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The New York Mets have become the first Major League Baseball club to partner with a prediction market operator.

Key Takeaways

• The Mets named Novig their exclusive prediction market partner in the club's first deal of its kind.
  
  
• The partnership includes in-stadium branding at Citi Field, broadcast integrations, and social media activations.
  
  
• The agreement follows Novig's designation as an MLB authorized prediction market and reflects the growing presence of prediction markets in professional sports.

The Mets announced on Thursday a multi-year partnership with Novig, making the operator the club's exclusive official prediction market partner.

"Our mission is to build the home for sports trading," Jacob Fortinsky, CEO and cofounder of Novig, said. "Partnering with one of baseball's most iconic franchises allows us to bring that vision directly to fans in one of the greatest sports markets in the world.”

The partnership, which comes amid a Mets season of mixed results, will see Novig integrated across the ballclub’s home park in Flushing through Citi Field signage and branded in-game activations, as well as via the club’s broadcast and social media channels.

MLB previously made prediction market news thanks to a partnership with Polymarket announced back in March, following the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer’s similar deals within the prediction market space.

"We're proud to be the first Major League Baseball club to partner with a prediction market company, giving our fans a new and engaging way to connect with the game," said Lew Sherr, president of business operations for the Mets. "Innovation is a defining characteristic of our business, and this partnership is another example of our commitment to staying at the forefront of the evolving sports landscape. It reflects our broader goal of delivering unique experiences for our fans and continuing to attract industry-leading partners who want to grow alongside the Mets."

Teams embrace prediction markets

While the Mets have become the first ballclub to join in on the prediction market frenzy, they’re far from the first team across the major North American sports to form partnerships across a rapidly evolving landscape.

The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers previously announced partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket, respectively. The NBA, meanwhile, has strayed from entering the marketplace, though Miami Heat superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo announced he would join Kalshi as a shareholder in February.

As for the Mets partnership, the news follows Novig's recent designation as an MLB authorized prediction market, per the release, thus establishing “participation in MLB's integrity program, which includes collaboration on comprehensive market monitoring, reporting protocols, and restricting markets that present an integrity risk to MLB.”

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

We made it everyone. Happy Friday!

The club wrapped up its series with the Boston Red Sox last night with another close loss. It was a competitive series and if some things had gone a bit differently they could have been the ones to take three of four instead of being the ones losing three of four. The club now sits at 45-64 and are getting dangerously close to the Angels at the bottom of the division. If there should be one goal the rest of the year it should be to finish in fourth place.

Now that Boston’s left town the club will bring in an AL Central foe as the Detroit Tigers arrive in Sacramento for a three-game weekend series, the final one before the trade deadline. While Detroit started the year poorly they fought back and got into the playoff race briefly, thanks in part to sweeping our A’s right before the All-Star break. Alas, a tough week has dropped them to seven games under .500 and quashed any notion they had they could leapfrog half a dozen teams for a playoff spot, so they’ll enter Monday’s deadline as sellers.

With that development comes the addition of one of the best arms on the market in Tarik Skubal. The reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young winner is now officially on the table in trade talks with many in the business convinced that the left-hander is all but certain to be traded. He wasn’t lined up to pitch against the A’s either way during this series in Sacramento but monitoring the situation all weekend should cause some off-field drama in the other dugout. Skubal isn’t the only one likely to be traded but the entire baseball world is holding their breath to see where he ends up.

As for our weekend series, we have our starting pitching matchups all set. Tonight’s series opener features lefty Jeffrey Springs making possibly his last appearance for the A’s before Monday’s trade deadline. He’s had a tough season and his most recent start was cut short thanks to a tight hip but that seemed to be a precaution and he’s healthy enough for tonight’s start. Would a big outing make it more likely he finds himself on the move, or nothing will affect that equation now? Springs will be opposed by former #1 overall pick Casey Mize, who is himself having a fantastic year and will come into this one with a 2.70 ERA. Like Skubal he could find himself on the move over the next couple of days.

Saturday we’ll see a rematch from a couple weeks ago as rookie right-hander Jack Perkins goes up against the veteran Framber Valdez. Perkins made a “bulk” outing against the Tigers and it delivered mixed results. He’s gotten two traditional starts since then and looked much better so the hope is he can continue this mini roll he’s on right now. The A’s meanwhile will be looking for some revenge against Valdez after he quieted A’s bats for three hits and one run in a loss.

And then we wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon with Gage Jump getting the ball for the Athletics while the Tigers will send their own young arm to the bump in Keider Montero. Jump has had a solid start to his career overall but July has not been kind to the lefty. He seemingly righted the ship his last time out when he fired six shutout innings against the Red Sox on Monday and the A’s would gladly take more of the same. Montero meanwhile got a bit roughed up in his last start, allowing nine hits and four runs against the Orioles. This should be a good contest and a glimpse into the future for both clubs.

First pitch is at 6:40. Have a great weekend A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

• Signs Of Hope And Signs Of Hopeless
• Late Collapse Costs A’s Chance at Series Split
• Red Sox Edge A’s 4-2 in Extra-inning Heartbreaker
• A’s Squeak by Red Sox 4-3
• Grand Slam Sinks A’s Against Red Sox
• Parity (Mediocrity) Could Make For An Interesting Trade Deadline
• Sources: A’s star Langeliers may miss rest of ‘26
• A’s Lose Finale (And Series) To Twins 11-8
• A’s Prevail 2-0 in Tightly Contested Pitching Duel
• Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning
• Cuban’s investment group purchases minority stake in Athletics
• Chan Ho Park joins A’s group; 1st Korean to buy stake in MLB club
• A’s place rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer on injured list with ruptured testicle
• Another ‘step in the right direction’ for Lopez in hunt to regain rookie form
• Blogfather Saves The Day With Pearls Of Most Excellent Advice
• What will the Athletics do leading up to Trade Deadline after cold streak?
• A’s Add Next Wave of Prospects in 2026 Draft
• Athletics Get Hitting Help by Claiming Hot Bat off Waivers

MLB News and Interest:

• Latest Chatter On Tarik Skubal
• Mets trade Minter to Twins, bringing son of fan favorite to Queens in return (source)
• Rays starter Shane McClanahan exits game due to back tightness
• Reds Getting Significant Interest In Hunter Greene
• Trade rumors: Skubal, Peralta, Greene, Goodman, Angels, more
• Padres, Diamondbacks Scouting Freddy Peralta
• Injury-hampered Orioles trade for Tigers catcher Jake Rogers
• They may not headline the Deadline, but these are 6 sneaky good trade options
• Florida collector pulls 1-of-1 Ohtani card, sells it for $11M
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Any chance he’ll get a quick cup of coffee with the big league team in September?

Good news, sounds like no tear down is imminent:

Oof:

Oof:

Unlike so many contenders, including the Miami Marlin team they beat Thursday night, the Mets had known the gist of their trade deadline plans for weeks. They had been sellers for as long as almost anyone, with plenty of time to evaluate exactly what they might want in exchange for the many players they made clear they'd be willing to trade.

But with less than 72 hours remaining until the deadline, they had not traded any of them -- in large part because no one else was trading anyone yet, either. A few minutes after A.J. Minter tossed his towel in the laundry bin and left the Mets’ clubhouse in street clothes late Thursday night, though, he became the first domino to tumble.

The Mets traded Minter to the Minnesota Twins for minor league infielders Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani -- son of Benny -- in a ceremonious start to what should be a busy few days.

Despite knowing his team’s fate for weeks, and a stated willingness to make deals earlier, the market offered no reason for David Stearns to hurry. The only deals that preceded Minter’s were the Angels’ surprising trade of catcher Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth to the Rangers and the Tigers’ less surprising trade of catcher Jake Rogers to the Orioles. 

The relief market, like the market at large, should start to move now.

Whether the Mets’ deadline pace accelerates will likely depend on how willing they are to budge on their early standards for returns: Multiple members of contending front offices said the Mets have established noticeably high asking prices for their pitchers, particularly Freddy Peralta.

Selling teams often set prices high early and move them to fit the market as the deadline nears. Buying teams accusing those sellers of asking for the world is effectively a trade deadline tradition -- so in some ways, everyone is running the usual plays.

As of Friday morning, members of the Mets and front offices in touch with them believed the Mets will eventually trade all their other players on expiring contracts -- Peralta, Clay Holmes, Brooks Raley, and Tyrone Taylor. Of their players still under contract beyond this year, Luke Weaver seemed the likeliest to go. No one asked expected a deal to include Francisco Lindor.

Scouts from the White Sox, Padres, and others spent Thursday evening at Citi Field. Those teams have starting pitching needs, though the man who started for the Mets Thursday night, Nolan McLean, is one of the few players they have said is not for sale. 

Peralta is scheduled to start here Friday night, and manager Andy Green said the Mets still plan for him to do so. While starting him could risk injury, or waste bullets he might prefer to save for his next team, a person familiar with the right-hander's thinking said he is preparing to pitch Friday, in accordance with the Mets’ plans.

But the chances of Peralta actually taking the mound for the Mets then are not exactly 100 percent: A trade could materialize before then, and if it doesn’t, the Mets could still decide to hold him out to avoid injury or out of respect for suitors who would rather he make as many starts for them as possible.

Holmes is in a similar situation, having navigated a successful rehab outing earlier this week that left the veteran feeling ready to make his next outing in the majors. He will throw a bullpen Friday afternoon, at which point Green said the Mets will have more clarity about if or when they use Holmes next.

Holmes would be on turn to return from the injured list and start for the Mets on Sunday if he is not traded by then, though because he will likely draw an even wider market and larger return than Peralta, the Mets have little incentive to risk injury by starting him before a deal materializes.

As for what the Mets are hunting in exchange, Stearns has said publicly that they must be open-minded to the best talent available, whatever that is. Agbayani and Amick have different offensive profiles. MLB Pipeline ranked both among the Twins’ top 30 prospects -- Amick 21st and Agbayani 29th.

“I don’t think it makes sense for us to zoom in on a particular skill set or a particular player profile and say, that’s the type of player we need to acquire,” Stearns said in his meeting with the media earlier this homestand. 

“We see all over the big leagues that there are players who can impact winning in very different ways, and we have to recognize that in our evaluation of whatever deals may or may not be in front of us. We see different types of prospects traded in different deadlines. It’s very difficult to predict exactly the type of player that’s going to be traded, the type of player that’s going to be available at a deadline.”

That Stearns pointed to “prospects” in that answer might offer more specific insight. Multiple Mets decision makers have suggested their focus will be on acquiring the best prospects they can in these deals -- as they tried to in the Minter deal -- rather than the kind of big-leaguer-for-big-leaguer deals that similarly situated teams sometimes make to get a head start on their offseason priorities. But they also alluded to the need to be “creative,” which might be a relative term in the context of Stearns’ reputation for dealmaking discipline. 

The Minter deal qualified as a classic deadline swap. The Mets should have plenty more of those to come.

There’s been plenty of discourse around what the Brewers will do at the trade deadline over the last several weeks, so here’s a place to centralize that conversation.

Who would you like to see the Brewers add? Will Matt Arnold make a splash? What area of need should the Brewers address? Tarik Skubal? Casey Mize? CJ Abrams? Someone else? This space is open for all discussion on anything deadline!

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The Detroit Tigers head to Sacramento for a weekend series with the Athletics beginning on Friday. 

After Casey Mize was scratched, the betting line has crashed down to Detroit -127.

See why that shallow number is worthy of a buyback with my Tigers vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks for Friday, July 31.

Who will win Tigers vs Athletics today: Tigers (-131)

There's bad, there's ugly, and then there's the Athletics, who have lost 26 of their last 33 games.

Perhaps Jeffrey Springs will prove to be a difference-maker? Perhaps not - the southpaw has a 6.79 ERA at Sutter Health Park and is winless in his last 17 turns through the rotation. 

Still, the Detroit Tigers can be had for a reasonable price after the market pounced on the A's side when projected starter Casey Mize was scratched. 

Enter Ty Madden, who's been great (2.72 xERA, 2.99 FIP) across 27 innings in the big leagues. Detroit is fresh off a day of rest, so the bullpen behind him will have every notable arm available.

Play the Tigers to -140.

COVERS INTEL: Jeffrey Springs allows loud contact (19th percentile barrel rate), frequently in the air (10th percentile groundball rate). Detroit's lineup, which ranks sixth in both xSLG and xwOBA since the Break, can make him pay.

Tigers vs Athletics Over/Under pick: Under 10.5 (+113)

Madden's .185 xBA should do the talking against an A's lineup that has scored four runs or fewer in six of their last seven.

It's difficult to forecast an explosive offensive performance from the Tigers given their recent struggles against southpaws. Detroit ranks bottom five in wOBA (.277) and wRC+ (74) against lefties in July. 

While it may be easy to envision a game in West Sacramento featuring runs in bunches, the A's have actually cashed the Under in five consecutive home games. 

Tigers vs Athletics weather

It will be hot and relatively humid, with light winds blowing toward center field. 

Tigers vs Athletics odds

• Moneyline: Tigers -127 | Athletics +1122
• Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+113) | Athletics +1.5 (-117)
• Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-117) | Under 10.5 (+113)

Tigers vs Athletics trend

The A's have cashed the Under in five consecutive home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Athletics.

How to watch Tigers vs Athletics and game info

Tigers vs Athletics latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Milwaukee Brewers will close out July and open August with a visit to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this weekend, as the Brewers face their first interleague opponent in over a month. After dropping two of three to the Giants by the Bay, the Crew will look to bounce back as they wrap up their road trip in SoCal. The Angels, on the other hand, have had another dismal season (42-67, tied with Colorado for worst record in baseball) despite a few solid pieces on the roster. They’re expected to move several of those pieces at the trade deadline, so we’ll see what happens this weekend with the deadline set for Monday evening.

Milwaukee’s injured list currently consists of pitchers DL Hall (close to returning), Kyle Harrison (expected to make next start in the majors), Joel Kuhnel (early August), Rob Zastryzny (August), Brandon Woodruff (out for season), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season). Outfielders Brandon Lockridge (on rehab assignment) and Sal Frelick (early to mid-August) should also be returning in the next couple of weeks.

The Angels are currently without pitchers Yusei Kikuchi (mid-August), Ben Joyce (could return this weekend), Robert Stephenson (out for season), and Jack Kochanowicz (out for season). On the position player side, utility infielder Adam Frazier is on a rehab assignment and is expected to return as soon as next week, catcher Sebastián Rivero is slated for an early August return, and Known Baseball Lover Anthony Rendon, who had surgery just as the season was beginning, is expected to retire.

The Brewers have one of the more balanced offenses in baseball at this point in the season, with Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, and rookies Cooper Pratt and Luis Lara all contributing regularly. Joey Ortiz has also shown signs of improvement over the last month or so, and Gary Sánchez still has plenty of power in the tank. David Hamilton and Blake Perkins round things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .255/.337/.400 (.737 OPS ranks sixth), with 98 homers (last), 546 runs scored (fifth), and 107 steals (fifth).

Zach Neto, Mike Trout, Jo Adell, and Jorge Soler anchor the Angels’ offense, as all four have double-digit homers this year. Tyler Heineman, Nolan Schanuel, Oswald Peraza, Denzer Guzman, and Josh Lowe are the other regulars, with Jose Siri, Wade Meckler, Vaughn Grissom, and Travis d’Arnaud rounding things out after the team traded catcher Logan O’Hoppe earlier this week. As a team, the Angels are hitting .239/.315/.386 (.701 OPS ranks 24th), with 116 homers (21st), 464 runs scored (20th), and 56 steals (tied for 21st).

Aaron Ashby continues to set the pace with 51 appearances for Milwaukee’s bullpen, spanning 60 2/3 innings with 83 strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA. Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill, and Chad Patrick have been the other “A” bullpen arms, with Craig Yoho, Bryse Wilson, and Grant Anderson filling things out as the Brewers currently have six arms in the rotation with the latest call-up of Thomas Pannone. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.51 team ERA (second), including a 3.38 starter ERA (second) and a 3.68 bullpen ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 1,047 batters (second) over 965 2/3 innings.

Top reliever Chase Silseth was sent to the Rangers in the O’Hoppe deal this week, leaving the Angels without a clear top arm. Samy Natera Jr. leads the ‘pen with a 2.08 ERA over 21 2/3 innings this year, while Ryan Zeferjahn (3.78 ERA), Kirby Yates (3.76 ERA), and José Fermin (2.67 ERA) have also been solid. Former Brewer Legend Brent Suter (4.26 over 61 1/3 innings) hasn’t been quite as sharp this year, and Sam Bachman (4.26 ERA) and Mitch Farris (4.17 ERA) round things out. As a staff, the Angels have a 4.54 team ERA (24th), including a 4.67 starter ERA (26th) and a 4.40 bullpen ERA (24th). They’ve struck out 971 batters (eighth) over 960 1/3 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Friday, July 31 @ 8:38 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (5-4, 3.51 ERA, 3.01 FIP) vs. RHP Ryan Johnson (2-5, 7.34 ERA, 6.28 FIP)

Drohan continues to have a solid rookie season, but he is coming off his worst start of the year against the Rockies. While he has a 3.51 ERA, 3.01 FIP, and 82 strikeouts over 82 frames, he went six innings with a season-high five runs allowed on six hits and a pair of walks last Friday. The lefty has gone at least six innings in each of his last four starts, though. This marks his first career appearance against the Halos.

Johnson, 24 next week, is another fast-tracked player for the Angels, as he was drafted in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft before making his debut last year with 14 relief appearances. He’s made 11 appearances (eight starts) this season, and hasn’t yet had much major league success, with a 7.34 ERA, 6.28 FIP, and 34 strikeouts over 41 2/3 innings this year. The right-hander got hit hard by the Giants in his last appearance, allowing eight runs on eight hits, a walk, and a hit batter while striking out four over 3 1/3 innings. This marks Johnson’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.

Saturday, August 1 @ 8:38 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.71 ERA, 4.78 FIP) vs. RHP José Soriano (9-6, 3.29 ERA, 3.80 FIP)

Gasser hasn’t been quite as sharp this year as he was in his brief stints of 2024 and 2025, but he’s shown flashes of his potential. After allowing seven runs across three-plus innings to the Pirates in the last game before the All-Star break, he’s totaled 11 innings with just three runs allowed and nine strikeouts against the Marlins and Rockies in his last two outings. This will also mark Gasser’s first career appearance against the Angels.

Soriano, 27, is a common name in trade rumors, as he’s put together a solid year despite not being quite as fantastic as he was early in the season. Through 22 starts this year, Soriano is 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA, 3.80 FIP, and 127 strikeouts over 123 innings, though he has also issued a league-worst 57 walks. He had a solid month of July, making four starts with eight runs allowed (seven earned) and 16 strikeouts over 23 innings (2.74 ERA). Soriano’s lone appearance against the Brewers came last September, when he allowed three runs on two hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings.

Sunday, August 2 @ 2:15 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (11-4, 1.58 ERA, 2.04 FIP) vs. RHP Walbert Ureña (6-7, 2.70 ERA, 3.89 FIP)

Misiorowski continues to dominate opposing teams, and his last start was just another example of that. He struck out the first seven batters of the game and 12 of the first 13 against the Rockies on Sunday en route to his 11th win of the season, allowing just one run on a solo homer. He remains atop the league with a 1.58 ERA, 2.04 FIP, and 185 strikeouts this year. Like Drohan and Gasser, this is Miz’s first career appearance against L.A.

Ureña, 22, is a rookie right-hander who has turned in a solid season. His ERA (2.70) outpaces his FIP (3.89) by more than a full run and he’s made 19 appearances (17 starts) with 88 strikeouts over 93 1/3 innings. He’s looked great in his last four appearance, totaling 21 2/3 innings and allowing just three runs (1.25 ERA) with 19 strikeouts against the Mariners, Rangers, Cardinals, and Astros, though his team has just a 2-2 record to show for it. This marks Ureña first career appearance against Milwaukee.

How to Watch & Listen

Friday, July 31: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, August 1: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, August 2: Exclusively on Peacock/NBCSN Extra; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

The Brewers have the advantage on the mound in this series, especially with Misiorowski starting in the series finale. Give me the Brewers to go 2-1 to finish with a .500 road trip in California.

Just days from Major League Baseball's Aug. 3 trade deadline, all has been quiet on the hot stove with teams waiting until the last minute to decide whether to buy or sell.

What the Detroit Tigers will do with back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is the big question ahead of 6 p.m. ET on Monday, seemingly likely to trade the lefty expected to earn more than $300 million as a free agent this winter.

Other top arms on the market include Emerson Hancock (Seattle Mariners) and Clay Holmes (New York Mets), but this summer lacks a marquee slugger at the deadline. But baseball's expanded postseason has resulted in more deals in recent years as fringe teams juggle buying and selling looking at the wild-card mirage.

Here's a look at some things we think will happen in the next 48 hours:

Tarik Skubal to Brewers

What if CC Sabathia didn't have to start four times in 12 days because the Brewers had a comfortable NL Central lead? Let's find out!

This will take some bravery like that deal with Cleveland in 2008, and the Brewers have the capital to make such a trade with the Tigers. It's unlikely Milwaukee parts with top prospect Jesus Made, but the Brewers have the best farm system in baseball and a deep pool of higher-end players

What a big three it would be in a short series with Skubal, Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison. And perhaps more importantly, put the banged-up Dodgers on the back foot in the National League.

– Jesse Yomtov

Thursday saw an offensive outburst in the Atlanta Braves system. Although the DSL team lost, all four of the full season affiliates won with three of them scoring 11+ runs and the other scoring seven runs. Conor Essenburg, Alex Lodise, Eric Hartman, Patrick Clohisy, and Luis Guanipa were among the prospects to have notable days at the plate, while Lucas Braun and Landon Beidelschies had strong starts.

Gwinnett Stripers 7, Durham Bulls 3

• Patrick Clohisy, CF: 1-3, 2 BB, R, RBI, 2 SB, .451/.509/.804
• Sean Murphy, C: 2-5, R, .300/.364/.360
• Brewer Hicklen, RF: 3-4, HR, 2B, BB, 2 R, RBI, .303/.372/.527
• Lucas Braun, SP: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.92 ERA

Box Score

Statcast

Lucas Braun got the start and turned in a quality start. In his six innings, he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks. Braun also struck out six and picked up 16 whiffs to earn the win. Rolddy Munoz pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, followed by a scoreless inning with a strikeout from Hayden Harris. James Karinchak threw a scoreless ninth with three strikeouts to finish the game off.

Patrick Clohisy and Brewer Hicklen carried the Stripers offense in this one. Hicklen was three for four with a walk and ended up a triple short of the cycle as he scored twice and hit his 17th homer of the season. Clohisy was one for three, but walked twice, stole two bases, scored a run, and batted one in. Rehabbing Sean Murphy added a two-hit game, while Andrew McCutchen also added two hits. Fellow rehab assignment Ha-Seong Kim went hitless in three at bats, but did draw a pair of walks.

Columbus Clingstones 11, Rocket City Trash Pandas 3

• Carson Taylor, DH: 3-5, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, .455/.478/.909
• Adam Zebrowski, C: 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .261/.341/.541
• Dalton McIntyre, CF: 2-3, BB, 2 R, .271/.386/.400
• Braden Scott, SP: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3.97 ERA

Box Score

Recent acquisition Braden Scott made hit third appearance for Columbus after coming from the independent leagues, and pitched a strong one. Six innings, three hits and three walks, allowing two runs as he struck out three and whiffed 16. Luis Vargas and Ray Kerr each pitched a scoreless frame, while Owen Hackman allowed a run in the ninth inning as he finished off the game.

This was another balanced offensive outburst, though Carson Taylor and Adam Zebrowski had huge games that included homers. Taylor had three hits with three runs scored and three batted in, while Zebrowski had two hits, two runs scored, and three batted in as they each homered. Dalton McIntyre had a two-hit game that included a walk and two runs scored, while Jordan Groshans homered, walked, and batted in three runs. Luke Waddell and Matt Scannell each added multi-hit games in the win, while Ambioris Tavarez singled and walked.

Rome Emperors 11, Hub City Spartanburgers 8

• Eric Hartman, CF: 1-4, BB, 2 R, SB, .278/.366/.533
• Dixon Williams, LF: 1-4, HR, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, .212/.322/.403
• Mason Guerra, 1B: 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .256/.362/.434
• Alex Lodise, SS: 2-4, 2 R, RBI
• Luke Sinnard, SP: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2.45

Box Score

This one was not as close as the final score looked, as Hub City was able to tack on five runs across the final three innings. Luke Sinnard got the start and went two and two third, but struggled with his command. Royse actually threw more balls (22) than strikes (20) in his 42 pitches as he allowed three hits and three walks, striking out one and whiffing three. After Jacob Kroeger got the final out in the third, Zach Royse pitched four innings in relief, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks, but struck out five and whiffed 12. Logan Samuels allowed a run in his inning and Tyler Schoff allowed two runs in two thirds of an inning, before Jaret Whorff got the final out of the game to pick up the save.

It was a balanced offensive outing to put up the 11 runs, as eight guys had a hit, four had a multi-hit game, and seven guys reached base multiple times. Mason Guerra had the biggest day, homering and doubling with two runs scored and two more batted in. Dixon Williams also homered, walked, scored twice, and batted in three. Williams hit his 13th homer of the year, while Guerra hit his 10th. Eric Hartman continued his recent strong stretch by going one for four with a walk, stolen base, and two runs scored, while Alex Lodise had a two-hit game with a pair of runs scored and one batted in. Owen Carey also had a two-hit game in the win.

Augusta GreenJackets 15, Columbia Fireflies 3

• Conor Essenburg, RF/CF: 1-2, 2B, 4 BB, R, 2 RBI, .282/.427/.556
• Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-6, R, RBI, SB, .303/.365/.452
• Cody Miller, SS: 2-5, HR, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, .210/.362/.371
• Landon Beidelschies, SP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 6.72 ERA

Box Score

It’s been a tough first full season for Landon Beidelschies, but he’s turned in a strong outing. Beidelschies went four and two thirds, allowing a run on four hits and three walks. He also struck out five and picked up seven whiffs. Kade Woods went the next two and a third scoreless. Styven Paez would allow two unearned runs in the ninth as he pitched an inning and a third, with Ryan Heppner getting the final two outs.

The Augusta offense got started early with five runs in the first inning and continued until they hit 15 scored. Cody Miller and Cooper McMurray each had two-hit games that included home runs, and McMurray batted in four while Miller batted in three. Conor Essenburg continued his recent hot streak by reaching base five times, doubling and walking four times in his six plate appearances. Luis Guanipa had two singles and a stolen base, while Nick Montgomery was one for three with a pair of walks and three runs scored. Caden Merritt, Hayden Friese, and Joe Olsavsky also reached base multiple times in the win, while Juan Mateo added a single.

DSL LAD Bautista 5, DSL Braves 1

• Elisandro Ramirez, RF: 1-1, HR, R, RBI, .235/.361/.431
• Luis Fortunato, SS: 3-4, SB, .261/.384/.283
• Charlis Medina, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 3.55 ERA

Box Score

The DSL team got a start from Charlis Medina, who struggled early by allowing three runs (two earned) in the first, and then didn’t allow any more runs to score through his next three innings. Giovanni Medina went the final four innings, allowing a run in both the seventh and eighth. Medina did strike out four batters during his stint.

The offense really struggled here as they managed just three hits through eight innings and managed five with three walks overall. The lone run came in the ninth when replacement right fielder Elisandro Ramirez hit an inside the park homer, good for his second of the year. The most notable offensive performance came from Luis Fortunato, who singled three times in four at bats, and also stole a base. The other hit was a Yasseel Pena single, and he also added a walk and a steal. Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez was hitless in three at bats, but did draw a walk, while Elioberto Mondesir stole two bases in the loss.

I really wanted the Guardians to target Reid Detmers this offseason thinking he was on the verge of a breakout… which happened! Time to revisit the idea.

You can view our larger trade deadline piece here as we discuss a wider pool of options the Guardians may consider. To make my position clear, I expect the Guardians to make smaller moves, like trading Bo Naylor and getting a castoff/undervalued reliever. But, in the interest of exploring potential larger moves, we are doing a series looking at some of those bigger names. So far, we have discussed Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Shea Langeliers, Taylor Ward, Heliot Ramos, Jo Adell, Ty France, Tyler Soderstrom, Heriberto Hernandez, Kyle Stowers, and Alec Burleson. Although the Guardians’ greatest need is hitting, the market is aflush with starting pitching so it also may make sense for the Guardians to see if they can find a good value there, as we wrote here and looked at specifically with Jose Soriano.

In the Guardians’ defense on Detmers, they may very well have tried to acquire him and the Angels shut down the conversation because their owner is insane. However, it sounds like their new GM MAY be getting owner Arte Moreno to listen to reason on doing a little rebuild. Detmers is 27 years old and under control through 2029. Right now, he is putting up a 4.04 ERA but a 3.36 FIP with a poor Angels defense behind him, with an excellent 10.44/2.74 K/BB%. He is middle of the road with extension, something the Guardians’ love, but that may be part of what they could help him go after when they get him out of the barren wilderness that is Angels’ pitching development.

Why target a pitcher when hitting is the glaring need on the Guardians? I think the Guardians can target a short-term help or two with the bat (Ty France and the Angels’ own Jo Adell) and still have the ammo for a run at a controllable asset like Detmers. I think Detmers is a no-doubt front of the rotation starter here, but the market is pretty saturated with starting pitchers and Detmers’ track record of success is short… so he may be able to be acquired with one top 100 prospect of the Genao/Velazquez/Caceres/ Doughty/Ingle/Chourio bunch and additional pieces. If so, this would be a no-brainer move for me. It also allows the Guardians to move Slade Cecconi to the bullpen where he would be very effective. They could, alternatively, see if the Angels wanted to skew younger and trade them Joey Cantillo and a great prospect for Detmers.

The playoff rotation of Williams, Messick and Detmers with Bibee for a game four as needed stands up to any group in MLB. That’s why this potential deal excites me so much. Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: this is a huge series for the Orioles. It feels like we’ve said that over and over again this season, but I promise it’s true this time. The Orioles and Phillies play this weekend with the Orioles still on the fringes of the Wild Card race. The outcome of this series could be the difference in how Mike Elias handles things going into the trade deadline on Monday. This is a big one.

It’s hard to predict what will happen this weekend. The Phillies are a confusing team. They started their season 9-19 and fired their manager. Don Mattingly replaced him and they turned things around. But they have been on a bad run. They were just swept by the Marlins, who had lost 12 straight before the series. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games. But they have a 57-52 record, good for second in the NL East and a Wild Card spot.

The Phillies have been on a good run, with playoff appearances in each of the last four seasons. And they’ve been well-rounded, with both good hitters and good pitchers. This year, however, the hitting has taken a bit of a nosedive. Kyle Schwarber leads the lead in home runs and has .911 OPS. Bryce Harper has strong overall number, but has slumped for the past month. JT Realmuto? Stinks. Trea Turner? Bad. Alec Bohm? Nope. Brandon Marsh hasn’t been terrible, but he’s still very wet.

The starting pitching, however, has been among the best in baseball this season thanks to of Cristopher Sánchez, Zach Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo. The Orioles will face the first two this weekend. The quality drops off considerably after that, but when those are your top three guys, you’re going to win a lot of games.

The Phillies bullpen is very strong in the back half. Closer Jhoan Duran has a 100-mph fastball and a 37.6% strikeout rate. Orion Kerkering will walk anyone who holds still long enough, but he’s been very good at keeping runs off the board.

So which version of the Phillies team will we see this weekend? It’s hard to know, just as it’s hard to know which version of the Orioles will show. Either way, the trade deadline is on the other side of this series. So moves will be made.

Game 1: Friday, 7:05 pm – MASN

TBD vs RHP Brandon Young (17 GS, 3.13 ERA / 3.74 FIP)

The Phillies haven’t announced their starter for game one, but it will not be Jesús Luzardo. That’s good news. He started on Wednesday. Sánchez would have been on regular rest for today, but they pushed him to tomorrow. They could go with Brian Keller as either the starter or the bulk reliever. We just have to wait and see.

Brandon Young continues his journey as the unlikely ace of the staff. He is coming off of 6.1 innings against Atlanta in which he allowed just one run on four hits.

Game 2: Saturday, 7:05 – MASN

LHP Cristopher Sánchez (22 GS, 2.73 ERA / 2.66 FIP) vs RHP Shane Baz (21 GS, 3.98 ERA / 3.47 FIP)

This is gonna be a tough one. The Orioles have struggled against lefties all year, and this guy is arguably the best lefty starter in the game. He has an excellent sinker that he relies on a lot. It has helped him reach his 58% ground-ball rate. He strikes out over 10 batters per nine innings as well, and barely walks anyone. He led the league in bWAR last season at 8.1, and currently leads this year at 5.6. I have to admit I don’t have high hopes for this one.

Baz keeps plugging along with solid start after solid start. On May 9th, he had a 5.48 ERA that he has slowly brought down. In his last start he gave up one earned run in 4.2 innings, which dropped his ERA below 4.00 for the first time this season.

Game 3: Sunday, 1:35 – MASN

RHP Zack Wheeler (17 GS, 2.53 ERA / 3.09 FIP) vs RHP Kyle Bradish (21 GS, 3.74 ERA / 3.87 FIP

At least he’s not a lefty? Wheeler has been with the Phillies since 2020 and is 36 years old, but hasn’t shown a sign that he’s slowing down. He is coming off of a bust in his last start (3 IP, 8 R vs the Marlins) but that kind of start has been an anomaly for him this year. He has a mid-90s fastball and is still striking out over 10 batters per nine innings. He will give up some homers, but with an opponent OBP of just .245, there aren’t a lot of baserunners to bring home; 11 of his 13 homers allowed have been solo shots.

This could be an incredible pitching matchup, or Kyle Bradish could pitch like he did on Friday against Detroit. He allowed five runs on ten hits and couldn’t get out of the fifth inning. We know he has ace stuff, we just don’t know if he’ll show it.

What say you? How many games of this series do you think the Orioles will win? Let us know in the comments.

Hello everyone, and happy Friday!

The Mariners closed out their road trip with a whimper, dropping the series finale to the Dodgers 6-2.

The team is in a rut, so I’m not going to ask you about them. Instead: what do you have planned for this upcoming weekend?

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, the Mariners are hosting a special “Jimothy Night” on August 7th. For every ticket sold, the team is donating $2 to the Ballard Food Bank.
• Despite the Mariners’ recent slide, Cal Raleigh gave his pitch for the team to buy at the deadline.

Around the league…

• The Twins are officially buyers, trading for Mets left-handed reliever A.J. Minter for a pair of prospects.
• In a surprise pre-deadline move, the Tigers are calling up top outfield prospect Max Clark.
• The Diamondbacks are pulling old friend Paul Sewald from the closer role and moving to a committee approach to the 9th inning moving forward.
• This is about as come-from-behind as it gets in just one swing.

• The New York Mets are the first MLB team to sign an exclusive rights deal with a prediction partner, agreeing to terms with the startup Novig.
• Funny thing about that partnership…

• A Florida collector pulled a 1-of-1 Shohei Ohtani card and immediately sold it for more than $10M.
• Michael Baumann at Fangraphs opines that the Brewers and Rays are under the most pressure to acquire left-hander Tarik Skubal.
• Baseball Prospectus has developed an injury recovery tool to help you understand how long a player is expected to be out of action depending on the type and severity of injury.
• It’s interesting that the Mariners are seen as the most reactive on this chart. This to me is an example of the “Trader Jerry” moniker sticking around in the industry even though he has substantially cooled off in his twitchiness since his first few years.

Four games, all decided by six or more runs. It was a day of blowouts in the Dodgers minor league system.

Player of the day

With a double and a pair of singles, Zach Ehrhard took advantage of the opportunities presented to him, being the protagonist of a Comets 9-2 win at home.

Ehrhard, who came into the game with the same number of RBI (65) he had last season, added four more, delivering a terrific campaign in Triple-A.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Timely hits with a better than .500 display across 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position led to a blowout win over the Aviators. Chuckie Robinson continues to hit long balls in Triple-A, but his was the only home run that the Comets needed.

Each with three hits at the top of the Comets order, Alek Thomas and Zach Ehrhard came through in the biggest spots; the pair combined for seven of the team’s nine RBI. Pitching-wise, it was a collective effort with four different relievers covering eight innings after Carlos Duran allowed a run in the first inning, the only one he pitched in.

Double-A Tulsa

Leading six to nothing after just three innings, the Drillers were never threatened by the Naturals in a 9-to-3 win. Jake Gelof, who had been phenomenal in the previous two games, recorded one RBI in what was more of a team effort this time around. First baseman Chris Newell had your standard three-true outcome game, with a homer, a walk, and three punchouts—the other Drillers home run came from ninth-hole hitter Sam Mongelli.

Part of what made this win especially comfortable for the Drillers is that starter Adam Serwinowski delivered a terrific performance on the mound, allowing just one run on a single hit, a solo shot. Serwinowski now moves to an 8-4 record.

High-A Great Lakes

Eleven runs on nothing but singles, walks, and errors from the opposing defense in yet another blowout win in the Dodgers’ minor-league system, with the Loons putting 11 past the TinCaps. Emil Morales was the most effective hitter of the game, reaching safely in all but one of his five plate appearances and scoring a team-high three runs.

Pitching at a higher level for the first time this season, starter Hyun-Seok Jang did better than anyone expected, with six scoreless innings, striking out eight, much different from the pitcher who had a near 6.00 ERA with the Tower Buzzers.

Single-A Ontario

Evidently, blowouts were the theme of the day, as the Tower Buzzers suffered the only loss of these four teams, giving up a dozen runs in a game in which the bullpen was disastrous late on. Over half of those runs came after the seventh inning, when Jose Vasquez and Peter Bonilla combined to allow seven in just two frames.

Avoiding the loss might’ve been too big a task, but the Tower Buzzers had chances to make this score respectably close, eleven of them to be precise. Yes, the Tower Buzzers went a combined 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Mairoshendrick Martinus and Kellon Lindsey reached base four times each, and neither scored a run.

Transactions

Right-hander Hyun-Seok Jang was sent to the Great Lakes Loons.

Thursday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 9, Las Vegas 2
• Tulsa 9, NW Arkansas 3
• Great Lakes 11, Fort Wayne 1
• Ontario 2. Fresno 12

Friday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brady Smith) vs. Fort Wayne (TBD)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Zach Root) vs. NW Arkansas (Steven Zobac)
• 5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Las Vegas (TBD)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Fresno (Bryson Van Sickle)

Our 35th entry is James Mouton, who’d debut with the Astros in the outfield in 1994 on Opening Day.   He’d play in over 400 games for Houston throughout portions of four seasons, and he joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.    

Q: You didn’t stay in the minors that long; you were promoted fairy quickly.    Did the rapid ascension surprise you?

A: Not really.    I was older.   I had graduated St. Mary’s College and came out as a Senior.    They knew they could push me a little bit harder and a little bit quicker because I was older and a little bit more mature than some guys.    It felt very natural the pace I was on.

Q: Opening Day 1994 was one of the more thrilling openers in Astros history.    It culminated in walk-off fashion in a 6-5 extra inning win over the Expos, which was your first opening day start.  What does that day conjure up for you?

A: It was terrific!    We were a team that were coming into our own.   We were trying to build something there.  The Astros were back to being a formidable opponent.    That was a great win because it signified what was ultimately coming ahead from us at that time.   

Q: Of course, 1994 ended prematurely with the lockout.    When you hear the rhetoric going on present day and the uncertainty of the 2027 season, what goes through your mind?   

A: I hope things get done.    Baseball is in a great place right now and it can only get better and better, but we cannot have a work stoppage.     Things have to keep going and getting better in order for the game to thrive.    There was a time during that 1998 season where they were at a crossroads and without the homerun chase, I think we would’ve been in real trouble.   It’s pretty simple.   We need baseball to continue, and the product needs to be on the field.   

Q: You played multiple seasons with Bagwell and Biggio.   Did you know way back then that they’d ultimately land in Cooperstown?

A: You know, Biggio was always super athletic.   He came out every single day looking to play hard and go hard.    When he surpassed 3000 hits, that was just awesome.    Bagwell, I thought he’d get there eventually but the injuries impacted his numbers.   His stats would be even more impressive without some of those injuries.   

Q: You’ve been around the game as a scout.    How do you go about measuring the intangibles?    Such as a guy’s work ethic or love of the game and their passion?     Things that don’t always show up in the box score.   

A: I like to watch players in situations.   I like to see what happens when things don’t go well. How will a guy handle adversity?  What does a guy expect from himself?    What does he expect to happen next?    Everyone can be good when things are going well but what happens when things go sideways?    How does a guy get past that?    Do they have a positive attitude and work past that?    Those are the guys that I find that are ready to play pro ball. 

The MLB Draft took place on July 11th and 12th, but the deadline for teams to sign their draftees was on Monday, July 27th at 5 pm eastern. Most of the negotiations between organizations and players occurs before the name is ever called, but there’s still work to be done to finalize the details in the two weeks post-draft.

In some situations, i.e. Logan Schmidt, there’s a lot that has to happen in those 15 days. For the most part, things eventually get settled and scenarios play out the way they were expected once selections are made during the draft. All 8 of LSU’s players that got drafted have signed their professional deals as they take the next step in their career.

As you have likely heard by this point, the Tigers were able to get 6 of the top-100 ranked high school players through the draft and on their way to Baton Rouge. It’s not just top-heavy, either. There’s true depth up and down the class, making for an exciting future.

Although it’s fairly self-explanatory, each player listed will include the amount he received for his signing bonus. The slot value for their selection is also included, showing what was negotiated between player and team. For rounds 11-20, the slot value is a static number that is built in to MLB teams’ bonus pool. Anything over $150K comes out of their pool, but as long as they stay at or under that figure, the bonus does not count against them in total.

LSU Players

Derek Curiel (OF) – 1st round, #5 overall—Signed: $6,200,000 Slot: $8,336,500

Curiel was the last of any LSU-related draftee to sign his deal, but it was never in doubt that he eventually would. Signing for $2 million under slot is a tad surprising, but the $6.2 million figure that he got does line more up with picks 9-12, which is mostly where he was expected to be selected heading in to the draft. Pittsburgh got to save 25% of the slot value for the #5 pick to utilize later and the sophomore CF gets to join former Tigers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones in an organization on the rise.

Jake Brown (OF) – 2nd round, #65 overall—Signed: $1,382,600 Slot: $1,382,600

We believed based on end-of-season and pre-draft conversations that there was a slight chance that Jake Brown could choose to return for his senior season at LSU. He would have had to slide in to the 3rd round and get offered less than seven figures for that to happen, though. At the end of the day, the Mariners made a fantastic decision and Brown gets to join Kade Anderson in hopes to quickly move up the minors, as well.

Deven Sheerin (RHP) – 4th round, #128 overall—Signed: $600,000 Slot: $597,400

Not many anticipated the possibility of Sheerin returning for another year in Baton Rouge, but he did have two more season of eligibility even regardless of the new 5-for-5 rule. For him to get selected in the 4th round as a relief pitcher shows how high he was valued, though. Getting drafted that high and offered that much money as a non-starter is typically rare. Sheerin has a bright future with the Phillies as he continues to refine his mechanics and get even stronger.

Grant Fontenot (RHP) – 10th round, #299 overall—Signed: $72,500 Slot: $195,600

Getting as much money as Fontenot did as a senior-sign is fantastic. Especially for a guy that did not pitch a whole lot in his college career. Upper 90s and strike-throwing is a good combination, though, and will always get you an opportunity.

Santiago Garcia (LHP) – 12th round, #372 overall—Signed: $150,000 Slot: $150,000

I was actually a bit surprised that Garcia lasted as long as he did and he only got the base $150K. A lefty that throws mid-90s and still had eligibility can often garner a higher offer, but a call from a solid organization like the Blue Jays can factor in to taking less than a player’s number if he feels like it’s the right opportunity.

Connor Benge (RHP) – 13th round, #385 overall—Signed: $122,500 Slot: $150,000

As a senior, six figures for Benge is fantastic. His fastball is electric, so if Miami can help develop his command, he could be well worth the price.

Gavin Guidry (RHP) – 16th round, #480 overall—Signed: $150,000 Slot: $150,000

It was amazing to see Guidry get this opportunity with how his LSU career finished. He burst on to the scene after moving from SS to P during his freshman year and became one of the most important pitchers on a championship team. He followed that up with a better sophomore year, but the troubles started with a back injury that shut him down for his entire junior season. His return in 2026 got off to a great start, but I am of the belief that as the season went along, his arm/back wore down and his performance slipped. His upside is still through the roof, though. The Mets made a great call by getting Guidry in to their system.

Zac Cowan (RHP) – 19th round, #573 overall—Signed: $100,000 Slot: $150,000

Cowan will be an interesting career path to watch. As good as he was in college, he’ll need to add more to his repertoire if he hopes to ascend in the Guardians system. His changeup is elite, but we saw, at times, how he could get in trouble if that pitch wasn’t as sharp as it could be. Cleveland will likely try to add some velocity to his low-90s fastball, but if he can turn his slider in to another plus-pitch, it would work great with the changeup.

LSU Signees

Logan Schmidt (LHP) – 2nd round, #59 overall—Signed: N/A Slot: $1,598,900

By far the most interesting story of the draft (and post-draft) for LSU, possibly overall. It was immediately assumed that he would sign with Cleveland after his name was called, rightfully so, but the deadline came and went and the fresh 18 year old decided to stick to his higher asking price and reject the $1.7 million offer that the Guardians had left in their bonus pool. He is now weighing the decision of upholding his commitment to LSU or taking the path of JUCO and re-entering the draft in 2027. Here is my full breakdown of the entire situation, explaining what has already happened and what is to come.

Jensen Hirschkorn (RHP) – 3rd round, #84 overall—Signed: $3,997,500 Slot: $973,700

Although he was considered a longshot to make it to campus, the possibility of Hirschkorn slipping through the draft was increasing throughout day 1. That was until the Braves called and offered him a record-breaking $3 million over-slot offer.

Wessley Roberson (OF) – 4th round, #115 overall—Signed: $1,197,500 Slot: $677,500

Another one that was never really expected to make it to campus, Roberson nearly doubled up on his slot value and will head straight to the Marlins organization. With LSU getting guys like Malachi Washington and Nate Davis to campus, this was one that you could live with as the outfield is already jam-packed.

Dylan Blomker (RHP) – 5th round, #159 overall—Signed: $888,000 Slot: $441,300

Thought as more likely to make it to campus, Blomker had a reported asking price of $800k-$1 million according to Koki Riley of The Advocate and that’s exactly what he got. He’ll head to the Cubs farm system after doubling his slot value.

Spencer Evans (LHP) – 11th round, #318 overall—Signed: $300,000 Slot: $150,000

This was probably the most surprising loss to the recruiting class, as Evans was thought to be a pretty sure bet to make it to Baton Rouge. This was also around the time that it was becoming clear that high-level prep pitchers across the country were deciding not to take less than their asking price and staying patient. Pittsburgh saw an opportunity to offer much more than Evans may have been anticipating and can start working on making him a steal.

Will Adams (1B) – 11th round, #336 overall—Signed: $1,000,000 Slot: $150,000

Considered a 50/50 guy to make it to LSU, it was going to take a heck of an offer to get him to pass on college. That’s exactly what Detroit gave him, allotting $850,000 extra out of their bonus pool after saving money earlier in the draft. The Tigers are getting a versatile player that can play 1st base or corner outfield and already considered a polished hitter.

Anthony Murphy (OF) – 16th round, #466 overall—Signed: N/A Slot: $150,000

Of all of the outfielders in LSU’s recruiting class, Murphy was the least likely to make it to campus. Somehow, he was unable to find a landing spot with his requested number and he slipped to this point where the Nationals drafted him to try and cash in on his desire to go straight from high school to pro ball. Murphy, instead, chose to head to college, but it will not be with his original commitment, LSU. Due to his age, he’ll again be eligible for the draft following his sophomore season in 2028. With just two years to make his case to get drafted higher, he was seeking a clearer path to playing time and due to how deep Jay Johnson’s outfield is, that would not be the case with the Tigers. He requested to be released from his commitment, which he was, and has since committed to Miami.

Malachi Washington (OF) – 18th round, #528 overall—Signed: N/A Slot: $150,000

Taken as a lottery ticket by the Pirates, Washington was set on heading to LSU by this point in the draft, but Pittsburgh selected him in case something fell through with one of their top picks and they’d have the bonus pool money available to spend here.

Dominic Santarelli (OF/1B) – 18th round, #550 overall—Signed: N/A Slot: $150,000

This was the exact same situation as Malachi Washington. Santarelli didn’t get the offer he was looking for earlier and was preparing his purple and gold, but the Mariners selected him just in case something change.