Alex Carrillo has had a rather arduous road in his professional career, one that eventually resulted in his major league debut in 2025.

Carrillo, now 28 years of age, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers out of Faulker University, an NAIA school in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2019. He lost his 2020 season to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was promptly released by the Rangers after appearing in only three games in their organization, all in the Arizona Rookie League.

He got back on the mound in 2021 in independent ball, signing with the New York Boulders of the Frontier League. He did not perform all that well, earning a 7.11 ERA in 19 innings. He moved onto the Mexican League for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, playing both for the Tigres de Quintana Roo, earning a 8.49 ERA in 29.2 innings, and 8.06 ERA in 22.1 innings, respectively.

2024 saw him move back to the Frontier League, this time with the Washington Wild Things, where he had his best season by a mile. He had a 3.31 ERA, striking out 49 batters in 35.1 innings, which earned him his opportunity with the Mets.

Signed prior to the 2025 season, Carrillo was a mainstay in the Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse bullpens before eventually getting a call to the Majors in June. While he was far from incredible for the Mets, giving up seven runs (four homers) in 4.2 innings pitched, even making it from where he started is impressive in and of itself.

Carrillo is bullpen depth, which is something you can never have too much of. While the performances were never really there for Carrillo, save for his 2024 showing for the Wild Things and solid showings in both Double and Triple-A (his Triple-A ERA was actually above average, earning an ERA- of 84, because the offensive environment is absurd there), he continues to get chances due to a hard fastball and an ability to generate whiffs. He can touch triple digits, which will get whiffs at any level, and his 35% and above strikeout rate at both stops last season is a testament to that.

While, at the end of the day, it is not a likely scenario that sees Carrillo end up as a high-leverage reliever, stranger things have happened on the pitching side of the game — Reed Garrett is a good example of how a cutting edge pitching apparatus can take a guy from having 6.00 ERA’s in the Major Leagues to being an important reliever with a few changes. It is hard to predict pitchers, and who will break out, and what organizations have cooking behind the scenes with these arms (and if whatever they have cooking can stick), but a pitcher who throws hard and generate whiffs is going to get some chances, and at the very least be a valuable reliever in Triple-A while providing short-term cover for the big league team.

There were only 12 hitters in all of Major League Baseball in 2025 who logged over 650 PA and sported an on-base percentage over .360. Cincinnati Reds centerfielder TJ Friedl was one of them, and he was joined by a cast of characters who you may recognize – Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Geraldo Perdomo, Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Rafel Devers, Fernando Tatis, Jr., Matt Olson, Yandy Diaz, Kyle Schwarber, and Jose Ramirez.

It’s a testament both to Friedl’s durability last season and to his ability to consistently find his way to first base, something bolstered by his 11.8% walk rate. Even at age 30 and with a manager in Terry Francona who’s not asking him to swipe bags the way he once did, it’s almost impossible to imagine there being a better, more classic prototype on the Reds roster for the team’s leadoff man, and it sure seems that Francona is married to that idea heading into the 2026 season, too.

So, the lineup begins with TJ. After that, though, there’s a lot of moving and shaking that could go on, especially on days when the club faces off against a lefty.

What we do also know is that Francona seems wed to the idea of keeping Elly De La Cruz in the #3 spot in the lineup rather than moving him up to hit right behind Friedl. Francona has also spoken repeatedly about how prodigal son Eugenio Suárez brings both thump to the middle of the order and ‘protection’ for Elly from pitchers who might otherwise try to pitch around him, and that leads to a pretty easy assumption that Geno will be the team’s cleanup hitter.

1, 3, and 4 seem to be pretty well etched in stone, at least for the start of the season. Where the rest of the dominos fall, though, seems very much up in the air.

It’s impossible to think at this juncture that Sal Stewart should be hitting anywhere other than as high in the lineup as he can be slotted. If 1, 3, and 4 are set on most days, that would sure suggest he’s ripe for the #2 spot in between TJ and Elly, one of the rare bats who’s both patient enough at the plate to work a count (and let a leadoff guy run, if need be) but who can also plate everyone with one mighty swing. If it were up to me, the Reds regular batting order would begin with Friedl, Sal, Elly, and Geno, and that would be borderline non-negotiable.

Early in spring camp, though, it sure seems like Francona is leaning towards keeping Matt McLain in the #2 spot, however. Perhaps that’s just a manager doing his best to boost the confidence of one of his most talented, albeit most injured regulars, as McLain hit just .220/.300/.343 overall last year (and an even more putrid .215/.306/.304 in 298 PA hitting in the #2 spot last year). For the record, Cincinnati’s collective production from the #2 spot in the order in 2025 produced just a 68 wRC+ and .273 wOBA, both of which ranked 2nd to last overall.

The middle and back-half of the Reds regular batting order seems deeper on paper than it’s been in quite some time, though it’s a malleable mash of hitters who, in any given one-month stretch, could be better or worse than every player on the team. We’ve seen the streakiness first hand from the likes of Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson, and the back of JJ Bleday’s baseball card sure suggests he’s pretty much in the same boat. Regardless of the handedness of the pitcher on the mound on any given day, it’s more likely than not that that core ends up occupying spots 5-8 on most days, with the lone exception being when Dane Myers is in outfield on days a left-hander is starting against them. Unless, that is, Nate Lowe rakes through Cactus League play and cements himself as a key part of this offense despite coming into camp on an unheralded minor league deal.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, whom I really hope rarely gets more than 2 PA per game, is going to hit 9th. At least, I sure as hell hope that’s how this works.

If it were purely up to me, which it is not, here’s how I’d roll out the lineup against a RHP:

1. TJ Friedl – CF
2. Sal Stewart – 1B
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Eugenio Suárez – 3B
5. Nate Lowe – DH
6. Spencer Steer/Will Benson/JJ Bleday – LF
7. Tyler Stephenson – C
8. Noelvi Marte – RF
9. Matt McLain – 2B

The Hayes trade still baffles me, but at least he’d be around for the late innings defensively.

On days when a LHP is on the bump, my personal lineup would look more like this:

1. Matt McLain – 2B
2. Sal Stewart – 1B
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Eugenio Suarez – DH
5. Spencer Steer – LF
6. Tyler Stephenson – C
7. Dane Myers – CF
8. Noelvi Marte – RF
9. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B

How would you build a regular Reds lineup, and how would you tweak it when facing a southpaw? How would you build both through the lens of Terry Francona’s spectacles, since that’s the realistic way we must look at the situation?

It has been a little while since I have talked about the Nats farm system, so I wanted to give it some love. There are plenty of breakout candidates in the system, but I settled on three picks to click. One rule I had was that none of these players could be in the top 10 of the most recent MLB Pipeline top 30.

That means Gavin Fien, Landon Harmon and Luke Dickerson are not eligible for this list. Instead, I am going for some deeper cuts. The three names I chose were Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yoel Tejada Jr., and Sam Petersen. All of these guys showed flashes in 2025, but the best is still yet to come.

Devin Fitz-Gerald is the highest ranked of these prospects. He is the 12th ranked prospect in the Nats system according to Pipeline and is 9th for Baseball America. Fitz-Gerald was a key part of the MacKenzie Gore return. He was picked in the 5th round of the 2024 draft by the Rangers, and had an outstanding first season as a pro.

Nationals SS Devin Fitz-Gerald posted a 143 wRC+ over 41 games across CPX + A ball w/ 6 HR, while walking (16.2%) more than he struck out (13.9%). He coupled that w/ an 80.6% Con% and a low 8.6% SwStr%. A polished LH swing w/ quick hands & generated plenty of pull contact (48.3%) pic.twitter.com/9Lmq3pGron

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) February 2, 2026

Fitz-Gerald dominated the competition in Rookie Ball before a promotion to Low-A. He only got to play 10 games in Low-A before a shoulder injury ended his season in early July. However, he held his own in A ball, walking more than he struck out. Polish is a key part of Fitz-Gerald’s game. The switch hitting infielder is a very advanced hitter for his age and has a high baseball IQ.

That high baseball IQ should come as no surprise. His dad is the coach at Stoneman Douglas High School, which has produced many MLB players including Anthony Rizzo, Jesus Luzardo and Roman Anthony. Fitz-Gerald played for his dad in high school and was an excellent player.

However, his pro debut went even better than expected. The switch hitter showed more power than expected, which elevated his stock. Everyone knew he was a polished hitter, but the extra power makes him a very complete hitter. Fitz-Gerald is not an elite athlete, so he is likely to move to second or third base. However, he has a good enough bat to do that. Out of the trio of prospects we will cover, Fitz-Gerald is easily the most likely to emerge as a top 100 guy.

He should start the season in a crowded Low-A infield. There is a chance we see Fitz-Gerald, Eli Willits, Angel Feliz, Gavin Fien and Luke Dickerson all start the year at Low-A. That could potentially move Dickerson to the outfield, but that is a conversation for another day. Devin Fitz-Gerald is a prospect whose trajectory is pointed upwards.

For my pitcher, I am going to choose a real deep cut. Yoel Tejada Jr. is the 27th ranked prospect according to Pipeline and the 29th ranked prospect according to Baseball America. However, he has some unique attributes that excite me.

Tejada was taken in the 14th round of the 2024 draft by the Nats. He was not good at all in college, with a career ERA of 5.74. Tejada also had more walks than strikeouts in his college career that only lasted 42.1 innings over three seasons. However, the Nats still drafted him because he is 6’8 and threw in the mid-90’s.

That gamble looks like a smart one. After some mechanical tweaks, he looked like a different pitcher as a pro. Tejada was more in the 91-94 MPH range, but was throwing way more strikes and showed a good feel for spin. His fastball plays up due to his massive extension down the mound as well. There is also a chance he can gain some more velocity.

I’d like to know who listed Yoel Tejada Jr as their pick to click. He’s a deeper cut than most other names on that list.

Tejada Jr is part of a trio of Nats pitching prospects I’m high on, Jose Feliz and Jackson Kent being the other two.

I wrote this about him in January: https://t.co/bHitAv2q9ypic.twitter.com/0f1v23dZl3

— George (@georgerlewis) February 20, 2026

In Low-A, Tejada posted a 3.43 ERA in 78.2 innings. He struck out nearly a batter per inning and walked just 2.4 hitters per nine. His two starts in High-A did not go as well, but that was a small sample size. The improvement in his command is what makes me very intrigued.

At 6’8, he is going to be a weird look for hitters. If he continues to pound the zone like he did last year, Tejada’s stock is only going to rise. I wonder if he can show the velocity he did in college while still pounding the zone. If he can do that, his stock could really take off. Tejada should start the season at High-A, but if he does well there, he could get to Double-A at some point this season. 

He could be the next Brad Lord or Riley Cornelio type of arm, who seemingly comes out of nowhere. Both of those guys had velocity spikes as they rose through the minors, so that makes me confident that Tejada could sit in the 94-95 range before too long. 

Another pitcher who is in a similar position to Tejada that I want to shout out as an honorable mention is Davian Garcia. He was also part of that 2024 class, and had a similar season to Tejada. Garcia was excellent in Low-A, but struggled in High-A. He got into a Spring Training game a few days ago, where his stuff looked excellent. Look for Garcia to rise into the Nats top 30 list soon.

The last player I want to talk about is Sam Petersen. In a way, he has already broken out,  as he had an excellent year mostly in High-A. However, he only played in 57 minor league games due to a couple injuries. If he can stay healthy, Petersen could be yet another candidate to play in the Nats outfield by the end of the season.

While MLB Pipeline has Petersen as their 28th ranked prospect in the system, Baseball America is much higher on him. They have him ranked 14th, sandwiched between Landon Harmon and Ethan Petry. Baseball America put a 55 grade on his hitting, his power and his speed. That is a very impressive combination.

Sam Petersen was one of the top performers in the South Atlantic League while healthy last season.

The Nationals prospect hits the ball with authority to all fields with a line-drive approach, and has the potential for above-average power 💪

He's a potential breakout prospect… pic.twitter.com/jhgZ4KUjm7

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) January 29, 2026

With the numbers he put up, that makes sense. Wilmington is a notoriously difficult place to hit, but Petersen made it look easy. He hit .297 with an .888 OPS in 44 games at High-A. Those are numbers you do not often see in Wilmington.

Petersen had a good career at Iowa, but fell to the 8th round due to an injury. When he was on the field last year, Petersen’s power and hitting ability looked improved. His max exit velocity improved from college despite switching from metal to wood bats. BA noted that he has an all-field approach, but has become more comfortable pulling the ball in the air.

If Petersen can stay healthy, he has an outside chance of making the big leagues this year. At this time last year, Daylen Lile was on the outside looking in, but he forced his way into the lineup. Petersen has the chance to do something similar if he performs and stays healthy.

It is clear the new regime likes what they are seeing because he has gotten a lot of run early in Spring Training. He has looked good when he has played as well, going 3/6 to start the spring. Despite only playing 44 games at High-A, the 23 year old Petersen should start the year in Double-A.

With a new regime coming in, there are plenty of prospects who could break out. There are obvious names like Eli Willits and Gavin Fien, but there are also some more under the radar picks. Even beyond these three players, there are other sleepers like Marconi German, Angel Feliz and Jackson Kent that I like. The Nats system is deeper than it has been in a long time, and it will be very exciting to follow this season.

Series Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-3) at #7 Auburn Tigers (7-1)

Location: Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park, Auburn, AL

Dates: Friday, February 27th-Sunday, March 1st

Times (all CST): Feb. 27th @ 6pm, Feb 28th @ 2pm, Mar 1st @ 1pm

Head Coaches: Will Bolt (7th season, 174-129-1) & Butch Thompson (11th season, 331-233-1)

TV/Stream: ESPN+/SEC Network+

Radio: All Nebraska games on Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

Up next ➡️ Auburn pic.twitter.com/dlQIGQz9j3

— Nebraska Baseball (@HuskerBaseball) February 24, 2026

Coach Butch Thompson took over an Auburn team that despite having a ton of recent NCAA tournament success had failed to make the field for 3 straight postseasons. After missing the field again his first season, he has only done it once since. Coach Thompson has also led the team to two of its six College World Series appearances. The one thing that has eluded the Tigers in his 11 years is a conference title. Their last SEC title was in 1998. This team could be their best chance since.

This years version of the Tigers were in the same College Baseball series as Nebraska last week in Globe Life Field. Unlike Nebraska they were rarely challenged on their way to winning the weekend. They took out Kansas State 5-1, Florida State 8-5, and Louisville 10-6. Other than FSU putting up a 4 run first inning before going dormant until the 9th, Auburn was in control of every game.

While they were expected to be a good team, being ranked preseason #9 in D1Baseball.com’s top 25, the offense in particular got off to a really slow start prior to arriving in Arlington. A pair of 2-1 wins (with 1 bing in 10 innings) against Youngstown State is how the season began for the Tigers. They did finish the sweep with a 17-2 run rule victory in only 7 innings, but then came out and lost 8-0 to a “meh” Cincinnati team in the midweek. They also were losing with 2 outs in the 9th inning, needed a walk-off to beat West Georgia 4-3 in the midweek. Will they continue to be sleepy at home? Or did their trip to Globe Life wake their offense up?

Pitching Probables

Weekend rotation is locked in. 🔒 pic.twitter.com/8ED1AdbHq5

— Nebraska Baseball (@HuskerBaseball) February 24, 2026

Game 1: RHP Ty Horn (0-0, 1.86 ERA) vs. LHP Jake Marciano (1-0, 0.82 ERA)

Game 2: RHP Carson Jasa (1-0, 5.06 ERA) vs. LHP Jackson Sanders (1-0, 3.27 ERA)

Game 3: RHP Gavin Blachowicz (1-0, 1.86 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Petrovic (2-0, 2.70 ERA)

Through 2 starts, Ty Horn has done just about everything you could ask for in an ace, other than getting a bit deeper into games. He still seems to get a little too deep into counts trying to go for the strikeout each batter, and that has cost him an inning+ in each game probably. He nearly kept an extremely potent Louisville offense off the board, allowing a leadoff double in the 6th who would eventually score on the bullpen. Other than that, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks and 5 hits in 5+ innings of work against that team is something to build on. He left with the lead, which is all you can ask in a big game like that.

Carson Jasa continues to fill up the stat sheet. Through 2 games and 10.2 innings, he has struck out 17, walked 5 and allowed 6 earned runs. Coach Bolt admits he may keep him in a bit too long in his games because his “stuff” at that point in time is still better than what will come out of the pen fresh. He gets a little more wild the further he goes into games. Getting the walks and just overall balls out of the zone in check in the 5th and 6th innings will go a long way to improving his outings and the teams chances of winning his starts.

When asked about the Gavin Blachowicz and Cooper Katskee situation, Bolt quickly said, “Blachowicz isn’t going anywhere.” Katskee for the time being looks to be potentially a weekend bullpen guy and a mid week starter. Bolt points out it’s a long season, and thats where he started last season at before becoming a Friday starter and conference pitcher of the year. Blachowicz has done nothing but impress in his first 2 starts. Since adding a cutter/change and slurve to his fastball and curveball over the offseason, opponents have had major issues getting the barrel on his balls, with 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings. His only hit given up against #16 Florida State was a solo shot from one of the top power hitters at the College Baseball Series.

Auburn went out in the transfer portal for some big time pitching prospects. Former Virginia Tech starter Jake Marciano is their Friday ace. He is a smooth lefty that doesn’t have a ton of power, staying mostly around 89-91 mph with his fastball, but still piles up the strikeouts. In 5 innings against Youngstown St, he struck out 12. Then against a potent Kansas State offense, he still struck out 8 in 6 innings of work, allowing zero runs on 2 hits. An easy way to think of him is peak Will Walsh pitching at the Big Ten Tournament. Thats the pounding of the strike zone, efficiency and pace he will pitch with. He has 18 walks in 71+ career innings.

A lot of how Auburn will do this season depends on their starters after Marciano. Saturday starter Jackson Saunders was one of the top pitching recruits in the country, but had an up and down year last season as a reliever. He had a 5.29 ERA and was upside down, giving up 13 walks with only 10 strikeouts in 17 innings. He has lived up to his billing to start this year however, striking out 17 and only walking 2 in his 11 innings. Alex Petrovic was a long shot to get a weekend rotation slot, but an injury to Griffin Graves jumbled up the staff at the last minute. Petrovic has been a reliever that piled up strikeouts, albeit in limited opportunities, pitching less than 30 innings combined over the pervious 2 seasons. He has yet to give up a walk this season, in his 10 innings. So the NU bats will have to be ready to swing.

Scouting Report

There are a number of guys to look at with regard to the Tigers’ offense. Maybe the best place to start is the player that just won Most Outstanding Player down in Arlington. Bristol Carter has really taken hold of the centerfield and leadoff spot for Auburn. The junior had a bit of a down year last year at Auburn, after being a Freshman All American the previous year at ECU. No such issue this year. He gets on base by any means necessary, as his .513 on-base percentage shows. He led the team with 14 stolen bases last season, and has been given the green light even more this season, already 6 for 6 on the season. He also hit a home run in the cavernous Globe Life Field, so he does have the ability to show some power.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿@bristol_carter was balling all weekend.#WarEaglepic.twitter.com/cOleUuFP4V

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 23, 2026

The top returner everyone expects to put up some big numbers this season is Catcher/INF Chase Fralich. He was a Freshman All American as a catcher last season, batting .335 with 17 doubles, 4 home runs and 41 RBIs. He has been red hot to start the season, mainly at catcher, but also appearing at first base, a position the team is trying to find a consistent starter for. He is batting .500 on the year, with a 1.343 OPS and has a double, triple, and 2 home runs to go with 8 RBIs in just 8 games thus far.

The Tigers don’t have a lot of freshman, like most top teams in the portal era, but they do have a couple really talented ones trying to break into their lineup. Ethin Bingaman is the most talented of the bunch. He is rated as the 31st best player in his class, and the 6th best freshman to make it to school in the SEC. He has broken into the lineup at the previously mentioned first base and right field. He’s hitting .400 with 2 home runs, and is the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week. Oh, and he was also rated as the #4 right handed pitcher in his class, though he has yet to set foot on the mound for Auburn yet.

𝗦𝗘𝗖 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸@BingamanEthin's big weekend earns him @SEC honors!

📰 » https://t.co/agsBCFrAaS#WarEaglepic.twitter.com/TIucHCUHxp

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 23, 2026

The bullpen has a good mix of experience within the program and new arrivals. In fact they have both competing for saves as a closer. Last season’s primary closer is RHP Ryan Hetzler. He had 8 saves last year with a 3.86 ERA. They added former Michigan State LHP Garrett Brewer. He already has 2 saves on the year, and has yet to allow a run in 3 appearances over 2.1 innings.

One arm out of the bullpen close to returning from injury that the Huskers are familiar with is former Creighton closer, Mason Koch. He only appeared in 3 games in 2025 before being sidelined with a wrist injury. They thought best case scenario was he was 5-6 weeks away when spring practice began 6 weeks ago. They want to be extra careful with him though, needing him to be full strength for the stretch run of the SEC schedule. So if I had to guess, he will remain shelved.

The defense is serviceable, but not the team’s overall strength, ranked 80th in the NCAA in fielding percentage at .979. Coach Thompson admits, his catchers need work at controlling the running game. If Nebraska gets things rolling offensively, they like to use their running game to bury people.

Series History

This is the first time these programs have met on the diamond.

On Deck

• Nebraska is 7-3 in their last 10 games against ranked teams, following the split with Louisville and FSU this past weekend.

• Dylan Carey is up to 50 career doubles after his offensive showcase in Arlington. He is fifth all time at Nebraska, 3 away from Alex Gordon for 4th, and 6 behind his skipper and NU record holder, Will Bolt.

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We have some rare Spring Training night games on the Friday slate, with the Nationals hosting the Astros, and the Mariners taking on the Diamondbacks.

But first up in my Spring Training predictions for February 27 is the Guardians-Cubs tilt.

Read on for my free MLB picks.

Spring Training predictions for February 27

Pick #1: Guardians moneyline (+125)

The Chicago Cubs are 2-5 with a -16 run differential so far in Spring Training. Edward Cabrera makes his first appearance in a Chicago uni today, and he had a disastrous 24.55 ERA in exhibition play with Miami last year.

The Cleveland Guardians counter with Logan Allen, and he pitched a solid two shutout innings on Saturday, scattering a hit and a walk with two strikeouts.

This is nothing unusual for Allen, who owned a 1.88 ERA over 14 1/3 innings (six starts) in the Cactus League last year.

Pick #2: Nationals moneyline (+100)

I don't entirely trust Miles Mikolas in his new home with the Washington Nationals, but I absolutely do not trust the oft-injured Lance McCullers Jr. for the Houston Astros.

McCullers looked over the hill for Houston with a 6.51 ERA last season. He'll take on a Nationals team that's a decent 4-2 with a +7 run differential.

The Astros, meanwhile, are off to a terrible 1-4 start with a -9 run differential. They should not be favored on the road.

Pick #3: Mariners moneyline (-165)

The Seattle Mariners moneyline is a little steep, but not without good reason. Ryne Nelson authored a 9.26 ERA in Spring Training with the Arizona Diamondbacks last year, while Luis Castillo had a 3.31 ERA.

Castillo recorded three or more innings in four of five exhibition starts last year, so don't expect the token one-inning outing we're accustomed to seeing from so many top-notch starters as they prep for the regular season.

Castillo should get plenty of run support, with Seattle sporting a .928 OPS so far in Spring Training.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Brewers boast one of the best farm systems in baseball, though most of their top prospects are still a year or two away from the big leagues. That hasn’t stopped Jesús Made, Luis Peña, Josh Adamczewski, and others from offering glimpses of what’s to come. Let’s take a look at the Brewers prospects who have made an impact over the first week of spring training.

Jesus Made:

Made is 2-for-8 this spring, a stat line that belies the fact how encouraging the early returns have been. In his last appearance, against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon, the Brewers’ No. 1 prospect went 2-for-2 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. On the triple, Made got caught out in front of a José Buttó changeup and still managed to register an exit velocity of 98 mph. The pitch before, a foul ball that looked for a second as if it might stay fair, came off the bat at 110.9 mph.

Hello 👀 pic.twitter.com/Iil0qyscuO

— Javik Blake (@javblake8) February 25, 2026

Made’s still only 18 years old, and he’s not doing this against Double-A guys either. Buttó has appeared in 95 major league games and is coming off a season where he posted a 3.90 ERA. He’s not a scrub.

The single in the eighth came off of Nick Margevicius, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2021 but still has 32 more games of major league experience than Made does. After Wednesday’s game, Made now has a .900 OPS this spring. Nobody’s expecting him to make the Brewers out of camp, but he’ll be one to watch at Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Luis Peña

Made is further along the development track than Peña, but Peña’s performance this spring has been equally impressive. He’s 2-f0r-5 so far with a double and this single, a 108-mph rocket off of Guardians prospect Zane Morehouse. Like Made, he’s not expected to contribute this year (or even next). The Brewers just want to see development from their No. 2 prospect, and he’s developing before our eyes.

19-year-old Luis Pena, our No. 2 prospect, has already registered two hits of +100-mph this spring, including this double 🔥

In case you were wondering pic.twitter.com/AGrXjuj83l

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 24, 2026

Josh Adamczewski

Adamczewski, one of the biggest risers in the farm system last year, split the season between Low-A and High-A, slashing .320/.420/.490 over 71 games. He’s been making hard contact, and his stat line so far (2-for-6 with a double) is about as good as you could realistically expect to see from a guy who hasn’t even played a game in Double-A.

Lineout from Josh Adamczewski, but the swing is just too pure not to post. I feel very strongly that a big year is ahead of him. pic.twitter.com/mHOUNOSYnX

— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) February 21, 2026

Last season, Adamczewski was listed as a second baseman, but he’s been playing left field this spring — indicating that the Brewers want to find a way to get his bat in the lineup despite the presence of highly-regarded middle infield prospects like Made, Peña, Jett Williams, and Cooper Pratt.

Tyler Black

Black isn’t really a prospect anymore, but he’s only appeared in 22 games with Milwaukee and is still 25. Given the spring he’s putting together, he’s worth including. After yesterday’s three-hit game, Black is now hitting .667 with a 1.942 OPS through 12 at-bats.

I’ve seen a couple Vinny Capra comparisons, but unlike Capra, Black was at one point a top 50 prospect in baseball. As recently as last year, Baseball America ranked him a top five prospect in the Brewers organization. Maybe he’s finally figuring things out at the major league level.

The problem is that it’s hard to see where he fits into the Brewers’ plans. He could theoretically see time at third base, but for an organization that highly values defense that feels unlikely. First base is manned by Andrew Vaughn. Maybe he’ll see some time in left field to start the season? Either way, if Black keeps hitting this well he’ll be hard to keep off the roster. If he’s no longer in the Brewers’ long-term plans, a strong spring might bring back a worthwhile return via trade.

Tate Kuehner

Kuehner, a left-handed pitcher who ended last year with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, has put up impressive numbers since the Brewers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2023 Draft. Kuehner posted a 3.17 ERA in 2024 and pitched even better (2.77 ERA) in 2025. He went two scoreless innings yesterday, picking up four strikeouts and the save in Milwaukee’s win over the Texas Rangers.

I’ve been banging the drum for Kuehner since I joined BCB, and I still think he’s somewhat underrated as a prospect. He has great shape on his fastball, a sharp slider with swing-and-miss potential, and a changeup that Fangraphs gave a 55 grade. If Kuehner gets a chance in the big leagues this year, don’t be surprised if he sticks.

If there’s one thing we can safely predict about the 2026 Dodgers, it’s that they will use many different arms to get through the 186 days of the regular season. In 2023 they set a franchise record by using 39 different pitchers, then topped that by using 40 pitchers in each of the last two seasons.

The Dodgers are not alone in this regard among major league teams. Their 39 pitchers used in 2023 were tied for fourth in MLB, then in 2024 they were tied for second, and were sixth last year. There have been 23 teams in major league history to use at least 40 pitchers in a season, with 20 of those seasons coming since 2021.

We’ve gone over how the Dodgers have plenty of starting pitching depth in addition to their Big Four in the rotation. So let’s look at the bullpen options today.

On the sideline (3)

Evan Phillips is already on the 60-day injured list and isn’t expected back until midseason after Tommy John surgery last June. Brock Stewart is coming off shoulder surgery in October, and will likely open the season on the injured list.

Same for Brusdar Graterol, who is coming off November 2024 shoulder surgery and did not pitch at all last season. He’s being slow-played this spring.

Roster locks (5)

Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott each signed big contracts. Veteran Blake Treinen is in the second and final year of his deal. Alex Vesia has been a bullpen staple the last four years and with over five years of service time can’t be sent to the minors without his consent.

Jack Dreyer was a rookie last year and could be optioned. But he also lasted on the roster all of last season and the postseason, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the only Dodgers pitchers to remain active from last March through November. So we’ll include him here among the locks.

Swing men (2)

Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski were both starters in the minors but have pitched more in relief during their parts of two seasons in the majors. If there isn’t room in the rotation, having either one in the bullpen would be a welcome addition, with both having such experience in the postseason. Both can be optioned.

Other relievers with options (6)

From the right side, this includes Edgardo Henriquez, Kyle Hurt, Paul Gervase, and Bobby Miller, plus left-hander Ronan Kopp, who was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Another right-hander, Will Klein, has been called a “World Series hero” every time he has been mentioned in the Dodgers game notes this spring, after his four scoreless innings in the marathon Game 3 last October.

That’s 16 potential relievers on the 40-man roster, but as we’ve seen in recent years the Dodgers’ pool to choose from extends far beyond that. Twenty-two of the 42 non-roster pitchers in Dodgers camp from 2023-25 ended up pitching for them in the majors in that season, for instance.

Last year the Dodgers had 13 different pitchers appear at least 10 games in relief:

• Anthony Banda 70 games relieved
• Alex Vesia 68
• Jack Dreyer 62
• Tanner Scott 61
• Kirby Yates 50
• Ben Casparius 43
• Blake Treinen 32
• Luis García 28
• Lou Trivino 24
• Edgardo Henriquez 22
• Justin Wrobleski 22
• Will Klein 14
• Michael Kopech 14

Garcia was a non-roster invitee last spring, while Klein and Trivino started 2025 in other organizations. The two Dodgers pitchers last year with nine games in relief were in the same boat, as Alexis Díaz was acquired in May and Matt Sauer was a non-roster invitee.

In other words, we’ll see quite a few different pitchers this season, many of whom aren’t currently on the 40-man roster. That brings us to today’s question: How many Dodgers will pitch at least 10 games in relief in 2026?

Welcome back to our preview of 2026 Red Sox starting pitching. If you missed the bulk of the preview last week, check it out below.

Today, we turn our attention to the back of the back of the rotation: the depth starters.

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Now that we’ve been through the nine pitchers who are fighting for spots in the opening day rotation, we can turn our attention to the depth. In theory, those nine arms I already went through will make the bulk of the starts for the Red Sox this season. This is major league baseball we’re talking about, though, and pitching injuries are bound to happen. Last season, 15 different pitchers started games for the Red Sox, and Brennan Bernardino was the only true “opener” they used. Come August, when the rotation has been through the wringer and is run down, look for one of these names to provide five innings or so.

Tyler Uberstine

Of the options on this list, Tyler Uberstine is probably first in line to make a spot start, although there are several pitchers ahead of him (covered here and here).

Uberstine, who reached Triple-A last season, was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Like many Red Sox pitchers, he has a low release point that creates a flat approach angle for his mid-90s fastball. Over about 90 innings at Worcester, he struck out a very respectable 26% of hitters, but struggled with walks, handing out free passes at a 9.4% clip. He uses multiple breaking balls, with his slider and changeup showing the most potential. His ceiling is likely a back-of-the-rotation arm, but there’s nothing wrong with eating innings to help carry the load through a very long season.

Jake Bennett

Jake Bennett is 6’6”, 235 pounds and throws with his left hand. He has seven feet of extension. In his first Spring Training outing, his fastball averaged 95 mph and reached 98 mph. According to SoxProspects, he has “advanced command and control” of said fastball.

My scouting report is based on the numbers and other people’s scouting reports, but I’m buying all the Jake Bennett stock I can get. His best secondary pitch is a changeup, which will neutralize righties, while he also has a slider and a curveball. He’ll mix in sinkers and cutters to fill up the zone, and has a slider and a curveball as well. That’s six pitches from a huge lefty who gets down the mound well. He’s at least a back-of-the-rotation arm with a chance to be much more.

While there’s a long list of pitchers ahead of him for turns in the rotation, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bennett knocking on the door of the majors for some leverage relief appearances late in the season. He’s the pitching prospect I’m most excited about.

Kyson Witherspoon

After the ascent of Payton Tolle and Trey Yesavage, flying through the minor leagues is all the rage. As such, many have tabbed 2025 first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon to debut a year after being drafted, despite not pitching in the minor leagues in 2025.

He has a huge fastball that’s already up to 97 mph in camp, along with a cutter and slider that he executes consistently. Fangraphs labeled his curveball and changeup as his nastiest pitches, but said they need polish to be viable weapons. His high 70s curveball was described as “hitter-pantsing” when thrown in the dirt. Because there are so many names ahead of him on the depth chart, I’m going to guess Witherspoon debuts in mid-2027, but crazier things have happened, and he’s a fun name to monitor going forward.

Tanner Houck

Houck is the only guy on this list that we’ve seen in action before, but he’s last because we won’t see him until September, if at all. He had Tommy John Surgery last season after an ugly start to his campaign. He threw a baseball for the first time this spring, but is still a long way from returning to game action.

While he might fill some innings down the stretch, don’t expect Houck to become a key contributor. At his best, Houck is in the zone with everything he throws, keeping hitters on the back foot. His splitter is particularly important against left-handed hitters, and while it’s somewhat of an anecdote, finding a feel for offspeed and breaking pitches seems to lag behind fastballs when returning from TJS. I can’t support that evidence, but I feel like James Paxton said it once, and I’ve taken it as gospel. If Houck returns in 2026, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a relief role with a focus on returning to the rotation in 2027.