TEMPE, AZ - FEBRUARY 26: CJ Huntley #22 of the Valley Suns shoots a free throw during the game against the South Bay Lakers on February 26, 2026 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Signing Jamaree Bouyea to a standard contract earlier today left the Phoenix Suns with an empty two-way roster spot. Bouyea had been part of a three-man group on two-way deals that included Isaiah Livers and Koby Brea. His promotion created a vacancy that the team has officially filled.
The Suns decided to bring back a familiar face to occupy that role. They are signing CJ Huntley, the undrafted big man out of Appalachian State University. Huntley previously held a two-way spot with the organization earlier this season, and his return completes the roster once again.
The Phoenix Suns will sign PF/C CJ Huntley to a two-way contract out of their Valley Suns G League affiliate, filling their open spot after Bouyea's new deal, sources said. https://t.co/huuTOS9ELS
CJ Huntley originally signed a two-way contract last July, but the team waived him on November 17 once Jamaree Bouyea became available. He successfully cleared waivers and chose to return to the Valley Suns to continue his development.
The 6’9” forward has been grinding with the affiliate ever since, appearing in a team-high 38 games. During that stretch, he averaged 26.1 minutes, 14.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. His efficiency has been equally impressive, posting shooting splits of 62/36/65. At 24 years old, Huntley provides reliable frontcourt depth and a proven interior presence from the G League system.
With that final move, the Phoenix Suns roster is officially full. The front office has finalized the group for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Bryce Eldridge #78 of the San Francisco Giants at bat against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on September 28, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well folks, we did it. And well ahead of schedule, I might add! With the election last week of left-handed hitting infielder Jean Carlos Sio, we have once again completed the annual Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List. As a community, we came together to jointly decide on the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization.
It is, in my opinion, the strongest and most exciting CPL in the six years that I’ve been at the reins. And perhaps relatedly, it’s the most turnover I can recall having year-over-year in the CPL.
So with that said, let’s take a look at the final rankings. The number in parenthesis after each prospect is where they ranked on the list a year ago. Players with a “UN” next to their name were unranked last year, while players with a “N/A” were not yet in the system.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
I hopefully speak for everyone when I say that list is pretty fun to look at, and that it’s missing a few key names as well! Let’s dive a little deeper into it.
Who is off the list, and where did they go?
We came oh-so-close to having a full half of the list be new names. As it is, it’s still a huge number: 21 of the 44 prospects on the CPL weren’t on last year’s list. That’s more turnover than usual: last year it was 19, and the year before it was 17.
Those with a degree in mathematics might know that 21 new names on the list means 21 players on last year’s list are no longer on this one. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: having 21 prospects either elevate their play or enter the system is exciting, but seeing 21 players disappear is less fun. So where did those players go?
Interestingly, only two of those 21 players left the list due to graduation. That’s a very low number, especially given how much turnover there is this year. Last year, for instance, when there were 19 new players on the CPL, they replaced a whopping 10 graduates. But it’s just a pair this year, and even that undersells it: the only player who it really feels like graduated from last year’s CPL is right-handed pitcher Carson Seymour, who was No. 21 a year ago. The other graduate is righty Mason Black (No. 7), who only made one appearance for the Giants (but that was enough to get him to the threshold) and, even if he hadn’t, wouldn’t have been eligible this year because he was designated for assignment and traded early in the offseason.
In addition to Black, seven more of the players on last year’s list have not only departed the CPL, but departed the organization entirely. The highest profile is outfielder James Tibbs III (No. 3) who, along with right-handed pitcher Jose Bello (No. 44), was traded during the season to the Boston Red Sox as part of the Rafael Devers deal (Tibbs has since been sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers). Outfielder Wade Meckler (No. 13), who had a disappointing year, was designated for assignment during the offseason, while righty Carson Ragsdale (No. 19) was DFA’d during the year (he caught on with two MLB teams, and is now playing in Japan).
Righty reliever Cole Waites (No. 32) and outfielder Hunter Bishop (No. 34) elected Minor League free agency at the end of the year. Waites has since signed with the Detroit Tigers, while Bishop remains unsigned. And finally, outfielder Jairo Pomares (No. 41) was waived during the Minor League season.
That leaves a very sizable group: a dozen prospects who simply fell off of the list for one reason or another. The good news is, most of those players occupied the back half of the 2025 CPL.
Lefty reliever Reggie Crawford (No. 10) is the third first-round pick to fall off the list (joining Tibbs and Bishop), and that was entirely due to the fact that he lost all of 2025 to a shoulder injury, then suffered a setback that required another surgery that will likely keep him out for all of 2026, too. Shortstop Aeverson Arteaga (No. 12) returned from an injury of his own and had arguably the worst offensive season in the system, while Walker Martin (No. 14) made only modest improvements to his struggling offense, while also getting moved off of shortstop (and not looking great at third base).
Outfielder Jose Ortiz (No. 22) spent most of the year injured, while third baseman Robert Hipwell (No. 25) spent his entire age-22 season in Low-A with a high strikeout rate. Outfielder Jonah Cox (No. 26) was unable to take notable strides on offense, while utility player Ryan Reckley (No. 35) did little to reverse the downward trajectory of his prospectdom. Catchers Onil Perez (No. 37) and Adrián Sugastey (No. 38) had fine but fairly nondescript seasons, while other catchers rose (and appeared) around and ahead of them. Outfielder Oliver Tejada (No. 39) and catcher Yohendry Sanchez (No. 40) had fairly mediocre offensive years, while third baseman Charlie Szykowny (No. 43) was squeezed off the list by younger players at more advanced levels.
How were the players acquired?
Buster Posey has certainly put his fingerprints on the farm system. Despite being president of baseball operations for less than a year and a half — and only overseeing one draft during that time — a full 15 of the 44 players were acquired during Posey’s tenure. That said, the two highest-ranking prospects from that pool — shortstops Josuar González (No. 2) and Luis Hernández (No. 6) — were international free agents who reached agreements with the organization before Posey took over.
Thanks to the inclusion of outfielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35) and lefty Juan Sánchez (No. 41), the prospect list spans three regimes. Those two were acquired when Bobby Evans was at the helm, with the remaining 27 prospects coming to the organization under the oversight of Farhan Zaidi.
The Giants have used all sorts of different ways to acquire talent. They have a nearly even split between drafted players and prospects who were signed in international free agency: 17 of the former and 15 of the latter. What’s perhaps most surprising — relative to recent years — is that eight of prospects on the list are players the Giants traded for. That number is even more notable when you account for the fact that just one of those eight — lefty Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11) — was on last year’s CPL. Turnover abounds!
The Giants also have two prospects on the CPL who they signed as undrafted free agents — center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4) and righty reliever Trent Harris (No. 29). A third prospect, third baseman/outfielder Parks Harber (No. 17) also went undrafted, though he was signed by the New York Yankees and sent to the Giants in the Camilo Doval trade.
And finally, the Giants have one prospect on the list who was signed in Minor League free agency, as well as one prospect who was a Rule 5 selection: righty reliever Joel Peguero (No. 27) and catcher Daniel Susac (No. 20), respectively.
Who will we see this year?
Much of the excitement in the Giants farm system comes at the lowest levels. Between Josuar González (No. 2), Jhonny Level (No. 3), Luis Hernández (No. 6), and Gavin Kilen (No. 7), you could make a very compelling case that the Giants have the strongest collection of lower-Minors shortstops in all of baseball.
But there’s excitement at the upper levels, too. And if your favorite brand of prospect watching is “watch the prospects once they make the Majors,” then there are a lot of names on our list of 44 that should excite you.
The man at the very top of the list, first baseman Bryce Eldridge, ended the 2025 season in the Majors, and is currently in camp with an opportunity to earn an Opening Day role as the everyday designated hitter. Right-handers Blade Tidwell (No. 9) and Trevor McDonald (No. 12) have been among the most impressive players in camp for the Giants, and if the season were to start today, they might both be in the bullpen, while also serving as rotational depth.
Lefty Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8) has a less straightforward path to the Opening Day roster, but he made his MLB debut last year and will certainly be a factor in the Majors this season. Righty reliever Joel Peguero (No. 27) would have pole position for a spot in the bullpen were it not for an injury setback he’s currently dealing with.
Catcher Daniel Susac (No. 20) seems the betting favorite to win the Opening Day backup catcher role, but Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16) is also on the 40-man roster and battling for that role (Rodríguez has also been playing a bit of second base in Spring Training, so he may have multiple avenues to the bigs, and we’ll surely see him this year).
As for players that aren’t on the 40-man roster, relievers Will Bednar (No. 24), Trent Harris (No. 29), and Juan Sánchez (No. 41) are all in camp as non-roster invitees, and they’ve all shown some great signs. Bednar and Harris are almost certainly ticketed to start the year in AAA, while Sánchez probably is as well (but he has a better chance of making the Opening Day roster). Either way, I’d expect that we see at least two of those three at some point this year.
Outfielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35) has been the most impressive NRI in camp, and could absolutely work his way onto the roster over the summer. Center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4), third baseman/outfielder Parks Harber (No. 17), and second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39) are also in Scottsdale as NRIs. They’re all a little further away (Davidson has played just 42 games in AA, Furman just 22, and Harber none), but each could find themselves in the big leagues late in the year if they have a very strong season.
And that’s our 2026 Community Prospect List! A huge thanks to everyone who voted, discussed, and argued, and a special shoutout to all the McCovey Chronicles writers of the past who have led this delightful time-honored tradition.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs was spectacular over the past week.
He won both of his starts against the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights, allowing only one combined goal. He also finished the week with a .981 save percentage.
Those numbers earned him the NHL's Second Star of the Week on Monday.
Second shutout of the season, .981 save percentage, and 2-0-0 over the week? That’s our kind of Arty party 🎊
Congrats to Arturs Silovs on being named @NHL Second Star of the Week!
Silovs has been on a heater as of late, winning five of his last six starts and allowing only 10 goals in those six games. Going back even further, he's 5-2-2 in his last nine games with a .936 save percentage.
He's making a strong case to be the Game 1 starter in the playoffs, should the Penguins make it.
He'll be needed a lot this week since the Penguins have four games, three of which are against potential playoff teams. They'll play the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, and the Bruins again on Sunday.
“We really like where we are. We have a process and a plan in place, and everything is going to — like, you cannot control everything, because there’s things that are… you know…”
Jordi Fernández’s voice trails off for a moment, but I do know. We all know. Fernández, near the end of a two-minute answer, is pleading with his eyes: This is as direct as I can be. Eventually, he lands the plane: “Obviously, I want to win every single game, but playing these 25 to compete and then, this summer and how we structure this summer is the best thing. It’s the biggest summer of our lives.”
Fernández used that line last season, but it still hits home. This is, after all, the summer that the Brooklyn Nets are supposed to transition from tanking to ascending, making one high draft pick and scouring the free agent/trade market for win-now players. Now 30 games under .500 in March, there’s no question that continuing to lose games is in Brooklyn’s best long-term interest, but it won’t be for long.
That’s all Jordi Fernández is trying to say, reassuring Nets fans that the team can get blown out by 30 once a week and still be on track, particularly if you mix in some close losses and flashy performances from the rookies. But he’s probably reassuring himself too.
Kenny Atkinson can relate. He posted a 48-116 record in his first two seasons as Nets Head Coach (Fernández is currently 41-101): “You love to stay process-oriented and stick with the process. But you’re going home and you’re taking that L, after the game, it’s hard, especially when they start stacking up. Everybody says, ‘Well, don’t worry.’ Of course you worry if you’re a competitor.”
Atkinson’s first Nets teams were certainly devoid of talent, but the franchise famously didn’t own their draft picks either. There was zero upside to the losing, though it’s not like Fernández takes any immediate solace in ping-pong balls either…
But Atkinson sees the silver lining: “Once you break through, even that third year, when we broke through and made the playoffs, it was almost doubly rewarding, because you went through these real struggles and tough times. And I was like — man, I’ll never forget when we clinched the playoffs, it was like you’re winning the championship. It was crazy, because you can look back at year one, I think we lost like 27 of 29 … it was, like, insane: ‘Are we ever gonna win another game?’”
Things aren’t that bleak this time around. Players and coaches won’t (can’t) admit it, but pressure dissolves when you’re expected to lose. Consider the locker-room reaction to Danny Wolf’s poorly missed free-throw at the end of the loss to Atkinson’s Cleveland Cavaliers…
Of course, it helps when the veterans (MPJ, Claxton, Mann) feel confident in their contract situations, while the rookies and second-chance warriors are starving for a chance to simply get on the court.
Danny Wolf, despite the rough attempt at an intentionally missed free-throw, was in a jovial mood after his career-best 23/9/5 statline on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps that helped him find silver linings in the loss: “I don’t want to say we’re losing team. Obviously, our record is 15-45 but we’re the youngest team in the NBA, and there’s a lot of valuable lessons. And I hate saying you can learn from a loss, because it stinks and it sucks, and losing as a competitor is one of the worst feelings, but with such a young group, I think just the resilience, the fight when you lose to a team by four that you lost to by 40 a couple weeks ago speaks volumes to improvement.”
Now that’s a player who, in the era of player-podcasts, has heard ad nauseam and now understands that the NBA is a business. Sometimes, the business entails losing. It’s also a player in lock-step with his head coach, at least in terms of public messaging.
“Coming here and feeling that we can go up against anybody has to be very important,” said Fernández. “And if you’re up ten, you want to be up 20. If you’re down 20, you want to be down ten. And those things have to matter. We have to be competitive. And it’s not — we’re not gonna, you know, turn a switch and all of a sudden we’re gonna be there. It’s gonna be a process.”
Playing the NBA Draft Lottery probabilities remains the priority, but it’s easy to see where Fernández is coming from. The young players on this roster are expected to contribute to winning next season. When you’re 15-45, executing ATOs may not be as important as the difference between the first and fifth overall pick, but it matters a little.
For all the incessant hand-wringing over the NBA’s tanking “problem,” I quite enjoy this time of year, full of low-stress hoops where a 23-year-old on a 10-day contract like Grant Nelson can stir excitement:
That was a *seriously* impressive first half from Grant Nelson, the defensive activity more than anything.
Sinking down form the wing to block a cutter on the other side of the basket (last play) is something else: pic.twitter.com/pUmH40k592
Michael Porter Jr. explained it well: “The motivation to make the playoffs might not be there, but the motivation individually, as a player, as a person, to go out there and work on my skills, my leadership skills, and my individual things within the team, that’s still there. So you can’t just throw away a season because you’re not making the playoffs.”
The 2025-26 Nets have six weeks remaining on their schedule, six weeks where Noah Clowney’s 3-point shooting, Drake Powell’s ball-handling, and Egor Dëmin’s driving — among other individual skills — are far more important than the scoreboard. Though I contend that this isn’t as depressing as it’s often made out to be, Jordi Fernández and the Nets want you to know that it’s almost over, that the next chapter is almost here, and they can’t wait to get it started.
“It’s very exciting, and everybody should feel the excitement of the next step: a big 25 games for everybody, and a big, big, big summer.” — Jordi Fernández
Tonight's Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors matchup gives us plenty to work with, and our best NBA player prop projections offer a handful of player props with real value.
We’re focusing strictly on where the projections create separation from the betting line.
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Clippers computer picks
Darius Garland Over 12.5 points (+100)
Projection: 14.6 points
Darius Garland doesn’t need to go nuclear to clear this number. The model has him nearly two points over the line, which gives us a solid cushion at even money. With steady usage and normal minutes, this is a very reachable scoring total.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Garland Now at bet365!/span
Kawhi Leonard Under 27.5 points (-110)
Projection: 25.5 points
Kawhi Leonard can always pop for 30, but the projection keeps him a couple of buckets below this line. The scoring load is spread out enough that he doesn’t need to carry everything. At 27.5, we’re betting on efficiency without a ceiling game. Under makes sense.
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Derrick Jones Jr. Under 1.5 assists (-150)
Projection: 1.3 assists
Derrick Jones Jr. isn’t out there to facilitate. His role is to defend, run the floor, and finish plays — not create them. The model has him landing below two assists, which lines up with his typical usage. You’re laying juice, but the role supports the Under.
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Warriors computer picks
Al Horford Over 5.5 rebounds (+115)
Projection: 6.1 rebounds
Al Horford still knows how to find the ball. The projection clears this number, and at plus money, we don’t need a monster night. If the minutes hold, six boards is a very realistic value.
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Draymond Green Over 8.5 points (+115)
Projection: 9.9 points
Draymond Green isn’t a volume scorer, but he doesn’t need to be. The model has him at a bucket over this number, and he’ll get chances in transition and off cuts. At plus money, that’s enough of an edge to play.
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De'Anthony Melton Over 15.5 points (-112)
Projection: 17.2 points
De'Anthony Melton gets up shots when he’s on the floor. The projection has him comfortably above this line, and if he’s hitting from deep, this clears quickly. With the role and volume in place, the Over is justified.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Melton Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Clippers vs Warriors tonight
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Monday, March 2, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on the verge of returning from a calf strain that has caused the two-time MVP to miss the Milwaukee Bucks’ last 15 games.
The Bucks have released an injury report that lists Antetokounmpo as questionable for their Monday night game with the Boston Celtics.
The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since straining his right calf Jan. 23 in a 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets. A right calf strain also had prevented him from playing for three weeks in December.
Antetokounmpo has missed a career-high 29 games this season, and 23 of them were because of calf strains. The Bucks are 15-15 with Antetokounmpo and 11-18 without him this season.
His return comes with the Bucks trying to work their way into the play-in tournament as they seek a 10th straight playoff berth.
Milwaukee is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, three games behind 10th-place Charlotte. The teams that finish the regular season seventh through 10th in the conference compete in a tournament for the East’s two final playoff spots.
The Bucks put together an 8-2 stretch without Antetokounmpo from Feb. 3-25 but have lost their last two games by a combined 52 points. The Bucks were outscored 33-8 in the fourth quarter of a 120-97 loss at Chicago on Sunday that ended the Bulls’ 11-game skid.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He would be ranked eighth in the NBA in scoring, ninth in rebounding and just outside the top 25 in assists if he had played enough games to qualify among the league leaders.
Detroit Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygård got a brief taste of NHL action earlier this season, and although he was later reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, he continues to offer glimpses of what fans can expect when he ultimately becomes a full-time NHL player.
He's been tearing it up with the Griffins, who have enjoyed a record-breaking season and became the first AHL team since the early 1990s to clinch a postseason spot in the month of February.
Thanks to his recent stretch of play, Brandsegg-Nygård has been named the AHL's Player of the Week.
During his last three games, Brandsegg-Nygård has registered an impressive five goals, one assist, 17 shots on goal, and a plus-three rating. It added to his totals of 15 goals with 19 assists in 48 games so far this season with the Griffins.
Brandsegg-Nygård, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, initially made Detroit's roster thanks to his strong showing in Training Camp, and registered an assist in the nine games he appeared in.
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After missing 15 games with a strained calf, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return to the Milwaukee Bucks lineup Monday against Boston, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Officially, Antetokounmpo is questionable with a right calf strain.
The Bucks went a respectable 8-7 in this stretch without Antetokounmpo, including an 8-2 run in which they had the league's third-best offense behind Ryan Rollins. That kept them in the mix for the postseason, and Antetokounmpo's return would be a huge boost toward the Bucks' drive to make the play-in in the East. Milwaukee, 26-33, currently sits as the No. 11 seed, three games back of a hot Charlotte team at No. 10 (Atlanta is No. 9, 3.5 games up on Milwaukee).
When he has been on the court this season, Antetokounmpo has played at an MVP level, averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.6 assists a game while shooting 64.5% (and if you leave him open, he is shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc this season, although on 1.3 attempts a game).
The issue is that Antetokounmpo has played in just 30 games (missing time for a few injuries). When he is on the court this season, the Bucks have a +6 net rating, but when he is off, that is -8.5. That said, the Bucks are still just 15-15 in games Antetokounmpo has played.
Boston, with its pressure defense, is a tough team to return against, but the Bucks have key games this week against Atlanta and Orlando, ones they need to win if they are going to make up enough ground to make the postseason.
Jordan Kyrou is and has drawn interest from several teams around the NHL. Up to this point, no trade has come to fruition due to either the St. Louis Blues’ hesitance to move him or the price being too high.
But now, it feels different, as the Blues sit in 31st place in the NHL standings and appear to be sellers at the upcoming March 6 trade deadline.
Kyrou’s name has been littered all over trade boards. Known interest in Kyrou previously has come from the Seattle Kraken and the Montreal Canadiens, but a new team has emerged with possible interest in the three-time 30-goal scorer.
According to The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner, New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has checked in on both Kyrou and Robert Thomas. He also revealed what Blues GM Doug Armstrong could be looking to acquire from the Islanders in a potential deal involving Kyrou.
The first name Rosner said Armstrong is interested in is 19-year-old defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson. Aitcheson was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL draft, and the 6-foot-2 defender has lit up the OHL this season, scoring 26 goals and 63 points in 48 games.
Aitcheson is an offensive defenseman who loves to throw his weight around physically. There are some holes in his defensive game, but at 19, there is plenty of time for him to correct them.
Rosner mentioned that the Islanders aren’t necessarily looking to move Aitcheson, but he believes that Aitcheson, plus draft picks, is likely the ask for Kyrou.
Center and Islanders prospect Danny Nelson is believed to be drawing interest from the Blues as well. The 20-year-old is skating in his third season with Notre Dame in the NCAA, posting 13 goals and 27 points in 33 games this season.
Listed at 6-foot-3, Nelson has all the traits of a potential two-way NHL center. The level his offensive game can reach in the NHL is unknown, but the former 2023 second-round pick of the Islanders has an intriguing skill set.
Kyrou is only in the third year of an eight-year contract, so Armstrong is in no rush to move him. There is belief that Kyrou could be moved in the off-season, rather than in-season, but if the right package comes along, a deal could be made.
At 27 years old and an established 30-goal scoring winger, the price is deservedly high for Kyrou.
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DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 20, 2025: Émilien Pitre #4 of the Tampa Bay Rays warms up prior to a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on March 20, 2025 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Previous Winner
Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/R
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
21
Aidan Smith
OF
17
29
59%
6
22
Homer Bush Jr.
OF
10
25
40%
21
23
Dom Keegan
C
10
28
36%
9
Keegan will pick up MLB reps this year, in all likelihood, so now was the time for him to get some love on the list. We had lots of testers this poll, don’t hesitate to make your vote known there too, the biggest vote getter was the Canadian so we add him next.
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Gary Gill Hill, RHP 21 | 6’2” | 160 A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB
A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.
Adrian Santana, SS 20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155 A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K
Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly kicked tires on St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger on TSN 1050's First Up with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving checked in with the Blues on Thomas last week.
"Lots of Robert Thomas speculation over the course of the weekend, and frankly — I wouldn't say over the course of the weekend, this is more last week — Treliving and the Maple Leafs kicked tires on Robert Thomas," Dreger reported.
"And why wouldn't you, right? Again, there's a player who's got term. If you can somehow figure it out, now what's it going to cost? A significant amount. It's not Easton Cowan. Are you willing to have the Matthew Knies conversation? But that seemed to cool over the course of the weekend."
The 26-year-old has played 43 games this season with the Blues, totalling 12 goals and 35 points. Despite working through several injuries this year, Thomas has averaged 18:55 of ice time, the most among St. Louis forwards.
He's in the third year of an eight-year contract, which pays him $8.125 million annually.
From a quick glance, Thomas joining the Maple Leafs makes sense. There's history with Craig Berube, with whom the forward won the Stanley Cup in 2019 on the Blues. Thomas would also be the perfect player to take over the second-line center position for John Tavares, who's battling Father Time.
However, the deeper you look at the trade, the less it makes sense for Toronto.
As Dreger points out, Toronto would have to give up Cowan, Knies, and likely even more to acquire Thomas from the Blues. That alone should turn the Maple Leafs away almost immediately.
Toronto needs players like them for its future.
Cowan has yet to show his true potential with the Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Knies has demonstrated he can be one of the NHL's top power forwards when he's at the top of his game.
Trading for Thomas feels like a short-term band-aid for a team with several problems. They need to figure out what they're going to do with pending unrestricted free agents like Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton before doing any of the heavy swinging.
PHOENIX — Even with longstanding traditions, it’s not a bad idea to change things up a little every so often.
This year’s League of Alternative Baseball Reality drafts were unique in that they were held in conjunction with the annual Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics Conference at Arizona State University.
So for the first time in its 33-year history, LABR paired with SABR. Pretty cool.
That could also describe the auction room, where – outside of Shohei Ohtani at $47 and Ronald Acuña Jr. at $40 – the bidders seemed intent on conserving their cash.
In contrast to the LABR AL auction the day before, the top NL players at several positions went for what felt like slight bargains.
Through early drafts this season, either the Braves’ Matt Olson or the Phillies’ Bryce Harper lead the way at first base. However, Rafael Devers of the Giants was the most expensive in this one, going for $30, which was $3 more than Harper, $4 more than the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman and $5 more than Olson.
On the other corner, third basemen Manny Machado, Eugenio Suarez and Austin Riley barely cleared the $20 mark.
Bidders were a little more willing to spend on outfielders, but after a power trio of Juan Soto ($39), Kyle Tucker ($32) and Fernando Tatis Jr. ($31), just seven other flychasers made it into the $20s.
That reluctance to spend early on the most talented performers had serious repercussions later when demand outpaced supply on middle- and lower-tier players.
One of the first things any fantasy manager should do in preparing for a draft is take a good look at the player pool. When breaking down the NL, one thing that stands out is the exceptional depth in the middle infield.
Coming off an outstanding 2025, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (22 HR, 107 runs, 37 SB) was the first infielder nominated. Predictably, the talented 24-year-old set the bar at $33, but those who missed out were still able to find capable alternatives.
Eight other shortstop-eligible players fell in the $20 range, with eight more between $11 and $19. Similar depth exists on the other side of the keystone.
As a result, 10 of the 12 LABR NL teams paid double-digit prices for both their primary second baseman and shortstop.
DHs invade the NL
Another wrinkle in the NL player pool is an unusually large number of hitters who are eligible only at the utility spot.
Certainly, Shohei Ohtani is in a class by himself and also able to slot in on the pitching side (but not both at the same time). But managers who drafted Kyle Schwarber ($27), Ivan Herrera ($17), Christian Yelich ($16), Marcell Ozuna ($9) or promising Cubs rookie Moises Ballesteros ($7) had to tie up that utility spot for the rest of the draft.
As a result, those players seemed to come at a decent discount – especially Schwarber, who was the NL’s third-most valuable fantasy hitter last season.
Precarious pitching prices
Defending NL champion Matt Cederholm, Baseball HQ’s injury expert, had the honor of kicking off the auction with the first nomination, calling out the name of … Brandon Woodruff.
The oft-injured Brewers ace, who was part of the title-winning squad last year, returned to his old (Cedar?) home for $17, even though he might not be ready for opening day.
From there, prices on the top starting pitchers – with the exception of $35 for reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pirates – didn’t really set the auction room ablaze. The Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez was the second-most expensive pitcher at $30, but only six others even went in the 20s.
The bidders’ reluctance to spend on the elite arms had serious consequences in the middle and later stages, with prices getting pushed up on far less-talented pitchers. A total of 28 starters (2.3 per team) fell into the $10-19 range. That made it almost impossible for teams to find late bargains to round out their pitching staffs.
With closers, there’s a distinct tier of four elite ones in the NL And you’ll have to pay up to get them.
Jhoan Duran, Edwin Diaz and Mason Miller (nominated in that order) all went for the exact same price of $24. New Mets closer Devin Williams joined them at a slightly discounted $20.
After that quartet, it’s anyone’s guess how the rest will shake out. On this day, the Reds’ Emilio Pagan was next at $16, with Raisel Iglesias of the Braves and Daniel Palencia of the Cubs just a dollar less. Perhaps the most interesting bullpen situation is in Milwaukee, where Trevor Megill cost $14 and Abner Uribe $10.
NL prospect watch
Finally, one of the most exciting things about the NL this season is the wealth of top prospects expected to see big-league action.
Here’s how optimistic LABR managers were about this year’s crop:
NEW YORK (AP) — The Athletics had the highest success rate using the robot-umpire system to overturn ball/strike calls during the first 10 days of spring training, winning 69.2% of challenges as teams prepared for its regular-season debut March 25.
San Francisco was second at 66.7%, followed by Cincinnati, Miami and San Diego at 61.9% each, Major League Baseball said Monday.
The World Series champion Dodgers had the lowest rate, winning 21.4% of appeals to the Automated Ball-Strike System. Baltimore was at 25%, the New York Mets at 35.3% and Texas at 38.1%.
MLB's overall success rate was 51.3%, with an average of 2.3 challenges per game.
The New York Yankees averaged the most challenges at 3.8 per game, winning 52.6%. Minnesota was second at 3.6 (winning 58.3%), followed by Boston at 3.2 (55.2%) and Colorado (55.6%) and San Francisco at 3.0.
Baltimore averaged the fewest challenges at 1.2. The Dodgers were at 1.4 and Detroit was at 1.5 (46.7%).
Each team has the ability to challenge two calls per game. A team retains its challenge if successful, similar to the regulations for big league teams with video reviews, which were first used for home run calls in August 2008 and widely expanded to many calls for the 2014 season.
A team out of challenges for a game tied after nine innings would get one additional challenge in each extra inning.
Miami (Ohio) athletic director David Sayler fired back at former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl over Pearl's criticism regarding the undefeated RedHawks' NCAA Tournament at-large credentials.
The 29-0 RedHawks have been the center of debate on whether they are a lock for March Madness in the event they don't win the MAC tournament since they have piled up 29 straight victories. If the RedHawks don't win in Cleveland and get the automatic bid, they could still make the tournament and steal a spot from a Power conference team — like Auburn.
"U are flat out wrong about @MiamiOH_BBall when u say we would finish last in the Big East," Sayler said on social media Monday, March 2. "The disrespect is awful and u should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when u show your true colors! Even slipped in a 'we' when talking about Auburn, nice work!"
@coachbrucepearl u are flat out wrong about @MiamiOH_BBall when u say we would finish last in the Big East. The disrespect is awful and u should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when u show your true colors! Even slipped in a "we" when talking about Auburn, nice work!
Sayler's comments stem from what Pearl said as TNT analyst Saturday, Feb. 28, where he argued despite being the only team without a loss, No. 20 Miami (Ohio) shouldn't be in the NCAA Tournament if it doesn't get the automatic bid by winning the MAC tournament.
"Here's the deal. Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams?" he said. "If we're selecting the 68 best teams, then Miami (Ohio) is going to have to win their tournament to qualify as a champion, because as an at-large, they are not one of the best teams in the country, and that's going to be a difficult choice for the committee."
He then added mid-major teams like the RedHawks "recognize their only going to be a one-bid league."
The criticism of Pearl only grew when he advocated for Auburn — the school he last coached and is led by his son, Steven — on "Wake Up Barstool" on Monday morning. The Tigers are 15-14 and 6-10 in the SEC with seven losses in their past eight games, but Pearl believes they are "last four in" territory and just need to beat LSU on Tuesday, March 3 and win their first round game of the SEC tournament to punch their ticket to the Big Dance.
"They've got five Quad 1 wins. They've got the best win in college basketball on the road at Florida. As far as that margin, it's either the best or one of the best. So they got a little bit more work to do," he said.
Pearl added "there's no love of my son. I mean, there's no nepotism involved here."
Miami (Ohio) is slated as an automatic qualifier and a No. 11 seed in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, while Auburn is also a No. 11 seed.
The Denver Nuggets face a major contrast in competition when they visit the Utah Jazz on Monday, March 2.
After facing the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Boston Celtics in the past three outings, taking on the likes of Utah (18-42 SU) is like slipping into a warm bubble bath after swimming with sharks.
With an extended break ahead for Denver, my Nuggets vs. Jazz predictions and NBA picks call for course correction — and an ATS cover — from Nikola Jokic & Co. tonight.
Nuggets vs Jazz prediction
Nuggets vs Jazz best bet: Denver Nuggets -11.5 (-110)
Normally, a stop in Utah after running the Denver Nuggets’ recent gauntlet would give pause in fear of a letdown spot. But Denver desperately needs a positive.
There could be a couple of those tonight. Not only does this matchup with the Jazz set the table for a much-needed victory (won by 23 at Utah in December), but there’s a shot Aaron Gordon gets back on the court.
The Utah Jazz have lost five in a row by an average of more than 13 points, with foes enjoying 51% success from the floor in that span. That’ll kick-start the Nuggets’ top-tier offense.
Nuggets vs Jazz same-game parlay
The Nuggets are 17-6 SU and 14-9 ATS off a loss this season. After going 1-2 versus Boston, OKC, and Minnesota, Denver needs a “get right” win tonight. Nikola Jokic is at the wheel of an efficient Nuggets attack that utilizes his scoring and playmaking on the blocks and high post to hit active cutters – something Utah struggles to defend.
Jokic’s projections sit as high as 11+ assists, and he recorded 13 dimes in his first meeting with the Jazz back in December. Denver’s playbook flows through the multi-time MVP against a Utah defense giving up a league-high 30.5 assists per outing with an assist-to-FGM rate above 68%.
Kyle Filipowski is in an offensive funk, shooting a collective 11 for 27 over the past three games. Denver doesn’t push back much defensively, and player forecasts sit as high as 16+ points from the Jazz big man tonight.
Nuggets vs Jazz SGP
Denver Nuggets -11.5
Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists
Kyle Filipowski Over 13.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: The jokes on Utah
Nikola Jokic is in a rotten mood after two straight losses and a cheap shot from OKC. Projections for the Joker have ceilings of 32 points, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds tonight.
Nuggets vs Jazz SGP
Denver Nuggets -11.5
Nikola Jokic Over 28.5 points
Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists
Nikola Jokic Over 13.5 rebounds
Nuggets vs Jazz odds
Spread: Nuggets -11.5 | Jazz +11.5
Moneyline: Nuggets -550 | Jazz +400
Over/Under: Over 243.5 | Under 243.5
Nuggets vs Jazz betting trend to know
The Jazz are horrible when catching double-digit points at home over the last three seasons, going 3-13 SU and just 5-11 ATS (+10 or higher) despite all that cushion from the oddsmakers. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Jazz.
How to watch Nuggets vs Jazz
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Monday, March 2, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
ALT, KJZZ
Nuggets vs Jazz latest injuries
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