PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces Cameron Flukey as the 22nd overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers first day of the 2026 MLB draft is in the books. With their fourth round pick, they took prep shortstop Dominic Pellegrin out of Holy Cross High School in Louisiana. We were waiting for a prep shorstop pick all through Day 1, and the Tigers delivered, finding an underviewed, though older, right-handed high school shortstop who performed well in the MLB Draft League.
Pellegrin is a twitchy defender with good speed and strong bat-to-ball skills. The Tigers love them a prep shortstop, but they changed it up this year by not reaching for one, and instead taking a player who wasn’t a big name on the junior circuit and only late in the season started getting more notice after posting well in the pre-draft league showcase.
A Tulane commit, the Louisiana native stands six-foot-one, weighing in a 175 pounds. He has developing power via a fairly prominent leg kick, but his swing is actually pretty simple and efficient, producing plenty of hard contact although his power projections top out around average. Still, the Tigers have proven themselves quite adept at developing young hitters’ batspeed, so it’s easy to have some confidence in their projections on Pellegrin.
He’s a bit older, as he just turned 19 and would technically be an eligible sophomore if he decided to go to Tulane, but at this point in the draft, signing bonus expectations are generally known and we’d be surprised if the Tigers didn’t end up landing him, especially as they can probably trim a little off the bonuses to Flukey and LeBlanc. Pellegrin’s defense and contact skills have really started to turn heads more recently, and he has a shot to be a plus shortstop with speed on the bases and a solid hit tool and power combination.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While things have gone well for Carr so far, he knows improvements and development are needed. Carr has shown some good shooting ability, and while all teams want more of that, the Lakers really need him to grow into his body so he can be a top perimeter player.
“First things first, got to put on some weight,” Carr said at his introductory presser. “That’s gonna be an emphasis, being in a weight room as much as possible. It’s going to be like my second home. And then, of course, just, I mean, having great vets in front of you just to look up to and learn from and follow in their footsteps and take little things away from them and implement it into your life.
“Overall, I think it’s, it’s gonna be exciting. I know I keep saying it. It’s repetitive, but man, y’all don’t understand how much of a joy it is and a blessing to be here in this situation. So just learn and, and follow in their footsteps.”
Carr is listed at 6’5” and 184 lbs. That’s a very light frame, even for a perimeter player. He wants to be great, but he has to bulk up so he doesn’t get pushed around or bullied on the court, particularly on defense.
The good thing is that he’s well aware of these perceived weaknesses and is prioritizing addressing them. Now that he’s a pro with the Lakers, he’ll have all the resources he needs to build up his body and become a great guard.
The weight room being his new home is the quickest way to make his desired outcome a reality.
While Carr is particularly light, it’s not uncommon for rookies to start much smaller than they’ll ultimately be. With years of work and training, players typically gain weight and figure out the weight they need to be at to maximize their talent.
This is what the goal should be for Carr, and as long as his words match his actions, he’s well on his way.
HOOVER, AL - MAY 25: Ole Miss pitcher Hudson Calhoun (23) screams and pumps his fist after closing out an inning during the SEC Baseball Tournament Final game between Ole Miss Rebels and Vanderbilt Commodores on May 25, 2025, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers, with their fourth round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, selected righthanded pitcher Hudson Calhoun from the University of Mississippi.
Calhoun, who turns 22 in August, is a 6’4”, 210 lb. righthander who has pitched almost exclusively in relief in his three seasons at Old Miss. After making just two appearances in 2024, Calhoun threw 24 innings over 21 games as a sophomore, striking out 37 and walking 18 while putting up a 5.11 ERA. In 2026, he threw 46 innings over 22 games, with 67 Ks and 26 walks.
Calhoun has a five pitch mix, and his build and repertoire are such that the Rangers will likely be looking to try him out as a starting pitcher, at least initially. He has a mid-90s fastball that is high spin, giving it good rising action as well as armside run. It is a pitch that can generate whiffs when its located — Calhoun, however, has struggled with his command and control throughout his college career. Along with his fastball, Calhoun throws a cutter, a curve, a slider and a changeup.
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 22: Myles Bailey #12 of the Florida State Seminoles bats during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on February 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After chasing power in the second round of the MLB Draft with Caden Sorrell, the Cubs doubled down on power with Florida State first baseman Myles Bailey with their compensation pick in the second round. This is the pick the Cubs got for losing Kyle Tucker to free agency.
Like first-round pick Cade Townsend, Bailey is a draft-eligible sophomore from a power conference, this time the ACC rather than the SEC. Bailey was one of the best power hitters in college baseball in 2026. He hit 19 home runs in 56 games as a freshman and 13 in just 26 games as a sophomore before he injured his ankle sliding into second base and was out for the rest of the season.
Some scouts put an 80, the highest possible grade, on Bailey’s raw power, although contact issues make his “in-game” power grade lower. He’s a big, powerful man at 6’4”, 255 with a big, long uppercut swing. He can hit it out of the park to all fields, but when he pulls it, the ball goes a very long ways. The exit velocities generated by Bailey’s bat are elite.
The downside, as alluded to earlier, is that Bailey strikes out a lot. He did cut his strikeout rate from a very troublesome 31 precent as a freshman to a concerning but not completely disqualifying 24.6 percent. Although he did only play eight conference games and presumably, his strikeout rate would have gone up against better ACC pitchers. (Although his non-conference schedule did include two games against Florida, one against Auburn and one versus Nebraska.) The general consensus is that Bailey did improve his swing his sophomore season, so that’s a positive sign. The one other piece of good news is that while Bailey does have a good deal of swing-and-miss, he also has the patience to take bad pitches and grab a walk. He certainly has a real three-true-outcomes (home run, walk, strikeout) potential.
While Bailey actually runs well for a guy his size, he’s also probably purely a first baseman. The good news is that he’s shown himself to be quite nimble there and he could be an above-average defensive first baseman.
The Cubs almost never take a pure first baseman in the draft and when they do, they usually wait until late on the second day. That they took Bailey with a second round pick means that they must really believe in that power potential and that they can get him to make enough contact that he can get to that impressive power.
MLB Pipeline had Bailey as the 83rd-best draft prospect and Baseball America had him at 96, so generally in line with the 75th overall pick. Keith Law of The Athletic did not have him among his Top 100 picks, which makes sense as Law is much more wary of contact issues than many other evaluators.
Bailey is the kind of roll-the-dice pick that some wanted the Cubs to make with their first or second pick. There’s a real All-Star upside with Bailey. There’s a perfect world where Bailey hits 30+ home runs with an OBP of around .340 thanks to a lot of walks, even if the batting average remains low. There’s another world where Bailey is unable to overcome his contact issues and he washes out in Double-A. It’s a pick I’d feel better about in the third round than the end of the second, but if the Cubs really believe in the power and don’t think he’d have lasted until their next pick, I guess they had to take him here. It is a real departure from their normal approach, which I think is a good thing, at least.
The Cubs saw the medical reports on his ankle at the Draft Combine, so that’s clearly not something that bothers them. It seems unlikely to be chronic and if he remains at first base, any loss of foot speed would have a minimal impact.
First, watch Bailey hit this ball 468 feet as a freshman. This is one of the most impressive home runs you’ll see.
And here are some general highlights of Bailey as a sophomore, including some good defense at first base.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Nets opened their Las Vegas Summer League with a 91-65 blowout victory over the Knicks on Friday, fueled by an encouraging glimpse of Brooklyn’s future backcourt. Egor Dëmin and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. each dropped 20 points to power a decisive second-half surge after a slow start from both.
We’ll see who suits up tonight against the Hawks. It is, after all, a back-to-back. Eight overall pick Kingston Flemings leads the way for Atlanta.
🏀 Key Info
Who: Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks
When: 8:00 PM ET
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN, YES/Gotham
💬 Discussion
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The Yankees lineup was asleep for most of the game, but three late home runs pushed them to a 4-2 win over the Nationals on Saturday afternoon.
Just like the opener, the Yankees leaned on the long ball to drive in runs. Ryan McMahon, who didn't start but pinch-hit early for AmedRosario, smashed a 416-foot shot to get the Yankees on the board in the eighth. Two batters later, Trent Grisham gave the Yankees the lead with a two-run shot.
Paul Goldschmidt went back-to-back with Grisham to cap off the comeback as the Yankees run their winning streak to three games.
Here are the takeaways...
-Cam Schlittler's day got off to a tough start. JamesWood smashed Schlittler's first pitch over the wall. Curtis Mead would also go deep, putting the Yankees in an early 2-0 hole. Both homers came on fastballs up in the zone.
It was an uncharacteristic game for Schlittler, who walked four batters, which forced him to pitch out of trouble multiple times. But the first-time All-Star settled down, leaving after two outs in the seventh.
Schlittler allowed two runs on four hits, four walks while striking out six across his 6.2 innings of work.
-The bullpen immediately got into trouble. Brent Headrick came in with two outs in the seventh for Schlittler and allowed back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. Headrick struck out CJ Abrams to end the Nationals threat and preserve the two-run deficit.
-The Yankees had trouble with RISP for the second game in a row. After going 0-for-5 in those situations on Friday, they went 0-for-8 with RISP and left seven on base.
-David Bednar, after pitching two innings on Friday, locked down the save, allowing one base runner in an otherwise clean ninth.
-Ben Rice continued his hot streak, going 2-for-2 with two walks.
Jim and Landon Thome after Nazareth Academy won the IHSA 3A state championship in 2023. | Ted Piton
The Thome legacy continues on the South Side, as Chicago used their newly-acquired 34th overall pick to select infielder Landon Thome, the son of White Sox legend and Hall-of-Famer, Jim Thome.
In a swap on Friday evening, GM Chris Getz traded IF Jacob Gonzalez and RHP Brandon Eisert to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for the 34th overall pick, giving the South Siders an extra pick. It seemed that the motive behind the trade was that they didn’t believe Thome would still be around by their second round pick (No. 41), and their plan worked.
Thome is 18 years old, hailing from Nazareth Academy — roughly 18 miles from downtown Chicago — and is the top-ranked shortstop in Illinois, and 19th-best in the nation according to Prep Baseball. While the White Sox did just select SS Roch Cholowsky as the first overall pick, Thome’s versatility across the infield, with the ability to play second and third base, gives him an advantage to slot into other positions while still adding a lefty power bat in the lineup. It also certainly doesn’t hurt to have a HOF dad as a mentor to the game and to help guide Landon’s approach at the plate.
Not only did the lefty highlight his power in his senior season with the Nazareth Roadrunners, but he also showcased his capability at getting on base at an insanely high rate with a .630 on-base percentage, walking 30 times compared to just 12 strikeouts. Not too shabby at all, and unsurprising considering his dad walked quite a bit (16.9% average BB%), and didn’t have a crazy strikeout rate by any means. Landon posted a .533 batting average at the plate, amounting to a whopping 1.676 OPS including eight home runs, 35 RBIs, and 49 steals, also showing his speed and ability to cause trouble on the base paths.
Something that is not completely apparent in Thome’s stats is that he is always working hard to perfect his game, and holds himself to a high standard both on and off the field. The Thome family has always been such a lovely part of the larger White Sox family, and having Landon join the organization while following in his dad’s footsteps is a great story in the making.
When we spoke with Andrea Thome — Landon’s mom — last Spring, she only had glowing things to say about her son, highlighting his work ethic and positive attitude.
“Landon is a special person, and I’m not just saying that because he’s our son. He works hard on the field and in the classroom, and thanks to the example set by his head coach and mentor, Lee Milano, he’s also made service to others a huge part of who he is. We are honored to be his parents and can’t wait to see where his path leads.”
With the great vibes that are already flowing through the White Sox clubhouse, and within the larger organization, Thome seems like the perfect player to add to the mix in the future of the team. Welcome to the South Side, Landon!
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Danny Wolf #2 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks have gotten every last say against the Nets and its fans this past year, but not Summer League. Nope. Nets were not having that. They defeated the defending champs in Las Vegas 91-65 with Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin each scoring 20 points in the victory.
Brooklyn moves onto face Atlanta on Saturday, a team boasting No. 8 pick Kingston Flemings. By little surprise, Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin are out tonight (second night of a back-to-back). The rest will play and Joshua Jefferson (28th pick) will make his Nets Summer League debut.
With or without the main acts, there will be plenty of minutes to be earned for the others. Enjoy!
📺 Watch
Who: Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks
When: 8:00 PM ET
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN, YES/Gotham
🏀 The Game
The Nets finished with a 2-1 record in the California Classic, and they defeated the Knicks on Friday without any problem. Things are looking good for the guys in black-and-white. Truly. The fanbase is slowly coming around to the new backcourt — two interchangeable guards who seemingly get along with one another.
That’s what it’s all about in Brooklyn. Plenty of losses the team can dwell on but right now the focus is on the good, it appears. We’ll see if that sentiment remains during the regular season, but again, it’s fun right now.
Unfortunately we won’t get primetime Mikel Brown Jr. on ESPN against Kingston Flemings and the Hawks. Brown Jr. of course was taken two picks ahead of Flemings in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Otherwise, keep an eye on the other guys. There are three games left and it’s crucial for young players like Drake Powell to step up. He hasn’t shot the ball particularly well this summer, nor has he done enough to crack a spot in a rotation that’s running deep — and now is evaluation time.
In a poll surveying fans on NetsDaily, the community voted that Powell has the most to prove entering the season. Here’s the good news: he’s still only 20.
💪 Yay, Gore.
It’s no secret that Egor Dëmin is looking stronger and playing like it, too. He was asked about it on Friday night (via Erik Slater).
“I got so much stronger, and that gave me more confidence. The next step is trying. The more I try it, I think it gets better and better. So I’m very excited about all the work that I’ve done, and it’s gonna keep growing.”
It’s worth noting how Egor barely attacked the rim at Summer League last year. Now he’s a menace in that area. Hopefully we’ll get to see him on Saturday — it’s becoming clear that his days playing in Vegas are numbered, until an expansion team arrives, of course.
🫡 The Randle Effect
If you’ve been around long enough then you’ll know how much Sean Marks appreciates his guys going out to Summer League and supporting one another. Not all are in attendance, but a newcomer arrived and his presence is already being felt.
That guy is the newest acquisition: Julius Randle. Whether you like him or not, he’s someone who instills positive values into teams. He spoke on being a leader for Mikel Brown Jr.
“I just told him I was excited to help him. I really wanna that vet he can come and talk to. I know how it is early in your career… I can be that veteran shoulder he can lean on every single day, whether it’s frustration, the highs and lows, teaching him how to work every single day, weight room, whatever it is. Or if he just needs to talk about life, I wanna be that vet for him and help him out. But he’s great. He’s got a steady head on his shoulders. You can just tell he’s a good kid who comes from a great family.”
Randle did tremendous things with the Knicks before they shipped him to Minnesota. He was right at the forefront of their culture shift with a bunch of young players. He’s a former All-Star and he still put up 21 points and eight rebounds in a tough Western Conference last season.
We know Brooklyn loves their high character vets, but Randle will be more than that for Brooklyn.
🎞️ From the Vault
Exactly 10 years ago today, the Nets and Hawks faced off in Summer League. This was Marks’ first summer as GM, and Chris McCullough led the Nets with 16 points and seven rebounds in a seven-point win. That Nets team had Isaiah Whitehead, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Sean Kilpatrick all playing for the Summer League team.
Jul 11, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt (10) connects for a three-run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Casey Schmitt hit a three-run homer in the sixth that ended up being the game-winner and ruined an otherwise decent day on the mound from Kyle Freeland. The Rockies offense was held to six hits and their eighth-inning rally came up short.
The win put the Giants (40-55) up 2-1 in the series and dropped the Rockies to 39-58.
Freeland fab for 4 before trouble hit
Freeland (2-8, 7.36 ERA) was on his game for the first four innings. He only allowed a single from Luis Arraez in the first four frames, retiring the first nine he faced. He even posted five strikeouts in the first four innings. Freeland was pretty effective even through the fifth inning when he gave up a pair of doubles to Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez that allowed the Giants to tie the game at 1-1.
It was the three hits in the six that hurt the most. Not so much the back-to-back singles from Heliot Ramos and Arraez, but it was the homer from Schmitt. Schmitt took advantage of a knuckle curve that hung up too high and sent it flying 415 feet to left center field for his 19th homer of the year.
Freeland bounced back with three straight strikeouts — raising his total for the day to nine — to end the inning. One of those included striking out Arraez, the talented hitter who rarely strikes out. The first-inning K was only Arraez’s 16th strikeout of the season.
“I thought Kyle was excellent today. He was efficient, attacked the strike zone, his fastball was really good and his changeup was really good,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I just felt like he was in command of the game. Other than the one swing from Schmitt, it was a really good outing.”
But in a low-scoring affair, a 4-1 deficit seemed insurmountable. Freeland left the game after the sixth inning, having given up four runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.
Eighth-inning scoring continues
The Rockies entered the eighth inning trailing 4-1, but in true Colorado fashion, managed to shrink the lead. With two outs, Kyle Karros crushed his ninth homer of the year, a 435-foot blast to left center field.
Unfortunately, that’s all the Rockies could muster. After only striking out three times in the first six innings, the Rockies struck out four times in the final three innings. Brett Sullivan and Hunter Goodman each doubled in the game. Schaeffer tried to spark the offense when he put in pinch hitters Cole Carrigg and Willi Castro in the ninth, but both came up empty.
Zach Agnos threw two scoreless innings with one walk and one hit in another solid outing from the Rockies bullpen.
A strange series of off events
The Rockies scored first in a very unusual way. It happened in the third inning when Sullivan, who grew up an hour and a half outside of San Francisco, led off with a double. After Jack McCarthy moved Sullivan to third on a grounder, Mickey Moniak came to the plate. Tyler Mahle was then called for a balk. The umpires met, confirmed the call and sent Sullivan home, putting the Rockies up 1-0.
It got even weirder when Moniak appeared to strike out swinging on a high fastball. Moniak went to take a seat in the dugout, only to be called back because the pitch Mahle threw after the balk didn’t count. Giants manager Tony Vitello argued the call and got ejected in the process. Moniak returned to the plate and hit a single. The Rockies were unable to take advantage, however, as Goodman lined out and TJ Rumfield flied out.
Mahle pitched a gem, giving up only that one run on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.
“He mainly pitched with his fastball. He was really good,” Schaeffer said of Mahle. “He had hop at the top, his splitter vs. the left-handers was good and he just pitched. He used his fastball a ton. We had no answer for him today.”
Other than the homer to Karros, JT Brubaker continued to keep the Rockies quiet to earn his first save of the season.
Up next
The Rockies and Giants will conclude their four-game series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. at Oracle Park. In their final contest before the All-Star Break, the Rockies will send Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.46) to the mound, while Trevor McDonald (3-7, 5.46 ERA) will get the start for San Francisco.
Cole Prosek brings a loud bat to the White Sox — but he has a potentially enormous defensive value, as well. | (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The White Sox are simply addicted to middle infielders at this point, using their third selection of three so far in the draft to snag Magnolia Heights (Miss.) H.S. second baseman Cole Prosek with the 41st pick in the MLB draft.
Prosek is a bat-first infielder who just this year started catching, which adds an additional wrinkle to the proceedings. If the youngster is not saddled with the arduous task of learning a new trade behind the plate, his big-time bat will allow him to move more aggressively through the White Sox system. But inarguably there is massive value in finding a plus-defender at catch who also has a potent bat.
MLB had Prosek ranked as the No. 27 prospect in the draft, so the White Sox just added a first-round talent to the mix some dozen picks later in the proceedings. The MLB.com broadcast staff was enamored with this selection, and so far have given the White Sox top marks for their draft class so far.
Being committed to Mississippi means that the White Sox may need to go over-slot to secure Prosek, but there is no serious concerns he won’t be in the club’s draft camp in Arizona this week.
Given that the White Sox aren’t afraid to give a non-traditional catcher some run at the position (see Adrian Gil, High-A Kannapolis), Prosek might not see any full-season ball in 2026, instead working out his future defensive role in Arizona later this summer.
Once destined for the bullpen even at the college level, Eric Segura battled his way into rotation brilliance in 2026. | (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
It’s back-to-back arms for the White Sox, winding up Day 1 of the draft by picking Eric Segura, a swingman righty out of Oregon State University with the 105th selection.
This is the first lower-reaching pick the White Sox have made on the day — Segura was the 196th-ranked play on MLB’s draft board — and thus this could be a money-saving move. Still, Segura has some enticing fight.
He battled his way into the Beavers rotation as a freshman, and after spending his sophomore year working out of the pen had an outstanding junior year in 2026: His 2.22 ERA ranked in the Top 10 among NCAA Division I pitchers, and he halved his walks from 2025. These changes have led evaluators to believe that, fueled by improvements in his slider, Segura isn’t a surefire bet for a bullpen role as a pro.
The sidewinder does not overwhelm overall, but his fastball does sit in the mid-90s and the arc of his college career indicates a smart and wily pitcher.
With a reasonable workload as a weekend starter (15 games, 73 innings), the White Sox should plug Segura in for a little bit of run at Kannapolis later this summer, in an attempt to sort out his role entering his first full pro season in 2027.
The Twins go with a third straight pitcher to cap off day one of the draft. Again, it’s a big 6’4” frame from the right side with big velocity. Tommy LaPour was throwing mid 90s out of high school, and after cracking the rotation at Wichita State as a freshman, he found his way to TCU. An excellent sophomore campaign in the Big 12 put him on the map, posting a 3.09 ERA in 16 starts. Elbow soreness cost LaPour a couple months this spring and he struggled with command over a small sample size when he returned. Still, the potential is there and the Twins may have gotten a discount due to the elevated uncertainty.
He has a pretty sound delivery from a 3/4 arm slot. He doesn’t get much extension, but the ball jumps out of his hand. He sits mid 90s and will flirt with triple digits. Can get whiffs at the top of the zone and get some dive towards the bottom. His slider gets solid two-plane movement in the mid 80s and he throws a harder cutter in the upper 80s, but both pitches lack spin and aren’t particularly sharp. There is a changeup in the upper 80s as well that has flashed some whiff potential and can be a reliable put-away pitch against lefties.
There are lots of inconsistencies with his arsenal and questions about the effectiveness of his secondaries. LaPour has potential as a back-end starter, but he is a high energy guy that likely fits better in the bullpen where he can let that fastball fly.
HOOVER, AL - MAY 22: Pitcher Shane Sdao #38 of the Texas A&M Aggies pitches the ball during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Texas A&M Aggies and Auburn Tigers on May 22, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With their final day one pick, the Mets selected Shane Sdao, a senior LHP from Texas A&M.
Sdao was an interesting high-volume relieve in his first two seasons at Texas A&M and was set to convert to the rotation in 2025. Unfortunately, he missed the entire year with Tommy John surgery and ultimately went undrafted despite rating as an interesting mid-round selection on Baseball America’s 2025 board. Back on the mound in 2026, Sdao went 4-4 with a 7.03 ERA, 783 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 71.2 innings this past season, with the majority of those innings coming as a starter.
At his best, Sdao can touch the upper 90s with above average extension while showing three breaking ball offerings. The best is a east-west slider, fitting with the Mets preference for horizontal breaking ball profiles. He’s also shown a curveball, cutter, and changeup, with the latter being the weakest offering by far. There’s some level of projection here as well despite Sdao’s age (he’s closer to 23 than 22) given his lean frame and recent return from injury. The vision for the Mets is presumably that they can take what is still a fairly unformed ball of clay and wring out significant improvements. BA had Sdao 91st on their top-500.
Selecting a senior sign this early (even if it is one of the better ones available this year) suggests the Mets are looking to save money for other picks. It’s possible that Carson Wiggins is closer to slot than we initially expected or that Aiden Robbins requires even more overslot, which would not help the already mediocre evaluation of those two picks. It’s also possible the Mets are looking to save more money to spread around in the later innings. We’ll see how the rest of the board develops on Day 2.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Morez Johnson #14 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks play their second NBA Summer League contest on Saturday night, this time it’s the late game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Dallas was waxed by the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, 101-90. The Lakers played their first game on Friday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 96-84. Dallas fans will get a look at how Baylor product Cameron Carr looks in purple and gold. Here’s the other main things you need to know:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers
WHAT: NBA Summer League, Game 2 for Dallas
WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
WHEN: 9:00 pm CST
HOW: ESPN
At the moment, I’m not able to find any injuries or reasons why players from either team would miss the game. Dallas came out of last game with no one getting beat up in a significant way. The Lakers did play last night, so I wouldn’t be shocked if any Lakers players are out (including Carr) since they did play in the California Classic. But hopefully we see everyone who can suit up and play.
Look for Morez Johnson to asset his will again if he gets the ball near the basket. I am curious to see if the game play encourages more three pointers from him, just because I want him to be a long ball threat eventually. Defensively, hopefully he won’t be asked to clean up everyone else’s mistakes again.
Sergio De Larrea having a better shooting game will assuage some concerns. But as we can see here, the Mavericks aren’t concerned so we shouldn’t be either.
I asked Mavs summer league coach Joe Boylan in a @DLLS_Mavs exclusive about Sergio De Larrea:
“The shot selection was great so I’m not worried about how many shots he made or missed.” pic.twitter.com/j5iYi1wQaz
Personally, I would like to see him have a tighter handle. He plays so upright at times and if he doesn’t have top tier control, he’s going to lose that ball often.
I also hope Vsevolod Ishchenko gets more burn as the play initiator. Dallas looked away from him often, even when he was open, in the third and fourth quarters Thursday. Then he seemed to get irritated, went and got the ball himself, then started whipping the ball around.
There’s plenty more to watch, so tell us in the comments what you’re looking for.
It’s official. The Senators are about to be joined by a second pro hockey team making Canadian Tire Centre their home.
After three seasons at TD Place, the Ottawa Charge announced Thursday they've signed a multi-year agreement to move to Canadian Tire Centre full-time, beginning next season.
Ottawa Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder speaks with the media (Credit: The Hockey News Women's Hockey site)
Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder was part of the announcement, along with Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, and forward Rebecca Leslie, the hometown hero who led the Charge in goals in both the regular season and playoffs.
“Senators Sports & Entertainment is proud to officially welcome the Ottawa Charge to Canadian Tire Centre,” Leeder said. “The Ottawa-Gatineau region is fortunate to have two professional hockey teams competing at the highest level. In a short period of time, the Charge have developed a substantial following and fanbase, and they have become an important part of our local hockey ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa is currently building a new 6,500-seat arena at Lansdowne that was expected to become the Charge's permanent home. But the PWHL decided the building would be too small to accommodate both its current average attendance (8131) and its long-term growth plans.
In their recent past, the Charge have played six games at the CTC and have averaged 13,641 fans a game there, which is compelling, and certainly every Ottawa hockey fan hopes those types of numbers continue.
But a full regular season of PWHL games in an NHL building will be a much different test than the special occasion of the playoffs, and that's one of the reasonable concerns about this move.
For example, one of the best things about the Charge in their first three seasons has been that demand is in the same neck of the woods as supply. Can that happen for them in an 18,000-seat NHL arena? Smaller venues create urgency for tickets. Fans are willing to buy earlier and pay more because they know tickets are limited.
Over the course of the 15-game regular season now at the CTC, on nights when they maintain their average attendance, the Charge may find themselves playing in front of 10,000 empty seats, and there’s a risk that urgency could disappear.
A full house also creates a much better TV product than 8100 fans scattered through an 18,000-seat arena. Empty seats are hard to ignore on television, and perception can matter to prospective fans and sponsors.
These are part of the reasons the Senators have reduced the building's seating capacity over the years.
And then there’s location. The Senators eventually want to leave Kanata and get to a central location. The Charge is leaving a central location to get to Kanata. Lansdowne is a desirable location that’s easier to get to for a lot of people, including the players, and there’s certainly more to do around the building before and after games.
I hope this move proves to be the right one. Nothing would be better than seeing the Charge fill Canadian Tire Centre every night. But until that happens, it's fair to wonder whether the PWHL is moving too far and too fast when it already has something here that's working really well.
