We've now got AAA baseball to cover as baseball is ramping up! Smada covers day two of MLB games while Rhys covers AAA opening day!

Major League Baseball

Covered by Smada

This season is off to a fantastic start. There are so many storylines it's almost too difficult for one person to cover, but I'm trying my best today!

Jackson Holliday, 2B BAL (MLB) 

2-for-3, HR, R, RBI, K

After an outpouring of runs on Opening Day, Holliday was one of the lone birds to provide offense in game two. His home run went 109 mph off the bat and travelled 425 ft to left center. This was a grown man swing for the baby faced former #1 prospect. Holliday was among the most difficult players to rank when putting together the offseason dynasty list. Balancing the pedigree with the actual performance in his first taste of the big leagues is tough, especially when the hit tool that he displayed was significantly worse that what we saw in the minors. Early success will certainly help build confidence for managers

Jordan Beck, LF COL (MLB) 

0-for-3, R, BB, K, 2 SB

The Rockies must think Beck is ready. It was a bit of a surprise to see them hand him the job, but after moving Nolan Jones and jettisoning Sam Hilliard, he’s cleared for some runway. Obviously the Rockies are ready to let Beck run. Last year’s big league sample was rough with a 32 wRC+ over 184 PA, but the AAA results point to better times ahead. If he can keep the K% in check there’s legit 20/20 upside, though that’s probably a stretch for this year.

Kyle Freeland, LHP COL (MLB) 

6 IP, 2 H, 7 K

I feel obligated to highlight the scoreless start by Freeland. I just can’t recommend adding him. There is too much history to change any opinion based on one start. I’ll add that everyone was excited to see how the Rays’ new park would play and we witnessed a 3-to-2 game. Funny how that goes.

Josh Lowe, TB (MLB) 

1-for-2

Lowe left the game after he hurt his oblique during his second AB that resulted in a single. At time of writing he appears to be heading to the IL. Jose Caballero pinch ran for him and played RF for the rest of the game. I’d put my money on Caballero being the main playing time beneficiary with Kameron Misner (below) getting some additional PA. The wildcard option is Chandler Simpson, who would be a universal add in fantasy leagues where available. The Rays have Eloy Jimenez stashed away at AAA as well and it’s possible he becomes the bench bat or added man to rotate in. I assume we’ll hear the roster add prior to this getting posted, but if not, my add would be Caballero if he helps your roster and Chandler Simpson speculatively if Caballero isn’t a useful option. All that said, both are likely owned in most leagues.

Kameron Misner, PH-LF TB (MLB) 

1-for-1, HR, R, RBI

That’s a walkoff home run for Kameron Misner’s first career jack! If Misner’s name sounds familiar, that’s because he was a relatively well known prospect a few years back with the Marlins. I added his 2021 scouting report by Trevor Hooth for you to check out, just for this blurb. The hit tool has been the issue and Trevor mentioned the needed development here:

Quick, compact swing with an uppercut. Pull heavy approach, with a good amount of fly balls. He does have some swing and miss, but it couples with an overly patient approach at times that puts him in bad counts. Good feel for the zone, will draw plenty of walks. Refinement to his approach will go a long way. Development of this tool will be a big factor in his future.

Misner was the piece that went back to the Rays in the Joey Wendle deal in the 2022 offseason. Now, three seasons in the high-minors later and 27 years old, we can’t call Misner a quad-A player because he’s never really gotten a shot at the big league level. Last year in August he got 15 PA in his first big league taste appearing mostly as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement. Misner has played mostly CF throughout his career. The tools remain as loud as Trevor described them in his scouting report as he has averaged 22 HR and 29 SB per 600 PA over his last two AAA seasons. With Josh Lowe going down, there are more PA to go around, let’s see how many he gets and what he can do with them.

Ryan Pepiot, RHP TB (MLB) 

6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), BB, 8 K

I’ll admit that I was a touch worried about the temporary home park and that led me to look elsewhere this draft season at cost. However, as a pitcher in general, I’m a Pepiot fan and think there’s a possibility he takes the next step this year with more consistency. 

Mason Montgomery, LHP TB (MLB) 

IP, H, K

Pete Fairbanks, RHP TB (MLB) 

IP, 2 BB, 2 K

Won’t beat around the bush, Mason Montgomery is simply the best pitcher in the Rays bullpen. If you follow me on Twitter you’ve likely seen me post something similar to this line, but want to post it again. On August 8th 2024, Montgomery officially transitioned to a full time single-inning bullpen role at Triple-A.His line? 9.2 IP, 5 BB, 20 K. After getting called up to the big leagues? A line of 9.2 IP, 5 BB, 17 K. Spring training 2025? How about 7.1 IP, 0 BB, 9 K. And then we get to this outing. Adding them all together you get: 27.2 IP, 10 BB, 47 K. I’ll do K/9 and BB/9 because I don’t want to go back and add up batters faced, but that’s a 15.3 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 over a third of a season worth of IP. I haven’t even mentioned his pitch traits to back all this up, which are also elite. Pete Fairbanks has had a myriad of injuries, reduced strikeouts in 2024 and decreased velo that’s continued into this season. I wouldn’t call Fairbanks “bad,” he’s just not elite anymore. It’s clear that the Rays have developed the next elite RP behind him.

Juan Soto, RF NYM (MLB) 

1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB, K

Career HR #1 on the Mets so I’ve got to cover it. Doesn’t seem like switching teams is a big deal to him like it can be for other players as he’s already on team number four in his age-26 season. In OBP leagues he could easily be considered the top dynasty asset in the game.

Tylor Megill, RHP NYM (MLB) 

5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 6 K

It was odd seeing Megill getting pushed out of the Mets’ rotation this offseason, only to be brought back in after injuries struck. You typically ride with the guys who post a 3.55 FIP and 3.79 xFIP the year prior. Megill has started his bid to remain in the rotation once Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas return. The stuff is nasty and grades out very well via our friend TJ Stats. We had someone ask Megill or Jeffrey Springs as the pickup and it’s a tossup for me, but leaned towards Springs because he’s a bit more established in the rotation. I’m not entirely confident in the answer though.

Jack Leiter, RHP TEX (MLB) 

5 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 4 K

I’m far from the only one who was advocating getting Leiter on your team well before his debut last year, but I’ll take wins when I can get them. He relied heavily on the fastball and sinker in this one and ran it up to 99 mph. He threw his new kick change 13 times with little success as he failed to generate a whiff on it and only landed one for a called strike. The fact he still had a positive outcome in this game and only walked one batter is a testament to Leiter. The stuff is nasty and it’s exciting to see Leiter and Rocker on the same team showing similar promise to their Vanderbilt days.

Jonah Heim, C TEX (MLB) 

2-for-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

A double dong for the split-time Rangers catcher! Heim broke out in 2023 then took a major step back in 2024 which led the Rangers to sign a veteran catcher in Kyle Higashioka. I don’t know the full story of Heim’s 2024 but I do see a Bereavement List in April and Paternity List in June within his transactions. He’s human, and he potentially went through some human events last year that affected his play. It’s one game so I’m not declaring him “back,” but let’s keep an eye on Heim in the early going.

Oneil Cruz, CF PIT (MLB) 

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, SB

Can we please get a full healthy season of Oneil Cruz? The Cruz HR/SB combo meals should be plentiful this year. I won’t gloss over the fact that he was facing the Marlins’ Connor Gillispie, he shouldn’t be in a major league rotation, but they count all the same.

Tommy Pham, CF PIT (MLB) 

0-for-5, R, SB

Oh yeah, it’s an O-fer but that’s two straight games batting leadoff and two straight games with a SB. Speed from the leadoff spot doesn’t usually come cheap. Win-now teams in deeper leagues, go get your guy.

Max Muncy, 2B SAC (MLB) 

1-for-5, HR, R, RBI

First career hit is also the first career homer for Max Muncy 2.0! The bat speed on the HR was the fastest swing in the contest and he sent the ball 430 ft to dead center. The former 1st rounder has hit at every level but never shined due to borderline concerning plate discipline. However, Muncy is just 22 years old and has plenty of time to hone his swing decisions. We’ll see if he’ll be able to sustain a reasonable K% this year to hold the job, but he’s another exciting long-term power bat that the A’s have developed.

Jeffrey Springs, RHP SAC (MLB) 

6 IP, 3 H, BB, 9 K

The Mariners have been a mess of an offense the first two days, but we still need to give some credit to Springs for a dominant outing. He’s on the older side at 32 years old, is coming off a short season where he returned from TJ, and signed a fresh 4 year deal with the A’s who will be playing in a Triple-A park. The fact is that despite the 90 mph fastball, he’s simply good. Since transitioning to a starter with the Rays in 2022 he’s thrown 190.1 IP with a 2.36 ERA backed by a 3.01 FIP. Is that something you might be interested in? .meme

Eugenio Suarez, 3B ARI (MLB) 

2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI

The double dong gives Suarez 3 HR in 2 games in the early going. Two years ago I thought he’d slow down. I’ve stopped doubting him. He kind of reminds me of Edwin Encarnacion and I wonder If he’ll just mash for the next 3 years.

Pavin Smith, DH ARI (MLB) 

3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI

The season of Pavin Smith started last night. I’ve been vocal that I believe he could play his way out of the platoon and hit 20+ HR with positive BA/OBP. He’s simply a good hitter.

Mookie Betts, SS LAD (MLB) 

3-for-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI

I’m at a loss for words with Betts. He loses 15 lbs from a sickness making him questionable for opening day then on day two of the season goes double dong with the game winning HR. All while playing SS for the best team in the league. Simply a future hall of famer.

Dillon Dingler, C DET (MLB) 

2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI, 2 K

Great start for the young(ish) Tigers catcher. He should be splitting time with Jake Rogers this season. Dingler mashed in AAA last season with good BB% & K% before a rough 87 PA MLB debut. We’ll see if he’s able to get the plate discipline back in line to a point where he’s a usable C2.

Gleyber Torres, C DET (MLB) 

1-for-2, HR, R, RBI, BB

Unfortunately after his HR he aggravated a rib injury. Unclear whether he’ll need an IL stint. More from Evan Woodbery:

Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres said he's had some rib pain over the last few days. Today he felt more sore than normal and then felt especially uncomfortable on his home run, which was an unusual swing on a very-inside pitch.

Torres tried to play through the discomfort for a few innings before deciding to play it safe and call it a day, since it was only Game 2.

After a round of post-game treatment he said he's already feeling much better, but he'll see how he feels tomorrow.

Triple-A

Covered by Rhys

It is opening Day everyone and the hitters came out in full-force. It feels like every notable hitting prospect smashed a long ball. 

Joey Loperfido, RF TOR (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI 

Is he a prospect anymore? No, is that gonna stop me from covering him? Also, no. 113 MPH off the bat is nothing to sneeze at, and it seems as if Addison Barger is the popular breakout pick among people in the Twitter streets, but what if it is just Joey Lopes? I know his brief taste of big league ball didn’t go as people would have wanted, but I think he has a chance to come up and be an average performer. The dream with him is a generic 20-homer bat who pitches in with 12-15 steals in his peak years. 

Blade Tidwell, RHP NYM(Triple-A)  

5 IP, H, R (ER), BB, 6 K 

More breakers than fastballs for the king of the Blade. Blade Tidwell collected four whiffs from the slider. The sinker and four seamer were both good. The sinker and slider give him such a high floor for the Mets as they move 20 inches horizontally in differing directions, making these two pitches perfect for a Pitching Ninja graphic because of how well he tunnels both these offerings. Oh, and by the way, the four-seamer gets slightly under 18 inches of induced vertical break. I am interested in seeing what the Mets do with him because he could help the Mets out right now in the bullpen, or he could serve as some much-needed depth for a rotation with quite a few injury question marks. 

Jace Jung, 3B DET (Triple-A)  

1-for-4, HR, R, RBI

A solo shot for Jace Jung, 98 off the bat will play. Jung lost the third-base job for Detroit with a rough spring, so let’s hope this is the motivation he needs. He took Doug Nikhazy deep for this one. Let’s hope he goes on a tear to start the season because you or I might be called into action with the injury epidemic that has hit the Motor City Kitties. 

Juan Brito, 2B CLE (Triple-A)  

3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI 

Juan Brito is doing what he does best: spray batted balls and playing second base. He couldn’t beat out Gabriel Arias for the second-base job with the Guardians. Brito’s ability to make contact is the carrying tool with him, and if it all goes well, he could be a nice empty batting average sort of hitter while Travis Bazzana cuts his teeth in the minors. 

Doug Nikhazy, LHP CLE (Triple-A)  

5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR Allowed

A level-leading 15 swings and misses for the former Ole Miss Rebel. Nine came off his slider, the best pitch in his repertoire. The Guardians need Nikhazy to provide some depth for them because they sneakily don’t have the depth you usually expect from the Guardians. Nikhazy might get around 10-12 starts with the big league squad. It’s an unconventional look that might play out of the bullpen if needed, even if the velo is nothing to write home about. 

Justin Crawford, CF PHI (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, BB, SB 

This is what you expect from Justin Crawford. Given how ungreat Marsh and Rojas have been during their major league career, I wouldn’t be surprised if Justin Crawford was up sooner than we all think, as he might be a better hitter than those two. Crawford’s speed at the bottom or even the top of this Phillies lineup could be nasty. The dream is that he hits at the top of the lineup, but even as the 9-hole hitter, he acts as a secondary lead-off type, like a more modern lineup before the National League got the designated hitter. Either way, Crawford’s stolen-base ceiling is category-winning steal totals with some power so that he could be a slight upgrade on the Dee Gordon types. 

Chandler Simpson, CF TB (Triple-A)  

3-for-6, R

From one speedster to another. If you play your cards right, you could roster both speed demons and have everyone else punt a category. That would leave you lacking in the power department, but you would win steals every year with Simpson and Crawford. Chandler Simpson is my speedster of choice because he has a chance to be a plus-contact hitter at the end of the day. After Homer, Chandler is my favorite Simpson. 

Kyle Teel, DH CWS (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

Edgar Quero, C CWS (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, 2 R

Colson Montgomery, SS CWS (Triple-A)  

1-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

The catchers and Colson Montgomery were out in full force for the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate. The White Sox have a problem on their hand as Teel and Quero are both excellent catching prospects, and they will be able to rotate both of them at different positions to keep both of their bats in the lineup. Teel is the better athlete, so he has more versatility,  but Quero can always go and play first when he is catching or vice versa. The dream for the fans of the South Side Sox is to have two above-average offensive catchers. Colson Montgomery’s bounce-back campaign is off to a great start. He had a terrible year last year, and it was probably for the best that the White Sox left him in Triple-A; the one bright spot is he did like a more viable option to remain at shortstop, even as the offense prowess we have come to expect with him dissipated a little bit. He won’t be a superstar, but he is a solid MIF option in 12-teamers or a low-end starting shortstop in your 30-teamers. 

Jimmy Crooks, C STL (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI

I am not a Crooks, which Jimmy has to say to himself. The next in a long line of Cardinals catching prospects of the future is that. From an offensive standpoint, Crooks has all the makings of an average to slightly above-average offensive catcher. Given most of the workload, Crooks is a 20-homer bat with a decent slash line. He was smashing batted balls in this one; he had a homer off the bat at 98 MPH and a 104 MPH single, which shows you the sort of power Crooks has in the tank. If it all clicks, he is an easy top-15 fantasy catcher. 

Caleb Durbin, 3B MIL (Triple-A)  

2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

I think people think I dislike Caleb Durbin, the player, and that just isn’t true; my issue was always with the hype of Caleb Durbin. He wasn’t this guaranteed starter that you would see some other fantasy prospect people would have you believe; that all to say, Durbin is a nice speed threat with a bit of pop, think along the lines of 15-19 homers in his peak seasons with 30 stolen-bases if he can carve out regular playing time, which might be tough to predict with Brewers because they have a bunch of players of this ilk. 

Emmanuel Rodriguez, CF MIN (Triple-A)  

3-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB

Luke Keaschall, DH MIN (Triple-A)  

2-for-6, RBI

Keaschall and EROD could not be more different prospects, but they both could quickly come up and provide some much-needed spark for a Twins team that often rotates players onto the IL. ERod and Keaschall also might be part of the crew that rotates on the IL, as both have had some injuries. EDor more so. Erod has the higher upside because Emmanuel Rodriguez could be a superstar if it clicks. The quality of contact is fantastic, and there is plenty of speed, and he plays a good defensive centerfield. He smashed his double 113, showcasing his power in the tank. Keaschall hits; he is one of the better contact hitters in the high minors, and he showed that last year even after dealing with Tommy John. These two are both up by May at the latest. 

Dalton Rushing, DH LAD (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, HR, R, RBI

There was no Rushing this one. Dalton is just hanging out in Triple-A, waiting for an opportunity, which is such a luxury for the Dodgers. He would be up by now for half the league and hitting toward the middle of the lineup. However, he is stuck hanging out in Oklahoma City and hitting the ball hard. He could be up and serve as the backup catcher and a factor in the platoon in left field. I have some serious questions about playing time. If you are patient, it might figure itself out, but the last thing you might want is to get stuck holding onto him when he graduates from prospect status, and you can’t put him back in your minors if your league rolls like that. 

Nick Frasso, RHP LAD (Triple-A)  

2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K 

Welcome back to the mound, Nick Frasso. Man, the Dodgers really have it all; they get their top pitching prospects back, and their offense feels inevitable. The arm action is still rather long for my liking, but the changeup flashed well in this one, and he hit in the low 90s. It is good to see Frasso back on the mound. 

Moises Ballesteros, C CHC (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, 2B, R 

Owen Caissie, RF CHC (Triple-A)  

1-for-3, HR, R, RBI

Ben Cowles, SS CHC (Triple-A)  

2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

James Triantos, 2B CHC (Triple-A)  

1-for-4, 2 SB 

The future and present pieces of the Cubs were out in full force for this one. Ballesteros continues to show himself as one of the game’s premier offensive backstops, and given the lack of offensive firepower the Cubs currently have from their catchers, I am not buying the 5 RBI performance from Amaya; it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see Ballesteros up rather quickly. Especially when you factor in Ballesteros, the final evolution of Squirtle is not this flat-out no as a catcher the way some say he is. Caissie is stuck in Triple-A till an injury issue strikes because the depth in this outfield is pretty crazy. He might have to hope for a trade at this point, mainly if Tucker does stick around. Cowles is someone the more I look at prospects, the more I like him, and I might prefer him to Triantos, who we have seen the full prospect experience with Triantos, but more on that later. Cowles can play shortstop and is a better fit as a defensively versatile bench-piece. We have gone from Trianto being a sleeper to underrated, and he might be overrated at this point. I am interested in seeing how the Cubs utilize this prospect depth this season because they could be big players for anyone if a need arises in the rotation. 

Adael Amador, 2B COL (Triple-A)  

2-for-4

He was rolling in the deep in this one. Last year was weird for Amador as the Rockies rushed him to the majors amid Amador struggling to make contact. It was strange, but it is what you and I can expect from the Rockies. I am not out on Amador, and this offseason was a nice buying window, especially if Amador gets off to a hot start in Triple-A and gets promoted to the majors. He can be a solid 15-18 homer bat who pitches in with 20-25 steals. 

Nick Kurtz, 1B SAC (Triple-A)  

1-for-3, 2B, BB

Kurtz was a favorite of mine during the FYPD portion of the offseason, as much as a consensus top 5 pick can be a “favorite.” Three batted ball events for the former Wake Forest hitter and all three of them were hit hard. That is what we will expect from the 6-5 240 slugger. I give it another couple of weeks before the A’s call Kurtz up, as Tyler Soderstrom is among the hottest hitters (2 games I know) on the planet right now, and that will allow them to gain the extra year of service time. Kurtz could hit 18-20 homers even in a brief taste of major league ball this year.