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White Sox Release Blake Sabol

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The White Sox have released catcher Blake Sabol, as mentioned in a minor league transaction roundup from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Chicago had acquired Sabol in a July trade with Boston. Sabol spent the duration of his brief White Sox tenure at Triple-A Charlotte.

The 27-year-old backstop was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He hit the ground running as a professional, putting up above-average offensive performances in each of his three minor league seasons in the Pirates’ system. Sabol reached Triple-A in 2022, slashing .296/.426/.543 over a brief 25-game sample.

Sabol was selected by Cincinnati in the Rule 5 draft following the 2022 season. He was then traded to San Francisco. Sabol showed decent power in his first taste of big-league action, popping 13 home runs over 344 plate appearances in 2023. He made 46 starts behind the plate and 32 in left field. Plate discipline was the main concern. Sabol struck out 34% of the time while walking at a meager 7% clip.

The 2024 campaign saw Sabol spend the majority of the season at Triple-A Sacramento. He had a couple of brief stints with the Giants, totaling 38 plate appearances across 11 games. Sabol posted a strong 129 wRC+ in limited action.

San Francisco designated Sabol for assignment after the 2024 season. He was eventually traded to Boston for international bonus pool space. Sabol went 2-for-18 in eight games with the Red Sox.

With Chicago boasting young talents Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, plus veteran Korey Lee, Sabol was a long shot to contribute at the MLB level this past season. He’ll now be on the search for another opportunity.

Photo courtesy Matt Marton, Imagn Images.

Munetaka Murakami’s Posting Period Begins Today

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Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami will be posted by the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball today, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The slugger will have 45 days to reach an agreement with an MLB team, beginning on November 8.

Murakami has long been expected to make the jump from NPB to MLB following the 2025 season. He’ll now officially become one of the most intriguing names on the free agent market. Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette were the only hitters to rank ahead of him in our Top 50 Free Agents list.

The 25-year-old Murakami has been one of the preeminent power hitters in NPB over the past seven seasons. He launched 56 home runs in 2022, breaking the single-season record held by Sadaharu Oh. Murakami slugged 246 home runs across eight NPB seasons.

Since Murakami is now 25, he is considered a professional under MLB’s international free agency rules. That means he’s free to negotiate with all 30 teams without restrictions. Players who make the move to MLB prior to turning 25 are considered amateurs and are subject to the international bonus pool system, which significantly limits their earning power.

Murakami slashed .270/.394/.557 with the Swallows, though there is plenty of swing-and-miss to his game. He struck out at least 28% of the time in each of his last three seasons. Strikeout numbers are typically lower in NPB, so that mark should be expected to rise when Murakami faces MLB pitching.

It’s unclear where Murakami will fit on the defensive side. He’s spent most of his time at third base over the past five seasons, but he also has ample experience at first base. Murakami made a single start in right field this past year. Scouts have labeled him as an average fielder who will probably fit best at first base.

“Future Dodger” is the typical response to any discussion around Murakami, as the club already has Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. With Freddie Freeman occupying first base and Max Muncy returning to play third, Los Angeles doesn’t have an opening on the corners. Ohtani is locked in at DH. The Dodgers may have seen enough in the one-game sample this season to try Murakami in the outfield, where their options are less certain. Fellow big markets like the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees seem like easier fits.

The team that signs Murakami will have to pay a posting fee to the Swallows. The fee is 20% of the contract’s first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of spending above $50MM.

12 Diamondbacks Players Elect Minor League Free Agency

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TODAY: Pope, Curtiss, Kelly, Nelson, and Kaiser all elected minor league free agency, according to the Reno Aces’ official transactions page.  In addition, Matt Mervis, Cristian Pache, Matt Foster, and Tristin English also elected free agency.  Of that quartet, only English (a third round pick for Arizona in the 2019 draft) received any big league playing time with the D’Backs in 2025, and the others were in the organization on minor league contracts.

NOV. 6: The Diamondbacks have announced a handful of roster moves. Infielder Ildemaro Vargas, catcher James McCann, and left-hander Jalen Beeks have elected free agency. Right-handers Austin Pope, John Curtiss, and Casey Kelly, left-hander Kyle Nelson, and infielder Connor Kaiser were outrighted off the 40-man roster. Arizona’s 40-man roster now sits at 38 players.

Vargas just wrapped up his third stint with the team. The versatile utilityman debuted with the Diamondbacks in 2017. After playing a minor role across three seasons, Arizona designated him for assignment in 2020. The DFA led to a trade to the Twins, though Minnesota would also designate Vargas for assignment less than a month after acquiring him. The Cubs scooped him up off waivers for the final month of the season. Vargas went through a similar set of transactions in 2021, just in a different order. He was claimed off waivers by the Pirates in May, then designated for assignment a couple of weeks later. Pittsburgh worked out a trade that sent Vargas back to Arizona.

Washington gave Vargas his longest look to date. The Nationals signed him as a minor league free agent in May of 2022. He hit .280 in 53 games with the team. Washington gave Vargas semi-regular playing time over the next two seasons. He topped 300 plate appearances for the first time in 2024. Vargas signed a minor league deal to return to Arizona this past offseason. He appeared in 38 games with the team in 2025. Vargas has spent time at all four infield positions, plus left field and right field. He’s also made five appearances in mop-up duty on the mound, hilariously allowing just two earned runs in five innings. The 34-year-old’s extreme versatility could get him another gig this offseason.

Arizona added McCann after Atlanta cut him loose in June. He appeared in 42 games for the team, filling in behind the plate after Gabriel Moreno went down with a hand injury. The 34-year-old posted a solid 110 wRC+ in limited action.

Beeks ended up being a decent find for the Diamondbacks. They signed him just before the season began, and the veteran lefty contributed a 3.77 ERA over 57 1/3 innings. Beeks missed time with a back injury, but still managed to make 61 appearances, including two as an opener.

Curtiss is the only member of the DFA group to make a significant impact at the MLB level in 2025. He appeared in 30 games with the big-league club, recording a 3.93 ERA. Curtiss has bounced around frequently since debuting in 2017, pitching for eight different teams.

Nelson has been a part of Arizona’s bullpen in recent years, but he only appeared in three games this past season. Pope debuted in September, making a two-inning appearance against the Dodgers before heading back to Triple-A Reno. Kelly pitched in two games in August. Kaiser had a couple of brief stints with the big-league club, going 2-for-18 across 11 games.

Orioles To Hire Dustin Lind As Hitting Coach

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The Orioles are expected to add Dustin Lind as hitting coach, according to Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com. The club has yet to announce the move. Lind would be the first hire for new manager Craig Albernaz’s coaching staff.

Lind began his coaching career in 2018 as a minor league quality assurance coach in Seattle’s organization. He joined the Giants in 2020 as an assistant hitting coach, a role he would retain through 2023. Lind has been an assistant hitting coach with the Phillies for the past two seasons.

Albernaz and Lind should be plenty familiar with each other, as their paths crossed perfectly in San Francisco. Baltimore’s skipper joined the Giants as bullpen coach and catching instructor in 2020, staying through 2023. Both Albernaz and Lind left for other opportunities after Gabe Kapler’s managerial tenure ended.

Baltimore has multiple positions to fill on the hitting side. Hitting coach Cody Asche was hired by Detroit. It was reported in late October that assistant hitting coaches Sherman Johnson and Tommy Joseph wouldn’t be returning in 2026.

The Orioles ranked 24th in scoring last season. It was a disappointing outcome after they scored the fourth-most runs in 2024. Lind will have plenty of young firepower to work with next year. Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, and Jordan Westburg have been fixtures in the lineup the past couple of seasons. Colton Cowser, Samuel Basallo, and Coby Mayo are pushing for regular at-bats. Rutschman is the oldest among the core group, and he’s only entering his age-28 season.

Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray, Imagn Images

 

Braves To Make Two Front Office Promotions

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The Braves are expected to move two executives into assistant general manager roles, reports David O’Brien of The Athletic. Michael Schwartze will be promoted to assistant GM, player personnel. Adam Sonabend will be promoted to assistant GM, major league operations.

Prior to coming to Atlanta, Schwartze spent seven years with San Francisco. He joined the organization as an analyst in 2018, eventually working his way up to senior director, baseball analytics in 2024. The Braves hired Schwartze after the 2024 season as vice president, player personnel.

Sonabend was most recently vice president, major league operations. He spent three minor league seasons as a catcher in the Giants organization.

It’s been a busy week for Atlanta. The club tabbed Walt Weiss as its new manager on Monday. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and first base coach Antoan Richardson joined Weiss’ staff on Wednesday. The Braves added Tony Mansolino as third base coach and J.P. Martinez as bullpen coach earlier today.

Atlanta is looking to bounce back from its first sub-.500 season since 2017. The team ended a seven-year streak of postseason appearances. Longtime manager Brian Snitker stepped aside at the end of the season, though he remains in the organization in an advisory role.

Royals Hire Connor Dawson As Hitting Coach

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Connor Dawson is heading home. as the Royals announced today that the Kansas City-area native has been hired as the team’s new hitting coach. Dawson has been a hitting coach for the Brewers since 2022. David Lesky of Inside The Crown reported earlier this week that Dawson was joining the K.C. coaching staff.

Dawson went to high school near Kauffman Stadium. He played community college ball a couple of hours south of Kansas City. Dawson got his start with Seattle, serving as a minor league hitting coach from 2019 to 2021. He joined Milwaukee as a hitting coach in 2022, working in tandem with Ozzie Timmons. Dawson worked under lead hitting coach Al LeBoeuf in 2025. “It’s a tough loss for us, but it’s home for him,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told reporters on Thursday, including Anne Rogers of MLB.com.

The Brewers ranked top 10 in scoring in three of Dawson’s four seasons with the team. Milwaukee finished third in runs this past season. Toronto was the only team with a better walk-to-strikeout ratio in 2025. The Brewers found offensive success without a standout season from any player. No Milwaukee regular posted an OPS above .800, though Andrew Vaughn did post an .869 mark in his half-season with the team. The Brewers were able to generate runs by stacking up a bunch of hitters with OPS marks around .750.

The balanced approach on offense could work in Kansas City. While the Royals got strong production from the top of the lineup, they struggled to find viable options beyond their first five hitters. The club ranked 26th in scoring this past season. Kansas City made contact at an elite rate, but wasn’t able to generate much power. The Royals hit the fifth-fewest home runs and finished middle-of-the-pack in slugging percentage and isolated power.

It was reported in early October that the club wouldn’t renew the contracts of assistant hitting coaches Keoni DeRenne and Joe Dillon. Alec Zumwalt, hitting coach and senior director of hitting performance, remains with the team. The club’s press release announcing the Dawson hire mentioned that another coach would be added to the hitting department.

KBO’s KT Wiz Sign Matt Sauer

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Former big league pitcher Matt Sauer has signed with the KT Wiz of the KBO league, the team announced Thursday. The 26-year-old inked a one-year, $950K deal that includes a $750K salary and a $200K signing bonus. “Sauer is a power pitcher with extensive starting experience, and we expect him to anchor the rotation with his strong fastball and diverse pitches,” general manager Na Do-hyun said in a statement.

The Dodgers designated Sauer for assignment and released him in September. He returned to the team on a minor league pact later in the month. Sauer will now leave MLB to pursue an opportunity abroad.

Sauer made 10 appearances for Los Angeles this past season, struggling to a 6.37 ERA over 29 2/3 innings. His overall numbers were tanked by a disastrous outing in June. A slew of pitching injuries led the Dodgers to recall Sauer for a June 10 game against San Diego. With few options behind him, Sauer was left out there to throw 111 pitches over 4 2/3 innings, allowing nine earned runs on 13 hits.

The Yankees drafted Sauer in 2017. He posted strong strikeout numbers at multiple minor league levels, but never reached the big leagues with New York. The Royals scooped him up in the Rule 5 draft following the 2023 season. Sauer made 14 appearances with Kansas City in 2024, posting a 7.71 ERA. He was returned to the Yankees at the end of May. Sauer elected minor league free agency last offseason, ultimately landing in LA.

KBO teams can carry up to two foreign-born pitchers. The Wiz opened last season with lefty Enmanuel De Jesus and righty William Cuevas, then swapped out the latter for righty Patrick Murphy in July. It’s unclear whose spot Sauer will take for 2026.

Coaching Notes: Leiper, Weeks, Rangers, Twins

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With so many new managers taking over this season, it’s no surprise we’ve seen plenty of coaching staff turnover. Changes have been trickling in this week. Here are some quick highlights…

  • The Mets are expected to hire Tim Leiper as their third base coach, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Leiper has spent nearly three decades as a coach at various levels. He most recently served as the Padres’ third base coach, a role he has held since 2024. Leiper would be taking over for Mike Sarbaugh, who was not brought back after the season.
  • Rickie Weeks is changing roles with the Brewers, reports Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. After serving as associate manager for the past two seasons, Weeks will move to the front office as a special assistant to the general manager. Weeks was drafted by the Brewers with the second overall pick in 2003. He spent 11 of his 14 big-league seasons with the team. Weeks returned to Milwaukee in 2022 as an assistant to player development. The Brewers will not be hiring a new associate manager, notes Hogg.
  • The Rangers are in the process of filling out new manager Skip Schumaker’s staff. The club is expected to add Alex Cintron as an assistant hitting coach, reports Michael Schwab. Cintron has been a hitting coach with the Astros since 2019. Texas has also expressed interest in Twins’ bullpen coach Colby Suggs, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Suggs seems to be on the market, with Minnesota expected to hire LaTroy Hawkins for the bullpen coach position.
  • More from Minnesota, as new manager Derek Shelton continues to put his staff together. Hayes reported that Hank Conger will not be returning next season. Conger joined the Twins in 2022 as first base coach. After three seasons in the role, he served as assistant bench coach in 2025. Minnesota is also slated to lose bench coach Jayce Tingler, who is expected to join San Francisco’s staff in some capacity.

Royals’ Kyle Wright Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency

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The Royals announced right-hander Kyle Wright has cleared waivers and elected free agency. Wright had been placed on outright waivers earlier this week. Left-hander Sam Long has also cleared waivers and elected free agency.

Wright will depart from the organization without making a big-league appearance. Kansas City acquired him in a November 2023 trade that sent Jackson Kowar to the Braves. Wright was recovering from shoulder surgery at the time. He did not throw a pitch in 2024. Wright made eight appearances at two minor-league levels in 2025, but an oblique injury ended his season in July.

Atlanta took Wright with the fifth overall pick in 2017. He debuted with the team the following year. Wright struggled in brief MLB stints from 2018 to 2021, but found his footing in 2022. He made 30 starts with the Braves, posting a 3.19 ERA while leading the majors with 21 wins. Wright entered 2023 with a firm spot in Atlanta’s rotation, though shoulder soreness delayed his start to the season. He made five appearances before hitting the IL again with shoulder inflammation. Wright returned for 12 1/3 innings in September, only to undergo shoulder surgery in the offseason.

Kansas City signed Long as a minor league free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He was solid in 43 appearances with the club, notching a 3.16 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning. Elbow inflammation cost Long a couple of months in 2025. He was a steady part of the bullpen upon returning from the IL in late June.

Long has tossed at least 40 innings at the big-league level in each of the past five seasons. The 30-year-old will be looking for his fourth team in five years.

Twins To Hire LaTroy Hawkins As Bullpen Coach

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The Twins are expected to bring on former reliever LaTroy Hawkins as bullpen coach, reports Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune, among others. Hawkins has been a special assistant in the organization since 2016. He’s also worked on the Twins’ broadcast team.

Hawkins is no stranger to Minnesota’s bullpen. He pitched for 11 teams over his 21-year career, but his longest tenure was with the Twins. Minnesota drafted Hawkins in 1991. He debuted for the team as a 22-year-old in 1995. Hawkins spent five seasons as a starter with the Twins before moving to the bullpen, where he would be a fixture through 2003.

Hawkins wrapped up his lengthy playing career with the Blue Jays in 2015. He finished with 127 saves across 1,042 appearances. Hawkins returned to Minnesota after that season, this time in a front office role. He doesn’t have any MLB coaching experience, but did coach for the Brazilian National Team in 2017 and 2023. Hawkins also managed the American League team at the 2021 Futures Game.

Minnesota has yet to announce the hiring. Hawkins would be taking over for Colby Suggs, who has served as bullpen coach since 2022. Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that the Rangers have expressed interest in adding Suggs to their coaching staff. Suggs has worked in the Twins’ organization since 2019.

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