers don’t seem like anything crazy, it was good for a 120 wRC+.

Cabrera has surprising raw power for a smaller guy, hitting max exit velocities of 110 MPH. He kept the ball off of the ground nicely as well. However, that raw power has not fully shown up in games yet. Cabrera hit just 8 homers and 12 doubles in 102 games, with a .366 slugging percentage. At just 20, there could be more in the tank though.

Getting on base is one thing that Cabrera excels at in the low minors. He posted a .364 OBP with an 11.5% walk rate last season. Those are solid numbers for a young defense first outfielder. He also has decent contact skills, with a strikeout rate below 20%.

Cabrera is never going to be a special hitter, but he should be able to hit enough to get to the MLB. His speed and defense provide a strong floor as a fourth outfielder. If the power comes around, he could be a strong side platoon guy. Left handed pitching seems to give him a lot of trouble, hitting below .200 against southpaws last year.

For a 5th piece in a trade, this is a really nice get. Yeremy Cabrera is young, athletic and has plenty of paths to becoming a big leaguer. You don’t see that much from a guy who is considered the “throw in” of a trade. 

Next season will be a test for Cabrera. He should start next season at High-A Wilmington. The Nats High-A affiliate is infamous for being pitcher friendly. However, Cabrera is used to that, with the Rangers Low-A affiliate also being tough for hitters. 

The Nationals have a lot of infielders in the lower minors, but not as many strong outfield prospects. Obviously, the Nats have plenty of young outfield talent in the MLB and even AAA, but as you get down to A ball, you don’t see as much talent. This means Cabrera should be able to get a lot of looks in center field.

Having watched Jacob Young for the last couple of years, Nats fans know how valuable center field defense can be. Cabrera may not be that level of defender, but he is not far off. He also provides much more offensive upside than Young. It will take him a couple years to get to the MLB, but do not be surprised if Yeremy Cabrera is a solid contributor one day.

Good morning friends. It was kind of a slow news day yesterday around baseball. Hopefully things will pick up again soon as we close in on spring training.

Regardless, here are the stories we’re tracking as we pass the mid-week point.

In Mariners news…

• Left-hander Jhonathan Díaz cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.

Around the league…

• The Rockies acquired infielder Edouard Julien and right-hander Pierson Ohl from the Twins for minor league righty Jace Kaminska and cash considerations.
• Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone pushed back on the idea that the Yankees are simply running back the same roster, insisting that the Bombers are title contenders in 2026.
• Anthony Castrovince at MLB.com gave his All-Underrated Team for 2026, with a couple of Mariners cracking the list
• Kiley McDaniel dropped his top 100 prospect list and also handed out superlatives to go along with his list of his top 101-200 prospects in the sport.

By this point in the year, most of the major publications — other than Baseball Prospectus, which deserves its own article — have released their list of the top 100 prospects in baseball heading into the 2026 season. I already covered the Brewers prospects named to MLB Pipeline and Baseball America’s lists, but ESPN and The Athletic both included Brewers who weren’t named to either. Also of note: Keith Law ranked the Brewers’ farm system as the best in baseball earlier this morning.

You can find our coverage of Pipeline’s list here and Baseball America’s here. For those of you trying to keep track of which prospects were named to which list:

Baseball America: SS Jesús Made (#4), INF Luis Peña (#47), SS Cooper Pratt (#50), SS/2B/CF Jett Williams (#71), RHP Brandon Sproat (#81), RHP Logan Henderson (#96)

MLB Pipeline: Made (#3), Peña (#26), Williams (#51), Pratt (#64), Sproat (#100)

The Athletic (Keith Law): Made (#3), Peña (#27), Williams (#45), C Jeferson Quero (#74), Sproat (#75), Pratt (#99)

ESPN: Made (#3), Pena (#26), Williams (#32), Henderson (#64), Pratt (#70), Sproat (#73), Quero (#75), RHP Bishop Letson (#91)

Made, Peña, Williams, Pratt, and Sproat are viewed as consensus top prospects. ESPN, however, expanded the list to include Quero (also included by Law), Henderson (also included by Baseball America), and Letson. Let’s examine why some outlets felt these players deserved inclusion while others did not:

C Jeferson Quero

Quero was a consensus top prospect as recently as last year (ranked No. 43 by Baseball America, No. 47 by MLB Pipeline). He could very well be an above-average hitter (for a catcher) at the big-league level. He’s also a solid receiver and has drawn rave reviews from Brewers’ minor league coaches for his work with pitches. The draw with Quero, the first thing mentioned in any scouting report on him, was always his rocket of an arm. Back in 2023, he was posting pop times as low as 1.86 seconds.

The question with Quero isn’t his upside, it’s his health. Quero tore his right labrum during the first game of the 2024 season. He missed the entire rest of the season, the first two months of 2025, and since returning, his arm hasn’t looked the same. The 23-year-old Venezuelan had a caught stealing rate of just 18.9% last season, leading to long-term concerns about his defensive viability and explaining why he was left off both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America’s lists this year.

Labrum injuries are fickle, as I wrote about last year in anticipation of Quero’s return. It’s possible that his arm is merely working back to full strength, that a full offseason of rehab and training will have him looking more like the Quero of old before the summer. It’s also possible that his arm will never be the same and that the Brewers may need to adjust expectations as to who Quero will be as a big leaguer.

Milwaukee adding him to the 40-man roster may signal that they see him spelling Contreras, not as an eventual everyday catcher. There’s an argument to be made that if Milwaukee saw him as the catcher of the future, they would give him more playing time to develop in Triple-A. Then again, the recent signing of Reese McGuire (albeit to a minor league deal with a spring training invite) might signal that they do intend to give him that time.

Even if his arm isn’t ever what it was, or 90% of what it was, The Athletic senior baseball writer Keith Law is more optimistic about his bat than most outlets. Law thinks that his bat will translate to the majors regardless of how his arm recovers, stating that, “Quero has always been a high-contact hitter who likes to swing the bat, and he kept that up with a 36.8% chase rate in Triple A while still striking out only 14% of the time because he doesn’t miss pitches in the zone much and actually makes more contact on balls out of the zone than most hitters… I do believe the bat will keep coming back.”

Either way, we should have a more definitive answer on what Quero will be at the major league level by the end of the season. If Quero’s arm returns to above average, his bat makes him a solid starter and potential future All-Star. If it doesn’t, he may be more of a backup/rotational catcher, which is still a valuable piece to have.

RHP Bishop Letson

Letson is one of my personal favorite prospects in baseball, so it’s great to see him recognized by ESPN. Letson only started 11 games last season due to a shoulder injury. When he came back in August, he made four High-A starts and one start in Double-A Biloxi. Three of those starts were great, while two of them (including his lone appearance in Biloxi) didn’t go very well.

ESPN thinks the main question with Letson “is his health,” but he also has “most of the markers (they) look for in projecting a breakthrough season, so front-line potential is still within reach.” Letson’s command has also left something to be desired, but that’s often part of the natural development process — especially considering his age (21). ESPN notes that ranking Letson in the top 100 prospects is an “aggressive stance,” but “presuming he’ll be healthy in 2026” he should justify the ranking because of his “massive extension,” “starter feel,” and “above-average stuff.”

I wouldn’t even say “above-average stuff.” The 6’4” right-hander is downright electric at times, and his stuff plays up even more due to his elite extension. Jacob Misiorowski’s delivery averages around 7 1/4 feet of extension, which would put him in the 99th percentile leaguewide. Letson is three inches shorter than the Miz, yet Baseball Savant’s scouting report compares his extension to Misiorowski. He doesn’t throw super hard, normally sitting around 93-94 mph, but hitters have less time to see the pitch and react because Letson releases the ball closer to home plate than your average pitcher. Elite extension also creates a more challenging downhill angle for hitters and disrupts hitter’s timing. If he bulks up (Letson weighs about 170 pounds), he could add a couple ticks to his velocity anyway.

Letson’s arsenal features a four-seam and sinker that both have the potential to be above-average offerings at the major league level. The same is true of his low-80s slider with sharp sweep, which has proven to be a swing-and-miss offering at the minor league level, and a mid-80s changeup with arm-side fade that looked improved last season. Per Baseball America, Letson has the best fastball and the best slider in the Brewers organization. All of those pitches worked for him in the minors — Letson pitched to the tune of a 2.40 ERA across 11 appearances (nine starts) between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi. As ESPN said, if he stays healthy next season, he’s a definite breakout candidate.

RHP Logan Henderson

Henderson is slightly more of a known quantity among Brewers fans because of his impressive performance in Milwaukee last season (1.78 ERA in five appearances). Henderson wins because of his command, his fastball shape (despite slightly below-average velocity), and — above all else — his plus changeup, which you may remember from last season.

The concern with Henderson is that his heavy reliance on his fastball and changeup could leave him vulnerable as hitters adjust to either pitch. During his five big league appearances, Henderson threw either a fastball or changeup on more than 85% of pitches. His cutter and slider aren’t very good (40/45 grade), but so far “his ability to throw his changeup in any situation” has made “his cutter and slider useful in small doses.” ESPN notes that this approach has worked thus far, so it would be “silly” to expect it not to continue working at the major league level.

The major leagues feature the best of the best, so I don’t think it’s “silly” to question his prolonged effectiveness as a starter who relies on two pitches. It’s rare, although definitely not unheard of, that a starting pitcher has experienced continued success with a two-pitch arsenal. I do have faith in the Brewers “pitching lab” to turn one of his other pitches into a serviceable offering.

The worst-case scenario is that he gets hit around a bit next year as hitters get more major league film on him, but even in that scenario he’d probably still be highly effective out of the bullpen. Still, I think odds are he’ll be a solid starting pitcher. Milwaukee probably wouldn’t have traded Freddy Peralta (and Tobias Myers) if they didn’t think Henderson could give them anything in the rotation.