Category: Baseball

Rob Manfred has made his position on the Giants’ Pride Night controversy unmistakably clear: San Francisco failed to properly communicate with its players.

“End of story,” the MLB commissioner told reporters Tuesday at the Baseball Writers’ Association of America gathering.

Four Giants pitchers protested the team’s Pride-themed caps during its June 12 celebration. Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote Bible verses beside the rainbow-colored logo, while Sam Hentges chose to wear the club’s standard cap.

MLB initially warned the three players who added messages to their hats because league rules prohibit players from writing on uniforms or equipment. That response drew criticism from Republican lawmakers and eventually prompted a Department of Justice inquiry into possible religious discrimination.

Manfred, however, has continued to place responsibility on the Giants.

The Giants and the Dodgers are the only clubs permitted to use Pride-themed logos on the field. That allowance came with the understanding that players would not be required to wear them and that each organization would clearly explain the opt-out process.

“The understanding with the two clubs that were grandfathered, in terms of using logos on the field, was that they would take responsibility to communicate with their players that they had the option to wear their own uniforms if they were uncomfortable with whatever logo it happened to be,” Manfred said. “That didn’t happen. End of story.”

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There is some ambiguity over how widespread the communication failure was. Hentges said after the game that he knew players could decline the Pride cap, suggesting at least part of the roster understood the policy.

Roupp, Brubaker and Walker later told the San Francisco Chronicle they were not pressured to wear the hats and had planned their demonstration in advance. Manager Tony Vitello also indicated he knew some form of protest was possible.

Manfred previously told Sen. Josh Hawley that the players would not be fined or disciplined. He described MLB’s response as a routine warning issued before the league learned the Giants’ messaging had been “inadequate and not clear.”

The Giants have not publicly answered Manfred’s criticism beyond prepared Pride Night statements and have declined interview requests on the issue.

That silence has left the commissioner’s version as the league’s final word.

For Manfred, the controversy was not created by religious expression or uniform policy.

It began with the Giants failing to adequately explain the rules — end of story. Right?

The Chicago Cubs are celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. The Chicago White Sox, charter members of the American League in 1901, are in their 126th season.

That’s a lot of baseball and a lot of history. And in the World Series era of Major League Baseball the two Chicago teams have played in October in the same year in just three of the 121 seasons we’ve had postseason baseball. Those years are 1903 to 2025, with these exceptions: 1904 (no World Series because manager John McGraw of the Giants was being pigheaded and refused to play the AL champion A’s) and 1994, when the postseason was cancelled due to a players’ strike.

In addition to having been in the postseason together just three times, the Cubs were often awful when the Sox were in the postseason and vice versa. Consider this article a slice of Chicago baseball history.

I’ve made two tables to show that to you. First, here are the 22 Cubs postseason years:

Year	Cubs record/finish	White Sox record/finish
1906	116-36, NL pennant	93-58, WS champions
1907	107-45, WS champions	87-64, third place
1908	99-55, WS champions	88-64, third place
1910	104-50, NL pennant	68-85, sixth place
1918	84-45, NL pennant	57-67, sixth place
1929	98-54, NL pennant	59-93, seventh place
1932	90-64, NL pennant	49-102, seventh place
1935	100-54, NL pennant	53-99, eighth place
1938	89-63, NL pennant	65-83, sixth place
1945	98-56, NL pennant	71-78, sixth place
1984	96-65, NL East title	74-88, fifth place
1989	93-69, NL East title	69-92, seventh place
1998	90-73, NL Wild Card	80-82, second place
2003	88-74, NL Central title	86-76, second place
2007	85-77, NL Central title	72-90, fourth place
2008	97-64, NL Central title	89-74, AL Central title
2015	97-65, NL Wild Card Game winner	76-86, fourth place
2016	103-58, WS champions	78-84, fourth place
2017	92-70, NL Central title	67-95, fourth place
2018	95-68, NL Wild Card Game loser	62-100, fourth place
2020	34-26, NL Central title	35-25, AL Wild Card series loser
2025	92-70, NL Wild Card Series winner	60-102, fifth place

While the Cubs were good in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, the Sox were pretty bad for almost that entire era. Here’s the chart for the 11 White Sox postseason years:

Year	White Sox record/finish	Cubs record/finish
1906	93-58, WS champions	116-36, NL pennant
1917	100-54, WS champions	74-80, fifth place
1919	88-52, AL pennant	75-65, third place
1959	94-60, AL pennant	74-80, fifth place
1983	99-63, AL pennant	71-91, fifth place
1993	94-68, AL West title	84-78, fourth place
2000	95-67, AL Central title	65-97, sixth place
2005	99-63, WS champions	79-83, fourth place
2008	89-74, AL Central title	97-64, NL Central title
2020	35-25, AL Wild Card series loser	34-26, NL Central title
2021	93-69, AL Central title	71-91, fourth place

Apart from the three matching postseason years, the Cubs were also generally pretty bad when the Sox played in October, most recently in 2021 when the Sox appeared to have a team that could make the playoffs in multiple years and the Cubs had their big selloff. That postseason run for the Sox obviously didn’t happen and they have been terrible since then… until this year.

And that brings us back to 2026, where we come out of the All-Star break with both Chicago MLB teams in postseason position. The Cubs are currently in the first NL Wild Card spot, with a real chance of winning the NL Central, and the Sox are in a virtual tie with the Guardians for the AL Central lead, both teams at four games over .500. In fact, only five of the 15 AL teams are over .500 at this time — besides those two, the Rays and Yankees are battling for the AL East, and the Rangers, currently two games over .500, lead the AL West.

Of the three seasons where both Chicago teams made the postseason, one of them (2020) was the shortened pandemic season and should be taken with some grains of salt. Both teams were bounced out of that year’s 16-team postseason in the first round, the Cubs swept by the Marlins and the Sox losing a Wild Card series 2-1 to the A’s.

In 2008, the Cubs appeared possibly headed to the World Series with the best record in the NL (97-64) and breakage of their WS drought on its 100th anniversary. But they were rudely dispatched by the 84-78 Dodgers, swept in a division series. Meanwhile, the Sox had to win three straight games against three different teams just to get in — the final regular-season game vs. Cleveland, then a rainout makeup game against Detroit, then a divisional tiebreaker with Minnesota. After that they got bounced in the division series by the eventual AL champion Rays.

The other one, of course, was 120 years ago, when the Cubs won a still-MLB record 116 games and were expected to demolish the 93-win White Sox. But the “Hitless Wonders” White Sox, who had the best pitching staff in the American League, outscored the Cubs 22-18 in winning the World Series four games to two.

One other year in which there was hope in Chicago that both teams would make the postseason was 1977, when the Cubs got off to a 47-22 start, only to collapse and finish at .500. The Sox, who roared into first place at midseason on the strength of a 22-6 July, also faded and finished 92-70. Both teams were in first place as late as Aug. 6. This year? “As always, we await developments.”

As we return to the present day, it does seem as if 2026 will be the fourth time both Chicago MLB teams will be in the postseason and first in 18 years. They could, conceivably, both go into the October tournament as division champions with first-round byes. Who knows? 118 years after their only World Series meeting, could the Cubs and Sox play in October this year? Now that would likely grab a lot of nationwide attention.

With the help of Tyler Hardman’s bat, the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders rode some momentum into the All-Star break.

The RailRiders took four of six games in a series at Sahlen Field in New York against the Buffalo Bisons, top affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Hardman led the way, batting .500 (12-for-24) in the six games with one double, four home runs, eight runs and nine RBIs.

Those numbers earned him International League Player of the Week honors for July 6-12.

In the series opener July 7th, Hardman went 4-for-6 with a double, two home runs, four runs, and four RBIs as the RailRiders romped to an 18-3 victory. He hit a two-run shot in the top of the second inning and a solo blast leading off the top of the sixth. It is his second two-homer game with the RailRiders — the other came June 25th at Indianapolis — and third of the season. The other came May 2nd with Double-A Somerset.

One night later, Hardman capped a four-run first inning with a three-run home run off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who was making a MLB rehab start with Buffalo, and the RailRiders won, 5-1.

Picking up right where he left off‼️💣

Tyler Hardman homers off Max Scherzer! #RepBXpic.twitter.com/EszpYb6g66

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) July 8, 2026

Hardman had three hits, including another home run leading off the sixth inning, and two RBIs on July 10th in a 9-1 RailRiders win. In a doubleheader July 11th he went a combined 3-for-5 although the RailRiders wound up losing both games of the twin bill, 5-2 and 3-1. Hardman contributed a hit in the series finale which the RailRiders won in 10 innings, 8-7.

It took Hardman quite some time to get to Triple-A and he is making the most of it. In 44 games with the RailRiders, he is batting .276 (43-for-156) with nine doubles, nine home runs, 23 runs, and 26 RBIs.

Including 42 games at Somerset, Hardman is batting a combined .288 (88-for-306) with 17 doubles, and 22 home runs. He leads all Yankees minor leaguers in games played (86) and RBIs (66). His 88 hits rank second behind Kaeden Kent’s 97 with High-A Hudson Valley and his 22 home runs are second behind teammate Garrett Martin. Both Kent and Martin are currently on the seven-day injured list at Hudson Valley and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, respectively. Martin has 24 home runs, with his last three coming as a RailRider.

This is the fourth time this season that a RailRider has won the MiLB weekly award. Yanquiel Fernández was named Player of the Week for the period of May 18-24. Brendan Beck was twice chosen Pitcher of the Week: May 11-17 and June 1-8. Beck also was named IL Pitcher of the Month for June.

By winning four of the six games in Buffalo, the RailRiders took the season series from the Bisons, 10-5. They also improved to 11-6 in the second half (48-43) and are in second place in the International League standings, 2.5 games behind the Durham Bulls — right in the thick of the playoff race.

Coming out of the All-Star break, the RailRiders will be home at PNC Field in northeastern Pennsylvania for nine consecutive games. First, they host the Worcester Red Sox on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Then, they entertain the Syracuse Mets in a six-game series next week. Against the WooSox this season, the RailRiders are 4-7, while they are 7-11 against the Mets.

There’s just something inherently magical about a kid who can sling a football on Friday nights and launch a 97-mph fastball or turn a smooth double play on the diamond in the spring. That’s exactly what Will Stein, Nick Mingione, and the rest of Big Blue Nation envisioned when Matt Ponatoski committed to the Kentucky Wildcats.

And now, that dream has reportedly become a reality.

According to KSR’s Drew Franklin, Ponatoski has enrolled at UK ahead of the start of football training camp. That means the highly decorated recruit is set to stick with the Wildcats after being drafted in the 18th round of the 2026 MLB Draft by his hometown Cincinnati Reds.

Ponatoski is an absolute stud. A phenomenal talent out of Archbishop Moeller in Ohio, he signed to play both baseball and football at Kentucky. On the gridiron, he’s a highly touted 4-star quarterback who set school records and earned Ohio Mr. Football honors.

On the diamond, he’s a Gatorade Player of the Year with pro-level tools and a winner’s mentality. The talent is undeniable, and he has the skills to excel in either sport. But as the 2026 MLB Draft approached, the looming question hanging over Lexington was: Will he ever actually step on campus?

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with how the MLB Draft rules work, it’s completely different. When a high school player who has signed with a college program gets drafted, they face a massive choice. They have a narrow negotiating window to either sign a professional contract with the MLB franchise that drafted them or honor their college commitment.

The deadline to sign is July 27 at 5 PM ET. If they don’t sign on the dotted line by that exact deadline, the team loses its rights, and the player is headed to college for three years or until they turn 21 at a 4-year school (unless they opt to attend a junior college the school year after the draft, which makes them draft-eligible again the following year).

Ponatoski told Over Slot Baseball that being a professional baseball player was “my dream since I was a little kid.”

Heading into the draft, MLB.com ranked Ponatoski as the 206th-best player in the class (funnily enough, former Cat Tyler Bell comes in at number 10 on those same rankings, the exact same spot he was selected in the first round by the Colorado Rockies). While he isn’t a first-rounder, Ponatoski has serious pro-level stuff, and scouts clearly love his upside.

That’s why Ponatoski was selected by No. 542 overall in the 18th round of the draft. But thankfully, it appears he’s going to attend college and give the Cats some much-needed depth at quarterback on the gridiron while also giving the Bat Cats a boost in the bullpen.

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.'"

Ben Rice talks about being booed in Philadelphia: pic.twitter.com/XzYDHa1dWl

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) July 14, 2026

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

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) July 14, 2026

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

And to be clear, no entity was safe.

Mr. and Mrs. Met booed by Phillies fans

😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/SHBp6YYmmi

— Blake (@BlakeIFox) July 14, 2026

Young people who dropped fly balls in the outfield during the Derby heard it, not that the “victims” cared.

Meet Reed Weiner, the 17-year-old who was booed at the HR Derby last night.

He's from Lower Merion and just graduated from Harriton High School.

He loved the boos.

“I think it’s an honor, to be honest. When I go to Phillies games, I’ll boo everyone.”https://t.co/d8qJitxUygpic.twitter.com/ZFnikqUBhy

— Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey) July 15, 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.

From my latest Hittin' Season, powered by @WHYY!https://t.co/cdWSeRS6oVpic.twitter.com/FDz0p1ECXX

— John Stolnis (@JohnStolnis) July 15, 2026

If only every one of these types of events could have this much watchability. And it wasn’t the stars on the field who made all of this interesting.

It was you.

Athletics reportedly calling up hard-hitting infield prospect Tommy White originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s Tommy Tanks time, Athletics fans.

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.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2026

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.

— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) July 16, 2026

As the fourth-place A’s fight to regain footing in the AL West, White will attempt to help them get back on track after the MLB All-Star break.

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.

Time to review the collection of young players the Guardians snagged in the 2026 MLB draft:

1st Round: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida, 6’5, 225 lbs

Baseball America said:

“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.”

2nd Round – Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha HS, 6’4, 210 lbs

Baseball America said:

“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.”

3rd Round – Tre Broussard, LHH CF, Houston, 6’0, 190 lbs

Baseball America said;

“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.”

Fourth Round – Kade Lewis, LHH 1B/3B, Wake Forest, 6’2, 220 lbs

Baseball America said:

“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.

5th Round – Lucas Moore, LHH OF, Louisville, 6’0, 185 lbs

Prospect Porch said:

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.

ESPN said: “He has elite athletic traits.”

6th Round – Deitan LaChance, RHH C, Oklahoma, 6’5, 231 lbs

MLB Pipeline said:

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.”

7th Round- Savion Sims, RHP, Texas HS, 6’8, 215 lbs

MLB.com said:

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

Perfect Game said:

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.

9th Round – Mario Pesca, RHP, Oklahoma State, 6’7, 241 lbs

Perfect Game said:

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. 

11th Round – Jake Bean, RHP, Louisville, 6’3, 190 lbs

Baseball America said:

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.

13th Round – Eric Dessens, LHH OF, Sacramento State, 6’1, 200 lbs

Baseball America said:

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.

15th Round – Alejandro Garza, RHH INF, Cal Poly, 5’9, 175 lbs

Baseball America said:

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.

16th Round – Sebastian Rolon, RHP, Florida HS, 6’2, 195 lbs

Perfect Game said:

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.

17th Round – Travis Lutz, RHP, Lamar, 6’4, 230 lbs

Prep Baseball Report said: “Long arm action, over-the-top slot. Curveball played with 12/6 shape, showed feel for pitch.“

18th Round – Parker Dilhoff, LHP, UNLV, 6’4, 240 lbs

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.”

20th Round – Parker Coil, LHP, Arkansas, 6’3, 195 lbs

Perfect Game said:

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.

CBS Sports ranked Cleveland’s draft class as one of the top five of this year’s draft. Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline ranked the Guardians’ draftees as one of the top six classes for this year.

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!

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:

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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:

Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 45

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.

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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.

Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45

MLB Pipeline’s scouting report:

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.

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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.

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Finally, over on Fangraphs.com, Crisantes was ranked as the organization’s fifth ranked prospect, with the following scouting grades (future/present value):

Hit: 40/60 |Game Power: 35/45 | Raw Power: 40/45 | Speed: 50/50 |Field 45/55 |

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.

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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.

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…)

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.

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In case you missed it, check out Pinstripe Alley’s full draft coverage!

• Round 1: Hunter Dietz
• Round 2: Sean Duncan
• Round 3: Brendan Brock
• Round 4: Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II
• Rounds 5-10
• Rounds 11-15
• Rounds 16-20
• Draft Day 1 review
• Overall Yankees draft review
• Dan Kelly’s guest column
• Draft signing tracker

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.