ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 30: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on May 30, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has been much more aggressive over the last couple of weeks in churning through young players on the roster than was originally expected. Victor Scott II, Nolan Gorman, and Yohel Pozo are currently in AAA Memphis, and Catcher Pedro Pages has been relegated to backup as Chaim Bloom has shown a greater willingness to shake things up as of late. Platoon thumper Nelson Velazquez, Lefty Catcher Jimmy Crooks, and corner infielder Blaze Jordan have overtaken the spots on the roster and have made a notable improvement in offensive output since.
The potential for churn and change could be on the horizon for the pitching staff, as both Kyle Leahy and Matthew Liberatore are not flourishing in their current roles, and the bullpen could benefit from some additional proven firepower to elevate it to the next level. Both Leahy and Liberatore were accomplished relievers before becoming starters over the last 2 seasons.
The thing that made Kyle Leahy so successful last season in his multi-inning reliever role was the shorter bursts allowed his stuff to play up and allow him to leverage the very best performing pitches in his arsenal. Having to throttle some of his stuff down to last longer in the game, which he isn’t particularly doing anyway, takes away from that and is proving to make him a below-average starter. I would argue for two elements. 1. It was a good idea to test their internal hypothesis that Leahy could be a big league starter. The value of his doing so would be a long-term benefit to the organization if it were successful. 2. It’s clear that it’s not the correct role for his capabilities, and he still has the capacity and opportunity to positively impact this roster with a shift back to the bullpen and jettisoning the ever-unlucky or ineffective Chris Roycroft from the 40-man.
The other part to this, and the more unfortunate, appears to be that the first half of last season was the aberration in Liberatore’s production, and the 2nd half of Libby was more of the real thing. Dating back to July 5th of 2025, Matthew Liberatore has pitched 130 IP and posted a 4.85 ERA and a 5.21 FIP. Liberatore has recently seen an uptick in strikeout rate, and perhaps taking that element to the pen would afford the Cardinals an additional weapon from the left side and prevent overexposure for Justin Bruihl, who performs effectively in lower leverage opportunities.
So, who takes their place?
Naturally, Hunter Dobbins would be the first name to step in for Kyle Leahy, and we’ve seen Dobbins have the ability to get into a groove and can provide the Cardinals with more length and the ability to provide production from a starter’s workload.
The other replacement? Cardinals 2024 MiLB Pitcher of the Year Quinn Matthews. It’s been a struggle for Quinn as he has taken a little longer than expected to adjust to the big league baseball in AAA, and he also dealt with a shoulder issue last season that delayed his development. Much like in 2025, Matthews struggled with his command but has seemed to figure something out in his last 2 starts. 2-0 12 IP, 0 ER, 15K’s, 2 BB’s. Remember how I recommended removing Roycroft from the 40-man roster earlier? It would be to add Matthews to it.
Adding both Dobbins and Matthews to the starting rotation would benefit the short and long term. Right in the Chaim Bloom wheelhouse. Moving Leahy and Liberatore to the bullpen while both have 4 years of control remaining benefits both the short and long term of the organization… You know where I’m going with this. The Cardinals have shown a willingness to make aggressive improvements with both the short and long term in mind, and it is yet to be seen if they will follow suit on the pitching side of things. The options are presenting themselves. The roles appear to be clear-cut as to how you maneuver the 40-man, but who would be the odd man out in the bullpen after Roycroft is unclear. I’m sure most of you would make the argument that it would be just removing Bruihl, and I wouldnt give that much push back on that, but I’m not sure how the Cardinals would feel about exposing Bruihl to waivers. I suppose we can chalk that up to the ol’ TBD on that front, but it will be something to keep an eye on moving forward.
(Stats via Baseball Savant, Prospect Savant, and FanGraphs)
The Detroit Tigers took the series opener against the Houston Astros, 9-3, at Daikin Park on Monday night in a game that saw AJ Hinch’s team strike out 18 times but still nearly put up double-digit runs. Only one of those Ks belonged to Colt Keith, who homered in his other three at-bats and racked up six RBIs to power the good guys to the win.
Taking the mound on Tuesday for the Tigers is left-hander Framber Valdez, who will face his former team for the first time ever. The 32-year-old has alternated good and bad starts over his last six outings, with his most recent one being of the latter variety, surrendering four runs on six hits (two home runs) and two walks while striking out two over five frames to take the loss in a 6-4 final against the Minnesota Twins.
For the Astros, right-hander Hunter Brown will return from the injured list, where he has been shelved since the end of March after making just two starts. However, before going down with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain, the 27-year-old had looked sharp, albeit in a small sample size.
Brown last faced Detroit in last year’s American League Wildcard Game, in which he tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, surrendering a pair of hits (including a solo home run) and two walks while striking out nine in a game that the Tigers ultimately prevailed in, 5-2.
Here is a look at how the two match up on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers (30-42) vs. Houston Astros (33-41)
Time (ET): 8:10 p.m. Place: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 74: LHP Framber Valdez (3-5, 4.40 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 0.84 ERA)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 09: Manager Craig Albernaz #55 of the Baltimore Orioles watches the game in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 09, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
If you’re looking to unplug from the Orioles for a while, you’ve got an easy excuse for the next week and a half. The Orioles are off to the West Coast, where six of their next nine games will start at 9:40 PM EST or later. That’s a lot of late, late nights for us viewers in the eastern time zone, and the Orioles haven’t exactly shown that they’re worth giving up sleep for.
This nine-game road trip is the Orioles’ longest since August 2024. It’s also the first time in two years that the O’s will play three different opponents on one trip. And two of those foes are first-place teams, one more daunting than the other. Starting tonight the O’s have a rematch against the 37-36 Mariners, who lead the AL West, after splitting a four-game series in Baltimore last week. Then the Birds will head to Los Angeles to take on the two-time defending champion Dodgers, who are running away with the AL West with a 45-27 record. The only sub-.500 team the O’s will play on this trip is the last-place Angels next Monday through Wednesday.
The Orioles, at five games under .500, are hanging on to the fringes of the weak AL Wild Card race, but they’re going to need to make a push sooner than later. Their losing homestand against the M’s and Padres didn’t exactly inspire confidence that they’re about to rattle off an extended winning streak, and now they’re heading to the other side of the country for their longest road trip in years against some tough opponents. It’s not ideal.
If the O’s can tread water with a 4-5 record or so on this road trip, I guess that would help them survive a while longer, even if it won’t push them any closer in the postseason race. At least that would beat the worst-case scenario of three series losses (or sweeps), which could be the nail in the coffin for the Orioles’ hopes of contention.
Come on, Orioles. On behalf of the sickos who will be staying up to an ungodly hour watching you play, don’t make us witness the death knell of your 2026 season. Let’s make this West Coast trip memorable — or at least slightly tolerable.
No real surprise here, as no Oriole is the best player in the AL at his position, and most aren’t particularly close. Which is kind of why they’re in this mess.
O’Neill’s contract, and a lack of viable outfielders in the O’s minors, will give him plenty of leash. But I’m gonna need to see more than a 7-for-20 stretch before I believe that he’s “turning the corner.”
Marinaccio is appealing his suspension for throwing at Gunnar Henderson on Saturday. No truth to the rumor that he’ll be calling Craig Albernaz to speak in his defense.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day, including lefty Joe Saunders (45), whose improbable Wild Card Game win over Yu Darvish and the Rangers in 2012 is the stuff of Birdland legend. Enjoy your day, Joe. Other ex-Orioles with June 16 birthdays are infielder Chris Gomez (55) and the late right-hander Ernie Johnson (b. 1924, d. 2011).
On this date in 2015, the Orioles set a franchise record by hitting eight home runs, powering a 19-3 shellacking of the Phillies at Camden Yards. Right fielder Chris Parmelee mashed two dingers in his Orioles debut, and Manny Machado added a pair, while Jimmy Paredes, Chris Davis, David Lough, and Ryan Flaherty each hit one. Phillies reliever Dustin McGowan coughed up five of those homers and never pitched for the team again.
Random Orioles game of the day
On June 16, 1983, the Orioles lost a walkoff to the Brewers in 11 innings, 2-1, at County Stadium in Milwaukee. This one was a heartbreaker for O’s starter Scott McGregor, who carried a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth and retired the first two batters, putting him one out away from a shutout win. But Cecil Cooper kept the Brewers alive with a double and Ted Simmons singled him home to tie the score.
McGregor ended up pitching 10 innings with just that one run of damage, but reliever Tim Stoddard surrendered a walkoff homer to Rick Manning in the 11th. Meanwhile, the O’s offense squandered plenty of scoring opportunities, scoring just one run on 10 hits. They went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13 runners on base.
No biggie. That season turned out pretty well for the Orioles anyway.
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 9: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 9, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs talk during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just two days after a heartbreaking ending to their 2025-2026 campaign, Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie visited Methodist Children’s Hospital. They brought smiles and lifted the spirits of several young patients.
Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie seen spending time with San Antonio kids in the hospital after their Finals loss ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wKq59V4rqe
Wembanyama, who has broken records and exceeded expectations all season, had comparisons to the greatest all-time players at each turn.
Julian Champagnie also set Spurs franchises records for three-pointers in a single game (11), in a season (195) and in the postseason (61).
While the duo were bringing smiles, they also handed out some Spurs shirts and collectibles.
Known for their community outreach, the Spurs are no strangers to making appearances, especially to those experiencing hardships. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bond with fans and spread some joy.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Braylon Mullins #24 of the UConn Huskies battles with Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines for control of the ball in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tanner Pearson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Since posting the YODA Big Board, the number one question I’ve gotten is about the somewhat unorthodox ranking of University of Michigan big guys — Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr.
Below are there ranks according to Ye Olde Draft Analyzer (YODA), my stat-based draft analysis tool, and the Rookie Scale Consensus Mock Draft:
YODA
CONSENSUS
PLAYER
10
16
Morez Johnson
14
12
Yaxel Lendeborg
32
9
Aday Mara
Why the disconnect?
To answer that question, let’s back up and look at how YODA works. As previously written, YODA is calculated using box score stats, objective measures of physical tools from the draft combine, as objective as I could find (or develop) measures of level of competition, expected NBA position, and age. All that information roils around in the spreadsheet and spits out a single score for each prospect.
Michigan big man Morez Johnson skies for a block.
Deciding on a future position is the least objective part of the process — it definitely involves some art. For example, a coach might consider a player a forward in his program even if the player doesn’t have the shooting, ball handling or playmaking necessary to play that position in the NBA. If a guy can’t make threes — or doesn’t even take them, he’s going to have to play center in the NBA, even if he’s skinny as a rake or 6-6.
Flip side of the coin, a 6-6, 250 pound collegiate “center” probably won’t succeed in the middle at the NBA unless he has extreme physical tools (long arms, outlandish leaping or agility) or has previously unrevealed skills like the ability to knock down threes consistently.
Anyway, In terms of raw statistical production, Lendeborg comes out on top. By a little. If we say Lendeborg’s stats rate a 10, Johnson’s are worth a bit over 9, and Mara’s right about 9. All of them put up impressive numbers consistent with players who successfully transition to the NBA.
Johnson and Mara rebounded a bit better. Lendeborg shot well (with three-point range) and did more playmaking (though Mara’s assists were excellent for a center), and all three showed strength as defensive playmakers — Lendeborg and Johnson with steals and blocks; Mara with 4.4 blocks per 40 minutes. All things being equal, Lendeborg’s production score was slightly more impressive than the other two.
But all things are not equal. I mean, level of competition is exactly equal for these three, but trying to determine who’s going to have the best NBA career involves a few more steps.
Age matters. When it comes to the NBA Draft, younger is better. Player peak and career trajectory research indicates that players typically make their biggest leaps in their early 20s, peak around 26-27 and then more or less maintain into their early 30s. At which point, most players get worse or get injured — or both.
In arguing against age restrictions to enter the NBA Draft, former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban once said he wanted the option to pick high school players. He said he’d rather have players develop in his organization with professional coaches than on a college campus.
In terms of age, Johnson has the advantage (he’s 20), followed by Mara (21), and Lendeborg (23). Lendeborg is on the old side for a top NBA prospect. That’s not to say he won’t succeed (or even have a long career) — plenty of players have started their NBA careers as old or older and gone on to great things. Some have started late and had long careers.
But YODA (and eyeball scouts) has to consider the norm. And the norm is that 23-year-olds don’t make Big Jumps in production the way a 20-year-old would.
That 23-year-old can and will get better. But, on average, he has less room to get better because he’s already had more time to develop — physically, skills, experience, etc. And it comes into play when assessing statistical production. Did he post the great numbers because he’s a great player or because he’s 2-4 years older than most of his competitors?
Lendeborg was slightly more productive overall than his younger teammates. That age difference closes the gap. Basically, YODA is less impressed by Lendeborg’s production than it would be if a 20-year-old put up the exact same numbers against the exact same competition.
In predicting who will make the best NBA player, physical tools matter as well. They’re not everything, but they do make a difference.
Mara is massive, measuring 7-3 in socks with a 7-6 wingspan at the combine. Johnson measured 6-9, but with a 7.3.5 wingspan — just 2.5 inches shorter than Mara’s. Lendeborg was shortest (6-8.75), though he also had a wingspan above 7-3.
The way this ends up in YODA is that Mara’s and Lendeborg’s scores get bumps for size (Lendeborg helped a bit by my estimation that he’ll play more forward in the NBA than center), while Johnson gets neither bump nor ding. He’s basically right in the normal range for an NBA big.
Agility and leaping ability are important attributes, and at the combine Johnson established a clear advantage. He scored well enough to get bumps in both categories. Mara got dings in both — he was slow and ground-bound. Lendeborg was in the normal range for a forward on agility but got dinged for subpar vertical measures.
So, the way things look to YODA, the three Michigan big guys have comparable overall statistical production against equally challenging competition. Johnson gets the higher scorer because he’s younger and has better physical tools. Lendeborg is next because of his positional versatility. Mara brings up the rear (and rates as a late first or early second in most draft classes) because while he’s huge and was productive in college, he was slow and jumped poorly as compared to other center prospects.
Predicting who will be the better NBA player is not strictly about who was the best college player. Those other factors have to be considered. And in the case of the Michigan bigs, the YODA system has somewhat different predictions than others.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Keaton Wagler #23 of the Illinois Fighting Illini shoots the ball against the UConn Huskies during the second half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Should the Hawks keep their eighth overall pick, they’ll have an opportunity to draft one of a handful of ‘second tier’ prospects in one of the most hyped draft classes in a long time.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at Keaton Wagler, a 19-year-old 6-foot-5 guard from Illinois that has rocketed into the lottery discussion over the past 12 months in the very strong 2026 NBA Draft. In his lone college season, he averaged 17.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field, 40% from three, and 80% from the free throw line.
Wagler is a silky ball handler and a savvy pick-and-roll operator, but he comes with questions about his high-end athleticism, off-ball engagement, and fit in an NBA team defense. Let’s dive into the good and bad in a player the Hawks could still see on the board after the first seven picks.
Offense
Keaton Wagler isn’t a point guard by trade, but he operated on the ball as the focal point of the Illinois offense due to his offensive gifts. Like a lot of right-handed players, he prefers to go left to get to his shots. Still, he’s a steady operator on the ball who can comfortably change pace like a point guard — whether pushing in transition or resetting the action in halfcourt sets.
Although his first step isn’t overly explosive, he can self-create at an NBA-level already with an array of hesitation dribbles, crossover and step backs pull up jumpers. He does well to get skinny dribbling in traffic and is great at keeping his dribble alive even when pressured. He shot 40% from three on 5.9 attempts per game, and with his smooth shooting mechanics and deep range, that mark was no fluke:
When he gets all the way to the rim, he’s skillful finisher with either hand — although his 58% scoring efficiency at the rim could stand to improve. Still, the frequency with which he gets to the rim off the dribble is among the best in the class, and with some added bulk on his frame, one can imagine his conversion rate on those attempts will increase:
Additionally, he’ll step into the league as an advanced catch-and-shoot artist already with the ability to find gaps in the defense around the arc.
But one area of improvement going forward will be his efficiency from floater range, especially considering the trees that exist on NBA teams at the next level. He doesn’t look comfortable lofting balls higher when shooting from just outside the restricted area, and per databallr, he shot below 50% from between three and seven feet from the rim.
Other than that, his Illinois shot profile is readymade for 2020s basketball — very little mid-range fat and a heavy dose of rim (35% of shot attempts within five feet) and three (48% of shot attempts). He also sported a healthy .476 free throw rate in his one-and-done season with the Illini. These factors, plus of course being an elite shot-maker, helped him manage a 60% true shooting percentage in his one-and-done season.
Wagler isn’t a transcendent passer or anything, but he sees the floor well and typically makes the correct pass when needed. Last season, he averaged 7.6 assists per 100 possessions against just 3.2 turnovers per 100 possessions — a healthy 2.4:1 ratio. He should settle into being a secondary playmaker at the next level with some upside on a team with a primary creator already in place.
Handling ball pressure is a big asset for Wagler, and you rarely see silly turnovers or misreads when doubles come his direction. His pick-and-roll game is advanced with the ability to hit bigs with pocket passes or spray passes to the corner if defenses over-help. But his biggest asset is the ability to find space for his step back three-point, and his reading of screen coverages combined with his shooting off the dribble will create real gravity to open up his teammates.
I do worry about his tunnel vision when driving into the lane. He’s not a very good passer out of drives or from under the rim at the moment, and that combined with his issues finishing through traffic could spell trouble initially at the next level:
Still, the overall offensive package is worthy of him going top 5 in my humble opinion. He’s a player that blends scoring, relocation for kickout threes, and playmaking in an enticing package for scouts and bloggers alike.
Defense
Wagler measured 6’5” without shoes at the NBA Combine with just a 6’6.25” wingspan underlining his average-at-best measurables. There has been a lot of handwringing about his lack of physicality and explosion — and these are real concerns — but he did register a 36-inch max vertical, 11.05-second lane agility run, and 3.00-second shuttle run which were all strong marks for guards of his general stature.
At the moment, he’s not quick enough to guard NBA point guards and he’s not strong enough to switch and credibly guard bigger NBA athletes. But in time, and with a concerted effort in his strength and conditioning program to fill out his slight frame, he could be a positive player on this end even if not a high-level one.
Defensively, his lack of strength is serious issue at the moment. He’s often bullied when defending drives more often than you’d like to see from a wing defender:
But he can sometimes use his wiry 188-pound frame to cause disruption despite low steals numbers. He processes plays on the defensive end rather well and is typically in the right position to make plays.
He manages to affect some shots both when closing out on the perimeter and even sometimes in rim protection duty (0.7 blocks per 100 possessions). I think he’ll eventually be a solid enough team defender with enough awareness to rotate and help when needed. But at the moment, he’s fairly prone to lapses on this end.
The upper body frailty shows up when navigating screens as well. He’ll have to get a lot stronger so as to not get walled off by basic on-ball screens.
The defensive motor can run a bit hot and cold, especially when defending off the ball, so keeping him engaged possession after possession will be a focus for his next coaching staff. But there have never been any red flags over his work ethic or competitiveness. I do believe he’ll work his way into being a team defender that doesn’t get picked on in time.
Wagler was a high usage player on team that stormed into the final four, playing in all 37 games and averaging 34 minutes per contest. I think this heavy workload sapped his ability to make plays on the defensive end, especially for a player who isn’t fully physically mature.
Ultimately, he’s not a particularly impactful or versatile defender coming into the league — one who will likely be assigned to the weakest opposing perimeter player. But there is a development path there for him to turn some heads defensively down the road.
Possible fit on the Hawks
I won’t mince words: if Wagler is sitting there available when the Hawks draft at 8, in my mind he’ll be the best player available — barring something crazy happening. He won’t go top 4, and there’s a chance all of the Clippers, Nets, and Kings all pass on him for high players on their respective boards, but I believe Wagler’s upside is as high as anyone’s in this draft not named Boozer, Dybantsa, Peterson or Wilson.
I try not to get too caught up in player comparisons, but he is in a similar mold to CJ McCollum — a two-guard with the on-ball creative skills to be an efficient 20-plus per-game scorer in the NBA. But his size and playmaking both have projectable potential beyond that of the veteran who buoyed the Hawks down the stretch of last season.
Although the Knicks’ title run has made the first-round series against them seem less disastrous, Atlanta could still use more ball handling and pull up shooting. Wagler would be a great fit in the backcourt with Dyson Daniels, who is obviously more pass-first and much more defensive-minded in that duo.
In total, among the ‘next tier’ of guys including Mikel Brown Jr., Aday Mara, and Kingston Flemings, Wagler’s skillful package on offense gives him the edge on my big board.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Ilya Solovyov #7 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Ilya Solovyov Born: July 20, 2000 (25 years old) Height: 6’3” Weight: 208 pounds Hometown: Mogilev, Belarus Shoots: Left Draft: Seventh round pick (205th overall) in 2020 by the Calgary Flames 2025-26 Statistics: 0 goals and 5 assists for 5 points in 14 regular-season games; 0 points in three playoff games. Contract Status: Signed through 2026-27 ($850,000 cap hit)
Story of the Season
The Penguins acquired Solovyov’s expiring contract in January by sending Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-rounder to the Colorado Avalanche.
At the time Solovyov had skated in 16 games with the Avalanche and three games with the team’s AHL affiliate.
The trade came around the time Kris Letang was sidelined for two games with an upper-body injury. He suffered a fractured foot about a week and a half later that gave Solovyov a chance to slot into the lineup.
Solovyov spent most of his time in the regular season the bottom pairing with Connor Clifton.
He made his playoff debut in Game 4 as a substitute for Clifton on the right side of Ryan Shea. The Flyers never scored a goal with Solovyov on the ice, which was enough for head coach Dan Muse to keep dressing him over Clifton until the Penguins’ Game 6 elimination.
The Penguins re-signed Solovyov in May to keep him under contract for one more season before he hits unrestricted free agency in 2027.
Solovyov was traded to the Penguins on Jan. 20. He saw his ice time climb after the trade from 11:34 per game in Colorado to over 14 minutes per game in Pittsburgh.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 11 defensemen on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
These numbers come with the major caveat that Solovyov played just 14 games this season with the club. Within that small sample size, however, Penguins were generally excellent at generating scoring chances and poor at stopping opponents from scoring when Solovyov (generally paired with Clifton during the regular season) was on the ice in a sheltered role.
Solovyov is dealing with a limited sample, but he is a player that WAR sees some positive and encouraging signs for the minutes that he has played by being able to put a nice impact offensively and defensively overall in what he’s been asked to do. The goals and finishing will likely come down in time once he plays more, but it shows some tools. One possible issue is taking penalties, Solovyov was called for five minor penalties in 15 games with the Penguins (and three more in 16 games with Colorado), he’ll want to cut down on the amount of times he gets whistled for infractions relative to the small amount of time he’s played in the future.
Solovyov does have some power on his shots and as shown in the lower left chart, had the versatility to spend time on the left and right points during different stretches. He doesn’t have a lot of dynamic puck skills but that nice shot power could be part of the reason to get him into games in the future.
Solovyov’s skating is functional, he’s good in short areas and making pivots when needing to defend. His straight-line speed and acceleration is in-line with his 6’3, 210 pound frame to not exactly be thought of as one of the speedier skaters in the league.
Highlights
Solovyov assisted on a Ryan Shea goal in his Penguins debut on Jan. 29.
After extending Solovyov, the Penguins have Sam Girard, Ryan Graves, Parker Wotherspoon, Caleb Jones and Owen Pickering as some of the left-shot defensemen signed through next season.
With Shea hitting free agency and potentially set for a raise that could push him out of the Penguins’ pay range, will Solovyov be able to win a more regular roster spot in training camp? If not, he could be set to head into next season in a similar seventh-defenseman role to what Clifton (also a pending free agent) played last season.
Ideal 2026-27
Solovyov spent three seasons as a fringe roster player and part-time AHL player with the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche. His ideal 2026-27 season would likely include him earning a spot in training camp and playing his first full-time campaign in the NHL.
Bottom line
The Penguins saw Solovyov in a limited sample size and mostly in a sheltered role last season, but he served as a largely reliable bottom-pairing option when called into the lineup. There’s a chance a strong training camp could earn him a longer look at the NHL next season.
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt takes batting practice during spring training workouts Monday, February 17, 2025, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds (41-25)
Opponent this week: vs. Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays)
Record this week: 3-3
Standout performances:
Eddys Leonard: 8-for-15, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K Akil Baddoo: 6-for-14, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 1 K Luis Matos: 5-for-16, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K Luke Adams (No. 11): 5-for-17, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K Kaleb Bowman: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Tyson Hardin (No. 16): 11 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 16 K
As you may have heard, the biggest news out of Nashville this week is the promotion of shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt (No. 4), who will join the Brewers on Tuesday for their upcoming series against the Guardians.
Pratt got off to a slow start in his first Triple-A season, but he’s been seeing the ball better lately, hitting .267/.357/.430 with a .787 OPS over the last month. During that stretch, he led all Sounds players in hits (23) and RBIs (15, tied with Akil Baddoo). For more on Pratt’s promotion, check out Dave’s coverage from when the news broke on Sunday afternoon.
Cooper Pratt has been called up to the major leagues by Milwaukee 👀
The shortstop finalized an eight-year, 50.75MM extension in early April.
After missing the last four games of last week’s series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the recently-extended Luis Lara (No. 5) played in all six games this week, going 5-for-21 with a pair of RBIs. Lara, who’s hitting .329 with a .919 OPS and seven home runs on the season, should be the first outfield prospect promoted should any of the Brewers’ starting outfielders miss time.
Eddys Leonard paced the Sounds in batting average, going 8-for-15 with a homer and a triple. Leonard isn’t nearly as highly regarded as Pratt or Jett Williams (No. 3), but he’s been more productive at the plate than both. His .930 OPS and 10 home runs both lead the Sounds.
Luke Adams also had a great week, going 5-for-17 (.294) with a home run. Like Pratt, he’s started to heat up with the weather, posting a 1.066 OPS over the last month.
Luis Matos has also been solid for the Sounds. At just 24 years old — he won’t turn 25 until January — he’s still young enough, and has enough upside, to earn another opportunity with the Brewers. However, Matos is out of minor league options and had to clear waivers just to join Nashville, which complicates any potential path back to Milwaukee.
As for the pitching staff, Tyson Hardin continues to shove since his promotion to Triple-A. Over two starts this week, he allowed just three runs while racking up 16 strikeouts in 11 innings. After struggling to start the season in Double-A, Hardin now has a 1.89 ERA and 0.93 WHIP through his first six Triple-A starts.
Tyson Hardin just completed his fifth start at the AAA level, and it was another impressive one.
Junior Fernández, Gerson Garabito, Reiss Knehr, and Craig Yoho all each pitched at least two scoreless innings. Brett Wichrowski, promoted to Nashville last week, has now given up eight runs through his first 10 2/3 innings in Triple-A.
Next week’s opponent: @ Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals)
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers (32-29)
Opponent this week: @ Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox)
Record this week: 4-3
Standout performances:
Jesús Made (No. 1): 9-for-29, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K Mike Boeve: 10-for-25, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 7 K Jacob Hurtubise: 6-for-17, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K Blake Burke (No. 15): 8-for-26, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 9 K Jack Seppings: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Tanner Gillis: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Jaron DeBerry: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Stiven Cruz: 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Bishop Letson (No. 8): 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Death, taxes, and Jesús Made raking. Made’s OPS is actually under .800 (.785), but he’s hitting .280 with six home runs — as many as he had last year. Nothing to see here. He’s still the best prospect in baseball.
That's our #1 Prospect in Baseball!
A 109 mph rocket off the bat of Jesús Made makes it 4-1 Shuckers!
Mike Boeve, who was a top 10 organizational prospect at the beginning of last year before dropping out of the top 30 entirely, has quietly had a bounce-back season in Biloxi. He’s still not really hitting for power, but he’s hitting .276 with a .347 OBP over the last month — roughly in line with his season-long stats (.259 average, .351 OBP).
Blake Burke added an opposite-field home run this week, pushing his season total to 14. His power numbers have been in a class of their own; Darrien Miller and Matthew Wood rank second on the team with eight homers apiece.
Other than Made, Boeve, Burke, and Jacob Hurtubise, no Shucker hit over .300. Biloxi went 4-3 this week on the strength of their pitching. Five different pitchers — Jack Seppings, Tanner Gillis, Jaron DeBerry, Stiven Cruz, and Bishop Letson — pitched at least five innings while allowing three runs or less. Cameron Wagoner and Jesús Broca both pitched three scoreless innings.
Next week’s opponent: vs. Columbus Clingstones (Atlanta Braves)
High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (33-26)
Opponent this week: vs. Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Record this week: 4-2
Standout performances:
Andrew Fischer (No. 6): 6-for-13, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 BB, 6 K Josh Adamczewski (No. 10): 7-for-16, 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K Josiah Ragsdale (No. 30): 5-for-14, BB, 4 K Juan Baez: 4-for-12, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 4 K Daniel Guilarte: 3-for-10, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 5 K Quinton Low: 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
The Timber Rattlers have had a great season, but their lineup took a significant hit on Sunday when Andrew Fischer and Josh Adamczewski earned promotions to Double-A Biloxi.
Fischer is already up to 20 home runs on the season, so much ado has been made about his performance, but Adamczewski’s promotion might be even more overdue than Fischer’s. He’s hit above .320 in each of his three seasons in the minor leagues, a stat that seems borderline unbelievable. In 166 games with Wisconsin this season, he’s slashing .331/.464/.572 with nine home runs and 21 extra-base hits.
The jury is still somewhat out on Adamczewski’s eventual defensive home. He began his professional career as a middle infielder but has spent the entire season in left field (save for 1 1/3 innings at second base). As we’re seeing with Lara, the Brewers may not have much room in the outfield if he’s ready soon. Still, Adamczewski’s hit tool has always been his calling card, and players who can hit tend to find their way into the lineup one way or another.
Josh Adamczewski has a .241 iso and a sub 20 K rate I’m supposed to believe he’s not gonna be insane
Other than Adamczewski and Fischer, not a lot of gaudy hitting numbers out of Wisconsin this week. Josiah Ragsdale, who’s been having a breakout season, was the only other Timber Rattler to hit over .300. Ragsdale, a seventh-round pick in 2025, hit .300 in 70 at-bats with the Warbirds (then the Carolina Mudcats) last year, so it’s not like he was completely off the prospect radar. Still, Ragsdale’s slugging percentage has jumped from .314 last year to .438 this season. With 169 at-bats under his belt, that improvement is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss as a fluke. He’s looking like a legitimate find by the Brewers’ scouting department.
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 14, 2026
Pitchers Braylon Owens (5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) and Ethan Dorchies (4 IP) had less than inspiring outings this week. Dorchies only allowed three hits but walked three batters and gave up three runs in his outing. Quinton Low went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four hits but only a single earned run, and Josh Knoth pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out five.
Knoth, the No. 33 overall pick in 2023, missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. In his first four games with the Timber Rattlers, he has a 2.19 ERA with 12 strikeouts and seven walks over 12 2/3 innings pitched. Knoth, who was highly regarded coming into the draft, is a name to keep an eye on as he starts to get his feet under him.
Next week’s opponent: @ Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals)
Single-A Wilson Warbirds (34-29)
Opponent this week: @ Hill City Howlers (Cleveland Guardians)
Record this week: 3-4
Standout performances:
Juan Ortuno: 6-for-22, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K José Anderson: 5-for-26, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 12 K Brady Ebel (No. 13): 3-for-17, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K Enniel Cortez: 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Much has been made of Andrew Fischer’s strikeout numbers, but José Anderson is closer to what Fischer’s skeptics fear he might be. After this week’s four homer showing, Anderson has already hit a whopping 16 home runs. He’s also struck out 104 times in 214 at-bats and is hitting just .182 with a .284 on-base percentage. Of his 39 hits, 16 (41%) have been home runs.
Anderson is still just 19 years old, so his troubling strikeout and on-base numbers don’t automatically rule out a major league future. At the same time, he clearly possesses major league caliber raw power. The combination makes him one of the most intriguing — and difficult to evaluate — prospects in the Brewers’ system.
Other than Anderson and Juan Ortuno (6-for-22 with three extra-base hits), the hitting stats out of Wilson this week aren’t anything to write home about. Brady Ebel cooled off with a 3-for-17 showing, although he hit two home runs. Handelfry Encarnacion went 2-for-24 with a pair of singles, although he only struck out three times. Pedro Ibarguen went 3-for-18 with a pair of doubles. Jadyn Fielder, who went 3-for-9, was the only Warbird to hit over .300.
As for the pitchers, Miqueas Mercedes threw three scoreless innings to bring his ERA down to 4.15. Mercedes, Enniel Cortez (4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER), and Bryce Schaum (1 2/3 IP, K, 2 BB) were the only pitchers to record scoreless weeks. That doesn’t include infielder Luis Lameda, who threw a scoreless inning at the end of the Warbirds’ 12-6 loss on Tuesday. The 20-year-old Lameda isn’t a pitcher, but this is a nice excuse to bring up that he’s hitting .296 with a .785 OPS after hitting just .211 in Single-A last year.
Next week’s opponent: vs. Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays)
Player of the Week
It has to be Andrew Fischer, who hit two home runs before his promotion to bring his season total to 20. Since the Timber Rattlers became a High-A affiliate in 2021, no player had hit more than 16 home runs in a season. Fischer’s 20 homers in just 54 games leave him two shy of the franchise record of 22, shared by Khris Davis (2010), Victor Roache (2013), and Clint Coulter (2014).
Fischer finishes his Timber Rattlers tenure with an extremely encouraging .298/.443/.675 slash line, offering an exciting glimpse of what could be in store for the 2025 first-round pick.
Andrew Fischer just hit his 17th homer of the season
It’s well known that the Montreal Canadiens have one of the deepest pools of prospects in the NHL, thanks to years of high draft picks. One of their most successful prospects this past season has been right-shot defenseman Bryce Pickford. The third-round pick who was selected 81st overall by the Habs at the 2025 draft has had a season for the ages with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL.
On Monday, the CHL announced that Pickford had been named the defenseman of the year, thanks to an 83-point season, which included 45 goals and saw him finish the campaign with a plus-55 rating. No defenseman has scored more goals than Pickford in the last 40 years, and he’s impressed the Canadiens so much in the early goings of the season that he was signed to his ELC just before Christmas.
However, the news wasn’t all good on Monday, as The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler reported that the prospect may need shoulder surgery this offseason after playing through an injury this season. While this is definitely not good news, it’s impressive that he was able to perform the way that he has, considering the injury.
While Pickford has had a dominant season in the WHL, it’s important to remember that the step between that junior league and professional hockey is a steep one. Given where the Canadiens are in their rebuild, it will also be interesting to see whether they choose to let him develop or include him in a package for some immediate help.
Some would advocate that trading a right-shot defenseman when he has that much potential would be ill-advised, and it’s certainly not a course of action that would have been entertained back in 2022, but things have changed since then. The playoffs have made it obvious that the Canadiens need another right-shot defenseman, preferably one who can handle top-four minutes.
If the Canadiens aren’t convinced that David Reinbacher can be that player, they may need to go outside of the organization to fill that need. You have to give something to get something, as they say, and they won’t get an established right-shot blueliner if they do not dangle an enticing asset in front of a possible trade partner.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 4: Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone pauses on the podium at the end of a news conference wrapping up the season at Toyota Center in Houston, Monday, May 4, 2026. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
The 2026 NBA Draft is nearing. The draft is on June 23rd and 24th — the literal definition of around the corner.
The Houston Rockets hold two picks in this year’s draft, which is a bit unusual, as the Rockets typically sacrifice their draft picks for proven talent. Buy and large, the Rockets have generally been in a contending state.
When jockeying for a title, you have to go all-in. The window is short. This year’s Rockets team has several needs.
And just two second-round draft picks, the 39th pick and 53rd pick. However, this is a loaded draft, at both the top and the back end. The Rockets can add difference makers at both spots.
I put on the General Manager hat and made the selections for the Rockets.
Pick #39 – Ugonna Onyenso- Center -Virginia
Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso (33) blocks the shot of Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) in the second half during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
There’s a possibility that Onyenso may not be on the board when the Rockets make this pick. Onyenso has been going in the early 30s in many mock drafts, in part because of the number of big men that decided to return to school, in the name of NIL riches (and development, in some cases).
Onyenso is a bit limited offensively, but he’s shown the ability to knock down the occasional outside shot. And he’s got good touch around the rim.
But let’s face it. This pick isn’t about offense. It’s about Onyenso’s defensive strengths, particularly rim protecting and/or shot blocking. He was one of the best in the country at it. Cam Boozer saw firsthand, as Onyenso blocked four of his shots, when they faced off. Onyenso averaged a nation-leading 2.9 blocks (and a 17.4 percent block rate).
His 7-foot-5 wingspan is tough for opponents to deal with. And Houston needs to be looking for a long-term replacement for Steven Adams.
It’s worth taking a gander around other mock drafts to see what other prognosticators have the Rockets doing with this pick. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman actually has the Rockets taking Onyenso here as well.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MARCH 22: Otega Oweh #00 of the Kentucky Wildcats dribbles against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rockets need wings that can shoot from deep. Otega Oweh isn’t exactly that.
But his outside shot is a work in progress. In his first year as a starter at Oklahoma, he made 37.7 percent from long range. He made 35.5 percent from three in his first year at Kentucky and 33.3 percent this past season.
The percentages have declined slightly but the volume has gone up (1.7 attempts as a sophomore, 2.1 attempts as a junior and 3.8 attempts as a senior). His outside shot needs continued improvement. But it’s not like Oweh can’t score.
He averaged 18.6 points this past season, which led Kentucky and ranked sixth in the SEC. He’s marvelous at attacking and getting to the rim.
It’s tough to stop him when he gets downhill. And he’s a good defender, which will get the attention of Rockets coach Ime Udoka.
A quick peruse around other mock drafts shows Wasserman’s projection of the Rockets selecting Wyatt Fricks of Marshall here. Vecenie has the Rockets taking UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau.
As for the top pick, our friends over at Fanduel have AJ Dybantsa at -450, followed by Darryn Peterson at +380, Cameron Boozer at +1700, Caleb Wilson at +7500 and Darius Acuff at +20000.
Williams sisters have won six doubles titles at SW19
French Open finalist Chwalinksa awarded wildcard
Serena and Venus Williams will rekindle their doubles partnership at Wimbledon this month after receiving a wildcard into the women’s doubles draw. The All England Club announced the recipients on Tuesday morning in one of the most highly anticipated wildcard announcements in recent memory considering Serena’s return this month after four years of retirement.
Serena, a seven-times singles champion, did not request a singles wildcard and the 44-year-old has remained coy about whether she plans to return for singles. Venus, a five-time singles champion, has also not received a singles wildcard. Venus has competed on the tour since her debut in 1994, only stopping due to health-related issues. She turns 46 on Wednesday.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 14: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on September 14, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are welcoming one of the AL Central leader into town tonight, and it’s not the Cleveland Guardians team that they’ve played so much of recently. No, after shuffling back and forth once more it is the Chicago White Sox sitting atop the Central by tiebreaker at this moment, surprising everyone by jumping out to a 38-32 record and escaping the cellar of the division. However, you’d be forgiven for not thinking that could’ve been a possibility, both because of that record being only a few games above .500 and for the fact that they’re sitting at a meager +12 run differential heading into Tuesday’s action.
They’re far from the only ones struggling in that department. The White Sox’s main competition, and the team that was alone in first place just a week ago, is actually negative in run differential. The Guardians have been outscored by three runs this year, yet sit in prime position to contend for a postseason berth with a 39-33 record. The same is true in the AL West, where the competition is even more bunched up: the 37-36 Mariners control first place by a half-game and have the second-highest run differential in the AL, but all that’s good for is a +20 mark when the Yankees lord above them with +107. The Athletics are dead even at 36-36 but would occupy a Wild Card slot if the season ended today, and they have a whopping -42 run differential! The Rangers are barely below .500 and barely above in the run differential discussion being positive by four runs, but they’re only a game out of a Wild Card.
The Yankees are busy trying to get some separation from the Rays, but they’re a piece of that puzzle as well — the only other team in the AL to have cracked 40 wins thus far, Tampa sits at a +7 in run differential after dropping a nail-biter to the Dodgers on Monday. The rest of the AL East is under the bus as a result of their poor play, but the Rays have been one of the few outliers to separate themselves from the pack and contest the Yankees, thanks in no small part to having swept them early in the year and taking a split in their latter meeting. They’re the only ones standing in New York’s way at the moment though, and as Jake discussed yesterday morning, it’s not exactly early in the season anymore. But we’ve taken the microscope to the East already, so I want to point it at the rest of the cast today.
Chicago and Cleveland sit a fair bit over the rest of the AL Central, but the gap is hardly insurmountable, especially given how both teams have been dealt blows to their roster. Munetaka Murakami was one of the biggest revelations of the early season after getting looked over in the offseason, but his injury took a big chunk of Chicago’s offensive engine out with him. Cleveland sits in a similar boat with a much-more established face, having lost Jose Ramírez for the next few months. Does that open the door for a team like the Twins, who have sat in mediocrity for most of the year but have rarely left the middle of the pack? They lack the depth of those two teams, but they’re only six games out and have played better ball in June than how they ended May. Could that be the glimmer of hope for the Tigers, thought to be dead in the water after losing Tarik Skubal and falling into the cellar after being picked as preseason favorites? Skubal is back now, and despite a terrible record are only nine games out of it — they blew a bigger division lead just last year, so perhaps this could be their revenge. The Royals are probably the hardest sell of the bunch, deserving of their last place position, but they have an MVP frontrunner in Bobby Witt Jr. and could perhaps will themselves into Wild Card talks if no one else takes the reins.
Out in the West, things are even more chaotic. The Mariners are ahead only after getting themselves out of their early season doldrums, and seeing their offense start to come to life. The rotation is one of the scariest in the league, even with a rather ineffective Luis Castillo, but that hasn’t netted them any ground in the standings at the end of the day. The A’s defy rhyme or reason, boasting a strong enough offense but have been buried by their inability to prevent runs, and yet for a long portion of the year they led this division and still find themselves a mere half-game out. Texas has had the inverse problem, with a stellar rotation buoyed by an offense that has had role players step up but lacked any meaningful production from their stars. Somehow Houston, who looked dead and buried after an abysmal April that saw them weather an onslaught of injuries, is only four games out of the Wild Card and 4.5 out of the division outright. I’m willing to write off the Angels (sorry Mike Trout, nice to see you doing well again though), but everyone else in this division looks ready to scrap their way to 87 wins and potentially come out with the crown. It’s wild to see.
If push came to shove, I couldn’t name a single one of these teams that I feel confident in separating from the pack. I could see logic in picking any one of them, but not enough to rule out the reasons that the others have kept them within arm’s reach this whole time. A week ago Cleveland looked to be the one closest to breaking out, but they lost their homegrown hero and suddenly that gap has gone up in smoke again. I do think the Tigers have a run in them that’ll keep the Central bunched up, while the West is anyone’s guess — I think the A’s will finally play to their strength level and fall behind the pack, but I don’t know if that will be the Mariners outclassing them so much as it will be them just fading away after a decent enough start. I think the last thing anyone out west wants to see is Houston get any closer, but Yordan Alvarez might be willing that team to just that. Is there a team that you believe will cut themselves out of the net? Who are they, and what gives you that belief if you have it?
We’ve got a busy day ahead of us, so let’s run through the docket quick. Matt starts us off with a look at the White Sox pitchers the Yankees will face in this upcoming series, and then I’ll be back to break down the Rays’ loss to the Dodgers in detail as our only feature game of the Rivalry Roundup. Jeff gets to wish a current Yankee a happy birthday as Will Warren turns 27, Michael covers the last week down in the minor leagues, Sam examines some potential parallels to the 2019 Next Man Up Yankees, and Nick delivers the Yankee Reliever Confidence Index for June.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: Trey Jemison III #50 and Kevin McCullar Jr. #9 of the New York Knicks arrive to the arena before the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you look down the bench of every NBA team, you’ll see all types of different stories, journeys, and life experiences.
Since the NBA established two-way contracts to allow teams to go past the 15-man roster limit to build organizational depth in 2017, that’s never been truer.
While two-way guys are almost always rookies or relatively young players who would otherwise be populating G-League rosters, they’re still in a unique spot of being able to bridge the major and minor leagues of the sport, similar to a baseball player on a 40-man roster. As such, you’ll see them suit up in games at times, whether consequential or not, but see them in street clothes come playoff time.
Here are the players to sign a two-way contract with the Knicks from 2017-25 and how many games they played for the team:
Luke Kornet, July 2017 (66 games)
Isaiah Hicks, October 2017 (21 games)
Allonzo Trier, July 2018 (88 games)
Kadeem Allen, January 2019 (29 games)
Ivan Rabb, October 2019 (0 games)
Kenny Wooten, January 2020 (o games)
Jared Harper, November 2020 (8 games)
Theo Pinson, November 2020 (17 games)
Myles Powell, April 2021 (0 games)
Jericho Sims, August 2021 (177 games)
Luka Samanic, October 2021 (0 games)
Feron Hunt, March 2022 (2 games)
Trevor Keels, July 2022 (3 games)
DaQuan Jeffries, November 2022 (17 games)
Duane Washington Jr., February 2023 (0 games)
Moses Brown, March 2023 (0 games)
Jaylen Martin, July 2023 (0 games)
Nathan Knight, July 2023 (0 games)
Dylan Windler, July 2023 (3 games)
Charlie Brown Jr., October 2023 (8 games)
Jacob Toppin, October 2023 (25 games)
Dmytro Skapintsev, December 2023 (2 games)
Ariel Hukporti, July 2024 (79 games)
Boo Buie, November 2024 (0 games)
Matt Ryan, December 2024 (19 games)
MarJon Beauchamp, March 2025 (6 games)
A lot of forgettable names here. A couple of good pulls who played briefly for mediocre teams. A few of these guys used their time on a two-way contract to parlay it into guaranteed contracts and multi-year careers. Overall, many of these dudes came and went with their NBA careers.
For Trey Jemison III, Dillon Jones, and Kevin McCullar Jr., none of them were able to dress for the postseason, no matter what injuries or circumstances affected the 15-man roster. Their season was functionally over the second the team lost to the Charlotte Hornets on April 12.
But what they did beforehand still matters, and what they meant as locker room guys throughout the postseason does as well. Every player to wear the orange and blue this year contributed to this story, and will get a ring to show for it.
While these three got to enjoy the celebration with their teammates, I’d be remiss to not mention Tosan Evbuomwan, who started the season on a two-way deal and appeared in five games before being released on January 7. He never scored a point and played just eight minutes, but he goes down as one of the 20 men to contribute to this run.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Trey Jemison III #50 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s start with Jemison, who’s already rubbed shoulders with the likes of LeBron James and Luka Doncic as a brief member of the 2024-25 Lakers in one of the now five stops in his career. Undrafted out of UAB in 2023, he’s additionally played for Washington, Memphis, and New Orleans across two seasons before inking a two-way contract in the 2025 preseason to join the Knicks.
Despite not playing a big role in the season, he played seven minutes on Opening Night against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to an injury to Mitchell Robinson, serving as the backup center while Ariel Hukporti started in place of an also-injured Josh Hart. He wouldn’t see the floor for another 32 days, but was here all season long.
He played a season-high 18 minutes in the NBA Cup hangover game against the Pacers, scoring five points and five rebounds. He’d occasionally sub in for brief spells when a big man was injured, playing a total of 13 games and 82 minutes before donning street clothes for the rest of the run.
While he didn’t play, he stayed somewhat in the public eye through his wife’s Instagram. Alex Glover, a former SMU volleyball player, posted her and Trey’s gameday fits throughout the playoff run, something that continually showed up on my feed for the last 8 weeks.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Dillon Jones #33 of the New York Knicks of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Next, a two-time champion. Someone who, briefly, thought he was a Knick on draft night, but got an opportunity of a lifetime when he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder just minutes later, winning a title in his rookie year before circling back to New York to complete the Patrick McCaw special.
Dillon Jones grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, spending the first three years of his high school career there before transferring to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas for his senior year. A three-star recruit, he got a scholarship at Weber State, where he enrolled in the fall of 2020. After four years, including a strong senior year which saw him win Big Sky Player of the Year, he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, where he was a late first-round prospect.
When the Knicks were on the clock at No. 24 that year, they swiftly traded the pick to the Washington Wizards, acquiring No. 26 and No. 51. In typical Leon Rose fashion, he didn’t hold onto that first-round pick, trading it to the Thunder for five second-round picks. They used one of those picks (and two others) to trade up for Tyler Kolek later that night.
Jones just so happened to be picked 26th, joining the Thunder while technically spending a few minutes as a Knick and legally being drafted by the Wizards because of the NBA’s moratorium. Joining a team that drafts multiple players a year with dozens of pending picks in the future, Jones entered a crowded room in a draft class that included Ajay Mitchell (also briefly a Knick) and Nikola Topic.
As such, on a team that would go on to win a championship, he didn’t get to play much. He got into 54 games, starting three, but would usually only be called on due to injuries. Come playoff time, he played mostly garbage time throughout 10 appearances, but was a champion, and that’s all that matters.
But the problem with him being on the most stacked roster with a lot of assets is that the pieces on the boundary are expendable. Exactly one year after being drafted, he was salary-dumped back to the Wizards, who later waived him in October. Just like that, he was out of a job just 16 months after being a first-round pick.
When the Knicks waived Evbuomwan in January, a two-way spot was open, so the team decided to pick up a guy with a championship in Jones to fill the roster spot.
He only got into seven games, played just 39 minutes, and scored just nine points as a Knick, but somehow found his way into big moments. He was the first player I saw holding the Eastern Conference Champions trophy after the ceremony. He was the one draped over Karl-Anthony Towns after the miraculous Game 4 comeback.
He’s the only player on the roster who can say they’re a two-time champion. No asterisks needed; it’s an exclusive group. Congrats, Dillon!
SAN ANTONIO, TX – JUNE 13: Kevin McCullar Jr. #9 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait after winning Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kevin McCullar Jr.’s journey came full circle in a way you wouldn’t expect.
Born and raised in San Antonio, he was a star at Karen Wagner High School before fracturing his tibia as a junior. Instead of returning for his senior year, he elected to graduate a semester early to get a head start at Texas Tech, where he had committed as a four-star recruit.
He spent four years with the Red Raiders, evolving into a gritty, do-anything wing playing 30 minutes a night by his junior year before deciding to take it up a notch, transferring to Kansas for his redshirt senior season and playing two years there due to COVID-19 eligibility rules. It turned out that the sixth year was the charm for him, as he blossomed into one of the best players in the Big 12 in 2023-24, being named a Third-Team All-American.
But while his age was certainly a factor for why his stock was low entering the 2024 draft, McCullar also hadn’t shaken the concerning medical history. He suffered a bone bruise that hampered him for the final two months of the season in January 2024, ultimately requiring surgery on it after it proved too difficult to play on when the Jayhawks made the NCAA Tournament.
Those concerning medicals saw him plummet down the board after once being viewed as a sleeper at the back end of the first round. The 23-year-old finally saw his free-fall end at No. 56, when the Knicks, who traded back from No. 40 to pick up a 2028 2nd, selected him as the third member of their four-player class.
His knee injury would hold him out of Summer League, and we wouldn’t see him on the basketball court until he suited up for the Westchester Knicks on January 31, 2025. He made an impact for the G-League club right away as he built back to full strength, ultimately playing in four games with the big league club towards the end of the season.
He had to wait a concerningly long time to be re-signed on a two-way deal for 2025-26, but it was clear early on that the Knicks really thought highly of a healthy McCullar. He dropped 30 in a Summer League game, he had a 30-11-5 game down in Westchester, and when he was suddenly called upon to play a rotation role in late December due to injuries, he was ready.
Out of nowhere, McCullar was the most impactful player on the floor in the December 27 win in Atlanta, playing 23 minutes and putting up 13 & 8, looking like a mini-Josh Hart.
That performance gave him a rotation spot for the next two weeks, but as the Knicks went through the three weeks from hell and both Hart and Landry Shamet returned from injury, he went back to Westchester.
He’d ultimately top his career high with a 14-point game in Game 82 against the Hornets, the last time we’ve seen him play. Of the three two-way guys, I’ve noticed him the least over this playoff run, but I think it’s clear that the Knicks seem to have the most invested in him. Going into next season, it’ll be interesting to see if he’s earned a full-time roster spot, or if he’ll have to look elsewhere for a fully guaranteed payday.
But that’s for July. Enjoy it, Kev, you’re a champion!
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(P&T will be doing player-by-player article tributes over the next few weeks to commemorate the special team that ended our long, half-century nightmare)
