Category: MLB

The Midsummer Classic is almost here.

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set to descend on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, July 14, to mark the 250th anniversary of America's founding. The game is set to air at 8 p.m. on FOX.

USA TODAY Sports wanted to dig a little deeper. Where did it all start for the All-Star Game starters?

Here's a look at the starting lineup for the National League All-Stars, and where they went to high school:

Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies DH

High School: Middletown (OH)

Highlights: Schwarber gets to lead things off for the NL in his home ballpark. During his four years at Middletown High School, he hit .408 with 18 home runs and 103 RBI, committing to Indiana and playing for the Hoosiers. After hitting .348 as a junior, Schwarber was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs.

Juan Soto, New York Mets LF

High School: None

Highlights: Soto was not a high schooler in the Dominican Republic, signing with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in 2015. Naturally right-handed, Soto's father was influential in him making the switch to throw and hit left-handed. In the bigs, Soto has become a five-time All-Star, a four-time All-MLB First Team selection, and a World Series champion in 2019 with the Nats.

Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers 1B

High School: El Modena (CA)

Highlights: Freeman is set to become a Hall of Famer, which can be attributed in part to where things started for him in high school. At El Modena, Freeman was a third basemen and a pitcher, earning the Orange County Register Player of the Year award in 2007. During his senior year, Freeman hit .417 and pitched to a 6-1 record on the mound. After the Atlanta Braves picked Freeman with the 78th overall selection in the 2007 MLB Draft, he signed and forwent his commitment to Cal State Fullerton.

CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals SS

High School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (GA)

Highlights: Abrams put together an impressive career at Blessed Trinity, hitting .431 with three home runs and 27 RBI to earn Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honors in the Peach State. He also was a part of Team USA's U-18 team during their run in the Pan-American Championships, helping the stars and stripes secure gold. Abrams passed on enrolling at Alabama, signing with the San Diego Padres after they drafted him sixth overall in 2019.

More: Which high schoolers were drafted early in the 2026 MLB Draft? A look back

Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers 3B

High School: Keller (TX)

Highlights: Muncy played in the heart of Texas at Keller, which is located in the Fort Worth suburbs. With the Indians, he led them to a 79-27 record, earning Under Armour All-American Honors in 2009. Muncy opted not to sign out of high school after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 41st round that year, instead choosing to play at Baylor. With the Bears, Muncy hit .311 with 27 home runs before being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft.

Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves 2B

High School: None

Highlights: Albies did not find his way to high school, signing with the Atlanta Braves for $350,000 as an international free agent at 16 years old. He started playing baseball at 6 years old, and started to switch hit when he turned 13, something that still exists in his game today. In the pros, Albies has been selected to four All-Star Games, won a pair of Silver Slugger awards, and has a World Series title with the Braves.

Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies RF

High School: Buford (GA)

Highlights: Marsh was born and bred in the Atlanta suburb of Buford, starring there as a multi-sport athlete. During his senior year, Marsh hit .559 and was named the Region 8-AAAA PLayer of the Year in the Peach State. He forwent a commitment to Kennesaw State after being picked in the second round (60th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels.

Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers CF

High School: None

Highlights: Pages was not a traditional high school student, starring in Cuba during his teens. He hit .364 in 161 plate appearances in the 15U league in 2015, eventually defecting and winding up in the Dominican Republic in 2018. From there, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $300,000 before making his MLB debut in 2024.

Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves C

High School: Madison West (WI)

Highlights: Baldwin hails from the Badger State, playing his high school ball in the heart of Madison. Baldwin parlayed baseball in with ice hockey, leading the state of Wisconsin with 43 goals in 2018 as a center and left winger. On the baseball field, Baldwin hit .324 as a senior, ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in the state. He played his college ball at Missouri State before being selected by the Braves in the third round (96th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies P

High School: None

Highlights: The starter for the National League took the international route coming out of the Dominican Republic, signing with the Tampa Bay Rays for $65,000 at the age of 16 in 2013. After being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, he's pitched to a 41-25 record with a 3.12 ERA, putting together an excellent 2025 campaign that's continued into 2026, with a WAR of 13.5.

Who is on the MLB All-Star rosters?

American League All-Stars

• Bryan Baker, Tampa Bay Rays P
• Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox P
• Jacob Latz, Texas Rangers P
• Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay Rays P
• Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians P
• Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays P
• Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins P
• Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees P
• Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians P
• Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox P
• Louis Varland, Toronto Blue Jays P
• Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers P
• Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals P
• Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers C
• Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles C
• Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox 1B
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays 1B
• Nick Kurtz, Athletics 1B
• Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox 1B
• Travis Bazzana, Cleveland Guardians 2B
• Miguel Vargas, Chicago White Sox 3B
• Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers SS
• Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners OF
• Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins OF
• Aaron Judge, New York Yankees OF
• Tristan Peters, Chicago White Sox OF
• Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox OF
• Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays DH

National League All-Stars

• Braxton Ashcraft, Pittsburgh Pirates P
• Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds P
• Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia Phillies P
• Foster Griffin, Washington Nationals P
• Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves P
• Jesus Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies P
• Max Meyer, Miami Marlins P
• Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers P
• Riley O'Brien, St. Louis Cardinals P
• Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks P
• Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves P
• Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates P
• Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants P
• Justin Wrobleski, Los Angeles Dodgers P
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers P
• William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers C
• Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies C
• Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies 1B
• Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves 1B
• Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants 2B
• Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds 3B
• Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins SS
• Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks OF
• Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs OF
• Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals OF
• James Wood, Washington Nationals OF
• Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals DH
• Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers DH

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star rosters released. Where did National League starters go to high school?

The first half of the 2026 season is in the books. Well, technically, we already passed by the 81-game mark a bit ago, but you get what I mean — the All-Star break is here and the Yankees sit in a decent position, atop the Wild Card standings and three games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. That’s not nearly as ideal as their playoff picture looked at the start of June, but a lot has happened in a short time and especially after the train wreck stretch that they were on just a week ago being three games out feels not too bad.

Unfortunately, the Rays have proven to be consistent thorns in their sides and won’t roll over anytime soon, so it’s going to be a slog getting through the rest of the season fighting for every game the Yankees can claw back in the standings. Will the break help to reset the team and give them fresh legs after what has been a poor start to their summer? Will we start to hear any concrete rumors about moves they could make to upgrade the team? What should the biggest takeaway from the first half of the year be? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of July 16th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Ryan Tayman was born San Luis Obispo, California, the son of Lauri Tayman, who played softball at Wilfrid Laurier University during her time there. Growing up in Grover Beach, he attended the nearby Arroyo Grande High School and was a three-year letterman there, mainly playing first base, third base, and catching. In his senior year, he hit .453/.570/.800 in 28 games, logging 8 doubles and 6 home runs while drawing 19 walks and striking out 9 times. He did not stand out much in the baseball hotbed that is California and generated very little buzz among scouts and evaluators. When the 2023 MLB Draft came, his name was not called and he put his professional dreams on hold to attend the University of California, Berkeley, the only D1 team that had tendered a collegiate offered to him.

In his first year with the Golden Bears, Tayman appeared in 21 games, logging 67 at-bats, and hit .254/.306/.552 with 2 doubles, 6 home runs, and 4 walks to 28 strikeouts. Following the conclusion of the season, he got into a few more games with the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League and performed about the same in roughly the same amount of games.

He returned to Berkeley in 2025 for his sophomore season and did a bit better in his second spring in the program. Now a SEC team rather than a PAC-12 team, Tayman appeared in 39 games for the Golden Bears and hit .274/.345/.476 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, and 9 walks to 35 strikeouts. Once again, he supplemented his playing time by playing on a summer collegiate team, this time the Willmar Stingers in the Northwoods League, where he was an all-star, hitting .324/.402/.533 in 28 games with 7 doubles, 5 home runs, and 14 walks to 21 strikeouts.

Rather than return to Berkeley for a third season, Tayman opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal. He received numerous offers from high profile teams, but the offer from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo meant more to him than most. Having grown up in San Luis Obispo, spent many summer afternoons and weekends at Baggett Stadium, and attended baseball clinics run by head coach Larry Lee, attending the school that was his #1 out of high school just made sense; the fact that the Mustangs needed a catcher because incumbent backstop Jack Collins had been drafted by the Texas Rangers and was going to sign was just icing on the cake.

Everything clicked for the backstop and his 2026 junior season was truly magical. Appearing in 63 games for his hometown team, with the stands often packed with friends and family, Tayman hit .357/.447/.672 with 19 doubles, 1 triple, 18 home runs, and 31 walks to 50 strikeouts, getting named to the 2026 Buster Posey Award Midseason Watchlist featuring the top 50 NCAA Division 1 catchers in the country.

At the plate, the 6’2”, 225-pound slugger stands slightly crouched and slightly open, holding his hands low at the letters. While with the Bears and earlier in the year with the Mustangs, he held his hands high and wrapped his bat behind his head at 1:30. The changes to his set-up at the plate have helped him unlock a new level of power he had not shown at Berkley. He is shorter and more direct to the ball, and while lowering hands often sacrifices power in exchange for bat control, Tayman has increased the angle of his swing to not lose power. Indeed, in 2026, the backstop had a 17.5% strikeout rate, down nearly 10% as compared to his prior two years, and a 10.8% walk rate, up roughly 5% as compared to the prior two years. While not purely a fastball hitter, he is considerably better against fastballs than he is other secondary stuff, either fishing at pitches outside of the zone or unable to make solid contact and barrel them thanks to his swing plane. Despite that, the changes have certainly been more beneficial than not, as they allowed him to maximize balls hit in the air, especially to his pull side, with his flyball rate jumping over 10% from 42.6% in 2024 and 2025 to 53.1% in 2026, logging a 17.6% HR/FB rate on the year.

Behind the plate, Tayman has had less success. Most scouts and evaluators don’t feel that he will be forced to move off of the position anytime soon, as he is mobile, a good receiver, blocks the ball well, and is adroit at managing pitchers and their strengths and weaknesses, but his arm is below-average for a catcher, lacking arm strength and accuracy; as such, runners attempted to steal on him often, and Tayman managed only a 22% success rate, allowing 60 of 77 runners to successfully steal off of him.

It’s back.

After 30 years of waiting, MLB’s Midsummer Classic has returned to Philadelphia. Replete with six Phillies participating, including their two biggest stars in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, the center of the baseball world resides in the City of Brotherly Love through Tuesday night’s All Star Game.

And this time around, the Phils are prominently featured.

It’s been a minute since the city last hosted this spectacle, and to say the 2026 Phillies are different from the 1996 group that slogged their way through a brutal last place finish in one of the worst seasons in franchise history is like saying tofu and ground beef are different.

Below is an article I wrote back in 2014, remembering one of the most depressing nights I’ve ever experienced as a baseball fan — the night a dilapidated Veterans Stadium hosted the biggest stars in baseball, and virtually none of them played for the hometown nine.

***

I would like to submit that the 1996 season was the most depressing season in recent Philadelphia Phillies history.

As bad as this season has been, it doesn’t hold a candle to ’96. After all, we are watching a core that won a World Series in 2008, got to another one in 2009, and made five straight playoff appearances. Those memories, although they grow a bit fainter each day, are still strong.

The Phillies are also officially a big budget team now. Even though it’s hard to imagine this team being competitive in the next two or three years, it is conceivable that, once some of these big salaries are off the books, some key international signings are hopefully made and a couple more draft classes are brought into the farm system, the Phils could be good again soon.

Plus, fans still get to see games at beautiful Citizens Bank Park, one of the crown jewels of Major League Baseball.

In 1996, none of that was true.

The Phillies played at the decrepit Vet, on its very last legs at that point. Their payroll of $30.4 million was 16th in baseball, and although the team won the National League pennant in 1993, the strike of ‘94 killed the sport for many Phils’ fans, leading to a malaise and lack of enthusiasm that was almost stifling for the few of us who actually still deeply cared about the franchise and the sport.

That season, the Phillies finished 67-95, and in last place in the National League East, 29 games out of first. This was their starting lineup:

• Benito Santiago – C
• Gregg Jefferies – 1B
• Mickey Morandini – 2B
• Kevin Stocker – SS
• Todd Zeile – 3B
• Pete Incavaglia – LF
• Ricky Otero – CF
• Jim Eisenreich – RF

Lenny Dykstra was limited to 40 games, while Darren Daulton played just five. Stalwarts like Mark Whiten, Wendell Magee, Kevin Sefcik, Mike Benjamin, David Doster, Desi Relaford and Bobby Estalella littered the injury-filled roster, as only three players (Santiago, Morandini and Zeile) played more than 130 games. The only positives were the camero appearances of Mike Lieberthal, who played 50 games, and late-season call-up Scott Rolen, who played 37 games. And, of course, the presence of young sparkplug Ruben Amaro Jr. made viewing the games all worthwhile.

But if you think that was bad, check out this pitching staff.

• Curt Schillling – SP1
• Mike Williams – SP2
• Terry Mulholland – SP3
• Mike Mimbs – SP4
• Mike Grace – SP5

A human being named Rich Hunter made 14 starts that year and, in all, 15 pitchers started games for them, including Sid Fernandez, Russ Springer, Matt Beech, David West, Bobby Munoz, Calvin Maduro, Glenn Dishman, Carlos Crawford and Rafael Quirico.

The bullpen consisted of many of those same names, as well as Toby Borland, Ken Ryan, Steve Frey, Ron Blazier, Jeff Parrett, Dave Leiper, and the some other guys best left to being remembered on the next The Dirty Inning podcast.

Oh, and the Phils’ lone All-Star representative that year, was Ricky Botallico.

So consider, it’s mid-July, you’re still reeling from the stink of the strike, and the Phils are the worst team in baseball. They’re sending one lonely relief pitcher to the All-Star Game which, for reasons passing understanding, is being played IN PHILADELPHIA, AT THE VET.

The Midsummer Classic, being played in Philadelphia for the first time since 1976, would feature just one player from its host city, a relief pitcher, who would likely just see one inning of work.

And yet I watched. I watched the whole thing. Because I’m a sicko.

Of course, the scene was set right from the start. Bunting lined the cracked edifice of the walls and stands, and the Phils’ 1980s video board in center field shown brightly in the glare of network TV. Philadelphia also played home to the stars that weekend, as TV’s “Frasier,” Kelsey Grammar, sang the National Anthem.

Sarah McLachlan also sang the Canadian National Anthem, and Joe Carter was booed by the Vet crowd when he was introduced before the game.

I told you, this game had everything.

The one positive note was the performance of Dodgers‘ catcher, and Philly-area native, Mike Piazza, who was named MVP of the game after clubbing a long home run and going 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Back in 2011, The Good Phight did a quick recap of Ricky Bottalico’s performance, one that you probably missed if you blinked for any reason.

1996 – Ricky Bottalico, rhp: NL 6, AL 0. Bottalico pitched a scoreless 5th inning in front of his hometown. He might have faced the minimum number of batters, but for Ken Caminiti’s throwing error on Brady Anderson’s grounder. Clearly, the NL manager should have left Chipper Jones in at third, but well, the guy left a lot to be desired. But for being a hometown hero and for preserving the shutout by overcoming his teammates’ mistakes without being rattled or showing them up, no better reward than *****!

You can watch Ricky Bo’s entire inning right here if you’re a sicko.

After that, a lot of National League All-Stars that were not Phillies beat up on the AL team, 6-0. It was about as miserable as an All-Star Game hosted by your favorite team’s city and stadium could possibly be.

If you’re interested in watching all of this monstrosity, YouTube has it.

I would argue you’d be better served going outside and touching grass, but to each their own.

The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby is set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 13, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

It’s the first Home Run Derby in Philadelphia since the Phillies inaugurated Citizens Bank Park in 2004.  The former Veterans Stadium hosted the 1996 derby, which was won by Barry Bonds.

Citizens Bank Park has featured 121 home runs this season as of July 13, and Statcast says it’s the fifth-friendliest park in 2026 for longballs. Track all regular-season homers at the park so far:

DIG DEEPER: MLB Home Run Derby also has big bucks on the line for tonight's champ

The eight-man field for the 2026 derby includes two Phillies players, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. They have combined for 29 home runs in Citizens Bank Park this season, with Harper at 10 and Schwarber at 19.

However, there isn’t much home field advantage in the derby — out of the 39 Home Run Derbies, just three have been won by a player whose home stadium was that year’s host. But one of those three was Harper, who won the 2018 derby while on the Washington Nationals.

The other six players are Jac Caglianone of the Kansas City Royals, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Willson Contreras of the Boston Red Sox, Ben Rice of the New York Yankees, Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals and Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox.

This year’s Home Run Derby will consist of a three-round format. In the first round, players will have 20 swings to hit as many home runs as they can. The top four will advance to a head-to-head second round, and the two winners from that round will face off in the final.

Methodology note: Home run data from Baseball Savant.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Track every Citizens Bank Park homer before the Home Run Derby

The managers for the 2026 All-Star Game have officially announced their starting pitchers and lineups for tomorrow night’s Midsummer Classic. 

Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin earned their places as starters during the All-Star fan voting and will bat sixth and ninth, respectively.

The National League starting lineup, managed by LA’s Dave Roberts, is as follows:

1. Kyle Schwarber, PHI – DH
2. Juan Soto, NYM – LF
3. Freddie Freeman, LAD – 1B
4. CJ Abrams, WSH – SS
5. Max Muncy, LAD – 3B
6. Ozzie Albies, ATL – 2B
7. Brandon Marsh, PHI – RF
8. Andy Pages, LAD – CF
9. Drake Baldwin, ATL – C

Baldwin will serve as the battery mate to starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez, who gets the nod in his home ballpark. 

The American League, managed by Toronto’s John Schneider, will roll with the following lineup behind first-time All-Star Dylan Cease:

1. Mike Trout, LAA – CF
2. Yordan Alvarez, HOU – DH
3. Shea Langeliers, ATH – C
4. Junior Caminero, TB – 3B
5. Bobby Witt Jr., KC – SS
6. Cody Bellinger, NYY – RF
7. Ben Rice, NYY – 1B
8. Riley Greene, DET – LF
9. Ernie Clement, TOR – 2B

The All-Star Game will start at 8 pm ET on Tuesday night on FOX.

While Juan Soto toyed with the idea of joining this year’s loaded Home Run Derby field, he ultimately decided against participating in the competition he won in 2022 as a member of the Nationals. That choice ensured that this year’s derby would not feature any current Mets. If that fact keeps your interest in the derby low, you can instead reminisce about the times that Mets players participated in the annual competition.

Darryl Strawberry (1986, 1990)

Before the Mets won the 1986 World Series, their outfielder and homegrown superstar Darryl Strawberry, who would finish the season with a team-leading 27 home runs, took home a share of the Home Run Derby crown, making him the first Met to win the derby in the process. He did so by hitting four home runs, which is a paltry and somewhat laughable amount given the current derby most of us are familiar with. However, in the early days of the derby (1985-1990), the participants were given two “innings” of five outs each to hit as many home runs as they could. In doing so, he matched the number hit by California Angels slugger Wally Joyner, who beat out a field including Jose Canseco and Dave Parker. The most notable home run of the derby came courtesy of Strawberry, who hit a speaker in the ceiling of the Astrodome. A few months later, the Mets would author their own magical moment in the Astrodome as a team, when they took down the Astros in 16 innings to win Game 6 of the NLCS and advance to the Fall Classic.

Strawberry would return to defend his crown a few years later to defend his crown. However, he would go on to put up a goose egg. He shouldn’t feel too bad, however, as the eight participants combined for just five home runs total in what many have since been remembered as the worst Home Run Derby ever due to swirling winds at Wrigley Field that prevented much in the way of actual…you know…home runs. The hometown crowd was certainly happy, as Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg hit three home runs to take home the crown, beating out Mark McGwire (one), Matt Williams (one), and a loaded field of hitters that couldn’t muster to knock one out of the park.

Howard Johnson (1989, 1991)

While a less-than-memorable season for the Mets, who missed the playoffs after their 100-win 1988 campaign, Howard Johnson enjoyed the best season of his major league career. HoJo posted a career-best 6.9 bWAR and posted a 30-40-40 season (36 home runs, 41 stolen bases, 41 doubles). He rode that wave to his first career All-Star game, and participated in the Home Run Derby as well. Unfortunately, he managed just two dingers in the derby, which still featured the old format that Strawberry participated in. Eric Davis and Ruben Sierra each hit three homers to take home a share of the derby title.

Johnson returned two years later in the middle of his second 30-30 season in three years. 1991 would serve as the last All-Star season of his career, and one that saw him post a career-high in home runs (38) and RBI (117). That success did not translate to the derby, as HoJo was held off the board in Toronto’s Skydome. Cal Ripken Jr. knocked 12 balls out of the park to win the crown. This was the first year of a new derby format, which invited 8-10 players to hit as many home runs as they can in a round before reaching 10 outs. The new format also featured three rounds, and this would last until 2005.

Bobby Bonilla (1993)

Long before becoming the butt of “Happy Bobby Bonilla Day!” jokes that have been like if a dead horse were beaten by another dead horse, Bonilla was actually a feared slugger. Bonilla hit 34 home runs for the Mets in 1993, his best with the club, and was named to his first All-Star team as a Met. He slugged five home runs and finished third in the competition, matching the number hit by Barry Bonds. Juan Gonzalez outlasted Ken Griffey Jr. in a derby playoff to win the crown. Of note in this derby, future Met Mike Piazza was held off the board and finished in last place. Piazza also failed to hit a home run in the 1994 derby and would never compete in the competition as a member of the Mets.

David Wright (2006, 2013)

In his book Captain, Wright talks about his reluctance to participate in the 2006 Home Run Derby, but with the encouragement of those around him, he ended up doing it. It’s a good thing he did, because he put on a show, hitting a Derby-best 16 homers in the first round and wowing the Pittsburgh crowd. Wright, who was never really a “home run hitter” in the traditional sense and did not see power as his greatest asset at the plate, ran out of steam towards the end and fell one home run behind division rival Ryan Howard, who bested him 23-22 overall and 5-4 in the finals. Wright would go on to become the youngest Met to homer in the actual Midsummer Classic, doing so the next night at the age of 23 (the Mets dominated the 2006 All-Star game, with Carlos Beltrán and Wright scoring both NL runs and picking up three of the NL’s six hits). The Mets would also get the last laugh on Howard and the Phillies, winning the NL East handily that year.

Wright, who also talked about not having much desire to participate in a Derby again after that experience, would go on to participate one last time in 2013 in front of the Citi Field home crowd. He was named captain of the derby and was able to hand pick his participants, which included close friend Michael Cuddyer. He managed just five home runs, ahead of only American League Derby captain/future Met Robinson Canó and his four homers. It didn’t matter much to the Flushing Faithful, who showered Wright with applause and adulation upon his Derby exit. What the crowd and Wright did not know was that 2013 would also be the last All-Star season of Wright’s career.

Pete Alonso (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

By far, Alonso has seen more action than any other Met in the derby. In fact, Alonso has participated almost as many times (5) as the other four players on this list (7). And nobody seemed to relish the spotlight more than Alonso.

Alonso, who went on to surpass Strawberry as the franchise’s all-time home run leader, participated in his first derby in his rookie campaign en route to breaking both the franchise’s single-season home run record and the all-time MLB rookie home run record. The fresh up-and-comer took down some heavyweights along the way, knocking down Carlos Santana in the first round 14-13, topping division rival Ronald Acuña Jr. 20-19 in the second round, and then taking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 23-22 in an electric final round.

Alonso returned to defend his crown in 2021, and defend it he did (and then some). Alonso enacted a small measure of revenge for the 2015 World Series when he knocked out Royals’ catcher Salvador Pérez 35-28 in the first round, then he one-upped 2025 Mets’ teammate Juan Soto 16-15 in the second round, and he beat out Trey Mancini 23-22 in the finals to win back-to-back derbies. He became the third player to accomplish this feat, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (1998, 1999) and future Met Yoenis Céspedes (2013, 2014). He is one of four players to win multiple home run derbies, along with Prince Fielder (2009, 2012).

Alonso failed to join Griffey as the only other player to win a third derby crown, and his participation since 2021 provided diminishing returns for Alonso. In 2022, Alonso again knocked Acuña Jr. out of the competition by beating him 20-19 in the first round. However, he ran out of gas in the second round and could not catch Julio Rodriguez’s 31 home runs.

Rodriguez and Alonso faced off in a rematch in the 2023 derby at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, and Rodriguez put on a show for his home fans. He broke a derby record by crushing 41 home runs in the first round, and Alonso could only muster 21 to bow out in his earliest exit at that point. In his final derby performance as a Met, Alonso hit just 12 home runs and failed to advance beyond the first round, finishing ahead of just Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles. Despite those three losses, Alonso put together some of the most memorable derby performances of all time, and by far the most memorable showings from a Met.

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You can watch the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park exclusively on Netflix starting at 8:00 PM EDT, with special pre-derby coverage beginning at 7:00 PM.

MLB announced the starting lineups for tomorrow night’s All-Star Game, and as planned two Yankees will feature. Cody Bellinger starts in right and bats sixth, while Ben Rice starts at first and bats seventh:

The AL's starting lineup for the #AllStarGame (Tuesday, 8 pm ET on @MLBONFOX):

Mike Trout, CF
Yordan Alvarez, DH
Shea Langeliers, C
Junior Caminero, 3B
Bobby Witt Jr., SS
Cody Bellinger, RF
Ben Rice, 1B
Riley Greene, LF
Ernie Clement, 2B
Dylan Cease, P

— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2026

The pair of Bombers come after a star-studded top five in the AL lineup, starting with Mike Trout in center, Yordan Alvarez at DH, Shea Langliers at catcher, Junior Caminero at third, and Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop. Riley Greene in left and Ernie Clement at second round out the lineup. Rice is somewhat hard-done-by with his slot in the lineup, his 166 wRC+ second in the AL behind only Alvarez, and Langliers is a curious choice from manager John Schneider (to bat third, the catcher having a great season but lacking the offensive skillset and pedigree of most of the other starters.

Otherwise, the lineup seems fair enough on paper, and it’s very cool to see Trout, the once-and-forever legend who’s been derailed by injuries, slot in at the top, in the midst of a resurgent (and yet still injury-ridden) campaign. He and Alvarez form an awesome one-two, and though I would personally have slotted Rice right in there at the three spot, it’s hard to argue with Caminero and Witt’s positions, the pair each among the game’s brightest young stars.

You can also check out the National League’s lineup here:

The NL's starting lineup for the #AllStarGame (Tuesday, 8 pm ET on @MLBONFOX):

Kyle Schwarber, DH
Juan Soto, LF
Freddie Freeman, 1B
CJ Abrams, SS
Max Muncy, 3B
Ozzie Albies, 2B
Brandon Marsh, RF
Andy Pages, CF
Drake Baldwin, C
Cristopher Sánchez, P

— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2026

The All-Star Game will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with first pitch scheduled for 8:00 EST on FOX.

Iron Pigs 13, Clippers 5

Cooper Ingle was 2 for 5 with a double, Juan Brito had a two-run homer, and Milan Tolentinto homered and walked to push his OPS over .800. Daniel Espino threw a scoreless ninth and I hope to see him back in Cleveland for Codi Heuer after the break.

Baysox 7, Rubber Ducks 4

Jaison Chourio had a double and ended pre-break play with an OPS of .820. Not a great start for Braylon Doughty who gave up two earned, five hits and three walks in four and two-thirds, but he did strike out six.

Lugnuts 3, Captains 2

Jace LaViolette did not get the call-up to Akron but he did hit a double and talk a walk. Aaron Walton, Nolan Schubart and Dean Curley all ended over .900 OPS and got the call-up, though. Cam Schuelke struck out two in two and two-thirds and should probably be promoted at some point, also.

River Dogs 13, Howlers 4

Junior Caceres hit his 10th Low-A home run right before getting promoted to Lake County that evening, Miguel Flores had a decent start with six scoreless and then Chase Mobley BLEW IT UP. Mobley had a first half to forget.

The Major League Baseball draft is filled with unfamiliar names. Even the most knowledgeable fans have difficulty knowing much about the mostly anonymous high school and college players taken by the 30 teams through 20 rounds.

Every year, however, a handful of names ring a bell. The 2026 draft, held the last two days in Philadelphia ahead of Tuesday’s All-Star Game, was no exception.

Bonds. Thome. Pettitte. Sabathia.

The accomplishments of the fathers or uncles of those draftees loom large. Other high picks hope to eclipse the accomplishments of relatives who had brief MLB or long minor league careers: No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky out of UCLA is a prime example.

And draft picks whose relatives have ties to the Dodgers or Angels draw interest: Salmon, Ebel, Gasparino, Willits and Bard qualify.

Read more:Why 2026 MLB draft will be special for Dodgers coach Dino Ebel’s family

No player wants to be branded as a “nepo pick” — taken as a favor to a relative. But even those can turn out to be brilliant. The Dodgers took Mike Piazza in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft largely because his father, Vince Piazza, was a childhood friend of manager Tommy Lasorda. Piazza, of course, became a Hall of Fame catcher with the Dodgers and New York Mets.

A brisk walk through this year’s picks with intriguing bloodlines:

— Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA. First overall pick by the White Sox.
His father, Dan Cholowsky, was the 39th overall pick in 1991 by the Cardinals and played eight minor league seasons. He’s now a scout for the Reds. To focus on baseball, Roch gave up a scholarship offer to play quarterback at Notre Dame. He is the Bruins’ first No. 1 overall pick since Gerrit Cole in 2011.

— Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Fla.). No. 14 overall pick by the Marlins
His father, George Lombard, played parts of six seasons with four MLB teams from 1998-2006 and is currently the Tigers’ bench coach. Jacob’s brother, George Lombard Jr., was the 26th overall pick in the 2023 draft. Jacob is one of 11 shortstops taken in the first 40 picks this year.

— Trey Ebel, SS, Corona High. No. 25 overall pick by the Brewers
Milwaulkee made his brother, Brady, the No. 32 overall pick a year ago. Their father, Dino Ebel, has been the Dodgers’ third-base coach since 2019 and spent the previous 13 years as a coach for the Angels. Strength and conditioning training with MW Athletix’s Keith Coury helped lift Trey into the first round.

— Landon Thome, 2B/3B, Nazareth Academy (IL). No. 34 overall pick by the White Sox.
His father, Jim Thome, ranks eighth on the career home run list with 612 and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2018. Like his dad, Landon is a left-handed hitter with a sweet swing. He also has something his dad lacked: speed. Landon stole 54 bases this spring.

— Gavin Grahovac, 1B, Texas A&M. No. 81overall pick by the Angels.
His cousin Garrett Mitchell was the No. 20 overall pick out of UCLA in 2020 and is in his fifth MLB season with the Brewers. His father, Mike Grahovac, was a fourth-round pick in 1989 but topped out in Class-A. Scouts project Gavin has having the potential to hit 30 homers a year.

— Peyton Bonds, OF, Rutgers. No. 90 overall pick by the Giants.
His uncle, Barry Bonds, is a seven-time MVP who holds the MLB record with 762 career home runs. His grandfather Bobby Bonds hit 332 homers during a 14-year career that ended in 1981. And his father, Bobby Bonds Jr., played 11 seasons in the minor leagues. Peyton is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound center fielder with speed and improving power.

— Rylan Lujo, OF, Georgia. No. 109 overall pick by the Angels.
His grandfather is Rennie Stennett, a versatile player whose nine seasons with the Pirates were bracketed by World Series titles in his 1971 rookie season and 1979 finale. Lujo converted from the infield to center field at Georgia and has plus speed.

— Jaxon Willits, SS, Oklahoma. No. 141 overall pick by the Angels.
His brother Eli was the first overall pick in last year’s draft, going to the Nationals. Their father, Reggie, played parts of six seasons with the Angels and is now a coach at Oklahoma. Jaxon, 21, is older than Eli, who was the youngest player to go No. 1 overall at 17 years, 216 days old. Both are switch-hitters.

— Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA and Harvard-Westlake High. No. 161 overall to the Phillies.
His father, Billy Gasparino, has been a Dodgers executive for 11 years. He is the vice president of baseball operations after being promoted in 2024 from vice president of amateur scouting. Will, a 6-6 right-handed power hitter, transferred from Texas to UCLA before the 2026 season.

— Luke Pettitte, RHP/DH, Dallas Baptist. No. 248 overall to the Yankees.
His father, Andy Pettitte, won five World Series pitching for the Yankees. While Andy remains on the Hall of Fame ballot the next two years, his son will be working through the minor leagues, perhaps as a two-way player. Luke had Tommy John surgery after two years pitching for Dallas Baptist, then batted .337 with 16 home runs as a designated hitter last spring.

— Jack Salmon, OF, UNLV and Corona del Mar High. No. 559 overall by the Angels.
His uncle Tim Salmon is an Angels legend, a key component of their 2002 World Series championship team who played his entire 14-year career in Anaheim. His father, Mike, had a short stint in the NFL with the 49ers and played football at USC.

— Luke Bard, C, Houston Christian. No. 583 overall by the Dodgers.
His father, Josh Bard, spent 10 seasons in the major leagues with five teams and is now the Dodgers’ bullpen coach. Luke batted .345 last season at Houston Christian.

— Carsten Sabathia III, 1B, Houston. No. 611 overall by the Brewers.
His father, CC Sabathia, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2025 who finished his 19-year MLB career with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. He spent one memorable half-season with the Brewers, going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA to help them to the playoffs in 2008. Carsten played two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to Houston. He was the third-to-last pick in the draft.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Frisco Roughriders infielder Rafe Perich has been named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of July 7-12, it was announced today. In addition, Hickory Crawdads pitcher Evan Siary has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for July 7-12.

Perich, the team’s 7th round pick in 2024 out of Lehigh, slashed .464/1.000/1.464 for the week. He started the year with Hub City, and was promoted after 38 games, slashing .303/.394/.606 prior to his promotion. Since being promoted, he’s played 36 games for Frisco and has slashed .324/.420/.662 with 37 Ks against 22 walks in 162 plate appearances.

Siary, an 8th round pick out of Mississippi State last year, struck out ten batters and walked none in six shutout innings for Hickory in his start last week. For the year, he has a 3.39 ERA in 71.2 innings over 15 starts, with 61 Ks against 15 walks.

The 2026 MLB Draft is in the books and the Atlanta Braves have 21 new prospects to add into the organization. This is going to cover who the Braves drafted and where, guesses on if they are over/under slot value, and some general thoughts on each pick.

1.AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia

Over/under slot? Underslot

I’m a big fan of Gracia’s bat and loved this pick. I even wrote about him being a target for the Braves back in December when the lottery determined they would have the ninth pick. Gracia is a player with a strong track record of hitting for both average and power, and he is a guy who will have a chance to be a middle of the order type of bat.

OF AJ Gracia (@UVABaseball) is seeing the ball really well & picked up a couple of hits, including a 2B into RCF. Smooth LH stroke & easy impact. Showed + pwr in BP, 46 BB: 36 K. Jr./'26 elig. @PG_Draftpic.twitter.com/C4rSc0ZNIc

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 30, 2026

1.Carter Beck, OF, Indiana State

Over/under slot? Underslot

Beck might be an underslot first round pick, but he’s got an interesting mix of tools, production, metrics, and room for growth with a professional player development team behind him. With what he has shown so far in terms of the feel for contact and athleticism, he is a player who could grow into being a top third of the lineup type of bat.

Indiana State CF Carter Beck is such a fun prospect. Competition makes eval weird, but: 114.8 maxEV, 4% Z-Miss vs 92+, reverse splits, 12.3% BB – 11.6% K, dominated sliders, solid launch profile (I’d want some more AirPull), can run, rangy in CF, will do anything to make a play. pic.twitter.com/C46BiyL9eR

— Danny (@dannybarrand_) July 8, 2026

2.Kaiden McCarthy, RHP, Vermont Academy HS (VT)

Over/under slot? Overslot

McCarthy might be a little undersized and come from a smaller cold weather state, but his stuff is very loud. He is going to take time, but there are some optimistic that he has a chance at four plus pitches. Even if he doesn’t reach that lofty ceiling, the plus fastball and advanced change with two average breaking balls is still a talented arm to add to the system.

2026 RHP Kaiden McCarthy (Vermont Academy, VT) @Vol_Baseball commit

FB: 94-96 T9️⃣8️⃣
CH: 85-86
SL: 86-87
CB: 80-81

Extremely athletic 17 year old RHP with a repeatable and sound delivery. Commands FB anywhere in the zone. Secondary offerings included a mid 80’s CH with… pic.twitter.com/PyDYkgYmLq

— Prep Baseball New England (@PBNewEngland) May 17, 2026

3.Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, Kingsburg HS (CA)

Over/under slot? Significantly overslot

I had Hirschkorn as a first round talent in this class. I’m expecting he gets paid like one too, and he may have the biggest bonus of anyone outside of Gracia. He’s a projectable and athletic 6’7 arm who has already surprisingly above average command with a fastball that should grade out as better than plus as he matures. A second swing and miss pitch in his slider, and a feel for the change are also assets. Once he fills in his body and focuses on pitching full time – he was a multi-sport athlete in high school, the ceiling could be very high.

‘26 Jensen Hirschkorn (CA)

FB: 93-96 (2 shapes, +command)
SL: 81-82 (+potential)
CH: 86 (fade, feel)

Deceptive look w/ leveraged 6’7” frame/short takeaway. Pristine, potential early Day 1 pick. 3 pitches for K. Near 🔨 SL

9️⃣ straight K’s in 3 👍👍#MLBDraft || @PrepBaseballCApic.twitter.com/YDPejY3Trm

— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) August 8, 2025

4.Cole Dennis, RHP, Bishop Snyder HS (FL)

Over/under slot? Overslot

Dennis is an up arrow prospect this spring as he is a two-way star that converted to pitching from catching. The command and changeup are going to take some work, which is to be expected when considering the background. However he has two pitches which he can get swings and misses with in the fastball and slider.

‘26 Cole Dennis (FL) 📈 name this spring, pounded the zone w/ a truly explosive FB that generated 1️⃣6️⃣ whiffs on its own.

6’4” 220 lbs.

7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 K (68% K)

FB: 92-96+ (2506) 🔥
CB: 79-83 (2480)
CH: 82-83 (1301)@JUBaseball recruit #MLBDraft | @ShooterHuntpic.twitter.com/6MW2pvE2A1

— Cayden Hatcher (@CaydenHatcherFL) March 19, 2026

5.Wil Libbert, LHP, Mississippi

Over/under slot? Slot

Libbert has a promising four pitch mix, though he has had inconsistent command which kept him out of the Rebels rotation this spring. If he can improve the command then he has the makings of a potential middle of the rotation starter thanks to having four average or better pitches led by the fastball and cutter. Even if he can’t improve the command he has a chance to be a quality lefty reliever for the Braves.

Extended look at @OleMissBSB starting pitcher Wil Libbert, clean delivery with lively actions
FB 95-97 (2,450+)
SW 80-84 (2,650+)
CT (2,500+)@PG_Draftpic.twitter.com/NnYVSXuewr

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 19, 2026

6.Tyson Grulkowski, RHP, Muskego HS (WI)

Over/under slot? Overslot

Grulkowski is another interesting prep arm from a cold weather state. The combination of the fastball and breaking ball are what got him drafted, though he will need to improve his off speed pitch in order to remain a starter. I’m a big fan of his high spin, slurvy breaking ball and think there is potential to see the fastball tick up at least a half grade. What the Braves player development team does with his third pitch will really help determine his ceiling.

From Muskego:

RHP Tyson Grulkowski (Muskego, 2026) exits with the lead in the fourth after striking out five across 3.1 innings.

FB: 90-94 mph, locates
SL: 75-80, whiffs; flashed wipeout
CH: 86

South Florida recruit | @ShooterHunt

Muskego 3 | Waterford 0 B4 pic.twitter.com/vFbzaJoNsA

— Prep Baseball Wisconsin (@PrepBaseballWI) June 4, 2026

7.Jack Brenner, C, Fond du Lac HS (WI)

Over/under slot? Overslot

Brenner has an advanced hit tool and plenty of athleticism and versatility. He’s being picked for the bat, but he could have a unique skill set if he is able to stick behind the plate. Should catching not work out for him, there is enough bat and athleticism in there for him to be a fit at another position.

2026 Jack Brenner (C, Fond du Lac HS, WI)

5/20 SloMo swings

6’0” R/R lean frame. Compact swing with rhythm and contact. Moves well in stance with 55+ arm (1.97). 55-60 runtimes (4.18-4.22).

55 athlete with tools & favorable defensive outcomes.@OU_Baseball commit#MLBDraftpic.twitter.com/rqQtACheKW

— Jack Eberle (@jack_eberl12938) May 26, 2026

8.Jacob Jarrell, C, Clemson

Over/under slot? Very underslot, senior sign

Jarrell is going to be a cheaper senior sign, but he’s a bat with real power who happens to play catcher. I’m less than sure he will be able to stick behind the plate longterm, but the 18 homers he hit this year weren’t an accident. When you’re talking about a senior sign, getting a carrying trait is a win.

Jacob Jarrell bet on himself ahead of his senior season and it translated into a monster year for the Tigers 🚀

.396 OBP | .579 SLG | .975 OPS | 18 HRs
Second Team All-ACC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/cHa90pYCJy

— Driveline Baseball (@DrivelineBB) June 3, 2026

9.Parker Brosius, OF, Georgia Tech

Over/under slot? Very underslot, senior sign

Brosius is going to be a cheaper senior sign, but is maybe the most interesting senior sign the Braves have ever selected. He slashed .329/.504/.859 with 13 homers in part time duty this year – just 125 plate appearances. Even more important than the stats is the fact he’s a speedy athlete. He played in the corner outfield at Tech, but might get a look in center in the pros – as Drew Burress blocked him from getting much time there in college. He has also posted excellent contact metrics, which helps his average power play up. Brosius is a bit of a late bloomer with two partial seasons of solid and great production, but he is the type of prospect who could have a better pro career than he did in college.

The evolution of Carson Kerce this year has been fascinating.

Kerce hits his 2nd HR of the game after Parker Brosius' grand slam, sending this ball to the LCF seats at 101 MPH. Clean operation with solid bat path, solid B2B skills.

Day 1 guy. pic.twitter.com/AkA3te870u

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 21, 2026

10.Ben Zeigler-Namoa, 1B, Hawaii

Over/under slot? Very underslot, senior sign

Zeigler-Namoa is a cheap senior sign with a solid feel for hitting and some defensive versatility. The power is definitely below average, meaning he will need to have the hit tool carry him. He has a mixed track record with the wood bats, both looking good in the Cape in 2024 and struggling in a smaller sample size in the MLB Draft League last summer.

Ben Zeigler-Namoa (@WVBlackBears) scorches this ball into RF for a single at 1️⃣0️⃣7️⃣.2️⃣mph.

Zeigler-Namoa entered the game with an impressive Hard Hit% of 50%.👀🔥@mlbdraftleague | @BenZeigler1pic.twitter.com/xKvTggeFgB

— MLB Draft League Data (@draftleaguedata) June 22, 2025

11.Ryne Barker, 3B, Casteel HS (AZ)

Over/under slot? Overslot

Barker is a toolsy prep infielder with elite speed and a developing feel for contact. He’s very much on the older side for a prep, but he’s shown more than enough tools to project as the type of player a development team can’t wait to get their hands on. I don’t believe power will be a huge part of his game, but his contact, athleticism, and versatility should give him a floor to work with.

Casteel SS Ryne Barker continues to be a personal favorite in the prep class and someone who maybe more people should be talking about.

Plus bat-to-ball skills, 95.8% contact rate this spring (5 whiffs!!!) across healthy 95 PA sample size including NHSI. 70-80 grade runner.… pic.twitter.com/hPpwhbP4lF

— The Prospect Porch (@prospectporch) April 30, 2026

12.Dominic Kibler, C, Wilsonsin-Milwaukee

Over/under slot? Slot

Kibler transferred to Milwaukee from Kent State for this year and saw his power increase. He only had limited reps at catcher heading into 2026, spending more time in the outfield than behind the plate – but he would bring good speed for the position. His power is more average to above, but he doesn’t swing and miss often.

WE ARE TIED!⚡️

Dom Kibler comes up clutch off the bench and splits this gap on this 2-run double!#BiteDownpic.twitter.com/1KVAkoB9c5

— Kent State Baseball (@KentStBaseball) April 26, 2025

13.Cole Dorland, RHP, Walnut Grove HS (Canada)

Over/under slot? Overslot

Dorland was one of the top prep players in Canada this year and had been an Alabama commit. He’s a bit undersized, but has some projection and a solid three-pitch mix to work with. Dorland is a guy who is going to take some time, but he has gains to be made as a cold weather pitching prospect.

RHP Cole Dorland
2026/27, @Langleyblaze@AlabamaBSB Recruit

3 valuable innings of work from Dorland in a big game, despite some bumps early on.

Showed feel to manipulate BB and created IZ swing and miss with the FB. @BaseballCANJNT Member

FB 90-92
CH 82-84
CB 78-81… pic.twitter.com/1rcnGqqQEP

— Prep Baseball BC (@PrepBaseballBC) May 30, 2026

14.Brady Hamilton, RHP, Wichita State

Over/under slot? Slot

Hamilton broke out in the Cape last summer as he was at times in the mid-90’s with a quality slider and a change that has the potential to be a decent third pitch. He didn’t live up to that this spring, as his stuff and command weren’t quite at the same level. Still this is a guy who looked the part of a big league prospect, and the Braves are hoping the player development staff can get him back to being the guy we saw last summer.

A high speed look at the FB-SL from RHP Brady Hamilton (@GoShockersBSB)… https://t.co/0JUnb0oYC0pic.twitter.com/VQHBk0pQGI

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 28, 2024

15.Caleb Klein, OF, Southeast Missouri State

Over/under slot? Slot

Klein joined SEMO from the JUCO ranks this year and had a big year with the bat. His contact skills led to him slashing .316/.417/.491 with 8 homers among his 21 extra base hits and more walks (31) than strikeouts (30) along with 14 steals. I don’t believe the power grades the way it played this year, but it does play up due to the strong hit tool.

Classic Hang n Bang for a pull side Homer from Caleb Klein in yesterday’s scrimmage. pic.twitter.com/pkSpBaT5o3

— SEMO Baseball (@SEMObaseball) September 11, 2025

16.Dalton Harper, C, Niagara County CC (NY)

Over/under slot? Slightly overslot

Harper started out at Georgia Southern, transferred to a New York JUCO where he caught one of last year’s helium draft prospects in Matt Barr, and was committed to Penn State. He’s not the toolsiest prospect, but he is a grinder who is going to get the most out of the tools he has. He hit .438/.544/.673 with 13 doubles, 7 triples, 3 homers, 25 walks, and only 10 strikeouts in his 194 plate appearances.

Niagara CC Scout Day Follow 🆙

So C/3B Dalton Harper (@NiagaraTwolves); 5-9 205 lbs

EV: 104‼️
60yd: 7.01💨

Compact build with immense power and speed. Simple heel lift load and explodes the bat thru the zone💥💥

Player to watch👀#NiagaraCCScoutDay | @Harper163 | @PB_JUCOpic.twitter.com/K08wbaS8PO

— Prep Baseball New York (@PrepBaseballNY) October 1, 2025

17.John Damozonio, RHP, Saint Mary’s

Over/under slot? Slot

Damozonio saw his command take a step forward to have a breakout season in a starting role this spring. He brings one of the best sliders in the entire draft and the rest of his pitch arsenal clearly popped in the Braves model. He is going to need to refine his arsenal with the player development team, but he has the potential to be a steal at this point in the draft. If he is able to add additional velocity then his profile gets even more intriguing.

M6 | SMC 1 – SU 1

That's 1⃣0⃣ K's for John Damozonio! #GaelsRisepic.twitter.com/1pvEBj4iqt

— Saint Mary's Baseball (@SMC_Baseball) May 2, 2026

18.Ethan Stade, LHP, Bowling Green

Over/under slot? Slot

The lefty posted a 14.5 K/9 this spring and followed that up by being lights out at the MLB Draft League this summer. At the MLBDL he has a 1.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 28 K to 7 walks over his 14.2 innings – a 17.2 K/9. He might not stand out for his velocity, but the metrics on his pitches explain why he’s able to rack up the whiffs. This is a strong flier to get into the Braves player development.

📊𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕🏆

Ethan Stade – June 23-28
𝗚𝗦, 𝟯.𝟮 𝗜𝗣, 𝟬 𝗥, 𝟯 𝗛, 𝟬 𝗕𝗕, 𝟭𝟬 𝗞

1️⃣1️⃣ Whiffs
Avg/Max Extension – 6.5 / 7.0

𝗙𝗕: 89.2mph (T91.2), 2348rpm, 12.9" IVB, -15.6" HB, 5 whiffs

𝗦𝗟: 76.7mph, 2379rpm, -3.3" IVB, 11.6"… https://t.co/awBAsdl7wtpic.twitter.com/rLNyo5yV6J

— MLB Draft League Data (@draftleaguedata) June 30, 2026

19.Austin Fawley, C, Mississippi

Over/under slot? Slot

Fawley transferred from Kentucky to Mississippi and has hit 21 and 13 homers in the two years in the Rebels lineup. He has also improved his defense and throwing to the point where he has become an asset there. He does strike out – a lot, 156 over the last two years, but getting into a professional system could help to cut down on those strikeouts a bit. Still it’s a nice flier on a guy with big power.

C Austin Fawley (@OleMissBSB) gets to a heater left over the plate & deposits it over the LF fence for a 2-run HR (109 EV/392 FT), 2nd bomb on the day. Easy juice. https://t.co/wc02Dqdrdzpic.twitter.com/2bqOeibwzB

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) April 27, 2026

20.Nile Adcock, RHP, Kentucky

Over/under slot? Slot

A former JUCO transfer who broke out a bit this year in relief for the Wildcats. He’s more low 90’s, but the slider is a potentially plus pitch for him. He projects as a sinker/slider reliever who has also flashed a solid curve, but he has a career 12.4 K/9 in his two years for UK.

RHP Nile Adcock (@UKBaseball) spun a nasty mid-80s downer CB that picked up a pair of K's & a bunch of empty swings. FB lived 91-92. Sr./'26 elig. pic.twitter.com/GUCUEja6iC

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 24, 2026

The Diamondbacks continue to hang at the .500 mark, give or take. Do you see a path forward to break out of that rut?

James Attwood: Bottom line, the team, top to bottom, needs to get more consistent and find a way to stay healthy. Granted, that’s easier said than done. But if they can stay healthy and simply stop fluctuating so much, they could climb to about 4-5 games over .500, which will keep them in the chase for the final Wild Card, but still on the outside looking in. They will also need a strong trade deadline, but that will largely depend on how the present roster produces.

Justin: No, not really. I have resigned our fate to being about a 79-82 win team.

Spencer: Sure it exists. Not sure how real it is, but the rotation is starting to FINALLY round into good form. We’ll see if that is stopped by the MLB Draft Break.

1AZFan1: Of course! This team is hanging around .500 with prolonged cold streaks from Corbin, Domo and Ketel at different points of the season and mostly getting negative contributions from Kelly, Pfaadt and Gallen. Kelly and Pfaadt have both looked better recently (though I don’t know how much to trust it) and I think we’ve probably seen the worst from all three of our hitters at the top of the lineup. If our 3 at the top of the lineup are just around their averages for the rest year and we don’t have the 3 worst starting pitchers in baseball in the second half, I think we can push toward 85 wins. Having Kepler and whoever plays first base being at least warm bodies compared to Pavin and ADC would just be icing on the cake.

Dano_in_Tucson: Sure. The team needs to finally get its act together and start playing more complete baseball games, in which the offense, the defense, and the pitching are all pulling in the same direction. We show flashes of doing so from time to time, and I think the talent is mostly there to make it possible to do it more consistently. The consistency, though, is key.

DBacksEurope: I do not see a clear path. My pre-season prediction was a bit below .500 so it would go against my own “beliefs” to try and convince myself and others that we could do better than that. However, there are possibilities. Fresh blood getting a chance and tearing things up is one possible reason. Gallen getting “injured” and using new twists after July, just like last year, is another. Kelly not being homerun garbage is another. Finding some easy pickups at 1B and DH, i.e. a team dumping players in Arizona who can benefit from a fresh start with the Snakes is another, Burnes, Puk and Martinez returning from injury could be the final push. Everything that could go well, would have to go well.

What needs to happen in the next three weeks to convince you that the Diamondbacks should be buyers?

James Attwood: Do more than just claw to a few games over .500. This team needs to go on a mini-run where some of the struggling arms start looking better. The team gets healthy and the offense clicks again. If Arizona can do all that and there is any stumble in the standings head of them, then it would make plenty of sense to lean towards buying.

Justin: Looking at the schedule, they have 3 series’ against teams that are right now either around .500 or under. (-Oakland- A’s, Pirates, and Nationals.) They also have a series against St. Louis and a make up game against them as well. Maybe if they go 8-5, splitting the Cardinals and winning the other 3 series? That would give us a 55-52 record, if Ia mnot mistaken.

Just don’t do anything crazy.

Spencer: Simple. Win more games than they lose. Close enough and experienced enough that buying should still be the default. There isn’t much to trade away as is, so may as well try.

1AZFan1: Taking the series at Dodger Stadium was a good first step. Beyond that, it all comes down to where we’re at in the standings. If we’re within 3ish games of the Wild Card, I’d be good to buy. If we’re further than 5 games back, sell. The strange thing about this year’s Wild Card compared to just about every other year that we’ve been chasing it in this 3 W.C. system, is that all 3 slots are still in play. There isn’t 1 team running away with either of the top spots yet. Before games on Sunday, we are 3.5 games out of the 3rd slot and 5 games out of the 1st. Last year, after July 12th, the 1st Wild Card was 3 games clear of the 3rd Wild Card and the 2 years prior to that the 1st Wild Card was 4 games clear of the 3rd slot.

Dano_in_Tucson:See “Consistency,” above. The Doyers series this weekend is a strong start–despite all their terrifying bats and very expensive pitching, we are playing better team baseball than they are, by at least a mile. If we could continue to do that after the All Star Break and through the remainder of July, buying could actually make sense.

DbacksEurope: We shouldn’t be buyers but I can see Hazen filling a position with need with a player that would be in Arizona for more than just the rest of the season. That isn’t a bad strategy.

Pavin Smith has been DFA’d. Who would you like see take control of first base going forward?

James Attwood: Probably LuJames Groover or Jose Fernandez for now. If Tyler Locklear can ever get right again, I wouldn’t mind seeing him get another crack at it. I think the eventual answer to the position is probably not ready for the Majors yet though.

Justin: I dunno. Tawa.

Spencer: Vladdy? But seriously, Locklear. He’s earned it. If he fails, probably Groover then Fernandez? I haven’t been paying attention to who may be available in a trade, but my assumption is that’s the true answer.

1AZFan1: I’d like to see Tyler Locklear do it. I’m not positive why he hasn’t been given an opportunity yet considering the historic woefulness we’ve had at that position this year, but I really want to see him get another shot. Tawa had a great weekend and Vargas has a great glove, but they both have valuable gloves elsewhere (and I don’t trust Tawa to be quite that good rest of season). Locklear is the only major league ready guy in the system whose only viable defensive position is 1B. Plus, right now he’s hot. The last week, his OPS in Reno is 1.996! For the season, his batting average is now above .300 and he’s got his lowest K% over a sustained period of time in his career. I know he left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth from his stint with us last year, but his lack of positional flexibility compared with everyone else makes me want to know for certain if he can stick or if he’s organizational filler.

Dano_in_Tucson: For the love of god, ANYBODY! As of now, as I answer these questions while I wait for first pitch for the Sunday game, it seems like Tim Tawa is making a strong and emphatic case at the moment. If that continues, then great, the job is his. I suppose that, in the longer term, I’d probably want to see Locklear get another shot and do a good job and establish himself as our first baseman of the future, but really I just want someone to step up and demonstrate that they can (a) field the position and (b) contribute on offense in a way that is in line with what major league teams expect from their corner infielders. Doesn’t seem like that should be too much to ask for, but, well, here we are.

DbacksEurope: Paul Goldschmidt.

If you had the ability, what is one change you would make to All Star Week?

James Attwood: I haven’t been a fan of the ASG since 2003, so this is a hard one for me. I guess, as a fan of the sport that wants to grow the game for the fans, regardless of what the bean-counting suits want, I would make the entirety of the festivities free OTA.

Justin: Do away with the 3 on 3, team captains select the teams like a school yard team. Oh, you meant baseball…

Spencer: I would end it. It’s the most boring week of summer for me, especially with the Draft occurring while baseball still happens. I’d be fine with moving it to the end of season too, but it’s so uninteresting that I’d prefer to just remove it altogether. Create a new award for players and stop pretending like it’s something to care about.

1AZFan1: I think MLB’s All-Star Week is easily the best of the major sports leagues. The Home Run Derby is the main attraction and it gets all the big names, unlike the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest. The game itself is usually pretty good, too. Definitely better than the NFL’s flag football abomination. If I were to change anything, it would just be a tweak around the edges because it really is a good product right now. I saw Bryce Harper pitched using metal bats in the bonus round of the HR Derby which might be cool. I’d at least like to see it once to see if it’s value added.

Dano_in_Tucson: II don’t know that it would have even occurred to me to suggest this before 2026 arrived, but I would ensure that there were no All Star Week events (the game, the red carpet, the Home Run Derby, etc) that were gated behind streaming service paywalls. Put it all on broadcast television, ideally, so that anyone and everyone could watch, or at the very least give it to a universally available basic cable channel like ESPN. But giving the Home Run Derby to friggin’ Netflix? Eff you, Major League Baseball. Eff you.

DbacksEurope: With so many stats, add some more contests. Like a run the bases contest, furthest throws, running the outfield, best infield defence…there are many ways to enhance the days before the all star game beside the home run contest.

The lineups are here and that means the Phillies will have two names in the lineup when the All-Star Game gets underway.

Your NL ASG starting lineup pic.twitter.com/Kuj0PFm30f

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 13, 2026

Kyle Schwarber is going to lead off for the National League, a deserved spot for him. Brandon Marsh, the other Phillies offensive starter will be batting seventh.

The starter, as we know by now, will be Cristopher Sanchez, a guy who will get some national recognition with the assignment.