Losing key players is part of the game. Every offseason, teams must figure out how to fill the gaps left behind.
Sometimes the answer comes from outside the organization, but often it’s up to someone already on the roster — whether it’s an emerging prospect, a veteran taking on a new role or a player returning from injury — to step up and carry the load.
The seven players below have become increasingly important as their teams look to replace stars now playing elsewhere.
Marcelo Mayer, 3B, Red Sox
Acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras addressed one infield need for Boston, but the club now has another question across the diamond after Bregman chose the Cubs over a reunion with the Red Sox. Contreras may be capable of replacing Bregman’s offensive production, but Mayer’s performance could determine whether Boston has meaningfully upgraded its infield or merely reshuffled it. Barring a move for another third baseman, the 23-year-old is expected to handle the role at the start of 2026.
Jacob Misiorowski, SP, Brewers
The Brewers’ decision to trade ace Freddy Peralta to the Mets has placed greater responsibility on the arms behind him, perhaps none more so than Misiorowski. The 23-year-old flamethrower endured an uneven rookie season, but given the quality of his stuff, the Brewers will be counting on him to fill one of the top two spots on their starting staff alongside veteran Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff’s injury history only adds to the pressure on Misiorowski to establish himself as a frontline starter.
Andrew Painter, SP, Phillies
Three years after MLB Pipeline ranked him as the top pitching prospect in baseball, Painter still hasn’t appeared in the Majors. The righty appeared to be on a fast track to the big leagues after reaching Double-A as a 19-year-old in 2022, but he sprained his UCL the following spring and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery, missing all of ’24 as well. His MLB debut was further delayed as he struggled in his return to the mound last season. Philadelphia’s rotation depth has allowed the team to weather those setbacks, but Ranger Suárez’s departure as a free agent has made Painter — now MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 overall prospect — less of a luxury and more of a necessity going into the 2026 campaign.
