• Some groups are contemplating signing Lance Lynn as a better.
Lynn, 37, has not pitched out of the bullpen since 2018. However his agent, Kevin Lustig, not too long ago knowledgeable him that a number of golf equipment requested if he could be interested by pitching the ninth inning.
“He mentioned, ‘I obtained a few bizarre calls at this time.’ I used to be like, ‘What? Did somebody ask me for a minor-league deal?’” mentioned Lynn, who stays a free agent. “He began dying laughing. He was like, ‘No, they requested what you considered being a back-end man, a better.’
American League
Purple Sox
• The Athletic’s Jen McCaffery thinks Masataka Yoshida is not going to be prepared at first of the season.
This isn’t me predicting Yoshida shall be traded, however, relatively, as a result of it seems like he received’t be prepared for Opening Day. At Fenway Fest, Yoshida mentioned he would start taking dry swings (not hitting a ball, simply the movement of swinging) by the top of January and wouldn’t start throwing till March. It’s attainable he’s prepared for the beginning of the season, and it’s not as if he’d be throwing regardless from the DH spot. Nonetheless, I might see the staff giving him additional time to rehab absolutely and, in flip, promote Campbell to start out the season.
• David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez are training to play within the infield and outfield.
… utility males David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez, each of whom are getting work within the infield and outfield.
• Vaughn Grissom appears to be like greater.
Cora went out of his approach to point out how bodily Grissom has seemed when he’s visited him this offseason and it was noticeable how a lot stronger Grissom checked out Fenway Fest in comparison with final 12 months.
Yankees
• The staff likes Chase Hampton’s possibilities to contribute this season.
On the Winter Conferences, normal supervisor Brian Cashman name-dropped Hampton, a 23-year-old righty, as somebody on his radar when he was discussing the pitching depth within the Yankees’ minor leagues.
“One of many guys, as an illustration, nobody talks about anymore is Hampton, who was damage final 12 months,” Cashman mentioned on the time. “He’s wholesome once more.”
Hampton was among the many Yankees’ most hyped prospects going into 2024.
Baseball America (No. 72), MLB Pipeline (No. 92) and Baseball Prospectus (No. 56) every had him ranked as one of many high 100 prospects within the recreation.
The Athletic’s Keith Legislation ranked him because the Yankees’ high total pitching prospect and their sixth-best prospect within the system, noting his “kitchen-sink arsenal, working 94-95 mph with some experience up within the zone and two breaking balls that each may be plus.” Legislation added that Hampton “appears to be like like a back-end starter if he can maintain up, perhaps extra if he ditches the cutter and develops an actual change-of-pace pitch.”
Phillies
• The staff sees Orion Kerkering as a future nearer particularly since he added a sinker.
Might he see Kerkering as a better sooner or later?
“For positive,” Cotham mentioned. “That’s a straightforward sure for me. If we outline nearer like the power to get crucial outs in a recreation, he’s there.”
However there are methods to be even higher in these spots. Kerkering mentioned a spotlight this spring is his fastball. Particularly, throwing extra two-seamers and finding them higher.
He thinks it might be a recreation changer.
“Perhaps it’s like 25-25 [percent] between fastballs,” Kerkering mentioned, with the opposite half being sliders. “Cut up it a little bit bit extra, and play off between righties and lefties a little bit bit extra. Have the ability to find left and proper aspect of the plate a little bit higher with it. Simply continue to grow off it. Final 12 months, I don’t need to say [the sinker] was a play-around pitch, however [it was an] experiment nearly. See how it’s. However this 12 months it’s take the following step into it.”
• The staff has talked about high prospect Justin Crawford as probably contributing this season.
For those who might predict one prospect (apart from Painter) to make an affect this 12 months, who would you choose? — Will W.
…
Now, take this for what it’s: Dombrowski has talked about Crawford in the identical breath as Painter — simply when it comes to closeness to the majors. The Phillies may need a larger 2025 want within the outfield than the infield.
He has hit over .300 up to now two seasons whereas stealing over 40 baggage in every.
Reds
• Will Benson reworked his swing his offseason.
Benson has reworked his swing, and the hope could be that it makes him a extra aggressive possibility within the outfield.
Rockies
• Jacob Stallings has been retraining his eyes with optimistic outcomes.
Early in Spring Coaching, Harrison rapidly went deeper than Stallings’ eyes. He inquired about his head.
…
The stats held the reply. After seeing three straight years of OPS readings higher than .700 with elevated taking part in time with the Pirates, Stallings was traded to the Marlins. He dipped to .584 in ‘22 and .565 in ‘23 earlier than the Marlins non-tendered him.
Harrison — whose SlowTheGameDown Elite Visible Efficiency firm has intensive expertise with groups and particular person athletes — labored to revive the puzzle piece that Stallings didn’t know was lacking.…“Just a few weeks later, he [Harrison] got here again in Spring Coaching,” Stallings mentioned. “I did the evaluation once more, and I examined as among the finest guys in all of camp.”
The outcomes confirmed it. Stallings posted profession full-season bests with a .263 batting common, .357 on-base proportion, .453 slugging proportion and 9 residence runs whereas showing in 82 video games. The efficiency was adequate to earn him a brand new one-year, $2.5 million assure with a 2026 possibility.
