2026 staff changes

[MLB umpire observer]

My understanding is Riggs and David Arrieta have been released. Any one else heard about any changes?

[jimurrayalterego]

18 hours ago, MLB umpire observer said:

My understanding is Riggs and David Arrieta have been released. Any one else heard about any changes?

Is it still up or out?

[FranklinT]

On 12/27/2025 at 2:54 PM, jimurrayalterego said:

Is it still up or out?

Not surprising on those two - Riggs was only up for 2 games in 2025. I think it’s still up or out but MLB has changed the timeline and umpires can advance quicker through the minors than the old system.  Bacon has been at AAA for a long long time and has been up almost full time for the last year or so.

[The Ripper]

On 12/26/2025 at 7:24 PM, MLB umpire observer said:

My understanding is Riggs and David Arrieta have been released. Any one else heard about any changes?

Mark Carlson has retired, fill in slot has not been named yet.

[FranklinT]

On 12/27/2025 at 2:54 PM, jimurrayalterego said:

Is it still up or out?

They let umpires skip levels - see Traynor’s experience who got his first MLB game as a call up during 2025.

[dumbdumb]

22 hours ago, FranklinT said:

They let umpires skip levels - see Traynor’s experience who got his first MLB game as a call up during 2025.

yes he did skip A or low A but not advanced A. he was scheduled to go to the Midwest League which listed as just an A league in 2020 rather than an A-advanced League at the time in 2020 and is listed on the staff, but that was a covid year and MiLB did not play.

in 2021 both Willie and his partner Adam Pierce went to High A East as evidenced by their game on September 1, 2021 in Asheville vs Greenville. Pierce had skipped from a 2nd year in the Rookie Advanced Appalachian League after being there in 2019 while Willie was in the NY Penn League (you will not find Willies name mentioned on the 2021 High A East or any of the other A Leagues on the Steve the umps site, so i went back to a game September 1, 2021 and there were Willie and Adam both as partners. Willie worked Texas League in 2022 and Eastern League in 2023 before promotion to AAA in 2024.

now, lately the fastest trajectory had been 2 umpires, one umpire out of baseball now and Gabe Morales who both started in 2009 and worked a year and a half 2012-2013 in AA and were promoted to AAA in the last half of the year 2013.

then on to Arizona Fall League in 2013 and Spring Training 2014 and then a full fill in with a 123 game season in 2014, or in other words their first full year in triple A and only having about 10-15 AAA plate jobs before being given a major schedule as a fill in MLB, at the beginning of their 6th year in pro ball.

Years ago John P. McSherry went from the Carolina League to the International League skipping AA entirely. Same for Ed Montague going from the California League to the PCL. So it is not unheard of, and many umpires at the top of the class went right to Long A ball and got to skip the short season leagues altogether. many times they just spent 1 year at A and 1 year at AA before moving into AAA where they work before getting the call.

but, with his first year as a fill-in, in his 7th year of pro ball, and 66 games, Willie looks to be in a good position going forward. no guarantees, just as was mentioned in this OP. Riggs worked 128 games as a fill in one year and now apparently is released after only 2 last year.

however, recently if you find someone working 140 or more games in a fill in season, those have all gone on to make it, as have others not working that total.

[dumbdumb]

from a post above-wonder who the new crew chief will be and the fill in moving up?

not a change but ready to go article

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/mlb/2026/01/13/mlb-umpire-hunter-wendelstedt-injury-spring-training/88140624007/

[MLB umpire observer]

Unconfirmed but the rumor is the new hires are Brian Walsh and Tom Hanahan