Category: Sports News

The All-Star Futures Game is the newest of the All-Star week events*, as it is celebrating its 27th year** in 2026. Much like the All-Star Game itself, the moments in the games themselves are not nearly as important as the season/career that led to a selection to the team in the first place.

Since its inception, 40 Mets’ farmhands have been selected to play in the Futures Game, both in its original ‘USA vs the World’ format and the current American League/National League matchup. Let’s look at how those selections panned out for the Mets, in terms of the players developing into something special.

The footnotes

Jorge Toca (1999) and Grant Roberts (2000) each played for parts of a few seasons with the Mets, but never went anywhere and didn’t play for another big league club. You may remember backup catchers Kevin Plawecki (2014) and Tomás Nido (2017), both of whom were good, not great, backups for the Mets for a number of seasons. Royce Ring (2003) had some nice years pitching out of the Mets’ bullpen. Mike Vasil got claimed in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft by the Phillies. Jenry Mejia (2009) was done in by PED charges and suspended for life in 2016. Though he was eventually reinstated, his effectiveness was long-since sapped.

The trade chips

Alex Escobar ( 2000 and 2001) played 18 games for the Mets in 2001 before being part of the trade to Cleveland for Roberto Alomar ahead of the 2002 season. Jae Weong Seo (2001) was a decent starter for the Mets as they transitioned out of the Art Howe-era and was part of the trade that brought in Duaner Sánchez. Deolis Guerra (2007), Justin Huber (2002 and 2003) and Kevin Mulvey (2007) were part of the haul of prospects the Twins got for Johan Santana in 2008. Yusimero Petit (2004 and 2005) was part of the trade for Carlos Delgado ahead of the 2006 season. Matt Lindstrom (2006) was part of the Jason Vargas trade (the first, non-embarrassing, time Vargas was a Met)

Jefrey Marte (2011) went to the A’s for Opening Day hero Colin Cowgill, while Anthony Kay (2019) went to the Blue Jays as part of the Marcus Stroman deal. Dilson Herrera made the Futures Game as a Pirate in 2013 before being traded to the Mets along with Vic Black for John Buck and Marlon Byrd. Herrera then made the Futures Game as a Met in 2016 before being dealt to the Reds for two-time Met Jay Bruce. Both Amed Rosario (2016 and 2017) and Andrés Giménez (2018) had decent Mets careers going before being dealt to the Guardians for Francisco Lindor. Brandon Sproat (2024) was part of the swap for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers, but don’t hold that against him.

The next big things that never were

Not all prospects work out, obviously, but some hurt more than others when their prospect status doesn’t accurately reflect their big league tenure for your club. Those names include Fernando Martinez (2007 and 2008), Lastings Milledge (2005), Rafael Montero (2013), Brett Baty (2021) and Mark Vientos (2022). While there still may be time for Baty and Vientos, only Montero thus far really took a step forward elsewhere after being a Futures Game selectee and having a disappointing Mets career.

The stars

Not all of these are necessarily superstars (though some are), but the Mets have had 11players in the 27 years of the Futures Game that could be unequivocally called successes as Mets: Pete Alonso (2018), Michael Conforto (2015), Jeurys Familia (2010), Wilmer Flores (2009 and 2012), Matt Harvey (2011), Brandon Nimmo (2013 and 2015), José Reyes (2022), Dominic Smith (2016), Noah Syndergaard (2013 and 2014), Zack Wheeler (2012) and David Wright (2004). Of all of those, only José Reyes has won the Larry Doby Award, aka the MVP of the Futures game (2002).

The unknowns

It is still too early to say how the careers of Francisco Alvarez (2021 and 2022), Jonah Tong (2025), Carson Benge (2025), and Ryan Clifford (2026) will be in the long run, but Alvarez and Benge are currently on the Mets’ MLB roster and doing well for themselves. Will Tong and Clifford join them in the next year or so? Let’s hope so.

* the draft is newer to All-Star Weekend, but is a much older event

** there was no Futures Game in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season

PHILADELPHIA — Don’t get Jamie Arnold wrong. He'd love to be promoted by the Athletics to Triple-A – if not the big leagues – this season. But Midland, Texas has never looked so beautiful.

Arnold, the A’s top pitching prospect who was drafted in the first round last season, paid particularly close attention to the A’s recent Las Vegas series against the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies at their Triple-A ballpark in Summerlin, Nevada.

And like every other pitcher in the A’s organization, he cringed.

Six games. 102 runs – 55 runs given up by the A’s staff. 32 runs scored in one game. 20 home runs.

No A’s starter lasted longer than 5⅔ innings.

Yep, so pardon the A’s pitching prospects for not jumping up and down with a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas. They'd prefer to go directly to the Triple-A ballpark in Sacramento, the one where they temporarily play their big-league games, and wait to pitch in Vegas for the first time in 2028 when their new ballpark opens on the Vegas Strip.

"I mean, I heard how the PCL is as a whole and how Vegas in general," Arnold told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday before the Futures Game. "But seeing the games there really solidified it for me. The ball flies. I mean, that’s not normal for the big leagues, 19-13, whatever, that was pretty crazy."

The second day of the 2026 MLB draft is underway, and this is where the Tigers can get some good value. Remember, Tarik Skubal went in the ninth round, and Kerry Carpenter was a 19th-rounder, so some of these guys have a chance to make big impacts in Detroit.

It’s rare to see players picked in the first 10 rounds not sign, but the second half of the draft is a bit different. Slot values go away, and teams are allowed to offer $150,000 that doesn’t work against the bonus pool. Anything over that number comes out of any underslot-signing savings in the first 10 rounds. Usually, you’ll see a Hail Mary type pick in the final four or five rounds, and those players don’t always end up being signed.

For a refresher, Detroit selected Coastal Carolina right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey in the first round, Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc in the second round, Florida Gulf Coast two-way Evan Dempsey as a right-handed pitcher in the competitive balance round B and high school shortstop Dominic Pellegrin (Holy Cross HS, LA) in the fourth round. The Tigers did not have a third-round pick due to the signing of Framber Valdez.

Round 5, Pick 158: RHP Declan Dahl, Louisiana Tech

A 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander out of Louisiana Tech, Declan Dahl is an interesting developmental pickup for Detroit.

He spent two seasons with Seminole State (Okla.) at the JUCO level, compiling a 13-6 record, 3.36 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 128.2 innings and 26 appearances (21 starts). Dahl threw four complete games in that time and had a 10.00 K/9 over that time, too.

His JUCO success set him up for a Division I opportunity at LA Tech, and he finished the 2026 season as the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year, as well as earning First All-Conference honors. Declan had a 7-4 record and 2.75 ERA over 15 starts and 81.1 innings, with 102 strikeouts and only 23 walks. His 4.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked 53rd overall last season.

Dahl is a flyball pitcher, seeing 47.8% of batted balls go in the air. He maintained a 10.1% home-run-to-flyball rate, which is right where it should be. He has a three-pitch mix: a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out around 95 mph, a 79-83 mph slider and an 80-84 mph changeup.

He has a low release point, which helps the secondary stuff but might be limiting his velocity. The changeup is his best pitch when he can control it, sinking and drawing swing-and-miss. Dahl’s slider gets left over the plate a bit more often than one would like to see, but the arm slot helps all three pitches force batters to chase.

Round 6, Pick 187: SS Maddox Molony Oregon

MLB Pipeline describes the 21-year-old, right-handed hitting shortstop as the best prospect in the Pacific Northwest. An Oregon native, Molony was a freshman All-American with a .969 OPS, and matched those numbers as a sophomore as well, hitting 15 homers and 10 steals. Molony struggled in the Cape Cod League, which helped him slide a bit.

Molony boasts low in-zone whiff rates and good bat speed, but may have some trouble translating his developing average power in games. His pull-heavy approach and underwhelming junior year didn’t help his draft standing, seeing him drop several rounds from his earlier projections.

He’s not particularly fast for a shortstop, but he has a good glove and plenty of arm strength. If the power continues to build, he could slide over to the corner.

Round 7, Pick 216: 1B Brady Ballinger, Kansas

Brady Ballinger entered the 2026 season as one of the faces of the Jayhawks’ program, but a down year as a junior hurt his draft stock. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Las Vegas native spent his freshman season with the College of Southern Nevada before transferring to Kansas. He broke out as a Third Team All-American in 2025 with a .353/.495/.670 (1.164 OPS) slash line, 16 home runs and 56 RBI with a .317 ISO and 165 wRC+.

Ballinger moved from first base to left field ahead of the 2026 season and saw his numbers dip to .283 with seven homers and 42 RBIs. Still, his bat is where all the value lies. He has a good eye, walking (101) more times than he struck out (94) over two seasons at Kansas. Ballinger has a high leg kick in his load, with power to all fields.

“He has a high handset and uses an extreme barrel tip above his head and towards the pitcher in his load… firing an uphill swing through the zone,” Baseball America wrote in its scouting report. “That operation has worked for him in the past, but it requires excellent timing and pitch recognition. His contact and batted-ball angles regressed in 2026, but Ballinger still shows a solid understanding of the zone and on-base skills.”

Ballinger didn’t look great in the outfield in pre-draft workouts, but he is more athletic than his frame suggests on paper. Still, Detroit should keep him at first base until he eventually moves to designated hitter.

Round 8, Pick 246: 3B Robert Omidi, St. Martin Secondary School (Ontario, Canada)

A left-handed high school bat with speed and strength, Omidi clocked exit velos in the upper-90s in batting practice at the 2025 PG National Showcase. He has an open stance with higher hands and a bat waggle. There’s good strength in his hands and a strong bat path, which result in good bat speed, barrel feel and leverage, according to PG scouts.

Defensively, Omidi has “fine” lateral movement and throws accurately from short. He was clocked at 83 mph on infield throws, but that number should be up a bit a year later, which could allow him to stick at third. He worked at third at the draft combine.

Signing Omidi may require some overslot money, especially with an SEC commitment under his belt to Kentucky.

Round 9, Pick 276: RHP Kenneth “KJ” Ward, Park University-Gilbert (Arizona)

KJ Ward is a 6-foot-5 right-hander out of the NAIA level who has some top-end velocity. He came back from Tommy John surgery in 2024, throwing in the upper-90s and touching triple digits somewhat regularly in 2026. He’s more likely to sit in the mid-90s, but Detroit should be able to develop his mechanics and get some of that high heat more consistently. Most likely a relief prospect but has closer level potential if the Tigers can get him sorted.

Round 10, Pick 306: RHP Jack Turner, New Mexico State

Jack Turner is a really good development story. He started in Division II ball at Felician University before transferring to Suffolk County Community College to play at the JUCO level for two seasons. There, he ate up innings as a freshman at Suffolk, throwing 55.1 innings over 10 relief appearances. He maintained a 3.09 ERA and struck out 72 batters (11.71 K/9). He transitioned to a starting role in 2024, finishing the year with a 7-3 record over 12 starts (14 appearances) and 81.2 innings. His ERA continued to drop, reaching 2.42 and he was ranked second among all NJCAA DIII pitchers with 119 strikeouts. He also had five complete games and two shutouts while allowing zero home runs, earning him a NJCAA Division III First Team All-American nod and the opportunity to play Division I ball with New Mexico State.

Turner moved into the top spot of the weekend rotation for New Mexico State in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury, finishing the season with 54.1 innings and 39 strikeouts. His ERA climbed to 5.96, however, and didn’t come back down in his senior year in 2026. Turner split time as a starter and reliever, making half of his 14 appearances out of the bullpen. He logged 58.1 innings and raised his strikeout rate from 15.0% to 21.7%, but his walk rate climbed from 9.2% to 11.7%, too.

Turner showed off good stuff in the MLB Draft League, holding a 4.50 ERA over a combined 18 innings, while striking out 22 and walking 11. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder has a fastball that averages 94-95 mph and gets up to 97 mph with some funk in his low-three-quarters delivery. He often pairs a good sweeper with his sinker, and he also uses an 82-85 mph slider with 2700+ rpm and a low-80s changeup with spin in the 1600s. That arm slot produces a lot of horizontal movement on his sinker and sweeper, and as a result, Turner is a ground-ball pitcher who saw just under 60% of batted balls in play against him on the ground. He had a high home-run-to-flyball ratio of 20.5% in 2025, but that dropped dramatically to 7.1% last season. There is a lot to work with metrically but plenty of issues to clean up as well.

Round 11, Pick 336: 1B Will Adams, Hoover HS (AL)

LSU commit Will Adams is a 6-foot-2, 203-pound left-handed bat with “one of the prettiest left-handed swings” in the high school class, according to MLB Pipeline. A 55-grade hit tool and 50-grade power bodes well, and some scouts believe he can tap into more raw power as he matures.

At the MLB Draft Combine, Adams had an average exit velocity of 100.1 mph, with the top 10% of his swings averaging 108.5 mph. An average launch angle of 12.6% suggests more low-liners than lifted barrels. Changing the swing could lead to more home runs quickly. He can handle a fastball and has good hand speed, but the misses come against good spin, according to Baseball America.

Defensively, he could stay at first base or land at a corner outfield spot. Above-average arm could land him in right field fairly easily. Adams’ speed is fine for now, but expect him to slow down once he’s fully developed.

Adams is going to get more than the $150,000 allotted for Rounds 11-20, but Detroit probably wouldn’t have picked him if they didn’t have the money to sign him.

Round 12, Pick 366: OF Tyler West, Salt Lake CC

Tyler West is a speedy outfielder from JUCO Salt Lake Community College with a commitment to Texas A&M. Being a rising redshirt sophomore with an SEC commitment, this could take some of that extra money Detroit has lying around, but it’s a great pickup based on the profile.

West stole 24 bases last season while slashing .397/.482/.562 (1.044 OPS) from the left side. In the fall, he hit .452 with a wood bat and stole 23 bases. He can cover ground in center field and should stick there. Some scouts have said he has 80-grade speed potential. West shows off quick hands in the box and can leg out an extra base on plenty of balls hit into the outfield.

Round 13, Pick 396: RHP Jett Johnston, Auburn

Right-hander Jett Johnston has spent the last three years in the SEC, starting with Texas A&M as a freshman and then pitching regularly out of the bullpen for the Auburn Tigers.

As a junior, Johnston held a 5.25 ERA over 24 innings in 15 appearances. He struck out 31 and walked just six while holding batters to a .260 average. His WHIP has been 1.33 consistently over 35.1 innings the last two seasons, and his metrics improved greatly from 2025 to 2026.

Johnston finished 2026 with a 28.7% strikeout rate and a 5.6% walk rate, which means he doesn’t miss the zone much. His FIP also dropped each year, settling at 3.68 last season. A two-way athlete until this year, Johnston still has room to develop.

His arsenal features a 93-95 mph fastball that’s touched 97, a sharp sweeper in the low-to-mid-80s, a short cutter in the upper 80s and a changeup at 87 mph.

Round 14, Pick 426: LHP Edwin Alicea, USF

Edwin Alicea is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound left-hander with starter potential. He spent much of the 2026 season as the Friday night starter for the University of South Florida (which is in Tampa; a.k.a. West Florida) and held a 5.23 ERA over 72.1 innings of work. He made nine appearances out of the bullpen but still averaged close to four innings an outing.

Alicea held opposing bats to a .253 average, struck out 60 (18.2 K%) and walked 28 batters (8.5 BB%). More than half of balls in play were hit on the ground, and his line drive rate was 15.0%. Prior to USF, Alicea spent two seasons at DII Nova Southeastern, where he went 7-3 with a 4.46 ERA and 79 Ks over 68.2 IP.

He’s been effective in the Cape Cod League over the past two summers with a 1.83 ERA, 20 strikeouts and six walks over 19.2 innings. He recently committed to play for Georgia next season, but with three seasons under his belt should be signable.

Alicea has a fastball in the mid 90s with good sink and run. He also throws a slider in the high 70s and a mid-80s changeup at a three-quarters release that makes him tough in left-on-left matchups.

Round 15, Pick 456: RHP Dustin Dunwoody, Royal HS (CA)

The first high-school arm selected by Detroit this year is Dustin Dunwoody, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound right-hander ranked No. 199 overall in the 2026 high school class by Baseball America. The California native is committed to play at USC after switching from Arizona earlier this season. We’ll see if the Tigers have the bonus pool money to lock him up, but they should have a pretty good idea by now. This has certainly been a very different draft for them when the first prep arm arrives in round 15.

Dunwoody throws from a 3/4 to high 3/4 arm slot with a fastball in the low-90s but can touch 95-96 mph when he reaches back. Ther’s video of a 2-seam fastball with heavy run in upper-80s as well. He also has an 82-85 mph slider with spin between 2,700 and 2,900 rpm. He is developing a kick-change in the mid-80s, too.
Swing-and-miss ability on the slider is to be determined. He’s drawn plenty of whiffs at the prep level, but some scouts describe him as a thrower instead of a pitcher at the moment. That’s common for a prep pitcher, and depending on the cost this looks like a really good bet as long as the Tigers actually ink him to a deal.

Round 16, Pick 486: RHP Michael Lane, Deleware State

Michael Lane is a three-year pitcher out of Deleware State with a 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. He’s committed to play at Liberty but shouldn’t be too difficult a sign for Detroit.

He has made 21 starts over the past two seasons after working primarily out of the bullpen as a freshman. The ERA has gone up and down, starting at 7.01 in 2024, dropping to 2.48 over 40 innings in 2025 and climbing back up to 7.24 over 73.1 innings last season. Lane has a career strikeout rate of 25.1% and has lowered his walk rate each season — 18.2% to 14.8% to 8.9%. However, less walks have come with more hits. Opponents batted .301 against him this year after hitting just .199 in 2025.

He has a legitimate four-pitch mix. Lane’s fastball sits between 92-95 mph with some ride. His circle changeup is his best secondary, sitting 86-87 mph with 16 inches of horizontal movement. The curveball is solid, too, in the low-80s with two-plane movement. He also mixes in a cutter, which could help keep him a starter if it develops, but the few looks we have saw it’s decidedly a fourth pitch still in development.

Round 17, Pick 515: RHP Jack Byers, Artesia HS (New Mexico)

Jack Byers is another high school arm off the board for Detroit, and a well regarded one at that. He’s a three-sport state champion, which is incredibly hard to do, and holds a commitment to the University of Arizona.

Byhers has an incredibly smooth delivery at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds and out of a 3/4 arm slot. He throw a low-90s fastball that can touch 93, a high-80s cutter, a low-80s curveball with good depth and a firm changeup that has splitter tendencies and low spin. His athleticism and advanced command give him a pretty good chance to develop the whole package, and he has the frame to add strength and velocity as he fills out.

Signability is always tough with these late-round picks, but it feels like Detroit has a better chance to woo him away from Arizona than it does with Dunwoody. Somehow landing both would be pretty miraculous.

Round 18, Pick 546: RHP Drake Meeks, Southern Mississippi (MS)

Drake Meeks is an odd selection. He’s only made 11 appearances with the Golden Eagles since 2024, and results have been grim. This feels like a bet on their area scouts contacts and feel for Meeks’ work ethic and character.

Meeks only threw 1.1 innings in 2024, and the numbers weren’t good. His ERA was 40.50 over four appearances — no, that’s not a typo — and opponents hit .500 off him. An injury shut him down all of 2025. He made seven appearances this year, all but one out of the bullpen, throwing a total of 5.2 innings and holding a 7.94 ERA.
The summer before his injury, Meeks had a 9.78 ERA in 8.1 Cape Cod League innings. He went back to the Cape this summer and currently has an 11.81 ERA over 5.1 innings (four appearances).

The projection is the key here. He’s 6-foot-4, 200-pounds with a fastball that has touched 98 mph. He’ll mix in a high-80s cutter, a low-80s slider with a sweeper profile and firm changeup that comes in as high as 90 mph. A big arm and hopes that he can lower the changeup velocity make him a decent prospect. This is either a completely overlooked pitcher because of the injuries, or a truly baffling selection. We’ll have a little faith and bet on the former.

Round 19, Pick 576: RHP Cade Rusch, Bellarmine (KY)

This 21-year-old college right-hander stands six-foot-three, weighing in at 195 pounds.

Rusch is a pure relief pick with MLB lineage as his father, Glendon Rusch pitched in the Show and is currently a minor league coach in the Angels player development system. He threw 33.1 innings in 2026 with a 10.30 K/9 mark.

Rusch has reportedly been up to 99 mph, though his riding fourseamer sits in the mid-90’s. It has plenty of carry from a lower release point, and his long levers should help him develop his extension in pro ball, though his mechanics are pretty solid already. His breaking stuff is still a little spotty but he has potential to spin a better slider-curve mix than he’s showed in college.

Round 20, Pick 606: RHP Will Zielinski, Vauxhall HS (Alberta, CA)

It’s difficult to imagine signing Zielinski with the Tigers bonus pool limitations this season. The high school right-hander out of Alberta, Canada already has a really nice delivery form a prototypical high-three quarters slot.

Zielinski can really spin the baseball. Currently his velocity sits around 90 mph, touching 93-94 mph per report, but the fourseamer has nearly 2500 rpms on average. He mixes in a high spin curveball in the upper 70’s, and can really snap his 80 mph slider up to 3000 rpms and beyond.

The six-foot-three, 195 pounder has plenty of room to get stronger in his early 20’s. Again though, with this small bonus pool and several well regarded prep notables already drafted, it’s hard to believe they can sign him unless he’s highly motivated to skip college and start his pro career.

The 2026 MLB Draft continues on today, with rounds 5 through 20 happening as the league concludes the draft ahead of the All-Star break this year. We’ll keep you up to date with what the Yankees do with all of their mid-to-late round picks, starting with rounds 5 to 10. Also be sure to check out our analysis from Day 1, where the Yankees picked up a pair of left-handed pitchers with their first two picks, and two right-handed JUCO bats with their third and fourth selections.

It’ll be a busy day as always, but we’ll have updates and commentary all afternoon as we learn the identities of the newest Baby Bombers. Follow along with us!

Round 5, Pick 160: Bear Harrison, C, Texas A&M, 6’3” 230 lbs.

To start off Day 2 of their 2026 draft, the Yankees went back to the catcher well, popping Bear Harrison out of Texas A&M. A 21-year-old right-handed hitter, Harrison draws quality reviews for his defense behind the plate, with solid pop times to second, and good framing, something the Yankees have long prioritized from their catchers. Harrison hit well in the SEC as a senior, posting a .297/.495/.626 slash line, though Baseball America notes that his offensive profile is somewhat controversial:

Offensively, Harrison is more polarizing. He’s strong, but has real bat speed questions that make scouts wonder about his hitting upside at the next level, while more analytically-inclined teams might be willing to take a shot on his impressive exit velocity data and patient approach that has led to a solid career 15.6% walk rate.

The Yankees will be happy to take that analytically-inclined view, betting on a mature approach and quality production in college translating to the bigs. Harrison, the younger brother of Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison, will join Brendan Brock as the second backstop taken by the Yankees in this draft.

Round 6, Pick 189: Andrew Gonzalez, 3B, Americas High School (TX), 6’1” 195 lbs.

The Yankees go to the prep realms in Round 6, selecting Andrew Gonzalez out of Americas High School in Texas. Gonzalez, who has committed to Texas Tech and sometimes goes by “Drew,” was not ranked in Baseball America’s top 500, and there isn’t a ton of info on his profile, but we can crib snippets about Gonzalez’s profile from what was said about him on the air on MLB Network. Jim Callis noted that has Gonzalez has real power potential, but that there are questions about whether he can stick at third base, and that first base and outfield are very plausible outcomes for his glove. Gonzalez seems to have a strong arm and pop in his bat, but without a ton of upside on defense or on the base paths.

Round 7, Pick 218: Michael Harpster, RHP, East Tennessee State, 6’0” 185 lbs.

With their seventh pick, the Yankees go with Michael Harpster, an undersized right-handed college arm. The 6-foot Harpster only sits about 92 mph on his fastball according to MLB Pipeline, but has strong traits otherwise, with good ride on that heater allowing it to play up, and a deep repertoire that includes a cutter, sweeper, and changeup. His overall numbers aren’t spectacular, Harpster running a 4.73 ERA in college, and though his senior season was his best ERA wise at 4.00, he also saw his walks shoot up from a 5.6-percent walk rate in 2025 to over 11-percent in 2026. From BA:

Harpster throws from a lower slot with a bit of funk and has tweaked his delivery over the years. In 2026, he threw with a more direct stride to the plate, but he has also a rushed stride and drifts down the mound a bit early in his leg lift.

The Yankees’ pitching development apparatus seems like a good place for Harpster to try and unlock his potential. A righty with good ride but middling velo on his heater sounds like an excellent project for the team’s minor league coaches, as the club can try to refine his pitch mix, alter his mechanics, or any number of other approaches to try to get Harpster to pitch above his college numbers in the pros.

Round 8, Pick 248: Luke Pettitte, Two-way Player, Dallas Baptist, 6’2” 220 lbs.

You’re not seeing things: the Yankees have used their eighth selection in the 2026 MLB Draft on Luke Pettitte, the son of five-time champion Andy Pettitte! The 21-year-old Pettitte may have legacy on his side, but he is a real prospect on his own merit. Interestingly enough, Pettitte is being listed as a two-way player; though primarily a pitching prospect, Tommy John surgery took him off the mound for 2026. No matter, as Pettitte stepped into the batter’s box and became Dallas Baptist’s DH, raking to the tune of a .337/.403/.693 slash line.

As interesting as Pettitte’s two-way ability may be, his most likely path in the pros is on the mound. From BA:

Pettitte throws a 90-93 mph fastball, a high-usage mid-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup, and a mid-70s curveball

Doesn’t sound too dissimilar from his dad, though it’ll be strange to see a right-handed Pettitte toe the rubber. Scouts also praise Pettitte’s command which, again, tracks. In his two years pitching with Dallas Baptist he posted a 6.1% walk rate, and he ran a 33-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the Cape Cod League in 2025.

Round 9, Pick 278: David Leslie, RHP, Pittsburgh, 6’2” 180 lbs.

In the ninth round, the Yankees have taken right-handed pitcher David Leslie out of Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old played three years with Division-III Grove City College before transferring. Leslie was very effective with Grove City, posting a 2.05 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 74.2 innings as a junior in 2025, though he struggled as a senior post-transfer, posting a 6.37 ERA in 65 innings in 2026. For what it’s worth, the MLB Network broadcast noted that Leslie looked very sharp when pitching in front of scouts during ACC play. Before he transferred to Pitt, Baseball America wrote that Leslie’s fastball was in the 92-94 mph range, and that he had a “still-projectable frame that could allow him to pack on more strength and throw harder in the future”. That’s certainly a trick the Yankees have been able to pull off with other pitching prospects in the past.

Round 10, Pick 308: Bayram Hot, SS, Louisville, 6’2” 210 lbs.

The Yankees go with a local kid in the 10th round, picking Bayram Hot, who went to high school at Archbishop Malloy in Queens and played two years at Marist College before transferring to Louisville. The 22-year-old is listed as a shortstop but played all over the field in college, and primarily played at second for Louisville, though Jim Callis notes for MLB Network that third base may be his eventual home. Hot was impressive in his senior year, posting a .330/.448/.528 slash line with nine homers and 17 steals in 57 games. We don’t have a ton of info on Hot, but between him and Bear Harrison, we do know the Yankees at least picked up two 80-grade names in this draft.

After a quiet day 2 of the MLB Draft for LSU, Grant Fontenot heard his name called at #299 overall in the 10th round.

Fontenot had multiple stints as a Tiger, starting his career in Baton Rouge before heading to JUCO, spending a year at Texas, then his final two seasons with LSU.

He became a reliable bullpen arm in 2026 with his high-velocity fastball. He pitched 32.1 innings with a 4.18 ERA, while striking out 42 and walking just 16.

Fontenot is the fourth Tiger to have been selected, following Derek Curiel, Jake Brown, and Deven Sheerin.

The remarkable journey of Texas Longhorns left-hander Luke Harrison will continue in professional baseball after he was selected in the eigth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 234 pick overall.

The slot value for the 234th pick is $241,000.

The 6’2, 220-pounder signed with former head coach David Pierce out of Friendswood in the 2021 class as a modestly-ranked recruit — Harrison was the No. 14 left-handed pitcher in the state and the No. 175 overall prospect, according to Perfect Game.

Despite a fastball that sat in the 80s, Harrison’s competitive demeanor on the mound made him a key reliever for Texas as a freshman in 2022 as he led the team with 32 appearances, posting a 3.06 ERA and two saves, including a four-out save against LSU and a two-inning appearance against Texas A&M in the College World Series. In his first eight outings for the Horns, Harrison didn’t give up a run, finishing the season with 32 strikeouts in 35.1 innings.

Then adversity struck — Harrison underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm and missed the 2023 season. When he returned the following year, he struggled with 9.28 ERA over 10.2 innings in 13 appearances, putting his career at a crossroads as Jim Schlossnagle and his staff arrived in Austin to take over the program.

Under pitching coach Max Weiner, Harrison became a breakout star for the Longhorns in 2025, unexpectedly pushing his way into the rotation thanks to a fastball with improved velocity and several new pitches developed by Weiner, including a cutter and a curveball. In a team-high 15 starts, Harrison posted a 5-1 mark with 3.06 ERA with 72 strikeouts over a team-high 70.2 innings. Against Georgia, Harrison set his season high with nine strikeouts.

As a redshirt senior, Harrison continued to pitch effectively for the Horns in 19 appearances, including 16 starts, notching a 6-4 record with a 4.10 ERA and one save as his strikeout record ticked up again with 100 in 83.1 innings while holding opponents to a .225 average. Returning to the College World Series, Harrison gave Texas a chance in an elimination game against Georgia by striking out a career-high 11 batters while allowing one run in 5.1 innings.

Now over 23 years old, Harrison’s age works against him as a prospect, but his track record in the SEC and his deep arsenal of pitches earned a selection in the top half of the draft and will give him a chance to be successful in professional baseball.

It’s not just a feel-good story — it’s also one that demonstrates Weiner’s superlative ability to develop pitchers.

Happy Sunday.

Dylan Cease will be the starter for the AL in the All-Star game, John Schneider has decided. The nice part about being All-Star manager is that you can give your own players a little treat (not that Cease doesn’t deserve the starter role). Dave Stieb and Roy Halladay are the other Blue Jays to start an All-Star game. That’s pretty good company to be in.

Cristopher Sanchez starts for the NL.

Nolan Perry had a good inning in the future’s game. Jo Jo Parker was 1 for 2 with a double and a fly out. The AL won 6-1. Parker had a run and an RBI.

Today’s lineups. Last game of the first half. It would be nice to go into the break with a win. No Springer today. I’m glad to see Clase getting a chance to a bit. He’s doing a great job (small sample size), hitting .308/.400/.769 in just 15 PA.

Sean Keys is also getting into the game. I’d like to see more of him. His small sample number aren’t as good, but it is early yet. .207/.207/.345 in 29 PA. I’d feel better if he would take a walk, but it is early days. He had 39 walks in 286 at bats in the minors, so the eye is there. It will come.

I meant to talk about it earlier, but the start of July marked 18 years writing on the site for me. It really doesn’t seem that long, other than days when I look at a blank screen and see it as a reflection of my mind.

I’ve told the story often, but I just offered to help out while Hugo was going to be away for a couple of months. I really didn’t know what I had signed up for.

My first day, in the game thread, we were overrun by Mariners’ fans. I didn’t know how the site worked at that point (barely knew how to put up the post). There was some things posted that should have been instantly deleted, and I didn’t know how (I remember someone post clips of a plane flying into a building, something we didn’t need).

We got to the end of the game and the nice fellow who managed the baseball sites emailed me, saying ‘We do a recap after games’. I said that I’d been on the site for 6 months and hadn’t seen a recap. He said ‘We do a recap after games’. So I wrote a recap.

A day or two later, he emailed me, ‘You should do a morning post.’ Again I hadn’t see one on the site before, but I started doing morning posts.

He waited a week or so before emailing ‘An afternoon post is a good idea.’ I’m pretty sure I used some language not allowed on the site, suggesting that I was doing three posts a day, and had said everything I wanted to about the Jays.

Considering our daily page views were into the double digits at that time, I thought four posts a day was a little excessive. But the numbers did raise, and added more writers and life got a little easier. I’m more willing to give myself a day off, here and there, than I used to be.

Anyway, 18 years and I’m still here.

The San Francisco Giants kicked off the two-day 2026 MLB draft with an exciting Saturday, picking up five names who could be key players for years to come. They used their highest pick since 2018 on Santa Barbara pitcher Jackson Flora, before adding a pair of prep pitchers — Carson Bolemon and Kaden Waechter — with the No. 29 and 55 picks. In the third round they made a splash with outfielder Peyton Bonds, Barry’s nephew, and rounded out the day with Hofstra pitcher Carlos Martinez in the fourth round.

Sunday doesn’t have as big of names, but what it lacks in quality it certainly makes up for in quantity, with 16 picks ahead for the Giants. Here’s a roundup of what they did in rounds 5-10, when they stayed pitcher focused; stay tuned for rounds 11-20 later in the day!

With their first pick of the day, in the fifth round (No. 150 overall), the Giants went for another player with a baseball bloodline: North Carolina State second baseman Luke Nixon. The son of Trot, a 12-year MLB veteran who had a very memorable decade-long stint with the Boston Red Sox, Luke is a contact-over-power left-handed hitter. He’s fairly small, listed at 5’10 and 162 pounds despite quickly approaching his 22nd birthday. Despite that slight frame, and despite the lack of power on the scouting report, he did hit nine home runs in 56 games last year in the ACC.

Nixon’s junior season was very strong, as he hit .367/.452/.595, good for a 1.048 OPS and a 129 wRC+ with a 14.0% strikeout rate, which earned him a ranking at No. 234 on Baseball America’s big board, as well as second team All-ACC honors. He’s a smooth fielder at second base and makes good swing decisions, and the Giants surely like his contact skills. Definitely a very Giantsy pick! That said, he seems likely to be an underslot selection, with the slot value for the No. 150 pick sitting just shy of $500,000.

In the sixth round, with the No. 179 pick, the Giants went back to the pitching well, taking McNeese State right-hander Eric Nachtsheim. Like many pitchers taken in this area of the draft, Nachtsheim has some brilliant stuff, but is a bit too hittable. Despite not playing in a great conference (he was first team All-ACCAC), Nachtsheim had a 3.60 ERA and a 4.13 FIP this season, the result of allowing 72 hits and 13 home runs in 85 innings. But living in the strike zone had its benefits, as he had a blissful 125 strikeouts in those 85 innings, with only 21 walks all year.

The big question for Nachtsheim is if he can develop any secondaries. To this point, he has an excellent fastball, which is mid-high 90s with strong movement and deception, and excellent command. That fastball earned him a ranking of No. 174 on Baseball America’s big board, and No. 213 on MLB Pipeline’s. But right now, it’s considered his only plus pitch, and possibly even his only playable pitch in the pros. If he can develop a decent secondary pitch, Nachtsheim profiles as a pitcher who could move fairly quickly as a relief option.

San Francisco stayed on the pitching train in the seventh inning, using the No. 208 pick on Jacksonville State southpaw Beau Bryans. The 22-year old has interesting mechanics, with a low arm slot and pitches that come in from a very wide angle, which led to him being used as a situational reliever earlier in his career. His fastball has touched 98, and arguably his best pitch is a big sweeping slider.

One of the intriguing things about Bryans is that he really hasn’t had much of an opportunity to prove himself. He was a junior college player in his first two seasons, and threw just 9 innings over 13 appearances as a junior at Alabama. He transferred to Jacksonville State for his senior year, where the results were mixed: he had a 3.66 ERA and a 5.16 FIP, with 78 strikeouts but 43 walks in 66.1 innings. That lack of track record, and the fact that he’s a senior, should make him an underslot candidate (his slot value is just south of $300,000). But it also points to some untapped potential that the Giants will hope to uncover.

The funky mechanics for Bryans, who was No. 200 on Baseball America’s big board, explain the control issues. But they can be a big advantage if he learns how to harness his pitches.

With their eighth-round pick, No. 238 overall, the Giants went with another pitcher, right-hander Cody Brasch from Louisiana-Lafayette. While the Giants have been known in recent years for drafting pitchers that are more funky and toolsy than overpowering, Brasch is the opposite. He’s a pure power pitcher, with a mid-90s fastball that touches 99, and a strong, power slider. He doesn’t have a ton of movement or finesse, so the Giants will have to work with him on that, as the see-ball, throw-ball-hard approach led to nine home runs allowed in just 74.2 innings last year, in a not great conference.

But there’s presumably some upside for the Giants to develop with Brasch, whose 2026 stands as his only season of collegiate baseball after missing his sophomore and junior years with injury, and spending his freshman year in junior college. Brasch worked as both a starter and reliever last year, and had a 2.77 ERA and a 4.60 FIP, with 82 strikeouts and 21 walks in his 74.2 innings. He was ranked as the No. 305 prospect in the draft on Baseball America’s big board.

In the ninth round, the Giants used the 268th selection on their third position player of the draft, Vanderbilt second baseman Mike Mancini. The left-handed hitter has more than just a marketable name with one of the Giants sponsors: he’s also a very talented and versatile player. A Little League World Series winner as a kid, Mancini hit .305/.433/.595 this year, with a 1.028 OPS and a 126 wRC+.

For better or for worse, Mancini has an aggressive approach at the plate, which led to a concerning 20.5% strikeout rate in his senior year … though he’s not averse to taking pitches, as evidenced by the 16.9% walk rate. He hits the ball very hard (he had 15 home runs in 53 games), though the Giants will need to help him elevate the ball a little bit, as he hits it into the dirt with regularity.

Mancini, who could be an underslot signing since he was a senior and unranked on the major draft big boards, has good speed as well. He stole 20 bases last year and was caught just once, and can play the outfield in addition to the infield. Despite not being a highly-touted prospect, the Giants have to feel good about a player who put up huge numbers in the SEC (and someone that Tony Vitello has coached against). And on that note, Mancini was a second team All-SEC selection this year, behind only Texas A&M’s Chris Hacopian, who was the No. 11 overall pick this year.

The Giants rounded out the first half of the draft by using the No. 298 selection on West Virginia right-handed pitcher Ian Korn. As is not uncommon at this stage in the draft, Korn is a high makeup guy. The recently-turned 23-year old, who is a grad senior, doesn’t have stats or pitches that jump off the page, but has earned excellent marks for his competitiveness, work ethic, and attitude.

2026 was his only year in the Big 12, after four seasons at Seton Hall. He pitched in a hybrid role, making 24 appearances with just three starts, but throwing 79.2 innings. Korn racked up a 3.39 ERA and a 4.11 FIP, and while he only struck out 70 batters, he also only walked 13. His fastball sits low-mid 90s and touches 96, and he has a four-pitch arsenal with a curveball, cutter, and slider as well. While his potential in the Major Leagues is likely as a reliever, he’s the type of pitcher that the Giants usually start developing as starters early in their careers.

And that’s rounds 5-10! Stay tuned for the a recap of rounds 11-20 at the end of the draft.

Welcome to Day 2 of the MLB draft, which happens to coincide with the Rays retirement of the No. 3 jersey. Will the organization find its next retired number today?

Below are the players, their school, and the round/pick for the selection with writeups from MLB Pipeline and Baseball America.

RHP Owen Kramkowski (4YR JR, Arizona) – 5/145

Tampa Bay started day 2 the same way they ended day 1, with a bit of a surprise, adding a prospect not high on the MLB Pipeline board, this time picking up a star of the University of Arizona’s rotation, who has added velocity this year.

With his tall, thin frame and glimpses of an easy fastball, Kramkowski has drawn some comps to T.J. Nichols, a former Arizona hurler and current Rays prospect. The 6-foot-3 right-hander relies mostly on his sinking fastball-slider combination. It’s a bowling ball heater that was up to 98 mph this fall, but was back around the 92-93 range he threw it in as a starter in 2025, and it does elicit very high ground-ball rates. He backs it up with an upper-70s slider that has decent three-quarter traditional tilt to it. He started going to his average mid-80s cutter more frequently this spring. Kramkowski threw a ton of strikes last year, walking only 1.8 per nine. He repeated that in 2026, but it’s control over command, and at times, he can get too much of the plate and get hit.

[MLB Pipeline – 245]

His rail-thin frame gives him some durability questions with scouts, but he has real stuff and a quick arm. Kramkowski throws from a lower slot and has both a four- and two-seam fastball variants, with the sinker perhaps being his better option moving forward. Both fastballs are thrown in the 92-93 mph range and touch 95-96. His go-to swing-and-miss pitch is an upper-70s sweeping slider that has around a foot of gloveside break and generated a 40% miss rate in 2026. It’s a potential righty-killer with above-average potential, but scouts have wondered about the lack of a changeup to attack lefties. Kramkowski does have an 88-92 mph cutter that he throws more frequently to lefthanded hitters, but it hasn’t kept them in check. He pounds the strike zone—potentially too much—and owns a career 5.0% walk rate.

[Baseball America – 204]

LHP Kyle Johnson (4YR JR, Virginia) – 6/174

A two-way star transfer from Duke, Johnson is expected to pitch as a professional.

Despite a less-than-pretty statline, scouts are still bullish on Johnson as an athletic left-hander who has yet to focus on pitching full-time. He has as many as five pitches to work with, starting with a fastball that averaged a touch over 93 mph but topped out at 97-98 mph this spring, and it some ride to it when he’s at the top of the zone. His slider, thrown up to 83-84 mph, can be a 1-to-7, hammer-like breaker with a ton of swing and miss. He has a distinct upper-70s curve and can also throw a harder, 86-88 mph cutter. He used his low-80s changeup more than any other secondary pitch, throwing it downhill with armside sink and run, a cambio he’ll throw to hitters on both sides of the plate. Johnson has never been a consistent strike-thrower, carrying a career 4.6 BB/9 (5.1 per nine in 2026) rate into NCAA Regional play this year. But there are some raw ingredients to work with, and there were teams who felt he was worthy of top five round consideration, with perhaps another gear to reach when he puts the bat down for good.

[MLB Pipeline – 150]

He’s an easy mover on the mound with a strong and muscular 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame. Johnson sits around 93-94 with his fastball and touches 97, and while he’s a fringy strike-thrower overall he tends to do a nice job establishing the fastball in the zone for strikes. He has lots of confidence in a mid-80s changeup that is more of a weak-contact offering than a true swing-and-miss pitch, but he’ll keep hitters off-balance with it, throw it in any count and to both lefties and righties. Johnson gets most of his whiffs with a slurvy breaking ball in the 78-83 mph range that varies in shape. He’ll also mix in an occasional mid-to-upper-80s cutter.

[Baseball America – 141]

RHP AJ Rice (HS SR, GA) – 7/203

An interesting pick in that the Rays might need to allocate funds to lock in a signature from a clear draft day one talent, he’s another two-way player expected to focus on pitching professionally.

Rice would be a lock to go in the top two or three rounds if not for his lack of physicality and his commitment to Auburn, but his combination of a deep arsenal and polish gives him plenty of believers among evaluators. He’s built along the lines of Tim Hudson and his style is reminiscent of the four-time All-Star. He drove in both runs in the Georgia 3-A championship game to lead Pickens HS to its first-ever state title. Rice’s best pitch is a tight mid-80s slider with high spin rates, but it’s just one of four weapons at his disposal. His fastball sits in the low 90s, touches 95 and misses bats with its carry and armside run. His feel to spin extends to a low-80s curveball that he lands in the zone, and he also shows advanced aptitude for a fading mid-80s changeup. Rice has an up-tempo delivery but the athleticism to repeat it well and throw strikes with all four of his offerings. He generates his stuff with a quick arm and has a track record of performing against top competition. Though he’s undersized at 5-foot-11, he has the potential to become a mid-rotation starter.

[MLB Pipeline – 125]

… impressive arm speed and tremendous ability to spin the baseball. He gets his fastball into the mid 90s and has touched 96 mph in the 2026 spring, but mostly sits in the low 90s. His best pitch is a mid-80s slider with huge spin rates above 3,000 rpm at times and lots of sweeping action. It’s a potential out pitch. Scouts have also been impressed by his ability to spin a distinct curveball, and he’s also made progress with a mid-80s changeup that will give him a piece to attack lefthanded hitters.

[Baseball America – 271]

RHP Griffin Long (HS SR, GA) – 8/233

Some scouts believe Long is the best sleeper pitching prospect in Georgia’s prep class. He has added velocity this spring to go with a projectable 6-foot-2 frame and feel for a three-pitch arsenal. He could go as high as the late third round if that would be enough to sign him away from Kennesaw State. After sitting at 90 mph and peaking at 93 with his fastball last summer, Long now operates at 92 and touches 95, though his heater could use more life. His slider has gained some power as well, parking around 80 mph and displaying promising spin even if it lacks consistency. His best present pitch is a fading low-80s changeup that’s more advanced than most high school cambios. Long’s athleticism, clean operation and loose arm bode well for his future control and command. He has the potential for three solid or better offerings with strike-throwing to match once he gets stronger and adds more polish. One of the younger mound prospects in the Draft, he didn’t turn 18 until May.

[MLB Pipeline – 233]

e has a projectable 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame that he’s starting to fill out, which has helped jump his fastball from touching 93 mph in 2025 to now reaching 95 mph. He’s a solid strike-thrower for his age with feel for multiple secondary pitches that miss bats, including a sharp curveball in the upper 70s and a lively changeup in the mid 80s he has the confidence to throw against both lefties and righties.

[Baseball America – 269]

OF Tai Jones (HS SR, MS) – 9/263

A former student of Rays first base coach Corey Dickerson, who was coaching Jackson Academy in Mississippi before getting the call back to the big leagues.

Jones was not ranked at MLB Pipeline or Baseball America.

Tai Jones is a 2026 OF/RHP with a 6-3 205 lb. frame from Brandon, MS who attends Jackson Academy. Long and lean athletic build with some present strength and room for plenty more. 6.71 runner in the sixty. Primary outfielder on defense, fields the ball out front, long and loose arm action, has more arm strength there with more momentum into his throws and a higher arm slot, big game range with a spectacular game catch in right field. Right handed hitter, hits from a straight stance with a simple and repeatable trigger, loose and quick hands with some barrel whip, gets extended well through contact, lots of 95+ EV contact in the games, lots of power potential with repetitions and maturity. Very good student. Verbal commitment to McLennan CC.

[Perfect Game – 2025 National Showcase]

RHP Tate McKee (4YR JR, Georgia Tech) – 10/293

The Rays end their top ten picks with the ace of a very good college team, and is surprisingly unranked by Pipeline despite being near top 150 for BA.

The top starter on a Georgia Tech team that ranked No. 2 in the nation for much of the season, McKee backs up a fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and touches 96 with a hard slider in the mid-80s. He’s the only NCAA Division I hurler to start every series opener for his team through the past two seasons. He logged a 4.15 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 78 innings this spring.

[MLB Pipeline – NR]

McKee is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander who pitched his way into a starting role as a freshman with Georgia Tech in 2024, and has been a consistent and reliable starter for three years. From 2024-2026, McKee posted a 5.14 ERA in 205 innings with a 26.4% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate while attacking hitters with a deep mix of pitches. He throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball in the 92-94 mph range and touches 96. Beyond those fastballs, McKee has an assortment of secondaries including a mid-80s slider with sweeping action and above-average potential, a mid-to-upper-80s changeup with solid armside fade, an upper-80s cutter and a low-to-mid-80s curveball. The slider is McKee’s best pitch and has been his most consistent swing-and-miss offering. He drives a solid number of ground balls—with a 47.6% groundball rate—and is praised for his pitchability despite a career walk rate that’s more fringe-average. While McKee might lack a plus offering to get excited about, he has a solid backend starter package with durability and a lengthy track record as a performer.

[Baseball America – 169]