1 week agoThe Houston Astros have signed free-agent left-hander
Steven Okert to a minor-league deal. Okert wasn't very good in 2024 with the Minnesota Twins, but he'll get another opportunity in spring training in 2025 with the Astros. In his 44 appearances (one start) over 35 1/3 innings with the Twins this past season, Okert posted a bloated 5.09 ERA (5.12 FIP), a career-worst 1.50 WHIP, 33 strikeouts and 16 walks while going 3-2. The 33-year-old southpaw will most likely open the campaign at Triple-A Sugar Land but should eventually see some time in the big leagues in Houston. He was originally drafted in the fourth round in 2012 out of Oklahoma by the San Francisco Giants. Okert has a career 4.34 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with only one save, which came last year with the Twins. He's not at all on the fantasy radar heading into 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe Texas Rangers signed right-hander
Luis Curvelo to an undisclosed major-league contract on Wednesday. It's a bit of a surprise that Curvelo landed a big-league deal since he has not played beyond Double-A in the minors. The 24-year-old Venezuelan hurler pitched in the Seattle Mariners' system in 2024 and went 4-0 with a 2.57 ERA, a 0.85 WHIP, 78 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 66 2/3 relief innings over 49 appearances out of the bullpen for Double-A Arkansas. Curvelo will be competing for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen at spring training in 2025, and he could end up being a high-leverage arm for Texas if he can keep the momentum going that he established on the farm last season. In his six seasons in the minor leagues, Curvelo has a 3.51 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 334:92 K:BB in 294 2/3 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
1 week agoMinnesota Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler said that the team is leaving open the possibility of moving right-handed reliever
Griffin Jax into the starting rotation next season. The Twins already have a pretty deep rotation, but Jax could join that list next year. The 29-year-old former third-round pick in 2016 out of Air Force was outstanding in his 72 appearances out of the Twins' bullpen in 2024 in his fourth year in the big leagues. Jax had a career-best 2.03 ERA (1.94 FIP), a career-high 10 saves, a 0.87 WHIP, a career-high 95 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 71 innings pitched. He's been a workhorse for Minnesota the last three years, combining for a 3.06 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 15 saves and a 241:54 K:BB in 208 2/3 frames. Jax was an excellent source of holds and ratios as a reliever, and while he'd have plenty of value as a starter, too, his innings would also certainly be capped.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Mike Ferrin
1 week agoA day after hitting his AFL-leading ninth home run, Detroit Tigers first base/catching prospect
Josue Briceno stayed hot, going 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles, four RBI, and three runs scored for the Scottsdale Scorpions. You might be looking at the eventual Arizona Fall League MVP as the 20-year-old now leads the circuit -- by a wide margin in some cases -- in hits (36), home runs (9), RBI (26), AVG (.439), SLG (.866), and OPS (1.371). Winning AFL MVP honors could put him in some pretty good company, including the likes of
Nolan Arenado (2011),
Kris Bryant (2013),
Ronald Acuna Jr. (2017),
Royce Lewis (2019), and
Heston Kjerstad (2022). He's just 20 years old and likely a couple of years away from the majors, but his AFL performance could put him on the fast track.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1
week
agoChicago
Cubs
catching
prospect
Moises
Ballesteros
kept
hitting
on
Tuesday,
going
2-for-3
with
a
walk
for
the
Mesa
Solar
Sox.
The
performance
raised
his
average
to
.320
in
the
fall
season
with
a
.946
OPS.
The
successful
fall
campaign
comes
on
the
heels
read more...
1
week
agoNew
York
Yankees
infield
prospect
Caleb
Durbin
is
scorching
hot
right
now,
at
the
plate
and
on
the
basepaths,
going
3-for-4
with
a
home
run,
a
walk,
four
RBI,
three
runs
scored,
and
two
more
stolen
bases
in
his
latest
Arizona
Fall
League
read more...
1 week agoFresh off winning the Arizona Fall League (AFL) Fall Stars game MVP, Detroit Tigers catching prospect
Thayron Liranzo continued that momentum in his first game back with the Scottsdale Scorpions on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with a solo home run, three RBI, and a run scored. The Tigers acquired Liranzo earlier this season in the
Jack Flaherty trade and has impressed with his new club. After a strong showing at High-A West Michigan, the young backstop now owns a .375/.492/.667 slashline over 15 games in the AFL and has shown a patient eye, walking more than he is striking out (11:9 BB:K). With just a couple of games left in the AFL regular season, it appears the 21-year-old has made a strong case to begin next season at Double-A and perhaps make a push toward Triple-A with some continued success. He likely won't be in a Tigers uniform until 2026 or beyond, but a switch-hitting offensive catcher is something dynasty managers would be wise to keep an eye on.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies pitching prospect
Andrew Painter had another strong start in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) on Tuesday, striking out six batters in 2 2/3 innings while allowing just one earned run on two hits and two walks. It brings his AFL ERA to 2.30 with a 0.89 WHIP, .189 average against, and a 4:18 BB:K over 15 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old is the Phillies' top pitching prospect but hasn't pitched during the regular season since finishing the 2022 season at Double-A, missing all of 2023 and 2024 while recovering from elbow problems and ultimately Tommy John surgery. The former first-round draft pick looks good so far and will likely have a shot to make the big-league rotation come spring. However, there would almost certainly be some type of innings limit implemented, which of course would be unfortunate for fantasy. MLB.com's top-prospects list ranks the 6-foot-7 righty as No. 32 overall, offering strong strikeout potential combined with excellent command. He should already be stashed in dynasty formats despite missing so much time.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1
week
agoMajor
League
Baseball
announced
the
2024
National
League
Silver
Slugger
winners
on
Tuesday
on
MLB
Network.
The
winners
in
the
NL
were
Phillies
1B
Bryce
Harper,
Diamondbacks
2B
Ketel
Marte,
Mets
SS
Franciscoread more...
1
week
agoMajor
League
Baseball
announced
the
2024
American
League
Silver
Slugger
winners
on
Tuesday
on
MLB
Network.
The
winners
in
the
AL
were
Blue
Jays
1B
Vladimir
Guerrero
Jr.,
Astros
2B
Jose
Altuve,
Royals
SS
Bobby
Wittread more...
1 week agoThe San Francisco Giants don't currently have a meeting scheduled with free-agent outfielder
Juan Soto, according to team sources. The New York Yankees and New York Mets are considered the favorites to land the generational talent on the open market this year, but they won't be the only clubs in the mix. It was reported earlier on Tuesday that the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox also plan to meet with Soto's team soon, while the Giants could eventually get involved, too. The Los Angeles Dodgers could also be in the mix, but they'd likely need Soto's price to come down. ESPN's Kiley McDaniels projects Soto to land a contract for around 14 years and north of $600 million. The Yankees might have the most incentive to re-sign him after the 26-year-old Dominican led them to the World Series with a .288/.419/.569 slash line with a league-leading 128 runs and a career-high 41 home runs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jayson Stark
2 weeks agoThe Chicago White Sox announced on Tuesday that infielder
Nicky Lopez and left-hander
Sammy Peralta both cleared waivers and elected free agency instead of accepting their outright assignments to the minor leagues. In his first season with the last-place White Sox in 2024, Lopez was the team's primary second baseman and finished with a .241/.312/.294 slash line, weak .606 OPS, only one home run, 21 RBI, five stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 445 trips to the plate over 124 games played. The 29-year-old will most likely be searching for a minor-league deal on the open market as a utility infielder. In his six big-league seasons since debuting in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals, Lopez has a .248/.312/.314 slash line with only seven homers, 152 RBI and 47 stolen bases in 668 games. Lopez isn't going to be on the fantasy radar in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago White Sox
2 weeks agoMinnesota Twins president and CEO Dave St. Peter has stepped down from his post after a 22-year tenure with the organization and will transition into a strategic advisory role while having a voice in guiding the ownership group and organizational business leadership. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey will begin transitioning to the business side of the organization in St. Peter's place under the new title of president of baseball and business operations. Jeremy Zoll will be the team's new general manager after being promoted from assistant GM to fill the role left by the departure of Thad Levine. Earlier this offseason, the Pohlad family announced its intent to explore selling the team, so the direction of this franchise is very uncertain right now. St. Peter was one of only four people who have held the title of team president in the history of the Twins franchise.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
2 weeks agoTampa Bay Rays shortstop
Wander Franco will now face charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic countryside during an armed altercation on Sunday, according to public prosecutors. Franco had been held for questioning by police but is expected to be granted his release on Tuesday. A Glock with its magazines and 15 rounds of ammunition but no registration papers were found in Franco's Mercedes-Benz at the time of the altercation. There were no injuries, and the involved parties won't be pressing charges. The use and possession of illegal firearms carries a maximum sentence of three to five years. Franco is currently on indefinite administrative leave from MLB and will stand trial in the DR on Dec. 12 in a separate case involving charges of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor. He's unlikely to play baseball in the big leagues again.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: espn.com - Juan Recio
2 weeks agoFree-agent catcher
Travis d'Arnaud and the Los Angeles Angels agreed on a two-year, $12 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. d'Arnaud hit the free-agent market after the World Series after the Atlanta Braves declined his $8 million team option for the 2025 season. Despite splitting playing time behind the plate the last two years in Atlanta with
Sean Murphy, the 35-year-old veteran was serviceable on offense, slashing .232/.295/.418 with a .714 OPS, 26 home runs, 87 RBI and 71 runs scored in 173 games played and 633 plate appearances. d'Arnaud will be returning home to LA and should be expected to serve as the team's backup catcher behind
Logan O'Hoppe. He could still be attractive in two-catcher leagues, but the move to Anaheim from Atlanta no doubt is a downgrade fantasy-wise in a much less potent offense.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
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