LBB: Most Interesting Player in Camp for Each RDBL Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lTYRA0EGU

Spring training is officially underway, and across the Roger Dorn Baseball League front offices are watching box scores, beat reports and backfield reps with unusual intensity. This isn’t just about MLB roster spots — it’s about keeper decisions, cap flexibility and whether a prospect’s Minor League deal turns into a 1R/$1 activation before Opening Day. Several contenders are protecting tight keeper cores, while rebuilding clubs are weighing upside against patience. Below is the most interesting player in camp for every RDBL franchise — each one sitting at the crossroads of activation, keeper value, or long-term trajectory.

Alamo Short Stacks – SS Marcelo Mayer (Minors)

With the Short Stacks sitting at 4,783 projected points and $134 in available cap space, GM Greg Shelley doesn’t need to rush Marcelo Mayer — but the opportunity might force his hand. Mayer’s starting position in Boston remains unsettled after the acquisition of Caleb Durbin, and he logged time at both second and third base during his 2025 rookie season. Originally ticketed as Alex Bregman’s replacement at third, Mayer now enters camp in a position battle that should clarify once position players report to Fort Myers. If Mayer locks down everyday at-bats, activating him would provide the Short Stacks with another cost-controlled infielder and even more in-season cap maneuverability.

Asti Grape Stompers – OF Jordan Walker (3R/$5)

Once a consensus Top-5 prospect in baseball, Walker now finds himself fighting to complete his Rookie deal after slashing just .211/.270/.324 across the last two seasons. The 23-year-old believes he “found something” at Driveline this offseason after correcting a collapsing back hip that sapped his power and caused forward drift. His winter program included resistance-band work, nutrition planning, and flexibility training at Cressey Sports Performance — a full-scale reboot. With St. Louis planning to give him regular reps in right field during a rebuilding season, Walker’s spring performance could determine whether Asti sees a rebound candidate or a sunk cost.

Burlingame Blue Ducks – SP Chris Bassitt (2D/$5)

Fresh off a 2025 Regular Season Title and sitting at 5,245 projected points RDBL Archives - 2026 Projected …, GM Ryan Walsh has the luxury of evaluating Bassitt as a final-keeper swing piece. Bassitt signed a one-year, $18.5M deal with Baltimore after posting a 3.96 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 across 170.1 innings in 2025. He’s made 30+ starts in four straight seasons and ranked in the 85th percentile in average exit velocity allowed, suggesting his contact management still plays. If he shows durability and sharpness in camp, Bassitt could push Robbie Ray (3D/$15) for the final protected rotation slot.

Cloverdale Clovers – 3B/1B Sal Stewart (Minors)

Stewart shed 26 pounds this offseason as he looks to claim a first base/DH pathway and earn activation for GM Chris Shelley. Primarily a third baseman in the minors, Stewart’s defensive transition accelerated after a costly throwing error in last year’s playoffs. During a September call-up, he flashed impact power with a .255/.293/.545 line and five homers in just 58 plate appearances. The slimmer frame reportedly improves his athleticism, but how it impacts his compact, power-first swing will determine whether the Clovers get an Opening Day contributor or keep him stashed.

Honolulu Hammerheads – SS JJ Wetherholt (Minors)

Wetherholt profiles as one of the safest pure hitters in the minors, and St. Louis clearing second base could open the door immediately. Across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, he hit .306 with a .421 OBP, 17 homers, 23 steals and just a 14.7% strikeout rate. While not a burner long-term, his instincts and on-base skills make him a top-of-the-order candidate from day one. If he breaks camp, the Hammerheads could gain a multi-category middle infielder on a Minor League deal — a massive surplus value play.

Lake Merced Goutfish – 1B Munetaka Murakami (Minors)

Few players in camp possess Murakami’s range of outcomes. The former NPB MVP once blasted 56 homers with a .318/.458/.710 slash line, but rising strikeout rates (28%+ the last three seasons) and injuries limited him to 56 games in 2025. While primarily a third baseman in Japan, he projects best at first base or DH in MLB. If he rediscovers even average contact rates, his power ceiling rivals elite MLB sluggers; if not, whiff concerns could cap his playing time — making him one of the highest-variance stashes in RDBL.

Lunatic Fringe – RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3R/$5)

Rodriguez enters 2026 needing to prove both health and durability after lat and elbow injuries wiped out his 2025 season. When healthy in Baltimore, he produced a 4.11 ERA (3.98 xERA) with an 18.0% K-BB% over 238.2 innings — frontline flashes with uneven availability. Now with Anaheim, he has thrown early bullpens without restriction but must earn a rotation spot in camp. For GM Tony Guglielmi, Rodriguez represents the difference between a stabilized rotation core and another lost Rookie contract.

Maltese Falcons – LHP Ryan Weathers (2D/$5)

With Jared Jones (2/$1) sidelined and Zack Wheeler unlikely to return at his $61 price, the Falcons have rotation innings available. Weathers was limited to eight starts in 2025 due to forearm and lat strains but still posted a 3.99 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Traded to the Yankees in January, he now joins a staff dealing with elbow absences for Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. A healthy spring could vault Weathers into meaningful innings — and into GM Gary Falzon’s keeper calculus.

Meinert Hops – RHP Andrew Painter (Minors)

Painter’s arc since his 2023 Tommy John surgery has been uneven. In 2025, he logged a 5.26 ERA and 1.49 WHIP at Triple-A with a 13.7% K-BB%, far below his pre-injury dominance. However, his pure stuff reportedly returned without major velocity loss, and he finished the year healthy entering his age-23 season. If his command rebounds even partially this spring, Painter could quickly shift from post-hype caution to activation candidate for GM Garrett Shelley.

Mission Viejo Maulers – 1B/OF Jac Caglianone (Minors)

Caglianone’s gaudy minor-league numbers didn’t translate in Kansas City, where he posted a .157/.237/.295 line over 232 MLB plate appearances in 2025. After returning from a hamstring injury, he improved slightly but still struggled to make consistent quality contact. Strikeouts weren’t the primary issue — impact was. A loud spring could re-ignite belief in the power ceiling and push GM Chris Ferraro to include him in the Opening Day youth wave.

Mt. Diablo Devils – IF Luisangel Acuña (Minors)

Acquired as the key piece in the Luis Robert trade, Acuña will reportedly receive “runway” to show his talent in Chicago. He’s slashed just .248/.299/.341 in limited MLB time but has gone 16-for-18 in stolen base attempts. Positional versatility (infield and center field) gives him multiple paths to everyday reps. If the bat stabilizes even slightly, his speed could make him a category-altering fantasy asset — and a worthwhile activation for the Devils.

Nashville Aristocrats – RHP Jacob Misiorowski (1R/$1)

The defending champions aggressively activated Misiorowski during their 2025 title run, and now the spotlight intensifies. He opened his MLB career with a 2.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in his first five starts before finishing at 4.36 across 66 innings. His 11.9 K/9 underscores elite strikeout potential, though a 4.2 BB/9 and cautious workload usage suggest volatility. If his command tightens this spring, Misiorowski could transition from speculative arm to foundational piece in the Aristocrats’ rotation.

San Mateo Oppo Tacos – C Samuel Basallo (Minors)

Basallo mashed Triple-A pitching at age 20 with a .319 ISO and .589 SLG before debuting in the majors just days after his 21st birthday. A .187 BABIP suppressed his MLB surface numbers, but the underlying power remains undeniable. With Adley Rutschman entrenched, Basallo’s path includes regular DH at-bats while maintaining catcher eligibility. GM Erik Nielsen prefers patience, but a dominant spring could accelerate the timeline.

Spokane Fightin’ Fish – 2B Luke Keaschall (Minors)

Keaschall exploded onto the MLB scene hitting .368 in his first seven games before injuries (forearm fracture, thumb) derailed momentum. Over 42 late-season games, he hit .294 with a .795 OPS and nine steals. His plate discipline (9.2% walk rate, 14% strikeout rate) and 85th percentile sprint speed suggest a high-floor leadoff profile. If durability cooperates, he could deliver both impact production and crucial cap relief for Spokane.

St. Joseph Jokers – RHP Roki Sasaki (2R/$3)

Sasaki’s 2025 MLB debut was uneven — a 4.72 ERA and 1.49 WHIP before a shoulder impingement shifted him to relief late in the year. Mechanical tweaks unlocked his stuff in September and during the postseason, flashing the electric arsenal that made him coveted. He’ll be stretched back out as a starter in 2026, though workload limitations remain likely. For the Jokers, Sasaki is the ultimate wild card — ace upside with durability uncertainty.

Rumor Central: Deep Crop of Starters Available Before Draft Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvflapWHPJ0

With less than six weeks until the March 22 draft in Redwood City, the RDBL pitching market is already taking shape — and it’s clear this off-season will be defined by innings, not hype. Several contenders are projecting within striking distance of the 8,600-point target but sit unevenly constructed, heavy on bats and light on reliable rotation volume, while others are carrying surplus arms on team-friendly contracts.

The Keeper sheet shows a widening gap between expensive frontline starters and profit-contract mid-rotation arms, creating a natural trade ecosystem before auction dollars start flying. In a league where IP is currency and regression arrives quickly, the teams that correctly identify which 2025 breakouts were skill-based — and which were smoke — will control the board before Draft Day even begins.

Pitchers are ordered by CBS Projections for 2026.

SP Matthew Boyd (2D/$5), Alamo Short Stacks

Boyd’s 463.0-point 2025 wasn’t just volume — it came with a velocity bump and improved strike-throwing that stabilized his WHIP profile after years of volatility. The 516.0-point CBS projection assumes that late-career command refinement sticks, which is reasonable given how he finished the season. At $5 and fresh off the 16th most pitching points in the RDBL in 2025, he could serve as a key piece to start rebuilding a Stacks Farm System that lacks depth if GM Greg Shelley decides to go in that direction.

SP Logan Gilbert (2/$55), Cloverdale Clovers

Gilbert’s 340-point 2025 was slightly below his 469.0 three-year average largely because his strikeout rate dipped while he leaned more heavily into pitch efficiency. The 424.0 projection reflects a likely rebound if the swing-and-miss returns closer to career norms. At $55, he’s expensive, but he’s also one of the league’s safest bets for 180+ quality innings. Cloverdale can shop him as a high-floor SP1 for teams that don’t want to gamble on health-risk aces.

SP Luis Castillo (2/$33), Mt. Diablo Devils

Castillo’s 411.0 points in 2025 came on the back of strong durability and a heavy fastball/slider workload that still generated weak contact even with modest K regression. His 438.0 three-year average shows this wasn’t an outlier season but part of a steady veteran run. The 388.0 projection bakes in some age-related slippage, but nothing catastrophic. At $33, he’s priced like a dependable SP2 and could appeal to contenders who value stability over ceiling.

SP Ryne Nelson (2FA/$5), Nashville Aristocrats

Nelson’s 403-point breakout in 2025 was fueled by improved fastball command and more consistent secondary usage, not just BABIP luck. His three-year average (282.0) suggests growth rather than pure randomness, though the 375.0 projection still expects some normalization. At $5, he’s exactly the kind of breakout arm that rebuilding teams flip before arbitration-like inflation hits. Nashville can pitch him as a cheap, ascending innings source with runway.

SP Ryan Weathers (2D/$5), Maltese Falcons

Weathers’ 2025 cratered to just 75 points because of injury interruptions that derailed his workload and consistency. The 373.0 projection reflects optimism that a healthy offseason restores his mid-rotation form and ground-ball heavy approach. His three-year average (94.0) shows how uneven the development path has been, but the tools have always been there. At 2D/$5 with a 2027 option at $15, he’s a low-risk bounce-back lottery ticket the Falcons can either hold or sell to a health-optimistic contender.

SP George Kirby (2/$24), Alamo Short Stacks

Kirby’s 242-point 2025 was largely a product of diminished strikeout totals and a few blow-up outings rather than structural decline after a late-season start. His 393.0 three-year average and 370.0 projection suggest the command foundation remains intact. He still profiles as one of the league’s best walk suppressors, which matters enormously in the RDBL scoring format. At 2/$24, he’s a classic rebound SP2 candidate with room to outperform salary.

SP Luis Severino (3D/$15), San Mateo Oppo Tacos

Severino’s 258 points in 2025 reflected inconsistency in both health and pitch mix execution, particularly with his slider shape fluctuating month to month. The 359.0 projection assumes better durability and a stabilized arsenal. His 211.0 three-year average screams volatility, but also ceiling if he strings together a full workload. At $15, he’s the type of upside bet contenders will justify if they believe in the medical reports.

SP Cole Ragans (3/$36), Honolulu Hammerheads

Ragans’ 114-point 2025 was derailed by missed time and command lapses that spiked his baserunner totals. His 283.0 three-year average and 352.0 projection reflect confidence that the swing-and-miss arsenal is still real. When healthy, he misses bats at an elite clip, which translates beautifully to RDBL’s IP-weighted scoring. At 3/$36, he’s a risk-reward arm whose value hinges entirely on health narrative.

SP Seth Lugo (2/$18), Lake Merced Goutfish 

Lugo’s 277-point 2025 was quieter than his 384 three-year average, largely due to fewer dominant stretches rather than collapse. The 350.0 projection sees him as a steady innings sponge with above-average command. His pitchability keeps ratios stable even without overpowering velocity. At $18, he’s a mid-rotation glue piece contenders quietly covet.

SP Brady Singer (2D/$5), Lake Merced Goutfish

Singer’s 340-point 2025 coincided with sharper command and more consistent slider usage that improved weak-contact rates. The 347.0 projection essentially validates that last season wasn’t a mirage. His 283.0 three-year average suggests growth rather than randomness. At $5, he’s one of the better profit contracts on the board.

SP Tyler Glasnow (2/$29), Meinert Hops. 

Glasnow’s 256-point 2025 again showed the tension between elite per-inning dominance and durability concerns. His 313.0 three-year average and 342.0 projection show the ceiling is intact when healthy. Strikeouts and IP efficiency remain premium traits in this scoring environment. At $29, he’s a contender’s calculated gamble.

SP Spencer Strider (2/$44), Nashville Aristocrats

Strider’s 197-point 2025 was more about health interruption than skill erosion. The 335.0 projection anticipates a workload rebound and restoration of elite strikeout dominance. His 212.0 three-year average is suppressed by the shortened season but still hints at top-tier upside. At $44, he’s a swing-for-the-fences acquisition.

RP Trevor Megill (2FA/$5), San Mateo Oppo Tacos

Megill’s 231-point 2025 reflected stable late-inning usage and improved strike efficiency. The 334 projection suggests continued leverage role volume. His 169.0 three-year average shows he’s grown into consistency rather than flashing it. At $5, he’s affordable bullpen reinforcement.

RP Kenley Jansen (3/$2), Lunatic Fringe

Jansen’s 279-point 2025 showed that even with diminished velocity, command and role stability still matter. The 308.0 projection expects similar usage and efficiency. His 232.0 three-year average reinforces reliability. At $2, he’s one of the cheapest dependable bullpen arms in the league.

SP David Peterson (2D/$5), Burlingame Blue Ducks

Peterson’s 292-point 2025 came via improved strike throwing and better sequencing against right-handed hitters. The 303.0 projection keeps him in that steady mid-rotation band. His 235 three-year average supports consistency over flash. At $5, he’s an extremely movable depth piece.

SP Grayson Rodriguez (3R/$5), Lunatic Fringe

Rodriguez scored 0 points in 2025 due to injury absence, but his 152 three-year average and 285.0 projection show legitimate rebound upside. His fastball/slider combo still profiles as impact-level when healthy. At $5, he’s a high-ceiling stash rather than a sunk cost. The Fringe can either cash out on belief or bet on health.

RP Devin Williams (3D/$15), Lake Merced Goutfish

Williams’ 190-point 2025 was solid but not dominant, with slightly reduced strikeout rates compared to peak seasons. The 244.0 projection expects similar high-leverage usage. His 221.0 three-year average shows steady bullpen contribution. At $15, he’s priced as a premium reliever rather than a cheat code.

SP Shane Baz (3D/$15), Cloverdale Clovers

Baz’s 249-point 2025 reflected flashes of electric stuff but inconsistent command within outings. The 222.0 projection assumes modest regression but sustained role security. His 236.0 three-year average suggests he’s useful when available. At $15, he’s a ceiling play with developmental upside still intact.

3 Up, 3 Down: Injury News to Top RDBL Free Agents Opening of Camp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmEUecPODz4

Spring training camps officially opened yesterday, and while pitchers and catchers reported with optimism, several RDBL front offices were greeted with far less comforting headlines. Two of the top available free agents — Corbin Carroll and Francisco Lindor — are already dealing with significant injuries, immediately altering early draft-board conversations. With the March 22 auction looming, uncertainty at the top of the player pool matters with the potential to push even more money to "sure things" like Juan Soto and Tarik Skubal.

This is the first installment of a weekly 3 Up, 3 Down — tracking real-time value movement across the RDBL landscape.

Jared Jones (2/$1), Maltese Falcons

Jones is back healthy and throwing as camps open after missing last season following Tommy John surgery. Prior to the injury, he flashed frontline upside with mid-90s velocity and swing-and-miss stuff, and he is expected to slot back into the Maltese Falcons rotation for GM Gary Falzon. The Falcons invested at just $1 for Jones last year, making this one of the more intriguing upside arms on the board entering 2026. A full, healthy spring immediately boosts his value trajectory and gives Falzon a huge shot in the arm in the vaunted Peninsula Division.

Austin Riley (3/$48), Honolulu Hammerheads

Riley took live batting practice Wednesday and appears to be facing no restrictions entering camp after undergoing core-muscle surgery last August. He missed most of the final two months of 2025 due to a lower abdominal strain, but prior to that had reestablished himself as a middle-of-the-order force. Though two straight injury-shortened seasons have dented his durability reputation, he won’t turn 29 until April and still carries 30+ homer upside. With the Honolulu Hammerheads potentially declining a $48 option on Riley, his health clarity could make him one of the most fascinating value swings of the spring.

Chase DeLauter (1R/$1), Meinert Hops

DeLauter is pushing for Opening Day activation with the Meinert Hops and GM Garrett Shelley and will work in both center and right field during camp. Since being drafted in the first round in 2022, injuries have limited him to just 138 minor league games, including only 42 last season after core muscle surgery in March and wrist surgery in July. When healthy, however, he has produced an .888 career OPS in the minors and profiles as a middle-of-the-order bat. If he stays on the field this spring, his stock will rise quickly.

OF Corbin Carroll (Free Agent)

Carroll will miss significant time this spring after suffering a broken hamate bone, an injury that often impacts power even after return. He’s coming off a 2025 season where he hit 28 home runs, stole 32 bases, and scored 96 runs while again serving as Arizona’s offensive catalyst. The timing is brutal, as early spring reps are critical for hitters recovering from hand injuries. Even if he’s ready for Opening Day, expectations for immediate slug production have to be tempered.

Carroll was rated as the second best RDBL Free Agent outfielder and third best available player overall in the recent Free Agent Power Rankings. The star outfielder is fresh off his rookie deal with the Alamo Short Stacks.

SS Francisco Lindor (Free Agent)

Lindor is being evaluated for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, and surgery would likely sideline him roughly six weeks. In 2025, he delivered 31 home runs, 22 stolen bases, 102 runs scored, and 94 RBI across 158 games — another elite, durable campaign. His value has always been tied to consistency and availability, and this creates the first real question mark around both. Even a short absence could alter early-season momentum as this injury typically comes with a delayed return of power even after the player is back on the field.

Lindor ranked as the top available shortstop in the RDBL FA Power Rankings while sitting 4th overall. He just wrapped up a $34 contract with the Nashville Aristocrats and was expected to receive a healthy bump over that figure on Draft Day.

Jackson Holliday (3R/$5), Nashville Aristocrats

Holliday is also dealing with a hamate issue as camps open, putting his early spring progression on pause. Holliday was greeted with a harsh introduction to the big leagues upon his arrival to Baltimore in 2024, but he made major strides in his sophomore season, finishing with 17 homers and 17 steals across 649 plate appearances. Perhaps most impressively, Holliday trimmed more than 11 percentage points off his strikeout rate, bringing it to 21.6% after he looked a bit overmatched as a rookie.

He still has a ways to go given that he was still below league average by many statistical measures last season, but Holliday is just 22 years old, so he has time. The son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jackson embodies the word "pedigree." Another step forward could come quickly for the second baseman, and it could be a similar step forward to his last though it might start in mid-April as opposed to Opening Day.