The last full week of March came and went, with activity perhaps being a little limited by the Baseball Champions League taking place in Mexico City this week.

Admin has definitely been limited this week, with a nasty infection knocking me out for close to a week, but it’s okay, I have emerged from the edge of death (figuratively) and am on the mend, unlike some of these rosters (I kid…maybe).

Anyway, let’s get to it:

Chicago Dogs

The Spin: Chicago made a splash in inking former MLB (and Cleburne) outfielder Aaron Altherr last week (and quite the opposite in bringing in a third-string catcher), then followed it up with silence this week. The Dogs are sitting at 24 players, so there is a little flexibility to work with. Another arm or two and an infielder would probably be atop the wish list.

Cleburne Railroaders

Released: INF Will Bermudez, INF Christian Hall

The Spin: For the second week in a row, it was only subtraction in Texas, where the Railroaders have cut three players (all infielders) without bringing anyone in over the last two weeks. Hall had a good year in the Pioneer League last year while Bermudez is a first-year pro, though the Railroaders have some quality infield bats that would’ve been hard to unseat.

Oddly enough, though, the Railroaders only have four listed infielders currently: Christian Almanza, Brantley Bell, Caleb McNeely, and Brandon Wagner. The first three are bonafide starters (though Almanza you hold your breath a bit with a Pioneer League transition), though Wagner is iffy and there’s no clear shortstop. So maybe Pete Incaviglia is clearing some room for a big move that hasn’t happened yet?

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

Signed: OF Dillon Thomas

The Spin: Last week, I said filling the outfield is probably Chris Coste’s number one priority and sure enough, Dillon Thomas re-signed right before heading to Mexico with Kane County for the BCL. The 33-year-old has shown no sign of slowing down, slashing .312/.430/.513 with 15 homers and 15 steals last year despite being about the only credible threat in that lineup for the entire first half. In four American Association seasons, Thomas is a career .322/.419/.542 hitter and is a two-time Postseason All-Star, including a nod last season.

Worth noting: after bringing back Thomas, the RedHawks are up to a league-high 14 returners from a season ago (plus LHP Tyler Grauer, who did not play in 2025) from a team who clicked late, roaring to a 26-15 finish in a rugged West Division.

Gary SouthShore RailCats

The Spin: This week was a quiet one for the RailCats after signing a trio of players the prior week. Currently sitting at 23 players, Gary SouthShore still has a couple spots to fill, but will undoubtedly be trimming some position players, as only eight pitchers are currently signed. Trading one of the squad’s top starters from last year (Andres Diaz) to Chicago last month did not help matters.

Kane County Cougars

Acquired: RHP Ben Kowalski from Winnipeg (for PTBNL)

The Spin: With George Tsamis, much of his current roster (and a bunch of not his roster) busy in Mexico City this week, it’s not surprising that the Cougars didn’t do much, even with still several holes to fill. They did acquired Kowalski from Winnipeg, who pitched well north of the border before heading south to Mexico and pitching not-so-well. Kowalski was signed with the Goldeyes but has not officially upped with the Cougars yet. Assuming he does, he’ll likely be a rotation piece for Kane County.

Kansas City Monarchs

Signed: INF Austin Callahan, C Brady Lindsly, RHP Wyatt Wendell

Released: RHP Lisandro Almonte

The Spin: The Monarchs were busy, signing three players, all Indy ball newcomers from the affiliated ranks. Lindsly is a former fourth-round pick of the Nationals who stalled out in Triple-A the last three seasons, while Callahan spent five years in the Reds system, topping out in Double-A. Neither put up any eye-popping numbers in the affiliated ranks. Wendell might be the most intriguing of the three, having had some success in the lower levels of the Diamondbacks system, but hasn’t pitched since mid-2024 due to injury. He is the son of veteran MLB reliever Turk Wendell.

The Monarchs also released Almonte, who also has not pitched since 2024 and has not pitched above Low-A.

Lake Country DockHounds

Released: INF Austin Deming

The Spin: After a busy last couple weeks, Lake Country’s only move this week was a bit of a surprising one in the release of Deming. The 26-year-old is a first-time Indy baller coming off a tough year, but he did slug 19 homers behind High-A and Double-A in 2024, showing clear power potential. It’s possible that Deming had a change of heart (which is always a possibility with offseason releases), which if so, it’s a loss for the DockHounds, though we’d wish him well. If this was team-initiated…that’s more interesting, though the Hounds are not hurting for infielders right now.

Lincoln Saltdogs

The Spin: Lincoln was quiet this week after signing 2024 ace Foster Pace and intriguing former top prospect Jairo Pomares last week. The Saltdogs currently sit at 25 players, which is technically a full roster…but let’s just say I hope James Frisbie and company are still sniffing out there for upgrades.

Milwaukee Milkmen

Signed: RHP Christian Young

The Spin: Milwaukee is bursting at the seams roster-wise (up to 30 players), but were more than happy I’m sure to bring back Young, who pitched for the Milkmen from 2021-24 before being unexpectedly being picked up by the Angels for the first time at age 28. He then went south and pitched solidly in Mexico last year (4.98 ERA in 85.0 innings). Young has a career 4.64 ERA in Franklin, but he improved every year in a Milkmen jersey.

Sioux City Explorers

The Spin: Things were quiet in Sioux City this week after re-signing disruptive outfielder D’Shawn Knowles a week ago. The X’s currently sit at 21 players, with the mound (and starting rotation in particular) remaining the biggest hole to be addressed.

Last year I was not very impressed with Sioux City’s roster construction: few returners, not a lot of upper-level Indy ball experience, and a large number of Pioneer League signings: basically the same strategy that Lincoln tried (and failed miserably) in 2024. Obviously, the exact opposite result occurred last year (a league-best 64-36 record) and Steve Montgomery appears to be following a similar playbook. I’m skeptical if it works, but I was plenty wrong last year, so goes to show what I know.

Sioux Falls Canaries

The Spin: Not much has changed after the second straight week with no activity from Sioux Falls (who has 18 players signed in total). As I said last week, the Canaries have absolutely NO starting pitching coming back, so rebuilding the rotation should be Tasks 1A, 1B, and 1C for Mike Meyer. That’s no different a week later.

Winnipeg Goldeyes

Signed: RHP James Colyer, OF Adam Hall, LHP Ryo Kohigashi

Acquired: LHP Ryo Kohigashi (from Quebec for PTBNL)

Traded: RHP Ben Kowalski (to Kane County for PTBNL)

The Spin: Winnipeg primarily shuffled in the pitching ranks. Colyer’s signing is bittersweet, as he was signed off the Goldeyes by the Nationals in February and lasted barely a month before being released. Nonetheless, it’s another bullpen arm for the Goldeyes. Speaking of bullpen arms, Kohigashi is a really interesting Japanese lefty who burst on the scene at 26 years old in 2024 and put together a 2.36 ERA with 117 strikeouts in just 87.2 innings over two dominant years in Quebec’s bullpen.

Meanwhile, with the rotation pretty well set, the Goldeyes shipped out Kowalski, though not to any of the teams listed above that I said clearly need rotation help, but instead to Kane County.

Also, while the league did not report this signing (or any signings on Friday), the Goldeyes on Friday reported the signing of Hall, who returns to Winnipeg after going 10-for-19 in the first six games of 2024, then being signed by the Brewers, where he spent the last two seasons. The former second-round pick split 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A and also played for Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Born in Bermuda, but raised in Ontario, Hall is the fifth Canadian on Winnipeg’s roster.

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