The college baseball season started this weekend. Storylines from Spring Training. Who might yet be traded? Plus other baseball news.
Good morning.
- We had real baseball over the weekend, albeit the kind with aluminum bats. Jacob Rudner has 12 takeaways from NCAA baseball’s opening weekend.
- Rudner also has 18 college pitchers who stood out this weekend.
- A college baseball preview roundtable.
- Michael Baumann has seven college teams he thinks you should be watching this year.
- If all you care about college baseball is which players are going in the first round, R. J. Anderson has the top 30 draft prospects for 2025.
- And for those really into the draft, David Gerth has 11 top prospects for the 2026 MLB draft.
- For those of you who are more interested in Spring Training, Mike Axisa has the most interesting non-roster invitee to Spring Training for each MLB team.
- Nolan Arenado arrived for Cardinals Spring Training after a winter of trade rumors. Arenado said he’s “comfortable” as a Card.
- Marcus Stroman reported to Yankees camp after a similar off-season of trade rumors. Stroman insists that he’s a starting pitcher, not a reliever.
- Jayson Stark did his survey of MLB executives, coaches and scouts and asked them about the biggest storylines coming into Spring Training. (The Athletic sub. req.) I love that none of them could name three Marlins off the top of their heads. Well, one could, but they were all on the 2003 team.
- Stark also asked them which players they think are most likely to get traded in Spring Training. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Mike Axisa also looks at trade candidates and also projects where they might land.
- Russell Dorsey writes that the Dodgers are going to be even better this season and the other 29 teams are to blame.
- Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw said it wasn’t the right time to retire.
- Chad Jennings writes that with free agent third baseman Alex Bregman joining Boston, the Red Sox are dangerous again. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- However, as Dayn Perry reports, there is no easy answer as to where Bregman is going to play with the Red Sox.
- After Bregman’s deal with the Red Sox, Gabe Lacques checks back in with how superagent Scott Boras’ top clients have done.
- Jake Mintz has three questions for the Braves heading into Spring Training.
- Shortstop Paul DeJong agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Nationals.
- No one reports to Spring Training claiming to be in “the best shape of my life” anymore because it has become such a cliché that they’ll get mocked. But after losing 30 pounds this winter, Rays outfielder Eloy Jiménez said he “feels really good” coming into camp.
- Mike Petriello has three contenders that improved their defense this winter and two that went backwards. Guess which category the Cubs are in?
- David Schoenfield has a way-too-early predictions for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game rosters. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
- Our heart and prayers go out to former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, who announced that he is battling stage 4 stomach cancer over the weekend.
- Daniel Russell writes that the Rays executives are lying as they continue to claim that Pinellas County “broke” the contract for a new stadium with delays.
- Tom Verducci writes that banning the shift hasn’t changed baseball at all.
- New inductee Ichiro Suzuki plans to donate his entire personal collection to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
- Reds manager Terry Francona says he’s healthy and in a good place after taking a year off from managing. (The Athletic sub. req.) Ken Rosenthal reports.
- Kennedi Landry reports on how managing Team France made Bruce Bochy realize how much he missed being in the dugout and made him accept the Rangers’ managerial job.
- And finally, in light of the show’s 50th anniversary, Bryan Hoch has the best baseball moments on Saturday Night Live.