It’s not been easy for the Montreal Canadiens to attract star players over the years. The weather, the taxes, the language, we’ve heard it all, but that might just be changing. The organization’s decision to undergo a rebuild and start betting on offense rather than defense has made the Habs an entertaining team to watch, but also a fun team to play for.
On Monday, TSN insider Pierre Lebrun mentioned on Overdrive that an agent told him that one of his clients has asked to add the Canadiens to the list of teams he would be open to being traded to. Of course, Lebrun didn’t say which agent made the claim or which player was involved, but it was enough to spark plenty of talk and speculation online.
There aren’t a lot of players out there who have publicly said they wish to be traded and are still waiting to find out where they’ll be headed. The top name that comes to mind is Dylan Larkin. He asked the Detroit Red Wings for a trade a couple of weeks ago, and he hasn’t been moved yet. He provided Steve Yzerman with a short list of teams he’d be willing to go to: the Minnesota Wild, the Florida Panthers, or the Vegas Golden Knights.
Brady Takchuk was traded to the Panthers over the weekend, and the Florida outfit’s cupboard of draft picks is now pretty bare, which may well take them out of the running. The Wild doesn’t have a first or second round pick at the upcoming draft, while Vegas doesn’t either in the next two drafts. It’s true that Yzerman may be looking for immediate help rather than futures, but picks still help sweeten the deal.
As evidenced by the Takchuk trade, teams are no longer that reluctant to trade players inside their own division, and Yzerman has done it before when he sent Jonathan Drouin to the Habs nearly a decade ago. While Larkin is a great player and would fit the Canadiens’ need, one has to wonder if he’d be in for the long haul in Montreal since he was part of Team USA at the latest Olympics, and a lot of those players have been requesting trades to American teams of late. There’s no concern for players who have been Habs for years and have shown themselves to be committed to the team, but it may be different for an outside hire, so to speak.
Larkin is under contract for another five years with an $8.7 million cap hit, so the price tag to get him out of Detroit is unlikely to be cheap. If Hughes were to make that deal, he would need solid guarantees from the player that he wouldn’t be looking to move again anytime soon.
At the end of the day, it’s far from a sure thing that Lebrun was indeed talking about Larkin, but whoever he was talking about, it’s good news that Montreal is starting to make its way on players’ trade lists.
The Milwaukee Bucks finally traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, and now the fallout is really beginning. The move anticipated for an entire NBA season is done, on the eve of the NBA draft, and there is at least one major star whose future could be inextricably altered given how the Antetokounmpo deal went down.
The Boston Celtics were runner-ups to the Miami Heat in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, with a reported offer of Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks not enough to sway the Bucks from the haul they received from Miami. So what does Brown think about all this, coming off the best season of his career with Jayson Tatum mostly sidelined?
This isn't the first time Brown's name has surfaced in serious trade talks, and speculation is already swirling this could prompt him to ask out of Boston. Antetokounmpo's trade has officially kickstarted the NBA offseason, and Brown suddenly might be the best player available for teams that can create the salary cap space for a supermax contract. Unless he and the Celtics can move past nearly parting ways (again) in recent days.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking all the rumors and reports related to Jaylen Brown's future with the Boston Celtics and whether he could end up being traded to another NBA team in the fallout of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Here's the latest ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft:
Maybe. The Celtics reportedly used him as the centerpiece of their trade offer to the Bucks for Antetokounmpo, along with two first-round draft picks.
It's still unclear if the Celtics were only willing to make Brown available for Antetokounmpo, or whether they still plan to trade him to another team. Brown has not commented on his future since the Antetokounmpo deal went through, but he did allude to his name being mentioned in trade rumors on Sunday, June 21.
"”Somewhat grateful, because I get to see some negativity that I didn’t want. But that just gives more fuel to the fire," Brown said on his Twitch stream while training with Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles. "I see some comments, or takes, that I didn’t even care to see, but it just gives me more fuel to the fire. To all the people who have doubted me, that want me to do this or want me gone, you’re turning me into a monster."
Jaylen Brown trade rumors after Giannis deal
The Celtics previously involved Brown in trade discussions for Kevin Durant four years ago. Brown subsequently won NBA Finals MVP during Boston's title run in 2024 and finished as an NBA MVP finalist with Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles during most of the 2025-26 regular season.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on the Tuesday, June 23 edition of "Get Up" he anticipated a "bidding war" for Brown now that the Celtics made him available in the Antetokounmpo trade talks. Multiplereports have suggested the Bucks chose the Heat's trade package over the Celtics, in part, because there were fears Brown would not want to remain in Milwaukee long-term.
"I am not convinced he’s going to be on the team in October. I think it’s 50/50," The Ringer's Bill Simmons, a Celtics superfan, said on his podcast in the aftermath of the team's failed attempt.
Jaylen Brown landing spots: Teams that could trade for Celtics star
Atlanta Hawks
Brown's hometown team could package emerging young wings like Jonathan Kuminga, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels and draft picks to pair a bonafide star with Jalen Johnson
Houston Rockets
Brown won a title in Boston with Rockets coach Ime Udoka and Houston had a rockier-than-expected first year with Kevin Durant in the fold. There are plenty of young pieces, most notably big man Alperin Sengun, that would likely interest the Celtics in a potential Brown deal.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers have set themselves up to have the salary cap space to bring in Brown and there's a new owner who might want to make a splash. The contracts of Jrue Holiday or Jerami Grant will have to be involved, and a possible deal would hinge on what the Celtics think of Portland's young core.
New Orleans Pelicans
Trey Murphy has long been an attractive trade piece the Pelicans have not been willing to part with, but Brown might be the caliber of player to change their mind. Jordan Poole's expiring contract could help facilitate an easy exchange.
Jaylen Brown contract details
Brown is under contract with the Boston Celtics through the 2028-29 NBA season after signing a 5-year supermax extension worth up to $304 million in July 2023. He is eligible to sign an additional 2-year, $142-million extension with the Celtics during the 2026 offseason. He still has three years and nearly $182 million remaining on his current contract.
Jaylen Brown stats
Brown averaged a career-best 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists during the 2025-26 season. He just completed his 10th year in the NBA after the Celtics chose him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft
With the NHL Entry Draft set to take place this Friday and Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings are already turning their attention toward the 2026-27 season.
On Tuesday, the club unveiled its preseason schedule, a four-game slate that will begin on Sept. 21 and feature matchups against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. Before the preseason gets underway, however, Red Wings fans will have several opportunities to get an early look at the organization's future.
Detroit announced it will host a four-team Prospect Tournament from Sept. 12-15 at Little Caesars Arena's BELFOR Training Center. The tournament will feature prospects from the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Penguins, and Dallas Stars, providing an early showcase for many of the organization's top young players and recent draft selections. Following the tournament, the Red Wings will hold Training Camp from Sept. 17-20 before opening their preseason schedule the next day in Columbus.
The exhibition slate begins with a road contest against the Blue Jackets on Sept. 21 before Detroit travels to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins on Sept. 22. The Red Wings will then return home to Little Caesars Arena for their lone preseason home game against the Sabres on Sept. 24 before concluding the schedule with another matchup against Columbus on Sept. 26.
While preseason games rarely feature extensive workloads for established NHL stars, they provide valuable opportunities for organizations to evaluate prospects and depth players. Detroit's upcoming exhibition schedule should be no different.
Fans hoping to catch extended appearances from cornerstone players like Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and veteran goaltender John Gibson may be disappointed. However, the spotlight will fall on the organization's most exciting emerging talent as players battle for roster spots and make their case for NHL opportunities.
Among the names to watch are highly regarded prospects Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, both of whom are expected to be key figures during training camp and the preseason. The exhibition schedule could also offer Detroit fans an early look at the players selected by the organization during this week's NHL Draft, with several recent picks potentially earning invitations to camp and preseason action.
For a franchise continuing to build toward sustained contention, the preseason serves as an important evaluation period. It offers coaches and management a chance to assess the next generation of Red Wings while giving fans a preview of the talent pipeline that could shape the club's future. The NHL is expected to release the full 2026-27 regular-season schedule sometime in July.
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The Calgary Flames may not control who goes first overall, but they could end up controlling much of what happens after that.
Armed with 11 selections, including the sixth overall pick and eight choices inside the top 68, Calgary enters the 2026 NHL Draft with more flexibility than almost any team in the league. Whether that means making the picks, moving around the board, or pursuing trades, general manager Craig Conroy knows the Flames have options.
And in a draft class Conroy believes is unusually difficult to predict, that flexibility could prove invaluable.
“I don’t. I think it’s one of those years where they’re all really good players,” Conroy told Sportsnet when asked if he had a sense of how the top six might shake out.
For Calgary, that uncertainty isn’t a concern — it’s an opportunity.
With four second-round picks and a stockpile of assets, the Flames are positioned to be one of the draft’s most active teams if the right opportunity presents itself.
“We have a lot of ammunition to either make picks, move them or make trades,” Conroy added. “The options are definitely one of the things that makes it exciting for us.”
That flexibility extends well beyond the first round. As draft day approaches, Conroy said discussions with other clubs have already intensified, particularly involving Calgary’s collection of second-round selections.
“There are definitely lots of calls and conversations with teams about all our picks,” Conroy continued.
Still, for all the talk about trades and movement, the most important decision remains the one attached to the sixth overall pick.
The Flames have an obvious need for more offensive production, leading many to assume a forward will be the priority. Conroy, however, made it clear Calgary won’t be drafting based solely on positional need.
“I’m not going to go to the best player, I’m going to say the right player,” he stated.
And that’s where the debate really begins.
Ask five draft analysts what Calgary’s biggest organizational need is and you’ll probably get two different answers. One camp believes the Flames still lack a true No. 1 center capable of driving a Stanley Cup contender. The other sees a glaring need for a future top-pairing defenseman who can dictate the game from the back end.
The Hockey News leans toward the latter.
If he’s available when Calgary steps to the podium, Carson Carels could be difficult to pass up. The dynamic defenseman turned heads across the WHL this season, finishing with 20 goals and 73 points while establishing himself as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive blue-liners. Those numbers ranked fifth among WHL defensemen in goals and fourth in total points, helping earn him a finalist nomination for WHL Defenseman of the Year.
What stands out most isn’t necessarily the production — it’s how he generates it. Carels thrives with the puck on his stick, pushes play through the neutral zone and has a knack for creating offense seemingly out of nowhere. Comparisons to Cale Makar are unfair for almost any young defenseman, but elements of Carels’ game — particularly his skating and ability to attack off the rush — inevitably invite them.
Then there’s Keaton Verhoeff, another defenseman expected to hear his name called early. The Victoria Royals standout produced 21 goals and 45 points in 63 games as a 16-year-old, a remarkable accomplishment considering only two younger WHL defensemen in league history have scored more goals at that age. Verhoeff combines offensive instincts with a physical edge that NHL teams covet, making him one of the most intriguing long-term projects in the class.
Another name worth monitoring is Alberts Šmits.
The Latvian defender already owns something few draft-eligible prospects can claim: Olympic experience. While Latvia isn’t stocked with NHL stars, earning a spot on an Olympic roster as a teenager remains a notable achievement. Šmits split the season between Germany and Finland, appearing at both the professional and junior levels while recording 12 goals and 23 points in 43 games.
His strongest impression may have come at the World Junior Championship. Serving in a leadership role for Latvia, Šmits was consistently one of the country’s best players, finishing with five points in five games while earning recognition as one of Latvia’s top performers throughout the tournament.
Of course, if Calgary decides its biggest need remains down the middle, Tynan Lawrence could emerge as a serious option.
Lawrence’s appeal extends beyond his offensive upside. The Boston University forward has developed a reputation for seeking out challenges rather than avoiding them. His decision to make the jump to the NCAA forced him to adapt to a faster, heavier and far more demanding style of hockey, and while the transition wasn’t always smooth, it showcased the resilience NHL teams love to see in young players.
Before arriving at Boston University, Lawrence dominated in the USHL. He averaged better than a point per game as a 16-year-old with Muskegon, earned All-Rookie Team honors, helped capture a Clark Cup championship and was later named tournament MVP. He eventually took over as captain and posted 17 points in 13 games before moving on to the collegiate ranks.
What makes Lawrence particularly intriguing for Calgary is the way he plays. He competes hard, embraces physical hockey and consistently pushes himself into uncomfortable situations to improve. Those are traits Conroy and the Flames have repeatedly prioritized during the rebuild.
If the Flames ultimately decide their future is strongest down the middle, don’t be surprised if Lawrence becomes one of the names receiving serious consideration when Calgary is on the clock.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers hired Mike Babcock on Tuesday, clearing the way for the polarizing taskmaster to coach his first NHL game in more than six years after the NHL cleared him following an investigation into his aborted 2023 stint in Columbus.
Babcock is now in charge of trying to get Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl a Stanley Cup championship after two of the best hockey players in the league have fallen short over the past decade.
D.J. Smith, who was most recently the interim replacement in Los Angeles after Jim Hiller was fired and ran the bench in Ottawa from 2019-23, was named an associate coach. Smith was an assistant under Babcock in Toronto.
Babcock has not coached a game in the league since being fired by the Maple Leafs 23 games into the 2019-20 season.
Babcock, 63, has championship experience from coaching Detroit to the Cup in 2008. He made two other trips to the final, with Anaheim in ‘03 and when the Red Wings went again in ’09 and lost to Pittsburgh. He also guided Canada to back-to-back Olympic goal medals in 2010 and '14.
Babcock also brings baggage.
He stepped down from the Blue Jackets' job before training camp in September 2023 after taking the job on July 1. At the time, Babcock’s requests for personal photos from players in an attempt to get to know them drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
When word emerged that Edmonton was interested in hiring Babcock, the NHL Players' Association asked the league to review what happened three years ago. The NHL in a statement said it found nothing to prevent him from being employed by a team.
Former players have spoken out about Babcock's old-school tendencies that some say can be considered bullying.
A report surfaced after the Maple Leafs fired Babcock that he had asked Mitch Marner to share his ranking of teammates from hardest- to least-hardest working and then shared that with the rest of the group. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen told a Swedish outlet that Babcock was the worst person he had ever met and said at one point he was terrified to go to the rink.
Retired defenseman Mike Commodore, who played for Babcock briefly in 2011 in Detroit, spoke out this spring.
“I don’t want to hear another word about how important mental health is for us when you literally just paved the way, cleared the way for Mike Babcock to get another opportunity in the NHL and put him in another position of power where he can abuse people,” Commodore said on the “Clearing the Crease” podcast.
Daniel Winnik, who played for Babcock in 2015-16 with the Leafs, last week called him “the only guy that's ever made me hate hockey.”
“I just hated coming to the rink,” Winnik said on TSN 1050 radio in Toronto. "He's just a bully."
Kris Knoblauch, who coached Edmonton to consecutive trips to the Cup final in 2024 and ’25, was fired May 14 — a decision announced after news leaked that the Oilers had been denied permission by division rival Vegas to interview 2023 Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy, whom the Golden Knights fired on March 30 with eight games left in the regular season. Cassidy remains under contract for one more year.
The Oilers instead turned to Babcock, whose 700 regular season and 90 playoff victories rank 12th and 10th, respectively, in NHL history.
The Edmonton Oilers have announced that Mike Babcock is now officially the team's next head coach. He becomes the club’s 19th head coach in team history.
Babcock, 63, joins Edmonton with an extensive NHL résumé, compiling a 700-418-183 record over 17 seasons and ranking 10th all-time in playoff wins (90-74). The decision doesn't come without some controversy, however.
Babcock was investigated for his conduct as the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach in 2023. The investigation found incidents that didn't paint him in a good light, but were not enough to keep him out of the NHL.
The Oilers have chosen to overlook whatever it was the was found and go with a guy they believe will push this crop of superstars. Edmonton is desperate to win the Stanley Cup, having gotten close in two of the past three seasons.
Babcock is the only coach to win a Stanley Cup (2008), Olympic gold (2010, 2014), IIHF World Championship (2004), and World Cup of Hockey (2016). The Oilers believe he's got the hockey mind to help this group, along with the pedigree to coach stars who need to be held accountable.
He began in Anaheim, leading the Ducks to a Stanley Cup Final, before a decade in Detroit that included a Cup win, two Finals appearances, and multiple division titles. Babcock later coached Toronto for five seasons, posting a 173-133-45 record.
The Oilers also revealed that they have hired D.J. Smith as an associate coach. Smith, 49, most recently served as interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, assembling an 11-6-6 record from March 1st through the end of the 2025-26 regular season. It was rumored Smith would join Babcock if hired. Smith began his NHL coaching career as an assistant under Babcock in Toronto in 2015.
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) June 23, 2026
There were rumblings that the season would start earlier due to having two extra games, but with these dates, it seems we're back to the pre-COVID schedule of starting the regular season in the first week of October.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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Twenty years after he first signed with the White Sox as a 16-year-old and during his third stint with the team, Bob Kennedy was back in action above, in Spring Training play. | (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images) (Set Number: X3601)
1919 White Sox center fielder Happy Felsch tied a 15-year-old record set by Harry Bay for most chances in a nine-inning game: 12. He had 11 putouts and one assist (Jack Graney, doubled off of first base) in the 3-2 loss to Cleveland at Comiskey Park.
That record still stands in the American League, since tied by has not been surpassed. The first to tie was White Sox center fielder Johnny Mostil, on May 22, 1928. In 1977 (ironically the same season another White Sox center fielder, Chet Lemon, set a mark for season chances), Lyman Bostock matched Felsch’s and Mostil’s mark.
In the NL, Earl Clark of the Boston Braves had 13 errorless chances in 1929, which remains the MLB single-game, outfielder-chances record.
1937 The beginning of a 55-year baseball career for Bob Kennedy got underway, as the White Sox signed him two months before his 17th birthday. A native Chicagoan, Kennedy was an infield star at Morgan Park High School. Oddly enough, the night before his signing, Kennedy was working at Comiskey Park — as a popcorn vendor during the Joe Louis-James Braddock heavyweight title fight!
Kennedy would be in Chicago playing while still a teenager, at the end of the 1939 season. He would go on to play three separate stints and 10 seasons total with the White Sox as part of his 16-year career. After retiring after the 1957 season, Kennedy went on to both manage and general manage in the majors, staying active as an executive through the 1992 season.
His son, Terry, also played in the majors.
1956 It was first of the two great fights between Yankees and White Sox players; almost one year later, June 13, 1957, the second one took place.
In this one Bob Grim (uncle to former White Sox director of business development and broadcasting Bob Grim) threw one high and tight to outfielder Dave Philley in the home half of the sixth inning. The ball glanced off of Philley’s shoulder and bounced into his batting helmet, knocking it off. Philley charged the mound, as the benches and bullpens emptied. Both players swung at each other, as the rest of the teams held each other back.
Order was restored after about 20 minutes. Philleywas tossed from the game. Grim was allowed to stay in, but perhaps was shaken; the White Sox tagged him for two runs — RBIs from Sherm Lollar and Luis Aparicio — in Chicago’s 2-0 win.
1957 In front of the 10th-biggest road crowd and thus 10th-biggest regular season crowd ever for a White Sox game, the Pale Hose split a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, in front of 63,787 fans.
The opener was a 9-2 drubbing, as Billy Pierce wore it for the White Sox (seven earned in five innings). But the South Siders got back to just a half-game behind the first-place Yankees with a nightcap triumph, 4-3. Dick Donovan went eight strong but faltered in the ninth, knocked out of the box by a Mickey Mantle three-run blast without recording an out; Paul LePalme came in and put out the fire, weathering the tying run on third and winning on second by striking out ex-Sox Darrell Johnson to earn the save.
1958 The White Sox purchased the contract of pitcher Turk Lown from the Reds. Lown and teammate Gerry Staley, also acquired via the purchase route in 1956, gave the White Sox one of the top bullpens in baseball during the late 1950s/early 1960s. They were especially effective during the 1959 AL pennant season. That year, Lown went 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 15 saves. Staley also had 15 saves that year, and the pair led the league in that category.
Lown’s best pitch was a blazing fastball that was among the best in baseball. The first time he faced both Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams, Lown threw nothing but fastballs and struck them both out on three pitches.
1960 With a two-out, ninth-inning home run that would ultimately prove fruitless in a 5-3 loss at Baltimore, Roy Sievers began a 21-game hit streak that would end in a tie for seventh-longest in White Sox history when it ended on July 19.
The South Siders went 14-7 during Sievers’ tear, as he scorched AL pitching at .405/.516/.772 and struck out just six times in 97 plate appearances! The slugger would finish seventh in MVP voting in 1960.
His hitting streak remains tied for 11th all-time in franchise history.
1963 White Sox catcher J.C. Martin set an American League record and tied a major league one by being involved in three double plays in a 2-0 loss at Cleveland. Martin had two strike-out/throw-out double plays, and was also in the middle of a third base-to-catcher-to-first base twin killing. Martin’s record would later be tied by another Sox catcher, Ed Herrmann.
And in both cases, the Sox would lose the game!
1983 With an 8-6 win over the Twins, the White Sox climbed to a winning record, at 34-33, for the first time all season. Big scoring was bunched into the front of the game, with the score 7-6, White Sox, through four innings. Floyd Bannister allowed FOUR home runs and six earned overall, but came away with the win to improve to 3-8 on the year. The middle of the White Sox order (Harold Baines, Greg Luzinski, Greg Walker) went 7-for-13 with two doubles, a homer, five runs and five RBIs to fuel the win.
The White Sox would fall back to .500 the next day but otherwise begin a historic tear through the final 95 games of the season, going 65-30 to finish with 99 wins and an AL West title.
The Maple Leafs had spent the last couple of years playing a pair of rookie showcase games in Montreal at Bell Centre. Before then, the Leafs were one of a few teams that took part in the annual Detroit Red Wings-hosted tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.
The is the first of it’s kind where four Canadian NHL teams are taking part. In the past, the Leafs used to host rookie tournament in London, Ontario with the Canadiens and Senators taking part while an American team would rotate in.
This is the first time Ottawa is hosting the Leafs for a rookie challenge in some capacity.
This tournament is where you’ll likely see Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 overall pick to play in an actual game of some sort.
The schedule of games is as follows.
Schedule
Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. Winnipeg Jets vs. Montreal Canadiens
Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Winnipeg Jets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
Tickets for each game start as low as $20 and will be available to the public on Monday, June 29 at 10 a.m. on centreslushpuppie.com.
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Phillies fans, there’s good news and there’s bad news.
The good news is, you’re killing it in your efforts to elect Brandon Marsh to a starting outfield spot on the National League All Star team.
In voting released by the league Monday, Marsh’s 1.256 million votes are second-most among NL outfielders, trailing only the Dodgers’ Andy Pages, who has compiled 1.518 million votes, and is slightly more than Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna and his 1.216 million votes.
The top-three vote getters will be named NL All Star Game starters, and Marsh is well positioned to do that. He has slightly more than a 200,000 vote edge on the Braves’ Michael Harris II, at 1.059 million votes.
The top six outfielders advance to the second round of voting. At every other position, the the top-two vote getters advance to the second round. Marsh will certainly move onto the next round of the balloting, and has the inside track on landing a starting spot in the outfield.
So, great job, guys! Stuffing the ballot box for Marsh, whose .311 batting average entering play on Tuesday ranks 2nd among NL outfielders (San Francisco’s Jung Hoo Lee, .327), and is sporting a .344 OBP and an OPS of .899. In celebration, Marsh hit his 10th homer of the season for the Phillies’ lone run in their 4-1 loss to the Nationals in Washington.
Bryce Harper gave Brandon Marsh a pep talk between innings
Here’s the bad news. Much work remains to get Bryce Harper to the next round of the voting.
Harper currently ranks 3rd among all NL first basemen, with 1.143 million votes. He trails Atlanta’s Matt Olson by a little less than 300,000 votes (1.421 million) and is well behind L.A.’s Freddie Freeman (1.779 million), despite leading all NL first basemen in OPS. His .897 OPS is 20 points better than Olson’s .877.
Elsewhere, a few Phils do appear poised to stay on the ballot for the second round.
At third base, Alec Bohm surprisingly has the second-most votes (804,309) in the NL. He’s well ahead of Atlanta’s Austin Riley (572,816), although there’s no drama as to who will actually start for the All Star team, with the Dodgers’ Max Muncy dominating the field (1.933 million votes).
At second, Bryson Stott is also in position to move onto the second round (801,006) trailing Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies by 171,000 votes (972,537). There is a real chance Stott could jump ahead of Albies, but only if Phillies fans make a concerted effort to make it happen. Stott’s .674 OPS ranks just 11th among qualified NL second baseman, but who cares about a small detail like that?
The last Phillie in position to make the second round is MLB’s home run leader, Kyle Schwarber. He’s second among NL designated hitters with 1.54 million votes. Unfortunately, he trails the very best baseball player the human race has ever seen, Shohei Ohtani, whose 2.31 million votes leads all vote-getters in any category. But have no fear, Schwarber will be there, just not in the starting lineup.
Unfortunately, Trea Turner’s awful start has torpedoed his chances of moving on among shortstops. One could argue he shouldn’t even be fourth on the list, trailing only Elly De La Cruz, Mookie Betts and CJ Abrams. And among catchers, J.T. Realmuto currently sits in 3rd (829,868 votes), trailing the Dodgers’ Will Smith for 2nd by 460,000 votes.
So fans, there is work left to do.
Get Brandon Marsh across the finish line.
Get Bryce Harper into the first base finals.
Get Bryson Stott into the starting lineup.
And hey, while we’re at it, let’s shock the world and make Kyle Schwarber the starting DH in the National League.
It’s part of your civic duty as the nation celebrates its 250th birthday. You love the Constitution, don’t you?
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view of the stage before the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
I haven’t seen any mocks sending Ruiz to the Phillies or any rumors reported on interest from the Phillies, but it’s hard to miss the similarities to picks during the Barber/Mattingly/Dombrowski regime. Ruiz is old for the class (turned 19 in March), is an up the middle defender, has a contact over power approach, but with the swing speed to suggest he could get to some power, and from an area that’s decidedly not a baseball hot bed. That’s basically the exact description of Dante Nori and not far from descriptions of Justin Crawford and Aiden Miller (in Miller’s case his lack of power in High School was injury related). As I’ve said in other previews this year, when picking so low in the First Round (Comp round even, at this point) you have to pick your poison of what flaws you want to gamble on: perceived injury risk (Wood), age relative to peers (Nori, Miller), lack of power (Miller, Crawford, Nori), cold climate (Nori), etc. I’m banking this preview on them looking at Ruiz similarly to their view of Nori.
Ruiz’s overall profile is a 5’10”, 165 lbs, natural Shortstop with smooth actions and plenty of arm, switch hitting bat and line drive gap power from The Stony Brook School in New York. He’s a Vanderbilt commit, so there is some risk he decides not to sign and goes to College where he’d be a draft eligible Sophomore. His profile is actually very reminiscent of Bryan Rincon, who’s having a bit of a breakout season this year. Ruiz was projected pre-season to be closer to a possible top 10 pick, but hasn’t shown any real improvement to in-game power (he shows it in BP, but prospect history is littered with guys who had plenty of BP power and nothing in-game), while other players have. His carrying tool is going to be his glove, which is best in class. He makes all the routine plays and stays under control, but also make acrobatic, highlight-reel quality plays that have earned him plenty of raves. Thanks to his glove he’ll stand a very good chance of at least getting to the MLB level as a glove first bench player. He’s an average runner, who will get some stolen bases, but not really be a weapon in that part of his game. And his arm is a plus weapon allowing him to play multiple positions, if needed down the line.
Switch hitters are double the fun from a draft profile perspective, as you get 2 different swings to analyze, but we’ll start with the basics that apply to both swings. Both swings are mostly line drive oriented and Ruiz rarely swings and misses from either side of the plate. Now for the individual swings his left handed swing shows more pop and better bat speed (that’s good, he’ll use that one more). One notable point is how similar his right and left swings are. For both he sets up with VERY high hands, almost over his head, with some lateral bat wiggle, a small leg kick and short, well-timed stride into his contact zone. I’d love to see if he can bring the hands down some and drop the bat less to shorten his path. That’s a minor quibble and his swing overall looks very smooth and you don’t need tons of power out of him with that glove and plus contact ability. Video below shows a bit of everything in non-game settings.
This video is a very similar vein of workout/showcase video. with a little view from behind the plate in addition.
This pick would feel a lot like the Nori pick as a high floor-lower ceiling gamble. We’re basically a round 2 pick and this is pretty consistent with the profile of the guys you’d be excited about in round 2.
San Diego Padres Gavin Sheets (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres brought Gavin Sheets back on a one-year, $4.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. It locked him into becoming the lineup’s top designated hitter option.
Injuries forced Sheets’ role to change
However, injuries to Jake Cronenworth, Ramon Laureano, and Miquel Andujar forced the Padres to revamp their starting lineup. The biggest move was having Sheets play the corner outfield position full-time. He may not have great defensive range, but Sheets can put a glove on balls hit in his direction.
He has dominated the plate by shattering expectations, with a .232 average, 12 home runs, and 33 RBI that should easily eclipse last season’s career numbers, which were .252 with 19 HR and 71 RBI in 145 games.
Sheets has become an RBI machine with RISP
The one change we see in 2026 is Sheets’ production with runners in scoring position. The Friar Faithful are witnessing another season where Sheets is exceeding expectations. The 30-year-old is hitting .366 with 4 HR, 22 RBI, and a 1,227 OPS in runners in scoring position.
Unfortunately, the lineup is going to need some assistance in scoring runs. Manny Machado has struggled significantly at the plate, posting a .179 BA, but he has shown signs of busting out of his season-long slumber.
The rise in his production with runners in scoring position has been aided by the insertion of Sheets in the five spot of the batting order. Machado is hitting .259 with 2 HR and 18 RBI. Sheets continued his torrid pace, hitting .357 with a .762 slugging percentage.
New offensive outlook
The hope is for the top of the order to get on base via walk or a bunt base hit. Then, keep the line moving for the lineup’s big hitters. Each is clutch to knock in runs late in games.
Combined, Machado and Sheets had 90 ABs in the same inning. They hit .256 with 4 HR and 40 RBI. Sheets is dominating the partnership by capitalizing on each scoring situation. Machado’s production is on the rise, but it may take him a little time to reach his career average of .275 with runners in scoring position.
The Friars need to put themselves in better hitting situations. Hopefully, it leads to more run production.
The 2026 MLB Draft Combine kicks off June 23-26 in Phoenix, and there are going to be a massive 335 players involved this year. Some of these players have more at stake in front of the Atlanta Braves and the 29 other teams, and for different reasons. Today I plan to take a look at 11 of the players who could have the most to gain or lose in Phoenix.
Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State – This spring Bailey was looking like a potential second or third round pick as a sophomore putting up huge power numbers thanks to his true 80-grade raw power. Then an ugly ankle injury happened and surgery followed. His medical reports are going to be a key factor in determining if he is able to get him to receive a bonus offer large enough to turn pro with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Florida State 1B Myles Bailey is quite polarizing. He whiffs an unbelievable amount for a notable draft prospect. But he has a 114.3 MPH 90th EV and 23.9° HH LA. May be some of the freakiest power ability on the planet? Hard profile to evaluate, but the homer tape is so fun. pic.twitter.com/WbBDJd6tQo
Brady Ballinger, 1B, Kansas – Another first baseman to start the list, Ballinger is here for totally different reasons than Bailey. Ballinger came into the spring as a potential dark horse first round pick, despite being a first base only prospect. Then despite Kansas having the best season in school history, Ballinger saw his numbers take a fall across the board. Due to that he has seen himself from from potential first rounder to not even included in the Consensus Top 200 rankings – he unofficially came in 215th there, but everything is unofficial past 200 as counting rankings stopped after 200 on all lists. He will need to impress here in order to help himself – but for a guy who was receiving some Nick Kurtz comps heading into the year, that isn’t out of the question.
Brody Bumila, LHP, Massachusetts HS – Bumila is this year’s version of Jack Bauer, a high school lefty who has already touched 102 MPH with his fastball. However this cold-weather, multi-sport arm has a Tommy John surgery on his resume with an internal brace that caused him to miss time as recently as 2025. The medicals will certainly play a part in how high he gets selected.
101 mph 🔥 from 6-foot-9 LHP Brody Bumila, Baseball America’s No. 6 high school player for 2026, in another dominant outing today.
Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State – Carlon is a pitcher who could be very much in play in the range where the Braves second first round pick falls. He is also a pitcher who had a velocity dip and “dead arm” just last month. The way he comes out of the combine could determine just how high he ends up being selected.
Cole Carlon (@ASU_Baseball) generated whiffs at a high rate. Physical 6-5/230 frame. Tough H3/4 slot. FB worked 93-97 (T98). Diabolical SL at 86-88 gets ugly swings. ++ pitch. Will show CH and CB as well @PG_Draft
Jacob Dudan, RHP, NC State – Dudan emerged as the Wolfpack’s best pitching prospect this season, but his season ended early when he needed Tommy John in early-April. He is yet another pitcher that will have his medicals play a part in where he gets picked.
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) June 11, 2024
Cam Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina – It’s well known that Flukey was strongly in the mix to be the first pitcher off the board coming into the season. Then an early season rib injury forced him to miss considerable time, and when he got back he never got fully ramped up to a full workload. His medicals could play a part, but teams are also going to want to see him throw here.
— Paradigm Player Development (@ParadigmPDS) May 14, 2026
Tommy LaPour, RHP, TCU – LaPour came in as a potential early round pick, but was injured in his first start and only returned late in the season. We only got to see three more appearances longer than one inning from him the rest of the way, and he did struggle a bit in two of his five total appearances after his return. His medicals as well as him throwing could play a real factor in his stock.
Tommy LaPour (@TCU_Baseball) showing loud stuff in a quick look. Physical 6-4/230 build. FB sat 93-96 (T97). Short SL at 84-86. Mixed in a fair share of CH at 86-89 @PG_Draft
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 21, 2026
Chase Meyer, RHP, formerly West Virginia – Coming into the year it was actually Meyer seen as WVU’s top prospect this year, ahead of Dawson Montesa and Maxx Yehl. Then after just two relief appearances he was dismissed from the team in due to a locker room incident. He has resurfaced in the MLB Draft League already and his stuff has looked great there, but he will need to answer for his dismissal in team interviews to help determine where he may get selected.
Chase Meyer (@SCSpikes) flashed some big time stuff in his first inning, picking up two strikeouts.🦌
— MLB Draft League Data (@draftleaguedata) June 13, 2026
Logan Reddeman, RHP, UCLA – Reddeman experienced a velocity bump this year and was starting to emerge as a candidate to be selected in the Top 10 overall. Then he experienced arm fatigue that ended up shutting him down for the remainder of the season in mid-April. His medicals will be a key factor in where he ends up going, and if he is able to throw at the combine that could also help determine his fate.
18 K’s for UCLA ace Logan Reddeman 👀
Bruins are in a road dogfight with Rutgers, looking to add to their 24 game win streak pic.twitter.com/CjdBTb1iTY
Zion Rose, OF, Louisville – Rose has emerged this spring as a potential first round pick as he hit .417/.491/.646 with six homers and more walks than strikeouts. However a pair of injuries also led to him missing 21 games this year, starting his season late and then missing another 10-day stretch in season. He’s got the pedigree and the production, but teams will be eyeing his medicals closely.
Here's a look at potential top-2 round pick Zion Rose (OF, @LouisvilleBSB) from last night.
Physical 6-0, 200 lb frame w/ a strong lower half. Plenty of bat speed from the right side, notoriously a difficult guy to strike out. Missed some time early in the year, but has just… pic.twitter.com/Bw04qFTyuv
— The Prospect Porch (@prospect_porch) May 9, 2026
Cade Townsend, RHP, Mississippi – Townsend was starting to be linked heavily to the Braves for the 9th pick, but following a missed start due to shoulder inflammation his stuff was never quite as elite. Further complicating things is the fact that after May 16th he only made one more appearance the rest of the way despite the Mississippi run to the College World Series – not pitching at all in the Super Regional or in the CWS itself.
RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draftpic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j
SEATTLE, WA - JULY 07: Carson Wiggins #28 of the American League Team pitches during the MLB-USA Baseball High School All-American Game at T-Mobile Park on Friday, July 7, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Arkansas pitcher Carson Wiggins.
Carson Wiggins is a 6’5″, 215 lb. righthanded pitcher who is a draft-eligible sophomore at the University of Arkansas. He turned 21 earlier this month. Coming out of high school in Roland, Oklahoma, in 2024, he was a top 100 draft prospect, but went undrafted due to signability concerns. His brother, Jaxon Wiggins, is also a pitcher who was drafted by the Cubs out of the University of Arkansas in the second round in 2023, and who was a consensus top 100 prospect coming into the 2026 season.
Wiggins is described as a “flamethrower,” with a fastball that has been clocked as high as 102 mph, and that averaged 98.7 mph in 2025, per MLB Pipeline. His fastball has good rising action and is a legit swing-and-miss pitch. He pairs the fastball with an excellent slider with good movement that also gets whiffs. He has a curveball and changeup, as well, though he apparently rarely used them pitching for the Razorbacks.
Wiggins is big and athletic, and his delivery isn’t high effort. However, his control is an issue, and he has a lot of improvement he needs to make in his command of his pitches.
Wiggins was used as a reliever as a freshman, throwing 14 innings over 14 games. He faced 59 batters and struck out 20 of them, but also walked seven unintentionally and threw six wild pitches. His freshman season was cut short due to an elbow issue that resulted in internal brace surgery, and he didn’t pitch this year. He has reportedly been throwing sides, however, and is healthy and ready to go for the MLB Draft Combine this week.
Given how little he has pitched the past two seasons, there are a lot questions about Wiggins. Some of those should be answered when he throws at the Combine, and if he does well and shows he is 100%, he presumably would move up on draft boards. His brother missed his junior season at Arkansas due to Tommy John surgery and has blossomed as a pro, though an elbow injury this year has put Jaxon on the shelf most of 2026.
Wiggins has TORP potential as a starter, though in order to stick as a starter in the pros he is going to have to improve his command significantly and develop his third and fourth pitches. If a team wants to use him as a reliever, he could move quickly, with his fastball/slider combo making him a potential late inning weapon.
The Rangers have not been scared off by college pitchers coming off of injury, and Wiggins would appear to be ready to resume game action post-draft. Wiggins does have extra leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore who would presumably be eligible for an injury redshirt for 2026, meaning he would potentially have three years of eligibility remaining.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Nick Morabito #55 of the New York Mets in action during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field on May 25, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this season, people were discussing Nick Morabito in the same breath as Carson Benge or AJ Ewing, and with good reason: through the first month of the season, he was hitting .268/.371/.463 with four doubles and four home runs in 23 games for the Syracuse Mets, good for a 116 wRC+.
Unfortunately for Morabito, and for everyone else out there, things took a turn for the worst in the month of May, as the outfielder hit .234/.355/.297 until May 19, when the Mets called the 23-year-old up to the majors for roughly a week to balance out the bench. After going hitless in 11 at-bats, drawing a walk, he was optioned back down to Syracuse on May 25th, where he had a strong week, going 6-23 with a pair of extra base hits and three walks, finishing out his May hitting .241/.353/.333 with 3 doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Prior to this past week, Morabito’s June was looking grim. Coming into the week, he was hitting .227/.320/.295, but thanks to his performance against the Tides, he is hitting .256/.364/.415.
As expected, the red flags that presented themselves in his profile last season, such as his elevated strikeout rate, have continued to bite Morabito, but to his credit, he responded by making improvements in other facets of his game. His walk rate has improved, up from a 9.8% in 95 games with High-A Brooklyn and 9.6% with Double-A Binghamton to 11.6% in 63 games with Syracuse. His batted ball data, however slight, has improved, with fewer groundballs and more line drives and flyballs. His hit spray, though slight, is more efficient, with his pull and up-the-middle rates up a bit and his opposite field rate down.
There is no doubt in my mind that Morabito will be called back up to the majors at some point between now and when he decides to call it a career, and with his speed and ability to play centerfield, there is no doubt in my mind that he will carve himself a nice little niche as a bench player. While he does not have particularly loud offensive tools, there are clear avenues for Morabito to improve which might then raise his potential standing even further, from bench player to perhaps more.
Jonathan Santucci
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (Double-A)
I wouldn’t exactly call the season that Jonathan Santucci is having so far a breakout, but in a season that has been a fairly big let-down for many of the Mets’ top prospects for various reasons, the southpaw is one of the few whose stock is, at minimum, holding. The left-hander threw a shutout performance for just the second time this season, dropping his ERA .40 points, to 3.73. He relied on his bread-and-butter, his fastball-slider combination, for six of the seven strikeouts he recorded in the ballgame, striking out four batters with his fastball, two batters with his slider, and one batter with his changeup.
Santucci was promoted to Double-A Binghamton last season around this time and made 10 starts with the Rumble Ponies, posting a 2.52 ERA in 50.0 innings, allowing 33 hits, walking 18, and striking out 63. When combined with his performance there this season, the left-hander has a cumulative 3.20 ERA in 112.2 Double-A innings, allowing 83 total hits, walking 49, and striking out 138. Assuming that he does not suddenly take a major step back, it would seem like Santucci is due for a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse sometime in the next few weeks.
When he eventually is promoted, how likely is it that his solid season continues? Looking at Santucci as a whole, two things stick out at me that could be problematic: his limited pitch mix and his poor command of that limited pitch mix.
Santucci throws a fastball, slider, and occasional changeup. In 2025, he added a more traditional curveball to his arsenal and claims that he still throws it, but the pitch is so identical to his slider that it is difficult to tell the two apart. While his fastball is an average-to-above average pitch and his slider a definite above-average pitch, the viability of a two-pitch pitcher outside of the bullpen is suspect. Clouding matters, both pitches play down when the left-hander is having trouble commanding either pitch on any given day.
Control and command has been an issue for Santucci going back to his time at Duke, and while it looked like he made some strides with his control last year, any such gains if they were legitimate seem to have disappeared. The left-hander currently has a 4.5 BB/9 rate, a below-average Zone%, and an extremely sub-optimal 44.4% F-Strike%. The southpaw has only thrown six or more innings three times this season, and in those three games, he has had an average or better strike rate, throwing 56 strikes in 87 pitches (64%), 60 strikes in 92 pitches (65%), and 60 strikes in 92 pitches (76%). In games where he has thrown fewer than six innings, Santucci has averaged a below-average 58% strike rate, with individual games ranging from 63% to 49%.
Slinging the ball from a three-quarters arm slot with a long arm action through the back and a pronounced weight shift to his back leg during his wind-up, the left-hander is unlikely to ever have pinpoint control. While a large preponderance of Santucci’s strikeouts come from getting batters to expand the zone on his fastball or slider, improving his command of both pitches- especially once in the International League, where the league-wide walk percentage is roughly 10% thanks to a strike zone that is defined as slightly smaller as compared to Double-A thanks to the ABS system- will be imperative to his future value as a baseball player.
