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Jacob deGrom ‘super happy’ to see Mets retiring David Wright’s No. 5

David Wright was still around during Jacob deGrom’s first few seasons as a Met. 

The All-Star third baseman was at the tail-end of his career as he battled through injuries, but he was still the captain of the club and made sure that he took the young starting pitcher under his wing. 

That certainly left a lasting impression on deGrom. 

Speaking at All-Star Media Day on Monday in Atlanta, the now Texas Rangers starter told reporters that he’s thrilled to see Wright’s No. 5 being lifted up into the Citi Field rafters later this week. 

“David was awesome for me early in my career,” he said. “My first year in the major leagues my locker was right next to him, to have a guy like that and to be able to learn from him, there’s no telling where I’d be without that experience.

“I’m super happy for him his number is being retired, he’s one of the all-time great Mets.”

This is also a pretty big week for deGrom, as he's making his first All-Star appearance since 2021 as a Met.

After dealing with injuries over the past few years, the 37-year-old has stayed healthy and returned to his dominant form this year with Texas -- pitching to a 2.32 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 19 first-half outings. 

The return to the festivities has presented him an opportunity to reconnect with some of his old teammates from the Big Apple.

“It was fun to see them,” he said. “You make a lot of friends in this game -- I keep in touch with some of those guys still, so it’s good see them and say hello, I’m happy with what they’ve been able to do this year.”

One of those former teammates is Pete Alonso, who says it’s awesome to finally see deGrom back healthy and at the top of his game. 

“With Jake feeling like himself, there’s never a doubt what his ceiling is,” he said. “He’s a guy that as long as he’s healthy he’s going to be a standout and one of the best in the world at what he does, so I’m super happy for him.

“Being a teammate of his for a long time, just seeing him overcome adversity and get his body right and be able to perform the way he has, it’s special -- he’s a Hall of Fame talent and to see him find that success it’s just really special what he’s been able to do.”

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Agent: Julio Urías has 'every intention to continue his career'

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias pitches during the first inning.
Julio Urías, pitching for the Dodgers during a game in 2023, is the only player suspended twice for violating baseball's policy on domestic violence and sexual assault. (Michael Dwyer / Associated Press)

The suspension of former Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías ends Wednesday. The next day, Major League Baseball will remove him from its restricted list, and any team that wishes to sign him can do so.

Scott Boras, the agent for Urías, said the pitcher — the only player suspended twice for violating baseball’s policy on domestic violence and sexual assault — hopes to resume playing.

“He still has every intention to continue his career,” Boras said here Monday. “He’s getting in shape. Obviously, he’ll have options that are open to him.”

Boras declined to discuss any of those potential options Monday, since the suspension has not yet expired. It is believed that multiple teams have checked in on Urías, but it is uncertain whether a deal would be struck and, if so, he might be able to help a major league team.

“It depends on how teams view the situation and view his skill,” Boras said.

Boras said Urías has not pitched this year and would need time to work into major league shape. How much time he needs could determine whether he could help a team later this season or would need to aim for next season.

Urías, 28, last pitched for the Dodgers in 2023. He is completing a half-season suspension for domestic violence, levied after a witness video obtained by The Times showed he charged his wife in a September 2023 incident outside BMO Stadium, pulled her hair aside and shoved her against a fence. After the two were separated, the video showed Urias swinging at her with his left hand.

Urías was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, but the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office determined that “neither the victim’s injuries nor the defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.” The city attorney’s office subsequently filed five misdemeanor charges against Urías. He pleaded no contest to one, the other four were dropped, and he agreed to enter a yearlong domestic violence treatment program.

He also agreed to complete a similar program in 2019, when he was arrested after an incident in the Beverly Center parking lot. Witnesses said he pushed his fiancee, she said she fell, and no charges were filed.

The league subsequently suspended him for 20 games. Under its policy, the league can suspend a player even if no charges are filed.

Urías was placed on administrative leave for the final month of the 2023 season, after which his contract with the Dodgers expired and he became a free agent.

He has not pitched since then.

Urías recorded the final out of the Dodgers’ World Series championship in 2020. He led the National League in victories (20) in 2021 and earned-run average (2.16) in 2022.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Pete Alonso on potential free agency, staying with Mets long-term: 'It would be really special'

Heading into the 2024 season, Pete Alonso had experienced plenty of what life as a MLB star is like over his five seasons with the Mets.

He won NL Rookie of the Year, took home two Home Run Derby titles, was named to the All-Star team three times, and played in the postseason. But one of things he hadn't done yet was become a free agent and have the power to choose his team.

After adding another All-Star nomination to his accolade list and helping New York make an unexpected run to the NLCS, Alonso became a free agent at the conclusion of the season. For a while it looked like the slugger was going to sign elsewhere, but as the markets changed, Alonso ended up re-signing with the Mets on Feb. 5 to return to the club for at least another season.

Now, with free agency experience under his belt, Alonso is prepared to do it all again this upcoming offseason. The 30-year-old inked a two-year, $54 million deal with a player option for the 2026 season -- which he's expected to opt out of and become a free agent for a second time. So with another free agency period looming, Alonso was asked by reporters Monday during All-Star festivities in Atlanta if he hopes to stay with the Mets long-term.

"I mean if it works out, you know, it would be really special to," Alonso. "But again, there's a lot of things that happen business wise and a lot of unpredictable things that happen in free agency.

"Yeah, this time around, like last year there's no guarantee, but happy I stayed. This is a great team, it's a great group of guys. We'll see what happens business wise, nothing's guaranteed, so we'll see."

Many Mets fans will want to see the team keep the homegrown star for the rest of his career, especially as he's moved into second all-time in franchise history for home runs and will be at the top of that list by the end of the 2025 season. Alonso, now a five-time All-Star, is at 247 career home runs -- just five shy of Darryl Strawberry's mark of 252 home runs in a Mets uniform.

Of course, Alonso could have already signed a long-term deal with New York to avoid this discussion, but instead he bet on himself with the short-term contract. The move appears to be paying off as he's already hit 21 homers and 26 doubles over 97 games during the 2025 season and is well on pace for another 30-30 season -- which likely means a big payday in free agency. However, Alonso isn't thinking about his future like that just yet.

"I mean I gotta finish this year off strong, I gotta finish this year healthy," Alonso said. "Ultimately right now, I'm just thinking about what I can do to help my team every single day. The free agency stuff, I'm not really worried about that right now. I'm sure at the end of the year I'll have plenty of time to think of that."

If Alonso continues to play like he has this season, he'll be deserving of that big contract; it'll just come down to his and the Mets' success in the postseason and if the long-term commitment works for both sides at that point.

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Shohei Ohtani to hit leadoff for NL in All-Star Game, followed by Ronald Acuña Jr. of host Braves

ATLANTA — Shohei Ohtani will bat leadoff as the designated hitter for the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Truist Park, and the Los Angeles Dodgers star will be followed in the batting order by left fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. of the host Atlanta Braves.

Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte will hit third in the batting order announced Monday by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, followed by Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman, San Diego third baseman Manny Machado, Dodgers catcher Will Smith, Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Pittsburgh right-hander Paul Skenes will start his second straight All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced last week. Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal will make his first All-Star start for the American League.

“I think when you’re talking about the game, where it’s at, these two guys … are guys that you can root for, are super talented, are going to be faces of this game for years to come,” Roberts said.

Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres will lead off for the AL, followed by Tigers left fielder Riley Greene, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr,. Baltimore designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero, Tigers center fielder Javy Báez and Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson.

Ohtani led off for the AL in the 2021 All-Star Game, when the two-way sensation also was the AL’s starting pitcher. He hit leadoff in 2022, then was the No. 2 hitter hitter for the AL in 2023 and for the NL last year after leaving the Los Angeles Angels for the Dodgers.

Skenes and Skubal are 1-2 in average four-seam fastball velocity among those with 1,500 or more pitches this season, Skenes at 98.2 mph and Skubal at 97.6 mph, according to MLB Statcast.

A 23-year-old right-hander, Skenes is 4-8 despite a major league-best 2.01 ERA for the Pirates, who are last in the NL Central. The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year has 131 strikeouts and 30 walks in 131 innings.

Skubal, a 28-year-old left-hander, is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. He is 10-3 with a 2.23 ERA, striking out 153 and walking 16 in 121 innings.

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Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh makes history with 2025 MLB Home Run Derby win

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh makes history with 2025 MLB Home Run Derby win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Seattle’s Cal Raleigh won his first All-Star Home Run Derby after leading the big leagues in long balls going into the break, defeating Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round Monday night.

The Mariners breakout slugger nicknamed Big Dumper advanced from the first round on a tiebreaker by less than an inch over the Athletics’ Brent Rooker, then won his semifinal 19-13 over Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, whose 513-foot first-round drive over Truist Park’s right-center field seats was the longest of the night.

Hitting second in the final round, the 22-year-old Caminero closed within three dingers, took three pitches and hit a liner to left field.

Becoming the first switch-hitter and first catcher to win the title, Raleigh had reached the All-Star break with a major league-leading 38 home runs. He became the second Mariners player to take the title after three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr.

Raleigh was pitched to by his father, Todd, former coach of Tennessee and Western Carolina. His younger brother Todd Raleigh Jr. did the catching.

Just the second Derby switch-hitter after Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman in 2023, Raleigh hit his first eight left-handed, took a timeout, then hit seven right-handed. Going back to lefty, he then hit two more in the bonus round and stayed lefty for the semifinals and the final.

Caminero beat Minnesota’s Byron Buxton 8-7 in the other semifinal.

Atlanta’s Matt Olson, Washington’s James Wood, the New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the Athletics’ Brent Rooker were eliminated in the first round of the annual power show.

Cruz and Caminero each hit 21 long balls and Buxton had 20 in the opening round. Raleigh and Rooker had 17 apiece, but Raleigh advanced on the tiebreaker of their longest homer, 470.61 feet to 470.53.

Cruz’s long drive was the hardest-hit at 118 mph.

The longest derby homer since Statcast started tracking in 2016 was 520 feet by Juan Soto in the mile-high air of Denver’s Coors Field in 2021. Last year, the longest drive at Arlington, Texas, was 473 feet by Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna.

Wood hit 16 homers, including a 486-foot shot and one that landed on the roof of the Chop House behind the right-field wall. Olson, disappointing his hometown fans, did not go deep on his first nine swings and finished with 15, He also was eliminated in the first round in 2021.

Chisholm hit just three homers, the fewest since the timer format started in 2015.

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Brent Rooker stunningly eliminated by hard-to-believe Home Run Derby tiebreaker

Brent Rooker stunningly eliminated by hard-to-believe Home Run Derby tiebreaker originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Athletics slugger Brent Rooker just experienced a level of heartbreak that has never been seen before on the MLB Home Run Derby stage.

Rooker officially got eliminated in one of the closest calls you’ll ever see in the competition, after losing a tie-breaker with Seattle Mariners catcher and 2025 MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh, who also finished the first round with 17 dingers.

Per the rules of the competition, if two players finish with the same first-round total, the player with the farthest home run advances.

It was determined both players’ longest home run traveled 470 feet, but an official ruling declared Raleigh’s went 470.61 feet, while Rooker’s fell just .08 inches short at 470.53 feet. Yes, you read that right, .08 inches officially slammed the door on the A’s slugger’s chances of advancing to the next round of the competition.

Rooker came out on fire in the opening round, launching 17 home runs into the stands at Truist Park, immediately passing Washington Nationals phenom James Woods who kicked off the competition with 16 long balls of his own.

That momentum wouldn’t last long, however, as Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (21), Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton (20) and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (20) all surpassed Rooker’s first-round total.

Rooker appeared to maintain a path to the semifinal round by hanging onto the fourth and final spot needed to advance, but a late surge by Raleigh brought the pair of AL-West sluggers even, triggering an inconceivable tiebreaker scenario.

While Rooker can hold his head high after putting up a strong performance in the competition, the process by which he was eliminated likely will sting for years to come.

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MLB Draft: Landon Hodge of Crespi goes to the White Sox in the fourth round

Catcher Landon Hodge of Crespi.
Catcher Landon Hodge from Crespi, an LSU commit, was the first pick of the White Sox in the fourth round. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Landon Hodge, the Mission League player of the year from Crespi, was selected with the first pick of the fourth round by the Chicago White Sox in Monday's MLB amateur draft. The catcher is an LSU commit.

Day 2 involved rounds four through 20. Pitcher Riley Kelly from Tustin High and UC Irvine went to the Rockies with the 107th pick. Shortstop Colin Yeaman from Saugus and UC Irvine was a fourth-round pick (No. 124) of the Orioles. Pitcher Sean Youngerman, who attended Chaminade, Westmont College and Oklahoma State, went to the Phillies at No. 131.

Outfielder Josiah Hartshorn from Orange Lutheran went to the Cubs in the sixth round (No. 181). USC pitcher Caden Hunter was a sixth-round pick (No. 184) by the Orioles.

In the eighth round (No. 237), Tampa Bay took former Burroughs and Fresno State pitcher Aidan Cremarosa. Outfielder Nick Dumesnil from Huntington Beach and California Baptist went to the Tigers are No. 249.

In the ninth round (No. 279), the Tigers selected pitcher Trevor Heishman, who helped St. John Bosco win the Southern Section Division 1 title.

In the 10th round, former Sierra Canyon and UC Irvine closer Max Martin win to the Royals at No. 308. CJ Hughes, a shortstop from Gardena Serra, was taken in the 11th round (No. 335) by the Brewers. Catcher Rod Barajas Jr. from Saddleback College went to the Giants (No. 326). In the 12th round, former Windward and Harvard pitcher Truman Pauley went to the Mets (No. 373).

In the 13th round (No. 377), former Bishop Amat and Mt. SAC pitcher Izeah Muniz was chosen by the Rockies. Pitcher Gavin Lauridsen from Foothill went to the Brewers (No. 395).

The Brewers selected first baseman Dominic Cadiz from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the 15th round (No. 455). He's a UCLA commit. He's the 29th former Notre Dame player taken since 1993.

Former Calabasas and UC Irvine outfielder Chase Call went to the Astros in the 16th round (No. 486).

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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MLB Power Rankings: Red Sox crash top 10 going into All-Star break

Featured in the All-Star break edition of MLB Power Rankings, Jacob Misiorowski and Aaron Judge make history for different reasons, the Phillies do Cristopher Sánchez a solid, the Red Sox are suddenly the hottest team in the majors, the Angels surprise with their decision for the No. 2 pick, and the Rockies absolutely nail it.

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

Let’s get started!

Syndication: Detroit Free Press
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Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, July 14. 

1) Detroit Tigers

Last week: 1

Even after getting swept by the Mariners over the weekend, the Tigers enter the All-Star break with the best record in baseball. Tarik Skubal is set to become the first Tigers’ pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Max Scherzer in 2013.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬆️

Last week: 3

After losing seven straight, the Dodgers righted the ship by taking two out of three against the division rival Giants over the weekend. Tyler Glasnow made his return last week, and Blake Snell and Blake Treinen aren’t far behind, so the Dodgers are about to get stronger.

3) Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 4

Including an excellent outing in a win over the Yankees on Sunday, Shota Imanaga holds a 2.31 ERA over four starts since returning from the injured list.

4) Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 2

Given the Astros moved on from Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman this offseason and they’ve been without Yordan Alvarez for most of the first half, it’s pretty remarkable that they own the fourth-best record in baseball going into the All-Star break.

5) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 8

The Brewers continue to surprise. Winners of seven straight — with a sweep of the Dodgers along the way — Milwaukee sits just one game behind the Cubs for the NL Central lead.

The debate over the Jacob Misiorowski All-Star selection is dominating the conversation around MLB in recent days — and understandably so — it got me to thinking of the best players who never went to the All-Star Game. Kirk Gibson is absolutely shocking to me, but also familiar names like Tim Salmon, Tom Candiotti, and Eric Chavez.

6) Toronto Blue Jays

Last week: 6

The Blue Jays have cooled off a bit since their 10-game winning streak, but they go into the All-Star break in first place in the American League East. We should see them target a starting pitcher as the trade deadline approaches.

My favorite thing that happened this weekend was Blue Jays manager John Schneider getting ejected after a potential Davis Schneider home run was ruled foul, only to have the outfielder hit a home run immediately following the ejection. Baseball is so weird and fun.

7) Philadelphia Phillies ⬇️

Last week: 5

Pretty cool gesture by the Phillies, as Cristopher Sánchez activated the $50,000 All-Star bonus in his contract despite him being a notable snub for the midsummer classic. Sánchez responded by throwing a gem on Sunday, as the club salvaged the series finale against the Padres to go into the All-Star break with a half-game lead in the NL East.

8) New York Mets ⬇️

Last week: 7

Kodai Senga made a successful return from a hamstring injury on Friday and Sean Manaea looked great despite taking the loss in his season debut on Sunday, so things are looking up for the Mets as they move into second half.

9) New York Yankees

Last week: 9

While the Yankees lost to the Cubs on Saturday, Aaron Judge became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 350 career home runs. It’s one thing to write that sentence, but the thing is, he’s absolutely obliterated the record book in this regard.

10) Boston Red Sox ⬆️

Last week: 16

I was high on the Red Sox coming into the year, and while things haven’t exactly worked out the way I thought they would — Rafael Devers trade included — they’ve won 10 straight games to put themselves in a strong position leading into the trade deadline.

Ceddanne Rafaela now has five homers and 14 RBI over his last eight games.

11) San Diego Padres

Last week: 11

Jackson Merrill was down in the dumps with a 3-for-43 (.070) stretch before his two-homer game against Zack Wheeler and the Phillies on Saturday. He’s had a bumpy (and injury-riddled) first half, but something closer to his rookie performance would be a huge development for the Padres.

12) San Francisco Giants ⬆️

Last week: 13

While 33-year-old Robbie Ray will not pitch in the All-Star Game — he was replaced by Mets left-hander David Peterson — he earned his first selection since his age-25 season in 2017.

13) Seattle Mariners ⬇️

Last week: 12

A great weekend for the Mariners, who swept the Tigers before taking LSU left-hander Kade Anderson with the No. 3 pick in Sunday’s draft. Many considered Anderson to be the best player in this year’s class. Now it’s time for “The Big Dumper” to get his close-up in Monday’s Home Run Derby.

14) St. Louis Cardinals

Last week: 14

Iván Herrera made his return to the Cardinals on Sunday after missing just about a month with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He’s been great when healthy this season with eight homers, 34 RBI, and a .320/.394/.529 batting line, but he also missed time in the first half with a knee injury. The Cardinals plan to mostly use him out of the DH spot the rest of the way.

15) Cincinnati Reds

Last week: 15

Congratulations to Terry Francona, who became the 13th manager in MLB history to reach the 2,000-win club on Sunday. Does his team love him or what?

16) Tampa Bay Rays ⬇️

Last week: 10

While the Blue Jays and Red Sox are rising, the Rays continue to fall. They’ve lost four straight and 12 out of their last 15 games. One positive? Shane McClanahan is nearing his return to the Rays’ rotation.

17) Texas Rangers

Last week: 17

A frustrating first half for the Rangers, where they just can’t seem to get over the hump, but it ended on an encouraging note this weekend as they took two out three from the Astros. You can squint and see how this club could go on a run in the second half. You could also see them spiraling. The next couple of weeks will be fascinating.

18) Arizona Diamondbacks

Last week: 18

Losers of nine out of their 13 games, the Diamondbacks increasingly look like sellers and they have a bunch of interesting players with Eugenio Suarez,Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, and Josh Naylor all reportedly on the block.

19) Minnesota Twins ⬆️

Last week: 20

What a first half for Byron Buxton. The apex? He accomplished the first triple in Target Field history on Saturday and did it on his own bobblehead day, to boot.

Buxton is my pick for Monday’s Home Run Derby. Let’s keep this feel-good story going!

20) Kansas City Royals ⬆️

Last week: 21

Noah Cameron wrapped up a brilliant first half by spinning 6 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts as part of Sunday’s win over the Mets. It’s going to be hard for him to stand out in the AL rookie field which also includes Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz, but he’s been a lifesaver for the Kansas City rotation with a 2.31 ERA across 12 starts.

21) Los Angeles Angels ⬇️

Last week: 19

The Angels’ approach to the draft is always interesting, and of course they surprised by taking UC Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner No. 2 overall. There were other college pitchers who were considered better by most experts, but the Angels clearly thought there wasn’t a true standout in this year’s class and they could manipulate their draft pool in other ways. But if we know anything about the Angels, we’ll probably see Bremner in the majors sooner rather than later.

22) Baltimore Orioles ⬆️

Last week: 23

The Orioles had seven picks in the top 93 players during the first day of the MLB Draft and they received high marks for their haul which included Auburn C/OF Ike Irish, Coastal Carolina C Caden Bodine, Arkansas SS Wehiwa Aloy, and prep OF Slater de Brun. They also finally got around to taking some pitchers with lefty Joseph Dzierwa out of Michigan State and right-hander JT Quinn out of Georgia.

23) Cleveland Guardians ⬆️

Last week: 25

The Guardians have won six out of seven since their 10-game losing streak, but it might be too little too late.

24) Miami Marlins

Last week: 24

It was the Kyle Stowers Revenge Game on Sunday, as the former Orioles prospect went 5-for-5 with three homers, six RBI, and four runs scored in a blowout victory over Baltimore on Sunday.

25) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 22

The latest blow for the Braves is Austin Riley hitting the injured list with an abdominal strain. It would be surprising if he’s back by the end of July, so this continues to look like a lost year for Atlanta.

26) Athletics ⬆️

Last week: 28

One year ago, Nick Kurtz heard his named called on draft day. On Sunday, he hit his 17th home run of the season and his 12th in 30 games since returning from the injured list. Folks have begun to put the Jim Thome comp on Kurtz recently. One you spot it, it’s hard to unsee it.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 26

Paul Skenes and MLB history have become synonymous. He’s adding another first to the list on Tuesday, as he’ll become the first pitcher in baseball history to start the All-Star Game in his first two MLB seasons.

28) Washington Nationals ⬇️

Last week: 27

Interim Nationals general manager Mike DeBartolo had the weighty responsibility of making the No. 1 pick in Sunday’s draft and they ultimately went with 17-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Eli Willits. Willits is the youngest No. 1 overall pick since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987. No pressure, kid.

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

2025 is the year of the high school shortstop and the White Sox played into the trend with the selection of Billy Carlson. In doing so, Corona (California) HS became the first high school in history to have two top-10 picks n the same year, as right-hander Seth Hernandez was selected sixth overall by the Pirates.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

Say what you will about how the Rockies have operated over the past decade or so, but the Ethan Holliday pick just makes so much sense for all parties.

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Yankees claim reliever Rico Garcia off waivers from Mets

The Yankees have claimed right-handed reliever Rico Garcia off waivers from the Mets.

Garcia was DFA'd by the Mets on Friday to make room on the roster for Kodai Senga.

Garcia tossed 2.2 perfect innings against the Orioles during Game 2 of the Mets' Thursday's doubleheader.

In his only other appearance for the Mets this season, he fired 2.0 scoreless innings against the Yankees on July 6, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Garcia, 31, has a 6.47 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in parts of five big league seasons with the Mets, Nationals, Athletics, Orioles, Giants, and Rockies.

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Curveballs are disappearing in MLB as velocity obsession reshapes pitching landscape

ATLANTA — Curveballs have been thrown a curve by a modern game valuing velocity over variety, disappearing from the major leagues by more than 20,000 annually.

The Athletics have thrown curves on just 2.5% of pitches this season. The overall big league figure dropped from 10.7% in 2019 to 8.1% last year, the lowest since MLB starting tracking in 2008, before rising slightly to 8.5% this season.

There were 22,962 fewer curveballs in 2024 than five years earlier.

“You don’t really see a lot of people throwing 12-6 curveballs anymore,” Tampa Bay pitcher Shane Baz said. “They’d rather have a hard cutter/slider. It’s a lot easier for guys to throw a sweeper than it is a 12-6 curveball.”

Baz’s 28.1% is seventh in curveball use among those who have thrown at least 1,000 pitches this season.

Baltimore’s Charlie Morton, first at 39%, learned to throw a hook from his dad.

“He was reading some article or maybe he was reading some pitching book,” Baltimore’s 41-year-old right-hander said. “You basically throw it like you’re re-throwing a knife.”

Curveballs have been around for a century and a half

Hall of Famer Candy Cummings, a 145-game winner, is credited with inventing the curveball in 1863 when he was 14, discovering the movement when he threw sea shells into the Atlantic Ocean. Some attribute the curve to amateur pitcher Fred Goldsmith in 1870.

With an average velocity of 80.2 mph, curves are the slowest and loopiest of breaking pitches, often disrupting the timing of batters set for smoke. The phrase “thrown a curveball” has become part of the English language, much like “screwball,” more a phrase than a pitch these days.

Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan and Clayton Kershaw were among the consummate curveballers, bamboozling batters as balls they gave up on dropped like hang gliders into the strike zone.

“It’s become an industry of throwing over pitching,” New York Yankees senior adviser Omar Minaya said. “When you pitch, you use different pitches. What we’re seeing in the industry as a whole, especially with showcases, is people are looking more at velocity than pitchability — as a scout, I said that unfortunately.”

Former pitcher Dallas Braden, now a broadcaster, longs for those days of deception.

“You almost sympathize with the hitter in the moment because you’re like: Damn, I couldn’t have hit that. He couldn’t hit that. Nobody could have hit that,” Braden said. “The eephus is now almost like as close as we get, when a position player is on the mound, to an aesthetically pleasing pitch like that, just the visual presentation of the pitch starting in the clouds and ending up at the ankles.”

Nike’s “Chicks Dig the Long Ball” commercial defined baseball in the Steroids Era. These days the slogan might as well be: “Velo Rules!” There were just 214 pitches of 100 mph or more in 2008. There were a record 3,880 two years ago and this year is on track for 3,252.

In tandem, starting pitcher use has dropped. Starters have averaged just under 5 1/3 innings this season, down from 6 1/3 innings in the 1980s. Their pitch count averages 85.7, down from 97 in 2010.

Throw as hard as you can for as long as you can is the mantra

Average four-seam fastball velocity is a record 94.4 mph this season, up from 91.9 mph when MLB started tracking in 2008. But fastballs — four-seam, two-seam and cutters, have dropped from 62.1% to 55%.

Those missing hooks and heaters have been replaced by sliders, sweepers and slurves. They are 22.6% of pitches this year, up from 13.9% in 2008, and their average velocity has risen to 84.8 mph from 83.4 mph.

Colorado throws curves the most often at 15.6%, not that it has brought any success to a team that entered the break at 22-74, on track for a 37-125 finish and the post-1900 record for losses.

The Athletics haven’t thrown 10% curveballs since 2017.

“If you look around the game, swing and miss has taken more of a priority, so guys are trying to throw more sweepers with more horizontal movement, or they’re trying to throw the slider really hard at the bottom of the zone,” Athletics pitching coach Scott Emerson said. “They’re worried about contact with the curveball.”

Generational change in the 2020s

Veteran pitchers note the curve’s decline as youngsters integrate into staffs.

“As you’re an amateur going to the big leagues guys are looking at velo. Guys are just looking at stuff,” Yankees ace Gerrit Cole said. “Velo is important and it pays.”

Maybe because the pitchers who throw curves are committed, batters have a .225 average this season on curves, down from .263 on fastballs and up slightly from .222 on sliders, sweepers and slurves.

“That’s just how the game is trending: to throw it as hard as you can, spin it the best you can and hope the hitter doesn’t hit it,” Emerson said. “The hitters are up there trying to swing as hard they can. If they hit it with hard contact, make 27 swings that are really hard, you got a chance to hit a homer here and there. And it’s taken away from the contact-type pitchers.”

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10 ‘impact' starting pitchers Red Sox should target in trades

10 ‘impact' starting pitchers Red Sox should target in trades originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The way Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has spoken over the last week, it would be shocking if he didn’t trade for a starting pitcher before the July 31 deadline.

In several interviews, Breslow has identified “impact starting pitching” as Boston’s top trade deadline priority.

“I think if we’re going to boost the rotation, trying to find impact starting pitching, not just starting pitching that can take a spot in the rotation,” he said, per MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

He used those three words again during his recent appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show.

“You can never have too much (starting pitching), so I think that’s probably what we would prioritize,” Breslow said. “We have some depth, but I think if there’s the opportunity to provide some impact starting pitching, and add that to the group, that’s probably where we’d focus.”

And once more during an interview on Rob Bradford’s Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast.

“We’re not just looking for bodies that we can call starting pitchers, right? Like, if we’re going to bring somebody in, they need to really move the needle for us,” Breslow said. “And so that’s where we’ll have our sights set, but it’s really hard to find impact starting pitching.”

So, what qualifies as “impact” starting pitching? As great as Red Sox starters Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello have been over the last month, Breslow is likely looking for a starter who can step up as a reliable No. 2 or No. 3 in the rotation. Fringe starters won’t cut it for a surging club looking to clinch its first postseason berth since 2021.

Which “impact” starters could be available on the trade market? Here are 10 pitchers Breslow should at least inquire about before 6 p.m. ET on July 31.

Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins

It’s going to take a significant haul to pry Ryan from the Twins. The 29-year-old is in the midst of a career year and is under team control through 2027. However, the Red Sox have reportedly expressed interest in Ryan over the last few weeks, so we’d be remiss not to include him on this list of “impact” starters they should target.

A first-time All-Star, Ryan boasts a 2.72 ERA and 0.915 WHIP with 121 strikeouts and 23 walks over 19 games (109.1 innings). He would slot in as a formidable No. 2 in Boston’s rotation after ace Garrett Crochet.

The Twins entered the break four games back in the American League Wild Card race. If they slump to start the second half, Breslow should be aggressive in his pursuit of Ryan — even if it means saying goodbye to beloved outfielder Jarren Duran.

Dylan Cease, RHP, San Diego Padres

It’s been a down year for Cease, but the veteran righty has a proven track record. He could snap out of his funk at any time in the second half and put up ace-like numbers. He finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting last year and was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young while with the Chicago White Sox in 2022.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Cease might be available for a bargain. If so, he should be near the top of Breslow’s list of targets. It wouldn’t be his first time reaching out to the Padres about a potential deal for the 29-year-old.

Cease has a 4.88 ERA and 1.33 WHIP this season, though his 3.69 FIP suggests some of his unfavorable numbers have been out of his control.

Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Breslow wants “impact starting pitching,” but there’s little doubt he prefers impact starters who have years of team control beyond 2025. That makes Keller the perfect trade target.

The 29-year-old is having the best season of his career and is under team control through 2028. He’s stuck on a last-place Pirates squad that has a surplus of young pitching but a glaring lack of offense. Pittsburgh may be motivated to move him for a bat, and Boston has the hitters to get a deal done.

Keller has a 3.48 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 20 starts.

Freddy Peralta, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are still very much in the postseason hunt, so Peralta isn’t one of the likelier trade candidates on this list. That said, Milwaukee has a history of trading star pitchers even while in contention, so Peralta must at least be mentioned as an option.

Peralta has an affordable $8 million team option for 2026 before he’s scheduled to become a free agent in 2027. That, plus his consistency over his eight years with the Brew Crew, makes the two-time All-Star an intriguing option for Boston.

Through 20 starts this season, Peralta has a 2.66 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.

Edward Cabrera, RHP, Miami Marlins

Cabrera has been linked to the Red Sox in trade rumors before, but that was when the former top prospect struggled to find his footing at the big-league level. He appears to have found it this season with Miami.

The 27-year-old has a 3.61 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 16 outings this season. Those numbers may not qualify him for the “impact starter” label, but he’s also under team control through 2028. Perhaps a change of scenery would turn Cabrera into the frontline starter he was expected to be when he entered the league in 2021.

Nathan Eovaldi, RHP, Texas Rangers

Old friend alert! Would the Red Sox consider bringing the 2018 World Series champion back for another run? They should.

Eovaldi has been lights out for the Rangers this season, posting a 1.58 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with 94 strikeouts and 14 walks over 16 starts. The 35-year-old is under team control through 2027.

While he may not be the long-term “impact” starter Breslow has in mind, Eovaldi would boost the rotation while bringing valuable leadership and postseason experience to the Red Sox clubhouse.

Kris Bubic, LHP, Kansas City Royals

Bubic has been outstanding for Kansas City the last two seasons, but he could be available on the trade market this summer if the Royals — currently 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot — opt to sell.

The 27-year-old southpaw has posted a 2.48 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 18 starts to earn his first All-Star nod. He has one year of arbitration left on his contract and is scheduled to hit the free-agent market after the 2026 season.

Bubic doesn’t have the track record of others on this list, but that shouldn’t dissuade Breslow from seeing what it’ll cost to get him into the rotation.

Seth Lugo, RHP, Kansas City Royals

The Red Sox nearly signed Lugo before the 2024 season, but the veteran right-hander chose to join the Royals instead. Will Boston find another way to finally get him into its rotation?

Lugo still has plenty left in the tank at 35 years old. He was the 2024 AL Cy Young runner-up and has a 2.67 ERA through 17 starts this season. He’d only be a rental, but he’s a proven starter who could help Boston make a second-half push for a playoff berth.

Merrill Kelly, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Kelly has been a rock-solid starter for Arizona since joining the club as a rookie in 2019. He has continued the trend this year, posting a 3.34 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 20 starts. So, why would the Diamondbacks part ways with him?

As a long shot to clinch a playoff spot, Arizona is expected to sell off several key pieces ahead of the deadline, including Kelly and his expiring contract. Kelly is a 36-year-old rental who should be one of the more affordable pitchers on this list.

Kelly was instrumental in the Diamondbacks making a surprise World Series appearance in 2023. Could he do it again with the Red Sox?

Zac Gallen, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Much like Cease, Gallen is a proven veteran starter in the midst of a rocky season. Also like Cease, he’s a 29-year-old former Cy Young finalist on an expiring contract.

This could be a perfect buy-low opportunity for Boston. Gallen’s 5.40 ERA is a bit worrisome, but he’s a strong candidate for a second-half bounce-back. He placed fifth in Cy Young voting in 2022 and third in 2023. If you can get a guy like that for relatively cheap, you pounce at the opportunity.

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Aaron Judge is barreling toward the hallowed 500-homer club. He might be joined by several peers

Aaron Judge became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 350 career homers and it feels inevitable that the Bronx slugger will join the hallowed 500-homer club sometime in the next several years.

He could have plenty of company.

The 28-player group could swell significantly in the coming decade, with Yankees teammate Giancarlo Stanton (432), Mike Trout (395), Paul Goldschmidt (370), Manny Machado (359), Freddie Freeman (353), Nolan Arenado (351) and Bryce Harper (346) all within striking distance.

Lurking a little further down the active leaderboard, Kyle Schwarber (314), Eugenio Suarez (307), Mookie Betts (282), Francisco Lindor (267), Shohei Ohtani (257) and Pete Alonso (247) are piling up big numbers and still in their early 30s.

And then there’s Juan Soto, who already has 224 homers at the tender age of 26.

Some are stronger candidates than others, given their injury history and age. The 35-year-old Stanton has battled various ailments over the past several seasons, but has been productive when he’s played.

The 33-year-old Trout has been slowed by injuries, too, but hit enough homers in his 20s that it would be surprising if he didn’t eventually reach the mark.

This generation’s group of sluggers is reminiscent of a stretch from 2001 to 2009, when Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Jim Thome, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, Frank Thomas and Gary Sheffield all made it to 500.

The biggest difference is several of those players’ accomplishments were tainted — at least to some — because it was part of a era that included widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The club has been relatively hard to join over the past decade. The last to reach 500 was Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera on Aug. 22, 2021.

Before that, Red Sox star David Ortiz slugged his 500th homer in 2015.

Even among the elite sluggers, Judge stands out for the speed in which he’s piling up dingers. Many forget he didn’t play his first full big league season until he was 25, but the 33-year-old has needed just 1,088 games to reach 350 homers.

Unsung non All-Stars

This group of players won’t be featured at the All-Star game in Atlanta, but they are having great under-the-radar seasons through the first half.

Ceddanne Rafalea, Red Sox: The 24-year-old center fielder has blossomed in his second full MLB season and is hitting .271 with 14 homers, 48 RBIs and 13 stolen bases, all while playing excellent defense.

Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch, Cubs: Hoerner continues to be one of the game’s best second basemen, batting .283 with 18 doubles, 39 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, all while providing Gold Glove-caliber defense. The 27-year-old Busch is batting .290 with 19 homers, providing the NL Central-leading Cubs some thump.

Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies: The left-hander has been a big part of a stacked Philadelphia rotation with a 8-2 record, 2.50 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 115 innings. He put an exclamation point on his first half on Sunday, giving up just one run over 7 1/3 innings in a 2-1 win over the Padres.

Framber Valdez, Astros: The righty had a terrific first half with a 10-4 record, 2.75 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 121 innings.

Trivia Question

Soto’s 224 career homers lead the pack for MLB players who haven’t turned 30 years old. Who are the other players in their 20s that round out the top five?

Here come the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have won 10 straight games heading into the All-Star break — their longest winning streak since 2018 — setting up an intriguing second half for a club that looked very average for most of the season’s first three months.

Rafaela has been one of the major catalysts for Boston’s surge, hitting a walk-off homer and another two-run homer.

The AL East race could be a barnburner as summer turns to fall with the Blue Jays (55-41), Yankees (53-43), Red Sox (53-45) and Rays (50-47) all in the mix. Even the last-place Orioles aren’t completely out of it yet, sitting at 43-52 which is 11 1/2 games out of first place.

Trivia Answer

Rafael Devers (217), Ronald Acuna Jr. (177), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (172) are two through four. Yordan Alvarez and Austin Riley are tied for fifth at 167.

Cody Bellinger has 212 homers but turned 30.

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Why Giants' top 2025 draft pick Gavin Kilen sees Gavin Lux as a ‘great resource'

Why Giants' top 2025 draft pick Gavin Kilen sees Gavin Lux as a ‘great resource' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Gavin Kilen, whom the Giants selected No. 13 overall in Sunday’s 2025 MLB Draft, sees former top Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Gavin Lux as a mentor he can lean on as he navigates his professional baseball journey.

San Francisco’s first-round choice — and a fellow Wisconsin native — detailed his trust in Lux with reporters on Monday

“I’ve really never tried to mimic anybody, kind of throughout playing, but I feel like the easy one for me, I guess, would be Gavin Lux,” Kilen said when asked if he tries to replicate anyone’s game. “We played the same summer ball … here in Wisconsin. We had the same coach.

“I feel like I’ve grown in his shadow my entire life of being ‘Little Gav’ to ‘Big Gav’ because he was way older. I think that’s just the easy one to always say when people ask me that question.”

Kilen, a middle infielder like his older counterpart, played at Milton High School in Milton, WI, which is roughly an hour and a half drive from Lux’s Indian Trail High School and Academy in Kenosha.

The pair of Wisconsin natives are about six years apart, but already have been in contact about Kilen’s big-league future.

“Oh yeah,” Kilen said when asked if Lux is someone he talks to. “Just kind of [growing] up, same place, it’s kind of always been like ‘Big Gav,’ ‘Little Gav’ with him for the place we played at growing up.

“He texted me a lot this morning. We’ve been going back and forth the last two days since the draft, which has been pretty cool. His texting me was, you know, ‘All the fun stuff starts now.’”

Lux, currently slashing .265/.355/.379 with the Cincinnati Reds, is a six-year MLB veteran and a two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers. 

Perhaps San Francisco fans can appreciate Lux’s assistance in what ideally would be a long Bay Area career for Klein, now that he’s no longer a member of the Giants’ bitter rival.

“So, I’m sure we’ll have more talks and I’ll have plenty of questions, and he’s a great resource that I’m always gonna have,” Klein said about Lux.

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MLB Draft 2025: Signing Bonus Slot Values for First Round Picks

The Washington Nationals selected high school shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 overall pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft. Willits, who doesn’t turn 18 until December, is the youngest player selected first since the Seattle Mariners took Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987.

Washington was in position to select Willits after winning the draft lottery in December, despite having only the fourth-best odds to do so—Miami and Colorado had the best odds but fell to seventh and fourth, respectively. The top pick came with a draft slot value of $11,075,900.

Baseball’s slot values offer some wiggle room, unlike rookie contracts in the NFL and NBA, where first-round picks are tied to those leagues’ salary caps and are largely set in stone. NFL teams have the option to sign first-round picks below their draft slot amount but never do. NBA teams can sign first-rounders to contracts that range from 80% to 120% of their slot value, but the agreements are almost always at the max level.

Cam Ward signed a four-year, $48.4 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. Cooper Flagg’s contract with the Dallas Mavericks is worth $62.7 million over four years, although only the first two years are guaranteed.

Compare those to Travis Bazzana, last year’s top pick by the Cleveland Guardians, who received an $8.95 million bonus, 15% lower than the $10.57 million slot value. The Pittsburgh Pirates gave Paul Skenes a $9.2 million bonus, 5% below his slot in 2023. A year before that, Jackson Holliday received an $8.19 million bonus from the Baltimore Orioles, 10% lower than the $9.05 million slot value.

Every pick in the first 10 rounds is assigned a slot value, and a team’s total bonus pool is the sum of those slot values. The Orioles have the highest pool this year at $19.1 million, followed by the Mariners ($17.1 million), Los Angeles Angels ($16.7 million) and Nationals ($16.6 million). The New York Yankees rank last at $5.4 million after MLB lowered their top pick 10 spots for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the luxury tax, and they also forfeited their second-round pick for signing free agent Max Fried.

When teams sign players below their slot values, it frees up more room to go over slot to sign a high school player who might choose college over a smaller signing bonus. Those negotiations sometimes happen before draft night. Willits was a surprise pick at the top of the draft, as the consensus top two picks were high school infielder Ethan Holliday and LSU pitcher Kade Anderson. They went third and fourth.

Last week, the Nationals fired general manager Mike Rizzo, who led their baseball operations for 17 years. Manager Davey Martinez was also fired last week.

Players selected after the 10th round can be signed for up to $125,000 without the bonus being applied toward the pool allotment, but anything over $125,000 is part of the pool. Last year, the Angels gave 11th-round pick Trey Gregory-Alford a $1.96 million bonus.

The total 2025 bonus pool for the 30 teams is $350 million, up 4.8% from the prior year, which is tied to the growth of MLB revenues. Teams often exceed their bonus allotment but never by more than 5%; up to 5%, the penalty is simply a 75% tax on any overage. Teams face a steeper penalty at higher thresholds, including the loss of draft picks. Spending 5% to 10% above the bonus pool threshold costs a first-round pick, and the penalty reaches two first-round picks at 15%.

In the minor leagues, rookie-level minimum salaries are $20,430 this year, while Triple-A is $36,590. The minimum annual salary in the majors is $760,000 in 2025.

The draft continues Monday afternoon with rounds four through 20.

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Deep Dive on Mets' 2025 draft pick Mitch Voit, who could be a future starting second baseman

The Metsselected two-way player Mitch Voit from Michigan with the No. 38 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. While he was announced as a two-way player, he hasn’t pitched since his sophomore year, and he will be sent out exclusively as a infielder in pro ball.

Voit grew up in Milwaukee for the first 14 years of his life before moving to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where he became close with the family of Cubs manager Craig Counsell, even playing high school ball and a year of college ball with one of his sons.

In 2021 at Perfect Game events he flashed tools, averaging 90 mph off the mound, but he was even more impressive in offensive and defensive drills. He flashed 94 mph exit velocities while touching 93 mph in infield throwing and showing plus straight-line speed with a 6.69 60-yard dash.

He was ranked as the No. 9 high school player in the state, winning the Wisconsin Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in 2022 after hitting .566 with a 1.431 OPS and posting a 0.52 ERA in 53.2 innings, striking out 86.

Voit started as the Wolverines' third baseman and pitched out of the bullpen as a true freshman. In 54 games he hit .267/.338/.439 with nine doubles, seven home runs, and 32 RBI. He also got into 19 games on the mound and posted a team-leading 3.25 ERA while striking out 25 in 36 innings with five saves. He made the All-Big Ten freshman team and Second Team Baseball America freshman team. He had a brief stint in the Cape Cod League, getting into six games as a third baseman and two games on the mound.

As a sophomore, Voit’s days as a pitcher would come to an end after posting a 5.49 ERA in 10 starts, as he would end up requiring internal brace surgery that he’d have after the college season concluded. He still hit, but his defensive home was more first base and some corner outfield. His offensive game took a big step forward from his freshman year, as he hit .292/.373/.572 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, and 46 RBI.

Voit entered his junior year as a third-team preseason All-American. It was his first season focusing exclusively on hitting and he made significant strides in aspects of his game. He hit .346/.471/.668 with the same 14 home runs that he hit as a sophomore in 56 games.

The biggest growth came in his approach at the plate, as his strikeout rate as a freshman and sophomore was at 23 and 22 percent, respectively. His junior year he slashed it nearly in half, striking out just 13 percent of the time. At the same time, he nearly doubled his walk rate that was in the eight percent range his first two seasons and spiked to 15.4 percent as a junior. Voit ended up walking (40) more than he struck out (34), while still showing off the ability to barrel the ball and post above average exit velocities, even flashing some plus numbers, though that was with a metal bat.

Voit attended the 2025 MLB Draft Combine, where he made a good impression at team meetings and had an excellent day of batting practice sessions with a max exit velocity of 107.8 mph and hit two home runs over 400 feet, with his max distance at 430 feet.

The Mets' interest in Voit dates back to the preseason in 2025, when he met and stayed in touch with area scout Chad Langley. They were intrigued by the growth in Voit’s first year fully focused on hitting, and that he comes equipped with true plus bat speed and a good feel for bat-to-ball.

The power may be more average than above average, but the batted ball data suggests there is a chance for more in there.

Defensively, Voit stood out at second base, a position he had not played before, ranking fourth among Division I second basemen with 13 defensive runs saved. Now that his arm is healthy, the Mets are likely to have him get some opportunity at third base, where his arm should play well, in addition to second base. He is an above average, nearly plus runner who stole 14 bases in 16 attempts in 2025.

Voit will be 21 for the entire 2026 season and his offensive game has really come into shape this year. He is evaluated as more of a high-floor than high-ceiling player, but there is thought with some swing tweaks, he could tap into a little more power. There is a real chance this is an offensively-driven future starting second baseman.