Injury Notes: Eflin, Kirk, Cleavinger, Falter
Orioles righty Zach Eflin didn’t travel with the team to Pittsburgh. He’s on the 15-day injured list due to an elbow issue, and manager Craig Albernaz told reporters prior to today’s series opener against the Pirates that Eflin is headed for a second opinion with orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister (via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Eflin exited his first start of the season in the fourth inning due to elbow discomfort. The O’s sent him for imaging and placed him on the 15-day injured list the following day. Albernaz did not disclose the findings of the original MRI.
It’s an ominous scenario for the Orioles and for Eflin, who returned to Baltimore on a one-year, $10MM deal after undergoing back surgery in August. The 31-year-old righty (32 next week) wound up making it back from that surgery in time for Opening Day but now has a separate injury issue threatening his ability to contribute. Eflin was terrific with the Rays and O’s from 2023-24, pitching to a combined 3.54 ERA in 343 innings across the first two seasons of a three-year, $40MM deal originally signed with Tampa Bay. He was rocked for a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts last season while trying to pitch through lat and back injuries.
A few more injury situations of particular note from around the league…
- The Blue Jays are awaiting x-ray results on catcher Alejandro Kirk, writes Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The Toronto backstop left today’s loss to the White Sox in the bottom of the tenth with a left thumb injury. An Austin Hays foul tip struck Kirk awkwardly in his glove hand, and he left the game with trainers. Tyler Heineman came off the bench to finish the game (and showed some rust on a throwing error that allowed the tying run to score with two outs). Brandon Valenzuela is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. Skipper John Schneider indicated he’d get his first major league call if Kirk misses time.
- Rays lefty Garrett Cleavinger landed on the 15-day injured list this morning due to tightness in his right calf, per the team. Right-hander Hunter Bigge was recalled from Triple-A Durham in his place. It certainly doesn’t sound like a serious injury, but any absence for Cleavinger is notable for Tampa Bay. Though he’s not a household name, the 31-year-old southpaw pitched to a 3.04 earned run average with a 30% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate in 133 1/3 innings from 2023-25. He’s emerged as a key late-inning arm for skipper Kevin Cash, totaling six saves and 36 holds over the past two seasons.
- The Royals are also down a lefty reliever, as they placed swingman Bailey Falter on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation. Luinder Avila is up from Triple-A and will start the first game of tomorrow’s doubleheader against Milwaukee. (Avila would have started tonight before the series opener was scrapped by weather.) Anne Rogers of MLB.com relays that Falter received an injection to treat valgus extension overload and will be shut down from throwing for a few days. The southpaw missed the final five weeks last season with biceps inflammation and has been tagged for five runs over 3 1/3 innings during his first two appearances.
Rule 5 Draft Update: April Edition
In last year’s Rule 5 draft, 13 players were selected in the major league phase, giving them a chance to play for a big league club in 2026. Not all of them broke camp and not all of them are healthy, so we’ll check in on the group from time to time.
For those who need a quick refresher on the parameters, the Rule 5 draft is designed to give major league chances to guys who may be blocked in their current organization. Players become eligible to be taken in the draft after a certain amount of time in the minors but can be protected from selection by being added to the 40-man roster. A player selected in the Rule 5 cannot be optioned to the minors, meaning he has to stay in the big leagues or on the injured list for the entire season. After a full season, the selecting team gets the player’s rights permanently, as long as he was active for at least 90 days. If the player is not active for 90 days, due to a significant injury, the Rule 5 parameters carry over into the next season.
If the selecting team no longer wants to roster the player, he needs to either be traded or placed on waivers. Any acquiring team would take on the same Rule 5 restrictions. If he clears waivers, he is offered back to his original organization. That club can take the player back without carrying him on the 40-man roster.
On An Active Roster
Daniel Susac, Giants C (selected from Athletics by Twins, traded to Giants)
Susac made the Opening Day roster but didn’t get his first start until last night, San Francisco’s seventh game of the season. That debut could hardly have gone much better. Susac went three for three and also drew a walk. His family was in attendance and their celebrations quickly became popular online. He also collected the obligatory post-game shower.
The Giants presumably felt pretty good about Susac’s chances of sticking as a backup to Patrick Bailey. They had the 15th pick in the draft but didn’t want to wait that long. They sent minor leaguer Miguel Caraballo to the Twins so that Minnesota could take him at #4 and then flip him to the Giants.
Susac was the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft but his minor league performance had been more decent than overwhelming. His defense behind the plate was considered passable. In Triple-A last year, he slashed .275/.349/.483, with that production translating to a 94 wRC+ in the Pacific Coast League. He has performed well since joining his new organization. He hit .350/.386/.550 in spring training and, as mentioned, his big league career is off to a good start in a small sample.
Carter Baumler, Rangers RHP (selected from Orioles by Pirates, traded to Rangers)
Like Susac, Baumler was acquired via trade on Rule 5 day. The Rangers had the 14th pick but sent minor league righty Jaiker Garcia to the Pirates in exchange for Pittsburgh selecting Baumler fifth overall and flipping him to Texas. Baumler didn’t have Susac’s draft pedigree, as he was a fifth-round pick in 2020. However, he had a strong season in 2025, split between High-A and Double-A. He tossed 39 2/3 innings, allowing 2.04 earned runs per nine. His 11.4% walk rate was high but he struck out 29.1% of batters faced.
He earned an Opening Day job with a strong spring, throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts and just two walks. He has thrown 4 2/3 big league innings thus far, with two earned runs allowed. He has five punchouts but has given out six walks and hit one batter. The Rangers don’t have a ton of flexibility in their bullpen at the moment. Robert Garcia and Jacob Latz are the only guys who can be optioned to the minors and Garcia’s not going anywhere. Baumler will presumably need some better control if he is to hang onto his spot.
Ryan Watson, Red Sox RHP (selected from Giants by Athletics, traded to Red Sox)
Once again, we have a team giving up a prospect to effectively move up in the draft. Boston had the 22nd pick but sent infielder Justin Riemer to the Athletics for Watson, after the A’s grabbed him in the #8 spot.
Watson was not really a top prospect. He was a 39th-round pick way back in 2016, before the draft was shortened to 20 rounds. He spent the 2025 season pitching in Triple-A as a 27-year-old and posted a 4.26 ERA. The Sox looked beyond that ERA number, which was posted in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and focused more on his 28.1% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate.
He didn’t have an overwhelming spring performance, tossing 11 1/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs with seven strikeouts. He broke camp with the Sox regardless and has made two big league appearances thus far. He has allowed two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts but five walks.
Roddery Muñoz, Astros RHP (selected from Reds)
This was a bit of an unusual Rule 5 pick, as Muñoz already had already pitched in the majors in previous seasons. In fact, he had exhausted his three option years from 2023 to 2025. The Reds claimed him off waivers from the Cardinals in November, non-tendered him and then re-signed him to a minor league deal, but then the Astros plucked him away in the Rule 5.
Muñoz had a strong spring, with 16 strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings, though he allowed five earned runs. His two regular season appearances haven’t been as smooth. He does have four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings but has also walked four and thrown two wild pitches. Overall, he has a 6.73 ERA in 96 1/3 career innings.
Peyton Pallette, Guardians RHP (selected from White Sox)
Pallette was a second-round pick in 2022. Initially a starter, he eventually moved to relief with some encouraging results. In 2025, he tossed 64 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with a 4.06 ERA. His 10.6% walk rate was high but he struck out 32.5% of batters faced.
The Guards brought him into camp and he performed well, firing six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and three walks. He broke camp and has made two big league appearances thus far, tossing 3 2/3 innings with one earned run allowed. He has struck out three with just one walk, but has also hit a batter and thrown a wild pitch.
Spencer Miles, Blue Jays RHP (selected from Giants)
Miles was a very unusual Rule 5 pick. Drafted in 2022, he barely pitched in the subsequent years due to injuries, including Tommy John surgery. He had exactly 14 2/3 innings of minor league ball on his ledger as of the Rule 5 draft. That would have made him a surprising choice to be taken by any club but it was even more unexpected when he was selected by a club expecting to contend.
Regardless, Miles earned a spot with a decent spring. He tossed 9 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs with 11 strikeouts against five walks. His major league debut was great. On Saturday, he was put into a tied game in the 11th inning. Despite starting with a runner on second, he put up a zero and got the win when the Jays walked it off in the bottom of the frame. His next appearance wasn’t as storybook, as he allowed the Rockies to score three times in an inning and a third.
Cade Winquest, Yankees RHP (selected from Cardinals)
It’s pretty rare for the Yankees to make a pick in the Rule 5 draft and actually keep him. Josh Phelps in 2007 was the last time the Yanks kept a healthy Rule 5 guy on their Opening Day roster. Even that one wasn’t typical, as Phelps made his MLB debut way back in 2000 and already had lots of big league experience.
They decided Winquest was worth breaking that pattern. An eighth-round pick from 2022, Winquest was never really a highly-touted prospect but he had a strong 2025 season. Split between High-A and Double-A, he tossed 106 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, 8.5% walk rate and 48% ground ball rate. He didn’t have a dominant spring. He tossed 10 innings, allowing eight earned runs with eight strikeouts. He walked four opponents, hit one more and threw one wild pitch. He broke camp with the club but still hasn’t made his major league debut.
Currently On Major League Injured List
RJ Petit, Rockies RHP (selected from Tigers)
The Rockies took Petit with the very first pick in the Rule 5 draft but he required Tommy John surgery a couple of weeks ago. He has already been placed on the 60-day injured list and will stay there for the entire season. There’s no IL in the offseason, so the Rockies will have to put him back on the 40-man if they plan to carry him into the 2027 season. As mentioned up top, the Rule 5 restrictions would carry over until Petit has been active for 90 days.
Matt Pushard, Cardinals (selected from Marlins)
Pushard landed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week due to right knee patellar tendinitis. His timeline is unclear but there’s nothing to indicate the Cards expect a lengthy absence. Last year, he posted a 3.61 ERA in 62 1/3 Triple-A innings, with a 28.5% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate and 43% ground ball rate. He had a solid spring, tossing 8 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed, nine strikeouts and two walks. He made one regular season appearance before landing on the IL, allowing three earned runs in one inning of work.
DFA Limbo
Jedixson Páez, RHP (selected by White Sox from Red Sox)
The White Sox took Páez with the second pick in the Rule 5 draft. It was going to be a challenge for him to stick with Chicago as he had never pitched at Triple-A or even at the Double-A level. The White Sox broke camp with him but it wasn’t to be. He made three appearances, allowing six earned runs without striking out a batter. He was designated for assignment earlier this week when the Sox added Lucas Sims to the roster. He is still in DFA limbo but could be back with the Red Sox in the coming days.
Returned To Original Organization
Griff McGarry, RHP (returned to Phillies by Nationals)
McGarry was once a notable prospect for the Phillies but some control problems lowered his stock to the point where he was left exposed in the Rule 5. The Nationals took a chance on him but the wildness remained. He faced 27 batters in spring training and walked five of them, an 18.5% clip that’s about double league average. He also hit one more guy, meaning he gave a free pass to first to 22.2% of the opponents he faced in spring. He didn’t break camp, cleared waivers and was returned to the Phils a bit before Opening Day.
Zach McCambley, RHP (returned to Marlins by Phillies)
McCambley posted a 2.90 ERA in the minors last year, striking out 33.1% of batters faced, giving out walks at an 8.8% clip and inducing grounders on 42% of balls in play. The Phils brought him into camp and he only allowed one earned run in 7 1/3 innings, but he gave out six walks while only striking out four. He cleared waivers and was returned to the Marlins before Opening Day.
Alexander Alberto, RHP (returned to Rays by White Sox)
Like the White Sox’ other pick, Alberto was a long-shot due to a lack of upper-level experience. Both he and Páez had never pitched higher than the High-A level. Alberto tossed 6 2/3 spring innings for the Sox, allowing eight earned runs while striking out seven and walking four. He was put on waivers in mid-March, well before Opening Day, and was given back to the Rays.
Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
Blue Jays Sign Patrick Corbin
The Blue Jays announced that they have signed left-hander Patrick Corbin to a one-year deal and optioned him to Low-A Dunedin. It’s worth $1MM, per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. There are also incentives worth $1MM, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. The Jays had 40-man vacancies and don’t need to make a corresponding move. Corbin has enough service time where he can’t be optioned without his consent, so he has presumably agreed to be sent down to get built up.
The signing is a response to the injury woes that have befallen the Toronto rotation in recent weeks. Shane Bieber is being built up slowly due to some offseason forearm fatigue. Trey Yesavage was slowed by a shoulder impingement. José Berríos was diagnosed with some elbow inflammation late in camp.
Those three started the season on the injured list, which left the Jays with a season-opening rotation of Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Eric Lauer, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer. Unfortunately, Ponce sprained the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in his first start. His timeline isn’t exactly clear but he seems to be slated for a lengthy absence.
Though Corbin missed spring training, he may be able to help the Jays relatively soon. Per Nicholson-Smith, he has been working out while unsigned and has gotten himself up to 80 pitches. He has agreed to head to Dunedin but it’s possible he may not need a full spring-style ramp-up of six weeks or so.
Corbin is a few years removed from his peak but is coming off a solid season with the Rangers. He made 30 starts and one relief appearance, logging 155 1/3 innings with a 4.40 earned run average. His 19.8% strikeout rate and 39.6% ground ball rate were both a couple of ticks below average but his 7.7% walk rate was a bit better than par.
At some point in the near future, Corbin could give the Jays a veteran back-end guy or could perhaps work as a long reliever. His role will presumably depend on how things develop with the other arms in the mix. Yesavage is making a rehab appearance in Dunedin tonight and doesn’t seem to be too far off. Berríos and Bieber are both throwing and could be back in the mix a bit later.
That could lead to some awkward decisions for the Jays, with perhaps Corbin or Lauer eventually getting pushed to the bullpen, but that’s a scenario they would presumably welcome at this point. They are planning a bullpen game started by Mason Fluharty tomorrow. Lauer was originally scheduled to take the ball for that game but he was pushed to Sunday by an illness. They then face the Dodgers for three, with Scherzer, Gausman and Cease likely to start those.
They may be able to breathe a bit easier after that, with off-days on both April 9th and 13th. But they then play nine straight followed by an off-day and then 13 straight, meaning they play 22 times in 23 days from April 14th to May 6th. Getting through that with a four-man rotation would put a strain on the staff so perhaps they could get Corbin and/or Yesavage into the mix by then.
Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images
Jordan Lawlar To Miss Six To Eight Weeks With Broken Wrist
Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar has a right wrist fracture, manager Torey Lovullo tells reporters, including Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. He will miss six to eight weeks. The Diamondbacks have placed him on the 10-day injured list. Catcher Adrian Del Castillo was reinstated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move. Arizona also made a move on the pitching side. They selected the contract of right-hander Taylor Rashi and designated fellow righty Joe Ross for assignment. Prior to the official announcement, Piecoro noted that Rashi had the locker previously occupied by Ross.
It’s yet another unfortunate chapter in the Lawlar story. The youngster has been one of Arizona’s top prospects for years but hasn’t been able to cement himself in the big leagues. He has often been blocked by more established players. When an opening would appear, Lawlar would himself be hurt or would struggle. He finished 2025 with a .165/.241/.237 line in 108 big league appearances.
The club grew impatient with his infield defense and moved him to the outfield for 2026. He earned an Opening Day spot and was hitting well. He hit his first major league home run last night, pushing his season-long batting line to .333/.400/.556 by the end of the game. Unfortunately, he was hit on his wrist by a pitch in the seventh inning. He stayed in the game to run the bases but was replaced defensively in the top of the eighth. Now Lawlar is slated for another notable absence, once again delaying his path to becoming an established big leaguer.
For the Snakes, their outfield takes a hit. They still have Corbin Carroll in right and Alek Thomas in center but Lawlar’s injury means they will have to figure out what to do in left. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Pavin Smith could be part of the solution down the road but both are currently on the IL. Del Castillo is unlikely to help, as his outfield experience consists of two Triple-A innings back in 2023. He was likely only called up because the Diamondbacks have no one else to turn to. Every position player on the 40-man roster is either on the active roster or injured list.
For now, they will likely use some combination of Jorge Barrosa, Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas. Piecoro says they decided against calling up prospect Ryan Waldschmidt because that would require a 40-man spot and Gurriel is expected back soon.
Turning to the pitching staff, the Diamondbacks signed Ross to a minor league deal in the offseason. The veteran swingman cracked the Opening Day roster but has been lit up so far. He has allowed eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, giving him an unsightly 19.64 earned run average. That’s obviously a small sample size but Ross also issued four walks compared to just two strikeouts.
Arizona was crushed last night, losing 17-2 to Atlanta. Ross did what he could to spare the staff, tossing two innings, but he threw 52 pitches in the process and likely wasn’t going to be available for a few days. He’ll now head into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so Arizona could spend as long as five days exploring trade interest. If Ross clears waivers, he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency.
Rashi, 30, got to make his major league debut with the Diamondbacks last year. He posted a 4.41 ERA in 16 1/3 innings. His 11.1% walk rate was high but he struck out 30.6% of batters faced and induced grounders on 42.9% of balls in play. He was non-tendered at the end of the season but then was re-signed via a minor league deal. He began the season at Triple-A Reno and made one scoreless appearance of an inning and two thirds.
Photo courtesy of Arianna Grainey, Imagn Images
Braves Acquire Víctor Mederos
The Angels have traded right-hander Víctor Mederos to the Braves in exchange for international bonus pool space, according to announcements from both clubs. The righty was designated for assignment a few days ago when the Angels added Shaun Anderson to their roster. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR says the pool space changing hands is $250K. By rule, pool space can only be traded in $250K increments. Atlanta transferred righty AJ Smith-Shawver to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot. Mederos was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Mederos, 25 in June, has a small and unimpressive major league track record to this point. He has tossed 25 1/3 innings over the previous three seasons with an 8.53 earned run average. Atlanta is presumably more interested in his minor league work. Last year, he made 16 starts at the Triple-A level, posting a 3.39 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He got some help from a 78.4% strand rate and only struck out 18.6% of batters faced but he features mid-90s velocity and a five-pitch mix.
The Halos nudged him off the roster but found enough interest on the trade block to net some international pool space in return. Atlanta gave up that pool space because they could use some extra pitching depth. In the past few weeks, they have lost Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, Joey Wentz and Spencer Strider to injuries.
They currently have a rotation featuring Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez. Sale has a lengthy injury history and is now 37 years old. López only made one start last year due to shoulder surgery. Holmes was diagnosed with a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament last year and is healthy now but it wouldn’t be a shock for that injury to flare up again. Elder had a 5.30 ERA last year. Pérez is a soft-tossing veteran.
Atlanta does have Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie in Triple-A but those two are fairly lacking in experience. Ritchie still hasn’t cracked the majors. Fuentes has made it to the show but has allowed 21 earned runs in 17 innings. Mederos will give them some extra Triple-A depth and could be called up to the big leagues at some point, if needed.
As for Smith-Shawver, his transfer to the 60-day IL was inevitable. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He could return at some point in 2026 but presumably not until after the All-Star break.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images
Brewers Designate Steward Berroa For Assignment
The Brewers have designated outfielder Steward Berroa for assignment, per a team announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to top infield prospect Cooper Pratt, whose contract has been selected to the 40-man roster now that his previously reported eight-year extension has been finalized. Pratt will remain in Triple-A Nashville for the time being, according to the Brewers.
Berroa, 26, came to the Brewers in a cash swap with the Dodgers back in July. He appeared in two games with Milwaukee last summer, going hitless in six plate appearances but contributing a stolen base after he drew a walk. He’s totaled only 51 major league plate appearances between the Brew Crew and Blue Jays — the team that originally signed him. In that fleeting cup of coffee, Berroa is 6-for-42 (.167/.314/.190) with a double, eight walks and six steals.
In parts of four Triple-A seasons, the switch-hitting Berroa is a .255/.353/.373 hitter. That production has come in a sample of 673 plate appearances, during which he’s popped a dozen homers, tallied 25 doubles and three triples, and gone 69-for-86 (80.2%) in stolen base attempts. Statcast credits the 5’9″, 193-pound burner with 89th percentile sprint speed. Berroa has primarily been a center fielder in the minors but has more than 1000 innings in each corner outfield spot over the course of nine professional seasons. He’s drawn above-average grades for his range and arm during his limited MLB run in the outfield (5 Defensive Runs Saved, 3 Outs Above Average in only 120 innings).
This is Berroa’s final minor league option year. A team looking for some speed and/or outfield depth could be drawn to Berroa’s wheels, defensive versatility and knack for drawing walks. Anyone who picks him up would be able to send him to Triple-A without exposing him to waivers. Milwaukee can trade Berroa or place him on waivers at any point within the next five days. Since waivers are a 48-hour process, we’ll know the result of his DFA by this time next week.
Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Anthony Franco
- Good afternoon, hope you're all well!
- Looking forward to another of these, let's get it going
Brewer Fan
- Is it weird that the Brewers haven't actually announced the Pratt extension? And on that topic, if it does get done, it wouldn't rule out a Made or Pena extension right?
Anthony Franco
- It's a little atypical but I don't think any cause for concern. Adam McCalvy hypothesized yesterday that it's just a logistical holdup on completing the physical
- Which would make sense. He played for Nashville through March 29, the extension report came out on the 30th, and he hasn't played any of their past three games despite being on the active roster. Could just be a travel thing to get him to Milwaukee and get final sign-off on the medical
thebeatlesshow
- Anthony, Thanks again. Is the complete game no hitter on the way to being extinct (if it isn't already)?
Anthony Franco
- I don't think so. Less common, yes, largely because teams are more concerned about pitch counts and there's a decent chance you're running a pretty high number in a no-hitter because it's probably coming with some strikeouts
- But it's still a hell of an accomplishment for a pitcher and managers care about that
- Whoops, just realized I didn't answer the second part of that first Brewers question:
Don't see why Pratt would take a Made or Pena extension off the table, no
Cubbies
- What are the Cubs gonna do with their OF after this season? Happ and Seiya both FAs and Cassie was traded for Cabrera.
Anthony Franco
- QO to both, ideal if one of them accepts and takes that decision off the table. Feels like Happ is the likelier of the two to return if they're signing one to a three-year deal
- If they believe in Kevin Alcántara at all, have to give him a real opportunity next year. He'll be out of options and the strikeout questions aren't getting answered if he's only playing twice a week
Little Texas
- I’m my way to the Rangers home opener to see Gore pitch, Here’s to his CY Young season.
Anthony Franco
- Enjoy!
3D-space ABS
- Why would the Mariners forgo managing a signing like Emerson's so that PPI was still in play?
M
- now that he's signed an extension and thus no longer eligible for the PPI, how long before Emerson is up with the Ms?
-
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Pirates Promote Konnor Griffin
April 3: Pittsburgh has formally selected Griffin’s contract, per a club announcement. Infielder Enmanuel Valdez was designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot.
April 2: The Pirates are calling up shortstop Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in all of baseball, to make his major league debut in tomorrow’s home opener, Pirates insider Jason Mackey reports. The team has confirmed Griffin’s promotion but has not yet formally selected his contract to the 40-man roster. They’ll need to do so and make corresponding 26-man and 40-man transactions prior to first pitch tomorrow.
Griffin was in the mix to break camp on Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster but was reassigned to minor league camp late in spring training. The two parties have continued talks on what would be a record-setting contract extension — expected to be both the largest ever for a player with little to no major league service time (surpassing Colt Emerson‘s recent eight-year $95MM deal with the Mariners) and the Pirates’ franchise-record contract ($100MM for Bryan Reynolds).
It’s possible the Bucs simply wanted Griffin to make his debut at home, popping ticket sales throughout the weekend and further boosting excitement for fans after an uncharacteristically aggressive offseason. It’s also feasible that the two parties have become close enough on a long-term contract that the Pirates are making the move to promote him now and will announce an extension not long after his debut. The benefits in that scenario are straightforward. Players who sign extensions before making their MLB debut are not eligible to net draft picks for their club under MLB’s prospect promotion incentives; players who sign extensions after debuting remain PPI eligible. So long as any contract is finalized after Griffin has debuted, he’d net the Pirates an extra draft pick either by winning 2026 NL Rookie of the Year honors or with a top-three finish in MVP voting in 2026-28. (A player can only generate one total PPI pick for his team.)
Griffin is still three weeks away from his 20th birthday, but the 19-year-old phenom will get his chance to prove he’s ready for the big time. A physical beast already standing 6’3″ and weighing 225 pounds, Griffin is perhaps the most touted No. 1 overall prospect in recent memory. He draws plus (60) to plus-plus (70) grades on the 20-80 scale for all of his tools across the board. Griffin is an elite runner who scouts believe can stick at shortstop while hitting for both average and power.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in 2024, Griffin has played just one full professional season, and the results were borderline comical. He sprinted through the minors last year, climbing from Low-A to Double-A and absolutely raking at each of his three stops. Griffin totaled 563 plate appearances overall and slashed .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs, 23 doubles, four triples and an eye-popping 65 stolen bases in 78 tries (83.3%). He walked at an 8.9% clip and struck out at a 21.7% rate.
Those numbers are staggering on their own. By measure of wRC+, Griffin was 65% better than an average hitter across those three levels. That ignores the context that the Mississippi native was among the youngest players — if not the youngest player — at all of those stops. Griffin hit just .171 in 46 spring plate appearances with the Pirates but still popped four home runs. He’s taken 21 plate appearances in Triple-A to begin this season and gone 7-for-16 with three doubles, three steals, five walks and only four strikeouts.
With the Pirates, Griffin will immediately step in as the team’s everyday shortstop. That’ll push Jared Triolo to a bench role for which he’s probably better suited. Triolo is an adept defender at multiple infield spots but carries just a .234/.319/.343 slash in 1054 plate appearances at the major league level. He can mix in at any of the four infield spots now, though he’s not going to supplant starters Spencer Horwitz (first base), Brandon Lowe (second base) or Nick Gonzales (third base) unless there’s an injury or a prolonged stretch of poor play from Gonzales as he acclimates to the hot corner.
Griffin steps into a big league lineup that has been substantially revamped since last season. The Pirates didn’t get the biggest fish they pursued this winter (e.g. Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, Kazuma Okamoto), but they still brought in several established veteran bats who’ve unequivocally bolstered the offense. Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum came over from the Rays alongside lefty reliever Mason Montgomery in a three-team trade sending young righty Mike Burrows to Houston. Ryan O’Hearn signed a two-year, $29MM in free agency. Marcell Ozuna later came aboard for a year and $12MM. Griffin now joins newcomers like Lowe, O’Hearn and Ozuna in the heart of a vastly improved lineup that Pirates hopes will better support the team’s excellent young pitching staff.
Service time considerations seemingly weren’t a factor in Griffin’s promotion. He’s still being called up in time to get a full year of major league service even without a Rookie of the Year win. His timelines for reaching arbitration and free agency would be rendered moot if Griffin eventually signs an extension, as many expect, but as things currently stand he’d be on track for arbitration eligibility following the 2028 season and free agency following the 2031 season, when he’d be just 25 years old (and going into his age-26 season). Griffin is so young that even a record-setting extension could still position him to reach the open market well ahead of his 30th birthday.
Griffin is the first of many young Pirates hitters who could impact the team this season. Pittsburgh also picked up touted outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia in a trade with the Red Sox, and he should get a look in the majors before too long. Infielder Termarr Johnson‘s stock has dipped in recent seasons, but he’s still just 21 years old and coming off a nice 2025 showing in Double-A. Catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr., another trade acquisition (from the Yankees in last summer’s David Bednar swap) had a big season between Double-A and Triple-A last year and could hit his way into a bigger audition in 2026 as well.
For now, all eyes are on Griffin — both to witness the debut of one of the best prospects in recent memory and also to see whether he signs a franchise-altering extension that’d lock him in beyond his original six seasons of club control.
Pirates Designate Enmanuel Valdez For Assignment
The Pirates have designated infielder Enmanuel Valdez for assignment, per a club announcement. His 40-man roster spot goes to the game’s No. 1 overall prospect, shortstop Konnor Griffin, whose previously announced promotion to the majors is now finalized.
Valdez has seen action in parts of three major league seasons, including 102 plate appearances with Pittsburgh last year. The 27-year-old carries a lifetime .230/.288/.392 batting line in the majors and has tallied 14 big league home runs in 474 plate appearances. He’s a left-handed hitter who’s spent the bulk of his time at second base but also has experience at both infield corners and in both outfield corners.
Originally an Astros signee out of his native Dominican Republic, Valdez went from Houston to Boston alongside Wilyer Abreu in the lopsided deal that shipped catcher Christian Vazquez to the Astros in 2022. The Red Sox traded him to the Pirates in Dec. 2024, acquiring minor league reliever Joe Vogatsky in return.
While Valdez has yet to hit much in the majors, he’s a career .250/.343/.467 hitter in parts of four Triple-A seasons. He’s graded out as a poor second base defender in the majors but posted above-average marks in a small sample of 190 innings at first base. Valdez is in his final minor league option year, so any team that plucks him off waivers or swings a small trade for him would be able to send him to Triple-A without restriction — at least for the remainder of the current season. (He’ll be out of options next year.)
The Pirates can trade Valdez or place him on waivers at any point in the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so within one week’s time the outcome of this morning’s DFA will be known.