Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates: Chandler delivered a strong performance in his latest Grapefruit League start for the Pirates, showcasing the electric arsenal that has made him one of baseball’s premier young arms. The righthander worked five innings, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out eight.

Perhaps most importantly, Chandler issued just one walk and threw 71% of his pitches for strikes. He had previously struggled earlier this spring with his strike-throwing, walking at least three batters in each of his previous three outings while failing to crack a 50% strike rate twice. Chandler overpowered hitters with a dominant fastball that averaged 98.2 mph, generating 10 whiffs. Chandler debuted last August, initially appearing out of the bullpen, but should see a bigger role in the starting rotation this year.

Jose Fernandez, SS, Diamondbacks: Fernandez may not rank among the Diamondbacks’ Top 30 prospects, but he’s making a compelling case to break into the next update. The Arizona shortstop put together a strong spring, going 7-for-25 with three home runs while consistently producing hard contact. That momentum has carried over to the backfields. In a simulated game attended by Arizona general manager Mike Hazen, Fernandez launched a home run off teammate David Hagaman. Later in the session, he drove a ball to right-center that missed clearing the fence by inches, settling instead for a stand-up triple.

Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics: For a non-roster invitee like Bolte, opportunities in big league camp are limited and every at-bat matters with reassignment to minor league camp potentially looming on the horizon. He is making the most of his opportunities in 2026. The 22-year-old outfielder connected for a solo homer on Thursday to right field off Rangers righthander Jack Leiter, sending the ball 408 feet with a 103.5 mph exit velocity. Bolte is now hitting .382 with two homers and a 1.079 OPS over 34 spring training at-bats. Cracking the Athletics' outfield picture early in 2026 may be a challenge, but the toolsy Bolte is giving them plenty to think about. He offers legitimate power, has made incremental strides improving his contact, and pairs that with strong defense and plus speed.

Editor’s Picks

Up-Arrow Fantasy Bats: After hitting on several targets last year, Geoff Pontes is back to highlight 10 up-arrow players worth targeting in fantasy. Read more…

Behind The Scenes: Spring training is a busy and exciting time for MLB teams. Here’s everything that goes on behind the scenes each year, including how contract extensions & trade negotiations work. Read more…

So Long, Partner: With the start of the 2026 season closing fast, Josh Norris takes a look at Top 100 Prospects who figure to graduate sooner rather than later. Read more…

Baseball America Helium Pick Of The Day

Each day, we’ll pick a prospect that has our attention.

Kendry Rojas, LHP, Twins: The Twins acquired Rojas at the trade deadline from the Blue Jays, but he struggled with Triple-A St. Paul, putting up a 6.59 ERA and 2.20 WHIP while walking 15.9% of hitters. That was an uncharacteristic stretch considering Rojas had previously never walked more than 9.5% of batters since 2022. 

Last year, Rojas struggled adjusting to the different ball used in Triple-A. This spring, he’s looked far more comfortable with it, walking only one batter in 6.2 innings and his velocity has increased. In 2025, Rojas averaged 94.6 mph on his fastball and maxed out at 98.4 mph. This spring, he has averaged 96.1 mph and maxed out at 98.5 mph. With injuries already impacting the Twins’ rotation, Rojas could easily pitch his way into consideration for a major league callup with a strong start to the regular season. 

Quick Hits

Prospect news and notes from around baseball…

• A’s shortstop Leo De Vries turned in another strong day, going 2-for-3 with a double.

• Brewers RHP Logan Henderson (elbow) threw a bullpen on Thursday, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Jett Williams (quad) was also back in the lineup.

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