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MLBTR Podcast: Twins Front Office Shake-Up, The Brendan Donovan Trade, Eugenio Suarez, And More!

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

  • Examining MLB’s Parity Situation – Also, Bellinger, Peralta, Robert, And Gore – listen here
  • What The Tucker And Bichette Contracts Mean For Baseball – Also, Nolan Arenado And Ranger Suarez – listen here
  • The Cubs Land Cabrera And Bregman, Remaining Free Agents, And Skubal’s Arbitration Filing – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Joe Puetz, Imagn Images

Twins Claim Jackson Kowar

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The Twins have claimed right-hander Jackson Kowar off waivers from the Mariners, according to announcements from both clubs. Seattle had designated him for assignment a week ago when they acquired catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Twins. Minnesota had an open 40-man roster spot for Kowar thanks to trading Edouard Julien to the Rockies last week.

There’s a little bit of musical chairs happening here. The Twins recently signed catcher Victor Caratini and lefty Taylor Rogers, meaning they needed to open two roster spots. They designated Pereda and righty Pierson Ohl for assignment. They traded Pereda to Seattle, which nudged Kowar into DFA limbo. The Twins then traded both Ohl and Julien to the Rockies, getting a minor leaguer and cash while dropping their 40-man count to 39. They have now used that open roster spot to claim Kowar.

The 29-year-old Kowar has big velocity, averaging in the upper 90s with his four-seamer and sinker, but hasn’t yet translated that into major league success. He has 91 big league innings under his belt, split between the Royals and Mariners, allowing 8.21 earned runs per nine. He has walked 13.1% of batters faced, somewhat normal for guys with big heat, but has only punched out 20.3% of opponents. He hasn’t had much success in Triple-A either, with a 4.92 ERA at that level.

Seattle burned Kowar’s final option in 2025, so he is now out of options. Since he hasn’t been able to put up good numbers in the majors or the minors, he got nudged off the roster. For the Twins, they had a roster spot open and they also have huge bullpen questions. As part of their deadline fire sale last year, they traded away Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Danny Coulombe and Brock Stewart.

They are planning to return to contention in 2026 but haven’t done much to reload the relief corps. Apart from signing the 35-year-old Rogers, their biggest move has been to acquire Eric Orze, who has just 35 big league appearances.

Kowar is a wild card but the big velo is a nice starting point, even if he hasn’t harnessed it yet. He has landed with a club that should have lots of opportunities available. But given his out-of-options status and poor numbers, it’s possible the Twins try to pass him through waivers in the future. He doesn’t have a previous career outright nor three years of big league service time, so he wouldn’t have the right to reject an outright assignment.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Lee, Imagn Images

Mariners Acquire Brendan Donovan

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The Mariners, Rays and Cardinals officially announced a three-team deal that sends infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan to Seattle. The full breakdown is as follows:

  • The Mariners send infielder Ben Williamson to the Rays, as well as prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete and a competitive balance round B pick (#68 overall) to the Cardinals, receiving infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals.
  • The Cardinals send infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan to the Mariners, getting prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete plus a competitive balance round B pick (#68 overall) from the Mariners, as well as receiving outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter and a competitive balance round B pick (#72 overall) from the Rays.
  • The Rays send outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter and a competitive balance round B pick (#72 overall) to the Cardinals, receiving infielder Ben Williamson from the Mariners.

A Donovan trade has felt inevitable for quite a while. The Cardinals have been leaning harder into a rebuild this winter. They tried to kick off a reset last offseason but struggled to move their veteran players with no-trade clauses and ended up mostly standing pat. With president of baseball operations John Mozeliak ceding the reins to new president Chaim Bloom after the 2025 campaign, it became clear that the club would push harder to focus on the future.

Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras all had no-trade clauses in their contracts and seemed reluctant to approve deals in the 2024-25 offseason. As last year was winding down, they all publicly expressed a greater openness to playing for new teams in 2026. That has now come to fruition for all three. Gray and Contreras were both traded to the Red Sox, while Arenado landed with the Diamondbacks.

Donovan’s situation was slightly different. Those other three guys were all veterans making eight-figure salaries. Moving them out of St. Louis was partially about slashing the payroll and also about opening up opportunities for younger players as part of the rebuild. Donovan, on the other hand, is still in his arbitration seasons. He will make a relatively modest $5.8MM in 2026 and would be due a raise in 2027.

It wouldn’t be necessary to trade Donovan for financial reasons at that price. But with the Cards expecting their rebuild to last a few years, it made sense to make Donovan available since he’s just two years away from free agency. An extension was another possibility but Donovan is now 29, so he’ll be going into his age-31 season in his first free agent year, and it’s unclear if the Cards will be competitive by then.

Donovan was a case where the St. Louis front office wouldn’t have to worry about the contract and could focus on simply bringing back as much talent as possible. With his modest salary and inability to block trades, the Cards could scour the league to see what teams were willing to pay in terms of prospect capital. Since Donovan can play all over the diamond, with experience at all four infield positions and the outfield corners, almost any contender could fit him onto the roster.

It’s not just defensive versatility that Donovan brings to the table. In his four big league seasons, he has been remarkably consistent with a contact-based approach at the plate. His strikeout rate has been in the 12 to 15% range in each season of his career, during a time when the league average is usually around 22% or so. He has also drawn walks at a rate right around league par. He doesn’t have huge power but has hit at least 10 home runs in each of the past three seasons.

Put it all together and Donovan has a career .282/.361/.411 slash line. That translates to a 119 wRC+, indicating he has been 19% better than league average at the plate overall. Each of his four seasons has ended with a wRC+ between 115 and 127. A consistently above average hitter with an affordable salary who can capably play many different positions made Donovan a good fit for many teams and he reportedly received interest from about half the clubs in the league. He underwent sports hernia surgery in October but that doesn’t seem to have put a damper on his market and there has been no reporting to suggest he won’t be healthy for spring training.

The Mariners certainly stood out as one of the best fits, if not the very best. They went into the winter with some question marks in various positions but also potential internal solutions. They finished 2025 with Jorge Polanco as their regular second baseman and Eugenio Suárez at third. Both became free agents and have since agreed to deals with different clubs, Polanco with the Mets and Suárez the Reds.

Seattle had interest in bringing both back but it also would have been a bit awkward to sign either. Putting Polanco back at second would have blocked Cole Young. He debuted in 2025 and didn’t have immediate success, with a .211/.302/.305 line on the year. However, he may have been held back by a .247 batting average on balls in play, as his 10.9% walk rate and 18.3% strikeout rate were both quite good. The M’s presumably don’t want to give up on him just based on that initial exposure to the big leagues. Middle infield prospect Michael Arroyo is also not far off, having reached Double-A in 2025. Ryan Bliss showed some promise before he spent most of 2025 on the injured list.

At third base, the Mariners already gave some big league time to Williamson last year. He didn’t hit much but got really strong reviews for his glovework, getting credited with eight Defensive Runs Saved in 703 innings. That gave them a glove-first floor at the position.

Meanwhile, they have Colt Emerson lurking. A consensus top 20 prospect coming into 2026, he crushed High-A and Double-A in 2025, getting a late promotion to Triple-A for six games. He could be the long-term shortstop but his glovework is considered a bit behind his bat. With J.P. Crawford signed through 2026, Emerson could theoretically cover third in 2026 and then move over to short for 2027. However, he is only 20 years old and has barely reached Triple-A, so there’s no guarantee of that scenario playing out as scripted.

There’s also a bit of uncertainty in right field, where the Mariners have a cluster of guys including Víctor Robles, Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley and Rob Refsnyder. Robles was injured for most of 2025 and struggled when on the field. The other three guys have mostly found success in platoon roles, Canzone and Raley from the left side and Refsnyder the right.

Take all those situations into account and Donovan’s appeal becomes clear. His multi-positional abilities will allow the club to bounce him around depending on who else is healthy and producing. Perhaps he will start out projected at second base, since that is the position he has played most in his career. But if Young breaks out or Bliss bounces back, Donovan can be moved to third. With Williamson now leaving for Tampa, Donovan could cover the hot corner until Emerson charges forth and takes that spot. If second and third are both taken over by younger guys, then Donovan could see more time in the outfield. As injuries pop up throughout the year, the picture will change and Donovan can shift.

Donovan’s contact approach was likely also a part of the appeal. The Mariners had one of the highest strikeout rates in the majors in both 2023 and 2024, with a 25.9% rate in the former and a 26.8% clip in the latter. They made a concerted effort to get that down in 2025, dropping it to 23.3%, but that was still one of the seven highest rates out of the 30 clubs in the majors.

To get Donovan, the Mariners are dipping into their strong farm system but aren’t giving up any of their top guys. Cijntje, 23 in May, was Seattle’s first-round pick in 2024. The M’s took him 15th overall and signed him with a $4.8809MM bonus.

One of the most unique prospects, Cijntje primarily throws with his right arm but also throws with his left. He can get his fastball to the upper 90s with both arms but his lefty velocity is a tad lower. Basically, he has been working as a traditional righty starter but then occasionally switching to the left side when facing a lefty hitter. The potential outcomes with such a prospect are quite wide, as it’s never really been seen before. Pat Venditte pitched with both arms and was able to carve out a big league career from 2015 to 2020, but as a journeyman reliever.

Cijntje, on the other hand, seems capable of being a big league starter with his right arm. He posted a 3.99 ERA in 108 1/3 minor league innings last year. Baseball America recently ranked him the #7 prospect in a strong Seattle system.

Whether he would still mix in some lefty work in the long run is undetermined. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reported yesterday that Cijntje would be mostly focusing on his work as a righty in spring training. He was going to still throw as a lefty in some bullpen work but not in games.

The Cardinals will presumably shed some light on what they have in mind for Cijntje, though the team announced him as a right-handed pitcher in their press release. Whether it’s as a switch-pitcher or a traditional righty, he will give them some extra pitching depth, which has been their main target this winter. They also added Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke in the Gray trade, Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita in the Contreras deal and then Jack Martinez in the Arenado swap.

Some of those pitchers are immediate candidates for big league work but that shouldn’t be the case with Cijntje. He hasn’t yet reached Triple-A and has only seven starts at the Double-A level. If the switch-pitching experiment were to continue, he should arguably require more development time than a standard prospect, since it would be such an unprecedented path that there’s no map. He won’t be Rule 5 eligible until December of 2027, so the Cards could be very patient if they wanted, especially with the major league club not being competitive in the short term.

Peete, 20, was selected 30th overall in the 2023 draft and signed via a $2.5MM bonus. He has huge tools but also big question marks. In 2025, he got into 125 High-A games. He hit 19 home runs and stole 25 bases but also struck out in 30.6% of his plate appearances. Initially a shortstop who also dabbled at second and third, the Mariners moved him to the outfield last year, mostly in center but also with a decent amount of time in left.

It’s a long-term play with wide error bars but BA recently gave Peete the #10 spot in the Seattle system. The fact that he’s already striking out at such a high rate is worrisome, as hitters generally strike out more as they climb the minor league ladder and face tougher pitching. But his outfield defense is considered strong even though he just moved there, and there’s power in the bat. The ingredients are potentially there but St. Louis will have to be patient since he’s not close to the majors and needs some refinement.

Ledbetter, 24, was a second-round pick of the Rays in 2023. He profiles as a guy who can do a lot of things well but without a standout tool. He played 123 Double-A games last year, hitting seven home runs and stealing 37 bases while playing all three outfield spots. His 9.5% walk rate and 23.9% strikeout rate were both close to normal.

For the Rays, they are giving up Ledbetter and a draft pick but presumably feel Williamson is a worthwhile near-term upgrade to the big league squad, whereas Ledbetter and the pick wouldn’t be helping the team for a few years.

As mentioned, Williamson profiles as a glove-first third baseman, but he also has minor league experience at the middle infield spots. The Rays have one of the best young third basemen in Junior Caminero, who just wrapped up a 45-homer season in his age-21 campaign. His defense wasn’t especially well regarded, so Williamson could perhaps sub in for him late in games for better glovework.

The Rays traded away Brandon Lowe but then replaced him at second base by acquiring Gavin Lux. Hitting from the left side, Lux needs a platoon partner, as he has a career .269/.344/.406 line against righties but .198/.277/.260 against lefties. Williamson is a righty and hit better against southpaws in his debut last year, so perhaps he can help the Rays shield Lux. Williamson also has options and could be sent to the minors if complementing Lux and Caminero doesn’t get him enough playing time.

Ultimately, this deal is about the Mariners making a big upgrade to their team. They just went to the ALCS in 2025 and almost made it to the World Series, before a heartbreaking loss in game seven. Donovan adds to the 2026 and 2027 teams while also giving the club the flexibility to find roles for some of their younger guys who could be long-term pieces. He doesn’t break the bank financially and didn’t require the club to part with any of its best prospects.

The Cardinals cash in a guy who wasn’t going to be much use to them during their rebuild. They’ve added some more young talent to the system and also cleared more playing time for players who could be part of the next competitive cycle, including JJ Wetherholt, Thomas Saggese, Nolan Gorman, Joshua Baez and others. They also picked up two reasonably high draft picks to add a couple more prospects in July. That’ll likely add around $2.5MM to their bonus pool as well.

Further trades are theoretically possible. Lefty reliever JoJo Romero is an impending free agent and a natural trade candidate. He has stayed with the Cardinals thus far, so perhaps they haven’t been bowled over by the offers, which could lead to him staying in St. Louis until the summer deadline. Lars Nootbaar is two years from free agency, like Donovan, but he may begin the season on the injured list due to heel surgery. He has been in some rumors but the Cards may hold him until he shows he’s healthy, then make him available in the summer as well.

Though a Donovan trade has been discussed all winter, it took most of the offseason to come together. Presumably, that’s due to the other participants in the game of musical chairs. The offseason began with free agency offering other infielders, including Suárez and Polanco but also Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Luis Arráez and more.

The chairs started filling up in recent weeks. The Cubs reached an agreement with Bregman in mid-January. Not long after, Bichette landed with the Mets. The Giants were reportedly making a strong push for guys like Donovan but also Nico Hoerner of the Cubs and CJ Abrams of the Nationals. Instead, they pivoted to a one-year deal with Arráez this weekend. Suárez lingered unsigned until reaching an agreement with the Reds in recent days.

After the Mariners, the Red Sox were one of the clubs most frequently connected to Donovan. They seem likely to let Marcelo Mayer replace Bregman at third but don’t have a great solution at second base. Reportedly, Donovan wasn’t considered a perfect fit because the lineup is already heavy on lefties, but they now have one less option available. Rumors have been swirling about Isaac Paredes but it’s unclear if the Astros have any willingness to deal him.

Katie Woo and Chad Jennings of The Athletic first reported that the Mariners were close to getting Donovan in what was likely a three-team trade. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Rays were the third team. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Tampa was expected to get Williamson. Joel Sherman of The New York Post first reported on Cijntje going to the Cards. Adam Jude and Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times first reported Peete going to the Cards. Nightengale first had Tampa sending out a prospect and a comp B pick. Sherman first reported Ledbetter’s inclusion. Nightengale then specified the full breakdown. Passan reported that the agreement was in place and that Seattle was sending the #68 pick to St. Louis.

Photos courtesy of Eakin Howard, Jeff Curry, Kevin Jairaj, Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

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Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

Dipoto: Mariners Working On Another Addition

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Mariners fans holding out hope for a reunion with Eugenio Suárez finally got resolution on that front yesterday when the slugger agreed to a return to a different one of his former homes: Cincinnati. Suárez’s one-year, $15MM deal with the Reds takes another infield option off the board for a Seattle club that has reportedly spent the bulk of the offseason exploring options at both third base and second base. An addition could yet be on the horizon, however. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto hinted strongly on Seattle Sports’ Mariners Hot Stove Show this weekend that another move could yet be in the offing, telling host Shannon Drayer:

“There’s one more move that’s in us, that we want to make, and we’ve been grinding hard for the last handful of days to see if we can bring it through, and hopefully we do. … Our lineup took a huge step forward last year. Obviously we’ll be short a couple of bats that were there with us in Toronto to finish the season, but we get a full year of Josh Naylor. We get the upswing of our players as they get more exposure, especially Cole Young, who I think is going to break out for us this year. And I do hope there’s one more player coming along for the ride that might not be in a Mariners uniform just yet.”

General manager Justin Hollander similarly suggested that it’s “certainly” possible his club makes a move to add a hitter this week, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Jude writes that Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan still feels to be the likeliest target for the M’s, but Hollander stressed that the Mariners are being “open-minded” about ways to improve their lineup.

The fit between Donovan and the Mariners has been explored at length both here and elsewhere, for more than a year. Seattle’s interest into the versatile infielder/outfielder dates back to last offseason. The lefty-swinging Donovan is 29 years old, controllable for two seasons (earning $5.8MM in 2026), can play multiple positions capably (second base, third base, left field) and is a .282/.361/.411 hitter in four big league seasons. Donovan is one of MLB’s toughest strikeouts and is a quality defender who can bounce around depending on which of the Mariners’ young hitters breaks through.

That said, it also bears emphasizing that the Mariners have various spots at which they could pursue an upgrade if they’re indeed “open-minded” to other possibilities, as Hollander indicated. Young is the favorite for at-bats at second base but hit only .211/.302/.305 in 257 plate appearances as a rookie. He’s a former first-round pick and top prospect who’s still only 22, so there’s plenty of reason to be bullish. At the hot corner, Ben Williamson played good defense but hit only .253/.294/.310 in 295 plate appearances. Colt Emerson, one of the top 10 to 20 prospects in the entire sport, looms in the upper minors but only turned 20 last summer. He topped out with six games in Triple-A late last year and could be a third base option later this season.

At the moment, the DH spot will primarily be occupied by a combination of Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley and (on days when he’s not catching) MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh. Canzone was excellent with the M’s in 82 games last year (.300/.358/.481) but needed a .354 average on balls in play to get there and has no prior big league track record. Raley struggled through injuries and a downturn in performance but was a quality platoon slugger for Tampa Bay and Seattle in 2023-24.

There’s also some uncertainty in right field. Victor Robles was terrific down the stretch for the Mariners in 2024 but missed most of last year due to a shoulder injury and hit just .245/.281/.330 in 114 plate appearances when healthy. Canzone and Raley can also factor in out there, as can free agent pickup Rob Refsnyder, but there’s room for an addition there as well, be it via trade or a largely-picked over free agent class.

The flexibility to bring in someone at multiple infield positions or as part of the DH/right field mix creates a wide range of possibilities. Notable names who’ve yet to sign for the upcoming season include Miguel Andujar, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe and Marcell Ozuna (to name a few). Donovan is the most prominent name on the trade market, but the Nationals (CJ Abrams), Red Sox (Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu) and Mets (Mark Vientos, Brett Baty) are among the clubs who have had some prominent players’ names surface on the rumor circuit throughout the winter.

Currently, RosterResource projects a roughly $157MM for the Mariners’ Opening Day payroll. That’s north of last year’s mark by about $10MM but shy of where Seattle ended the season, following deadline pickups of Suárez, Naylor and Caleb Ferguson. Seattle’s franchise-record Opening Day mark was about $158MM back in 2018. Given this past season’s deep playoff run and the clear win-now mode in which they find themselves, ownership will presumably be comfortable with a new record mark for Opening Day, though there’s no firm indication yet as to how far past the current $158MM record they’re willing to push.

Mariners Sign Brian O’Keefe To Minor League Deal

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Catcher Brian O’Keefe is heading to MLB Spring Training with the Mariners, the team announced Friday. O’Keefe joined the organization on a minor league pact that same day, per his MLB.com transaction tracker.

The agreement is a homecoming of sorts for O’Keefe. The veteran catcher made his MLB debut with Seattle back in 2022. He appeared in 10 games with the Mariners from 2022 to 2023. O’Keefe went to Spring Training with the Twins the following year, but was cut in March. He landed in Kansas City as a minor league free agent. He launched 18 home runs with a 130 wRC+ in 72 games with Omaha in 2024. The strong performance earned O’Keefe a Spring Training invitation with the Royals, but he ended up back with the Storm Chasers. He hit .158 in 43 games with the team this past year and was released in June.

St. Louis took O’Keefe in the seventh round of the 2014 draft. He was a well-above league-average hitter in the Cardinals system, but never made it beyond Double-A. O’Keefe ended up in Seattle’s organization in December 2019. A Curt Casali trip to the paternity list led to O’Keefe’s first callup. He spent a bit more time with the big-league club following a Tom Murphy injury.

Seattle has a rock-solid option in Cal Raleigh handling most of the reps behind the plate, though the club’s depth options have shifted this offseason. The Mariners dealt Harry Ford to the Nationals in a trade that netted reliever Jose A. Ferrer. A reunion with free agent Mitch Garver was mentioned in December, but nothing came of it. Seattle instead signed Andrew Knizner, traded for Jhonny Pereda, and handed Spring Training invitations to former big leaguers O’Keefe and Jakson Reetz.

Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images

Mariners Sign Michael Rucker To Minors Contract

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The Mariners signed right-hander Michael Rucker to a minor league deal earlier this month, according to Rucker’s MLB.com profile page.  Rucker’s contract included an invitation to the Mariners’ big league spring camp, as per the list of non-roster invites Seattle released yesterday.

Rucker began his college career at Gonzaga, so this deal with the M’s could represent a return to the Pacific Northwest if the righty is able to break camp with the team.  After transferring to BYU later in his NCAA days, Rucker was an 11th-round selection by the Cubs in the 2016 draft, and he broke into the bigs with Chicago in 2021.  Over 123 1/3 MLB innings from 2021-23, Rucker posted a 4.96 ERA, 22.6% strikeout rate, 46.6% grounder rate, and 9.4% walk rate out of the Cubs’ bullpen.

These uninspiring numbers weren’t enough to keep Rucker on the roster, as Chicago designated him for assignment in February 2024 and soon traded him to the Phillies in a cash deal.  He was limited to 30 2/3 minor league innings for the Phillies and Nationals in 2024 due to an arterial vasospasm in his pitching hand.  The Nats outrighted Rucker off their 40-man roster following the 2024 campaign, and he then didn’t pitch at all in 2025.

As he enters his age-32 season, Rucker is looking to revive his career and show what he can do in the Mariners’ Spring Training camp.  Rucker is probably more of a candidate to pitch at Triple-A Tacoma than he is to win a spot on Seattle’s Opening Day roster, but he can provide the M’s with some experienced bullpen depth.  The righty has a 4.01 ERA, 25.64K%, and 7.54% walk rate over 107 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level.

Managers & Top Front Office Executives On Expiring Contracts

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In the same way that players feel extra pressure to produce entering their last season before free agency, managers and front office bosses similarly feel the heat when entering the final year of their contracts.  The difference is that even if a player has a rough season, they’re usually still in position to land at least a one-year deal in some fashion for the next year — a manager or a GM could find themselves fired in the wake of a bad year, with no guarantee about when (or even if) they’ll get another shot at leading a dugout or a front office.

This list details the baseball operations bosses (whatever their specific title) and managers who are entering the final year of their contracts, as well as the personnel whose contractual situations aren’t publicly known.  Some clubs don’t publicize the terms of employee contracts, so it is entirely possible that some of these names signed extensions months ago but the teams have chosen to keep these new deals quiet for the time being.  And, of course, the length of a contract doesn’t always correlate to job security.  One bad season or even a poor start could suddenly threaten the status of a manager or head of baseball ops that seemingly seems safe right now.

As always, thanks to Cot’s Baseball Contracts for reference information on some of these contracts.

Angels: It’s pretty unusual to see a newly-hired manager already on this list, yet that is the situation Kurt Suzuki finds himself in after signing just a one-year guarantee to become the Halos’ new skipper.  The deal has multiple club option years attached, and while one would imagine Suzuki wouldn’t be let go so quickly, the Angels’ manager’s office has been enough of a revolving door in recent years that it is hard to guess what owner Arte Moreno might do next.  GM Perry Minasian is also entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a club option for the 2027 season.  Ten consecutive losing seasons has led to a lot of discord in Anaheim, and an eleventh sub-.500 year might get both Suzuki and Minasian sent packing by next offseason.

Astros: GM Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada are each entering their final season under contract, with Brown hired in January 2023 and Espada in November 2023.  Earlier this month, Astros owner Jim Crane didn’t entirely close the door on the possibility of an extension for either Brown or Espada, but said “I think we’ll go through this year like we always do, evaluate it and then make the decision at the end of the year.”  Reading between the lines, it certainly seems like the spotlight will be on Brown and Espada, especially since the Astros are coming off their first non-playoff season since 2016.  While the team’s laundry list of injuries is a valid excuse for their 2025 letdown, some personnel changes might well be coming if Houston can’t get back into the postseason hunt this year.

Athletics: General manager David Forst’s contract has already expired, as his most recent deal with the team was up following the 2025 campaign.  Owner John Fisher has stated that “conversations are ongoing” about another extension, and since it has apparently been business as usual for the A’s this offseason, it seems like it’s just a matter of time before Forst formally extends his long stint in the team’s front office.  Forst only officially took over the baseball operations department in the 2022-23 offseason, but he has been with the Athletics since 2000, first working as a scout and then becoming one of Billy Beane’s top lieutenants.

Blue Jays: GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider are both entering the final year of their contracts, as the Jays exercised their 2026 club option on Schneider’s deal back in November.  This duo was facing heavy pressure heading into the 2025 season, yet Toronto’s AL pennant and near-miss in the World Series has entirely changed the narrative for both Atkins and Schneider.  The Blue Jays already extended team president/CEO Mark Shapiro a few weeks ago, and extensions for Atkins and Schneider should follow before Opening Day.

Brewers: Pat Murphy is entering the final season of his three-year contract, but it is hard to believe the Brew Crew won’t have the manager soon locked up on another deal.  Murphy has been named NL Manager of the Year in each of the first two seasons, won consecutive NL Central titles, and this October led the Brewers to their first NLCS appearance since 2018.  October also saw Matt Arnold receive a promotion from GM to president of baseball operations, even though Arnold has already been the Brewers’ top baseball exec for the last three seasons.  Arnold’s specific contract situation hasn’t been made clear for a few years now, but it would surely seem like Milwaukee’s continued success and his new job title probably landed the PBO an extension at some point.  Regardless, Arnold seems in no danger of being fired even if 2026 is his last year under contract.

Cardinals: Oli Marmol is headed into his final year, but the manger and the Cardinals have already started discussing an extension to retain Marmol beyond the 2026 campaign.  It seems like something should be finalized in due course, with St. Louis continuing to entrust Marmol with the reins as the team now moves into a full-on rebuild phase.

Diamondbacks: Torey Lovullo has quietly become one of baseball’s longer-tenured managers, as Lovullo has been running Arizona’s dugout since the 2016-17 offseason.  He has signed multiple extensions (none for more than two guaranteed years) since his initial three-year pact, yet while 2026 represents the final year of Lovullo’s current deal, the Diamondbacks are reportedly going to let Lovullo enter the season without an extension in place.  Owner Ken Kendrick did praise Lovullo’s efforts in keeping the D’Backs competitive amidst a swath of pitching injuries and a partial trade deadline selloff in 2025, but it is intriguing that the vote of confidence wasn’t backed up by another contract.  This will be a storyline to watch as the Diamondbacks’ season progresses, and a change in the dugout might well be coming if the D’Backs can’t get back into the postseason.

Dodgers: President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman first came to Los Angeles on a five-year, $35MM pact covering the 2015-19 seasons, and he signed an extension back in November 2019.  Terms of that deal weren’t known, yet it is clear that if Friedman hasn’t already signed another new deal in the last six years, the Dodgers are almost surely keen in retaining the executive.  The Dodgers have reached the playoffs in every single season of Friedman’s tenure, have won three World Series championships under his leadership, and have become baseball’s dominant franchise due to both their record-high payrolls and their ability to draft and develop minor league talent.

Guardians: Chris Antonetti gets an obligatory mention since the Guardians haven’t publicly addressed his contract status since he signed an extension with the team back in 2013.  Following the 2015 season, Antonetti was promoted to the president of baseball operations title, and his decade in charge has seen Cleveland make seven postseason appearances.  As the Guards are coming off their sixth AL Central crown of Antonetti’s tenure, there is no sense ownership is looking to make a change, nor is there any sense Antonetti (who has turned down overtures from other teams in the past) is looking to leave.

Mariners: Dan Wilson’s contract terms weren’t made public when he was hired as manager in August 2024, and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s status hasn’t been addressed since he signed a contract extension of an unknown length back in September 2021.  It may very well be that Dipoto has quietly signed another deal in the last four-plus years, but regardless, the Mariners’ success in 2025 very likely means neither Dipoto or Wilson are going anywhere, even if the M’s don’t feel the need to publicize any extensions.

Marlins: Previous Miami GM Kim Ng was signed to a three-year contract with a club option for the 2024 season, and the Marlins chose to pass on that option in order to hire Peter Bendix as the new president of baseball operations.  Terms of Bendix’s contract weren’t disclosed, so given the length of Ng’s contract, it is possible Bendix could also be entering his final guaranteed year if Miami pursued the same structure with another first-time front office boss.  While Ng’s dismissal caught many in baseball by surprise, Bendix’s job appears to be a lot safer, as the Marlins’ surprising surge to 79 wins in 2025 is a promising step forward for the team’s (latest) rebuild.

Mets: Carlos Mendoza is entering the final guaranteed year of his three-year contract, and New York holds a club option on the manager’s services for the 2027 season.  The Mets have overhauled both Mendoza’s coaching staff and a good chunk of the roster in the wake of the slow-motion collapse that left the team outside the playoff picture in 2025, so far more is expected than just an 83-79 record this year.  The club option probably means that the Mets will wait until after the season (if at all) to discuss an extension, and given the Mets’ high payroll and expectations, even a slow start might put Mendoza’s status in jeopardy.

Orioles: Mike Elias’ contract terms were never publicized when he was hired to lead Baltimore’s front office in November 2018, though he did receive a title change from general manager to president of baseball operations last offseason.  Elias’ specific contract status remains unspecified, and it is possible he could be facing more heat if the O’s have another subpar season.  Consecutive playoff appearances were followed by the thud of a 75-87 record in 2025, though ownership appears to have given Elias some support in the form of bigger budget, as the Orioles’ busy offseason has been highlighted by the blockbuster Pete Alonso signing.

Padres: Reports in early November suggested that A.J. Preller was close to signing a new extension to remain as San Diego’s PBO, though close to three months later, there hasn’t been any word of a deal between the two sides.  It could be that a contract was signed but simply not publicly announced, or perhaps Preller and the team agreed to table the negotiations until after most of the Padres’ offseason business was complete.  Considering all the reports of discord within the Padres’ ownership situation and some possible tension between Preller and team CEO Erik Greupner, a contract extension probably shouldn’t be considered a sure thing until a deal is actually done, though things still seem to be leaning in the direction of Preller getting re-upped.  For all of the off-the-field drama that has frequently defined Preller’s long tenure in San Diego, the Padres are coming off their fourth playoff appearance in the last six seasons.

Reds: As Cincinnati is coming off its first playoff berth since 2020, president of baseball operations Nick Krall looks to have a decent amount of job security, and might be in line for an extension depending on his current contract status.  Krall has been in charge of the Reds’ front office for the last five seasons, and he received an extension of an unspecified length when he was promoted to the president of baseball operations title following the 2023 campaign.

Tigers: Scott Harris has now finished three full seasons as Detroit’s PBO, so if a four-year contract might be considered the usual minimum for a first-time president of baseball ops, 2026 might be Harris’ final year under contract.  It’s all speculative, of course, since Harris’ terms weren’t made public, and it might also be a moot point since Harris could be an extension candidate, if anything.  The Tigers have made the second round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, though the team’s late-season collapse in 2025 and the uncertainty over Tarik Skubal’s future remain areas of concern.

Twins: Derek Falvey’s shocking decision to step down as Minnesota’s president of baseball (and business) operations has unexpectedly made GM Jeremy Zoll the top voice in the team’s front office.  Zoll was promoted to the GM role in November 2024 to become Falvey’s chief lieutenant, and the length of Zoll’s contract isn’t known.  It is fair to guess that Zoll might’ve gotten an extension after becoming general manager, so he probably remains under team control through at least 2027 even after this sudden elevation to the head of the baseball ops department.

White Sox: Chris Getz has been the team’s GM since August 2023, and his tenure has included a record 121-loss season in 2024 and an improvement to “only” 102 losses in 2025.  Getz’s contract term wasn’t publicized at the time of his hiring so this is just a speculative entry in case his first deal was only a three-year pact.  There doesn’t appear to be any sense that ownership is displeased with the Pale Hose’s progress during the rebuild, so if Getz actually did sign a three-year deal, the Sox might look to extend him at some point this season.

Yankees: Brian Cashman is the longest-tenured front office boss in baseball, acting as the Yankees’ GM since February 1998.  That remarkable 28-year run has included 28 winning records and four World Series titles, though the team hasn’t won the Series since 2009.  Owner Hal Steinbrenner appears to trust Cashman as much as ever, so it seems very likely that Cashman’s tenure will stretch into a third decade barring an utter disaster of a 2026 season.  Cashman’s last deal covered the 2023-26 seasons, but since the Yankees’ aversion to extensions also extends to personnel as well as players, he might not sign his next contract until after his current deal actually expires.  It’s a sign of Cashman’s job security that he has waited until December to sign each of his last two contracts to remain with the club.

Logan Evans Undergoes UCL Surgery

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The Mariners announced that right-hander Logan Evans has undergone surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in this throwing elbow with an internal brace. They announced his return timeline as 12 months, so he’ll miss the entire 2026 season.

It’s obviously rough news for both the club and Evans himself. The righty made his major league debut last year, tossing 81 1/3 innings for the Mariners, allowing 4.32 earned runs per nine. He struck out 16.9% of opponents faced, gave out walks at an 8.9% clip and induced grounders on 40% of balls in play. Instead of building on that in 2026, he’ll have to sit out the entire season while recovering. He’ll look to get back on track during the 2027 season. He’ll turn 26 in June of that year.

For the Mariners, they have now lost arguably their best optionable depth starter. Seattle has a strong core five in the rotation, including Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller, but things drop off after that. That’s especially true now that Evans is out for the year.

The Mariners acquired Cooper Criswell from the Mets a week ago. He is out of options and projects to be a long reliever to start the season if he’s still on the roster by Opening Day and everyone else is healthy. Without Evans, the optionable starters on the 40-man roster are Emerson Hancock and Blas Castano. Hancock was the sixth overall pick in 2020 but he hasn’t lived up that pedigree with a 4.81 ERA and 15.6% strikeout rate in his career so far. Castano is 27 years old, has just one major league appearance under his belt and had a 5.19 ERA in Triple-A last year.

In terms of non-roster depth, lefty Jhonathan Díaz was outrighted this week but his transactions tracker at MLB.com indicates he elected free agency yesterday. That leaves Randy Dobnak, Dane Dunning and Casey Lawrence as non-roster options with some big league experience. Switch-pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje is on the way but isn’t a near-term option since he hasn’t yet reached Triple-A and only has seven starts at the Double-A level. Perhaps the Evans surgery will lead the Mariners to add some more depth in the coming weeks.

Evans finished the 2025 campaign on optional assignment, so the Mariners could keep him there throughout 2026. Calling him up and placing him on the major league 60-day injured list would allow them to open up an extra 40-man roster spot but that would involve giving Evans a full year of big league pay and service time.

Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images

Mariners Sign Will Wilson, Jakson Reetz To Minor League Deals

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The Mariners announced a slate of 34 non-roster invitees to spring training Friday. Most of the names were internal invitees or previously reported free agent signings, but infielder Will Wilson and catcher Jakson Reetz are new additions to the group.

Wilson, 27, was a first-round pick by the Angels back in 2019, coming off the board 15th overall. The NC State product was traded to the Giants just six months later, with the Angels effectively using him as a mechanism to dump the remainder of Zack Cozart’s contract on San Francisco.

Wilson spent several years in the Giants’ system but never advanced beyond Triple-A. He reached minor league free agency last winter, signed with the Guardians, and eventually made his MLB debut with Cleveland. Wilson posted a respectable .246/.325/.435 slash in Triple-A (102 wRC+) but struggled in the majors with a .192/.267/.244 slash and 37% strikeout rate in 91 trips to the plate.

The righty-swinging Wilson had even splits in 2025 but has typically been more productive against fellow righties than against lefties. With the glove, he has plenty of experience at shortstop (2360 innings), third base (1029 inning) and second base (992 innings). He’s more briefly appeared in the outfield throughout his pro career, logging a small sample of 138 innings (total) between all three slots.

Reetz, 30, has appeared in parts of two big league seasons but has only 17 plate appearances to his credit. He spent the 2025 campaign with the Triple-A clubs for the Mets and Orioles, combining  for a .192/.307/.399 slash. That came in a relatively small sample of 228 plate appearances. Prior to 2025, Reetz had a much stronger track record in the upper minors. He’s a career .230/.331/.451 hitter in 983 Triple-A plate appearances and slashed .254/.368/.431 there as recently as 2024.

Reetz has strong framing marks and solid grades for his ability to block balls in the dirt, per Baseball Prospectus. He struggled to throw runners out on the bases in 2025, but even after posting a mere 15% caught-stealing rate this past season, his career mark is a robust 29%.

Both Wilson and Reetz will be long shots to win jobs with the Mariners, but both provide some experienced depth to stash in Triple-A Tacoma. Wilson will be behind bench options Leo Rivas, Ryan Bliss and Miles Mastrobuoni, to say nothing of young infielders Ben Williamson, Colt Emerson and Cole Young. All six are on the 40-man roster, and Emerson and Young are particularly touted prospects. As for Reetz, he’s at best fourth on the team’s catching depth chart. American League MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh leads the way, with veteran Andrew Knizner backing him up and recent waiver claim Jhonny Pereda also holding a 40-man roster spot.

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