Connor Griffin grabbed all the headlines Wednesday afternoon when news broke that he was close to being promoted and that Pittsburgh was deep in contract negotiations with the 19-year-old shortstop, who ended up signing a nine-year, $140 million deal, breaking Colt Emerson’s record for no-hitters ($95 million) two healthy years apart, but Emerson gave himself up in free agency. It’s hard not to like this on both sides, I think. We’ve seen recently that these types of deals can be torn up and rewritten if both parties are happy with their situation. By this I mean the fear that a young player will be taken out of this type of transaction sounds overblown. If he does go over the contract, he can probably get a healthy raise to get another year of free agency, which is what you’d want to do anyway if you’re raising a family and enjoying your life where you live.
Diamondbacks OF Jordan Lawlar he was hit and broke his right wrist. It is said that he will stay for six to eight weeks. I think it was fun while it lasted. It’s easy to hear from a guy. I believe life is a skill, but dang Lawlar was unlucky. He tore his labrum shortly after being drafted. In March of 2024, he tore the UCL in his thumb. Later that year, his left hamstring suffered a serious injury, an issue that lasted until 2025. You have probably gained some medical knowledge in this half decade. Maybe he can be caught at The Pitt before the end of the season.
Diamondbacks C Adrian Del CastilloA return from the injured list is likely to collide SS Jose Fernandez (22) returning to the minors, but Lawlar’s injury should keep him in the clubhouse. I love both of these bats and hope they are a part of the everyday lineup. Fernandez has played three different positions in three games (first base, third base, shortstop), so it makes sense that the team would try him out. He hit two homers in his first game and has just one hit in nine games. His season-long line was solid in Double-A last year: .272, 17 HR, 12 SB, but even that doesn’t matter because Fernandez improved throughout the year and hit .305 with 11 homers in his last 52 games.
Diamondbacks BY AJ Vukovich (24, AAA) would be an option. He is hitting .345 with two homers in 29 Triple-A plate appearances, but has yet to draw a walk.
Braves RHP Didier Fuentes (20, AAA) recorded seven strikeouts in just 3.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk. Jose Suarez will probably get another start or two, but the writing is on the wall this time. Fuentes considered entering that penance.
Cardinals 3B Blaze Jordan (23, AAA) came out of the gates, blasting three home runs in his first five games while drawing three walks against two strikeouts. My first reaction to this was that Jordan will be banned in the near future. Then I took a look at Nolan Gorman, who has been below average on both sides of the ball the past two years. Maybe he can lower his strikeout rate and stay on the roster, but I think his days may be numbered.
18th round pick in 2023, Dodgers LHP Sterling Patrick (20, A+) signed for a bonus that was over cap space (~348K) and has moved up the organizational ladder a bit since then. He features solid stuff (heater, slider, cutter, switchup, curve) and a tricky delivery that has helped him to five shutout innings with seven strikeouts and just three baserunners allowed in his 2026 debut. He doesn’t profile as a front-of-the-rotation type because of his average fastball, but if his second command keeps coming, he could be a trade piece or a swingman type in the short term.
RHP Seth Hernandez for Pirates (19, A) collected eight strikeouts in just three innings. That will work. He’s allowed three hits and a run somehow, so at least some kids have a chance.
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