<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" src="http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png" alt="EWFI" width="590" height="206" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-242076" srcset="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png 590w, https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi-300x105.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" />
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the Astros signing <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/tatsuya-imai/sa3062955/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Tatsuya Imai</a> to a smaller-than-expected deal. Then (18:20) they continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 13th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2025 (followed by a postscript at 1:31:23).
Audio&nbsp;intro: Cory Brent, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pt4d-z71jiJ_H4Zb23Kos4vuP__tzf8t/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Guy Russo, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ypilLuC54vxaDVVNtUuHSx9gP2ZcLug/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Whj82D67hv5RovhF8vZnuIFEw87YMKuVYkGj2mNBG4k/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to guest appearances sheet</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/houston-sings-japanese-ace-at-least-for-now/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG post on Imai</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/astros-to-sign-tatsuya-imai.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Imai</a>
<a href="https://x.com/Feinsand/status/2006776489916903657" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Feinsand tweet</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6934488/2026/01/02/houston-astros-tatsuya-imai-analysis-japan/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to The Athletic on Imai</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2025/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to minor league free agents</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/players-electing-minor-league-free-agency.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on MiLB FA</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-2268-the-2025-minor-league-free-agent-draft/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to last year&#8217;s draft</a>
<a href="https://effectivelywild.fandom.com/wiki/Minor_League_Free_Agent_Draft" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MiLB FA draft wiki</a>
<a href="https://www.ewstats.com/competitions/mlfad" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to EWStats page</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iy_cxCP6D0lDNkIJ71Um0Kluhx2no9P0ue1bWBbMp7Q/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to dynasty FA draft sheet</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-2316-brebbia-is-the-soul-of-wit/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Brebbia on EW</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1giv6aF1iIMQAky3efwS2QJ2DbRQA2g44mu1kq-HYrzk/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Baddoo</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2025&month=0&season1=2025&ind=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&team=0%2Css&stats=sta" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 MLB average SP</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/minor-league?pos=all&level=0&lg=2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,14,12,13,15,16,17,18,30,32&stats=pit&qual=0&type=0&team=&season=2025&seasonEnd=2025&org=&ind=0&splitTeam=false&players=&sort=14,1&pageitems=50&pg=0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MiLB IP leaders</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uphjOgJwLHU" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Can&#8217;t Hardly Wait scene</a>
<a href="https://imgur.com/uKfc6k8" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to this year&#8217;s draftees</a>
<a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/S8Zgc" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to first Stathead query</a>
<a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/34MMw" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to second Stathead query</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boob_McNutt" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Boob McNutt</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutt_and_Jeff" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Mutt and Jeff</a>
<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-gink-and-boob/187846469/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Gink and Boob</a>
<a href="https://x.com/colin_dunlap/status/2006892907094028703" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Bucco Bricks tweet</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1nkspnt/comment/nf3mnfw/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Lile&#8217;s Reddit response</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/daylen-lile-game-winning-inside-the-park-home-run" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLB.com on Lile</a>
<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/11/after-a-simple-jingle-an-ad-battle-of-sixes-and-sevens/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to car service jingles</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjdCFat9rjI" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Conjunction Junction</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nO0uJenOgw" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;certain point of view&#8221; scene</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=031vKBPk5eA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;Old Ben&#8221; clip</a>
<a href="https://slate.com/technology/2025/12/cnn-kalshi-election-polling-prediction-betting-market-harry-enten.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Slate on prediction markets</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-16/prediction-markets-should-scare-sports-bettors-and-pro-leagues" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets</a>
<a href="https://www.sporcle.com/games/lukemaltais/mlb-30--hr-and-100--rbi-teammates" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sporcle quiz</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2422: The 2026 Minor League Free Agent Draft

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