Quinn Priester is poised to take that subsequent step and stay as much as his first-round pedigree. Alternative paired with elevated octane are among the many explanation why. Drafted 18th total by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 out of Cary-Grove Excessive College, the erstwhile Illinois prep stands an excellent likelihood of breaking camp within the Purple Sox beginning rotation. With Brayan Bello (shoulder) and Kutter Crawford (knee) more likely to start the season the injured checklist, Priester is effectively positioned to assist fill the void.
The improved heater components closely into his hoped-for emergence as a longtime big-league hurler. The 24-year-old right-hander’s two-seamer averaged 93.1 mph final yr, and this spring it has persistently been just a few ticks larger. In his final outing, Priester topped out at 97.
“The cutter is getting higher, however greater than something it’s been the rate piece,” Priester mentioned of his latest developmental strides. “We’re making an attempt to see that pattern upwards, and maintain all through video games. I need to be 96-plus with the sinker, after which let the whole lot else complement that pitch.”
Added muscle has contributed to the extra oomph. Acquired by Boston ultimately summer season’s commerce deadline in alternate for Nick Yorke, Priester presently carries 220 kilos on his 6-foot-3 body, 10 greater than a yr in the past. He’s evolving in different methods, as effectively. More and more mature, he’s studying the nuances of his craft.
“Once I signed, I used to be energy fastball, energy curveball,” defined Priester, whose MLB ledger features a 6.23 ERA and a 5.72 FIP over 99-and-two-thirds frames. “However as you go up by way of the degrees, you’re not going to get by on simply energy stuff alone — not until you’re actually, actually particular. I’ve wanted to learn to throw the sinker to each side of the plate, throw the slider off of it, and use the changeup to enrich these pitches. Now I’m growing a cutter to carry lefties trustworthy, and likewise persevering with to enhance my energy curveball. Being an entire starter is vital.”
Priester pointed to the change of surroundings when requested if he actually feels able to grow to be a constant big-league starter.
“I undoubtedly do,” he mentioned. “I’ve had lots of expertise the previous two years, components of them within the massive leagues, and because the transition — being traded over right here — I’ve been helped quite a bit. I’ve been inspired to dive into the issues I’m actually good at. I’ve been inspired to not change as a lot. That sort of reasoning — lots of can-dos — has resulted in some freedom on the mound. That’s the place I really feel I can thrive. I’m sort of seeing all of it come collectively.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Paul O’Neill went 12 for 18 in opposition to Buddy Groom.
Invoice Doran went 12 for 25 in opposition to Tom Glavine.
Hal Morris went 19 for 50 in opposition to Greg Maddux.
Chris Sabo went 15 for 34 in opposition to Steve Avery.
Billy Hatcher went 15 for 37 in opposition to Invoice Gullickson.
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Diego Cartaya is a catcher seeking to flip the nook. The highest-ranked prospect within the Los Angeles Dodgers system as not too long ago as two years in the past, the 23-year-old Maracay, Venezuela-born backstop is now seeking to revitalize his profession with the Twins. DFA’d by the Dodgers in January, Cartaya was subsequently swapped to Minnesota in alternate for 20-year-old right-hander Jose Vasquez.
I not too long ago requested Cartaya concerning the tough street he’s adopted, and what he must do to achieve baseball’s highest stage.
“We undergo a course of, and it clearly hasn’t gone the way in which I’ve needed it to,” mentioned Cartaya, who posted an 85 wRC+ and a 28.2% strikeout charge final yr between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis. “However the objective is identical. I’m making an attempt to be the perfect individual I may be. With my swing, I’ve been engaged on making an attempt to make it flatter, and making an attempt to be extra behind the ball.”
Late within the 2022 season, Cartaya informed me that he was once “extra of a giant launch-angle man,” however he’d since flattened out his path. For no matter motive, the adjustment by no means caught.
“On the time it was my although course of, however I sort of acquired away from it,” admitted Cartaya. “From the tip of final yr all through the offseason, and now right here [in spring training] that has been my predominant objective The flatter and extra behind the ball I’m, the higher I do.
“Swinging is one thing so distinctive,” continued Cartaya. “And it’s by no means excellent. We’re at all times going by way of a course of. Again then [2022 in the Midwest League], it was simpler for me to do what I needed to with my swing, however your physique modifications and you progress in a different way. I’ve gotten larger as I grow old. I weighed 205-210 and now I’m 220. I’m not as cellular as I was, however that’s nothing dangerous, as a result of it’s muscle weight. I really feel like I’m in a great place. I feel I’m making good changes with my swing.”
Earmarked for the minors to start the marketing campaign, Cartaya has logged simply eight plate appearances this spring. He has one hit and has gone down on strikes 5 occasions.
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Which participant had the higher profession, Pete Rose or Carl Yastrzemski? I requested that query in a Twitter ballot just a few days in the past, and the outcome was becoming given their respective statistical accomplishments. The Boston Purple Sox icon garnered 67.4% of the votes solid, whereas the Cincinnati Reds icon and MLB all-time-hits chief obtained simply 32.6%.
Yaz’s edge was higher than you may count on. Whereas Rose recorded 4,256 hits to Yastrzemski’s 3,419, the latter logged 452 homers to the previous’s 160, and his wRC+ benefit was 130 to 121. Furthermore, Yaz’s finest wRC+ seasons have been 194, 179, and 170. Rose’s have been a comparably humble 154, 150, and 144. Not surprisingly, Yaz (94.4) additionally amassed extra WAR than Rose (80.1).
The accolades are largely even. Yaz had 18 All-Star berths to Rose’s 17, and every received three batting titles and one MVP. And whereas Yaz has a seven-two benefit in Gold Gloves — he additionally received a triple crown — Rose boasted one thing his modern missed out on fully: three World Collection rings.
As for the Corridor of Fame, depend me amongst those that really feel Rose ought to stay on the skin trying in. MLB is taking part in with sufficient fireplace on the playing entrance already. The integrity of the sport is paramount, and reinstating Rose would ship the improper message.
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A quiz:
Which Corridor of Famer hit his lone big-league house run in his first-ever at-bat?
The reply may be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
The Baltimore Orioles introduced on Thursday that Adam Jones and Joe Orsulak have been elected to the staff’s Corridor of Fame. The duo will probably be formally honored on August 8 at Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
Frank Saucier, an outfielder who performed in 18 video games for the St. Louis Browns in 1951, died on March 3 at age 98 (per Baseball Participant Passings). The Leslie, Missouri native went 1-for-14, together with his lone MLB hit coming in Cleveland in opposition to Mike Garcia. Saucier was the participant that 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel famously pinch-hit for.
José Valdivielso, a local of Matanzas, Cuba who performed for the Washington Nationals/Minnesota Twins from 1955-1961, died on March 4 at age 90. An infielder, Valdivielso was a part of the one all-Cuban triple play in MLB historical past, combining with Camilo Pascual and Julio Bécquer to erase Whitey Herzog and a pair of Kansas Metropolis Athletics baserunners.
A reminder that this yr’s SABR Analytics Convention will happen this coming week, from March 14-16, at Arizona State College’s downtown Phoenix campus. Extra data may be discovered right here.
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The reply to the quiz is Hoyt Wilhelm. The knuckleballer went deep on April 23, 1952, then proceeded to come back to the plate 492 extra occasions with out leaving the yard. He did hit just a few on the farm. Previous to reaching the majors, Wilhelm homered twice for the North Carolina State League’s Mooresville Moors in 1947, and as soon as for the Tri-State League’s Knoxville Smokies in 1948.
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Which participant is the important thing to the Yankees’ success this season? I requested that query to Dan Martin, who covers the membership for the New York Submit.
“Identical to the previous few years, Aaron Choose enters 2025 because the Yankees’ most vital participant,” Martin informed me. “Positive, they’ll want Cody Bellinger and others to supply to make up for the lack of Juan Soto within the lineup, and Gerrit Cole has to pitch like an ace, however the Yankee offense has confirmed it wants Choose to be an MVP candidate—- and wholesome— with a purpose to be harmful. That would be the case once more this yr, particularly with Soto in Queens.
“Need proof? A yr in the past, Choose performed in 158 video games and completed with an fWAR of 11.2 and the Yankees completed in first place within the AL East. In 2022, he appeared in 157 video games with an 11.1 fWAR, with the Yankees profitable the division. However in 2023, a toe damage restricted him to 106 video games and a 4.7 fWAR — and the Yankees ended up in fourth place, with their worst season in many years.”
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Which Yankees pitcher has caught David Cone’s consideration this spring? I requested the previous Cy Younger Award winner that query just a few days in the past.
“There’s nothing extra vital than growing your personal beginning pitching, so I at all times search for the younger children within the group,” replied Cone, who serves as an analyst for the YES Community and ESPN Sunday Evening Baseball. “To me, it’s Will Warren. He’s the man who appears to be like like he’s going to take a giant step this yr. He took his lumps within the massive leagues final season, however he continues to enhance. That’s what each group wishes — a homegrown beginning pitcher — and he’s regarded nice this spring.”
Warren surrendered 27 runs in 22-and-two-thirds innings after making his MLB debut final summer season. To this point in Grapefruit League motion, he has allowed simply two hits and one run, with 11 strikeouts, over eight innings. The 25-year-old right-hander is No. 2 on our 2025 New York Yankees High Prospects checklist, with a 50 FV.
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Leaping over to the AL Central, which participant is the important thing to the Tigers’ success this season? I requested Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press for his perspective.
“It’s straightforward to level to Tarik Skubal, however no participant is extra essential to the Tigers’ success this season than Parker Meadows, their leadoff hitter and centerfielder,” opined Petzold. “Simply have a look at final season: Detroit posted a .653 profitable share in video games he began (49-26) and an excellent higher .738 mark when he recorded successful (31-11). After making a swing adjustment in Triple-A Toledo, he hit .299 with an .857 OPS over his remaining 50 video games, signaling a possible long-term breakout.
“Past his offensive upside, Meadows is an elite defender in middle area and one of many quickest gamers on the bases. If he maintains above-average manufacturing on the plate, he might be price at the least 4.0 fWAR in 2025 — placing him amongst MLB’s high 5 centerfielders. One of the best starter in baseball takes the mound as soon as each 5 days, however an elite centerfielder impacts the sport day by day. If Meadows unlocks his potential, the Tigers’ ceiling rises with him.”
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The Tigers leaned on their relievers fairly a bit in 2024, and mixing-and-matching out of the pen guarantees to stay a giant half a part of supervisor A.J. Hinch’s run-prevention technique. Even so, Detroit’s beginning rotation might very effectively be a energy. Together with reigning AL Cy Younger Award winner Tarik Skubal, Hinch can provide the ball to Jack Flaherty, Jackson Jobe, Kenta Maeda, Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Keider Montero, and Reese Olson. As soon as he’s wholesome, Alex Cobb will issue into the equation as effectively.
How would Hinch evaluate this yr’s Tigers rotation to the perfect he’s had as a supervisor?
“I’ve had some fairly skilled guys who’re in all probability ticketed for Cooperstown, so it’s fairly laborious to check any workers to among the finest ones I’ve had,” mentioned Hinch, who had Gerrit Cole, Zack Greinke, and Justin Verlander in Houston. “However that is as proficient and deep a rotation as any supervisor might ask for proper now… whoever finally ends up being a starter — 5, six, seven, eight — there’s little or no hole amongst the group that’s competing to make the opening day roster. It’s an excellent downside to have, if it’s even an issue in any respect. It’s extra of a perceived downside than an precise downside.”
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SPRING TRAINING STANDOUTS
Detroit’s Kenta Maeda has 14 strikeouts and one stroll in eight-and-two thirds innings. He has allowed six hits and three runs.
Toronto’s Max Scherzer has 14 strikeouts and no walks in 9 innings. He has allowed three hits and two runs.
San Francisco’s Landen Roupp has 11 strikeouts and one stroll in eight-and-a-third scoreless innings. He’s allowed only one hit.
Tampa Bay’s Curtis Mead is 15-for-21 with a double and a house run in 24 plate appearances
Minnesota’s Ty France is 11-for-20 with three doubles and two house runs in 22 plate appearances.
Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz is 10-for-19 with three doubles and three house runs in 23 plate appearances. He has three stolen bases in as many makes an attempt.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Fashionable period MLB historical past consists of 4 catchers who had at the least 2,000 plate appearances and a wRC+ of 130 or larger. Mickey Cochrane and Mike Piazza are within the Corridor of Fame, whereas Gene Tenace is well-known due to World Collection heroics and the plaudits he obtained in The Invoice James Historic Baseball Summary. After which there’s Dick Dietz.
A right-handed-hitting backstop who performed primarily for the San Francisco Giants in a profession that spanned the 1966-1973 season, Dietz logged a 132 wRC+ over 2,244 plate appearances. His 1970 marketing campaign was his finest. Taking part in on a staff that included the likes of Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, and Willie McCovey, Dietz slashed .300/.426/.515 with 36 doubles, 22 house runs, and a 152 wRC+. One other sturdy season adopted (19 house runs and a 132 wRC+), however then accidents started to take their toll. A couple of brief years later, Dietz — the most effective hitting catchers you’ve perhaps by no means heard of — noticed his taking part in profession come to an finish.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Toronto Blue Jays prospect Alan Roden studied astrophysics at Creighton College — quasars and black holes have been particular areas of examine — and now he’s on the verge of taking part in within the massive leagues. Ben Nicholson-Smith has the story at SportsNet.
MLB.com’s Michael Clair wrote about Group Germany infielder/outfielder Lou Helmig, whose grandfather, Claus, is named “the godfather of German baseball.”
Len Pasculli profiled erstwhile slugger Steve Balboni for the SABR BioProject.
The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma wrote about how Chicago Cubs southpaw Matthew Boyd isn’t reinventing himself, however moderately doubling down on who he’s.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Scott Boras slashed .295/.378/.387 with two house runs in 512 plate appearances for the Florida State League’s St. Louis Cardinals in 1976.
Otis Nixon had 1,199 singles and 180 extra-base hits.Harmon Killebrew had 1,199 singles and 787 extra-base hits.
Richie Ashburn had 2,574 hits, together with 29 house runs.Manny Ramirez had 2,574 hits, together with 555 house runs.
The Chicago Cubs signed Andre Dawson as a free agent on right now’s date in 1987. The erstwhile Montreal Expo went on to be named NL MVP after leaving the yard 49 occasions and driving in 137 runs within the first of his six seasons as a Cub.
Gamers born on right now’s date embrace Shooty Babitt, who recorded 40 hits whereas showing in 52 video games for the Oakland Athletics in 1981. A neighborhood product who was drafted by the A’s out of Berkeley Excessive College, the 5-foot-8 infielder’s given title was Mack Neal.
Additionally born on right now’s date was Paul Martin, a right-hander whose skilled profession comprised seven video games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955 — and no video games within the minor leagues. The Brownstown, Pennsylvania native issued 17 free passes, fanned 4 batters, and logged a 14.14 ERA over seven innings. Two of his strikeouts got here in opposition to Jackie Robinson.
The primary Australian-born participant in MLB historical past was Joe Quinn. The Queensland native performed from 1884-1901, initially with the Union Affiliation’s St. Louis Maroons, and later with seven different groups, together with the notorious 1899 Cleveland Spiders who completed 20-134. Quinn was an infielder.
Wimpy Quinn slashed .343/.413/.522 with 22 house runs for the California League’s Bakersfield Indians in 1949. Eight years earlier. the Birmingham, Alabama native — his given title was Wellington Hunt — went 1-for-2 on the plate whereas showing in three video games, all as a pitcher, for the Chicago Cubs.
