Pitchers and Catchers are set to report to Spring Training camps in just eight days and there is plenty of news hitting the wire with big league clubs hosting their individual fan fest activities. A blockbuster deal that sent Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles was the biggest news of the last week with the St. Joseph Jokers potentially seeing the biggest benefit of the move as GM Rick Steen continues to overhaul the club's pitching staff.
Here's the latest 3 Up, 3 Down:
LHP DL Hall (Minors), St. Joseph Jokers
Hall was traded from the Orioles to the Brewers along with Joey Ortiz and the 34th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft in exchange for Corbin Burnes on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Hall was once viewed as a top prospect as a starting pitcher and still garnered back Top 100 votes, though he's made only one start in 29 appearances in the majors. He was effective as a reliever in 2023, posting a 3.26 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 19.1 innings after a disrupted offseason caused him to begin the year at less than full strength. However, Hall should have a renewed chance to join a big-league rotation with his new club with the makings of a potential breakout candidate for the St. Joseph Jokers.
Having not made a start at all last season, Hall can be activated as a RP on the Club's Draft Day Roster before having to move into the SP slot on Opening Day.
2B Colt Keith (Free Agent)
The Tigers announced a six-year contract extension with infield prospect Colt Keith. The deal guarantees Keith $28.6425MM and could max out at $82MM over nine years if three club options (covering the 2030, 2031, and 2032 seasons) are all escalated and exercised. The deal is expected to put Keith firmly in the club's plans as the starting second baseman to start the 2024 season and move him into the RDBL's Auction Draft and out of consideration by the Meinert Hops for the top overall pick in the Reserve Draft.
Keith, 22, was a fifth-round pick by the Tigers in the 2020 draft and has since ascended rapidly through the minor leagues with a .300/.382/.512 slash line across all levels, including a .306/.380/.552 slash line in 126 games split between Double- and Triple-A last season. The youngster has emerged as a consensus Top-30 prospect in the game, with MLB.com ranking him 22nd while Baseball America placed him 28th.
RHP Joe Musgrove (Free Agent)
Padres manager Mike Shildt last last week that Musgrove (shoulder) will not have any limitations in spring training, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
San Diego's new skipper revealed that Musgrove has already thrown some bullpen sessions and even faced some hitters and has bounced back with no issues. The veteran right-hander missed the final two months of last season with right shoulder inflammation and also dealt with elbow bursitis earlier in the year. Musgrove was highly effective in 2023 when on the mound, collecting a 3.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 97:21 K:BB over 97.1 frames. It's certainly encouraging that it looks like he'll enter spring training with no limits with the right-hander expected to receive one of the largest Auction deals for a starting pitcher in the RDBL Draft.
SS Corey Seager (2/$42), Spokane Fightin' Fish
Seager underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a sports hernia, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.
Seager initially suffered the injury during the postseason and the hope was that it would heal with some extended rest over the offseason. That didn't happen, however, so the decision was made to have the operation. The Rangers are hopeful that Seager will be ready in time for Opening Day, but if he's not Ezequiel Duran would figure to see extra playing time in the early going. Seager was the runner-up for American League MVP in 2023 and captured World Series MVP honors during Texas' run to the title. An absence, if for part of the Regular Season, would not deter GM Michael Tirabassi from considering a move given Seager's bargain at $42.
RHP Walker Buehler (2D/$5), Alamo Short Stacks
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Saturday that Buehler (elbow) will not be on the Opening Day roster, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports. The Dodgers are trying to figure out the best way to manage Buehler's workload as he comes back from Tommy John surgery and will have him on a "slow program," per Roberts. Whether that means the right-hander will begin the year in extended spring training, on a rehab assignment or something else has not been revealed by the club yet. It's also unclear at this juncture when Buehler might join the Dodgers' rotation, likely taking him out of the mix for a spot in the Stacks Keeper Roster rotation.
RHP Emmet Sheehan (2FA/$5), Asti Grape Stompers
Despite Buehler's slow ramp up, the Dodgers addition of James Paxton and likely re-signing of Clayton Kershaw could leave Sheehan on the outside looking in for the Dodgers rotation by mid-season. Of course, Sheehan could grab the reins and lock in his spot with a dominant Spring Training and early 2024 campaign, but the risk of a bullpen move is certainly high as pitchers and catchers close in our reporting to camp.
