Now that every team is already 22 or more games in, slow starts are becoming increasingly concerning. Especially for some notably talented players…

Note - I used Statsoldier.com for graphics and stats. I also used Fangraphs, as they provided the wRC+ stat, and I love using this to evaluate hitters. When looking at the WAR stat, I typically use bWAR or Baseball Reference, but I was lazy and did not want to go back and forth.

Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners (Yahoo #693 Player)

Was 2025 a fluke? A little bit. Do I think 60 home runs is the norm? Absolutely not. Cal Raleigh was the first Catcher ever to hit 60 home runs in a single season. One had to think his numbers would dip in 2026 as 2025 was such a brilliant performance for the 29-year-old.

Raleigh started 2022 struggling as well, with an .083 batting average and striking out in 32 percent of his plate appearances in his first nine games. He finished 2022 with 27 HR, 3.9 bWAR, and a .489 SLG. It is more than reasonable to believe he will get right here soon, as the weather warms up and returns to form.

2026 Stats - 93 AB | 7 R | 3 HR | 12 RBI | 1 SB | 11 BB | .161 AVG | .538 OPS | 60 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Francisco Lindor - New York Mets (Yahoo #706 Player)

I could also have gone with Juan Soto, but since he is on the injured list, I decided to pass. Didn’t want to be the bitter Yankees fan and kick a man while he is down. With that mentality, I’ll have to lay off until 2039 because that is when he will finally be off this atrocious Mets team.

All jokes aside, I landed on Lindor. Lindor is another super-talented veteran who we know consistently starts slow. His career batting average in the month of March is a whopping .109. April historically trends up as he has played 217 career games in April, and the batting average climbs to .258. Sure, a massive uptick, but for a career .272, there are greener pastures for the 12-year veteran. At age 32, have we seen the best of Francisco Lindor? Maybe, maybe not. It is not a fun time right now in Queens, NY, but if I had to take a guess, Lindor will be back to normal soon enough.

2026 Stats - 88 AB | 12 R | 1 HR | 1 RBI | 2 SB | 10 BB | .205 AVG | .600 OPS | 76 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Jazz Chisholm Jr. - New York Yankees (Yahoo #718 Player)

Jazz is almost 100 points in batting average below his career line. I am not overpanicking on Chisholm Jr. In his 176 games with the Yankees before the 2026 season, Jazz has racked up 42 HR, 103 RBI, .258 BA, and 49 stolen bases.

He is a highly productive player and should be able to get back into the swing of things as he sits in the middle of this Yankee lineup, and opposing pitchers are focused on other hitters such as Aaron Judge and Ben Rice.

2026 Stats - 73 AB | 6 R | 0 HR | 3 RBI | 8 SB | 9 BB | .164 AVG | .498 OPS | 49 wRC+ | 0.2 fWAR

Pete Crow-Armstrong - Chicago Cubs (Yahoo #610 Player)

Probably the player I'm most worried about on this list. Contrary to everyone else I have singled out, PCA has the smallest track record. The good news is the Cubs have a loaded lineup, so he can hide at the end of this lineup until he gets right.

The 24-year-old is coming off a massive 2025 season in which he accrued 6.0 bWAR and went 30-30. There is an obvious reason the Cubs rewarded PCA with a $115M/ 6-year extension this past offseason.

2026 Stats - 84 AB | 14 R | 1 HR | 5 RBI | 4 SB | 5 BB | .214 AVG | .572 OPS | 62 wRC+ | 0.3 fWAR

Julio Rodriguez - Seattle Mariners (Yahoo #579 Player)

This is probably the toughest one for me, both physically and emotionally. Personally, I have Julio Rodriguez rostered in all four of my fantasy baseball leagues, and I have made a significant financial commitment by purchasing his rookie cards.

According to Statmuse, he is a notorious slow starter. Career batting average of .172 in the month of March (17 G), and .236 in the month of April (114 G). I fully expect the man who is the first player EVER to begin his MLB career with four consecutive 20-20 seasons to bounce back in a big way, but this is just painful to watch right now until he gets back on track.

2026 Stats - 90 AB | 10 R | 1 HR | 7 RBI | 2 SB | 11 BB | .222 AVG | .609 OPS | 85 wRC+ | 0.1 fWAR

• José Soriano

• Ben Rice

• Munetaka Murakami

• Parker Messick

• The New York Mets

• Padres Team Sale

• Injuries & MLB News

• Shohei Ohtani

• Mike Trout

• Edwin Diaz Injury

Overall Takeaway

After the win on Friday, I was excited to see that Skubal and Crochet would not be pitching the same day. I started penciling in a series win and forming my thoughts around that. Everything was going according to plan. Skubal dominated the Red Sox, and Crochet was into the 5th inning, giving up only one run…. and then he imploded.

Crochet had his second game in a row, giving up more than five runs. None of the last five Cy Young winners ever gave up more than five runs, so it is safe to assume that Crochet’s award prospects are gone.

Couple Crochet’s slow start with Sonny Gray’s hamstring injury today, and you have to imagine Craig Breslow is sweating. They are going to need some reinforcements, and fast.

Outside of that, happy to split the series!

Game 1: Red Sox 1-0

Game 2: Tigers 4-1

Game 3: Tigers 6-2

Game 4: Red Sox 8-6

What I Loved

• Willson Contreras

  • Contreras hit another home run this series and continues to get on base almost every game. His strikeout % is concerning, but it is right around his career average, so the team knew what they were getting.

• Ranger Suarez

  • Ranger Suárez turned in a pitching masterclass on Friday night, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts and zero walks to lead the Red Sox to a 1-0 victory.

• Ceddanne Rafaela

  • Rafaela came in on Monday and knocked in two runs after replacing Mayer. Rafaela, along with Contreras and Abreu, has been one of the only consistent players for Boston this year.

• Bullpen (Before Monday)

  • The Red Sox bullpen was a massive bright spot during the series against the Tigers, allowing only one earned run over 10.0 innings of work for a stellar 0.90 ERA and 0.90 WHIP entering Monday. Monday, well, wasn’t as good. Thankfully, the offense woke up on Monday as well.

• Masataka Yoshida

  • Yoshida came in and had a pinch-hit walk-off on Friday, and promptly got benched the next two days. Monday, Cora blessed us with some more Masataka. Yoshida responded, going 2-4 with two runs scored. I will talk more about Yoshida in my who got screwed at the bottom.

What I Was ‘Mid’ About

• Roman Anthony

  • Anthony had a “great” throw on Sunday, but it came when the game was already over. He showed patience on Monday and drew three walks. Still a lot of work to do.

What I Didn’t Love

• Garrett Crochet

  • I referenced it in my takeaway, but Crochet’s shot at a Cy Young disappeared the last week. No one has come back from giving up 10 earned runs and won the Cy Young that season. I had a lot of concerns about how he would rebound after last year, where he pitched more than all his previous MLB seasons combined. Right now, that concern is manifesting.

• Brayan Bello

  • Here are Bello’s walks per game. 3BB/4BB/2BB/3BB. He has 12 BB and 13 Ks this year with a 1.93 WHIP. Yeah, I’m concerned.

• Offense

  • Sure, the offense came alive on Monday, scoring 8 runs, but before that, they were doing nothing. Four runs over the first three games with only one home run. Boston now has the fewest HRs of any team as well.

Who Got Screwed

• Masataka Yoshida

  • When Masataka Yoshida’s career with Boston is over, I am going to look back on it and really question whether Alex Cora ever gave him a fair shot. I understand Cora wanting to get Story and Contreras off the field, but there should never be a world where I turn on the television and have to watch Andruw Monasterio. I understand that the roster is complicated right now, but when Yoshida is hot, just roll with it and stop tinkering.

Another week, another list of my Hot and Cold Hitters. It was tough for me to put multiple pinstripes on this list, but the Angels and Yankees easily had the most entertaining series this week.

I added some of our new Stat Soldier graphics to the HOT section. I will probably add to the COLD hitters next week.

Here we go.

HOT HITTERS

Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians

Home Runs (HR): 4

Runs Batted In (RBI): 5

Batting Average (AVG): .364

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.488

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Home Runs (HR): 5

Runs Batted In (RBI): 9

Batting Average (AVG): .292

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.427

Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox

Home Runs (HR): 4

Runs Batted In (RBI): 9

Batting Average (AVG): .333

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.405

Ben Rice, New York Yankees

Home Runs (HR): 4

Runs Batted In (RBI): 6

Batting Average (AVG): .300

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.323

Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros

Home Runs (HR): 4

Runs Batted In (RBI): 7

Batting Average (AVG): .321

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.263

Luke Raley, Seattle Mariners

Home Runs (HR): 2

Runs Batted In (RBI): 4

Batting Average (AVG): .450

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.300

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Home Runs (HR): 5

Runs Batted In (RBI): 7

Batting Average (AVG): .259

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.222

COLD HITTERS

Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 1

Batting Average (AVG): .053

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .287

Strikeouts (SO): 1

Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

Batting Average (AVG): .067

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .431

Strikeouts (SO): 6

Evan Carter, Texas Rangers

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 2

Batting Average (AVG): .100

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .390

Strikeouts (SO): 5

Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

Batting Average (AVG): .118

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .466

Strikeouts (SO): 9

Manny Machado, San Diego Padres

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 1

Batting Average (AVG): .130

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .297

Strikeouts (SO): 6

Bo Bichette, New York Mets

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

Batting Average (AVG): .167

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .375

Strikeouts (SO): 4

Chandler Simpson, Tampa Bay Rays

Home Runs (HR): 0

Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

Batting Average (AVG): .179

On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .358

Strikeouts (SO): 4

Another American League outfielder has also made quite the impression in the early going: Chandler Simpson. The speedy left fielder out of Tampa Bay has been everything the Rays could have hoped for so far this year. He’s already swiped 7 bags while maintaining a .381 batting average and 24 hits, helping keep the Rays atop the AL East with a 10-7 record.

I could go on and on about others who have been thriving at the dish, but instead I am going to focus on those in a new environment. I’m going to break down some of the most impactful new acquisitions from the previous offseason so far.

Dylan Cease: SP Toronto Blue Jays

First up is Dylan Cease. After finishing second in Cy Young voting in 2022, Cease has had an inconsistent couple of years. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting in his first year with the Padres in 2024, that year was bookended by two seasons with ERAs well into the mid-4s. One thing that has always been consistent with Cease, however, is the swing-and-miss, tallying over 200 strikeouts every season since 2021.

Cease signed with the Blue Jays following their trip to the World Series last year for a seven-year, $210 million contract. Since heading to Canada, Cease has been a workhorse, posting a 1.74 ERA through four starts. He has already fanned 32 batters across 20.2 innings. Cease has been a breath of fresh air for a Blue Jays rotation that is fighting to climb out of fourth place in a competitive division.

Brandon Nimmo: OF Texas Rangers

The Mets went through quite a few changes this offseason, including trading longtime fan favorite Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien. So far, it has been the deal of a lifetime in Texas. The Wyoming native is slashing .319/.388/.528 with 3 home runs and 9 RBI through 15 games. Nimmo’s hot start is a major reason why the Rangers are currently battling for the top of the AL West.

Brendan Donovan: INF Seattle Mariners

Now comes perhaps the most interesting of the list: Brendan Donovan. The utility infielder was part of a three-team deal that brought him to Seattle. Donovan has been a steadying force for the Mariners, currently holding a .294 average with 3 homers and a .960 OPS. While his home/road splits remain drastic, his overall production has provided the Mariners with the offensive consistency they have lacked in previous marquee acquisitions.

This is particularly interesting because, time and time again, players come to Seattle and struggle offensively or fail to match their career standards. Randy Arozarena, Teoscar Hernández, and Jesse Winker are perfect examples: bona fide All-Stars who did not live up to their potential in Seattle. Many attribute this to the batter’s eye in center field at T-Mobile Park: the backdrop is not centered with home plate and the pitcher’s mound, causing difficulties with depth perception at the stadium. Donovan, however, seems to be having no issues thus far. If he can keep this offensive production up, the Mariners will likely be eyeing another deep playoff run.

Willson Contreras: 1B Boston Red Sox

To close it out, I want to highlight Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras. The Red Birds were able to dump almost all of Contreras’ remaining salary onto the Red Sox as they entered a rebuild. While the Red Sox have struggled to a 7-11 start, Contreras has been their most consistent threat. He is currently hitting .298 with 3 home runs and a robust .444 on-base percentage. Boston could not be happier with his individual production as he fills the hole left by Alex Bregman.

In a season of 162 games, it’s almost impossible to predict final slash lines based on the first few weeks, but as of April 16, these four remain the primary stories of the 2025-2026 offseason cycle. Confident starts can often be the catalyst for career years, and for these players, the early returns are largely justifying their new jerseys.

A little backstory for those unfamiliar with Abrams’ career path: CJ Abrams was a first-round pick for the San Diego Padres in 2019 and quickly became one of the organization’s top-ranked prospects. He made his MLB debut in 2021 for the Padres; however, he only played 46 games for the team before being shipped off to Washington, D.C. alongside James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, Luke Voit, and Jarlin Susana in exchange for Juan Soto.

Abrams’ rookie season in San Diego and DC was mediocre at best (75 OPS+ and 0.1 WAR in 90 games played), but the young shortstop progressed significantly in his following three seasons in the MLB. Abrams played 433 games between 2023 and 2025 and averaged 19 HRs, 36 SBs, a 105 OPS+, and a 3.4 WAR each season, and even earned himself an All-Star nod in 2024. While these numbers may not be extraordinary, they clearly indicate a trend of progression in overall production.

In 2026, the now 25-year-old shortstop has been arguably the best-performing infielder in all of Major League Baseball. Abrams’ impressive stats (.367/.458/.717, 6 HRs, 4 SBs, 231 OPS+, and 1.1 WAR) will likely lead to his second career all-star appearance.

Abrams is familiar with strong starts, as his 2024 All-Star season began similarly to this season. That year, Abrams was one of the best-performing shortstops in baseball through the first couple of months of the season, putting up an impressive stat line (.297/.377/.634, 7 HRs, 6 SBs) through his first 25 games played before regressing in the second half of the season and ending the season with a much more pedestrian stat line (.246/.314/.433, 20 HRs, 31 SBs).

The Nationals, currently 8-10 and 3rd in the NL East, do not have serious playoff hopes this season; however, if Cj Abrams continues this level of performance throughout the majority of the 2026 regular season, it would be a pleasant sight for Nationals fans who haven’t experienced any success since winning the World Series in 2019.

Thank you for reading! Make sure to stay tuned for more articles coming soon!

• The Resurgence of Jordan Walker

• Massive Injuries to the Baltimore & Houston Rotations

• Mason Miller is the Best Closer in Baseball

• Shohei Ohtani On-Base Streak

• Divisional Talk

• Angel-Braves Brawl

• Injuries & More

Of course, I spent this week simping for Jordan Walker, but there were plenty of other hot players I barely even noticed. That is one reason I love checking the MLB leaderboards every Sunday night.

The biggest standout on the HOT side really is James Wood. Numbers-wise, he had the best stats last week, but frankly, I barely saw any of his highlights.

On the COLD side, Murakami turned to ice after his hot start. He is striking out 35% of the time, and I was surprised to see that half of his hits are his four home runs.

Let me know who you would have put on this list!

Hot Hitters

Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
Home Runs (HR): 5
Runs Batted In (RBI): 6
Batting Average (AVG): .360
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.367

Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
Home Runs (HR): 4
Runs Batted In (RBI): 6
Batting Average (AVG): .280
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.179

James Wood, Washington Nationals
Home Runs (HR): 3
Runs Batted In (RBI): 8
Batting Average (AVG): .545
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.746

Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
Home Runs (HR): 1
Runs Batted In (RBI): 6
Batting Average (AVG): .526
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.535

Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox
Home Runs (HR): 2
Runs Batted In (RBI): 9
Batting Average (AVG): .500
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.471

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
Home Runs (HR): 3
Runs Batted In (RBI): 4
Batting Average (AVG): .304
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.163

Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
Home Runs (HR): 2
Runs Batted In (RBI): 5
Batting Average (AVG): .333
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.105

Cold Hitters

Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 2
Batting Average (AVG): .050
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .141
Strikeouts (SO): 6

Marcus Semien, New York Mets
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 0
Batting Average (AVG): .087
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .174
Strikeouts (SO): 2

Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 2
Batting Average (AVG): .080
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .252
Strikeouts (SO): 8

Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 3
Batting Average (AVG): .150
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .290
Strikeouts (SO): 8

Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 0
Batting Average (AVG): .050
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .346
Strikeouts (SO): 9

Luis Rengifo, Milwaukee Brewers
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 0
Batting Average (AVG): .048
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .186
Strikeouts (SO): 5

Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles
Home Runs (HR): 0
Runs Batted In (RBI): 2
Batting Average (AVG): .130
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .476
Strikeouts (SO): 6

Overall Takeaway

Back-to-back series wins where Boston dropped the first game and took the next two. This was the most exciting series to watch this season as the team put it together across the board. Over the last five games, Red Sox starters have carried a 1.52 ERA, and while the offense continued to be mediocre, they woke up this weekend. 16 runs in the last two games. Still some big concerns at the top of the order, so it will be interesting to see what Cora does in Minnesota.

Bullpen has also been very good, and if you take Jordan Walker out of this series, the Cardinals are nothing.

Game 1: Cardinals 3-2

Game 2: Red Sox 7-1

Game 3: Red Sox 9-3

What I Loved

• Ranger Suarez

  • Was never going to sound the alarm on Suarez after the first two starts. He was getting hit unusually hard, which was concerning, but he pitched great on Saturday.

• OFFENSE FINALLY

  • Let’s pretend that Friday didn’t happen and focus on Saturday/Sunday. Before this series, Boston was the only team not to score seven runs this season. Proceeded to score 7 in two games in a row and had season highs in hits and runs on Sunday. The team is batting .409 with runners in scoring position in the last five games.

• Trevor Story

  • Four hits on Sunday, still great defense despite calls for him to get moved to 2B, and great baserunning.

• Jordan Walker

  • I almost never comment on other players in my reviews, but I have become one of the biggest Walker STANS on X over the last week. Yes, I have him as a keeper in all of my leagues, so I am biased.

• Brayan Bello QS

  • Bello was getting a lot of swings and misses in his previous starts, but was getting rocked. Today, he got back to producing ground balls and was able to go into the 7th inning. Today was clearly the best start of his season.

• Willson Contreras

  • Contreras continues to be the heart of the lineup (with Abreu). He had a great homecoming in St. Louis, culminating with his home run on Sunday. The question I have is, if Alex Bregman was the replacement for Rafael Devers, and Willson Contreras was the replacement for Alex Bregman, did the Red Sox win the Devers trade?

What I Was ‘Mid’ About

• Connely Early

  • He has pitched to a 2.63 ERA so far this season, but carries a 1.54 WHIP with that. I feel like if the goal was to stretch him out, that should have been done in the minors with Tolle. Feels like an implosion could be incoming.

What I Didn’t Love

• Roman Anthony

  • Slugging .276 over the last seven games, and it was clear in this series that the pressure is getting to him. A lot has been put on his back this offseason, and while I do think he will be the face of the franchise, shout out to Willson Contreras for taking on a leadership role thus far.

• Losing to Dustin May

  • No issue with Dustin as a player or person. However, watching him pitch well for another team just brings up dark thoughts about the Rafael Devers trade.

Who Got Screwed

• Fans Watching The Game on NESN Sunday

  • The NESN broadcast was a mess on Sunday, and while Jordan Walker’s home run got screwed, I got screwed also. Cameras were a mess, audio was a mess, so much so that they had to pivot to the Cardinals broadcast.

If you have been living under a rock the last few days, you would have no idea that Jordan Walker has finally arrived. I say arrived because, well, he never really showed us any potential. It’s been three years since Walker made his debut. Many outside the Cardinals fandom forget that he started the 2023 season with a 12-game hitting streak. Not long after that, he was sent down to the minors and never regained his form. Despite injuries, inconsistency, and lack of support from the fans, Walker has kept with it and is now the most talked-about player of the week.

While his 2025 was below average, he showed signs of what was to come.

99th percentile in Bat Speed

91st percentile in Avg Exit Velo

87th percentile in Hard Hit %

Not much, but something.

Now, before I move forward, I want to point out that I started writing this blog on Wednesday afternoon. (X post below)

I only point that out because apparently someone was offended by my starting to post about Jordan Walker. Here is me posting about his change in batting stance last night.

Here is my daily schedule

• Wake up

• Post-fire graphics from www.statsoldier.com

• Watch MLB Network

• Watch Red Sox or MLB Big Inning

• Look at X notifications from MLB/Jomboy/Barstool

Anyone who thinks I have the time or interest to see what they are posting can “touch grass.”

Back to Jordan Walker!

The above post is important to all of this because Walker made a significant adjustment to his stance. After struggling with a swing that had grown increasingly noisy and inconsistent, Walker and the Cardinals' hitting staff worked to strip away the "extra" movements that were causing him to get out of sync. By lowering his hand placement and keeping them closer to his body, he has significantly shortened his path to the ball. The most obvious change is his feet, which are closer together here in 2026.

At least for now, these have led to significant changes in his Savant percentiles. Take a look at them below.

With all the talk about his bat, many people are overlooking his defense and speed.

If you needed a single moment to define Walker’s defensive "arrival," it happened on April 3, 2026, in Detroit. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Javier Báez attempted to test Walker’s arm on a fly ball to right field. Walker unleashed an absolute laser to home plate that Statcast clocked at 100.6 mph, nabbing Báez. It set a new franchise record as the fastest Statcast-tracked assist in Cardinals history since the tracking system was implemented in 2015.

Also, after dropping roughly 7 pounds this offseason to focus on flexibility and explosiveness, his wheels have reached a new gear, according to the latest Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard. Dude is 6’6 250, and running as fast as Bobby Witt Jr.

As fate would have it, the Red Sox will be playing Jordan Walker this weekend. So, I will get to watch him in all his glory.

Full disclosure, I have Jordan Walker in all my dynasty and keeper leagues. I need this.

Overall Takeaway

No series review last series as it was Easter and there was only so many times I could hide in the bathroom at my in-laws house. It’s a house. It was a really depressing review anyway, so I much prefer posting today.

I like to think I am relatively positive on X. I am not posting saying this is the worst team in history and calling for John Henry to sell the team. Whether you like him or not, Dave Portnoy brings eyeballs to whatever he is talking about. It seems like, for the first time in years, he is finally watching the Red Sox again. It is still very early, so we will see how long he actually sticks with it.

Coming out of this series, I feel good about the top of the rotation, I feel good about the bullpen (Weissert excluded), and I feel good about two hitters in the lineup. This is a huge upgrade over last week. Step by step, baby.

Game 1: Brewers 8-6

Game 2: Red Sox 3-2

Game 3: Red Sox 5-0

What I Loved

• Willson Contreras

  • I loved the fire from Contreras on Monday. How much of it was his genuine disdain for the Brewers compared to trying to motivate the team, I do not know. Regardless, along with Story and Abreu, Contreras led the team to this series victory. His .850 OPS is second on the team, behind only Abreu.

• Trevor Story

  • Story got knocked down to 5th in the order, and he responded with his best baseball yet. He knocked in 6 runs the last three days and played solid defense (don’t watch his and Mayer’s non-double play)

  • There were a lot of calls for Story to move off SS and let Mayer develop there. I called for this last year and was crucified for it. I think at this point, you need to see a little more from Mayer before making that move. Of course, Story needs to be open to it as well.

• Wilyer Abreu

  • Wilyer is the best player on the team right now, and it is not particularly close (maybe Crochet). He got off to a hot start like this last year, and if it wasn’t for his injury, who knows what his final numbers could have been. We are seeing that same hot start in 2026, so let’s pray he stays healthy.

• Sonny Gray

  • Sonny Gray broke his pattern from last season and now has two good starts in a row. Over six innings for the second start in a row, this time giving up zero runs. He is never going to strike out a lot of guys, but he is going to eat a bunch of innings.

• Garrett Crochet

  • You know, I look at the graphic below, and while Crochet is not pitching at Cy Young levels right now, there is nothing sweeter than having a stopgap in the rotation. Tuesday’s game felt like a must-win for Boston. The panic and hysteria were beginning to settle in, and if Crochet faltered, the protesters were ready to storm the gate. Yeah, I walked away from the TV for five minutes, and he loaded up the bases, but the team won, so who cares?

What I Was ‘Mid’ About

• Most Of the Team?

  • Doesn’t feel like there is a middle ground with this team right now. You have three hitters carrying the series, and everyone else is kind of there. I don’t want to put Roman Anthony/Ceddanne Rafaela/Caleb Durbin/Marcelo Mayer in Didn’t Love right now. So, just imagine them all right here.

What I Didn’t Love

• Red Sox and ABS

  • Wilyer’s call was terrible on Tuesday night, and the Red Sox as a whole have not been great. Going into the series, they've been getting about 50% of their challenges right. Needs to improve.

• Sitting Jarren Duran

  • Outside of Jarren Duran’s suspension, I can not remember when he is actually on the bench. Yet, twice this series, he sat on the bench. Boston won the series, so there's not much to say about it, but it bothers me.

• Terrible Fans

  • I know we all live in the moment, but some of the biggest Red Sox voices on X are just adding flames to this fire for clicks. Won’t be me.

Who Got Screwed

• Roman Anthony

  • Editor’s Note: I didn’t do a series review on Sunday because of Easter. The Anthony piece below is from the previous series, but I still feel it applies.

  • Last year, Alex Cora was ready to lock Masataka Yoshida away and throw away the key. Even when he got hot, he pulled him from the lineup. Classic case of tinkering too much. Now Cora “doesn’t like” what he is seeing with Roman Anthony in left field and has opted to play Masataka in left field on Sunday. Now, let me be clear, I have no problem with having Yoshida in the lineup, and he played great Sunday, so this isn’t about him. This is directed at Cora, once again tinkering too much with a young player. We saw this last year with Kristian Campbell, and I fear that we are seeing it right now with Roman Anthony.

• Konnor Griffin

• Rookie Contract Extensions

• Boston’s Poor Start

• ABS & Umpires

• Yankees Starting Pitching

• Injuries - Mike Trout, Cody Ponce, Jordan Lawlar & Others

• MLB News

You will typically see bigger names on this list, as that is where I tend to focus my attention. I’m sorry, but TJ Friedl having a bad week doesn’t mean as much as Trevor Story having a bad week. There are levels to this.

Below are some graphics from statsoldier.com. All the graphics you see from me this year will come from that website, so go check it out. It is a little early in the season for me to put graphics for each player, but I wanted to show you all some examples of the graphics we have over there.

HOT HITTERS

Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros

• Home Runs (HR): 3

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 8

• Batting Average (AVG): .471

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.733

Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Home Runs (HR): 2

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 7

• Batting Average (AVG): .583

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.532

Ben Rice, New York Yankees

• Home Runs (HR): 3

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 9

• Batting Average (AVG): .421

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.646

Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks

• Home Runs (HR): 2

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 8

• Batting Average (AVG): .381

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.424

CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals

• Home Runs (HR): 3

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 10

• Batting Average (AVG): .333

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.173

Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates

• Home Runs (HR): 4

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 10

• Batting Average (AVG): .360

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.247

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

• Home Runs (HR): 2

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 4

• Batting Average (AVG): .421

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.366

COLD HITTERS

Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves

• Home Runs (HR): 0

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 2

• Batting Average (AVG): .087

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .322

• Strikeouts (SO): 6

Trevor Story

• Home Runs (HR): 0

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

• Batting Average (AVG): .115

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .269

• Strikeouts (SO): 10

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

• Home Runs (HR): 0

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

• Batting Average (AVG): .050

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .369

• Strikeouts (SO): 9

Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays

• Home Runs (HR): 1

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 2

• Batting Average (AVG): .182

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .598

• Strikeouts (SO): 13

James Wood, Washington Nationals

• Home Runs (HR): 1

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 5

• Batting Average (AVG): .148

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .628

• Strikeouts (SO): 10

Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

• Home Runs (HR): .130

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

• Batting Average (AVG): .130

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .374

• Strikeouts (SO): 10

Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs

• Home Runs (HR): 0

• Runs Batted In (RBI): 0

• Batting Average (AVG): .100

• On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .350

• Strikeouts (SO): 4

The sample size is small, but I’d like to highlight a few players who are starting the 2026 season on a bender! I’ll also call out that I used Fangraphs for stats, as they provided the wRC+ stat, and I love using this to evaluate hitters.

When looking at the WAR stat, I typically use bWAR or Baseball Reference, but I was lazy and did not want to go back and forth for this piece.

Let us start with a hitter on a struggling team…

Shea Langeliers - Athletics (Yahoo #5 Player)

Langeliers is picking up right where he left off last season. He finished the 2025 campaign with 31 bombs and 72 RBI. I do like the Athletics’ offense even though they are starting slow, very slow. This leads me to believe that the RBIs will gradually increase for Langeliers, who has been a monster at the plate.

Jacob Wilson (.200), Tyler Soderstrom (.174), Brent Rooker (.167), Denzel Clarke (.143), Lawrence Butler (.083), Jeff McNeil (.077), and NICK KURTZ (.059) are all way more talented than what they are displaying on the field right now. Look for Langeliers to cool down, but the numbers to stay somewhat consistent as this Athletic’s lineup gets into form.

2026 Stats - 24 AB | 5 R | 5 HR | 8 RBI | 0 SB | 1 BB | .375 AVG | 1.400 OPS | 297 wRC+ | 0.7 fWAR

Jose Altuve - Houston Astros (Yahoo #4 Player)

Not shocked at all about this one. Altuve has a borderline Hall of Fame case. It will come down to how he finishes his career and how voters view the Astros’ cheating scandal. At age 36, Altuve is putting up some impressive numbers.

It definitely helps having a healthy Yordan Alvarez back in the lineup after missing most of 2025. Plus, I feel that the Houston Astros are kind of similar to the Space Jam Monstarz when everyone is healthy and hitting in stride.

Just look at the lineup right now. Carlos Correa (.296), Christian Walker (.320), Yordan Alvarez (.417), Isaac Paredes (.227), plus contributions coming from a young & talented Cam Smith, in which Houston has high hopes!

Look for Altuve to have a spectacular season…again, if the Astros stay healthy in 2026.

2026 Stats - 23 AB | 8 R | 2 HR | 3 RBI | 1 SB | 8 BB | .348 AVG | 1.168 OPS | 237 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Joey Wiemer - Washington Nationals (Yahoo #3 Player)

At age 27, Wiemer has already found himself in his 5th MLB organization. Is he finally breaking out? I mean, this guy was a Brewer to start his career, and they typically identify talent as good, if not better than anyone in professional baseball.

Maybe he can be a spark plug for this abysmal Nationals lineup?!?

2026 Stats - 17 AB | 7 R | 2 HR | 4 RBI | 0 SB | 5 BB | .588 AVG | 1.741 OPS | 367 wRC+ | 0.8 fWAR

Liam Hicks - Miami Marlins (Yahoo #2 Player)

This is probably the most unprecedented player on this list. On one hand, I shouldn’t be surprised as the Marlins are humming to start the season and the Peter Bendix machine is starting to roll. On the other Hicks has seemingly come out of nowhere.

He played 119 games last year for the Marlins and generated a sneaky 1.3 bWAR while hitting .247 on the year. He is already halfway to his home run total from 2025 (6). With the dual position eligibility between 1B and C, Hicks is not only a great option to have in the everyday lineup, but also a weapon for fantasy baseball should the bat continue to mash even with an expected regression at some point.

2026 Stats - 15 AB | 6 R | 3 HR | 12 RBI | 0 SB | 1 BB | .467 AVG | 1.659 OPS | 330 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros (Yahoo #1 Player)

Not much to say here about the lineup that I didn’t mention under Altuve. Alvarez is and was widely considered one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. People forgot about how good he was as he was injured pretty much all year, last year!

I’d go as far as to say that the top-3 most feared hitters in baseball are Ohtani, Judge, and Alvarez. (no specific order!)

2026 Stats - 24 AB | 8 R | 3 HR | 6 RBI | 1 SB | 6 BB | .417 AVG | 1.480 OPS | 302 wRC+ | 0.8 fWAR

Overall Takeaway

No one cares what you do in March. Joey Wiemer leads MLB right now with a 407 wRC+. So, I’m not panicking over the Red Sox's slow start on this road trip. That being said, I hope there is a players’ only meeting tonight on the plane back to Boston to right the ship. It does feel like this team is leaderless right now. Trevor Story, to me, does not seem like the guy everyone is looking to. Roman is too young, and Breslow traded away Rafael Devers.

Unlike over the weekend, I blocked out time for each game and actually got to watch the broadcast. One thought…… I hate the new scorebug.

I am going to introduce a new section to my blog, each series titled “Who Got Screwed.” See the first player to be featured at the bottom of the blog.

Game 1: Astros 8-1

Game 2: Astros 9-2

Game 3: Astros 6-4

What I Loved

• Wilyer Abreu

  • Wilyer stayed hot this series, going 4-11 with a home run. Didn’t result in any wins, so it's tough to throw a parade.

• Road Trip Being Done

  • Bring me back to Fenway.

What I Was ‘Mid’ About

• Garrett Crochet

  • Part of me is so beaten down that I had to put something in here. While Garrett gave up four runs, he didn’t walk anyone and was able to induce seven strikeouts. Red Sox couldn’t do anything about the home run onslaught from the Astros this series.

What I Didn’t Love

• Ranger Suarez

  • Ranger got rocked for four runs in his MLB debut. Continuing to try to take a positive from everything, his curveball had a 75% whiff rate. Yeah, might not mean much right now, but it’s all I got.

• Brayan Bello

  • For a moment, at the end of the fourth inning, I thought we were getting the classic 6 IP/ 3ER start from Bello. Then he imploded in the 5th as Yordan had his number all game. Staying positive, Bello did get some good swings and misses.

• Roman Anthony

  • All the hype from Opening Day has dispersed. Before Wednesday's pinch-hit home run, he had gone 1-17 with ten strikeouts. He has joined a long list of WBC players who are off to a slow start here in 2026, cough Judge cough.

• Top Of The Order

  • The top four spots in the order were batting a combined .156.

Who Got Screwed

• Marcelo Mayer

  • Mayer tried to make a throw to home Tuesday night that Bello attempted to stop. The ball rolled away, and a run scored. The throw was on target, and there was no reason for Mayer to be hit with the error. As it happened, I thought, “Wow, he just got screwed.” So that is now a new section in the blog every week.

Andy Pettitte’s age-25 season in 1997 is his best overall season; however, he received no accolades for this season. He did not win Cy Young, MVP, or Golden Glove, nor did he make the AL All-Star team. This got me thinking: “What is the best season in modern MLB history to not win any accolades?” For this article in particular, I decided to focus exclusively on pitchers, as Andy Pettitte was the inspiration for this exercise.

My criteria for this list are quite simple:

Timeframe: 1960-Present (Modern Baseball)

bWar >= 8.4 (Top 250 season for a pitcher in MLB History)

NOTE: 8+ bWAR is “MVP Quality” according to Baseball Reference

The player did not make an All-Star team or win any single-season award (MVP, Cy Young, GG, SS) for their performance in the selected season.

Andy Pettitte, 1997, New York Yankees, 8.4 bWAR

240.1 IP, 18-7, 2.88 ERA, 166 SO, 2.96 FIP, 1.240 WHIP, 156 ERA+

The above stat line did not result in a single accolade in 1997 for Andy Pettitte, and, even with revisionist history, I’m not sure he should have won any. The only egregious error award-wise for Pettitte’s 97’ season was the All-Star game. While Pettitte’s stats were not out of this world, by the time of the All-Star game (9-5, 3.10 ERA, 91 SO), he was clearly one of the best pitchers in the American League and deserving of a slot on the team.

Looking at the season-long awards, Cy Young and MVP, Pettitte unfortunately ran into a juggernaut in Roger Clemens. The Rocket’s 97’ season is possibly the best single-season pitching performance of the past 4 decades. While Pettitte’s 8.4 bWAR has him tied for the 250th best single season for pitchers since 1876, Clemens’ 11.4 bWAR (tied for the 10th highest since 1901) dwarfs this accomplishment. In other years, Pettitte may have taken home some hardware, but unfortunately, he had no shot against the Rocket.

Fortunately for Pettitte, his trophy case is pretty full. By the time of his retirement in 2012, Pettitte had 3 All-Star appearances, 5 World Series rings, and an ALCS MVP award to his name; none of those awards were for the 250th-best pitching season of all time, however.

Kevin Appier, 1993, Kansas City Royals, 9.3 bWAR

238.2 IP, 18-8, 2.56 ERA, 186 SO, 2.90 FIP, 1.106 WHIP, 179 ERA+

Kevin Appier, in 1992 and 1993, had a combined WAR of 17.3, ERA of 2.52, strikeout total of 336, and zero accolades. Appier failed to make the AL All-Star team in neither 92’ nor 93’ despite being clearly deserving of a spot in both seasons.

Unlike Pettitte in 97’, Appier is well within his rights to have a grievance with the AL Cy Young voters. Appier lost the 1993 AL Cy Young award to Jack McDowell of the Chicago White Sox. This one is pretty obvious in my opinion. The only claims McDowell has over Appier are his 22 wins to Appier’s 18 and McDowell’s 4 shutouts to Appier’s 0; however, Appier has the advantage in every other category. In fact, Appier led the entire American League in 5 separate categories (WAR, ERA, ERA+, FIP, HR/9). McDowell didn’t even have the second-best season in 93’ as Randy Johnson (6.6 WAR, 3.24 ERA, 308 SOs) was clearly the only competitor to Appier.

Two seasons later, Kevin Appier was finally awarded a spot on the AL All-Star team; his first and last appearance on an All-Star team. Kevin Appier had the 163rd-best season for a pitcher in MLB history in 1993, but he won zero accolades for it.

Dick Ellsworth, 1963, Chicago Cubs, 10.2 bWAR

290.2 IP, 22-10, 2.11 ERA, 185 SO, 2.63 FIP, 1.025, 167 ERA+

Dick Ellsworth’s 1963 season might be the single best example of a “one-season wonder” in the history of modern baseball. Ellsworth was an average at best pitcher during his 13-year MLB career from 1958 to 1971. However, for one season in 1963, Dick Ellsworth was one of the best pitchers of all time. In fact, Dick Ellsworth’s 10.2 bWAR in 1963 (the 45th highest of any pitcher since the 19th century ended and tied for the 100th highest of any pitcher in MLB history) was greater than his combined WAR in his other 12 MLB seasons.

Despite his incredible performance throughout the 1963 season, Ellsworth did not receive a single accolade. He was not selected as one of 7 pitchers to make the NL All-Star team, despite having a sub-2 ERA by the time of the game. He did not win the NL MVP. He did not win the MLB CY Young award. He won no awards for one of the best pitching seasons in MLB history. Who exactly stood in his way? A 6’2” Jewish man from Brooklyn, New York: Sandy Koufax.

Koufax had an incredible 1963 season, posting a 10.7 bWAR (29th-highest for a pitcher since 1901) and taking home the NL MVP award, as well as the MLB Cy Young award unanimously. Ellsworth was great, but Koufax (25-5, 1.88 ERA, 306 SO, 0.875 WHIP) was just simply better.

Ellsworth made the All-Star team the very next season in 1964; however, for his 1963 season, Dick Ellsworth received no accolades.

I find this phenomenon (which I am coining a “Pettitte Season”) of a player receiving no accolades for an all-time great season absolutely fascinating. If you feel the same way, let me know of some more examples in the comments. I will be working on a version for hitters as well, so make sure to look out for that coming soon.

• Opening Day + MLB Prospect Debuts

• Cubbies Extensions

• Jackson Chourio Injury

• Opening Day Fun Facts

• MLB Busts 2026

• 2026 - Bold Predictions

• Injuries & More

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It feels very odd doing a series review right off the back. It is so difficult to judge anything from these three games. If I go and say, “Greg Weissert didn’t look great,” I am going to have his parents in my comments screaming at me that it’s the first weekend of the series. So, I am going to ignore the fact that the runs he gave up Saturday and Sunday were the deciding runs in both games.

There is no feeling like Opening Day, even if the schedule was really weird and the Netflix experience made me rethink the trajectory of our society. I did a lot more radio listening this series, with Sunday being the only day I was not driving around.

For those new, here I post a quick series review after every Red Sox series. I also post seven hot and cold hitters every week. That will make its debut NEXT week, as one series is not enough of a sample size. Enjoy.

What I Loved

• Roman Anthony

  • Was he unstoppable this series? No, he actually made quite a few mistakes. He also struck out five times over the three games. However, nothing will take away the excitement I felt on Opening Day.

• Garrett Crochet

  • He was disgusting. This was a big improvement over his 2025 Opening Day, when he only went five innings and gave up two runs, two walks, and struck out only four. A little bummed that he

• Connely Early

  • After watching the 5th inning, I was surprised that Cora sent Early back out for the 6th. Threw 96 pitches, which is more than most expected, and peaked at 96.1 MPH. Not sending him down to the minors was the right idea.

• Wilyer Abreu

  • I have deleted every tweet I had that called for Wilyer to be traded over Duran. If there are any left out there, just know I was hacked. It was the first time in his career that he had back-to-back games with multiple extra-base hits.

What I Was “Mid” About

• Sonny Gray

  • If you followed Sonny last year, you know he was big on alternating good games. So I am just going to figure that he will follow that routine and have a great outing at Fenway next weekend.

What I Didn’t Love

• Roman Anthony’s Arm

  • I genuinely believed for a second that Roman could throw a laser to home plate and keep the game tied on Saturday. That was not the case.

• Jarren Duran Getting Picked Off

  • Cost the Red Sox the game on Sunday. Came immediately after a pick-off attempt, and Duran was very slow to react. I did not see an angle that showed him getting him right away. The first shot looked like he missed, and then he got Duran after he had touched the bag.

• Caleb Durbin

  • LET ME BE VERY CLEAR. This does not mean I don’t like Caleb Durbin or that I think he will have a great season. You can’t go hitless in the series and end up anywhere other than “Didn’t Love.” But that doesn’t mean I don’t love him, if that makes sense.

• Trevor Story

  • I had Story at “mid” until that pop fly to end the game Sunday. Can’t be swinging first pitch with two on down by one run.

I was back and forth about which blog to post on today. I have my season predictions that need to go out, but it felt right to put out these “bold predictions”. Now, some of these are definitely bold, some are not bold at all, and some are complete rage bait.

Enjoy.

AL East

Baltimore Orioles

Bold Prediction: Pete Alonso leads the American League in home runs.

Boston Red Sox

Bold Prediction: Kristian Campbell returns and is an integral part of the lineup.

New York Yankees

Bold Prediction: The Yankees miss the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Rays

Bold Prediction: Junior Caminero finishes top-three in AL MVP voting.

Toronto Blue Jays

Bold Prediction: Ernie Clement finally wins a Gold Glove award.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox

Bold Prediction: Munetaka Murakami hits 45 home runs and wins AL Rookie of the Year.

Cleveland Guardians

Bold Prediction: Travis Bazzana goes 20-20.

Detroit Tigers

Bold Prediction: Tarik Skubal regresses and has over a 3.00 ERA.

Kansas City Royals

Bold Prediction: Jac Caglianone hits 30 home runs.

Minnesota Twins

Bold Prediction: Byron Buxton plays 150+ games. (lol)

AL West

Houston Astros

Bold Prediction: Astros win the division.

Los Angeles Angels

Bold Prediction: Grayson Rodriguez throws a no-hitter.

Athletics

Bold Prediction: Nick Kurtz hits fewer than 25 home runs.

Seattle Mariners

Bold Prediction: Brendan Donovan posts 4.0 WAR.

Texas Rangers

Bold Prediction: Corey Seager wins AL MVP.

NL East

Atlanta Braves

Bold Prediction: Ronald Acuna Jr wins NL MVP.

Miami Marlins

Bold Prediction: Eury Perez finishes the season with a sub-2.20 ERA and wins the NL Cy Young.

New York Mets

Bold Prediction: The Mets win the World Series

Washington Nationals

Bold Prediction: Dylan Crews does not return to the majors.

Philadelphia Phillies

Bold Prediction: Andrew Painter wins NL Rookie of the Year.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs

Bold Prediction: Moises Ballesteros makes the All-Star team.

Cincinnati Reds

Bold Prediction: Matt McClain leads the NL in batting average.

Milwaukee Brewers

Bold Prediction: Jackson Chourio goes 30-30.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Bold Prediction: Oneil Cruz goes 30-30, but bats .205. Doesn’t feel that bold, but feels right.

St. Louis Cardinals

Bold Prediction: Nolan Gorman becomes a serviceable player again.

NL West (Per Greg Monroe)

Arizona Diamondbacks

Bold Prediction: The Diamondbacks lose 90+ games

Colorado Rockies

Bold Prediction: The Rockies have two All-Stars.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Bold Prediction: Roki Sasaki

San Diego Padres

Bold Prediction: Padres finish 4th in the West and start their rebuild.

San Francisco Giants

Bold Prediction: Giants get 95+ wins.

Jordan Lawler, SS/OF, 23, Arizona Diamondbacks

Lawler, a former 1st-round pick for the Dbacks, was touted as a five-tool shortstop when he was drafted at just 18 years old. Five years later, Lawler is expected to play his first full season in Arizona; however, the Diamondbacks have indicated that he will likely spend most of his time in the outfield due to their crowded infield consisting of Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, and Nolan Arenado.

Lawler, in 55 PAs, had a .333 batting average and hit 4 HRs while sporting an impressive 1.067 OPS. The Diamondbacks have high expectations for the young hitter after he batted. 313 (AVG), hit 11 HRs, and stole 20 bases in AAA last season.

Sal Stewart, 1B/3B, 22, Cincinnati Reds

Stewart, a former 1st round pick in 2022, was impressive in limited appearances for the Reds in 2025. He only appeared in 18 games but managed to knock 14 hits, 5 of which left the park. Furthermore, he was called upon in the postseason when Cincy took on the defending World Series champion Dodgers in the NL Wild Card Round. Stewart had only 5 PAs, but he made the most of his time, knocking 2 hits, batting in 4 runs, stealing a base, and earning a walk.

Stewart continued to show signs of excellence in Spring Training this past month. In 18 games, the 22-year-old held a .333 BA, knocked 3 HRs, stole 4 bases, and produced a 1.067 OPS. Sal Stewart is a popular breakout candidate, as he is expected to be the Red’s primary 1B or DH.

Leo De Vries, SS, 19, Athletics

You probably have heard the name “Leo De Vries” before, whether it be from his inclusion in the massive trade that sent Mason Miller to San Diego, his naming being amongst the top 10 in practically every “Top Prospect” list for 2026, or his amazing cards in the past two MLB The Show games.

De Vries, at only 19 years old, had a remarkable spring training. Appearing in 18 games, the SS had a batting average of .426 and an OPS of 1.183, while hitting 3 HRs, knocking in 12 runs, and stealing 3 bases.

De Vries will most likely not make his major league debut in 2026 for the Athletics; however, he is an important name to watch in the minor leagues, as he is without a doubt one of, if not the, most exciting young prospect in all of Major League Baseball.

Thank you for reading! Make sure to stay tuned for more content coming soon on all platforms @TheSkippersView.