3 Up, 3 Down: Garcia's Breakout Playoff Performance Locking in 2024 Role

The 2023 Major League Baseball Season could be wrapping up as soon as Wednesday as the Texas Rangers take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 in Phoenix. Despite it being the off-season for 28 other teams, news continues to flow in as clubs plan for 2024 and standout Playoff performances change the opinion of Roger Dorn Baseball League Front Offices.

Here's the latest 3 Up, 3 Down:

Adolis Garcia (3D/$15), San Mateo Oppo Tacos

Garcia has been the most impactful offensive player in the Playoffs thus far as he looks set to be among the first 3D/$15 players in RDBL History as the new rule hits its first season of implementation. Garcia finished the ALCS with 15 RBIs, a record for any postseason series while adding a walk-off home run in Game 1 of the World Series. He became the second player in major league history with four hits and two home runs in a winner-take-all game, joining Carlos Beltran from the 2004 National League Division Series, and the first player ever to drive in at least one run in six consecutive games in a postseason series.

The Oppo Tacos have a strong core expected to return, but those options are quite pricey which will likely lead to some off-season activity from GM Erik Nielsen. But as of now, Garcia doesn't look to be one of the contracts likely to be moved.

Henry Davis (Minors), Meinert Hops

With the Pirates off to a decent start, the club promoted Hops prospect Henry Davis to the big leagues in 2023 mainly to get his bat into the lineup. Oddly, the former top overall MLB Draft pick was pushed to the outfield to start his career, a spot he had only played a handful on innings in the Minors. A thumb injury then ended any hope of catching last season, ultimately logging just two games behind the plate and losing catcher eligibility heading into 2024, a big blow to the Hops plans.

Pirates GM Ben Cherington gave GM Garrett Shelley some hope last week as he detailed the off-season plans for Davis included preparing to return to catcher for 2024, sharing the duties with potential St. Joseph Jokers activation Endy Rodriguez.

“We believe in both cases that catcher is their primary position,” Cherington said of Rodriguez and Davis. “It has been for their entire life, and they are young players who are just getting to the big leagues. We owe it to them, and to us, to find out what it looks like at that position and give them a chance to be major league catchers.

“There are years down the road the road to make adjustments, but we think it's in the best interest of Henry, Endy and the Pirates to focus on catching going into 2024 with both of them. We believe they can do it.”

While the Hops will have to wait for him to reach five games at the position before he can be moved there, it will give GM Garrett Shelley some roster flexibility on Draft Day should they choose to activate Davis.

RHP Chase Burns (Minors), Las Vegas Aristocrats

By the middle of April, 2023 Reserve Draftee Paul Skenes was a clear steal for Burlingame Blue Ducks GM Ryan Walsh and a favorite for 1-1 in the MLB Draft (which he ultimately achieved). Las Vegas Aristocrats pitching prospect Chase Burns could make a similar rise this Spring after recently transferring from Tennessee to Wake Forest. Burns made his second Fall outing for Wake this week and was beyond impressive, sitting 97-100 with a wipeout slider.

He went 13-5 with a 3.54 ERA in two seasons at Tennessee, striking out 217 in 152 1/3 innings.

RHP Alex Cobb (2/$3), Asti Grape Stompers

Cobb will undergo surgery on his left hip labrum tomorrow, the Giants announced to reporters (including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). The surgery will also address the impingement issues that ended his 2023 season midway through September. The right-hander will need approximately six months to return to pitching, to say nothing of his readiness for the major leagues. That puts his earliest return at some point in May 2024, which could end his 2024 option with the Asti Grape Stompers.

The 36-year-old was a valuable contributor to the Giants’ rotation before his season came to an early end, making 28 starts with a 3.87 ERA. He pitched especially well in the first half, posting a 2.91 ERA through 16 starts and making the first All-Star Game of his 12-year career. Unfortunately, his performance was rather uneven in the second half; he threw a complete game gem on August 29, but he also failed to escape the fifth inning on three separate occasions. Presumably, the nagging issues in his hip were affecting his stuff down the stretch.

The injury could open the door for Casey Mize (2D/$5) to make the Grapes Opening Day rotation provided the right-hander proves to be healthy in Spring Training following his recovery from Tommy John. Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan (2FA/$5) could also push his way into an Opening Day spot.

RHP Michael Kopech (3R/$5), Cloverdale Clovers

Once considered one of the premiere prospects in baseball, Kopech has been anything but over the course of his Clovers career. After skipping the 2020 season due to concerns with COVID, Kopech returned to the mound as a reliever in 2021, further delaying his RDBL activation. He finally joined the Active Roster is 2022, posting a strong 3.54 ERA, but managed to work just 119 1/3 innings in 25 starts, holding his total points down at 298.0. Things never got on track in 2023 as Kopech was bombed by the Giants in his season opener, limping to a 5.43 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 129 1/3 IP before knee surgery ended his year.

The lack of consistency could spell the end of the line for Kopech in the green and gold, making the right-hander a potential buy-low trade candidate this off-season.

3B Jose Miranda (1R/$1), Maltese Falcons

A strong 2022 campaign planted Jose Miranda firmly in the long-term plans for the Maltese Falcons. A year following his activation, Miranda’s future in the organization could be in doubt after a rough year at the plate that concluded with shoulder surgery that will sideline him through early next year. Miranda posted 263.0 points in limited action in 2022, but followed it up with a .211/.263/.303 in 40 games.

With a wave of activations ready, the Falcons are likely to cut Miranda before Draft Day unless he can prove to be fully healthy and productive in Spring.

Rumor Central: Pfaadt, Hops, Goutfish Among Early Rumors

The Honolulu Hammerheads have been encouraged enough by right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (Minors) that he is firmly in GM Ross Horiuchi's plans for an Opening Day activation according to sources. That move would have ripple effects on clubs seeking pitching this Winter as the Heads have a strong group of starting options to pair down.

Tanner Bibee (2R/$3) and Sonny Gray (2/$1) are locks to return, but that leaves the fourth and fifth spots open between Reese Olsen (2FA/$5), Michael Wacha (2/$1), Chris Sale (3/$1) and Bailey Ober (2FA/$5), all likely battling for two spots with Horiuchi unlikely to carry a full rotation into Draft Day.

Despite taking the loss in Game 3 of the World Series Monday, Pfaadt has been excellent in the Playoffs with a 3.27 ERA in five starts and a dominant 26/5 K/BB ratio.

Around the RDBL

- While the Meinert Hops are currently projected to select Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith in the first Mock Draft of the off-season, GM Garrett Shelley told reporters the evaluation is hardly complete. While Roki Sasaki and Anthony Volpe have been near locks to go first overall in each of the last two seasons, the 2024 Reserve Draft certainly has a more open candidate pool.

- The Hops received some strong news earlier this month as the Pittsburgh Pirates have informed former top overall MLB Draft pick Henry Davis to prepare for 2024 as a catcher. Davis was brought to the big leagues in the middle of 2023, but played almost exclusively in right field, first to get acclimated to big league pitching and then due to a thumb injury that ruled out playing catcher.

While he lost his catcher eligibility entering 2024, Davis can quickly earn it back with just five games at the position next year.

- The Lake Merced Goutfish figure to be the talk of the off-season, and not just because they are coming off their second RDBL Championship. GM Ryan Atkinson will need to work around a pitching rotation crunch that should make him a busy man on the trade market this Winter.

The club holds options on likely National League Cy Young Winner Blake Snell (3/$10), George Kirby (3R/$5), Kodai Senga (2/$12), Framber Valdez (2/$48), Dylan Cease (3R/$5), Marcus Stroman (2/$5) and Christopher Sanchez (2FA/$5). Further complicating plans is the strong Rookie campaign of activation-ready right-hander Bobby Miller (Minors) and impending arrival of Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Minors) who is expected to receive a $150M+ deal this Winter.

State of the Franchise: Mission Viejo Maulers

We continue our State of the Franchise Series with the Mission Viejo Maulers who entered the 2023 Draft with just six Active Roster players under contract before dominating the Auction Draft and earning a Wild Card spot. If not for Michael Tirabassi's dominance atop the RDBL Standings for the Spokane Fightin' Fish, GM Chris Ferraro might have been 2023's Executive of the Year.

Franchise History Page

President of Baseball Operations: Chris Ferraro

Headquarters: Mission Viejo, CA

Seasons: 10

Cash Finishes: 4

Division Titles: 0

Lifetime Earnings: $1,600

Top Hitter: Jose Ramirez, 487.5 (2018)

Top Pitcher: Justin Verlander, 587.0 (2019)

2023 Season

The Maulers had seemed to waive the white flag before the season even started in 2023, dealing away the 2023 Hitter and Pitcher of the Year, Aaron Judge and Justin Verlander, to the Spokane Fightin' Fish. With just six players under contract for the Auction Draft, Front Offices were surprised when Ferraro came out of the gates spending big, landing Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo for a combined $120. The duo would go on to finish the 2023 Regular Season as the top two scoring pitchers in the RDBL with Zach Eflin adding to the league's fifth ranked pitching staff.

A wave of deals including Kevin Gausman, Kyle Tucker, Ozzie Albies and Matt Chapman, along with key Waiver claims Zack Gelof and Jose Berrios, strengthened the overall roster as they finished in 5th Place overall, capturing their fourth Cash Finish in Franchise History.

The Maulers were even better in Playoffs as activation Nolan Jones finished with the fourth most points in RDBL Playoff History while Cole and injury-returnee Tarik Skubal dominated down the stretch. While they came up short, finishing in 3rd Place, there's plenty to be proud of in Mission Viejo with excitement only growing heading into 2024.

2024 Pending Free Agents

OF Kyle Tucker, RHP Kevin Gausman

Current Projected Keeper Roster Ranked by Value

1 RHP Gerrit Cole (2/$70)

2. RHP Luis Castillo (2/$50)

3. RHP Zach Eflin (2/$1)

4. 1B/OF Nolan Jones (1R/$1)

5. SS/2B Nico Hoerner (2R/$3)

6. LHP Tarik Skubal (2/$1)

7. 2B Gleybar Torres (2/$15)

8. 3B Alex Bregman (3/$36)

9. 1B Rhys Hoskins (2/$10)

10. IF Zack Gelof (2FA/$5)

11. IF Ha-Seong Kim (3/$1)

12. C Keibert Ruiz (3R/$5)

13. RHP Jose Berrios (2FA/$5)

14. OF Drew Waters (1R/$1)

With an overflowing list of Keepers entering the off-season, GM Chris Ferraro has many options at his fingertips with the likes of Edwin Diaz (2/$12), David Bednar (3/$6), Yusei Kikuchi (2D/$5), Jorge Soler (2/$1), Ranger Suarez (2D/$5), Vaughn Grissom (2D/$5), Whit Merrifield (2/$15), Matt Chapman (3/$15), Andrew Benintendi (3/$10) and Ryan Jeffers (2FA/$5) not even included above.

What's clear is that Cole and Castillo will be back to anchor the rotation, potentially making Alex Bregman the most logical trade chip to conserve cap space for the 2024 Draft.

Tarik Skubal looked the part of a Top-15 arm down the stretch, making the starting rotation among the most talented in the RDBL entering next season while the club will also get a boost from a full season of 2023 breakout Nolan Jones.

Farm System

1. *OF Nolan Jones (Rockies)

2. OF Jasson Dominguez (Yankees)

3. SS Brooks Lee (Twins)

4. 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone (Florida)

5. IF Orelvis Martinez (Blue Jays)

6. OF George Valera (Indians)

7. *OF Drew Waters (Royals)

8. 2B Nick Gonzales (Pirates)

9. SS Cristian Hernandez (Cubs)

10. N/A

Some eyebrows were raised when the Maulers acquired Nolan Jones and a 3rd Round Pick for prized catcher Daulton Varsho before the 2023 Draft. The move paid off handsomely as Jones was exceptional in 2023, posting an overall line of .297/.389/.542 with 46 extra base hits. Jones' performance pushed Ferraro to activate him for the 2023 Playoffs where he went nuclear, posting the fourth most points in RDBL Playoff History.

He'll be joined on the Active Roster by Drew Waters who also was activated into his big league contract for the Playoffs. While Waters hasn't consistently produced so far, he will continue to be given a long leash as the rebuild continues in Kansas City.

The club got extremely close to an in-season activation for Jasson Dominguez following his splashy New York debut, a move that would have been a disaster as he soon went down with an elbow injury that will sideline him for most of 2024.

Brooks Lee, Jac Caglianone and Orelvis Martinez are the key to turning the Maulers from an average Farm System to a strong one. Lee and Martinez are each expected to reach the big leagues in 2024 while Caglianone is currently projected as a Top-5 pick in next summer's MLB Draft.

Off-Season Questions

Who stays and who goes?

The Maulers are certain to be among the most active Front Offices this Winter as the club looks to pair down their Keeper Roster and bring back some of the prospects and Draft picks they parted with over the last seven months. At least 10 players not currently projected to be on their 2024 Keeper Roster look to have enough value to draw attention this Winter.

How much value do they place on the bullpen?

Both Edwin Diaz (2/$12) and David Bednar (3/$6) are Keeper-worthy options for an RDBL club, but the Maulers are so deep that they might not have room to keep either. What's unknown is how much Ferraro will place an emphasis on the bullpen or if both are among the first to be dealt this off-season.

Cap Space a sign for Bregman?

With $120 tied up in just two pitchers, Ferraro will have to look for cap space flexibility before Draft Day. That could spell the end of the line for Alex Bregman (3/$36) as he enters the final season of his contract. As currently projected with Bregman on the roster, Ferraro would have just $56 to spend on eight openings.