Which Top Prospects Could Be On 2026 Opening Day Rosters?
In the not-too-distant past, it was relatively rare for organizations to break camp with their very best prospects on the roster. It still happened at times, but MLB's service time structure was set up such that keeping a top prospect in the minors for even two weeks to begin the season effectively ensured that he'd be controllable for seven years rather than the standard six. There were obvious exceptions to this thinking -- Atlanta fans surely remember Jason Heyward breaking camp as a 20-year-old and belting a three-run homer on Opening Day -- but there were far more cases of keeping a player in the minors to buy the extra year. Kris Bryant, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and others were all called to the majors just when they'd spent enough time in the minors to give their clubs an extra year of control. There was nothing inherently nefarious about the gambit; teams were operating within the collectively bargained rules and making business decisions.
The 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement sought to implement some real incentives for teams to bring their best players north to begin the season, however, and by and large they've been effective. With the Prospect Promotion Incentives (PPI), any prospect who appears on two recognized top-100 lists and is called up early enough to earn a full service year can net his team a bonus draft pick, either in that season's Rookie of the Year voting or in MVP/Cy Young voting over the next three seasons.
There's also a disincentive to holding a player down. For those same qualified top prospects, a top-two finish in either league's Rookie of the Year voting will net a full year of major league service time, regardless of when they were called up. Said prospects still have around 90% of a season in such instances, which is more than enough time to turn in a ROY-worthy performance.
Teams now know that holding a player down for 15 days or so might lead to him getting a full year of service anyhow and comes with the disadvantage of rendering that player ineligible for future PPI picks. As such, it's become increasingly common for touted prospects to break camp on their teams' rosters.
With that in mind, and with fewer than two weeks to go until Opening Day, it seems worth running through a slate of top prospects who could factor into their teams' Opening Day plans.
Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription
- Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
- Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
- Remove ads and support our writers.
- Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker
José Berríos Visiting Specialist Due To Elbow Inflammation
Blue Jays righty José Berríos was slated to join Puerto Rico for the quarterfinal round of the World Baseball Classic, but those plans were called off when his tournament physical revealed a bout of elbow inflammation (via MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson). An MRI did not reveal any structural damage, but the inflammation was still curious, given that Berríos hasn’t experienced any discomfort. Still, in light of the unexpected diagnosis, he’s headed for an in-person visit with Dr. Keith Meister to take a closer look, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. That visit will come next Tuesday. Berríos will not throw in the interim.
At present, there’s no indication that Berríos is dealing with a major injury — or even a minor one of all that much note. The 31-year-old veteran (32 in May) ostensibly hasn’t experienced any pain, and it’s possible a clean bill of health will have him back on the mound in short order.
Toronto’s offseason dealings have left the veteran Berríos in an uncertain state. He’s been a starter every year of his major league career — one of the most durable and consistent of the past decade. Dating back to 2018, he leads Major League Baseball in both games started (234) and innings pitched (1367 2/3). Berrios started a full slate of 12 games during the shortened 2020 season and has started 30 or more games in each other season dating back to 2018.
Despite that durability, Berríos has largely been pushed out of the Jays’ rotation. Shane Bieber exercised his $16MM player option to begin the offseason. Toronto then signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year contract and KBO returnee Cody Ponce to a three-year deal. Max Scherzer signed a one-year deal earlier this month.
Toronto’s rotation mix entering the season includes Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Bieber, Berríos, Ponce, Scherzer and Eric Lauer. They’re eight deep in terms of quality big leaguers, with only last year’s breakout rookie and postseason hero, Yesavage, able to be optioned. Clearly, he’s not going to be sent down anytime soon.
Injuries tend to alleviate this sort of crunch in the short-term, but that isn’t necessarily the case here. Bieber is behind schedule due to forearm fatigue but has been throwing recently. A season-opening stint on the 15-day IL still seems likely, but it probably won’t keep him out long. Each of Cease, Gausman, Yesavage, Ponce, Lauer and Scherzer appears healthy. The Jays had suggested they’d be deliberate in building Scherzer up slowly, but he tossed four sharp innings in his first spring start.
However it shakes out, Berríos is in an odd spot. Barring a major injury, he’ll be on a crowded pitching staff that doesn’t have a clear rotation spot for him. He’s coming off one of his weaker seasons but was still plenty serviceable last year. In 166 innings, he posted a 4.17 ERA, 19.8% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate. The right-hander’s 93 mph average four-seamer was a career-low, and his 92.2 mph average sinker was the second-lowest of his career. That walk rate, while solid, was the second-highest of his career in a full season and a notable step up from the 6.7% he’d logged from 2017-24.
There was some thought that perhaps the Jays would look to trade Berríos this winter, but that’s not an easy undertaking. He’s entering the fifth season of a seven-year extension. Berríos is still owed $66MM over the next three years, which is surely more than he’d have received in free agency this winter. His contract also contains an opt-out clause after the 2026 campaign, so even if a team believed Berrios to be a prominent bounceback candidate and was proven right with a vintage 2026 showing, he’d likely then trigger the out clause and head back into free agency.
Berríos’ $131MM contract also includes a limited, eight-team no-trade clause. That clause will be rendered moot 128 days into the season, when he reaches 10 years of major league service and receives 10-and-5 rights. The 10-and-5 provision — 10 years of major league service, the past five with the same team — grants any player full veto power over trade scenarios.
For now, Berríos’ status is in limbo because of his own health. If he requires an IL stint to begin the season, he’ll (likely) join Bieber there. Toronto could open with a rotation headed by Cease, Gausman, Yesavage, Ponce and Scherzer, with Lauer in a swing role. It’s possible that the Jays simply won’t simultaneously have all eight starters healthy at any point this season. In that scenario, they’d be glad to have the depth. But if Berríos and Bieber are cleared to return in early-to-mid April, Toronto is going to have some tougher choices ahead.
Lauer has taken a team-first approach, praising the tightknit group of rotation options and saying he’ll pitch in whatever role he’s asked — but he’s also conceded that he’d prefer to start, all else being equal. He’s a free agent at season’s end, after all, and working as a starter is his best path to maximizing his earning power. That situation, combined with forthcoming updates on Berríos and Bieber, make the Jays’ rotation group a particularly interesting one to watch in the final couple weeks of camp.
Blue Jays Sign Caleb Freeman To Minor League Deal
The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Caleb Freeman to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Freeman has been assigned to Double-A New Hampshire, so he’ll presumably be heading to minor league camp in spring training.
Freeman, 28, is a reliever who spent his entire career in the White Sox system until recently. He averages around 95 miles per hour with his fastball with a high-80s slider and low-80s curveball. For most of his career, control has been a big problem. Over the 2022 and 2023 minor league seasons, he walked 18.5% of the batters he faced. In the majors, relievers usually walk around 9% of opponents, so he was basically double par.
In 2024, he dialed things in, relatively speaking. His 13.6% walk rate was still high but an improvement. He also struck out a strong 29.3% of opponents, helping him post a 3.92 ERA in Double-A that year. In 2025, he got out to a blazing start. In his first 13 1/3 innings, he had a 1.35 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. The White Sox tried to ride the hot hand and added him to their big league roster.
He wasn’t able to keep the momentum going from there. He faced 16 big league hitters in five appearances. He only gave out one walk but also only punched out three, allowing two earned runs in the process. In the minors, he posted a 5.30 ERA the rest of the way with an 18.2% strikeout rate and 17.1% walk rate. He was outrighted off the 40-man in June and became a free agent at season’s end.
Freeman won’t have a great shot at a roster spot in the near term. The Jays have a pretty crowded pitching staff. They could have eight viable starters once Shane Bieber is ready to come off the injured list. That will have domino effects into the bullpen with some of their starting options pushed into relief roles. The Jays currently have Rule 5 picks Spencer Miles and Angel Bastardo on the roster.
Even if those two can’t break camp, Toronto still projects for bullpen spots to go to Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher, Tommy Nance and Eric Lauer, with Mason Fluharty and Chase Lee also in the mix. Jorge Alcala, Josh Fleming and others are in camp as non-roster invitees. It’s also possible that starter Ricky Tiedemann, who has struggled to stay healthy, ends up in the bullpen as he builds up his workload after missing a lot of time in recent years. Over a long season, injuries are inevitable and opportunities will open up. If Freeman can eventually get a roster spot, he still has options.
Photo courtesy of Peter Aiken, Imagn Images
Poll: How Should The Blue Jays Manage Trey Yesavage’s Workload In 2026?
Trey Yesavage had a whirlwind season in 2025. After the Blue Jays drafted him in the first round in 2024, Yesavage opened 2025 at Single-A and immediately impressed with a 2.43 ERA in 33 1/3 innings. He continued that dominance in a brief stop at High-A and reached Double-A in mid-June, striking out 38.0% of hitters against a 9.0% walk rate at that level. Yesavage then held his own at Triple-A, not allowing a home run in 17 1/3 innings and continuing to post a high strikeout rate. His rapid ascent culminated in three appearances with the big-league club in September, followed by six more in the postseason, including two starts and a Game 7 relief appearance in the World Series.
Altogether, Yesavage threw 139 2/3 innings between the regular season and the playoffs, a marked increase over the 93 1/3 innings he threw at East Carolina University in 2024. Coming off his success last year, he will feature prominently in a rotation mix that also includes Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer, and Shane Bieber (when he returns from an expected stint on the injured list). However, considering Yesavage’s youth and rapidly escalating workload, it is reasonable to expect some kind of innings limit in 2026.
At this point in Spring Training, Yesavage is built up to one inning and has not yet appeared in a game, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. That is hardly unexpected, as even established starters are built up gradually to a full workload by the end of camp. Manager John Schneider confirmed that Yesavage’s slow build-up is intentional, with the plan being for him to get one more live batting practice session before joining games. Notably, Schneider downplayed the possibility of Yesavage starting the season as a reliever to limit his innings.
“Right now we still view him as a starter,” Schneider said. “And we want to keep that pretty regular. Last year was a year of disrupting a young guy’s routine as much as we could, so we want to be pretty regular with him.” Schneider’s comments bode well for Yesavage’s chance of being a starter for the full season. That said, it would not be surprising for the club to manage the rookie’s workload conservatively in the early going, especially if Berrios, Ponce, and Scherzer start the year healthy behind Cease and Gausman.
Per Schneider’s comments, the club wants to keep Yesavage on a regular schedule. That would seemingly put him in the rotation for the entire season, though with the question of how many innings he’ll be able to handle. Yesavage averaged less than five innings per start during the regular season and just over five in the postseason. At five innings per start, a full season of 33 starts would put him around 165 innings – yet another big increase in workload. A target of 140 innings could make more sense.
In that scenario, Yesavage could piggyback off Berrios or Ponce for the first month or so. That would give him the benefit of making shorter appearances while sticking to a starter’s routine and gradually building up. Of Berrios and Ponce, the former makes more sense partnering with Yesavage in a piggyback role. Berrios made 32 starts per season from 2021-24 but seemed to run out of gas as the 2025 season went on. His first-half ERA of 3.75 was solid, but that rose to 5.15 in 50 2/3 innings in the second half. He was demoted to the bullpen in late September and ended up not appearing in the postseason.
Piggybacking Yesavage and Berrios could help manage the former’s innings while allowing the latter to re-establish himself after his poor conclusion to 2025. In contrast, Ponce came over this offseason on a three-year, $30MM deal after a successful stint in the Korea Baseball Organization. He pitched 180 2/3 innings over 29 starts for the Hanwha Eagles in 2025, posting an excellent 1.89 ERA, a 30.3% K-BB rate, and ultimately winning that league’s MVP award. That recent track record and the magnitude of his contract make a hybrid role unlikely, though Ponce made three relief appearances in Japan last year and was mostly a reliever in his last MLB experience in 2021.
If the team prefers to keep Yesavage as a traditional starter, they might consider having him skip a few starts in the middle of the season. While that would be at least a temporary disruption to his routine, it might make the most sense from a roster management perspective. Six-man rotations are becoming more common as a way to manage workloads throughout the season, but they come with the challenge of having one less reliever. In lieu of giving him five days of regular rest, skipping a few of Yesavage’s starts (ideally around scheduled off days) could be a good compromise that keeps him fresh for the stretch run.
Another (less likely) option is to keep him as a starter for the regular season, then transition him to the bullpen if Toronto makes the postseason. Cease and Gausman are guaranteed spots in a playoff rotation, while Bieber makes a solid No. 3 and Max Scherzer comes with a wealth of postseason experience. Though Yesavage performed admirably as a starter this postseason, using him in a fireman role out of the bullpen could help the team get the most out of him while protecting his long-term health.
How do MLBTR readers think the Blue Jays should manage Yesavage’s workload in 2026? Be sure to let us know in the poll below:
How should the Blue Jays manage Trey Yesavage's workload in 2026?
-
Piggyback him with Berrios, Ponce, or Eric Lauer to start the season 50% (1,229)
-
Have him skip a few starts in the middle of the season 39% (944)
-
Starter for the regular season, reliever for the playoffs 11% (264)
Total votes: 2,437
Photo courtesy of Kevin Sousa, Imagn Images
AL Central Notes: Twins, Rojas, Buxton, Gaddis, Tigers
The Blue Jays started asking the Twins about Louis Varland three months before the reliever was actually dealt at last summer’s trade deadline, and Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that the Twins aimed high in negotiations by asking for one of Trey Yesavage or Kendry Rojas in return. Yesavage (the Jays’ top pitching prospect and future postseason breakout star) wasn’t going anywhere, but Toronto eventually budged in moving Rojas and outfielder Alan Roden in exchange for Varland and Ty France.
Fast forward to Spring Training, and Roden is competing for a starting job in Minnesota’s outfield while Rojas’ high-90’s velocity is turning heads in camp. The 23-year-old Rojas got rocked over 32 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2025 and is still trying to harness his control, but he could be a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point this season. The Twins will continue to develop Rojas as a starter but some scouts believe a high-leverage relief role could be in the southpaw’s future. An initial call-up as a reliever could help Rojas ease his way into the big leagues while not closing the door on a potential future as a rotation piece.
More from around the AL Central…
- Guardians right-hander Hunter Gaddis‘ imaging on his forearm “came back clean,” manager Stephen Vogt told MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins and other reporters earlier this week after Gaddis experienced forearm tightness after his first spring outing on February 27. Gaddis has resumed his throwing progression and it doesn’t seem like the issue will impact his Opening Day status, as Vogt said “everything I’m hearing is that it’s good news and we’re good to go.” Stebbins writes that the Guardians were already giving workhorse relievers Gaddis and Cade Smith gradual builds into the season, as a reflection of how much both right-handers pitched in 2024-25 — Gaddis’ 151 appearances were the second-most in baseball over the last two seasons, and Smith was right behind with 150 appearances. Gaddis augmented that durability with a 6.3% walk rate and 25.2% strikeout rate, and he’ll again be leaned on for key leverage innings in Cleveland’s bullpen in 2026.
- Beau Brieske is slated to throw a bullpen session today as the Tigers gauge his recovery from right ribcage tightness. Brieske has pitched in just two games this spring but manager A.J. Hinch told the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and other reporters that Brieske “has plenty of time as a reliever to accomplish what he needs to make a run at this team.” Ankle and elbow injuries limited Brieske to 22 Major League innings last season, and his health setbacks surely contributed to a 6.55 ERA. While the ribcage issue is another setback, Brieske is aiming to return to his past role as a solid swingman on Detroit’s staff.
- Bookending the post with some more Twins news, x-rays were negative on Byron Buxton‘s forearm after the outfielder was removed from a World Baseball Classic game yesterday after being hit by a pitch. United States manager Mark DeRosa told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ryan Kelapire) that the sixth-inning removal was just precautionary, and done in part because the USA already had a big lead in what ended up as a 15-5 win over Brazil. Even minor injury situations like this can’t help but raise extra concerns given Buxton’s checkered health history, though it appears the outfielder should be fine.
Blue Jays Re-Sign Max Scherzer
TODAY: Scherzer’s contract also contains full no-trade protection, Jon Heyman reports.
MARCH 2: The Blue Jays officially announced they’ve re-signed Max Scherzer to a one-year contract. The Boras Corporation client is reportedly guaranteed $3MM and can earn up to $10MM in incentives. He’d earn his first $1MM bonus at 65 innings and reach another $1MM bonus for every tenth inning, up through 155 frames overall. Toronto cleared a 40-man roster spot over the weekend by waiving infielder Ben Cowles, who was claimed by the Cubs.
It’s the future Hall of Famer’s second season in Toronto. The three-time Cy Young winner signed a $15.5MM deal with the Jays during the 2024-25 offseason. He was coming off an abbreviated season in which he’d been limited to nine starts for the Rangers. Scherzer had undergone back surgery the previous offseason, and a nerve issue in his throwing arm limited him once he recovered from the back procedure.
The arm remained problematic last season. Scherzer left his team debut after three innings because of thumb soreness. That had been traced to the nerve issue and ultimately led the Jays to shut Scherzer down for a couple months. He didn’t return to an MLB mound until late June.
Scherzer was able to avoid the injured list after that point but didn’t perform to his usual level. He allowed more than five earned runs per nine innings for the first time in his career. He closed the season with a 5.19 mark over 85 innings. Scherzer only once allowed more than four runs in a start, but he only went beyond five innings on seven occasions. He had six quality starts in 17 appearances.
The 17-year veteran is still capable of missing bats at a league average level. He struck out a slightly above-average 23% of batters faced against a tidy 6.4% walk rate. The issue is the damage hitters have done when they make contact. Scherzer allowed more than two home runs per nine innings for the first time in his career. It was the fourth-highest homer rate in MLB among pitchers who threw 70+ innings.
Scherzer’s fastball averaged 93.6 mph last season. That’s a tick higher than his 2024 mark, reversing a slight downward trend in his velocity during his late 30s. He nevertheless had a tough time getting hitters to chase his breaking pitches outside the strike zone. Scherzer obviously doesn’t have the same caliber of stuff he did at his peak, which makes him more hittable when he’s forced to challenge hitters. He has allowed a higher than average home run rate in three straight seasons.
At age 41, Scherzer profiles as a back-end starter on paper. Yet he has a wealth of big game experience and showed he’s still capable of getting outs on the biggest stage. The Jays left Scherzer off the roster for their Division Series matchup with the Yankees. They brought him back for the AL Championship Series against Seattle and the World Series showdown with the Dodgers.
Scherzer tossed 5 2/3 frames of two-run ball to get the win in ALCS Game 4. He struggled a bit in Game 3 of the World Series before coming back with one run allowed in 4 1/3 innings in Game 7. Scherzer left the mound with a 3-1 lead in a performance that would have been etched into Toronto sports history if the bullpen had held the lead.
They’ll aim to get over the hump in 2026. Assuming Scherzer builds up in time for Opening Day, he’ll probably slot into a six-man rotation to begin the season. Shane Bieber will begin the year on the injured list after experiencing forearm fatigue during the playoff run. Toronto had been slated to open the season with a starting five of Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos and Cody Ponce.
Yesavage is entering his first full MLB season. Ponce is a bit of a wild card in his return from Korea. Scherzer presumably isn’t going to log 150+ innings at this stage of his career. Opening with a six-man rotation would allow the Jays to take some of the burden off a rotation that shouldered as heavy a load as possible into October.
That comes with a trickle-down impact on the bullpen, however. The 13-pitcher limit means the Jays would be down to a seven-man bullpen if they go this route. That increases the importance of having a quality long reliever like Eric Lauer to handle multiple innings.
At the same time, this makes it less likely that Lauer will have a chance to win a rotation spot. The left-hander is an impending free agent and said he’d prefer a starting opportunity. There hasn’t been any indication that Lauer would seek a trade if the Jays keep him in a relief role, though the southpaw told Mitch Bannon of The Athletic he believes that pitching out of the bullpen last season cost him money in arbitration. Lauer lost his hearing, meaning he’ll make the team’s desired $4.4MM salary rather than his camp’s $5.75MM filing figure.
That could be a situation worth monitoring if everyone remains healthy closer to Opening Day. For now, this looks like the ideal outcome for the Jays and Scherzer alike. The $3MM base salary will push their franchise-record luxury tax payroll to approximately $319MM, according to RosterResource. The Jays are taxed at a 90% rate on spending above $304MM. This signing comes with a $2.7MM base tax. Earned performance bonuses are part of a team’s CBT calculation, so the Jays would also pay that 90% fee on any dollars that Scherzer unlocks by hitting innings milestones throughout the year.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported the agreement. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet had the $3MM base and $10MM in incentives. Heyman reported the incentive structure. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images.
MLBTR Podcast: Max Scherzer, The Red Sox’ Lineup, Spring Extension Candidates, And More!
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…
- The Blue Jays re-signing Max Scherzer and how that alters their rotation picture (3:45)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Could it help with parity if the small-market clubs got even more competitive balance picks and if all picks could be traded? (18:25)
- Why do the Yankees seemingly over value their prospects? Wouldn’t it be better to trade Jasson Domínguez instead of relegating him to a depth role? (36:00)
- Do the Red Sox have enough power in the lineup? What bats could be available at the deadline who would fit the lineup? Would Masataka Yoshida have any trade value if he performs well in the World Baseball Classic? (47:15)
- Which players are likely to be extended before the start of the season or which ones would you like to see extended? (55:45)
Check out our past episodes!
- Twins And Orioles’ Injuries, The Guardians And Angels’ Quiet Offseasons, And Chris Sale’s Extension – listen here
- The Tigers’ Rotation, A Brewers-Red Sox Trade, And Late Free-Agent Signings – listen here
- Twins Front Office Shake-Up, The Brendan Donovan Trade, Eugenio Suarez, And More! – 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 Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images
Blue Jays Re-Sign Joe Mantiply To Minor League Deal
The Blue Jays announced they’ve re-signed lefty reliever Joe Mantiply to a minor league contract. The ISE Baseball client receives a non-roster invite to MLB camp.
Mantiply finished last season in the Toronto organization. Released by the Diamondbacks in June, he signed a minor league deal with the Jays shortly after the All-Star Break. Mantiply spent a couple weeks building up at the team’s Florida complex before reporting to Triple-A Buffalo. He finished the season with the Bisons, allowing eight runs (six earned) across 15 2/3 innings.
The run prevention was unexceptional, but Mantiply posted a 19:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio against 64 Triple-A opponents. It didn’t get him a big league look. The Jays were impressed enough to bring him back on an NRI after he elected minor league free agency over the offseason.
Mantiply was a surprise All-Star in 2022 — a season in which he posted a 2.85 ERA across a career-high 60 innings. The 35-year-old southpaw has strong command and gets grounders but has below-average velocity. Mantiply averaged 88.4 mph on his sinker last year. He gets good movement on the sinker and his changeup and was a solid middle reliever as recently as 2024. He was knocked around for 17 runs in 9 2/3 MLB frames last year.
The Jays have one of the better rosters in MLB but are light on established left-handed relief. Eric Lauer is set for a multi-inning role. Mason Fluharty is a soft-tossing cutter specialist, while Brendon Little has much bigger raw stuff. Both pitchers can miss bats but aren’t reliably around the strike zone. Ricky Tiedemann could factor into the rotation or relief mix as a rookie, but the oft-injured former top prospect is again battling elbow discomfort early in camp.
Cubs Claim Ben Cowles
The Cubs have brought Ben Cowles back to Wrigleyville, as the team announced that the infielder has been claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays. In a corresponding move, right-hander Shelby Miller was moved to Chicago’s 60-day injured list. Miller underwent UCL and flexor surgery last October and will miss the 2026 season.
Miller’s two-year, $2.5MM deal with the Cubs was officially announced on February 15, and Cowles was designated for assignment to create roster space. The Jays claimed Cowles off the waiver wire, but the infielder now quickly finds himself back in the Cubs organization. There hadn’t been any indication that Toronto had DFA’ed Cowles, but the Blue Jays needed to open up a spot on their 40-man roster now that Max Scherzer is returning to the team.
A tenth-round pick for the Yankees in the 2021 draft, Cowles first came to Chicago at the 2024 trade deadline, when Cowles was one of two prospects dealt to the Cubs for Mark Leiter Jr. Cowles was DFA’ed last September and claimed off waivers by the White Sox, but the Cubs brought Cowles back from their local rivals in January on another waiver claim.
Throughout all of these comings and goings, Cowles has yet to make his Major League debut. The 26-year-old posted decent numbers in the lower minors but has hit only .235/.299/.368 over 536 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. The lack of offense has surely contributed to Cowles’ apparent status as 40th-man type, though he has speed (70 steals in 92 attempts in the minors) and has plenty of experience as a shortstop, second, and third baseman, plus a couple of cameo appearances in the outfield.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see Cowles again land in DFA limbo the next time the Cubs need to create a 40-man opening, but the team clearly sees some value in the infielder’s skillset. Whether this translates into any time on the active roster remains to be seen, as Cowles might only get considered for a call-up if an injury arises to an infield regular.
Blue Jays Notes: Rotation, Berríos, Lauer
Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos made his spring debut today, throwing 2 2/3 innings against the Mets. That’s a notable step for the righty since his health became an issue late last year. He told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, that he already had doubts about his health at this time a year ago and that those doubts stayed in his mind through the season.
“I threw that way last year all year long,” he said. “I’ve never been in that situation before. I just was dealing with that. Everything was new for me. I never saw myself (not pitching) so that’s why I kept trying to fight and compete with my team.”
Berríos tossed 166 innings last year, so it certainly wasn’t a lost season, but it was relatively injury-marred by his own high standards. He made 32 starts in every full season from 2018 to 2024, plus 12 starts in the shortened 2020 season. He finished 2025 on the injured list due to elbow inflammation, though he now says it was actually his biceps tendon which had the inflammation, which was impacting his elbow.
Though he didn’t hit the IL until late in the year, it’s possible his arm was gradually wearing down as the season went along, as he had a 3.75 earned run average in the first half and a 5.15 ERA in the second. His four-seamer and sinker averaged over 94 miles per hour in his first start of the year but were below 92 mph by the end of August. He was in the 91-92 mph range today, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, though Zwelling added that the cold conditions seemed to be hampering many pitchers today.
As Berríos struggled last year, he was bumped out of the rotation, shortly before hitting the IL. The Jays are likely going to start the season with Shane Bieber on the IL, so Berríos is projected to once again have a rotation spot behind Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Cody Ponce.
A healthy and productive season from Berríos would be great for the Jays and could also impact his earning power. At the end of the year, he can opt out of his deal, walking away from two years and $48MM. He can also increase that guarantee depending on how many innings he pitches in 2026.
Sticking with the rotation, left-hander Eric Lauer is currently on the outside looking in. He projects to be the #6 guy right now, which would mean starting the season in the bullpen as the long man, though an injury could quickly open a rotation spot for him. He spent much of 2025 in that spot, switching between starting and relieving. He finished the year with a 3.18 ERA in 104 2/3 innings over 15 starts and 13 relief appearances. He also made five postseason appearances with a 3.18 ERA.
The southpaw tells Mitch Bannon of The Athletic that he would prefer to have a full-time starting job, as most pitchers would. Bannon floats the possibility of Lauer ending up traded, though the Jays want him around and stretched out since injuries will inevitably cut into their depth.
That’s a natural preference for the Jays to have since their optionable depth is far more questionable. Bowden Francis is going to miss the year due to Tommy John surgery. Jake Bloss is still recovering from last year’s elbow surgery. Ricky Tiedemann didn’t pitch last year due to his surgery. Adam Macko hasn’t yet cracked the majors and Lazaro Estrada has just two big league games. Yariel Rodríguez is in camp but isn’t currently on the roster.
Keeping Lauer around decreases the odds of the Jays needing to turn to that depth pile, but on the other hand, Lauer could still get squeezed out. Bieber may not miss much time and the Jays have kept in touch with free agent Max Scherzer. If Scherzer is re-signed and Bieber’s arm holds up, Lauer could quickly move from sixth on the chart to eighth. At that point, it’s possible the Jays prefer to trade him for something else, as opposed to holding him in a spot where he’s buried.
Photo courtesy of Rhona Wise, Imagn Images