Got to see my son do some performing this past week, which was pretty awesome. He’s a little more reserved than his older sister when it comes to that stuff, so it was great to see him step out a bit, take a risk, and have a really great time. Also: the Betelgeuse musical is pretty fun, it turns out.
The Cubs got blown out football-style by the Rockies 14-7, which is just practice for random losses like that Coors Field. Jameson Taillon gave up another couple homers on another couple meatballs, which I’ll still contend is meaningless for an established veteran pitcher early in Spring Training. Caleb Thielbar gave up six hits, including a homer, and got just one out. But you got a guy who is out there just pounding the zone, facing a group of youngsters who are swinging out of their shoes trying to make an impression. It just doesn’t mean much to me at this point in the spring. We’ll talk in a few weeks. Meanwhile, Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey made scoreless debuts (which also doesn’t mean anything), and Cade Horton made his spring debut, which we’ll discuss separately. The kind of spring appearance that does register with me, though, is when a guy with control struggles comes out of the gate wild – that was the story for Luke Little, who gave up three hits and two walks, and whose pitch chart was just kind of a blob of pitches all over the place. The velocity was up from last year (when it was way down), which is great to see, but I do wonder about the command. We’ve always known that Little had nasty pitches, and that his huge frame and unorthodox delivery made him exceedingly difficult to hit when he was right … but those same things have given him a heckuva time being consistent with his delivery and throwing strikes when necessary. Really hope he can put a good, full, healthy year together. Speaking of 6’8″ guys with great stuff that you’d love to see put a good, full, healthy year together:Jack Neely’s first two ST appearances of 2026:2.0 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 5 K37.5% Whiff% | FB ~94 mphVelocity is down a bit from prior looks, but the command looks improved and he’s getting good extension. The slider has been his main weapon. pic.twitter.com/x7C6QdyjWU
— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) February 26, 2026 Jack Neely, 25, was the primary return in the Mark Leiter Jr. trade a couple years ago, but his 2025 season got completely derailed by health issues and wildness (he had a 19.0%(!) walk rate at Triple-A). He still has a minor league option year remaining, so the Cubs can afford to let him keep working things out at Iowa as necessary this year, and, like several others on the 40-man, his initial goal has to be working his way into the up-down group of relievers (where he’ll be competing with, among others, Little, Ethan Roberts, Gavin Hollowell, Riley Martin, and Ryan Rolison; those are just the current 40-man guys). We can’t see exactly what happened (no video, sigh), and it’s not that you want to see errors/issues out there for Matt Shaw, but this is what the spring reps are for:Matt Shaw can't hold on to fly ball on the run in right-center field that falls & is ruled a double. Little bit of tough play for Shaw as ball was carrying from right to center. Ball hit off his mitt as he went to catch it, looked like he should have made the playPCA & Shaw had brief chat after it
— Meghan Montemurro (@mmontemurro.bsky.social) 2026-02-25T20:17:37.023Z The spring reps are about giving Shaw in-game looks, but also giving the Cubs an opportunity to see whether he’s going to be ready to play right field on day one, if needed. I appreciate Pete Crow-Armstrong out there talking to Shaw presumably to help him keep developing. It’s a pretty hard ask for a young player to (1) pick up a totally new and different kind of position, while (2) still working in at the various infield spots and remaining effective there, and (3) taking steps forward as a sophomore hitter. It’s easy to say “He’s a good athlete, just make him a super utility guy!,” but it’s quite another thing to expect a young player to be very good in the role right from the jump. What’ll be interesting, by the way, is if the Cubs wind up carrying two additional outfielders on the roster (the Tyler Austin surgery makes that possibility all the more likely), will Shaw still get fill-in outfield starts ahead of those guys? I’d probably bet on him to be the better bat in 2026 than Dylan Carlson or Chas McCormick or Michael Conforto, but what about when you contemplate specific match-ups? When you fold in defense? It’s just gonna be interesting. Dansby Swanson talks about the Cubs’ ability to recruit on the basis of their success helping players get back on track (and also just talks about how it’s one big group all working together to try to get as many extra little edges as they can):Dansby Swanson says the Cubs ability to help players find themselves again and make some money from it has become its own recruiting tool."I think you've really seen that on the pitching side." pic.twitter.com/SOlyKQJEbO
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 25, 2026 It’s a big part of the reason the Cubs have such an impressive collection of relievers signed to minor league deals this year. If you’re a bounce-back guy who is not going to be able to land a big league deal (or maybe only a very cheapy one from a bad team), and you have your choice of several organizations on a minor league deal, aren’t you pretty darn interested in working with the Cubs? The goal obviously is to pitch as many big league innings as you can that year, sure, but a goal behind that goal is trying to set your career back on track overall. Even in a world where you don’t quite get a lot of big league innings, you might STILL bounce back in the Cubs org. Look at Adrian Houser. Look at Zach Pop. Look at Austin Gomber. Look at Nate Pearson. These are guys getting big league deals even after primarily or solely pitching at Triple-A with the Cubs! And those are just a small handful of recent examples that came to mind. This is indeed pretty awesome:Pretty awesome that Josiah Harthorn, a high school draft pick from last year with zero professional games under his belt, got into a big league spring training game today
— Greg Huss (@outofthevines.bsky.social) 2026-02-26T04:40:03.310Z We see more things like this nowadays than we used to, but it’s still a pretty significant nod to a young prospect to get into the late innings of an early-spring game. And when it’s a high school draft pick who has yet to make his pro debut? It’s suggestive of a guy who has been putting in a lot of really hard, impressive work, and earned an attaboy. Hey, maybe if Josiah Hartshorn has a monster 2026 pro debut, he can be getting these kinds of stories next spring (OK, yeah, that’s not likely):Another unicorn? Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin is MLB’s top prospect. So far in spring, he’s lived up to the hype. www.nytimes.com/athletic/707…
— Ken Rosenthal (@ken-rosenthal.bsky.social) 2026-02-26T12:35:39.291Z Speaking of young players making an impact this year, Moises Ballesteros shows up at number 15 on Keith Law’s ranking of prospects based on the value they project to contribute in the big leagues this season: “I’m listing Ballesteros as a DH — although he is nominally a catcher and can play first base — because he’s not good enough at the former position and not about to dislodge Michael Busch at the latter one. I also think he’s the most likely candidate to be the Cubs’ primary DH this year, even with some competition at the spot from returning players and some of their offseason additions. He’s hit everywhere, including in 20 games in the majors, and he’ll be one of their best pure hitters (bat only, that is) this year if they give him the job.” I’ll ride with you, Shota Imanaga:Shōta is determined: “I want the moment I become a world champion to be the first thing I remember when I retire. It’s not just my dream. My family in Japan shares it, and I carry their hopes with me. That’s why I want to make it come true.” t.co/uBHji10k32
— CubbyMike?? (@CubbyMike76) February 25, 2026 I really like the [THIS] thing the Cubs are using, especially with the brackets. My only beef is that I don’t love the font for whatever reason. Can’t even quite put my finger on what I don’t like about the font, but it just looks kinda off to me. Visual example:I really like the [THIS] thing the Cubs are using, especially with the brackets. My only beef is that I don't love the font for whatever reason. pic.twitter.com/iSxGUvVDeL
— Brett Taylor (@Brett_A_Taylor) February 26, 2026 Merrill Kelly, 37, has a nerve issue in his side/back, and it’s gonna have him out for Opening Day for the Diamondbacks. So if Kelly is behind, and Zac Gallen is behind, the pitching situation for the Diamondbacks could be a little dodgy to start the season. They are going to need, among other things, old friend Michael Soroka to pitch well as a starter. I’m not saying that aging isn’t a thing, but Freddie Freeman, 36, hit .295/.367/.502/139 wRC+ last year. This MIGHT be overstating things ever so slightly:The back page: After struggling recently, Freddie Freeman must show he's still worthy if he wants to end his career in LA. t.co/U0EFKlU8JOSubscribe for home delivery: t.co/QQtklxSk57 pic.twitter.com/nvdYklNSoI
— California Post Sports (@capostsports) February 25, 2026 MORE CUBS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN NewsletterBummed Buzelis, PCA Talks D-Rose, Dillingham’s Opportunity, Donovan’s Future, and Other Bulls Bullets t.co/GYG0joKOCG
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 26, 2026Game Day! Teuvo’s Back, OHL Goal Leaders, 1k for Coach Q, Crosby Hurt, and Other Blackhawks Bullets #blackhawks t.co/uuglyQ3nOw
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 26, 2026If Not Trey Hendrickson: Breaking Down the Bears’ Other Edge Rusher Options in Free Agency t.co/wHssjBocFW
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