2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced the signing of pitching coach Terry Pearson to a two-year extension worth $1,038,000 per season.
The 60-year-old Pearson has spent six seasons in St. Louis and helped the River Walkers reach the playoffs in 2028, 2030 and 2031.

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Walkers news: Nov. 15 -- Arbitration results part 1

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Walkers news: Nov. 15 -- Arbitration results part 2

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Walkers news: Nov. 15 -- Greene accepts qualifying offer; Carmona and Tiburcio file for free agency

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Walkers news: Nov. 24 -- Walkers announce base coaches

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The Cincinnati River Sharks have announced the signing of shortstop Jean Carmona to a five-year deal worth $10.9 million.
Carmona, 33, had been the starting shortstop for the St. Louis River Walkers since the 2022 season and earned six Gold Gloves during that span, including the 2031 season.
It wasn't the dollars which scared off St. Louis, as Carmona refused an offer worth much more than that from the Walkers, but the number of seasons.
With the five year contract, Carmona will be part of the Sharks roster through at least his 36-year-old season and possibly his 37-year-old campaign, if he reaches his vesting options in 2036.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced they have re-signed left-handed relief pitcher Josh Forgy to a three-year contract worth $2.5 million.
Forgy, 28, spent the 2032 season with the River Walkers during which he got into 63 games and went 6-4 with three saves and 3.38 ERA.
Before that, he had spent six seasons in Green Bay and one in Louisville.
He owns a career record of 36-25 with 35 saves. His career ERA is 3.01 over 445 games.
The third-year of the contract features a team option.

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The Columbus Golden Bears have announced the signing of former St. Louis River Walkers starting pitcher Kaneo Kawamoto to a one-year contract worth $2,160,000.
Kawamoto, 35, spent five seasons in St. Louis, during which he went 65-45 in 145 starts with a 3.85 ERA.
But his 2032 was an injury plagued one, as he was limited to 23 starts during which he was 8-8 with a 5.96 ERA.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced the signing of right-handed relief pitcher Luke Dunkin to a two-year contract worth $2.2 million.
The second season features a team option.
The 30-year-old Dunkin spent the 2032 season in Rockford, where he got into 66 games and went 6-7 with 28 saves and 4.18 ERA.
He has spent eight seasons in the majors -- six in Toledo and two with Rockord -- and gone 46-39 with a 3.33 ERA in 503 games while recording 243 saves.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced the signing of free agent shortstop Kyren Paris to a six -year-contract.
The deal is worth $12 million per campaign, with the final season featuring a team option.
The 31-year-old Paris spent last season in Springfield, where he enjoyed his best season at the plate batting .245 with 19 homers and 46 RBIs in 152 games.
For his career, Paris is a .250 hitter with 34 homers and 140 RBIs over eight seasons -- six in Toledo and two in Springfield.
The 2032 season was the first where Paris had started more than 75 games.
He replaces Jean Carmona, who signed with Cincinnati after spending 10 seasons at the starting shortstop of the River Walkers.

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MBL news: Jan. 5 -- Trout is lone inductee to Hall of Fame

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Looking to add a top of the rotation starting pitcher, the St. Louis River Walkers landed Gil Meier from the Fort Worth Mad Men, in exchange for right-handed starting pitcher Rich Haas, center fielder Ben Thompson and right-handed reliever Josh Grissom.
Meier, 28, primary numbers in 2032 were not impressive -- he was 6-16 with a 3.03 ERA in 32 starts -- but what jumps out is his 1.07 WHIP and 4.9 WAR.
Meier was spent his four seasons in the majors -- all with the Mad Men --moving back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen.
Overall, he owns a 25-39 record in 154 games (83 starts) with a 3.56 ERA and three saves.
Thompson, 23, has been a top prospect for the Walkers for a few seasons but has had his path to the majors blocked by Jose Segura to be the team's primary center field.
In 2032, Thompson played in 31 games for the Walkers hitting .236 with four homer and 11 RBIs.
Overall, Thompson has played in 82 games in the majors over two seasons and hit .218 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs.
Haas, 26, is another top prospect who has struggled in his opportunities to succeed at the major-league level.
In 2032, he started 13 games for St. Louis going 2-6 with a 6.66 ERA.
Overall, Haas has started 18 games for the Walkers going 3-7 with a 6.35 ERA.
A veteran right-handed reliever, Grissom, 32, spent just the 2032 season in St. Louis during which he got into 72 games and went 3-7 with one saves and 3.79 ERA.
Grissom has been in the majors since 2026 -- he spent six seasons in Columbus before joining the Walkers -- and has pitched in 371 games.
He owns a record of 25-23 with three saves and a 3.96 ERA.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced that right-handed starting pitcher Angel Tiburcio has decided to remain with the team, agreeing to a five-year contract worth $17.5 million.
Tiburicio, 32, has been with the Walkers since prior to the 2026 season when he was acquired in a trade with Twin Cites.
After a season in the bullpen, he went on to become one of the top pitchers in the MBL winning Cy Young awards in 2028, 2029 and 2031.
He also had seasons which were cut short by injuries in 2030 and 2032.
The 2032 campaign saw Tiburcio go 6-2 in 15 starts with a 3.17 ERA before surgery to remove bone chips from his right pitching elbow sidelined him for the season.
In his seven seasons in St. Louis, Tiburcio has gone 70-51 with a 3.22 ERA in 213 game (166 starts).

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Veteran utility infielder Thairo Estrada has decided to come back for a sixth season with the St. Louis River Walkers, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million.
Estrada, 36, got into 86 games (56) starts with the Walkers in 2032, during which he batted .245 with four homers in 22 RBIs.
In five seasons in St. Louis, he has played in 408 games with the Walkers, during which he has batted .251 with 24 homers and 135 RBIs.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have signed catcher Kevin Melendez and utility player Glenallen Hill Jr. to minor league contracts.
Both are expected to be in the mix to make the major league team out of spring training.
Melendez has been in the St. Louis system since 2031 primarily playing at AAA Memphis.
In 2032, he started 56 games for the Redbirds during which he hit .254 with eight homers and 23 RBIs.
Hill, 32, has spent the last five seasons in the majors with Quad City.
His 2032 campaign was his worst, as he hit just .142 in 75 games with three homers and nine RBIs.
It was his ability to play to play second base, shortstop, center and right field which induced St. Louis to give him a look.

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MBL news: Feb. 28 -- Preseason predictions on first day of spring training

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MBL news: March 6 -- Spring training standings at end of Week 1

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MBL news: March 13 -- Spring training standings after Week 2

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MBL news: March 21 -- Spring training standings after Week 3

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The St. Louis River Walkers have acquired 24-year-old 2B/3B Tommy DuBose from the Madison Muskies in exchange for 23-year-old outfielder Ricky Gordon and 26-year-old shortstop John McCaskey.
A ninth-round selection in the 2026 draft, DuBose is considered a top defender who should be able to hold his own at the plate.
He enjoyed his best season in 2032 at AAA Northern Louisiana, where he hit .265 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 120 games.
For his career, DuBose is a .254 hitter with 64 homers and 299 RBIs in 614 games.
DuBose will likely get a look in the few remaining spring training games, but will probably start the season at AAA Memphis.
In Gordon, the Walkers surrendered who was their third pick in the 2027 draft.
In 2032, Gordon hit .287 with 24 homers and 77 RBIs at AA Springfield.
For his career, he is a .320 hitter with 24 homers and 77 RBIs in 102 games.
The one knock on Gordon is he is considered a well-below average defender.
McCaskey was taken in the 22nd round of the 2025 draft.
He spent the 2032 season at Memphis, his second season with the Redbirds, where he hit .324 with six homers and 10 RBIs in 32 games.
In his career, McCaskey has hit .286 with 15 homers and 227 RBIs in 581 games.
While he hits for average, McCaskey's chances to make the majors seem limited as to he only plays shortstop where the Walkers have made a long-term commitment to Kyren Paris.