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Mega Thread 2026 MLB Season

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The Milwaukee Brewers reportedly are putting the finishing touches on a contract extension with highly rated shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt. You would be forgiven for wondering who exactly is Cooper Pratt, since nobody except minor league aficiandos and hardcore Brewers fans have probably heard of Pratt.

Pratt is 21 years old and only just made his Triple-A debut a few days ago. He has never appeared in a MLB game. He was tied to the Brewers until at lesat December 2027 (that would be when he would become Rule 5 eligible if not placed on the Brewers 40-man roster).

According to reports, Pratt is in line to sign an eight-year contract that would be worth $50.75 million. The Brewers would also hold two club options worth $15 million apiece, although the value of those options could climb based on escalators.

While Pratt is regarded by scouts as a top-100 prospect in the sport, he's no higher than 50 on all the major lists (Baseball America has him the 50th best prospect in the sport, while MLB Pipeline has him 62nd, ESPN at 70, The Athletic at 99 and not a top-100 prospect on FanGraphs). He hit .238/.343/.348 in Double-A in 2025, worth a 107 wRC+. While Pratt didn't hit for much power, he did show good plate discipline, striking out 15.2% of the time and walking 12.7% of the time. He stole 31 bases and was considered a decent defender at shortstop.

Pratt is represented by the Boras Corporation, so the Brewers are perhaps gambling on him becoming a mainstay in their major league lineup over the next few seasons and then pricing himself out of an extension with the Brewers if he does so. From Pratt's perspective, a deal worth at least $50.75 million without any major league experience is a good hedge, and he could play out the contract (including the options) and still hit the free agency market after his age-30 season.

Pratt could sign the deal and still remain in the minors on optional assignment. The Brewers ran with Joey Ortiz as their every-day shortstop in 2025. He hit .230/.276/.317 across the season, but stole 14 bases and was credited with +12 Outs Above Average. Ortiz is under team control for an extended period but unless he improves his work with the stick, he could find himself traded, sent to the minors or converted into a utility player (he has experience at second and third base).





 

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The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired OF Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash considerations. The Giants had designated Matos for assignment last week when finalising their opening day roster. The Brewers have designed LHP Sammy Peralta for assignment. Matos is out of options, so the Brewers will need to open an active roster spot for him when he reports to the team.
 
Did some Ryan Johnson (starter vs Cubs tonight) research. Here is his path to the MLB:

1. Homeschooled in HS. Pitched in a religious home school league.

2. Dallas Baptist college

3. Straight to MLB.

4. 12 appearances in A+

5. Back to MLB

Angels definitely do things by the book when it comes to pitcher development lol.
 
RPCB said:
Did some Ryan Johnson (starter vs Cubs tonight) research. Here is his path to the MLB:

1. Homeschooled in HS. Pitched in a religious home school league.

2. Dallas Baptist college

3. Straight to MLB.

4. 12 appearances in A+

5. Back to MLB

Angels definitely do things by the book when it comes to pitcher development lol.
Click to expand...

75


I didn't think you could pitch wearing sunglasses.

Looks like he threw 80 pitches to get through 3.1 IP. Needs to work on that efficiency if he wants to stick in the majors. Interestingly, the Angels used him out of the bullpen last year (14 appearances for 14 2/3 innings). He was a starter in the minors though.

Looking at that photo, the hip-shoulder separation is immediately apparent. My son was working on that very thing last night with his private pitching coach, which is why it jumped out at me. I've seen some brutal exercises on instagram from Japan trying to train elite hip-shoulder separation.
 
According to the Associated Press (as published on ESPN), the MLB Players Association have accumulated a significant war chest as the players prepare for a potential lockout after the conclusion of the 2026 season. According to filings made on behalf of the Association, the Association had $222.1 million in US Treasury securities, $155.5 million in other investments and $37.4 million in cash as at 31 December 2025. The union executive board has withheld 100% of licensing money due to players for 2024 and 2025 to prepare for what promises to be a bruising round of negotiations with the MLB to replace the current collective bargaining agreement, which expires on 1 December 2026. If the owners lock out the players, the money could be disbursed to players.

As at the end of 2022, the Association had accumulated $142 million of investments, which grew to $201 million by the end of 2023.

Total assets (including receivables and fixed assets like furniture and computer hardware) rose to $519 million from $353 million as at the end of 2024).

For its part, the MLB is also putting together its own war chest, as it has withheld about $75 million per club in central fund distributions.

www.espn.com

MLBPA increases war chest to $415M ahead of possible lockout

MLB players have accumulated $415 million in U.S. Treasury Securities, cash and other investments as they prepare for the possibility of an extended lockout when the CBA expires on Dec. 1.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
The Seattle Mariners announced that they have signed top shortstop prospect Colt Emerson to an eight year contract extension that includes a club option for 2034. Emerson reportedly will be guaranteed $95 million under the contract, which sets a new record for a salary agreed with a player yet to make his MLB debut. The signing comes with a full no-trade clause and another $35 million in escalators. Emerson reportedly will receive an $8 million signing bonus and salaries that range between $9 million and $18 million from 2028 to 2033.

Emerson is currently plying his trade in Triple-A, where he has nine games of experience. The Mariners needed to select him onto their 40 man roster in order to finalise the contract extension, but they immediately optioned him back to Triple-A.

Emerson breaks the record formerly held by Jackson Chourio, who signed an $82 million contract with the Brewers before making his MLB debut.





 
The Toronto Blue Jays signed RHP Cody Ponce out of the KBO over the off-season and started him yesterday against the Colorado Rockies. Ponce was forced to leave the game early after suffering a knee injury attempting to field a chopper hit by Rockies lead-off hitter, OF Jake McCarthy, in the top of the third inning. Ponce had to be carried off the field by teammates and then was taken into the bowels of the Rogers Centre on a cart.

The Blue Jays received some mixed news from the medical imaging undertaken on Ponce's knee. The good news is that it appears that Ponce has not torn the ACL in his knee, but the bad news is that he has significantly sprained the knee and surgery is not yet off the table.

Regardless of whether Ponce escapes the need for surgery, he is expected to miss "significant time" in this season, though the Blue Jays expect that he will be available to pitch later in the year. The amount of time is yet to be determined, but it is expected to be several months.

The Bue Jays have assembled a strong starting rotation, but the depth of the rotation is now being tested, with the Blue Jays putting RHP Trey Yesavage, RHP Shane Bieber and RHP Jose Berrios all on the injured list to open the season. They will now be forced to add Ponce to that list. So far, the Blue Jays have run a rotation featuring RHP Kevin Gausman, RHP Dylan Cease, LHP Eric Lauer and RHP Max Scherzer.

To fill the gap left by Ponce, the Blue Jays will likely turn to an inexperienced pitcher such as Lazaro Estrada, Adam Macko, CJ Van Eyk or Chad Dallas to start this Sunday's game. Estrada seems to be the one most likely to get the call-up, as he seems in the frame to be recalled to the active roster, and it appears that he has been furnished with a locker in the clubhouse. Macko is also on the 40-man roster but is yet to make his MLB debut. Van Eyk and Dallas are not on the 40-man roster for the Blue Jays, but the Blue Jays are down to 38 on their roster, having designated two players for assignment last week, and they could also move outfielder Anthony Santander and Ponce to the IL whenever their spots are required.





 
The New York Mets reportedly are finalising a contract with J.D. Martinez as a special advisor to the president of baseball operations, according to The Boston Globe. Martinez is now 38 years old and has not played in the majors since 2024. Although not officially retired, this move (once official) suggests that he has decided that now is the right time to move into a post-playing career.

 
Another one for the CB Bucknor files



If you think “the runner missed the bag” was the biggest head scratcher. No, it was the fact that the runner was called out because CB thought he was tagged out on a throw that airmailed the 1st baseman. Geez, just retire already.
 
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This is a little outdated, but the Baltimore Orioles announced that they have signed RHP Shane Baz to a five year contract that runs from 2026 to 2030. He will reportedly earn $68 million over the life of the contract.

Baz was set to hit free agency after the 2028 season and had agreed to a $3.5 million contract for 2026. Instead, Baz will earn $1 million in 2026 after being paid a $4 million signing bonus, followed by salaries of $7 million, $10 million, $21 million and $25 million.

The Orioles acquired Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays over the off-season before the start of the 2026 season, giving up a package of four prospects to do so. Although Baz had thrown 166 1/3 innings for the Rays in 2025, he only managed a 4.87 ERA, but clearly the Orioles believe in Baz and are prepared to put their money where there mouth is when it comes to the starter.

Baz began his professional career as part of the Pirates organisation after Pittsburgh drafted him with the 12th overall pick back in 2017. The Pirates traded him to Tampa Bay as part of the 2018 Chris Archer trade. He made his MLB debut late in the 2021 season, accumulating three starts before the end of the season. He entered 2022 as one of the top pitching prospects in the league, but required arthroscopic elbow surgery in April that cost him a good chunk of the season. He came back and made a few more starts but ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2022 that forced him to miss all of 2023.

Baz returned to the mound in 2024 and made 14 starts for the Rays for a 3.06 ERA, though he had average peripherals. Baz made 31 starts in 2025 for the Rays.

 
Sad that MLB TV's Free Game of the Day seems to have finally been down away with. It was great while it lasted, but it always surprised me that a game owned and run by billionaires would generously give us something for free.

My MLB fandom really suffered after the demise of the Oakland A's, but I ended up enjoying last season as a neutral watching free games and Kayo. But without the free game anymore I'm now pretty much done with the game unfortunately.
 
Upstart Swan said:
Sad that MLB TV's Free Game of the Day seems to have finally been down away with. It was great while it lasted, but it always surprised me that a game owned and run by billionaires would generously give us something for free.

My MLB fandom really suffered after the demise of the Oakland A's, but I ended up enjoying last season as a neutral watching free games and Kayo. But without the free game anymore I'm now pretty much done with the game unfortunately.
Click to expand...

It was discussed lately around these parts that you can create a Sportsbet account, deposit $10 even if you will never bet and watch every single MLB game live. Just go to the Baseball tab and select the game that is in progress and the game will start.

I tested some games on SB last week (I have MLB.TV) and the quality looks really good on an iPad or phone. Less good on a laptop, but still watchable. In the half an hour or so I tested, the screen never pixelated or froze once. So it’s a decent option.
 
The Kansas City Royals announced that they have placed RHP Carlos Estevez on the 15-day IL, retroactive to 29 March, with a left foot contusion. The Royals recalled RHP Steven Cruz as the corresponding move.

Estevez made one appearance for the Royals before being put on the IL, and it was not a good one. Estevez wore a comebacker off his foot. He stayed in the game and then gave up a walk-off grand slam to Dominic Smith. Estevez was then spotted in the clubhouse with his foot in a moonboot.

Even without the IL stint, it was likely that the Royals would demote Estevez from the closer role, as he has lost significant velocity on his fastball compared to 2025. Now that he is on the IL, Estevez will have some time to work out why he lost almost 6 mph average velocity on his fastball from 2025 to 2026. Further, the Royals will be able to send Estevez on a minor league rehab assignment when he's ready to pitch. Estevez has the right to consent to a minor league assignment if he was fully healthy, but he does not have such power with respect to a rehab assignment.

The Royals will probably now install RHP Lucas Erceg as their closer, while LHP Matt Strahm and RHP John Schreiber will be the main set-up pitchers for the Royals.
 
It looks like the Pittsburgh Pirates are following in the footsteps of the Seattle Mariners and the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as the Boston Red Sox, in trying to nail down an extension with their top prospect, shortstop Konnor Griffin. According to ESPN, the two sides are in serious negotiations over an extension, and while nothing is yet agreed, it does appear that they are close to finalising the terms of the extension.

Griffin is universally regarded as the best prospect in baseball this season, and is biding his time in Triple-A, waiting for a call-up to the major league. He should not have to wait too long, with the Pirates starting Jared Triolo at shortstop to open the season. In four games, Triolo has hit an anaemic .118/.211/.176, although Nick Gonzales has also spent some time at shortstop and is hitting a more robust .318/.348/.364 (albeit from a small sample size).

Griffin has opened the Triple-A season on fire, hitting .462/.588/.692 in four games so far this season, but the Pirates might be prepared to wait a little bit until those numbers stabilise, since he hit .171/.261/.488 in spring training, with a 28.3% strikeout rate and a 4.3% walk rate.

ESPN suggest that the Pirates are looking for a contract that is analogous to the eight-year, $111 million deal OF Corbin Carroll signed with the Diamondbacks, while Griffin seeks a contract akin to the eight-year, $130 million contract OF Roman Anthony signed with the Red Sox.

www.espn.com

Sources: Pirates, Konnor Griffin holding contract negotiations

The Pirates are deep into contract negotiations with minor league shortstop Konnor Griffin, who is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, sources told ESPN.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

nypost.com

Sizing up potential MLB extension candidates — and where the Mets stand with Freddy Peralta

The Post’s late spring/early season extension candidates.
nypost.com nypost.com

www.post-gazette.com

Noah Hiles: What I’m hearing on Pirates, Konnor Griffin extension talks

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates reassigned Konnor Griffin to minor league camp Saturday, ending any hope that the game’s top-rated prospect...
www.post-gazette.com www.post-gazette.com
 
According to announcements from both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays have returned Rule 5 pick Angel Bastardo to the Red Sox. The Blue Jays designated Bastardo for assignment a week ago when setting their opening day roster. The announcement implies that the other 28 clubs chose not to claim Bastardo off waivers. Since Bastardo has been returned to them, the Red Sox do not need to put Bastardo on their 40-man roster and can send him straight to the minors.

Bastardo was signed by the Red Sox out of Venezuela in 2018 as an international free agent. He topped out at Double-A in 2023 and then underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 that cost him all of the 2025 season. Due to the injury, the Red Sox chose to not add him to their 40-man roster and exposed him to the Rule 5 draft, where he was duly drafted by the Blue Jays. They kept him on their IL for all of the 2025 season, hoping that he could perhaps earn a roster spot coming into 2026. Due to the Rule 5 requirements, the Blue Jays would have been required to keep Bastardo on their active roster for 90 days from the start of the season, but Bastardo's poor spring training convinced the Blue Jays that he was unlikely to be a strong contributor during the season. There is some upside for the player, since he accrued a year of major league service time and pay while he was rehabbing his injury in 2025.
 

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The Washington Nationals acquired infielder Curtis Mead from the Chicago White Sox last week when the White Sox could not find a roster spot for Mead. They designated LHP Jake Eder to fit Mead onto their roster, and overnight, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Eder from the Nationals in exchange for cash considerations. The Dodgers have placed RHP Jake Cousins on the 60-day IL to open a 40-man roster spot for Eder.

 
Bad news for the Orioles, as they announced that third baseman Jordan Westburg will be placed on the 60-day IL, while they also have placed RHP Zach Eflin on the 15-day IL. The Orioles selected the contract of RHP Albert Suarez from Triple-A Norfolk to replace Westburg on the 40-man roster.

Westburg has been dealing with significant elbow discomfort through spring training and it was determined that he had partially torn his UCL. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and sought to rehab the injury without surgery, but it appears that the injury has not responded as hoped, though it is not yet determined that Westburg needs surgery.

 
There has been no better hitter in the MLB over the opening period than Andy pages. Dude is on a mission.
 

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