New York Mets Top 45 Prospects

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the New York Mets. Scouting reports were compiled with information provided by industry sources as well as our own observations. This is the sixth year we’re delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see in the “position” column below: MIRP for multi-inning relief pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning relief pitchers. The ETAs listed generally correspond to the year a player has to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual adjustments are made where they seem appropriate, but we use that as a rule of thumb.

A quick overview of what FV (Future Value) means can be found here. A much deeper overview can be found here.

All of the ranked prospects below also appear on The Board, a resource the site offers featuring sortable scouting information for every organization. It has more details (and updated TrackMan data from various sources) than this article and integrates every team’s list so readers can compare prospects across farm systems. It can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »


Job Posting: St. Louis Cardinals – Multiple Openings

Direct links to applications (please see job details below):

Data Engineer
Application Developer


Data Engineer

Summary of Responsibilities The role of the Data Engineer will be to maintain and further develop the modern, scalable, baseball data pipeline for the St. Louis Cardinals. This person will collaborate with the Baseball Systems group to ensure high quality data is available to scouts, coaches, players, and other baseball decision-makers. This person should be detail-oriented, enjoy collaborating with others, communicate effectively, both verbally and written, have a growth mindset, and love the game of baseball.

Essential Functions of the Job

  • Build and support components of our data pipeline that ingests raw baseball data and outputs baseball data ready for review and analytics modeling by Baseball Operations
  • Continuously extend our data pipeline to ingest additional data sources and handle increasingly dense datasets
  • Continuously improve our data pipeline by reducing latency, reducing cost, and reducing errors
  • Communicate effectively with Baseball Operations staff to ensure we are anticipating and supporting their data needs
  • Rigorously test our data pipeline to improve its quality and maintainability over time

Minimum Education and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in a technical field, or a combination of relevant education and work experience
  • Experience identifying, triaging, and resolving data issues
  • Interest in modern data system architectures, design patterns, and best practices
  • Ability to apply creative solutions to challenging technical tasks
  • Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
  • Proficiency with more than one modern programming languages
  • Familiarity with data-related concepts such as data pipelines, databases, SQL, JSON, and REST APIs

Education and Experience Preferred

  • Professional experience in a software engineering, data reliability, and/or a quality assurance environment
  • Proficiency with Python or Go (or proficiency with multiple languages and a desire to learn Python or Go)
  • Proficiency with DevOps tools including Git, CI/CD pipelines, and configuration-as-code
  • Proficiency with Cloud computing, Kubernetes, and/or container-based or serverless application deployment

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.


Application Developer

Summary of Responsibilities
The role of the Application Developer will be to design, develop, and maintain baseball-related applications for the St. Louis Cardinals. This person will collaborate with fellow developers, analysts, systems engineers, and Baseball Operations staff to ensure that high quality data, analytics, and visualizations are accessible in a timely fashion to front office members, scouts, coaches, trainers, and players. This person should be detail-oriented, enjoy collaborating with others, communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, and have a strong interest in the game of baseball. This individual will be expected to work on projects independently, participate in code reviews and maintain coding standards, assist in troubleshooting and debugging efforts, and stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in application development.

Essential Functions of the Job

  • Build and support new applications used Baseball Operations staff to engage with player information, performance, and projections used to guide baseball decisions.
  • Create and maintain intuitive interfaces for scouts, coaches, and players to enter and view pertinent information, enhance their day-to-day workflow, and visualize complex data effectively.
  • Investigate and evaluate new technologies and work to incorporate cutting-edge tools into new and existing applications.
  • Communicate effectively with Baseball Operations staff to improve training, generate feedback, and build relationships with users from differing backgrounds.
  • Rigorously test and make appropriate fixes and adjustments to applications developed by yourself and other team members.

Minimum Education and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field.
  • A minimum of 2 years of web development through work experience, internships, co-op programs, or personal projects.
  • Experience with web development frameworks and libraries, such as Angular, React, or Vue.js.
  • Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and TypeScript.
  • Familiarity with version control systems like Git.
  • Experience interfacing with relational databases.
  • Design and development of user interfaces with backend services.
  • Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools and eager to integrate them into daily workflows to enhance productivity and code quality.

Education and Experience Preferred

  • Experience developing backend services with Go (Golang).
  • Interest in building reusable UI components.
  • Proficiency in designing intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces (UI).
  • Interest in creating data visualizations using frameworks such as d3.js, Three.js, and GSAP.
  • Experience with Javascript/Typescript testing methodologies and tools.
  • General knowledge of current MLB analytics, news, markets, trends, etc.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the St. Louis Cardinals.


Job Posting: Colorado Rockies – Multiple Openings

Direct links to applications (please see job details below):

Director of Baseball Systems
Principal Analyst, Baseball Research and Development
Director of Baseball Data Science


Director of Baseball Systems

About the Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club is embracing the climb, committed to building a championship-caliber organization on the field, in the clubhouse, and throughout our business operations. Playing at altitude presents unique competitive challenges and opportunities, and we embrace innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based practices to support elite performance. Rooted in the traditions of America’s pastime, we operate with integrity, service, quality, and trust while striving to create an exceptional experience for our players, staff, and fans.

Position Summary
The Director of Baseball Systems leads the strategy, architecture, and evolution of the technical foundation that powers Baseball Operations decision-making. This role owns the design, governance, and operation of the club’s data platforms, internal applications, and underlying architecture.
This is a transformational leadership role responsible for modernizing and unifying baseball data systems, establishing production-grade data pipelines, and building a durable, AI-ready architecture that enables automation, advanced analytics, and the integration of future capabilities to support long-term competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Strategy & Architecture

  • Define and execute the long-term vision for baseball data platforms and internal systems.
  • Oversee phased re-architecture and modernization of data warehouse and pipeline components where appropriate.
  • Establish scalable, secure, and sustainable data models that unify player, performance, scouting, and operational data.
  • Guide cloud platform strategy, including warehouse and compute decisions, based on scalability, integration, and long-term flexibility.
  • Design platform foundations that enable scalable experimentation, automation, and advanced analytical workflows as capabilities evove.
  • Implement modern data engineering standards, including orchestration, transformation, observability, and infrastructure practices that support long-term platform health.
  • Maintain a clear, multi-year roadmap aligned to competitive and operational goals.

Data Platform & Engineering Leadership

  • Ensure data pipelines are production-grade, reliable, and optimized for performance and cost.
  • Establish governance, lineage, monitoring, and deployment standards across environments.
  • Partner with Baseball Data Science and Research & Development teams to ensure infrastructure supports modeling and applied analytics needs.
  • Lead development and evolution of internal baseball applications and portals.
  • Reduce manual workflows by enabling integrated access to unified baseball information.

Leadership & Collaboration

  • Lead and develop Data Architects, Data Engineers, and Application Engineers.
  • Serve as the bridge between technical teams and Baseball Operations stakeholders.
  • Guide cloud modernization efforts with minimal operational disruption.
  • Foster a disciplined, forward-thinking engineering culture focused on long-term platform health.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience).
  • 8+ years of experience designing and operating production data platforms and complex technical systems.
  • Deep experience architecting cloud-based data environments (AWS, GCP, or similar) with the ability to evaluate platform tradeoffs objectively.
  • Experience leading cloud modernization, migration, or multi-cloud architecture initiatives (e.g., AWS,GCP, or similar).
  • Strong understanding of distributed data systems and large-scale data warehousing, including architecture supporting high-volume, multi-source datasets such as spatiotemporal tracking and event-based data.
  • Experience building and maintaining production data pipelines and modern ELT/ETL frameworks.
  • Familiarity with cloud-native tooling and best practices, including orchestration, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and environment management.
  • Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and owning systems in live production environments.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in professional sports or complex, data-rich operational environments.
  • Experience leading data warehouse rebuilds or platform transformation initiatives.
  • Familiarity with modern automation and AI-enabled data architectures, including infrastructure that supports experimentation, model deployment, and operational use of advanced analytics.
  • Experience integrating multiple vendors, tracking systems, or external data sources into unified platforms.

Work Schedule
This role requires flexibility consistent with the demands of Major League Baseball, including extended hours, travel, and non-traditional schedules throughout the season.

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to work in office, stadium, training, and travel environments.
  • Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
  • Ability to travel as required.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in individual and group settings.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $180,000 – 225,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

This full-time position is eligible for the Club’s comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with employer match, paid time off, game tickets, employee discounts, and additional benefits in accordance with plan eligibility.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by March 13th, 2026. Please note that this is just an estimate, and the posting may be removed or extended at any time.
  • The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by April 3, 2026.
  • A note for Colorado Rockies employees: Please apply via the internal job board in UKG by following these prompts: MENU > MYSELF > MY COMPANY > VIEW OPPORTUNITIES > select the position > CONSENT > APPLY NOW
    • If you cannot access UKG, please list your most recent Manager as an Employee Reference on your application.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.


Principal Analyst, Baseball Research and Development

About Us
The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club is embracing the climb, committed to building a championship-caliber organization on the field, in the clubhouse, and throughout our business operations. Playing at altitude presents unique competitive challenges and opportunities, and we embrace innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based practices to support elite performance. Rooted in the traditions of America’s pastime, we operate with integrity, service, quality, and trust while striving to create an exceptional experience for our players, staff, and fans.

Position Summary
The Principal Analyst is a senior applied leader within the Baseball Insights Department, reporting to the Director of Research & Development. This role serves as the primary analytics partner for Hitting Development and is responsible for translating data science models, biomechanical inputs, and technology outputs into actionable insights that drive offensive performance.
This position bridges Data Science, Research & Development, Performance Science, and field staff to ensure analytical tools are technically sound, practically applied, and meaningfully embedded within baseball environments. While hitting development is the primary focus, this role also contributes to broader analytical direction and applied workflow design across Baseball Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Hitting Development & Performance Integration

  • Serve as the lead analytics partner for Hitting Development across Major League and Player Development environments.
  • Integrate bat tracking, ball tracking, pitch metrics, biomechanical data, motion capture, and force plate data to identify performance gains in swing mechanics and offensive production.
  • Partner with Performance Science and hitting coaches to translate analytical and biomechanical findings into clear, actionable adjustments.
  • Identify performance trends, skill gaps, and developmental opportunities through quantitative and qualitative analysis.
  • Advance the organization’s applied understanding of hitting performance and add offensive value.

Model Development & Applied Analytics

  • Contribute to the development of descriptive and predictive models related to hitting performance.
  • Partner with Baseball Data Science to refine, validate, and strengthen models over time.
  • Incorporate coaching insight and baseball domain expertise into model application.
  • Design tools, reports, and workflows that maximize clarity, usability, and on-field adoption.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Serve as a connector between Data Science, R&D, Performance Science, Player Development, and Major League staff.
  • Communicate model assumptions, outputs, and limitations clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Incorporate applied feedback to continuously improve analytical tools and processes.
  • Support alignment between analytics outputs and organizational philosophy.

Leadership & Culture

  • Mentor applied analysts as the department grows.
  • Help establish applied analytics standards and best practices.
  • Contribute to a collaborative, high-performance Baseball Insights culture.
  • Support documentation and knowledge-sharing processes.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Biomechanics, Kinesiology, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in applied analytics, sports performance analysis, biomechanics, or related discipline.
  • Demonstrated experience integrating multiple performance data streams (e.g., bat tracking, motion capture, force plates, pitch/ball tracking).
  • Proficiency in Python, R, SQL, or similar analytical tools.
  • Experience contributing to or developing performance models.
  • Ability to translate complex quantitative and biomechanical outputs into actionable insights.
  • Deep understanding of baseball hitting mechanics and offensive performance concepts.
  • Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in a quantitative or biomechanics-related field.
  • Experience in professional or elite-level baseball environments.
  • Experience integrating biomechanical data into applied development settings.
  • Background in model validation, experimental design, or applied research methodology.
  • Experience mentoring analysts or shaping analytics workflows.

Physical Job Requirements
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Work Environment

  • Work is performed in a combination of office settings, indoor training facilities, laboratory/performance environments, and outdoor baseball environments.
  • Regular presence at Major League and Player Development facilities is required.
  • Occasional travel to affiliate locations, training complexes, and other organizational sites may be required.
  • Work may include evenings, weekends, and extended hours during the baseball season.

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods while analyzing data and using computer systems.
  • Frequent use of a computer, keyboard, and other office equipment.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and via electronic communication.
  • Ability to move throughout office spaces, clubhouses, dugouts, batting cages, bullpens, and performance labs.
  • Ability to observe and interpret visual information, including data visualizations, video analysis, and live on-field activity.
  • May occasionally lift and/or move items up to 25 pounds (e.g., portable technology equipment, training devices).
  • Ability to work in varying environmental conditions, including indoor facilities and outdoor weather conditions typical of baseball operations.

Compensation & Benefits
Annual Salary: $130,000 to $170,000

  • This full-time position is eligible for the Club’s benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with employer match, paid time off, game tickets, employee discounts, and other benefits according to plan eligibility.

Application Process

  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by March 13th, 2026. Please note that this is just an estimate, and the posting may be removed or extended at any time.
  • The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by April 3, 2026.
  • A note for Colorado Rockies employees: Please apply via the internal job board in UKG by following these prompts: MENU > MYSELF > MY COMPANY > VIEW OPPORTUNITIES > select the position > CONSENT > APPLY NOW
    • If you cannot access UKG, please list your most recent Manager as an Employee Reference on your application.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.


Director of Baseball Data Science

About Us
The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club is embracing the climb, committed to building a championship-caliber organization on the field, in the clubhouse, and throughout our business operations. Playing at altitude presents unique competitive challenges and opportunities, and we embrace innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based practices to support elite performance. Rooted in the traditions of America’s pastime, we operate with integrity, service, quality, and trust while striving to create an exceptional experience for our players, staff, and fans.

Position Summary
The Director of Baseball Data Science leads the Data Science function within the Baseball Insights group and sets the strategic and technical direction for modeling across Player Personnel, Player Development, Health & Performance, and Major League strategy.

This role defines how descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive models are built, validated, and applied to measure player performance, skill, and value. As the technical leader of the team, the Director establishes standards for analytical rigor, modeling quality, and methodological excellence, ensuring clarity around what the data indicates and where uncertainty remains.

The Director will build and execute a multi-year roadmap to advance data science capabilities, grow team expertise, and sequence investments in models, tools, and AI to support long-term competitive success. While providing strategic leadership, this role remains hands-on in model development and research, particularly as capabilities scale.

Key Responsibilities

Modeling & Research Leadership

  • Establish and maintain consistent definitions for core performance metrics across the organization.
  • Set the modeling philosophy and technical standards for Baseball Data Science.
  • Lead the design, validation, documentation, and continuous improvement of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive models.
  • Develop models that measure and explain player performance, skill development, health, and strategic outcomes.
  • Serve as the senior technical reviewer for core models and analytical methodologies.
  • Contribute directly to high-impact modeling initiatives.

Strategy & Decision Support

  • Establish research priorities aligned with organizational and competitive objectives.
  • Guide the progression from foundational descriptive insights to advanced predictive and prescriptive capabilities.
  • Partner with Baseball Operations leadership to translate analytical findings into actionable insights.
  • Develop and maintain a clear multi-year roadmap for advancing data science capabilities.

Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Collaborate with Research & Development, Baseball Systems, and Baseball Operations to ensure models are understood, trusted, and effectively applied.
  • Provide guidance on model assumptions, interpretation, and limitations.
  • Partner on data infrastructure needs to support scalable and reliable modeling environments.
  • Incorporate applied feedback to continuously refine models and analytical frameworks.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Data Scientists.
  • Build a high-performance culture grounded in rigor, collaboration, and innovation.
  • Assess skill gaps and implement development plans to deepen technical and baseball domain expertise.
  • Recruit top analytical talent and help position the organization as a leader in baseball analytics.
  • Champion responsible and practical applications of AI to accelerate analysis, modeling, and decision support.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Lead and manage the Baseball Data Science team, including Data Scientists responsible for model development and advanced statistical research.
  • Partner cross-functionally while maintaining clear role definition between Data Scientists and applied analyst functions.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative discipline (Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Economics, Engineering, or related field) or equivalent experience.
  • 7+ years of experience in baseball analytics, sports analytics, or data science, including leadership responsibility.
  • Deep understanding of baseball decision-making across player evaluation, development, and game strategy.
  • Strong proficiency in Python and SQL.
  • Demonstrated experience building, evaluating, and deploying analytical models in applied environments.
  • Experience leveraging AI-enabled tools or methods within research or modeling workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a quantitative discipline.
  • Leadership experience within professional baseball or elite sports.
  • Track record of building models that materially influenced organizational decisions.

Work Environment
This role requires flexibility consistent with a Major League Baseball environment, including extended hours, travel, and non-traditional schedules throughout Spring Training, the regular season, postseason, and off-season planning cycles.

Physical Job Requirements

  • Ability to work in a fast-paced professional baseball environment, including offices, clubhouses, training facilities, stadiums, and travel settings.
  • Ability to sit, stand, and work at a computer for extended periods.
  • Ability to travel by car and plane, including multi-day trips.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in individual and group settings.

Compensation & Benefits
Suggested Annual Salary Range: $160,000 – $200,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

This full-time position is eligible for the Club’s comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with employer match, paid time off, game tickets, employee discounts, and other benefits according to plan eligibility.

Application Process

  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by March 13th, 2026. Please note that this is just an estimate, and the posting may be removed or extended at any time.
  • The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by April 3, 2026.
  • A note for Colorado Rockies employees: Please apply via the internal job board in UKG by following these prompts: MENU > MYSELF > MY COMPANY > VIEW OPPORTUNITIES > select the position > CONSENT > APPLY NOW
    • If you cannot access UKG, please list your most recent Manager as an Employee Reference on your application.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Colorado Rockies.


Waste Not, Walk Not: Tyler Rogers Has A Plan

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Tyler Rogers makes me happy that I’m a baseball analyst. Not in the same way that Shohei Ohtani does, of course. Not in the same way that Tarik Skubal does, or Bobby Witt Jr., or any other number of superstars. Those guys are great because they do the obviously good baseball things, like running fast and throwing hard and hitting balls far. Rogers looks like an accountant who was hurriedly inserted into the game as a last resort. He also just threw 77 1/3 innings with a 1.98 ERA last season. His career ERA is 2.76 over eight seasons. I don’t know about you, but something about that tickles me endlessly.

Rogers’ superpower is his command. Last year, he walked only seven batters, a 2.3% rate. But that command can be hard to pin down. For instance, take a look at the 26 pitches Rogers threw in three-ball counts:

As you can see from the overlaid PitchingBot command grades, these locations are nothing special. There are too many crushable cookies, too many non-competitive pitches, and not enough action on the fringes of the strike zone. It’s a 42 command grade all in, nothing to write home about. In fact, Rogers walked more batters than league average per three-ball pitches thrown (in a tiny sample, to be clear). When batters got to this point in the count against him, they had a decent chance of reaching first for free. How, then, did he post the second-lowest walk rate in the majors?

To understand that, we’ll have to rewind the count. Walks require three things: a three-ball count, a pitch outside the strike zone, and no swing from the batter. Rogers cuts things off with item number one. Look at how he started batters last year:


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Effectively Wild Episode 2449: Season Preview Series: Mariners and Marlins

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Shohei Ohtani survey, early WBC action, Andrew McCutchen’s new team, Payton Tolle’s triple-digits t-shirt, ABS-driven changes to Alex Bregman’s and Bo Naylor’s listed heights, wonky player cards, why teams start spring training days so early, Dodgers pitching problems, and the prevalence of inventive slides, then preview the 2026 Seattle Mariners (50:22) with The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish, and the 2026 Miami Marlins (1:34:43) with MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola, plus a few postscript updates (2:17:42).

Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme
Audio interstitial 1: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme
Audio interstitial 2: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme

Link to YouGov survey
Link to Team USA vs. Rockies recap
Link to WBC soundtrack story
Link to MLBTR on McCutchen
Link to Speier on Tolle
Link to Tolle max velos
Link to in-season velo data 1
Link to in-season velo data 2
Link to in-season velo article
Link to 2025 info on height changes
Link to 2025 Naylor page
Link to 2026 Naylor page
Link to 2024 Bregman page
Link to 2025 Bregman page
Link to 2026 Bregman page
Link to 2024 Lux page
Link to 2025 Lux page
Link to wonky Ohtani card
Link to wonky Judge card
Link to wonky Bregman card
Link to wonky Naylor card
Link to email about giant player
Link to early starts post
Link to Baumann on Sasaki
Link to FG World Series odds
Link to Crizer on slides
Link to Sam on slides
Link to Naylor’s inclusiveness comments
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Mariners offseason tracker
Link to Mariners depth chart
Link to “Boys Podcast” SNL skit
Link to Ryan’s author archive
Link to Marlins offseason tracker
Link to Marlins depth chart
Link to Christina on Marlins’ elimination
Link to Christina on Alcantara’s outing
Link to “catcher’s balk”
Link to Christina on pitch-calling
Link to 2025 Marlins Pythag/BaseRuns
Link to 2025 team RP WAR
Link to 2025 team RP WPA
Link to Pérez nickname article
Link to grievance avoidance article
Link to Lauren’s NL East post
Link to Christina’s author archive
Link to ball/strike ejections article
Link to Brewers challenges tweet
Link to Tango’s challenges tweet
Link to Brewers challenges article

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RosterResource Chat – 3/5/26

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Who To Root for in the World Baseball Classic: Pool D

Thomas Cordy, Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network via Imagn Images

The World Baseball Classic is officially back! We’re been running preview content for the last several weeks, but now that the tournament is actually underway, you’ve got to pick a team to root for. You may even want to pick one team from each of the four pools. To help you decide on your favorite, I’ll be offering a reason to cheer for each of the 20 teams in the field. We started with Pool C earlier today, and we’ll run Pools A and B tomorrow.

Dominican Republic

Listing teams alphabetically has us starting with the powerhouse of the group. How’s this for a lineup?

C: Austin Wells
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2B: Ketel Marte
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
3B: Manny Machado
LF: Juan Soto
CF: Julio Rodríguez
RF: Fernando Tatis Jr.
DH: Junior Caminero
P: Cristopher Sánchez

This isn’t just a lineup without any weak spots. It’s a dream team, and it still leaves stars like Jeremy Peña and Oneil Cruz on the bench!

The real reason to root for the Dominican Republic, though, is that they’ll be out for revenge. They won the 2013 WBC, but in 2023, losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico left them 2-2 in pool play, and the run differential tiebreaker kept them from advancing. The Dominican Republic didn’t even make it out of pool play! Manager Rodney Linares heard about it in a big way. Albert Pujols is at the helm now, and he knows he’s got to do better.

Pool D is a bit softer this time around, with the Netherlands taking the place of Puerto Rico, but the this team might not care. They’re out for blood, and it’s not hard to envision them going scorched earth and running up the run differential as much as they can. With that lineup, they’ll have more than enough firepower. They just hung 12 runs on the Tigers on Tuesday. If what you’re looking for in a WBC team is a high likelihood that watching them play will feel similar to watching a Rambo movie, then the Dominican Republic is your squad.

Israel

Look, I don’t know if we’re going to see Robert Stock pitch, or how much he’ll throw even if we do, but he’s the kind of guy you cheer for. I wrote an article about his journey last year, but it’s worth digging even deeper, because it really puts the “World” in “World Baseball Classic.” No less an authority than Baseball America named Stock the best 13-year-old player in the country in 2003, the best 14-year-old player in 2004, and then the overall Youth Player of the Year in 2005. “The 6-foot, 180-pound 15-year-old was tossing 90-mph fastballs by the time he was 14 and has been known to connect on 400-foot home runs, using a wood bat,” wrote Alan Matthews. Stock enrolled at USC as both a catcher and a pitcher so that he could become draft eligible when he was 19.

The Cardinals took him in the second round in 2009, but things were a lot harder in the pros. After three years of trying to make it as a catcher, Stock switched back to pitching. After three more years, Stock still hadn’t advanced to Double-A, and the Cardinals released him. He bounced to the Astros, then the Pirates, then the Reds, and finally to the Padres, who finally promoted him to the big leagues in 2018. Still armed with an upper-90s fastball as a 28-year-old rookie, Stock made the most of the chance. He ran a 2.50 ERA and 2.71 FIP across 32 appearances and 39 2/3 innings.

The success was fleeting. Stock struggled in 2019 and kept bouncing, to the Phillies, the Red Sox, the Cubs, and the Mets. In 2022, he landed with the Doosan Bears of the KBO as a starter, running a 3.60 ERA and earning another shot despite running a 11.5% walk rate. He went to Driveline, started 2023 pitching for Israel in the WBC and reported to Triple-A Nashville on a minor league deal with the Brewers, but after just three starts, Milwaukee let him go. He finished the season with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Stock threw a no-hitter in Long Island, but his overall numbers weren’t great. He spent 2024 pitching for Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League, but before he did, he completely overhauled his mechanics. He dropped his arm angle from right around the league average to a sidearm slot. He went from throwing the four-seamer more than half the time to being an east-west sinker-slider guy with 40 inches of break differential between the two pitches. He was an entirely new pitcher. He went 9-4 with a 3.39 ERA with Dos Laredos, and then the won the pitching Triple Crown in the Mexican Winter League, going 10-2 with a 1.60 ERA.

Stock returned to the Red Sox in 2025, putting up solid numbers in Triple-A but struggling in two big league appearances. He’s now in minor league camp with the Mets, where he’s struck out six batters and allowed just one baserunner across three scoreless innings. Stock is now 36 years old with just 75 1/3 major league innings under his belt but a whole lot of miles.

Netherlands

The Netherlands boast a lot of familiar Curaçaoan faces. They’ll have stars like Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, and Kenley Jansen. They’ll have old friend Didi Gregorius, the only Didi in major league history, who last appeared in the majors in 2022 and has been playing in the Mexican League. They’ll even have brothers of familiar faces in Jeremi Profar and Sharlon Schoop. But Ceddanne Rafaela is the wild card here.

Fresh off a Gold Glove, Boston’s center fielder already has two home runs and a 224 wRC+ in spring training and – you know what? I’m going to have to stop there. I love to watch Rafaela play. He’s exciting in ways both good and bad. He makes you scream when he does something spectacular with his glove, and he makes you scream when he waves at yet another slider in the dirt. But Kiri Oler already nailed the thing that should make us root for the Netherlands in her Pool D preview. It’s this song, “Honkbal Hoofdklasse (On My Radio Tonight)” by Johannes Vonk and the Clogheads, which I listened to on repeat as I wrote this section:

Just to be clear, Johannes Vonk and the Clogheads are not an actual band. This song was recorded in 2020 by Milo Edwards and Nate Bethea of the comedy podcast “Trashfuture,” and jokingly attributed to the fictional 80s band with the 80-grade name. I don’t know much about Trashfuture, but this song is perfect, and after listening to it 10 times in a row, I am ready to run through a brick wall (or even a dam) for the Netherlands and their merry band of honkbalers.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua went winless in 2023, and if the team is going to win a game this time around, it will be on the shoulders of New York Met Mark Vientos. Along with Carlos Rodriguez of the Brewers, he’s one of two current major leaguers on the Nicaraguan roster (free agent Erasmo Ramírez is also suiting up), and although he struggled to a 97 wRC+ in 2025, it’s hard to get the image of his three-win 2024 season, in which he ran a 132 wRC+ and blasted 27 homers in just 111 games, out of your mind. After five spring training games, Vientos somehow has an average exit velocity of 96 mph (!) and a batting average of .077 (?!). He has a 110-mph lineout, a 109.9-mph double play, a 105.2-mph fly out, and then another double play at 104.7 mph. Playing against the Mets in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Vientos did finally get a ball to touch grass, ripping a 108-mph single.

The only logical(ish) conclusion I can draw is that Vientos has been saving all of his luck for team Nicaragua. He’s planning on running a BABIP of .850 in the WBC, blooping and blasting his country past the rest of Pool D and into the knockout round, relying on the wisdom of manager Dusty Baker to hit ‘em where they ain’t.

If you’re a Yankees or Phillies fan and you don’t feel comfortable rooting for a Met, maybe you can root for Jeter Downs, who is still not Mookie Betts, but is thriving with the Softbank Hawks of the NPB, running a 123 wRC+ in 2025.

Venezuela

I’m not telling you anything you don’t know here, but Venezuela’s lineup is extremely good. They’ve got Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, and Wilyer Abreu in the outfield. They’ve got Willson Contreras, Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suárez, Maikel Garcia, and Andrés Giménez on the infield. They’ve got William Contreras and Salvador Perez behind the plate. That’s a lot of great bats and great gloves. Garcia and Abreu both won Gold Gloves in 2025, and Giménez is a three-time winner who took home the Platinum Glove in 2024. Honestly, maybe the exciting thing should be the glovework. But what I’m most excited about is the bullpen.

Venezuela doesn’t have much starting pitching depth behind Ranger Suarez, but pitching in the WBC is an all-hands-on-deck enterprise, and Venezuela has a whole lot of big arms to choose from. Daniel Palencia ran a 2.91 ERA and saved 22 games last year, with his four-seamer averaging 99.6 mph. Angel Zerpa’s sinker averaged 96.6. Anthony Molina, Antonio Senzatela, Luinder Avila, and José Buttó were all above 95 mph. Eduardo Rodriguez and Yoendrys Gómez don’t bring as much heat, but their four-seamers were both well above the league average in terms of whiff rate.

Not all of these guys are standouts, but that’s a really deep ‘pen. Venezuela may well mash their way to the knockout round, but they could just as easily make it there by putting up zero after zero.


I Hope He’s Not Broke-i Sasaki

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

You should never worry about spring training results; it’s a small sample against uneven competition, in which the outcome of the game is irrelevant. But it’s not going great for Roki Sasaki. In two Cactus League starts, the Dodgers’ 24-year-old right-hander has allowed half of the 20 batters he’s faced to reach. His ERA is 18.90, and no matter the context, you never want to see a pitcher with a post-Civil War ERA.

For people doing the Chicken Little act about the Dodgers signing every big free agent, Sasaki — not Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, or Kyle Tucker — is the guy who should’ve been scariest. The Dodgers signed a 23-year-old NPB ace even though, by dint of his youth, money was not an issue. If the Dodgers could land Sasaki, perhaps their dominance would become self-perpetuating. Read the rest of this entry »


RosterResource Now Has More Detailed Contract Info!

Following the introduction of contract incentive data last month, the RosterResource payroll pages now have much more detailed player-level contract information! I think we’ve always done a great job of showcasing a team’s payroll calculation, but we’ve lacked detailed information for individual contracts, especially long ones that go beyond the seven-year timeframe displayed on the team payroll pages.

To view a player’s contract information, all you have to do is click on the little clipboard icon next to the Contract column on the team payroll page:

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Who To Root for in the World Baseball Classic: Pool C

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The World Baseball Classic is officially back! We’re been running preview content for the last several weeks, but now that the tournament is actually underway, you’ve got to pick a team to root for. You may even want to pick one team from each of the four pools. To help you decide on your favorite, I’ll be offering a reason to cheer for each of the 20 teams in the field. We’re starting with Pool C because it’s kicking off today. So is Pool D, whose reasons will run a little later this afternoon. Pools A and B aren’t getting underway until tomorrow, so that’s when we’ll run their excitement primers.

Australia

Australia was one of the big surprises of the 2023 WBC. In the first game of pool play, the Australians took down South Korea in an 8-7 barnburner. Both teams lost to Japan and won all their other games, which was enough to push Australia into the knockout round and keep South Korea out. Australia lost to Cuba by just one run in the quarterfinals. This time around, their final game in Pool C will be against – you guessed it – South Korea, and if the seeds hold true, then that game will once again decide who moves on to the knockout round and who goes home. It should be an exciting one!

I was going to overthink things and talk about Tim Kennelly here. The guy is 39 and made it to Triple-A with the Phillies, and then he went back home and laid siege to the Australia Baseball League record books. He’s the all-time league leader in hits, homers, and RBIs, and he’s second in stolen bases. But we should keep things simple and talk about Travis Bazzana. Read the rest of this entry »