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.

Up third, the NL West.

Colorado finished the 2025 season with a 43-119 record (5th place in the NL West, 50.0 GB). It marked the seventh straight season the team finished below .500, but more notably, the .265 winning percentage was the eighth-lowest in a single season in MLB’s modern era (1901-present). Manager Bud Black was dismissed early in the season, and Warren Schaeffer was named his interim replacement.

Long-time general manager Bill Schmidt stepped down after the season, and in November, Paul DePodesta was hired as the team’s new president of baseball operations. The former assistant GM in Oakland under Billy Beane had spent the last decade in the NFL as the Cleveland Browns’ chief strategy officer. DePodesta spent much of the offseason focused on establishing new systems across the organization’s scouting and development departments, while also bringing Schaeffer back on a more permanent basis.

Spending most of his time behind the plate (97 starts at catcher, 38 at DH), Hunter Goodman emerged as not just a key piece of the Rockies lineup but a leader within the clubhouse. The 26-year-old had a career year in his third season with Colorado, hitting .278/.323/.520 (120 OPS+) with 28 2B, 31 HR, and 91 RBI in 579 PA, while making the NL All-Star team and winning a Silver Slugger Award.

A repeat performance in 2026 could raise Goodman's earnings potential with arbitration looming after the season. If DePodesta sees an opportunity to secure a key piece of the Rockies lineup to a cost-effective long-term deal before the two sides reach that point, it might be advantageous to both sides to get an agreement done.

Take your pick, but either one of the veteran arms the Rockies brought in late in the offseason could be heading into their final season in MLB unless things go well. The 37-year-old Jose Quintana was still effective last season with the Brewers, but he is entering his 15th season in the league and has logged more than 2,000 innings (2101.1) in his career in the big leagues. The crafty southpaw holds a 3.76 ERA (109 ERA+) in that stretch and limits his free passes (641 BB, 2.7 BB/9, 7.3 BB%) at a better-than-league-average rate.

Tomoyuki Sugano has nearly as much wear on his arm, having spent a dozen seasons in Japan's NPB (with a 2.43 ERA in 1857.0 IP while winning three Central League MVP Awards and winning back-to-back Eiji Sawamura Awards in 2017 and 2018) before coming to MLB last season. He was 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA (87 ERA+) in 157.0 IP with the Orioles, allowing an AL-high 33 home runs. The veteran will need to find a way to limit the longball in Colorado. A return to Japan to finish his career shouldn’t be ruled out.

The Rockies went completely against most pre-draft rankings and every mock draft heading into the 2022 Draft, using the 10th-overall pick to select Gabriel Hughes out of Gonzaga University. Hughes was hardly projected as a first-round pick, let alone the third pitcher to come off the board (after Kumar Rocker and Cade Horton).

Hughes made a single appearance in Class A after signing for slot money (a $4M bonus), before making his true pro debut the next spring, pitching 66.2 IP between two levels before needing Tommy John surgery, which would cost him all of the 2024 season (he’d return in time to make six starts in the Arizona Fall League). Hughes pitched another 105.1 innings this past season, mostly at Triple-A, with a collective 5.11 ERA. A solid performance this spring and early in the season could earn Hughes a chance to pitch in Colorado later this summer.

Arizona finished the 2025 season with an 80-82 record (4th in the NL West, 13.0 GB). It was a second straight disappointing season after reaching the 2023 World Series (losing 4 games to 1) versus the Rangers. Torey Lovullo heads into his 10th season managing the team, but despite how well-respected he is, the club may need to reach the postseason to prevent big changes from being considered necessary.

The D-backs’ offseason centered around the “will they or won’t they” trade rumors surrounding Ketel Marte. Despite looking for months like a deal might finally come together, the second baseman remains with the team. Instead, the team added Nolan Arenado via trade, flirted with bringing Paul Goldschmidt back (he re-signed with the Yankees), and opted for reunions with Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen.

Catching is among the toughest positions on the diamond, partly due to the physical toll the position carries, but also the added preparation that goes into managing a pitching staff and calling a game from behind the plate. It’s why “defensive-minded” backstops wind up maintaining long careers despite sometimes atrocious batting lines. Those who can field, manage a staff, and still look respectable at the plate are sometimes a rare find.

None of Gabriel Moreno’s tools on their own are necessarily game-changing, but the 26-year-old has been among the better offensive catchers in the sport over the last three-plus seasons. Since debuting in 2022 with the Blue Jays before a December trade (along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr.) for Daulton Varsho, Moreno has hit .281/.349/.404 (108 OPS+) in more than 1,100 PA. Moreno will earn $2.55 million this year in his first season of arbitration eligibility. Arizona still controls him for two more years beyond 2026, but what’s the harm in securing what your catcher will cost you now?

A reunion between the D-backs and Paul Goldschmidt made enormous sense for both sides when the offseason began. It seemed even more likely when reports emerged that Arizona was hoping to add a right-handed first baseman to help share playing time with Pavin Smith at the position. While everyone hoped to see Goldy play one final season in the desert (where he spent the first eight seasons of his career), the two sides never came to an agreement. Instead, Goldschmidt returns to the Yankees for another year (earning $4 million), while the Diamondbacks turn to the 39-year-old (40 in early April) switch-hitting Carlos Santana.

Entering his 17th season in the big leagues, Arizona will be Santana’s ninth organization. Over that lengthy career, which included an All-Star appearance, a Silver Slugger, a Gold Glove, and two years in which he received down-ballot MVP votes, he’s hit .241/.352/.425 (112 OPS+) with 404 2B, 335 HR, and 1136 RBI. Even with that track record, Santana had a career-low 77 OPS+ in 2025 in 474 PA. He’ll earn just $2 million this year. If he doesn’t hit, there’s little reason for the team to keep him.

Andruw Jones won 10 Gold Glove Awards in center field, while hitting .254/.337/.486 (111 OPS+) with 383 2B, 434 HR, and 1289 RBI during a 17-year career (not counting two more seasons in Japan’s NPB). He’ll be inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame this summer.

Druw Jones will head into his fourth season in the minor leagues in 2026, looking to both push his way up the D-backs’ outfield depth chart and establish his own path outside his father’s shadow. Arizona selected Jones with the 2nd overall pick in the 2022 Draft. Several scouts this winter suggested his outfield defense is already MLB-ready, but the 22-year-old has yet to play above High-A ball while hitting .260/.366/.372. Still, only Corbin Carroll is locked into a spot in Arizona’s outfield long-term. Jones’s glove alone may get him to the big leagues.

San Francisco finished the 2025 season with an even 81-81 record (3rd in the NL West, 12.0 GB). It marked the third straight season the team failed to reach the postseason, with manager Bob Melvin taking much of the blame (he was fired in late September). President of baseball operations Buster Posey made a bold move in hiring University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello to replace him.

It was otherwise a largely quiet offseason for the Giants, who didn’t seem interested in committing to a long-term deal with any of the pitchers available on the free agent market. Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle were brought in to give Logan Webb some veteran arms behind him, but how Vitello adapts to the big leagues and manages the roster (which includes a pair of players that played for him at Tennessee, right-hander Blade Tidwell and outfielder Drew Gilbert; plus, the team drafted second baseman Gavin Kilen in the 1st round last summer) will be the club’s biggest concern this spring.

Buster Posey knows the value of having a consistently reliable presence behind the plate. The future Hall of Famer spent his entire 12-year career in San Francisco, and he could now influence how the club approaches filling the catcher position for the foreseeable future.

Patrick Bailey is hardly the same player that Posey was — in truth, the only similarities between the two are the position they play, the franchise they play for, that they’re from the South (Bailey from NC, Posey from GA), and they’re both right-handed. Posey’s career totaled a 129 OPS+. Bailey, meanwhile, has hit just .230/.287/.340 (78 OPS+) in his three seasons with the Giants. Bailey has still been invaluable behind the plate, winning the NL Gold Glove Award each of the last two seasons, and is widely viewed as one of the best defensive catchers in the league. 2026 will be Bailey’s final season before arbitration, but if his bat can take a step forward this year, he could really put himself in line for the chance to remain in San Fran for a long time.

It’s been a long path for Robbie Ray: drafted by the Nationals, traded to the Tigers, traded to the Diamondbacks, traded to the Blue Jays, re-signed with the Jays, signed with the Mariners, traded to the Giants, and Tommy John surgery. After all of that, the 34-year-old left-hander heads into 2026 with a career 88-81 record and a 3.94 ERA (108 ERA+) over 1441.0 IP with 1734 SO (10.8 K/9, 28.4 K%).

The 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner looked enough like his old self to make the NL All-Star team last season, but 2026 will be the last on the five-year deal he signed with the Mariners before the 2022 season. He’ll earn $25 million, and unless he’s willing to accept a lesser salary, this is likely his last in San Francisco.

Alright, we’re cheating a little bit here. Not because we’re focused on a pair of (former Tennessee Volunteers) players instead of just one, but because both of these have already made their MLB debuts. None of the other prospects we’ve highlighted (so far) has done so.

The Astros used the 28th overall pick in the 2022 Draft to select Drew Gilbert. Gilbert was traded just over a year later (with Ryan Clifford) to the Mets for Justin Verlander. He was then dealt again this past July, along with Blade Tidwell and José Butto, for Tyler Rogers. The 25-year-old outfielder was a .314/.400/.534 hitter over three years of college ball, and he hit well in the minors, but his first taste of MLB pitching this past season totaled a .190/.248/.350 (70 OPS+) line in 109 PA.

The Mets used the 52nd pick (2nd round) in that same draft to select Tidwell. The 24-year-old right-hander was an impressive 13-5 with a 3.53 ERA and 141 SO in 137.2 IP over his two seasons at Tennessee. The Mets were aggressive with Tidwell; all but 81.2 IP of his minor league career have come above High-A ball. He made four appearances, including a pair of starts, for the Mets last season, allowing 15 ER in 15.0 IP with 10 SO and 10 BB.

San Diego finished the 2025 season with a 90-72 record (2nd in the NL West, 3.0 GB). The Padres won a Wild Card spot in the postseason, but lost the opening round to the Cubs (2 games to 1). Manager Mike Shildt stepped down from his role after the season, partly over the consistent clashes he had with the club’s front office. Craig Stammen, who spent 13 years in the majors as a reliever, including the last six in San Diego, was hired to replace Shildt despite a total lack of experience managing.

Most of the team’s offseason was quiet, though some clarity finally emerged within the late Peter Seidler’s family, leading to the franchise being put up for sale. Recent reports suggest there could be as many as five interested buyers looking to acquire the club (with Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob considered an early favorite).

San Diego made a bold move and paid a steep price (top shortstop prospect Leo De Vries and right-handers Henry Baez, Braden Nett, and Eduarniel Nuñez) to acquire the live-armed Mason Miller at last summer’s trade deadline from the Athletics. Speculation ensued that the Padres might move him to the starting rotation this spring, but so far, that doesn’t appear to be the plan (and rightfully so).

The 27-year-old Miller has a 2.81 ERA (147 ERA+) and 246 SO (13.8 K/9) over 160.0 IP. His 39.5 K% is almost double the league average in the same stretch. Miller will take home $4 million this year as a Super Two. The Padres may still have three more seasons after this one before he reaches free agency, but A.J. Preller should be exploring a long-term deal before then.

Nick Castellanos spent most of the offseason just waiting. Everyone in the baseball world knew that he would be released by the Phillies; Dave Dombrowski’s consistent insistence that the club was “exploring trade possibilities” was never going to lead to a deal with other teams knowing that a release was likely, giving them the chance to simply sign Castellanos for the league minimum without giving up any tradeable prospects. After waiting all winter, Philly finally cut ties just before pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. The Padres surprisingly pounced at the opportunity, signing the 34-year-old just days later.

The two-time All-Star has hit .272/.321/.464 (110 OPS+) with 399 2B and 250 HR during his 13-year career, but finding a place in the lineup for him is easier said than done, given Castellanos’s poor defensive track record. Teams haven’t played him anywhere aside from right field since the 2019 season, and even then, it’s been an adventure. The Padres may look at using him at first base this spring, a position he’s never played as a professional. No matter where he lines up in the field, Castellanos will need to produce at the plate if he wants a team to show interest in signing him after this season.

We’ll concede that most fans have heard of Ethan Salas by this point. His signing as an international amateur free agent made headlines after scouts called him “one of the top catching prospects in recent history,” and the Padres gave him a record $5.6 million signing bonus. San Diego was unusually aggressive with Salas, starting his pro career at Class-A ball before brief promotions to High-A and Double-A in that first season.

Salas has taken a step backward since turning pro, perhaps in part due to overly aggressive assignments at the start of his career. He returned to High-A for the 2024 season, but played only 10 games at Double-A last season before the club shut him down after discovering a stress reaction in his back. He would miss the remainder of the year. Salas is likely to return to Double-A to start 2026. It’s hardly a secret that the Padres are not “enamored” with their current catching tandem of Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano. If Salas can show he is healthy and start to hit the ball a little — he’s batted just .221/.305/.347 in 800 PA as a pro — then another aggressive promotion (to San Diego?) can’t be ruled out for the 19-year-old (he doesn’t turn 20 until June).

2025 went according to plan for Los Angeles. Anything else may have looked like a scripted Hollywood movie. The Dodgers finished the 2025 season with a 93-69 record, winning the NL West, with only the Brewers and Phillies ending the regular season with a better mark. L.A. then rolled through the postseason, defeating the Reds in the Wild Card Series (2 games to 0), the Phillies in the Division Series (3 games to 1), the Brewers in the NLCS (4 games to 0), and finally winning the World Series against the Blue Jays (4 games to 3) for their second title in a row.

The back-to-back champions responded with a relatively quiet offseason. Aside from a highly lucrative contract for the offseason’s biggest bat (Kyle Tucker), the club’s only real moves were to bring back veterans Enrique Hernández, Miguel Rojas, and Evan Phillips for one more season.

The Dodgers won the World Series in October without one of their key bullpen pieces, with Alex Vesia away from the team following the tragic loss of his and his wife Kayla’s newborn daughter. The Vesias received an outpouring of support from across the baseball world — including almost the whole Blue Jays bullpen writing his no. “51” on the fronts of their caps during the WS. Vesia has been open in speaking with media since arriving at spring training, noting both how hard things have been (he and Kayla are proudly in counseling, which he says has helped) and how much they’ve appreciated all the baseball world continues to do for them. Fans in Arizona have responded with big ovations when Vesia enters spring training games early on in camp.

The 29-year-old (he’ll turn 30 in early April) left-hander has spent his whole career with the Dodgers outside of a brief debut with the Marlins in 2020 (L.A. acquired him in trade the next spring for Dylan Floro). He’s made 295 appearances out of the Dodgers bullpen over the last five seasons, posting a 2.67 ERA (155 ERA+) over 270.0 IP with 364 SO (12.1 K/9,32.9 K%). Vesia will earn $3.5 million in 2026, his last before reaching free agency unless the club gives him an extension.

2025 was unquestionably an awful season for Blake Treinen. The veteran right-hander posted the highest ERA (5.40), WHIP (1.838), walk rate (6.4 BB/9, 14.7 BB%), and fly ball rate (30.6 FB%) of his 11-year career, while also missing almost two months due to a forearm strain. There is optimism that the year may have “just been an outlier” for the 37-year-old, but Treinen heads into 2026 as something of a forgotten man in the L.A. bullpen.

Treinen is on the final year of a two-year, $22 million contract he signed with the Dodgers ahead of last season. Treinen could have easily sought an opportunity to close out games elsewhere during his career, but something about playing on the West Coast has long suited him. Still, it’s fair to wonder if this is the end of the road for the three-time World Series winner.

Just a month before spring training was set to start in 2024, the Dodgers and Cubs agreed to a four-player trade: Chicago received first baseman Michael Busch and right-hander Yency Almonte, while Los Angeles would get a pair of prospects in left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. All the focus at the time centered on Busch and Ferris. Busch, the 31st overall pick in the 2019 Draft, didn’t have a defensive home in the Dodgers lineup after the team signed Freddie Freeman. He’s since produced well in Chicago, earning down-ballot MVP votes last season while hitting .261/.343/.523 (147 OPS+) with 25 2B, 34 HR, and 90 RBI despite a heavily right-handed platoon split (.910 OPS vs. righties, .642 OPS vs. lefties). Meanwhile, Ferris, Chicago’s 2nd round pick in 2022 (47th overall), has posted a 3.50 ERA over 308.2 IP with 357 SO (10.4 K/9) since turning pro out of high school.

Not to be forgotten, Zyhir Hope may turn out to be the better of the prospects that Los Angeles landed in the deal. An 11th-round pick in 2023, Hope’s defense and speed have helped him climb up prospect rankings over three seasons in the minors. In 200 career games, totaling 875 plate appearances, Hope has slashed .275/.391/.451 with 45 2B, 25 HR, 125 RBI, and 39 SB. The Dodgers have an already crowded outfield, so it’s hardly likely that Hope arrives in L.A. this season, barring something catastrophic (he has just 6 games at Double-A so far), but he’s firmly on the radar, and it won’t be long before he’s patrolling the outfield in Chavez Ravine.