DETROIT — Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle can’t wait to go home for the All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
“I’m super pumped,” McGonigle said before facing his hometown Phillies.
Even though McGonigle just is 21, he has had a lot of travel bags for baseball.
None, though, was like the white one sitting on the carpeted floor next to his chair in the Tigers’ clubhouse. The duffel bag was adorned with the All-Star Game logo and there was an Old English D on each end.
“I’d say this is the best one I’ve ever had,” McGonigle said.
He earned it.
Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout and Hall of Famer Al Kaline are the two players who have reached base safely more often than McGonigle at the break.
The Tigers thought McGonigle would be good, but no one could have projected this much production so early in his career.
Detroit drafted McGonigle with the No. 37 pick in 2023 and he spent two-plus years in the minor leagues, skipping a stop at Triple-A Toledo, as a promising prospect.
Shortly after McGonigle made the major league roster during spring training and had four hits in his debut, the franchise saw enough to give him an eight-year, $150 million contract.
So far, it certainly looks like a wise investment.
“It’s so impressive how mature he is in the box,” Tigers All-Star outfielder Riley Greene said. “You don’t see many people at 21 having at-bats as good as him.”
Since 1947, he is the fifth rookie 21 or younger to have at least 99 hits before the All-Star Game.
“He’s a good-looking, young player,” said Phillies manager Don Mattingly, who was quite a player himself. “Young guys seem to be coming up a lot more often, and doing well right away.
“Seeing him in the spring, he swung the bat. In spring you kind of go, ‘OK, we’ll see,’ with young guys and then obviously, he has taken it into the season and he’s still rolling.”
McGonigle, who was born in Media, Pennsylvania, and attended high school in nearby Drexel Hill, shared his picks for the best cheesesteaks in the Philadelphia area ahead of the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game.
“Delco’s Steaks in Delaware County, which is where I’m from, is my favorite,” he said. “In the city, Philip’s is a sleeper. There’s a different way they cut the meat, and it’s really good.”
The best Monday on the sports calendar is finally here! The Home Run Derby brings out the kid in all of us, and hopefully it will bring out the beast in Jordan Walker tonight.
My Home Run Derby predictions have extracted the best value possible in the Home Run Derby odds, including some intriguing props.
Our top MLB Home Run Derby picks for Monday, July 13
Jordan Walker to win
+733 at Polymarket
I kind of have a type when it comes to the Home Run Derby. DO NOT SHAME ME! I like the big boys.
I want guys who have raw, natural power, and Jordan Walker has all of that and more. The younger stars are always a draw for me because I want to see them leave their mark and make a bigger name for themselves.
The St. Louis Cardinals' 6-foot-6, 250-pound outfielder, who is sitting on a career-high 22 homers and counting, is easily one of my favorite looks in this event.
Willson Contreras to win
+1900 at Polymarket
I always sprinkle on a long shot winner that has a ton of upside, which Willson Contreras definitely has.
Typically, the long shot is a smaller guy, your Jazz Chisholm or Mookie Betts types. Guys who can absolutely crush home runs, but honestly probably aren't built for the Home Run Derby.
Personally, I think Ben Rice should be dead-last on the odds board, but unfortunately, I don't make the odds.
I was a little too eager to jump on Contreras and missed out on a great number. Near 20-to-1 odds is insane. I ended up grabbing 13-to-1 thinking I was being slick.
Contreras has all the raw power in the world to make a deep run, and is on pace to reach his career-high in dingers with 20 already at the unofficial halfway point of the season. So why take the chalk when there is a big body with legitimate power sitting at the bottom of the odds board?
Our best 2026 MLB Home Run Derby props
Jac Caglianone to reach the final round
+285 at Polymarket
I am already on Jac Caglianone to have the furthest hit home run in this event. All this guy does is generate hard-hit balls, and he is an absolute monster.
A part of me is concerned with some of these younger guys participating in this event. Will Walker or Caglianone be too eager to try and kill the ball instead of staying relaxed and taking their normal hacks?
However, there is no way I'm taking Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero, or Bryce Harper just because they have been here before. I think there is a ton of value in the Kansas City Royals' future star, as long as he stays calm and relaxed, and lets his natural power take over.
Longest home run: 500+ feet
+122 at Polymarket
Who doesn't want to see a 500-foot nuke missile? Losers, that's who.
Last season in Atlanta, we watched Pirates slugger Oneil Cruz launch a 513-foot home run. Back in 2017 in Miami, Aaron Judge matched that mark with a 513-footer of his own.
If you take out the 2021 Derby in Colorado, it's a much rarer feat. But with temperatures expected to be in the mid 80s tonight in Philadelphia, the conditions are there. This year's field is loaded with guys who generate ridiculous power and have the ability to send one 500+ feet, even without seeing 100 mph fastballs.
This is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it, root for moonshots, and let yourself feel like you're 10 years old again.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 24: Jack Brenner #2 talks with Tervell Johnson #89 in the dugout during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With their 7th round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft the Atlanta Braves have selected Wisconsin prep catcher Jack Brenner. Brenner is a sleeper catcher with a promising bat for the position and a chance to develop further as a cold weather prep.
Bio
Name: Jack Brenner
Position: Catcher
Hometown: Fond du Lac, WI (Fond du Lac HS)
School: Oklahoma
Height: 6’0
Weight: 180
Bats/Throws: R/R
Rankings
Baseball America: 209
Perfect Game: 169
Pipeline: NR
ESPN: 158
Overslot: 144
My Own: 222
Consensus: 199
Hit 55
Brenner is most known for his feel for contact. He’s the type of player who will take plenty of walks and not swing and miss often. It’s definitely an advanced approach for a player this young. Brenner was in the 98th percentile of contact rate last summer on the showcase circuit over 53 plate appearances where he slashed .439/.516/.707.
Power 45
Brenner will need to both grow into a little bit more power, and potentially make some adjustments with his approach in order to incorporate more power in his game. He has a chance to grow into average raw power, but it would likely play down without some changes to the contact oriented approach.
Speed 50
The speed is presently above average, though figures to slow down a bit as he fills out – especially if he sticks behind the plate. Still this is a very athletic player for a catcher.
Glove 50
He’s still a work in progress as a catcher, but that is in part due to the fact he hasn’t played a ton of catcher yet. He’s played all over, including a significant amount of time at shortstop. The feel for his receiving and blocking skills are a positive starting point for him, but it will take refinement to be a solid big league catcher. If catcher doesn’t work out he’s got a chance to be a versatile utility player with the athleticism and arm to handle a number of different positions.
Arm 55
It’s a strong arm that has produced sub-2.0 second pop times and would also be more than enough for other positions.
Overall Thoughts
This is a strong pick. Brenner has excellent contact ability, room to add some power, athleticism, and a real chance to stick at catcher. He is likely years away, especially if his future is behind the dish, but he will have the ceiling of being a big league starter. It’s tough to say where he would start his pro career, as he has the advanced bat to handle Augusta – but there is a chance he gets sent to the FCL in order to continue refining the defense as well.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Yolfran Castillo #49 of the Texas Rangers fields a ground ball during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Congratulations to Yolfran Castillo, who has been named the #5 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving less than half of the vote.
Our list so far:
1 — Sebastian Walcott
2 — Caden Scarborough
3 — Malcolm Moore
4 — A.J. Russell
5 — Yolfran Castillo
Moving on…
Because there has been a history of vote-spamming shenanigans in the rankings, I used Google Forms for the last several of community rankings, and it worked out well, so we will use it again. You will need to include your LSB user name when you vote. If you don’t have an LSB user name, you need to use some sort of identifier. While this won’t eliminate the possibility of vote spamming, it will make it harder.
So who is the #6 prospect in the Rangers system right now?
DETROIT, MI - JULY 12: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on July 12, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Home Run Derby is tonight, featuring Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. My guess is that neither makes it to the second round on the evening. Had I a thought on who would win, give me Junior Caminero, who I believe is the most underrated hitter in the game today.
Three up
Zack Wheeler – What more can you say? Thirteen innings over two starts, striking out 24, walking only two? That’s Ace level quality from Wheeler. Considering that he had a surgery this year many believed he wouldn’t be able to fully recover from and it’s remarkable what the Phillies have on their hands. Teams would kill to have two pitchers as good and consistent at Cristopher Sanchez and Wheeler. The Phillies should consider not wasting it.
J.T. Realmuto – The Phillies are pretty desperate for any kind of offense outside of what Harper, Schwarber and Brandon Marsh have provided this year. That means, when players are successful, even for a week, it becomes noteworthy. It’s particularly noteworthy with Realmuto since he has been so bad at the plate this year. His having a home run and six RBI on the week helps boost an offense that seemed to sag a bit in the middle of the road trip.
Derek Hill – Another incredible catch, a game in which he was basically the lone source of offense and just general good vibes, Hill has been on a heater lately. This week, his .368/.400/.579 line in 20 plate appearances shows that he can serve a useful purpose for this version of the 2026 Phillies. One wonders what his playing time looks like if/when the team acquires another outfield bat to supplement what they have, but he has certainly earned more playing time.
Three down
Left handed relief – Tanner Banks, Jose Alvarado and Tim Mayza? They all stunk this week, one of them (Banks) getting sent out as a result. The team truly needs to make some kind of upgrade if they want to make noise this postseason.
Brandon Marsh – I believe that Marsh needs to take this whole week off since he looks like he’s running out of steam a bit. Unfortunately for him, he’s the starter for the National League in the All-Star Game and will be playing baseball, or doing baseball related things, all week. Might be time, especially with Derek Hill and Justin Crawford playing well, for Don Mattingly to schedule a few more regular rest days for Marsh as the season wears on until he gets his second wind.
Alec Bohm – Speaking of needing some time off. Bohm’s week (.111/.226/.148 in 31 PA) shows he desperately needs to get away from the game for a bit. He has hit the ball hard quite often, but he just looks like a guy who needs a break.
The MLB Draft is in the books, the first half is officially over, and the Kansas City Royals made a selection at sixth overall that has generated strong opinions on both sides. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco do not hold back in this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, breaking down the Zion Rose pick, the organizational philosophy behind it, and whether the front office outsmarted itself on draft night.
The Zion Rose selection is examined from every angle: his tools, his evaluations from analysts like Keith Law, his character and work ethic as revealed in interviews, and the broader question of whether the Royals reached for upside when other options were available. The under-slot strategy and the additional picks it enabled, including Rabe and Slightom, each get their own evaluation, with Jacob and Jeremy debating whether the overall package of selections justifies the approach or represents the kind of organizational overthinking that has become a pattern.
Front office accountability is a thread that runs throughout. Payroll decisions, team-building philosophy, and comparisons to how organizations like the Mets, Rays, and Brewers allocate resources add useful context to the conversation about what small and mid-market teams can realistically accomplish when the decision-making is sharp.
The hosts also close the book on the first half of the season, taking stock of where things went wrong and what, if anything, can be salvaged in the months ahead. The trade deadline looms, and the case for moving established arms like Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha continues to build as the losses have piled up. Relief pitcher Matt Strahm’s performance and injury status also factor into the bullpen evaluation after yet another blow-up appearance.
The episode wraps with All-Star week predictions, including Home Run Derby picks and the Zack Wheeler ego, before closing with MLB The Show updates and a recommendation for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers placed veteran reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder injury.
Martin, 40, has allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings in making four appearances after being activated on July 4 from the IL following the same shoulder issue. He has pitched in 16 games this season, going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and giving up 25 hits in 14 innings.
The Arlington High grad made 49 appearances last season beginning his second stint with his hometown ballclub, earning two of his 16 career saves over parts of 11 major league seasons.
In the corresponding roster move, Texas recalled right-hander Emiliano Teodo from Triple-A Round Rock. Teodo, 25, was 3-3 at Round Rock with a 3.76 ERA in 35 relief appearances.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 19: A detail shot of baseballs in a cart during the MLB Home Run Derby X quarter finals at The Ballpark at America First Square on Friday, September 19, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tyler McFarland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to another week A’s fans!
The first half is officially in the books. The Athletics’ season began well enough as the club was in first place as late as May. Unfortunately a rough June and July has seemingly sunk the A’s playoff hopes as the club’s nine-game losing streak has dropped them to 41-55, good for fourth place and eight games back in the AL West. They’re a closer 6 1/2 games out in the Wild Card hunt but with seven teams ahead of them. With the third-worst record in the American League its seeming that the squad will be sellers this deadline.
On the bright side of things the A’s added lots of talent this weekend through the MLB Draft. The club added a high-ceiling outfielder and a couple interesting college arms to a farm system that needs all the talent they can get. There’s plenty more intriguing players that have joined the system and it’s likely that one of those late-round picks ends up being the best player in the class. That randomness is just how the game works sometimes.
Anyway, there’s no baseball games today but there is some evening entertainment for us tonight. The Home Run Derby is set and the field is wide open. There’s no clear-cut favorite this year but it’s going to be a star-studded lineup for us fans to watch. In Philadelphia it’d be fun to see one of the two Phillies in Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber take the crown and win it in front of the home town team. Who do you all got taking it tonight?
The Derby begins at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Have a great day everyone.
The big 3 arms from this draft (Edwards, Gaeckle, Dudan) will really be a test for the A’s pitching development. All are super interesting, but carry significant reliever risk. It will be fascinating to see if the A’s can turn any of them into quality mlb starters
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 17: Ronel Blanco #56 of the Houston Astros sits in the dugout during a game agaisnt the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on May 17, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (45-47) won 3-1 (BOX SCORE)
Blanco started for Sugar Land and tossed 4.1 scoreless innings. Sugar Land got on the board in the third inning on a Biggio RBI double. The pen was solid allowing just one unearned run as the Isotopes tied it in the 7th. In the bottom of the 9th, Sugar Land walked it off on a Meyers 2 run home run as they won 3-1.
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (40-47) lost 11-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on an Encarnacion steal of home. Hertzler got the start and went 2 innings allowing 3 runs. Gillis pitched in relief but had his first rough outing in a while allowing 7 tuns over 5 innings. The offense got one in the third on a Sisneros groundout and another in the 5th on an Austin sac fly but that was it as the Hooks fell 11-3.
Brett Gillis, RHP: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Nic Swanson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (30-56) lost 10-4 (BOX SCORE)
Howard started for Asheville but struggled allowing 4 runs over 3.2 innings of work. The offense got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a Powell sac fly and a run on a passed ball. The pen struggled for Asheville allowing another 6 runs as they found themselves down 10-2. The offense got 2 runs back in on Daudet and Batista RBI singles but that was it as they fell 10-4.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (42-42) lost 18-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Cauro RBI single. Things went downhill fast after that. The pitching staff had a rough game allowing 18 runs over 8 innings. The offense was quiet the rest of the way collecting just six hits as they fell 18-1.
Note: This was Newman’s first game in Fayetteville since June 3rd.
Perspective Check: Four teams have more wins than the Cubs, two teams have as many wins as the Cubs. The Cubs enter the All-Star break in the top Wild Card spot. They are now only one loss behind the Braves and five behind the Brewers. They are on pace for 91 wins. A quirk about me, I loathe the All-Star break being the end of the “first half.” Approximately 60 percent of this year’s games have been played. Regardless, the Cubs enter the break playing well and in good position.
Secondary perspective check. As the pendulum swings back and forth, I try to keep us from getting either too high or too low. So we could also note that the Cubs were 27-12 on May 8. They’ve played 57 games since that time. They’ve won 27 more games over that time. But they lost 30. That’s a very long, very mediocre stretch. This cuts both ways. This is that point I’ve made all along. This is what your eyes tell you. This team runs hot and cold. For very long stretches.
This team has a fairly special group of position players and a pretty rough pitching staff. This team is built to reach the playoffs and to be in a decent position, on paper, when they get there. I do not think that their pitching staff will be able to keep up with the damage that will be done to that staff by a talented offensive team. Most of the playoff teams will be talented offensively. It definitely behooves this front office to add real talent at the trade deadline. That’s always a reluctance and prices are high.
I will say, on the one hand, that the silver lining is that it is hard to imagine a healthy pitcher that doesn’t make this staff better. You don’t have to show at the premium store to improve your chances this season. But, are you trying to make sure you get in? Are you trying to win a series or two? Or do you want a parade in November? It’s hard to imagine an intersection of the prospect caliber the Cubs are leading to deal and the kind of haul that would need to be made to have a chance of hoisting a trophy or two.
All of that is probably still a couple of weeks into the future. For now, there was a nice road trip and a solidly B+ first 96 games of baseball. This team definitely shot itself in the foot several times in the first half and was ravaged by injuries. I would hope that this front office spends serious time in the offseason and assesses the causes of this many injuries. I’ve seen some point out that there are an awful lot of injured pitchers for this team that have a track record of being injured. Were those arms properly nurtured? Or were they ridden too hard? Are there things the training staff needs to do better? Does the front office need to de-emphasize the acquisition of these types of players or at least the quantity of these types of players.
Sunday afternoon the Cubs jumped on top early, saw their lead get away, but then bounced back and won a relatively easy one. I like seeing the team weather the adversity. The team accounted for itself well Saturday and Sunday after a couple of rough losses and a slow start Saturday. It looked like the offense was heading back into a funk but they bounced hard. The 2025 Cubs had so much resiliency. We see another one of those indications that something like that is not necessarily a “skill.” They didn’t lose that resiliency in the offseason. Also, it’s easier said than done, but if you want to avoid long losing streaks, hire the best starting rotation in baseball. It’s amazing when you get a decent start every night, how losing streaks don’t really take root. I remember that about the 2003 Cubs. They never really slumped, because they had so much pitching.
Terrific sign of the weekend was Alex Bregman being in the middle of so much of the scoring and hitting a couple of long balls. I thought he hit a few balls on the trip that were really well hit that came up just short of getting out too. So he’s on it pretty good right now. That’s probably the primary reason that I hate to see the break right now. The pitching felt better late in the first half, but I’m sure they can use a reset too. It looks like Jameson Taillon will be an option again shortly, too. Hopefully the time away and time working at the minor league level helps clear some of what has been troubling him too. He did not look major league worthy when last we saw him.
Three Positives:
Alex Bregman had a three-hit, four RBI day. He scored twice. He had a double and a homer.
Michael Busch had a couple of doubles early in this one and helped get the scoring going. He drove in one and scored one.
Kevin Alcántara had a two-run single that felt quite large at the time it occurred. The Cubs had runners on second and third with no outs and bases loaded with one out and then a Dansby Swanson strikeout threatened to have the Cubs come away empty handed, trailing 4-2.
Obligatory Pete Crow-Armstrong watch: One hit, two walks, and RBI and two runs scored in five plate appearances.
Game 96, July 12: Cubs 8, Reds 4 (54-42)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Alex Bregman (.294). 3-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
Hero: Kevin Alcántara (.185). 1-2, 2 RBI
Sidekick: Michael Busch (.175). 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.121). 0-4
Goat: Pedro Ramírez (-.071). 0-1, BB
Kid: Carson Kelly (-.065). 0-4, BB, R, DP
WPA Play of the Game: Alex Bregman’s three-run homer in the seventh off of former Cub prospect Pierce Johnson. (.207)
Reds Play of the Game: Eugenio Suárez millionth career home run against the Cubs or something like that. Gave the Reds a two-run lead. (.191)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 95 Winner: Alex Bregman received 51 of 62 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Pete Crow-Armstrong +24
Carson Kelly +16.5
Michael Busch +15
Ben Brown +13.5
Trent Thornton +12.5
Phil Maton -10
Dansby Swanson -11
Seiya Suzuki -11.5
Nico Hoerner -12
Caleb Thielbar -14
Up Next: The All-Star break. Baseball restarts Friday at home against the Twins (48-49). Fangraphs is projecting Shōta Imanaga getting the first game and Matthew Boyd the second. Boyd technically could pitch Friday, but Saturday would be the more typical five days of rest. Fangraphs has the Cubs projected as favorites in five of the six games at home to start post-Break play (Twins and Tigers coming in). It gets tougher after that, so gonna want to start things off hot.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 12: Weston Wilson #31 of the Seattle Mariners runs the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Things have not always been pretty for the Yankees of late, but they will go into the All-Star break on a good note. Capping it off on Sunday, the Yankees had a trio of comeback wins over the weekend during their series in DC against the Nationals. There’s still plenty of things they need to do better and have go their way over the rest of the season, but they at least came away with a couple of wins to end the first half.
As that was going on, there were plenty of other games happening around the league, with some also having an impact on the Yankees’ place in the standings. Let’s take a look at how some other AL notables ended their first halves.
Seattle Mariners (48-49) 8, Tampa Bay Rays (58-38) 2
The Yankees managed to gain one full game back before the All-Star break, as three RBI games from J.P. Crawford and Randy Arozarena allowed the Mariners to down the Rays.
Seattle broke things open fairly early into the game. In the second inning, Victor Robles drove home one run on a sacrifice fly before Crawford scored another two with an RBI double. However, they put up an even bigger frame shortly after that. In the fourth, Weston Wilson and Arozarena both went deep, with the latter being a three-run shot.
One big negative for Seattle came when starting pitcher Emerson Hancock was forced to leave the game after 1.2 innings, having gotten hit on the hand by a comebacker. (X-rays later came back negative.) However, the M’s bullpen backed him up very well. Tampa Bay did get two runs back in the eighth thanks to a Jonathan Aranda homer, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Seattle’s bullpen allowed just four hits over the final 7.1 innings to finish things off.
Other Games
Texas Rangers (49-47) 6, Houston Astros (47-51) 5: Having blown a lead and needing to rally in the eighth, the Rangers then walked it off in the ninth on a Brandon Nimmo single. Texas held leads of 3-0 and 4-1, only for the Astros to chip away and then take a lead on a Cam Smith homer in the top of the eighth. However, Kyle Highashioka hit one to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, allowing Texas to walk away with the win in the following frame.
Chicago White Sox (50-45) 9, Athletics (41-55) 1: The White Sox’s remarkable rise will see them go into the All-Star break tied atop the AL Central after crushing the A’s. Despite going down 1-0 in the top of the first, the White Sox struck with six in the bottom half of the frame, with Braden Montgomery hitting a three-run home run. It wasn’t much of a contest after that, as Noah Schultz and Chicago’s bullpen didn’t allow a run the rest of the after the first inning.
Cleveland Guardians (51-46) 5, Miami Marlins (52-45) 2: The White Sox weren’t able to take first all for themselves, though, as the Guardians kept pace on Sunday. Cleveland never trailed in the game as they scored two runs in the top of the first after RBI hits from Brayan Rocchio and Kyle Manzardo. Joey Cantillo was pretty good on the mound for the Guardians, striking out nine while allowing one run in five innings. The Marlins cut into Cleveland’s lead at points, but the Guardians answered back to keep Miami at arm’s length.
Carson Wiggins. Aiden Robbins. Shane Sdao. You might not remember any of their names in five years, but there’s always a chance one of these newly-drafted Mets could be the next David Wright, or Jacob deGrom, or Pete Alonso, or Pete Crow-Armstrong—well, hopefully not that last one, for the sake of fans’ collective sanity.
It can feel impossible to parse through the projections of power and stuff, the anecdotes about players’ mature mindsets, the nuance of whether the difference between a 60-grade tool or a 65-grade tool actually matters when measured on an already-confusing 20-80 scale for evaluating draftees. It can feel pointless and romantic, especially when players are likely years away from having an impact at the major league level. But if this season has shown any bright spot, it’s that homegrown talent can still be a spark in dark times. Perhaps one of these newest Mets prospects may at least prove to be the next burst of youth on the horizon, if not the next franchise legend.
It’s in the spirit of romantic optimism that we take a journey through memory lane to visit the top 10 players drafted and signed by the Mets, according to bWAR. Note that this criteria includes total career bWAR, not just bWAR as a member of the Mets, and that it excludes players who may have been selected by the Mets but didn’t sign with them. Without further ado, here is the list…
10. PETE ALONSO (25.2 bWAR) – 2016, 2nd round, 64th overall
The Gator was the Mets’ third selection in the 2016 draft, after first-round pitchers Justin Dunn and Anthony Kay. Dunn was traded to the Mariners in the Edwin Díaz deal, while Kay was dealt to the Blue Jays the following summer in a Deadline deal for Marcus Stroman. But Alonso stayed — at least through 2025 — and became a five-time All-Star, two-time Home Run Derby champ, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, and the franchise’s all-time home run leader with a total of 264.
Sandy Alderson kicked off his tenure as the Mets’ general manager with a big swing, selecting an 18-year-old from Wyoming with his first draft pick. Five years later, Nimmo made his big-league debut, and ten years after that he remains a valuable player as a veteran with the Rangers. Nimmo is one of just three players since 2000 to play a decade in orange and blue, along with fellow homegrown Mets David Wright and José Reyes. Nimmo is also the all-time leader in games played, home runs, runs, RBI, and walks among players born in Wyoming.
Burnett never actually played for the Mets, as he was traded to the Marlins in the Al Leiter deal as a minor leaguer in 1998. Burnett went on to have a 17-year career, earning just one All-Star selection which came during his 17th season in 2015. His 164 career wins rank fourth among eighth-rounders, behind Charlie Hough (216), Tim Wakefield (200), and Derek Lowe (176). But Burnett is certainly not the most infamous Mets draft pick to have been traded early in a decorated career (more on that later in the list). The only other pitchers the Mets have selected in the eighth round who made it to the big leagues are Tylor Megill, who was taken in the 2018 draft, and Mike Vasil — the White Sox’ magic man who was originally selected by the Mets in 2021.
The most productive left-handed-pitcher drafted and signed by the Mets according to bWAR, Matlack earned three All-Star selections and a Rookie of the Year Award during his seven seasons in New York. In the 1973 postseason, he tossed 25 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run (Weaver-esque) while allowing just eight hits before eventually taking the loss in Game 7 of the World Series. The following season, Matlack put up a 2.41 ERA in 265.1 innings of work, good for a 9.1 bWAR — fifth-most in a season by any Mets pitcher.
The Mets have made five No. 1 overall picks in the draft: Steven Chilcott (1966), Tim Foli (1968), Strawberry, Shawn Abner (1984), and Paul Wilson (1994). Chilcott didn’t make the majors. Abner was traded after ’86 in the Kevin McReynolds deal, and ended his career with a negative bWAR. Wilson played one season with the Mets and Foli enjoyed a 16-year big league career, but only Strawberry became a legitimate star. His numbers rank among the best for first-overall picks, with 335 homers (seventh), 221 steals (third), and 1,000 RBI (11th).
Only four 13th-round picks in the history of the draft have more bWAR than Dykstra: Albert Pujols, Jim Thome, Jack Clark, and Steve Finley. He is also one of only three Mets draftees in the 13th-round to record 20+ bWAR, all of whom were left-handed hitters: Dykstra, Darin Erstad (not signed), and Daniel Murphy. It’s possible Alonso or Nimmo surpass Dykstra’s career bWAR total, but as of now, Nails is the second-most valuable position player drafted and signed by the Mets behind…
The Mets received a compensatory pick when Mike Hampton departed in free agency following the 2000 season. They made the most of it. Wright is the franchise leader in hits (1,777), runs (949), and RBI (970), and likely the team’s last captain for quite some time. But Wright was actually the Mets’ second pick of the 2001 draft, as right-handed reliever Aaron Heilman was taken 18th overall. It’s safe to say the Mets buried the lede on that one.
Originally a shortstop in college, deGrom was never a big-name pitching prospect. He was taken in the ninth round, he underwent Tommy John surgery in the minors, and when he arrived in the majors as a 25-year-old he wasn’t even the most anticipated Mets pitcher to debut that series (recall Rafael Montero). But deGrom made the most of that ninth-round selection, as his 49.9 career bWAR trails only Hall of Famer Fred McGriff among ninth-rounders. Oddly enough, the only other pitcher since 2018 with back-to-back Cy Young Awards was a fellow ninth-round pick: the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal.
It’s hard to hit as resounding a ‘home run’ with two first-round draft picks as the Mets did in the early ’80s with Doc and Darryl. Gooden has the fourth-most pitching bWAR of any pitcher taken within the first five overall picks, behind Justin Verlander (82.3), Kevin Brown (68.2), and Chuck Finley (58.3). He also has the most bWAR of any Mets first-rounder, and the most bWAR as a Metof any pitcher the franchise has drafted. I specify “as a Met”because, well…
Taken two rounds after the Dodgers selected Tom Seaver in the 1965 draft, 18-year-old Nolan Ryan would become by far the most productive 12th-round pick in draft history, putting up more than three times the bWAR of center fielder Bill North with 26.8 in second-place. Only 3.0 bWAR came with the Mets between the 1966-71, before he was traded to the Angels in a package for Jim Fregosi. Ryan is the only Hall of Famer the Mets have ever selected and signed in the draft. 16 years later, in the 1981 Draft, the Mets selected another pitcher in the 12th round who would end up blowing past Ryan’s career bWAR total. But as history would have it, Roger Clemens remained unsigned until he was taken in the first round by the Red Sox two years later.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Stripers extended their winning streak to four games after a well fought game featuring strong pitching and the long ball. Let’s take a look at how the Stripers got it done.
Drue Hackenberg got the start and was extremely strong – allowing just a single hit over five innings of work. His one blemish came in the fourth inning when Hackenberg allowed back-to-back walks before allowing a sacrifice fly to score. Outside of that, Drue was completely in control. Drue featured his two-seam, four-seam, curveball, changeup, while sprinkling in his cutter. After a rough 2025, Drue hasn’t allowed more than four earned runs in a single start and has done a great job of re-establishing his value in the Braves pitching depth chart. After five strong innings the Stripers turned to Elieser Hernández (2IP 0H 0R 0BB 3K) who was just as strong – getting through two perfect innings as he leaned heavily on his four-seam and cutter. Following Elieser was Connor Thomas who was also absolutely fantastic as he absolutely pounded the zone with 9 strikes on 10 pitches while recording two strikeouts. Closing out the game, with the game pretty firmly in hand, was Anthony Molina (1IP 2H 1ER 0BB 1K) who allowed a run to score while inducing a double play.
Offensively, the recipe for success was a lot like the last game as Patrick Clohisy and Rowdy Tellez continued to show out. Fast forwarding to the fourth inning, the Stripers found themselves down 1-0, before loading the bases when Patrick Clohisy tied the game with an RBI single. Two batters later Rowdy Tellez drove in two with a two RBI single. One inning later, Cal Conley connected on his second home run of the seasons driving in Aaron Schunk and DaShawn Keirsey Jr., extending the Stripers lead to 6-1. One inning later it was once again Rowdy Tellez who drove in the last run of the game for the Stripers with this absolute bomb of a home run coming in at 110.4 MPH and going 430’ – extending his streak to three straight games with a home run.
The suddenly surging Columbus Clingstones picked up their seventh win in their last 10 games with another strong starting pitching performance, and timely hitting.
Cedric de Grandpre got the start for the Clingstones and was absolutely dynamic – striking out seven across six innings of work. Cedric continued to utilize his four-seam/two-seam/cutter fastball repertoire to great success as he never really ran into much trouble in the start. His only blemish cam in the third inning when he allowed a run scoring single with two outs. After that, Cedric would retire the next ten hitters to get the Clingstones through six innings. He would be replaced by Braden Scott (0.1IP 4H 3ER 0BB 1K), making his Clingstones debut, and he struggled – allowing back-to-back singles before eventually surrendering a three run home run and another single. He would be replaced by Luis Vargas (1.2IP 0H 0R 1BB 3K) who was the opposite, immediately retiring the first two batters he saw to end the threat, before striking out the side in his next inning of work. Isaac Gallegos (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K) picked up his first save of the season for the Clingstones with a perfect ninth.
Offensively, it was Jordan Groshans who got the fun started for the Clingstones very early on – hitting a two run home run in the first.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 12, 2026
This was Jordan’s 17th home run of the season which has been one of the best of his career, and has been an absolutely fantastic signing for the organization. Logan Braunschweig would drive in the third run of the game for the Clingstones in the fourth inning with an RBI single that drove in Will Verdung to extend the Clingstones lead to 3-1. They would tack on an additional three runs in the fifth inning highlighted by an Archer Brookman two run home run. The final run of the game for the Clingstones came in the seventh inning with a Drew Compton RBI single that drove in Luke Waddell.
As a team the Clingstones went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding seven on base.
(42-42) Rome Emperors 7, (41-44) Hudson Valley Renegades 4
The Aiven Cabral show continued, while Tate Southisene got it going offensively in a thrilling victory for the Rome Emperors.
Cabral did what he has done all year, absolutely pounding the zone with his pitch mix and allowing just two hits across five innings, while striking out five. Outside of a third inning double Aiven was in complete control of the game. He was efficient as he needed just 63 pitches to get through his outing. On the season Aiven has now made 15 appearances across two levels, and his ERA is now a ridiculous 1.88 on the season, with a WHIP of 0.99. Even without a standout pitch, he lives in the zone and induces a ton of weak contact with all three of his pitches. He was replaced by Tyler Schoff (1.1IP 3H 4ER 3BB 0K) who struggled in his fourth appearance for the Emperors. Brody Fowler (1.2IP 0H 0R 2BB 4K) , the Braves 17th round pick from 2025, had one of his best outings of his careers – striking out four across 1.2 innings of work. Justin Long (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K) picked up his third save of the season with a perfect inning of work.
The fun got started early for the Emperors as John Gil walked, and stole his 38th base of the season, before Owen Carey connected on his sixth home run of the season – giving the Emperors a 2-0 lead.
They would be held scoreless until the seventh inning when Dallas Macias drove in Dixon Williams to push the Emperors lead to two runs, at 3-1. One inning later, the Emperors found themselves down and it was once again Owen Carey that came up with the big hit – this time a run scoring single that drove in Tate Southisene, to tie the game at 4-4. One inning later it was Tate Southisene’s time to shine as he drove in two on his second triple since joining the Rome Emperors.
The GreenJackets fell, running into the buzzsaw that is Evan Siary, in a shutout loss to the Crawdads.
Kendy Richard got the start for the GreenJackets and was OK, allowing three earned runs across four innings of work while giving up a pair of home runs. Kendy has an up-and-down season, finding more success coming out of the bullpen, but overall did enough to keep the GreenJackets in the game. He was replaced by Luis Arestigueta (3.2IP 3H 3ER 2BB 0K) who has had a very odd 2026. After having strong success to start his career, Luis has found himself moving between Augusta and the FCL Braves as he’s struggled to generate whiffs and consistently find the zone. To his credit, Luis did allow just three earned runs while providing some length so it was a step in the right direction but it still has been a rough 2026 in a year he had some loftier expectations. Cristobal Abreu (1.1IP 2H 1ER 0BB 1K) worked the final stretch of the game and allowed one earned run over his inning+ of work.
Offensively it was a complete struggle as the GreenJackets had just two opportunities with runners in scoring position the entire game, to which they unfortunately went 0-for-2. The top four of the lineup (Guanipa, Essenburg, Lodise, Miller) went a combined 0-for-15, with Essenburg drawing a walk, but the totality of the group striking out seven times. The pitching hero from two games ago, shortstop Joe Olsavsky, was the only hitter to not strike out, as he and Tanner Smith were the only two players to reach base twice.
SAN DIEGO, CA - CIRCA 1982: Dale Murphy #3 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the San Diego Padres during an Major League Baseball game circa 1982 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. Murphy played for the Braves from 1976-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With All-Star festivities kicking into high gear, we continue our series featuring 2x MVP Dale Murphy. Murphy would play 15 seasons for the Braves, with half of those resulting in All-Star Game selections.
In the 80’s only one player hit more home runs than Dale, that being Mike Schmidt. Dale Murphy joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.
Q: It was almost a given back in that era that you’d be selected by the fans. You appeared in 7 All Star games in the 1980’s. What do you remember about that 1986 game?
A: What’s funny is that for that particular year and game at the Astrodome, my stats weren’t really that good so I kind of felt weird about starting that game. But you mentioned the fans, they voted me in as a starter. It was always an honor.
Q: You got to face Roger Clemens, who was appearing in his first All-Star Game and was in the zone. What do you remember about that confrontation?
A: I only saw one pitch from Clemens as I remember, and I grounded out to short. I had two at bats that night, and then Chili Davis came in for me.
My second at bat was against Higuera. I actually told Whitey Herzog that I was good with just the one at bat, but he kept me in.
Q: Historically though, you had some big games in the Dome. That night was the exception to the rule. Did you like playing at the Astrodome?
A: I’m not sure I could say I ever fully enjoyed playing in the Astrodome though (laughs). Playing there was always tough and it was a credit to those Astros teams. Facing the likes of Nolan, Scott and J.R. it didn’t get tougher than that in the mid-eighties.
Plus, the dome had a problem with the ceiling. If you weren’t careful, it would be hard to pick up a fly ball in the outfield.
Q: What was the coolest thing about that night?
A: Far and away getting to meet at the time Vice President Bush before the game. He came through the club house and all of us had a chance to speak to him. That was really special.
Q: What’s life like for you now?
A: I’m no longer chasing fly balls; I’m chasing down my grandkids here in Atlanta. (laughs)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 11: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks on stage during the 2026 MLB Draft at Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Day Two of the draft, the Astros made sixteen selections. Below is some information on the picks.
On Day Two of the draft, the Astros made sixteen selections. They started the day going back to back to back pitchers in the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds. Gavin Eddy was the Astros 5th rounder and he had a 2.87 ERA this season for Cal while pumping mid 90s heaters and a strong breaking ball. In the 6th they took Michael Addari out of Illinois State. He posted a 2.27 ERA with 73 K over 67.1 innings. The 7th round selection was Bryan Carney out of University of Olivet. He was dominant there posting a 1.35 ERA with 122 strikeouts over 73.1 innings. The thing that stood out about all three of these selections is all of them were at least 6-5 and had above average extension, a trait the Astros clearly value.
The Astros went with a couple of position players with their next picks selecting Aaron Piasecki in the 8th and Ryan Pruitt in the 9th. Piasecki was great for Troy hitting .337 with 10 home runs and elite contact rates. Pruitt, out of South Florida, appears to be another prospects with speed and contact skills. They ended the first half of the draft getting right-hander Taz Butler out of Kansas State.
In the 11th round, the Astros took a swing on a junior college pitcher Peyton Fiene out of Odessa Junior College. He has a big time arm touching 96 mph while also adding three solid off-speed pitches. He is only 20 years old and has a huge ceiling. In the 12th they got an outfielder in Owen Nowak, who was dominant for Middle Tennessee State hitting .316 with a ridiculous 36 walks to just 11 strikeouts over 57 games.
The Astros took a big swing in the 13th round selecting shortstop Jack Beck out of Columbia Central HS in Tennessee. He had a breakout combine where he showed off his plus raw power connecting on 21 balls over 100 mph (113 mph max) and hitting the longest home run at 466 feet. He has huge upside. In the 14th round they took a right-hander in Brady Thomas who is 6-5 and hit and pitched for Jacksonville State.
They took another top prep prospect in the 15th in James Tronstein who also possesses excellent tools, though he might be a fall back option in case the other don’t sign as he has a strong commitment to Vanderbilt. The Astros took their first catcher in the 16th round, though he played right field too, in Rashawn Galloway. He has some monster pope and had a nice season for Texas State hitting .318 with 27 doubles and 12 home runs for the Bobcats. In the 17th they selected Ben Tyron from Dallas Baptist, another infielder with good walk to strikeout ratio and some sneaky pop.
The Astros continued their run on position players taking Petey Soto in the 18th round out of Utah Tech. Soto is a slick defender who hit .347 with 6 home runs and 13 stolen bases over 59 games. They took another catcher in the 19th in Noah Miller out of Michigan. His playing time was sparse but he was a big time prospect coming out of high school. They concluded their draft selecting Mick Uebelhor out of Western Kentucky. He pitched in relief in college and struck out 59 batters over 44.2 innings while posting a 3.43 ERA.
Jordan Walker to win
Willson Contreras to win
Jac Caglianone to reach the final round
