Get ready for some thrilling updates, baseball enthusiasts! In just about a month, pitchers and catchers will be making their way to spring training locations, signaling the return of America's favorite pastime. As we gear up for the sounds of gloves slapping and players proclaiming they’re in the best shape of their lives, the anticipation surrounding the upcoming baseball season is palpable, filled with both excitement and trepidation.
But while we wait for the action to commence, there’s no shortage of news to satisfy our passion for the game. Notably, four out of the top five and six out of the top ten players on Ben Clemens’ comprehensive Top 50 Free Agents list (which you can check out here) remain without contracts. Among these high-profile free agents are three former teammates from the Houston Astros: Kyle Tucker (stats here), Alex Bregman (stats here), and Framber Valdez (stats here).
Additionally, mark your calendars for January 20, when the results of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame election will be unveiled. Jay Jaffe has been diligently analyzing the ballot with his essential series of player profiles—don’t miss them (view here).
In today’s mailbag, we’ll explore the Hall of Fame topic, specifically focusing on some of the greatest pitchers who have never received a single vote for induction. We’ll also hear insights from Michael Baumann on Chandler Simpson (stats here), Davy Andrews will discuss whether generating popups is a skill unique to certain pitchers, and Dan Szymborski will break down which player types exhibit the most significant variance in their ZiPS projections.
Before delving deeper, I’d like to remind everyone that this mailbag is a special privilege for FanGraphs Members. If you haven’t joined yet but want to continue enjoying these discussions, consider signing up for a membership here. It’s an excellent way to support our team while gaining access to a wealth of benefits, including ad-free browsing, unlimited articles from both FanGraphs and RotoGraphs, personalized data exports, and much more (learn more). And if you have questions for future mailbags, feel free to reach out at mailbag@fangraphs.com.
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