Spring training games are underway across Florida and Arizona. Regular-season games will begin before March concludes. There may be no better time than now to recap what teams did this offseason and preview some of what’s ahead for them in 2026.

Hitting second, the NL Central.

Pittsburgh finished the 2025 season with a 71-91 record (5th place in NL Central, 26.0 GB). It marked the 10th consecutive season the club finished below .500. Despite the finish, there were reasons for cautious optimism among Pirates fans. A youthful pitching staff led by NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes ranked among the best in the sport last season, plus the Pirates boast the game’s top overall prospect in Konnor Griffin, who should make his debut sometime this season.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington finally showed signs of life this offseason, but most notably, Cherington was given some financial spending room by ownership for the first time in years. That let the team bring in several bats (Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna) to help bolster a lineup that needs to provide better support to this pitching staff.

Rumblings have already started that the team and Griffin are open to discussing a long-term deal. Skenes has completely shot down any possibility of a contract extension for the time being. Right fielder Bryan Reynolds is already under contract through the 2030 season (with a team option for 2031). That likely puts center fielder Oneil Cruz next in line for a deal that will keep him in the Steel City.

Cruz agreed to a $3.3M contract for the 2026 season to avoid an arbitration hearing. Pittsburgh will have two more years of team control after the season, but it may be an ideal time to approach the 27-year-old about a new deal. Cruz has hit .233/.309/.425 (103 OPS+) with 66 2B, 60 HR, 198 RBI, and 73 SB (including an NL-high 38 in 2025) during his five seasons in Pittsburgh. Last season was his worst offensively (an 85 OPS+), making Cruz an easy choice to bounceback with more support in the lineup behind him.

The free agent market didn't have many impact bats available this offseason. Still, there were reasons why Marcell Ozuna remained on the open market until just weeks before the start of spring training, “settling” for a one-year, $12M deal (with a mutual option for 2027). Ozuna carries the baggage of a domestic violence suspension during the 2021 season (20 games after strangling his wife). He's such a poor defender that the Braves played him in the outfield in just two games over the last three seasons.

2025 marked a “down year” for Ozuna, who still finished with a 113 OPS+. The 35-year-old has slashed .269/.336/.469 (119 OPS+) with 280 2B, 296 HR, and 948 RBI during his 13-year career in the big leagues, which has included three All-Star appearances, a pair of Silver Slugger Awards, and, surprisingly, a Gold Glove Award early in his career (2017 with the Marlins).

Pittsburgh swung big in the 2022 Draft, using the 4th-overall pick to select middle infielder Termarr Johnson out of a Georgia high school. Scouts lauded Johnson for his high-contact ability, speed on the bases, and defensive potential. Prospect pundits have continued to see promise, with Johnson ranking in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 for three straight seasons.

Still just 21 years old, Johnson spent the 2025 season at Double-A Altoona, exclusively playing second base. Johnson hit .272/.363/.382 in 503 PA for the season, adding 15 2B, 9 HR, and 20 SB. There may not be an immediate place for him in the Pirates lineup, especially once Griffin arrives and takes over at shortstop, but Johnson can force his way into the picture with a strong start to the year. A likely assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis will have him knocking on the door.

St. Louis finished the 2025 season with a 78-84 record (4th in the NL Central, 19.0 GB). It marked the third straight season the team missed the playoffs and finished below .500. Ben Cherington officially stepped into the general manager role following the retirement of John Mozeliak, a move that had been anticipated for more than a year.

Most of Cherington’s first offseason at the helm was spent working the phones. Several Cardinals veterans were ultimately traded away during the offseason, including Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray. Cherington was able to bring in a number of intriguing prospects in those deals, but the most exciting possibility facing the club this spring may be the arrival of infielder JJ Wetherholt to the infield mix.

After an offseason of activity, Ben Cherington has essentially reset the ledger for the Cardinals. The franchise heads into the 2026 season without a single player on a guaranteed deal beyond the current season (Dustin May’s contract includes a mutual option, while Ryne Stanke’s has a team option). That flexibility could open up many possibilities as the club rebuilds toward fielding a perennial contender.

It’s hard to envision a rebuilding team looking to lock down a closer, otherwise we might focus on right-hander Riley O’Brien here, who will still have one more season at the league minimum before seeing a raise in arbitration. Instead, the focus shifts to shortstop Masyn Winn. The 23-year-old (he’ll turn 24 in March) has hit .252/.304/.376 (91 OPS+) in the two-plus seasons since his debut in the big leagues, while playing stellar defense at shortstop (winning his first Gold Glove Award this past season). Winn will play out 2026 as his final season before arbitration eligibility.

The oldest player in the Cards’ clubhouse, Ryne Stanek, needs a good 2026 season to continue landing opportunities. The 34-year-old right-hander is coming off back-to-back rough seasons, with a combined 5.09 ERA (77 ERA+) over 111.1 IP. His career numbers are better, including a 3.85 ERA (108 ERA+) over 458.1 IP across nine seasons, plus he’s been solid in the postseason (a 2.89 ERA over 28.0 IP). The veteran will earn a modest $3.5 million this season (the Cardinals hold a team option for the same amount for 2027).

It’s not hard to see what scouts like in Quinn Mathews. The left-hander started drawing the attention of pro scouts early in his collegiate career at Stanford University. He was drafted by the Rays in the 19th round in 2022, but opted to remain at school for another season in a move that paid off for the 25-year-old. The Cardinals would select him in the 4th round of the draft the next summer.

Mathews wasted little time dominating minor league hitters. His first pro season totaled 143.1 IP in 26 starts across four levels, including a 2.76 ERA and 202 SO (12.7 K/9). Mathews started the 2025 season showing a drop in velocity before missing six weeks due to shoulder inflammation. He’d still work 99.0 IP on the year, posting a 3.73 ERA with 115 SO (10.5 K/9), but he also saw a noticeable spike in his walk rate (6.7 BB/9). Mathews won’t be rushed to the big leagues, and the Cardinals have several players who will get shots in the rotation before he does after this winter’s trades, but it may not be long before the southpaw is striking out MLB hitters.

Cincinnati finished the 2025 season with an 83-79 record (3rd in the NL Central, 14.0 GB), winning the final Wild Card spot over the Mets thanks to a tiebreaker. The club was then swept out of the Wild Card Series (2 games to 0) by the eventual World Series Champion Dodgers. Still, Terry Francona’s first season leading the team from the dugout can only be viewed as a success for Cincinnati.

Limited financial resources left the Reds without much activity this offseason. Much of the focus centered around whether the team might deal right-hander Brady Singer, set to earn $12.75 million in his final season before free agency, to free up some room to address other needs on the roster. Ultimately, the team’s biggest outlay was a late-winter addition of Eugenio Suárez.

Despite plenty of speculation surrounding a Brady Singer trade, no deal ever came together, partly as teams preferred to target his rotation-mate instead. Nick Lodolo will earn $4.725 million this season and will have one more year of arbitration eligibility before he reaches free agency himself, unless Cincinnati locks him up first.

Drafted 41st overall in the 2016 Draft out of high school by the Pirates, Lodolo didn’t sign¹ and instead enrolled at Texas Christian University. After a stellar career with TCU, Lodolo was picked 7th overall by the Reds in 2019. The 28-year-old has pitched to a 4.06 ERA (110 ERA+) with 456 SO (10.0 K/9, 26.2 K%) in 409.2 IP since joining the Reds’ rotation in 2022.

Pierce Johnson’s career didn’t start as early as some others’. The right-hander didn’t make his debut until age 26, and didn’t seem to find his place in MLB until after a season pitching in Japan (2019). In the six seasons since, working mostly in a setup role, Johnson has posted a 3.52 ERA (120 ERA+) over 271.0 IP while collecting 16 saves.

The Reds signed Johnson, who turns 35 in May, to a one-year, $6.5 million deal (with a matching mutual option for 2027). He’ll likely once again step into a setup role in front of presumptive closer Emilio Pagán, but whether he fits into Cincinnati’s plans beyond the season remains to be seen.

Cincinnati’s infield picture is already a clouded mix. Sal Stewart lines up at first base. Matt McLanin has second. Elly De La Cruz isn’t moving off of shortstop. Ke’Bryan Hayes is one of the best defensive third basemen in the sport. The group has already pushed Noelvi Marte out to right field and Spencer Steer to the bench. The Reds signed Eugenio Suárez as a free agent bat, and he’ll likely have to spend most of his time as the team’s DH.

Sometimes lost in the shuffle of things, but nearly ready to push for a spot on the roster himself, is 22-year-old Edwin Arroyo. Drafted by the Mariners in the 2nd round in 2021 out of Puerto Rico and then traded to the Reds in the Luis Castillo deal (along with Marte and right-handers Andrew Moore and Levi Stoudt), Arroyo was a steady presence on Top 100 prospect lists before dropping off heading into this season. The switch-hitter has batted .287/.347/.378 in 541 PA with 25 2B and 13 SB at Double-A over the last two seasons.

Chicago finished the 2025 season with a 92-70 record (2nd in the NL Central, 5.0 GB), winning the top Wild Card spot in the process. The Cubbies got past the Padres in the Wild Card Series (2 games to 1), but couldn’t defeat the rival Brewers in the Division Series (falling 3 games to 2).

It proved to be a busy offseason in Chicago between the club’s decision to decline Shota Imanaga’s option(s), only to extend a QO to him (that he’d accept), before further adding Edward Cabrera to the rotation and signing Alex Bregman to a lucrative contract to anchor third base. Despite all the shuffling, the club still enters the season with questions in the outfield (namely, who provides the depth behind PCA/Happ/Seiya and who steps up knowing that two of the three will be free agents after the season?).

The obvious move for the Cubs would be to lock Pete Crow-Armstrong into a long-term deal. PCA is an electric player in the Cubs’ lineup, one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, and is absolutely beloved by the team’s fan base. Chicago approached the young outfielder about an extension last spring, but the two sides didn’t get very far. The media has asked PCA about an extension this spring, but he continues to stress that it’s not a priority right now. So, let’s assume the Cubs focus elsewhere on the extension front for now.

Second baseman Nico Hoerner could be one option, but locking up left fielder Ian Happ might be more feasible. The 9th overall pick in the 2015 Draft, Happ has long-secured his place in Cubs history. He’s heading into his 10th season since making his debut in the big leagues, with a .247/.343/.447 (117 OPS+) line for his career with 217 2B, 173 HR, and 557 RBI. The four-time Gold Glove winner has been a steady presence in the Cubs’ lineup and a favorite among fans.

Some players are lucky enough to play close to home for their whole careers. Caleb Theilbar can likely count himself in that group, even if Chicago isn’t home. The Minnesota-native played collegiately at South Dakota State, then spent his entire pro career with the Twins before joining the Cubs last offseason.

Now 39 years old, Thielbar returned to the Cubs on a one-year, $4.5 million deal (there is a mutual option for 2027, but those are never exercised). The veteran left-hander was excellent for Chicago, posting a 2.64 ERA (147 ERA+) over 58.0 IP last season.

In the event that the Cubs let Nico Hoerner depart after the season in free agency (or, in the event that they’re simply outbid in any effort they make to re-sign him), Chicago may have an option to replace him in-house that isn’t named Matt Shaw.

The stats may not leap off the page, and some would argue 2025 was a “step backwards”, but James Triantos has been a consistent producer at the plate since the Cubs selected him in the 2nd round of the 2021 Draft out of high school. Even with last season’s “down performance” included, Triantos has hit .282/.341/.405 over his five seasons as a pro, with 88 2B, 31 HR, and 117 SB while playing second base, third base, and center field. He’s seen time at Triple-A in each of the last two seasons and is already on Chicago’s 40-man roster, so seeing Triantos get an opportunity this season shouldn’t be considered a reach.

Milwaukee finished the 2025 season with a 97-65 record, good enough to win the NL Central (by five games) while also giving the Brewers the best record in the National League. Milwaukee got past the Cubs in the Division Series (3 games to 2) but faltered in the NLCS, getting swept (4 games to 0) by the Dodgers.

It wasn’t a busy winter for the Brewers outside of several somewhat surprising trades. Freddy Peralta’s absence may be noticed, but with Brandon Woodruff returning (after accepting the Qualifying Offer) and a full season of Jacob Misiorowski, the team may be well-prepared to compensate.

Despite the attention his early career has received, it might be too soon to lock Jacob Misiorowski up to a long-term deal. There may be some interest in doing so, but one can’t fault the organization if it’s hesitant to secure another pitcher this early in their career to a long-term deal after the injury setbacks Aaron Ashby dealt with.

Outfielder Jackson Chourio’s place in Milwaukee is already secured through the 2031 season (2033 if both club options are exercised). Perhaps the next player up for an extension should be second baseman Brice Turang. Drafted 21st overall in 2018, Turang has wasted little time making the pick look like a smart decision by the Brewers. The 26-year-old has hit .257/.325/.368 (93 OPS+) with 61 2B, 31 HR, 172 RBI, and 100 SB over the last three seasons while playing Platinum Glove caliber defense at the keystone. He’ll take home $4.15 million this season as a Super Two after starting at second base for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Milwaukee will still have three more years of control remaining after the 2026 season, but it might be prudent to approach Turang about an extension sooner rather than later.

Okay, maybe we’re cheating a little bit with this one … as this is likely only Brandon Woodruff’s final season in Milwaukee barring something unexpected happening. Woodruff looked healthy over 12 starts and 64.2 IP this past season, posting a 3.20 ERA (130 ERA+) with 83 SO (11.6 K/9, 32.3 K%), after missing the end of 2023 and all of 2024 following shoulder surgery. Once he accepted the QO from the Brewers in the offseason, it likely signaled the end of his tenure with the club. It’s unlikely the cost-conscious club will look to extend a 33-year-old pitcher at more than $20M a season.

Christian Yelich still has two years (plus a mutual option for 2029) remaining on his contract after the 2025 season. The other veteran in the clubhouse, Gary Sanchez, may only be on a one-year, $1.75 million deal, but the backstop continues to find work as a backup catcher. Once considered a top prospect and future cornerstone for the Yankees, the 33-year-old Sanchez has slashed .224/.309/.461 (107 OPS+) with 189 HR over his 11-year career.

One of 2025’s biggest surprises may have been the production Milwaukee was able to coax out of Andrew Vaughn once the Brewers acquired him from Chicago (for right-hander Aaron Civale and cash considerations). Vaught slashed .308/.375/.493 (141 OPS+) in 254 PA after the trade, but counting on a repeat performance may be too much of a reach. Eventually, Milwaukee may look to its minor league system for a more consistent option at first base.

Luke Adams may not have been a big-name prospect heading into the 2022 Draft, allowing the Brewers to scoop him up in the 12th round out of high school. The 21-year-old (22 in April) has been an on-base machine for Milwaukee since turning pro, hitting .236/.423/.414 with almost as many walks (213) as strikeouts (260). He’s hit just 34 home runs over four seasons in the minor leagues, topping out with 11 HR in 276 PA at Double-A last year, so the Brewers will likely want to see the power production increase.