PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Fans react after Kyle Schwarber (not pictured) of the Philadelphia Phillies advances to the finals of the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia sports fans made headlines once again this week.
And this time, you should feel nothing but pride.
The story of All Star Week at Citizens Bank Park was not Jordan Walker’s incredible come-from-behind victory over the hometown slugging hero, Kyle Schwarber. It was not the American League’s 4-0 victory over the National League in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.
It was not Cristopher Sanchez’ rough inning of work, Jesus Luzardo’s pristine 4th, Jhoan Duran’s 9th inning cameo, nor anything Schwarber, Bryce Harper or Brandon Marsh did in the All Star Game.
No, you were the story.
You ruled All Star week in Philadelphia.
Whereas most All Star games are attended by a wide variety of fan bases, both marquee events this week felt intensely Philly. This was a mostly rabid hometown fanbase looking to will all players wearing red and white pinstripes to ridiculous success while at the same time booing the lifeblood from every other player in existence, save for Philly-natives Mike Trout and Kevin McGonigle.
As a result, Philadelphia fans turned a meaningless exhibition into a sporting spectacle that crackled with electricity. It gave a staid and, sometimes boring event, a playoff-type atmosphere.
We should have known it would be like that once Harper and Schwarber announced they would participate in the Derby in front of their home crowd. We should have known the fans in attendance would use all of their powers to try to rattle opposing participants and will their stars to victory.
Why doesn’t every fanbase do this?
The booing in this case was, of course, all in the spirit of competition and good fun. And to the credit of Wilson Contreras, Jordan Walker, and every other participant, they all understood the fans’ assignment. They realized what was happening and, instead of making a stink and shrinking from the moment, used it to motivate them to perform well.
"The boos were crazy, especially in the opening ceremony. It was so cool. I always like the saying, 'they don't boo nobodies.'"
Cardinals HR Derby Champ Jordan Walker gives credit to Philly fans: “I’ve never heard people cheer harder for Schwarber and Harper.” pic.twitter.com/OimL6l8BPD
Listen to the admiration in Walker’s voice. Every player would want to play in front of a fanbase like ours. Even players who exist in the so-called “Baseball Heaven” of St. Louis.
Coincidentally, these are the things the national media won’t post about when talking about Philly fans pic.twitter.com/zQgxPF6US3
— The Red Stripes Supporter Group (@TheRedStripesSG) July 14, 2026
These types of events are supposed to be entertaining. And while the All Star Game itself was a bit of a dud, with Phils hitters going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts and the entire NL lineup mustering just three hits and 15 strikeouts, the atmosphere coming into the game felt rich.
It was fun watching the fans boo every Met, Yankee, Dodger, Astro, Diamondback and Brave participant in the starting lineups. There is no safe quarter in Philly.
Phillies fans, I salute you. You made MLB's Home Run Derby and All Star Game feel like one of the most electric sporting events of 2026.
The A’s are calling up their No. 7-ranked prospect, third baseman Tommy White, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday evening. White, a former LSU standout and 2024 MLB Draft second-round pick, is set to make his big-league debut Friday against the Washington Nationals at Sutter Health Park, per Passan.
The A's are calling up third baseman Tommy White, sources tell ESPN. White, a star at LSU and second-round pick in 2024, is hitting .303/.353/.465 with 10 home runs and 64 RBIs this season. The 23-year-old is expected to make his debut Friday against Washington.
As Passan noted, White, 23, has raked between two levels in the minors this season. Since his promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas on April 27, White is slashing .303/.345/.489 with an .834 OPS.
White’s call-up comes as the A’s deal with a slew of injuries to their starting lineup, including third baseman Zack Gelof, who landed on the 10-day injured list last week with a right knee laceration after sliding into the fence against the Detroit Tigers.
While the move to bring White up isn’t official yet, the A’s did make a slew of other roster moves Wednesday. Right-hander Aaron Civale was designated for assignment, and third baseman Donovan Walton was activated, amongst other transactions.
They also selected the contract of No. 27 prospect prospect and right-handed pitcher Yunior Tur.
A's roster moves: – DFA Aaron Civale – Activate Donovan Walton – Select the contract of Yunior Tur – Mason Barnett optioned – Brian Serven optioned – Brady Basso recalled – Joey Meneses optioned
Looks like one more addition will be coming with four leaving and three arriving.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 05: Gary Sánchez #99 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the MLB game at Chase Field on July 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the start of the season, the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system was officially implemented into MLB games. This uses a full automated system based on Statcast data to challenge certain calls made by umpires. Now that we’re at the All-Star break, we have more than half a season of data to analyze about how teams are using their challenges. Let’s take a look at how the Brewers have been utilizing it.
MLB Overview
Between offense and defense, the distribution of challenges has been mostly even across MLB. There have been a total of 6,040 challenges using the ABS system so far this season. Here is the breakdown of those challenges.
2,810 challenges have been initiated by the batter. 1,345 (48%) of those were overturned.
3,230 challenges have been initiated by the defense (catcher or pitcher). 1,872 (58%) of those were overturned.
While this has been the average across MLB, variations within teams can be drastic. The Brewers have one of the more skewed use of challenges in their team. They have challenged 215 pitches across their 96 games. Here is their breakdown.
Of 66 challenges that have been initiated by the batter, 28 were overturned (42% success rate). That is the fewest number of challenges of any team in MLB. Their success rate ranks 23rd.
Of 149 challenges that have been initiated by the defense, 80 were overturned (54% success rate). That is the second-highest number of challenges of any team in MLB. Their success rate ranks 21st.
On a team level, the Brewers have not had the most success with challenges. They have chosen to let their catchers do the bulk of challenging, with 68.8% of their challenges made by the catcher. In fact, when it comes to the batters, one player is responsible for a significant number of batter challenges. Let’s talk about that first.
Batter Stats
First, let’s take a look at the Brewers’ challenges as a team. Here is an overview of their stats.
They have averaged 2.2 additional overturns versus the expected outcome for an average team. However, they have lost 1.9 run value versus the expected value.
They have had five strikeouts overturned due to challenges, last in the league. The Orioles lead this stat with 20 strikeouts overturned.
They have gained three additional walks from challenges, tied for second to last in the league. The Twins lead this stat with 15 additional walks.
Twice this season, a challenge has resulted in a strikeout on a full count being changed into a walk.
Their challenge rate on “challengeable” pitches is 2.7%. That is also last in the league, with the Rockies leading at 6.6%. A challengeable pitch for a batter is a called strike when the batting team has challenges remaining. (Exceptions are when a position player pitches, which is not challengeable, and if the ABS system malfunctions.)
Of their 66 challenges, 47 are considered “reasonable.” That 71% rate ranks seventh in MLB. Baseball Savant has a breakdown on what is considered reasonable. On a basic level, it’s either a call that is incorrect, a call that is correct but close enough and valuable enough to challenge, or a call that any player would reasonably challenge.
On the opposite side, they have had 355 reasonable opportunities to challenge. They have only challenged 13% of those, also last in MLB. The Astros challenge the most on reasonable opportunities, at 28%.
Now that we’ve taken a look at the overall stats for the team, let’s take a more detailed look at the individual batters.
Gary Sánchez
Despite being a part-time player, Sánchez has challenged the second-most pitches of any batter in MLB with 26 challenges. The leader in challenges is Sal Stewart of the Reds with 38. He also accounts for 39.4% of the challenges by batters for the Brewers.
Of those 26 challenges, he has won 10 and lost 16. That’s a success rate of 38%, compared to the MLB average of 48%.
He has a challenge rate of 17.2%, with an expected challenge rate of 4.8%. To clarify that a little further, what that means is when a pitch is challengeable, he will challenge 17.2% of the time. That is a little more than one out of every six pitches that is a called strike, while he would be expected to challenge around one out of every 20 called strikes.
Of his 26 challenges, only 13 (50%) have been considered reasonable. He has had 30 reasonable opportunities and challenged 43% of those.
Rest of Team
No other Brewers’ batter has challenged more than seven pitches. That batter is Sal Frelick, who has won two and lost five of his challenges.
Two batters have six challenges: Jake Bauers (three wins, three losses) and Garrett Mitchell (two wins, four losses).
Despite some struggles as a catcher, William Contreras has had success with his challenges as a batter. He’s challenged five pitches and won four of those.
For the rest of the team, no other batter has more than three challenges.
Catcher Stats
Let’s take a look at the catcher stats now. They have accounted for significantly more challenges on the team, and appear to be the focus for challenge usage.
Note: One pitcher challenge for the Brewers is included in these numbers, as they are for the fielding team as a whole and not just the catchers. That will be discussed a little more later.
They have averaged 9.9 fewer overturns versus the expected outcome for an average team. That is 24th in MLB. However, they have gained 3.0 run value versus the expected value, which is fourth in MLB.
They have added an additional 19 strikeouts from challenges, tied for eighth most in MLB. They have also eliminated six walks, tied for 12th.
There have been five instances where a full-count walk was flipped into a strikeout, which contributes to a significant part of their gained run value. A flipped call in this instance can easily by worth over a half run of value.
Of their 149 challenges, 68% of them are considered reasonable.
They have had 323 reasonable pitches to challenge, and have challenged 32% of those.
Let’s take a look at each of the catchers and what their rates look like.
William Contreras
As the primary catcher, Contreras has most of the challenges for the Brewers on defense. He has initiated 111 challenges so far this season, challenging 3.4% of challengeable pitches.
Not only is that the most on the Brewers, it’s the most in MLB. The second most challenges by a catcher is from Tyler Stephenson of the Reds, who has 85 challenges.
Of Contreras’ 111 challenges, he has won 58 and lost 53. That is a success rate of 52%, which is well below the league average of 59%. Compared to catchers with at least 10 challenges, his success rate is 60th out of 75.
He also has one of the lowest value ratings on those challenges. Compared to expected overturns, he has 9.2 less than an average catcher seeing the same pitches. He has also lost 3.8 runs versus the expected rate for a catcher.
Of his 111 challenges, 74 have been considered reasonable, which is a 67% rate. He has also had 246 reasonable opportunities and challenged 30% of those.
Gary Sánchez
Sánchez has had his own set of opportunities, with 35 challenges so far this season. He’s much more reasonable with his challenges as a catcher, also challenging 3.4% of challengeable pitches.
His success rate has been better, with 20 won and 15 lost. That is a success rate of 57%, still below MLB average but much closer to it.
Overall, this season, he has 0.6 less overturns than the expected rate for a catcher seeing the same pitches. He also has 1.0 runs lost versus the expected rate for a catcher.
Of his 35 challenges, 26 have been considered reasonable, which is a 74% rate. He has also had 70 reasonable opportunities and challenged 27% of those.
Jeferson Quero
Not to be forgotten, Quero has had a few chances as well in his very limited time, He has two challenges so far this season and won both. One of those resulted in changing a call to a strikeout.
Both of his challenges were considered reasonable. He has had seven reasonable opportunities and challenged two.
Pitcher Challenges
When it comes to challenges by a pitcher, these are rare. Not only is it rare for the Brewers, but it’s also rare for the league as a whole. Across the entire season so for, there have been a total of 6,040 ABS challenges. Only 109 of those have been initiated by a pitcher. So far, that has been the correct call. Of those 109 challenges, only 40 of them were overturned — a 37% success rate.
The pitcher who has initiated the most challenges is former Brewer Freddy Peralta, who has challenged six pitches and has a 50% success rate. The Brewers have a grand total of one ABS challenge initiated by a pitcher. That was done by Abner Uribe, and he lost that challenge.
Triple-A Stats
Baseball Savant also has tracked the stats of ABS challenges for Triple-A teams this season. The overall data is pretty similar there, but Nashville has seen more activity than the Brewers. Here’s a quick look at their numbers.
Batters have initiated 105 challenges. Of those, 45 were overturned (43% success rate). That is tied for the fifth-most challenges in Triple-A. Their success rate ranks 21st.
Catchers have initiated 128 challenges. Of those, 73 were overturned (57% success rate). That is the tied for the fourth most challenges of any team in Triple-A. Their success rate is 14th.
Challenges are better distributed among the Triple-A batters. Luke Adams has challenged the most pitches with 15 (eight won, seven lost). Jett Williams is second with 14 challenges (five won, nine lost).
It’s also an even divide between Jeferson Quero and Ramón Rodríguez for their challenges. Quero has challenged 50 pitches (31 won, 19 lost). Rodriguez has challenged 57 (35 won, 22 lost). Both have significantly more overturns then expected (15.0 for Quero, 13.3 for Rodriguez) but have a small net run loss despite that.
No pitchers have challenged for Nashville.
Conclusion
The Brewers have not made the best use of the ABS challenge system so far this season. Their philosophy has been focused on using challenges to get better results for their pitchers. So far, there have been growing pains with the system. They are taking their opportunities to challenge, but it hasn’t paid off the best. It’s still the first season with the system in full usage, though. Given more time, they may figure out better timing on challenges and better ways to utilize it, which will further help the team as a whole.
Note: All stats pulled from the Baseball Savant section of MLB.com.
CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 02: Florida pitcher Liam Peterson (12) pitches in the fourth inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Florida Gators on March 2, 2024, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Time to review the collection of young players the Guardians snagged in the 2026 MLB draft:
“6-foot-5, 225 pounds and throws from a steep vertical arm slot. He throws a high-carry four-seam fastball that averages around 96 mph and has been up to 100. His fastball has clear plus traits and power, but he needs to improve his command to avoid throwing middle-middle heaters that get hit hard. All three of his secondaries are standout swing-and-miss pitches. He has obvious upside potential as a starter, but will need to make strides with his control and command to stick in that role.”
ESPN said:
“Peterson was in the mix at a lot of picks before the No. 19 spot where he was eventually selected. His physical ability — 6-foot-5, up to 101 mph, three-above average off-speed pitches — is substantial and with another tick of fastball command, he could be a frontline starter.”
Keith Law of the Athletic said: “Cleveland landed some of the best pure stuff in the draft here. …He’s 93-98 with a plus slider and 55 curveball and I think his changeup could easily end up an above-average pitch as well.”
“Schmidt has a 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame and an easy, repeatable delivery that features a three-quarters slot and a consistently balanced finish. He has a starter’s operation and advanced feel to spot a three-pitch mix. After touching 97 mph on the 2025 circuit, Schmidt pushed his fastball up to 98 during his senior spring season and was consistently throwing the pitch in the mid 90s. He attacks the zone with his fastball and can locate it to both sides of the plate to get ahead in counts and set up his secondaries. Against righties, Schmidt is confident in a mid-to-upper-80s changeup that he sells with great arm speed and has above-average potential.”
Keith Law said: “Simplifying his pitch mix and cleaning up his delivery could make him a mid-rotation starter.”
“He’s a 6-foot, 190-pound outfielder with dynamic speed and one of the best center field gloves in the class. Broussard missed time early in 2026 with a hamstring injury but hit .344/.436/.472 in 44 games while stealing 25 bases. Broussard has an old-school leadoff skill set, with a hit-over-power profile and plenty of speed. He added a bit of strength and traded some contact for power in 2026 but still profiles as a 50-55 pure hitter with below-average game power. Broussard is a 70-grade runner who creates pressure on infield defenses and opposing batteries. He’s a high-volume and efficient basestealer who went 56-for-64 (88%) in two years at Houston. Broussard is one of the better center field defenders in the class.”
“He’s a 6-foot-2, 220-pound lefthanded hitter with a buttery smooth lefthanded swing and sound approach. He has a quiet setup and a low-maintenance swing with a slight uphill path but an all-fields approach and a knack for the barrel. He can drive the ball with solid power to both gaps and has gotten to consistent pullside home run power with metal bats, but his wood bat track record is more limited, and his raw power could be more conducive to a hit-over-power profile. That could make his defensive profile a challenge, as Lewis is a below-average runner and more of a first base defender than a third baseman.”
ESPN said:
Lewis (fourth round) is the most polished of the high picks from the college side. If everything works out just right, he might be a 55-grade hitter with 55-grade power who can play a decent third base, but otherwise he’ll be something like a league-average hitter at first base who can fill the most valuable side of a platoon.
Moore boasts elite bat to ball metrics. He put up a whiff rate of 11.8% in 2025, paired with a sub 8% strikeout rate, both some of the better in the entire draft class. It’s a slappy swing from the left side with a knack for contact and a strong ability to foul of pitches. Moore’s speed plays in a huge way. It’s comfortably 70 grade speed, and it’ll help him garner extra bases that most other wouldn’t. He’s one of the better base stealers in all of college baseball. Power hasn’t been a huge part of Moore’s game so far, it’s well below average at this point, but there could be more he could squeeze out of his lean frame further down the road. In the outfield, Moore projects as a plus glove in center field. He takes clean routes to the ball, covering a ton of ground with his double plus speed.
Lachance creates well-above-average raw power that plays to all fields with a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his massive 6-foot-5, 231-pound frame. He has a sound right-handed swing but his 36 percent chase rate ranked among the highest in NCAA Division I and is a cause for concern. He’s extremely vulnerable against breaking balls out of the zone but hammers curveballs and sliders that venture over the plate.
Questionable if he can stay at catcher defensively. Keith Law said: “This is a great gamble for the sixth round with an outside chance he becomes a regular.”
Sims has some of the highest upside in the class, and many expected him to head to Oklahoma after he wasn’t selected on Day 1. The Guardians are hoping to capitalize on the potential of the 6-foot-8 righty who touches triple digits on his fastball and still has room to fill out his frame. Getting his long limbs in sync and finding consistency on his slider and changeup remain a work in progress, but his arm speed is hard to find.
ESPN said:
Sims will regularly throw 100 mph someday, possibly soon, and is 6-foot-8 with a nice delivery, even if his pitch shapes aren’t elite.
8th Round – Matt Scott, RHP, Georgia, 6’7, 241 kbs
Extra-large, athletic frame wiht broad shoulders and present strength throughout, additional room to grow moving forward. Right-handed pitcher, big rock step moving into a leg lift up above belt, balanced on backside over the rubber; hook to arm action through the back but plenty of quickness while working to a three-quarters release point. Fastball topped out at 93 mph and lived in the low-90s, creates big extension out front and shows sinking life to the bottom of the zone. Slider up to 84 mph with late, short bite to it and tunnels the pitch well out of the hand, playing off of fastball nicely. Flashed a changeup at 82 mph with occasional fade to arm side. Sound and under control delivery, repeats it well.
RHP with a 6-6 225 lb. frame from Bronx, NY who attends Cardinal Spellman. Big and strong physical build with the potential to get stronger. Pretty simple turn and throw delivery, slow paced and under control. Fastball was in the mid-80’s with good running life at times, complimented his fastball with a slurve type breaking ball that flashed good depth. Change up has similar running life to his fastball and mimics the pitch well. Has the ability to mix his pitches and keep hitters off balance.
10th Round – Ryan Bilka, RHP, Miami, 6’1, 208 lbs
Perfect Game said:
Tall and lean athletic build with plenty of room to get stronger. Two-way prospect who graded out better at this event as a right handed pitcher. Has sound mechanics on the mound with a high 3/4’s arm slot and good direction and energy to the plate, repeats his mechanics well. Steady mid-80’s fastball, showed good command to both sides of the plate and challenged hitters with the pitch. Slider was a quality second pitch with good power and sharpness from the same slot as his fastball.
Bean is an impressive athlete who has the delivery, control and arsenal to profile as a high-probability starter. Bean sits in the 92-94 mph range with his four-seam fastball and has been up to 97, but his velocity this spring has been a bit up and down.His secondaries include an upper-80s short slider, a low-80s curveball and a mid-80s changeup.
12th Round – Ben Cleary, RHH INF, Santa Clara, 6’0, 200 lbs
Baseball America said:
Cleary is a contact hitter through and through. He stays within the strike zone and does an excellent job putting the barrel on the ball against any pitch type or velocity, with a 90% in-zone contact rate in 2026. The few home runs he has hit in college have gone to the pull side, but Cleary’s raw power is modest and he’s unlikely to grow into significantly more in the future. Middle infield defensive value should help curb the limitations of his offensive impact.
Dessens is a touch aggressive and doesn’t walk much, but he hammers fastballs and makes a lot of contact against high-level velocity, with more muted production and contact skills against secondaries. Dessens hits the ball hard and should have solid in-game gap power. He’s also a solid runner, but might not have the speed required for center field
14th Round – Carson Lane, RHP, UNLV, 6’3, 210 lbs
Not a lot out there but pitched in a tough environment and still got lots of whiffs. He gets good extension which the Guardians, of course, love.
He is one of the hardest hitters in the country to strike out. He’s never struck out more than 6.2% of the time in a single season and owns a career 5.4% strikeout rate, but he also expands the zone freely and offers little on-base value beyond the singles and doubles he collects when he puts the ball in play. He also has well-below-average raw power and might never hit more than five homers a season with a wood bat. Garza is a below-average runner and has started at third base for three seasons.
Works from a full windup with a full arm path in back, high 3/4’s arm slot, has easy arm speed and a clean release. Fastball topped out at 88 mph, lots more velocity there as he matures, gets some carry up in the zone. Curveball has downer shape and he showed very good feel for the pitch and landed it for strikes on any count.
Not much out there but he’s from Xenia, Ohio and struck out a bunch of guys in college. Throws low 90’s with the fastball.
19th Round – Zac Cowan, LHP, LSU, 5’11, 211 lbs
Baseball America said: “Cowan throws a fastball that sits around 90 mph and will touch 93, and uses a low-80s changeup as his go-to secondary and best overall pitch.”
Tall and slender frame with longer limbs and big projection. A primary pitcher, fluid and loose delivery with athletic movements that sequence well. Full and clean arm stroke with a 3/4 release and good extension at release. Good angle to the fastball and gets arm side run, works down and moves the ball around. 1-7 shape to the breaking ball with tight spin and plays off the fastball well. Confident in the changeup with similar design to the fastball.
Undrafted Free Agents Announced So Far: Tyler Albanese, RHP, San Jose State, Pablo Figueroa, RHP, Central Point Christian Academy, Kellen Montgomery, RHP, UC Santa Barbara, Heath Andrews, RHP, NCSU, Cooper Carlgren, RHP, Lamar.
You can read Baseball America scouting reports here and reviews of the Guardians’ draft class here. Well-worth the subscription. You can read what Kiley McDaniel of ESPN said here.
For my own part, I love that the Guardians got a lot of big, strong pitchers. I can’t wait to see what their development group can do with that kind of clay. I also like LaChance a lot, and don’t see why he couldn’t be a big RHH stick at first base if catching doesn’t work out. If I had to make one prediction, it would be that Matt Scott will become a high leverage reliever for the Guardians in fairly short order. Let me know what you think of this year’s draft class in the comments below!
AMARILLO, TX - JUNE 03: Demetrio Crisantes #3 of the Amarillo Sod Poodles looks on during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Hodgetown on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by Elisa Chavez/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Introduction
In the Arizona Diamondbacks nearly 30 years of existence, only eleven players in the organizations history were born in Arizona. However. just one of those players was drafted, developed, and made their MLB debut with the Diamondbacks. That player is right handed pitcher Charles Brewer, who was born in Paradise Valley, attended school in Scottsdale at Chaparral High School, choosing to attend UCLA after being drafted by the Angels in 2006. Instead, Brewer would spend three years pitching for UCLA, and would sign his first professional contract after his home town Diamondbacks took him in 12th round of the 2009 draft. Brewer would spend four years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Dbacks in 2013. Brewer’s MLB career was brief, pitching just six innings across four games with those 2013 Diamondbacks.
Technically, since Brewer played for UCLA prior to being drafted, no native Arizonan pitcher or hitter has spent the entirety of their amateur career inside the state, before being drafted and later debuting with the Diamondbacks. As far as I could tell from the cursory bit of research I did, it does appear that no Arizona born NBA, WNBA, NHL, or NFL player has accomplished the equivalent feat in their sport either. Editor’s note: the Phoenix Suns Koa Peat was brought to my attention in the comments. He would be the only other player to qualify in this discussion.
So on that note, I think it would be more than fair to say that Arizona sports has never really had a true homegrown player that has stuck around long enough to become part of the zeitgeist. I mention all of that, because that may change on the near future thanks to a young second base prospect in the Diamondbacks farm system who’s getting very close to MLB ready status, Demetrio Crisantes. Crisantes isn’t just a fringe minor leaguer either, as we’ll discuss in this article, he might end up being the team’s top minor league prospect entering the 2027 season.
Background
Demetrio Miguel Crisantes was born on September 5, 2004 in Tucson, Arizona. He grew up a little further south of Tucson, in Nogales, just north of the US-Mexico border. Crisantes was a standout for the Nogales High Aggies at shortstop. Although he had a strong commitment to the University of Arizona, the Diamondbacks drafted Crisantes seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft (198th overall) by signing him for $425,000, significantly higher than the $247,200 slot value.
Here’s a video about Crisantes that was published right before the 2022 draft about his draft prospects, which goes into further detail on his Amateur career.
Professional Career
Crisantes made his professional debut the following year in the 2023 season. In 29 games in the Arizona Complex League, all at designated hitter, Crisantes hit .347.417/.465 with a 126 wRC+ and .420 wOBA.
Crisantes returned to the complex for another 29 games to start off the 2024 season, where he’d hit .355/.431/.521 with 441 wOBA and 144 wRC+. That performance earned Crisantes a promotion to the A ball level Visalia Rawhide. In 63 games for Visalia, Crisantes hit .333/.429/.478 with a 146 wRC+ and .427 wOBA. Combined across the two levels, Crisantes walked 12.5% of the time while striking out only 15.7% of the time, while stealing 30 bases. (I suppose it’s also worth mentioning that although he did continue to DH, he played at first, second, and thirdbase).
Highlights of Crisantes 2024 season are in the video below:
2025 was a lost season for Crisantes, with an injury limiting him to just 34 games and 151 plate appearances for the High A level Hillsboro Hops. However, he’d still put up above average numbers in the pitcher friendly Northwestern League, hitting .252/.358/.415 with a .354 wOBA and a 111 wRC+.
Crisantes began the 2026 season on the injury list once again, thanks to a hamstring injury in spring training As a result, he wouldn’t begin his season until May 19th, when he was activated for a rehab assignment, beginning with three games with the ACL D-backs, followed by four with the Hillsboro Hops, before finally being activated on June 2nd with the AA level Amarillo Sod Poodles. In his three game stint in the Complex League, Crisantes went 1 for 7 with a double, three walks, and three strikeouts. In his four game stint in the Northwestern league, Crisantes went 4 for 13 with two doubles, two HRs, three walks, and five strikeouts.
Through his first 32 games in Amarillo, Crisantes hit .306/.393/.532 with twelve doubles doubles, a pair of triples, and four homeruns. That works out to a 121 wRC+ and a .407 wOBA. He’s walked 10.3% of the time, while striking out a very reasonable 17.2% rate. The biggest highlight of Crisantes time in AA so far has been when he hit for the cycle on June 28th, which I’ve included in a highlight video below.
Across the three levels in 2026, Crisantes has hit .299/.398/.542 with a .414 wOBA and 127 wRC+ in the 39 games played. He’s walked in 12.3 percent of his plate appearances, while striking out 19.3 percent of the time.
Scouting Reports/Prospect Rankings
Entering 2026, Baseball America had Crisantes as the Diamondbacks number three ranked prospect, and giving him the following scouting grades:
In addition, BA’s Scouting Report had the following to say:
Crisantes has a simple, repeatable swing that allows him to generate hard contact at good angles. Though the raw thump he produces isn’t plus, his tight launch angle distribution suggests a hitter who can maximize the power he has at his disposal. He rarely swings and misses and showed an improved approach in 2025 before his injury. Scouting looks were limited during his abbreviated season, but evaluators and D-backs officials said Crisantes’ defensive play at second base has improved. His arm remains below-average but most see the total defensive package as good enough—assuming that he provides above-average production at the plate. He is a fringe-average runner.
Entering 2026, MLB Pipeline had Crisantes as the Diamondbacks number four ranked prospect, with the following scouting grades, while giving him a 50 future overall.
He runs a simple operation in the box, slightly lowering his hands and lifting his leg to start his load without overcomplicating matters. The result is a lot of contact when he swings, and he barely misses on anything in the zone. Synergy had his in-zone contact rate at 93 percent in 2025. A lot of that contact is in the air too, helping him make the most of his limited raw power. How the pop responds to the shoulder and year-long layoff will be worth following in ’26. An average runner, Crisantes is expected to be a primary second baseman moving forward with enough range to work up the middle but a limited arm.
Over on the Athletic, Crisantes was ranked at #4. No scouting grades were included but Keith Law did have the following to say:
Crisantes was on the top 100 a year ago, and still has the best pure hit tool in the system, but his 2025 season ended after 34 games when he tore the labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, finishing with a .252/.358/.415 line in his High-A debut. That comes on top of Tommy John surgery when he was in high school, which had to be redone because the first surgery didn’t take, so he just hasn’t played all that much over the last three years.
Finally, over on Fangraphs.com, Crisantes was ranked as the organization’s fifth ranked prospect, with the following scouting grades (future/present value):
The author of Fangraphs Dbacks 2026 top prospect list, Brendan Gawlawski had the following to say:
Crisantes has a case as the best pure hitter in the D-backs system. He’s quick to the ball with a manipulable bat path that lets him barrel pitches all over the zone. He makes a ton of contact, tends to hit it in the air, and while he doesn’t have big raw power, the quality of his contact should allow him to chip in his share of extra base hits. He’s also got a very mature approach for his age. Visually, his zone control and pitch recognition were plus in my look, and the numbers bear this out. Crisantes had one of the lowest miss rates in the org and the very lowest on pitches in the heart of the plate. The huge jump from his overall swing rate to his swing rate on pitches out over the middle is also very encouraging, and highlights the selective aggressiveness you love to see. An average runner, Crisantes is also a good defender. He doesn’t have enough arm for the left side, but his instincts and ability to make accurate throws from different positions warrants an above-average projection at second.
In terms of my own evaluations, Crisantes might be one of the best pure hitters I’ve seen come up through the Diamondbacks farm system, and I agree with the statement that he has the best hit tool in the farm system. He’s got a very quick and compact swing that’s very repeatable, with a surprising amount of power for a guy his size. His weakest tool is absolutely the throwing arm, which I would say precludes playing him at third base. On top of that, his long term health is a major concern considering his history. I expect Crisantes to be in AAA Reno by the end of the year for a few game cup of coffee, and I then would expect him to reach the major league level by the end of next season. In my own prospect rankings I likely will end up having him as the Diamondbacks top prospect entering the 2027 season, as the players who have appeared at the MLB level with the Dbacks this year should no longer qualify for the most part. After prospect graduations, I would expect Crisantes to appear at or near the top of the Dbacks top prospect rankings, and to appear on a few MLB top 100 prospects lists.
Joe DeMayo welcomes New York, New York's John Jastremski as guest co-host to deliver the latest episode of The Mets Pod, which looks ahead to the trade deadline and looks back on the MLB Draft with Mets VP of Amateur & International Scouting Kris Gross.
First up, Joe and JJ dive into the Mets' recent struggles, the issues with Francisco Lindor,all kinds of potential trade possibilities, plus stories about Juan Soto and the All-Star Game.
Later, Joe catches up with Gross for an in-depth recap of the Mets' 2026 draft class, and then the show wraps with Joe and JJ answering Mailbag questions about trades, the best rookie for the Mets this season, and undrafted free agents.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 10: Spencer Steer #7 of the Cincinnati Reds walks out to the field during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 10, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You remember when the Cincinnati Reds hitt he rebuild button with a sledgehammer, right? Back when they shipped away Sonny Gay, Luis Castillo, Jesse Winker, & Co. in search of greener pastures and a ‘sustainable’ future?
Man, it often feels like just yesterday. It’s about to feel like tomorrow though, too.
As the last place Reds emerge from the All Star break, that rebuild is in dire need of being rebuilt again already. That 2022 season saw Cincinnati also deal away pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins, a deal that commanded the since-DFA’d Christian Encarnacion-Strand as well as the infinitely versatile Spencer Steer – the latter of whom actually made his big league debut that very season.
There was initially hope that Steer would turn out to be something significant, what with his rock-solid 2023 performance. The reality, though, is that across over 2350 PA in his career, he’s the owner of an almost perfectly average 102 OPS+. Across the 2024-2026 seasons (nearly 1600 PA), that dips just a slightly below-average 98 OPS+ and 99 wRC+, numbers that are more or less in-line with what he’s doing this year (103 OPS+, 103 wRC+).
If that isn’t the definition of ‘settling into who you are as a hitter,’ I do know know what is.
He walks a bit over 9% of the time, which is good. He strikes out 21-22% of the time, which is just fine. He’s a solid baserunner, knows how to barrel a ball pretty well despite subpar bat speed, and his defense – hardly his calling card – is still somehow adaptable enough that he was a Gold Glove finalist at 1B in 2025 and found himself in CF most of last week.
Settling in as a super-utility guy is fine for a club. Most good clubs desperately need that, in fact. But the thing about ‘settling in’ when it comes to baseball is that it’s a finite experience by design – free agency inches closer, salaries jump higher, and all of a sudden teams are paying what they’d like to pay for star production for guys who are the malleable bits on the roster.
Because baseball’s arbitration process values arcane/concrete things like homers, RBI, and steals – three things that a mostly healthy Steer has compiled with aplomb despite middling rate stats over the years – he’s already making $4 million in his first arb year this year. He’ll get two raises on that in 2027 and 2028 years that he’s team-controlled, all that despite having accrued just a grand total of 3.4 fWAR/2.6 bWAR since the start of the 2024 season.
That’s hardly jumping off the page, even if it doesn’t value things like ‘you can hold your nose defensively with him at time because there’s value in him giving so many other guys a needed day-off.‘
Almost by design, the Reds have already painted over Steer. You’d almost think that if any one of the litany of hitters they acquired in the last rebuild had actually hit the ground running (i.e. CES, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, etc.) he might have already been traded away by now. But his work at 1B has been swallowed up by the need to play Sal Stewart there since Stewart’s ability to play 3B has been thwarted by the signing of Eugenio Suarez and the long-term acquisition of Ke’Bryan Hayes. If you can’t play a player at his best position because there’s someone better that needs to play there, well, your roster construction has hit a total snag.
TJ Friedl being horrendous, Noelvi Marte floundering again, and both Blake Dunn and Dane Myers getting hurt have opened time for Steer to be a mostly full-time OF for the time being. It’s a great showcase for ‘he’s doing it’ whether it’s actually a showcase of ‘he can do it,’ but perhaps that’s intriguing to other clubs out there. So much so that Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier in the week that clubs were eyeing Steer as a potential trade target. His work against LHP this season (.333/.436/.603 in 95 PA) seems to be standing out as much as anything, as teams across the league are in desperate search for such a commodity.
Don’t believe me? Check this MLB.com preview of team needs at the deadline and search for ‘right-handed bat.’ Each of the Red Sox, Guardians, Mariners, Tigers, Marlins, and Phillies are listed with that very same need, and while each of them have openings in various places around the infield, that’s precisely what makes Steer so damn attractive right now – he can, in theory, play pretty much any of them.
Seemingly the only real case against trading him right now, barring an acceptable return, is that he’s too important to the team and he’s got two more years of team control, maybe they’ll be good by then! The latter is constantly debatable since this is the Cincinnati Reds with the same front office they’ve always had we’re talking about here. The former, though, is something of a tell – if a guy who’s the literal definition of average offensively and slightly sub-par defensively across the board is too valuable to the roster, the roster’s in a pretty damn awful state, right?
Right?
If, and only if, the Reds commit to cutting Hayes and eating that contract, if the Reds call time on Marte the way they did on CES and Rece Hinds, if the Reds non-tender TJ Friedl and concede McLain is a bench-glove, and then if they commit to spending actual good money this winter via free agency and trades to back a five-man rotation of Hunter Greene, Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and Rhett Lowder heading into 2027, I will acknowledge that dealing Steer doesn’t need to happen. The only thing needy about even discussing this is that it’s the Reds we’re talking about, who won’t go spend or push in chips in trades this winter to actually try to win within the next two years – other teams with a guy like Steer at this point in his career would gladly start him 5 times a week (as many as they can against LHP) and bat him 7th or 8th and be happy about it.
That’s not the scenario in which this club operates, however. They have committed to flipping guys when they get expensive for younger ones, and Steer – who’ll turn 29 this December – has already become one of the older guys who has the league’s spotlight turned his particular way.
I don’t like advocating for it necessarily, as I do think he’s a perfectly fine complementary piece. On the Reds, though, he’s been tasked with being so much more, and that’s simply not working on a team 9 games under .500 and mired in last place. So, you move him, in my humble opinion, and begin the process of spending the ~$6 or so million you’d otherwise be spending on him next year in another way.
(For an interesting thought piece, now consider JJ Bleday, who also has two years of team control remaining after this year…)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Ben Grable #39 of the New York Yankees on the American League Team signs autographs at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every year, after the coffers are refilled through the draft, it is a good time to take a look at where the organization’s depth stands. Over the last few seasons, the Yankees have promoted several of their top prospects and used their farm system depth to acquire pieces at the Trade Deadline. Coming into this season, many evaluators ranked New York’s farm system in the bottom third of baseball. The system was also seen as top-heavy, with a drop-off after the first four players and then another big drop from the sixth slot down.
The draft is not going to fix those flaws over one weekend, but it is a starting point. Prior to the draft, the farm system was particularly thin at catcher and among position players in general. Other than top prospect George Lombard Jr. and the injured Dax Kilby, the Yankees desperately needed an infusion of mitts and sticks.
Brian Cashman and the rest of the front office addressed that need by using two of the team’s first five picks on catchers, adding Brendan Brock out of Oklahoma in the third round and Bear Harrison of Texas A&M, in the fifth. The Yankees do not currently have a catcher ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects, as they’ve used their previously compiled depth in various trades over the past couple years. In the past, the team has often turned to the international signing period to add catching talent. The current lack of depth appears to have pushed the organization toward adding some domestic talent to the pipeline as well.
Other than the previously mentioned Lombard and Kilby, the only other Yankees position player prospect ranked in the organization’s MLB Pipeline top 10 is Spencer Jones. Putting it nicely, the organization is thin as a rail when it comes to hitters.
In addition to the two catchers, the Yankees added rock-solid outfielder Paul Gutierrez Contreras II from Cal State Fullerton in the fourth round. They then dipped into the high school ranks to select third baseman Andrew Gonzalez out of Americas High School in Texas in the sixth and returned to the prep ranks in the 13th and 15th round for outfielder Lee Garris and shortstop William Cutshall. Look for any draft slot value surplus go toward adding these talented young hitters and convincing them to go pro; despite the rounds where they were taken, there’s likely a higher ceiling on both than many of the collegiate players from the back half of the first 10 rounds. This is always the calculus with the modern MLB Draft. As of now, Garris and Cutshall are on the verge of signing, but Gonzalez could take time.
Luke Pettitte, a two-way player and son of former Yankees great Andy Pettitte, was selected in the eighth round out of Dallas Baptist. Many evaluators believe he projects better as a pitcher, but Pettitte performed well as a designated hitter last season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. It would be a surprise to see any of these position players initially crack the organization’s top 10, but a few could land in the teens, with several others potentially filling out the back end of the top 30 prospects list.
If there was one area where the Yankees already had some depth, it was on the mound. Prior to the start of the season, the Yankees had more pitchers ranked among their top 30 prospects than any other organization, with 21. That was particularly true among right-handers, who made up six of the organization’s top 10 prospects including three of the top five in Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, and 2024 first-rounder Ben Hess. This is not even counting Ben Grable who recently went to the Futures Game to showcase his 96.1 mph with his four-seamer that produces about 21 inches of induced vertical break.
Despite being stick-thin, literally, the Yankees opted to use their first two picks on pitchers. However, both were lefties with high ceilings who fell to the Yankees’ draft slots, at least in part, because of injury concerns.
Hunter Dietz is a big lefty out of Arkansas, while Sean Duncan is a prep arm from British Columbia. Dietz, like most first-round picks, projects to slot into the organization’s top 10 prospects and will likely be the team’s top ranked lefty , while Duncan could debut somewhere in the teens. The team also added a few right-handers in the first 10 rounds, selecting Michael Harpster out of East Tennessee State in the seventh and David Leslie from Pittsburgh in the ninth.
The back half of the draft has been fruitful for the Yankees lately, with Ben Rice serving as the most obvious example, but after the 10th round, players become much harder to project. A few names to keep an eye on over the next several years include shortstop Anthony Potestio, right-hander Garrett Ahern, and first baseman Tyce Armstrong.
When you consistently pick near the back end of the first round, it is difficult to infuse top-end talent into the farm system through the draft. It appears the Yankees focused on the best value available with their first two selections before making a somewhat-concerted effort to address organizational depth, especially at catcher. The sticks remain thin for now, but the pitching pipeline has a few more names ready to slot in and begin climbing the rankings.
In case you missed it, check out Pinstripe Alley’s full draft coverage!
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros talks to the media before the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Houston Astros/Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As Major League Baseball reaches the All-Star break, Astros fans have every reason to celebrate what has been another remarkable season from Yordan Alvarez.
He’s not just putting together another All-Star campaign.
He’s making a legitimate case to be the American League’s Most Valuable Player.
While much of the attention over the next few weeks will center on the trade deadline and what additions Dana Brown might make to strengthen Houston’s roster, another question is quietly looming in the background, one that could ultimately shape the future of the franchise.
Will Yordan Alvarez finish his career as a Houston Astro?
At the moment, both sides are saying all the right things.
Alvarez has repeatedly expressed his desire to spend his entire career in Houston. From the organization’s standpoint, there has been no indication that the Astros are looking to move arguably the most feared hitter in the American League.
That’s exactly what Astros fans want to hear.
But words are one thing.
Long-term commitments are another.
History tells us that Jim Crane is one of baseball’s smartest and most disciplined owners. He’s also shown time and again that he has a financial line he’s unwilling to cross, regardless of how popular or accomplished the player may be.
We’ve seen this story before.
The Astros let Gerrit Cole leave in free agency rather than match the record-setting contract he received from the Yankees. George Springer departed for Toronto. Carlos Correa eventually moved on after Houston refused to meet his long-term demands. More recently, Kyle Tucker was traded because the organization understood the type of contract he would eventually command and made the difficult decision to move him before reaching that point. Alex Bregman shuffled off to Boston with hardley a finger lifted by Crane and the team.
None of those decisions were made because the Astros didn’t value those players.
They were made because Jim Crane believed the long-term financial commitment outweighed the potential return.
That brings us back to Yordan Alvarez.
Will Crane view him differently?
Will he break from the organizational philosophy that has defined the Astros for nearly a decade and commit to the type of contract required to keep one of baseball’s premier hitters in Houston for the rest of his career?
Or will Alvarez eventually become the next franchise cornerstone to either leave in free agency or be traded before reaching that point?
It’s an uncomfortable question, but it’s one Astros fans should begin thinking about.
Emotionally, the answer is easy.
Every Astros fan wants Alvarez to retire in Houston. Players with his combination of power, patience, and ability to change a game with one swing simply don’t come along very often.
The business side, however, isn’t nearly as simple.
History has shown that massive, long-term contracts often become burdens before they become bargains.
Albert Pujols is perhaps the most obvious example. After signing one of the richest contracts in baseball history, injuries and declining production prevented him from replicating the superstar numbers that earned him the deal in the first place.
Mike Trout has remained one of the greatest players of his generation, yet injuries have dramatically limited his availability over the past several seasons.
Even Shohei Ohtani’s unprecedented contract carries risk. While he’s still an elite hitter, the Dodgers signed him expecting a two-way superstar. Injuries have significantly reduced his ability to contribute on the mound.
Aaron Judge has continued to perform at an MVP level when healthy, but even he has battled injuries that have forced the Yankees to navigate lengthy stretches without their biggest star.
That’s the challenge every front office faces.
You’re not paying for what a player has already accomplished.
You’re paying for what you believe he’ll do over the next eight, 10, or even 12 years.
Those projections rarely age as well as fans hope.
That doesn’t mean Yordan Alvarez isn’t worth keeping.
Far from it.
He’s one of the rare players capable of carrying an offense for weeks at a time and changing the trajectory of a season almost single-handedly. Players like him are incredibly difficult—if not impossible—to replace.
The question isn’t whether Astros fans want him to stay.
The question is whether Jim Crane is willing to make the kind of financial commitment he has consistently avoided throughout his ownership.
His track record suggests caution.
His heart may tell him one thing.
His business instincts have historically told him another.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Astros remain focused on chasing another championship. But once this season comes to an end, the organization’s biggest decision may not involve adding talent.
It may involve deciding whether the face of the franchise will remain in Houston for the rest of his career.
So I’ll leave Astros fans with one question.
If it requires one of the largest contracts in franchise history, do you believe Jim Crane should commit to Yordan Alvarez for the remainder of his career?
Or is history destined to repeat itself once again?
According to Crotchfelt family lore, Zach’s great-grandfather was scouted by and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing for their Class AAA farm club back in the day. Perhaps in a few generations, Zach’s great-grandchildren will be telling stories at blurnsball games themselves about how their ancestor played baseball with the New York Mets. A local kid, Crotchfelt was born in Neptune and grew up in Jackson, attending Jackson Memorial High School. The left-hander was a three-year letterwinner there, missing the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, he posted a 1.38 ERA in 117.2 innings, allowing 53 hits, walking 60, and striking out 220; in his junior year in 2021, he posted a 0.85 ERA in 41.1 innings, allowing 16 hits, walking 23, and striking out 76, and in his senior year, 2022, he posted a 1.07 ERA in 65.1 innings, allowing 33 hits, walking 30, and striking out 130.
The southpaw created a bit of buzz among scouts and evaluators, and many considered him one of the best draft-eligible prospects from New Jersey available in the 2022 MLB Draft, but his name was not called because he had a strong commitment to Auburn. Head coach Butch Thompson utilized the freshman quite a bit when he arrived on campus for the 2023 season, initially utilizing him as the team’s Sunday starter before shifting him into the bullpen for the rest of the season. Appearing in 17 total games, making 6 starts, the left-hander had trouble putting things together, posting a 5.62 ERA in 41.2 innings, allowing 41 hits, walking 25, and striking out 45. Injuries unfortunately marred his sophomore season and limited him to just 7 appearance, where he pitch 7.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 10 hits and 6 walks, with 10 strikeouts.
Crotchfelt supplemented his innings load by pitching for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League that summer, appearing in 8 games and posting similar results to his time on the mound with Auburn. Also that summer, the left-hander entered the NCAA transfer portal that summer and left Auburn, transferring to Texas Tech, ending his Tigers career with a 5.69 ERA in 49.0 innings of work, allowing 51 hits, walking 31, and striking out 55. His time with the Red Raiders was unfortunately for him more of the same. Appearing in 13 games and making 1 start, he posted a 9.17 ERA in 17.2 innings, allowing 28 hits, walking 10, and striking out 15. Eligible for the 2025 MLB Draft, the former prep stand-out did not hear his name called.
After pitching for the Wisconsin Rapids of the Northwoods League that summer, Crotchfelt once again entered the NCAA transfer portal, this time transferring to Troy University. The senior had his best year as a collegiate pitcher and was a big reason the Trojans had a storybook season, making their first-ever College World Series. Pitching out of the bullpen as a multi-inning fireman, the left-hander posted a 3.49 ERA in 67.0 innings over 29 appearances, allowing 66 hits, walking 23, and striking out 81, establishing career-bests in virtually every pitching category.
The 6’3”, 220-pound left-hander throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a loose, easy arm. He hides the ball well and pushes off the mound with good extension, and while his mechanics don’t have any obvious injury red flags, the crossfire in his arm can be detrimental for his command and control. Crotchfelt utilizes a three-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, changeup, and curveball. As a consequence of primarily being a reliever, he heavily leans on his fastball, with his other pitches still being very undeveloped for a college senior.
The southpaw’s fastball sits in the low-to-mid-90s, reportedly hitting as high as 97 MPH. Thanks to its spin rates and the left-hander’s arm slot, the pitch has some run and rising life and has been most effective up in the zone.
His changeup sits in the low-to-mid-80s, occasionally flashing quality depth and occasionally lacking much movement at all. Crotchfelt struggles with telegraphing the pitch, slowing up his arm when throwing the pitch. His curveball sits in the mid-to-high-70s, and like his changeup, the pitch occasionally flashes sharp 11-5 bite and other times simply floats into the zone.
Oregon State starting pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit on the bump against Arizona (Courtesy of Oregon State Athletics)
The newly rebuilt Pac-12 had a great weekend during the 2026 MLB draft, as they wound up sending 15 prospects to the majors across the two-day endeavor. The No. 22 Oregon State Beavers were the biggest contributors, led by top 200 prospect Ethan Kleinschmit, while new affiliate member Dallas Baptist was right behind them. Of those selected, eight were pitchers and six were positional players, with Luke Pettitte of DBU being the sole two-way player from the new Pac-12 making up the final spot.
All in all, a great year that sets a great expectation for the conference and its members in 2027. Here’s a breakdown of each player drafted listed by school and what round/pick they were taken.
Dallas Baptist University: 4
Luke Pettitte (2WP, New York Yankees, Round 8 Pick 248)
As mentioned earlier, Pettitte was the only two-way player drafted from the Pac-12, which can be a great addition to the New York Yankees lineup in the future. The junior took more appearances at the plate in 2026, hitting .337 with a 1.096 OPS across 166 at-bats in 42 games. He was a fireworks machine, knocking 16 balls out of the park and notching 48 RBIs, nearly one-tenth of the run production of the squad. Pettitte didn’t see time on the mound in 2026, but had a 0.00 ERA in six appearances across 11.1 innings pitched during the 2025 season. Pettitte could turn into a great two-way player if he can develop as a pitcher while continuing to be dominant at the plate, putting him in elite company if so.
Jake Bennett (C, Toronto Blue Jays, Round 8 Pick 252)
Getting the call just four picks after his former teammate, now divisional rival, Bennett’s 2026 campaign helped set himself up for success. In his second year with DBU, Bennett hit a clean .346 average with an astounding 1.251 OPS, one of the best in the nation. He had better production numbers than his two-way teammate, recording 19 home runs and 53 RBIs throughout the season. On top of the great performance at the plate, the senior was perfect in fielding behind the plate as a catcher, getting 32 put outs and four assists in 36 chances for outs. Bennett can be a great asset for the Blue Jays once he gets some time in the minors, especially when you consider that Toronto is currently last in the AL East, having gone through one of the biggest flips year-over-year so far.
Ben Tryon (IF, Houston Astros, Round 17 Pick 511)
Continuing the march around the diamond of picks for Dallas Baptist, Tryon was selected later in the second day after reaching new heights in 2026. After a decent 2025 campaign, Tryon hit a great .315 average and .966 OPS, an increase of .050 and .155 respectively. Across his 67 hits, he notched 11 doubles and home runs while drawing 33 walks and five stolen bases. An all around threat in the box, Tryon’s utility across the entire diamond was great, but he took the majority of his time on the field as a first baseman and left fielder while serving as the designated hitter from time to time. That type of moldability can help elevate Tryon’s stock faster, hopefully turning into opportunities at The Show.
Aiden VanDeHatert (P, Boston Red Rox, Round 20 Pick 604)
In one of the final picks of the draft, the Patriots had one more prospect in Aiden VanDeHatert get his name called. VanDeHatert was a reliable closing/relief option for DBU, with several shutout appearances throughout the 2026 season. However, bad outings against New Mexico State, Kennesaw State, Oklahoma and UTA brought up his averages, putting his ERA to 6.10 after impressive stints once the UTA outing was put behind him. VanDeHatert had similar effects happen to his win-loss record, finishing with a 2-3 record and one save. With some time and with the potential of some much needed run support, VanDeHatert could become an even better prospect for the Red Sox, who don’t necessarily need a short inning relief or closing pitcher at the moment, but could down the line.
Gonzaga: 1
Mikey Bell (3B, San Francisco Giants, Round 19 Pick 568)
Mikey Bell was the best statistical player on the Bulldogs’ roster this year, resulting in earning the honor of being named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. In 225 at-bats in 54 games, Bell hit .378, notching the most hits on Gonzaga with 85 while crossing the plate 52 times. With an OPS of 1.058 (.604 SLG, .454 OB), he was extremely productive in his redshirt junior year. Fielding was not the greatest, as he did commit 12 errors for a .923 fielding percentage, but that can be remedied over time. The Giants do have name power at third with Matt Chapman taking the helm, but his best years are seemingly behind him, leaving the hot corner open for competition for Bell and others to fight for.
The only top-200 prospect in the Pac-12, Ethan Kleinschmit was the journeyman for the Beavers this year. Pitching in the most innings of any pitcher on the staff (77), Kleinschmit allowed 33 earned runs this year, only giving up more than two runs in four of his 15 appearances. He did have the worst ERA of any starting pitcher on the team (3.74), mainly due to his 11 home runs given up. However, Kleinschmit held his opponents to a .222 batting average, which is no small feat when playing schools like Arizona, Alabama and a white hot Air Force team. He won’t be in the majors, and maybe not triple-A in his first year like other amazing pitchers, but don’t be shocked when we all hear the name Kleinschmit getting the call to the majors soon.
Eric Segura (RHP, Chicago White Sox, Round 4 Pick 105)
Even though he was drafted two rounds later, Segura had a great resume heading into the MLB Draft that stacked up with Kleinschmit, especially from this year. Sporting a 2.22 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, the right-handed senior only appeared in two games where the Beavers lost, earning a 6-2 record. In fact, the only times where Segura’s ERA was above 2.00 was when he had his two losses to Purdue and Air Force, but eventually brought them down to great numbers. He also had 82 strikeouts in 73 innings while giving up only 56 hits. The White Sox are now seemingly in a spot to contend for a divisional pennant, but with Segura growing in their farm system, that trend might continue with the right conditions.
After seeing two of his mates get drafted on the first day, Wyatt Queen had his name called first on the second day. In 2026, Queen was one of the best relief pitchers in the Beavers’ bullpen, earning a 2.49 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP. Through 47 innings pitched and 171 batters faced in 21 appearances (including one start), he only allowed 35 hits and 13 earned runs, holding batters to a .205 batting average. All of these stats were improvements year-over-year while only pitching in just two-thirds of an inning less from 2026 to 2025. The Seattle Mariners have been utilizing the “piggyback” style of pitching rotations, keeping a priority on its starting pitching and using them more than the average starting rotation. Queen can still find a spot as a short relief pitcher or closer, which given his track record over the last two years, should definitely be in the cards.
Isaac Yeager (P, Chicago White Sox, Round 14 Pick 405)
Yeager was in a similar boat to Queen, with a great 2026 relief year under his belt that got him picked up by the Chicago White Sox. With a 2.04 ERA and a .91 WHIP, Yeager came in clutch for the Beavers, earning himself a 6-2 record in the process. That was with less innings pitched than his former teammate, but also had four more appearances, so the exposure was still there. Plus, Yeager had a .184 opposing batting average, further cementing his presence on the mound. Again, the White Sox are currently in a decent position, as they are tied for first with the Guardians. But, just like his teammate Segura, with the right development and potential for a spot opening up in the future, Yeager could see himself in the black and white with a stint in the minors.
Albert Roblez (P, San Diego Padres, Round 16 Pick 485)
The final and arguably best relief/closing pitcher from the Beavers’ bullpen, Roblez heard his name late, but should still make an impact in the big leagues. In 24 appearances, the California native posted a 1.50 ERA in 30 innings, only allowing a .173 opposing batting average while giving up 18 hits and five earned runs. Those are all amazing stats to capture in just one season, but there’s one that trumps all in my eyes, which is the 14 saves Robelz secured throughout the year, a save rate of 58.3 percent. The Padres have Mason Miller, which should be their guy for years to come. But regardless of whether it’s in San Diego or somewhere else, Roblez has the potential to have his own walk up song once he’s in the majors.
San Diego State’s Rohan Lettow was one of the best pitchers in the Mountain West last year, leading the Aztecs all the way to the conference championship. With an impressive 3.79 ERA and a decent 1.29 WHIP, Lettow was the ace of the SDSU lineup, earning an honor as an all-MW first team member. He also produced the lowest opponent batting average of the starting pitchers with a .251, which was great in a league where hitting was great. The Pirates are in the middle of figuring out whether they want to keep the pieces they already have developed or just clean house. Regardless of that choice, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Lettow climb the ranks and get a spot in the future.
Jake Jackson (OF, Los Angeles Angels, Round 20 Pick 589)
The Mountain West Player of the Year, Jackson was bound for the major leagues and found a home in Los Angeles. He was statistically the best hitter in the conference, posting a .338 batting average with a 1.027 OPS. Getting 78 hits through 231 at-bats, Jackson got 18 doubles and 15 home runs (both best on the team) while hitting in 48 RBIs. And even though he was caught four times, Jackson also stole eight bases, proving himself to be an all around threat. The Angels are in last place in the AL West and aren’t in any position to take any near-future accolades, giving time for Jackson to grow and prove himself in their farm system with the hope to see him in The Show.
Anthony Marnell IV (C, Athletics, Round 20 Pick 591)
The Aztecs final pick was one of their most consistent hitters down the line in Anthony Marnell IV. Overall, the 2026 season was not the greatest for the redshirt sophomore. Sporting a .257 batting average and a .722 OPS, things were a mixed bag for Marnell IV, with many multi-hit games in between getting blanked at the plate. Despite the rollercoaster of a season through the first two months, Marnell IV ended the year on great terms, getting a hit in eight of his final 10 games, including the five games SDSU played in the Mountain West tournament. If he can harness what he did in the final games of his college career, then Marnell IV will have a great start to his minor league career.
Texas State: 2
Chase Mora (INF, Milwaukee Brewers, Round 9 Pick 281)
Despite having a down year, Mora was selected as the final single-digit round pick of the Pac-12 to the Brewers. Posting a .235 batting average (his worst in college) through 226 at-bats. Slugging wise, 2026 was a decent season, as he got a .447 slugging percentage, hitting 11 balls out of the park and 13 doubles. However, Mora had one of his worst on-base percentages of his career, only getting on base 29.3 percent of the time, striking out 67 times as well. Mora will have time to grow with a mix of young and experienced players currently on the Brewers roster, which should prove wonders for the Tomball, Texas native. Given the chance, Mora could get the chance once he puts in that time.
Following up his teammate seven rounds later, Galloway was picked up by the Astros, which could prove to be a powerful bat staying in Texas. In his best statistical season in college, Galloway finished with a .318 batting average, getting 84 hits with 27 doubles and 12 home runs. He had the second best slugging percentage on the team of those who qualified with a .580, combining with his .368 on base percentage for a .948 OPS. Rounding out his performance was his presence behind the plate, as he had 108 chances for an out and only recorded two errors for a .982 fielding percentage. The Houston franchise might need to go back to the drawing board depending on how the second half of the season goes, giving Galloway the opportunity to rise and grow quicker.
Jul 2, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Mickey Moniak (22) following his solo home run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies are a team in the midst of a rebuild. With this in mind, the staff at Purple Row thought it would be useful to revisit the “State of the Position” series that we ran in March to see where things stand. We’ve asked authors of the spring articles to re-evaluate their earlier remarks with an eye toward the August 3 trade deadline.
The Colorado Rockies entered the 2026 season with new organizational leaders, shifting front office priorities, turnover in prospects, and plenty of lineup puzzles to solve. When thinking about team needs, particularly for player depth, the theme of evaluation was key. This season was and is all about using the lineup’s fluidity to identify players that could be part of the team’s long-term plans and, conversely, to determine which players it might be in the Rockies’ best interest to move on from.
The first half of the season brought some clarity around those decisions, thanks in part to versatile bench pieces that emerged and allowed for evaluation. As we approach the trade deadline and more prospect call-ups in the back half of the season, we have a good idea of how Colorado is utilizing the bench and about its philosophy for the Designated Hitter position.
The pre-season hypotheses
The Rockies used 22 players at DH over the course of the 2025 season. Back in March, I wondered if the Rockies might be best suited to lock a smaller handful of players into the DH role, rather than continuing to use the platoon approach. That wondering was in part because of the success of other teams who used a consistent DH and in part because of an opportunity to capitalize on Mickey Moniak’s relative strengths and weaknesses. I suggested upping Moniak’s DH usage to give him the bulk of the starts there, also allowing the Rockies to explore their backlog of outfield depth.
Hypothesizing about the bench pieces, I mainly focused on the infield. Newcomers Edouard Julien and Willi Castro seemed to offer some much-needed flexibility, while TJ Rumfield threatened for a roster spot after an extraordinary camp. It also felt like Blaine Crim (after a stint on the IL) and Ryan Ritter would be in the mix.
At the All-Star break, DH usage is still in flux but a little more concentrated than last season. Some unforeseen faces have joined that mix, while a handful of guys are taking a bulk of appearances. As for the bench, Castro and Julien are slotting in around the diamond (the former performing better than the latter), while Crim has since been waived and Ritter is down in Triple-A. However, a mix of exciting bench pieces have filled those slots.
Continuing the DH platoon
The DH role is still fairly fluid in Colorado, but on a different trajectory than last year. Again, 22 players appeared at DH in 2025, with only one player there for more than 30 games (Hunter Goodman at 39). Tyler Freeman slotted in for 28 games, Yanquiel Fernández for 26, and Kyle Farmer for 24. Mickey Moniak was fifth in DH appearances with 15.
So far in 2026, the Rockies have honed in again on a core group of players to serve as DH, with others appearing less frequently but still pitching in a few games:
The main contributor so far is none other than our All-Star Hunter Goodman who has slotted in at DH for 26 games in addition to his 64 as catcher. Perhaps the clues were there! He had a similar 2025 with 104 games as catcher and a team-leading 39 at DH.
While the Rockies didn’t quite listen to me about giving Moniak the most DH appearances, he’s moved up the list to number two AND he’s already surpassed his total games at the position with 18 already this year.
After that, four players have 10+ games at DH: Fulford (15), Troy Johnston (13), TJ Rumfield (11), and Sterlin Thompson (10).
Julien and Freeman start to round things out with nine games each, Sullivan adds four, and Jake McCarthy pitches in two.
The Rockies seem to be continuing their approach from last year of using Goodman as the primary contributor while casting a wide net for DH spot starts. This setup has allowed the Rockies to utilize his powerful bat with lineups that play to the matchups, putting Goodman behind the dish most often against right-handed pitching and allowing Brett Sullivan or Braxton Fulford to start at catcher with Goodman at DH against lefties.
His batting splits seem to support that versatility. He’s batting .292 against lefties and .237 against righties. His positional batting splits are somewhat surprising though, as he’s hitting significantly better as catcher than at DH. At catcher, he’s notched 22 of his 27 home runs, logging a .286 batting average. That’s compared to just .174 as DH.
As for Moniak and his role, the setup allows for a good bit of flexibility in the outfield. Moniak has played more games in left field (29) than he has at DH, but fewer in center field (11) and right field (10). This has opened up various combinations of McCarthy, Brenton Doyle, Freeman, Johnston, and Cole Carrigg in the outfield, with Moniak taking more of a backseat there.
By the numbers, that has been effective. One reason it seemed like Moniak would be a good DH candidate after the 2025 season was because of his efficiency as a hitter compared to his struggles in the field. That has tracked into 2026.
Looking at where he stands in league percentiles, Moniak’s batting run value has been great while his fielding run value is on the wrong side of the average. In other categories, he’s excelling more as a hitter than in the outfield, begging the question about whether more DH starts could be useful. Looking at his batting splits by position, he’s contributing at all spots, but he’s actually hitting better when at left field (27 hits, 19 RBI, and eight home runs with a .290 average in 93 at bats) than when at DH (14 hits, six RBI, and one home run with a .241 average in 58 at bats).
Despite their dip in hitting production at DH — at least relative to their positional output, which could be due to a number of other variables — relying on Goodman and Moniak to carry the bulk of the load allows for a couple of the team’s leading hitters to get consistent work at the position, while both allowing for flexibility at other positions and capitalizing on pitching matchups.
It doesn’t appear that the Rockies are trending to be like other teams around the league that give one or two players 60+ starts, but by the end of the season they might have two players surpass the 40+ game mark, something that no single player did for the club in 2025.
Castro’s contributions
Willi Castro appeared at every position but catcher and first base in 2025. That level of versatility was an exciting addition to the organization and it’s playing out here in Colorado. So far in 2026, Castro is doing it all. While not leading appearances at any given position, he is the ultimate bench piece with 58 appearances at second base, 25 at third base, 19 at shortstop, 10 at first base, seven in left field, and two in right field. Starting where needed and moving around as games goes on, Castro racks up those appearances in a way that reflects and complements team needs.
Across all those games, he’s got a 0.5 pWAR (which is best among the team’s second basemen). By the stats, Castro hasn’t excelled anywhere. He’s below average in percentile rankings for batting, baserunning, and fielding value. Even still, he’s been serviceable overall and his batting ranks higher than many on the team.
More than anything, his positional flexibility has put him on the trade radar for teams across the league. Even if moved at the deadline, he served as a cheap and useful piece for the Rockies as they evaluate the roster.
An emerging bench and final thoughts
A number of positions around the field have taken shape (more on those later in this series!) and with that, so have the bench spots. Fulford is one of those pieces. He’s solidified himself as a strong utility piece this season. He’s mixed in well as a third catcher behind Goodman and Sullivan, making 13 appearances there with another 15 at DH. Johnston is another key piece with 38 games in right field and 26 games in left field behind, serving behind the leaders at each of those positions as essentially the fourth outfielder in the rotation.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, much of this reliability is subject to change in the near future. With Moniak and Castro tabbed among some of the top trade candidates that the Rockies have to offer, moving one or both of them would send ripples throughout the lineup. Colorado brought them on with short “prove it” kind of deals and they’ve set themselves up to bring a return back to the team with the contributions they’ve made in the first half of the year.
Ultimately, many of the bench pieces on the roster this year were never going to be foundational pieces long-term. The case could still be made to invest in Moniak and keep him around with the growth he’s shown as a Rockie. If either player is moved, their absence will be felt but it will also allow some of the top prospects banging on the major league door to make their way up to conclude the 2026 campaign.
Many races throughout the league are wide open, particularly in the AL, where the playoffs feel unattainable for very few teams. Late pre-All-Star surges from the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox have taken two perceived sellers with coveted second half players and thrown their status into flux. And the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat, having gone into the break with the best record in baseball as the two-time defending champions.
There are plenty of major names on the market, to be sure. After last season saw two elite closers in Mason Miller and Jhoan Duran get moved, another big reliever name has been bandied about. Ten years after he was a major factor in the Cubs' World Series run after being acquired at the deadline, reliever strikeout leader Aroldis Chapman is again being mentioned as a big trade target.
This season is also a rarity in that multiple quality starting pitchers are seemingly available on the market. Tarik Skubal is, of course, the name flashing on the marquee. But other arms who would solid in the front-to-middle of the rotation depending on the landing spot like Joe Ryan, Reid Detmers, and Casey Mize are also on the block. Whether or not their teams will be willing to move them is in the air.
But there's a dearth of bats. Staying in Boston, Willson Contreras could be a contributor to the right situation. CJ Abrams seemed like a lock to get moved in December, but is now an All-Star starter on a team that has wild card aspirations. And catchers Hunter Goodman and Ryan Jeffers seem to have Rockies and Twins determined to hang onto them, respectively.
In short, things are a mess. Here's what to know to make sense of a deadline that has just as much potential to bring fireworks as it does to fizzle out like so many sparklers.
When is the the 2026 MLB trade deadline?
Date: Aug. 3, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. ET
The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. CT, 4 p.m. MT, and 3 p.m. PT on Aug. 3. While some trades sometimes trickle in under the wire, that is when communications for teams to deal players must cease.
Key MLB trade deadline targets
This is by no means an exhaustive list, plenty of other names are on the block. But here are some of the top names being talked about heading into this year's deadline.
P Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Tarik Skubal might be the biggest starting pitcher trade deadline rental baseball has seen in almost 20 years. CC Sabathia being traded to the Brewers in 2008 before joining the Yankees is the last name that comes to mind. The Tigers' mega-ace and two-time defending Cy Young winner hasn't fully returned to form after getting a NanoScope procedure for loose bodies in May, but even so his ERA since his return is sitting at an outstanding 3.08 and he has 44 strikeouts to five walks in six starts. Skubal also has nine strikeouts in three of his last four starts, indicating his punchout stuff is still excellent while his control has not wavered since the surgery.
It was a bit shocking to see Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran moved at last year's deadline while Joe Ryan stayed put. He arguably had the most value on the Twins roster at the time, and with plenty of control, he could have pulled in a decent haul. Now, the Twins are in a complicated situation. Ryan is a free agent after the 2027 season, and is having the best season of his career with a 2.85 ERA, 150 ERA+, and 2.77 FIP, all career-bests. Ryan is a frontline starter who could slot into any rotation, but the Twins, like the Tigers, play in a division that could be won by anyone who gets hot.
P Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
The 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman is, as it turns out, ageless. Even as his average velo dips (dips, not drops), he is still missing bats and his sinker is as devastating as ever. Though his walk rate is a bit up and his strikeout rate is a bit down from his outstanding 2025 (which would be inimitable for 99% of the league anyways), Chapman is one of the few high leverage relievers who might be available on the market. It carries echoes of 2016, when Chapman was traded to the Cubs and helped a World Series run. Ten years later, he has the potential to do the same thing.
P Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox
Though Zack Wheeler made the headlines as an All-Star snub, Sonny Gray also has reason to gripe in what has been a return to form season for him. In the absence of Garrett Crochet, Gray has settled in as Boston's ace, pitching to 2.54 ERA to this point, a career best if it holds. He's a true five-pitch pitcher with three fastballs, whose cutter-sinker-four seam combo offsets his relatively low velo. Gray could be a boon to a team looking to shore up its rotation, should Boston move on from him.
This will be a stubbornness check for the Orioles, but Taylor Ward is the best rental bat on market. Even though Baltimore is just two games out of a wild card spot, and Ward is a right-handed bat who could make a difference to the right suitor. Will the Orioles clutch and hope to make a run, or will they move Ward, who is a premium player on this market?
C Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
Ryan Jeffers should be back from hamate surgery soon, so his value is TBD until teams actually see him play. But with a .292 batting average and an OPS of .942, Jeffers is the type of right-handed bat who could bolster a lineup. Though he doesn't bring elite power to the fold, he plays a position where offense like his can be hard to come by. Adding catchers is tricky, but Jeffers may be worth the flier.
MLB trade deadline burning questions
Will Tigers, Red Sox streaks change selling landscape?
Ask around in early June, and it was a forgone conclusion Tarik Skubal would be wearing a different jersey come August. But the Tigers are 21-12 in June and July and – by virtue of a brutally bad AL and an AL Central that continues to hover just below mediocre as a whole – are back in the playoff race. Similarly, the Red Sox entered the break scorching hot on a nine-game win streak, and could well be in the race as well. If Skubal, Casey Mize, Chapman, and Gray are off the table as trade options, the deadline is shaping up to be completely different.
Who will swing to catch the Dodgers?
As the AL continues to shuffle onward this season, one team in the NL lords over MLB: The dreaded Dodgers. While it would be folly to think the Dodgers will sit on their heels at the deadline, it's clear someone in the NL has to take a big swing to try to unseat the two-time defending MLB champs. The NL East has three teams mired in a hot race, while the Brewers may be best positioned to try to unseat L.A. Milwaukee added Lance McCullers Jr. to its pitching staff, but may need to go out and get a bat to try and compete with baseball's current Death Star.
How aggressive will the Yankees be?
In the AL East, it's reasonable to assume the Rays will continue to live on the margins and try to add role players who can contribute to their order, particularly after seemingly surviving an All-Star Game scare to star slugger Junior Caminero. As the Yankees chase them in the AL East, things seem to be slipping for the Bronx Bombers. They went 12-14 in June and are 6-5 in July. The good news? The Yankees aren't getting decimated by right or left-handed pitching, their splits are pretty even. They're reportedly chasing either Jeffers or Hunter Goodman, though the latter would be difficult to pry away from Colorado. Reliever help is also a question, with the Yankees reportedly inquiring on fireballer Mason Miller.
Will the Mets go into firesale mode?
In Queens, this season has been an unmitigated disaster. The Mets are 17 games below .500 and 16 games out of the NL East lead. The only untouchable player on that roster should, of course, be Juan Soto. The bullpen would likely garner the most interest, particularly Luke Weaver, but catcher Francisco Alvarez is also a question mark. Brooks Raley and AJ Minter likely already have their lockers packed as well.
Are the Angels serious about holding onto their players?
What the hell are the Angels going to do? GM Perry Minasian was fired after saying he was going to hold on to key Angels pieces, but with him out the door, it stands to reason Reid Detmers and Jo Adell are available. Mike Trout's no-trade clause waiver discourse is an annual tradition at this point, but until there's any indication of that happening, it's just noise.
The Astros have traded the veteran right-handed pitcher and left-hander Colton Gordon to the Brewers, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
Houston is receiving outfielder/DH Jayden Fielder, the 21-year-old son of Prince Fielder, per multiple reports.
McCullers, who won World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 with the Astros, has been on the IL since May 19 with right shoulder inflammation.
Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros reacts on the mound after giving up a home run during the fifth inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
He has a 6.86 ERA in 39 ⅓ innings across eight starts with Houston this season and is in the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract.
The Astros have plenty of pitching depth. Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco are expected to come off the IL later this month and they added Tatsuya Imai, Peter Lambert and Mike Burrows this offseason.
This trade was made by Houston to free up money for potential other moves ahead of the trade deadline. Houston has overcome a rough start and sits at 47-51, just 1 ½ games out of the final wild-card spot in the middling American League.
With the 32-year-old gone, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are the only two members of the 2017 World Series championship team left on the roster.
That season was McCullers only All-Star Game appearance, though his best season was in 2021 when he posted a 13-5 record with a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts, finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting.
Since then, tough, McCullers has been unable to stay healthy.
McCullers Jr. had surgery on his pitching arm earlier this week and looks to return sometime in 2024. AP
The right hander dealt with a complex right flexor tendon repair surgery and bone spur removal following the 2022 World Series that kept him out for two-and-a-half years.
In his return to the mound last season, McCullers struggled with a 6.51 ERA in 55 ⅓ innings in 16 games, and found himself on the IL three times.
McCullers’ current injury has been going on for a little while, according to Astros manager Joe Espada, he’s just been pitching through it.
In late May, the Astros 2012 draft pick faced live batters during batting practice in late June, and has been on rehab assignment since then, posting a 2.45 ERA in three games.
McCullers also previously dealt with Tommy John surgery, missing the 2019 season with rehab.
Gordon, the other half of the deal, has an 11.57 ERA in 9 ⅓ innings for the Astros this season. He has made just four appearances and one start.
Major League Baseball has played a Futures Game featuring top prospects every year since 1999 as part of All-Star Game festivities.
It began as a seven-inning affair and was lengthened to nine innings from 2008-18, but since 2019 has reverted to the seven-inning format.
Many future stars have played in this game. Then-Cubs prospect Kyle Schwarber was the MVP of the 2015 game, played in Cincinnati. Schwarber, who had already played six MLB games in a brief call-up in June 2015, hit a two-run triple in front of about 100 friends and family — he grew up in Middletown, Ohio. (Future Cub Michael Conforto was 2-for-2 in that game.)
The Futures Game is a great showcase for up-and-coming talent. Unfortunately, Major League Baseball has pretty much buried it in terms of exposure. This year, the game was played at 12 noon Eastern time — up against a full slate of MLB games.
Why have an event if hardly anyone is going to watch it? MLB didn’t even report attendance for this game in the box score.
MLB has put together quite a lineup of events for what it now terms All-Star Week. The MLB Draft is now held in conjunction with All-Star festivities (and that’s a whole other issue I could devote an article to). The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game get prime time attention — why shouldn’t the Futures Game?
On the Sunday before the All-Star Game, MLB doesn’t have its usual Sunday Night Baseball nationally televised game. This is to give players who have to fly to the All-Star host city extra time to get there, as these players are expected to be available for practices and interviews on the Monday of All-Star week.
So why not move the Futures Game to that Sunday night slot? It would give the game a national showcase and would provide some MLB programming to a TV network that doesn’t otherwise have baseball on that evening.
NBC, who had the rights to this game this year, would likely not put it on its main broadcast channel. But there are cable (NBC Sports Network) and streaming (Peacock) options available. Yes, those cost extra. But at least the game would not have to compete with a 15-game full slate of MLB games.
For those who say, “Move it to Wednesday,” that wouldn’t work because MLB wants to leave that date open for potential ASG weather issues. The Sunday night slot is ideal.
While they’re at it, return this game to a nine-inning format. That would give all the players a bit more playing time and not have to squish some of the pitchers into a two-pitch or three-pitch appearance just so they get everyone in the game.
I assume this makes too much sense for MLB to ever do it, though. We can still hope — and they can start by doing this next year when All-Star Week is hosted at Wrigley Field.
