There is a difference between a prospect hoping to make the NHL and a prospect who believes he belongs there.
Tij Iginla sounds like the latter.
After a season in which he finally stayed healthy and continued to make meaningful strides, Iginla isn't approaching the 2026-27 season wondering whether he's ready for the next step.
He's approaching it with a much simpler objective: make the Utah Mammoth.
“I think I’m ready,” Iginla said during Utah’s development camp. “I’m looking forward to a big summer of training and pushing myself hard in the gym, but I feel ready.”
That confidence isn't coming out of nowhere.
Iginla, Utah's first-ever draft selection, has now spent two years inside the organization's system. More importantly, he finally put together a healthy season and believes the experience helped him add another layer to his game.
He doesn't point to one dramatic adjustment that suddenly transformed him. His improvement has come through the accumulation of smaller details — changes in his skating, movement and decision-making that can eventually turn a promising prospect into an NHL player.
He's even spent part of his offseason skating alongside Gavin McKenna, giving him another opportunity to study the subtle differences that separate elite players from everyone else.
“I'm just trying to keep adding those little details to my game,” Iginla said.
Now comes the biggest test.
Iginla's goal isn't simply to have another impressive development camp or show well during the preseason. He wants to arrive at training camp in September and force Utah to make a difficult decision.
“My goal is definitely to make the team,” he said.
That makes Iginla one of the most logical candidates to crack the opening night lineup.
But there is another prospect who could make the Mammoth's final decisions considerably more complicated.
Don't Forget About Dmitri Simashev
While Iginla may have the clearest path among Utah's prospects, Dmitri Simashev could be the dark horse who forces his way into the conversation.
The 21-year-old defenseman has already had a taste of the NHL, appearing in 28 games for Utah last season. But his most encouraging work came in Tucson, where he emerged as a legitimate offensive contributor and finished with 35 points in 40 AHL games.
That production matters because Simashev isn't simply trying to prove he can survive at the NHL level anymore.
He's trying to prove he belongs there permanently.
With Utah's defensive depth leaving a potential opening on the third pairing, Simashev enters training camp with a legitimate opportunity to claim a full-time job. His size, mobility and ability to contribute offensively give him a different path to the roster than Iginla, but the underlying question is the same:
Who is ready to stop being a prospect and become an NHL player?
That makes Simashev a fascinating wild card.
Still, Iginla has something Simashev doesn't: the chance to directly address an area of the lineup with his offensive skill set and potentially force his way into a forward group that has room for a young player to emerge.
And he isn't waiting for an invitation.
During development camp, Iginla played with the urgency of someone who understood that every opportunity matters. He attacked drills, competed hard and eventually scored a hat trick during the scrimmage.
Of course, nobody earns an NHL roster spot in July.
But that wasn't really the point.
Iginla wanted the organization to see that he's coming for a job.
“No one is making the team out of development camp,” he acknowledged. “But the goal coming in here is to plant that seed.”
That seed has now been planted.
When training camp arrives, Iginla will have a chance to turn it into something much bigger.
Utah is entering another important stage of its development, and the Mammoth need their young players to begin pushing established NHLers for jobs.
Simashev could make the race more intriguing
But if one Utah prospect is most likely to make the opening night roster, Iginla has already made a compelling case that it should be him.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 16: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns ties his shoes before the game against the Boston Celtics on March 16, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s NBA 2K ranking conversation time once again. Nothing gets the juices flowing quite like debating where Devin Booker ranks in a video game, does it?
Last week, we talked about how NBA 2K completely missed the mark when it came to Booker’s midrange shooting, which is arguably his most elite trait as a player. The game gave him an 86 rating there, the same rating it assigned to his three-point shooting, which is certainly not something he does at an elite level.
Now, as NBA 2K continues rolling out its top 100 players, we finally know where Booker stands in the overall hierarchy of the league. I’ll also note that only one other Phoenix Suns player made the top 100, and that’s Dillon Brooks, who came in at No. 84 and as an 82 overall. So that gives you a pretty good idea of how the game makers currently view the Suns. Miles Bridges and Jalen Green didn’t even crack the top 100.
But Booker? He comes in at an overall rating of 91.
There’s always going to be a conversation about where Book ranks among the elite players in the NBA. I’ve consistently said that he qualifies as a star, not a superstar. I believe there are roughly 8 to 12 superstars in the league at any given time based on skill set, the ability to take over games, the ability to win games, and the ability to elevate both themselves and those around them when the moments get tough.
Booker, to me, is a star. That puts him somewhere after that top 12 range, probably between 13 and 25. And that lines up pretty closely with where NBA 2K has him. Booker is ranked the 19th-best player in the NBA, which I actually think is pretty reasonable and realistic. He’s certainly capable of being the alpha on a team and has proven in the past that he can be the best player on a contender.
He also possesses the ability to elevate himself back into that superstar conversation and potentially back into the top 10. He simply didn’t play at that level last season. My assumption is that the rankings are built largely on what happened last year, with a little projection toward what could happen next season.
Some people might view No. 19 as disrespectful. I think it’s pretty spot on. Which is surprising, because I also think NBA 2K completely botched other aspects of his ratings. But in terms of where Booker currently stands in the overall NBA hierarchy, No. 19 feels about right.
And that’s probably the proper perspective to have with Booker entering next season. No. 19 isn’t an insult, nor is it a permanent address. It’s a reflection of where his game currently sits after a season that didn’t meet the standard he previously established. The opportunity to climb is there. If Booker wants to move back into that top 10 conversation, the formula is fairly simple. Play more efficiently, win more games, and make NBA 2K adjust accordingly.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 12: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates while running the bases after hitting a two run home run during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks 6-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This week, we asked the community to vote on who they thought the Rockies would call up next. Apparently, the Baseball Gods were listening because when we first asked, 53% of folks thought Zac Veen would be called up.
Then, on Tuesday, we asked once again who the Rockies would call up but changed the answers to reflect Veen’s promotion.
35% voted that Adael Amador would be called up next.
As fate would have it, Kyle Karros unfortunately suffered a concussion during Tuesday’s game after a nasty collision with Ezequiel Tovar, which forced the Rockies to make another roster move. This time, Amador was indeed called up to take his place.
Oddly enough, this also happened in June when we asked the same question, and 24 hours later Cole Carrigg was promoted, so we had to pivot our survey choices.
Now, we’re not saying we have any kind of sway with the Rockies… but apparently this poll was a good promotion predictor!
With that in mind, who do you think will be called up next?
AKRON, OHIO - MAY 26, 2026: Bo Davidson #5 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels bats during the third inning against the Akron RubberDucks at 7 17 Credit Union Park on May 26, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
A busy day for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Thursday, with all six teams that are still in-season in action. Let’s dive into it!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
AAA Sacramento (66-48)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s) 4-3 Box score
There was big news in this game: Marcelo Mayer was beginning his rehab assignment. Mayer, the former top-15 overall prospect (as recently as last year!) whom the Giants acquired from the Red Sox at the deadline, made his organizational debut on Thursday, playing second base. And he wasted no time making an impression.
Mayer struck out in his first at-bat — understandable given that he hadn’t played in a game in about 3 weeks. But in his 2nd at-bat? He smoked an absolutely gorgeous home run. He drew a walk in his 3rd plate appearance, before exiting the game. We’ll call that a smashing success and quite an introduction!
The Giants will need to ramp up Mayer to full games before bringing him to San Francisco, but it’s safe to say that his AAA stint won’t be long at all. He’ll be back in the Majors soon enough.
While Mayer was the big news — and certainly a star in his own right — the biggest star was left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL), who is really starting to find his groove in AAA after a very slow start. A day after hitting his 1st AAA homer, Davidson was back at it again, hitting a brilliant 4-5 with a 2-run blast and 3 total runs knocked in.
Davidson’s hits were, in order: a 102.1-mph single, a 103.3-mph homer, a 97.2-mph single, and a 104.2-mph single. What a delight those numbers are! The lefty now has hit safely in 6 of his last 7 games, with 5 extra-base knocks in that time. It seems he’s starting to figure things out!
Also a nice game for center fielder Scott Bandura, who hit 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base. Bandura continues to excel in AAA following a slow start to his tenure after an early-season promotion. He’s up to an .832 OPS and a 119 wRC+ with the River Cats, and sure feels like a near-lock to be a Rule 5 protection this winter.
A rough day on the mound for LHP Matt Wilkinson, who was struggling to find both the strike zone and fool hitters. Wilkinson needed 101 pitches to make it through 5 innings, while only throwing 58 of them for strikes, which resulted in 4 walks. Tugboat gave up 5 hits in those 5 innings, and 4 of the 5 were doubles which, along with the walks, tagged him for 3 runs. Perhaps most damning, though, was that he only had 1 strikeout on the day, and had just 8 swing-throughs on his 101 pitches.
It’s been a stellar year for Wilkinson, whom the Giants acquired in the Patrick Bailey trade back in May. But questions abound about his ability to miss bats and get outs at higher levels given his low velocity, as his fastball is averaging just 89.9 mph in AAA. Interestingly, his fastball has still been his most successful pitch in the Pacific Coast League, but it has a terrifying hard hit rate of 50.7%. In all, it’s a 5.15 ERA and a 5.40 FIP for the burly southpaw.
RHP Braxton Roxby continued his recent tear, as he pitched 2 nearly perfect innings, giving up just a hit batter while recording 5 of the 6 outs by way of strikes. Despite those 5 strikeouts, he threw just 20 pitches! Absolutely absurd efficiency. Roxby, a 27-year old who came to the Giants in the Taylor Rogers trade, had a rough start to the year, but has been lights out for a few months now. He had an 11.00 ERA after his 1st May appearance, but since then has pitched 43 innings and allowed just 28 hits, 14 walks, and 10 earned runs, with 39 strikeouts. He’s down to a 3.63 ERA on the year, albeit with a 4.90 FIP.
RHP Eric Cerantola had far and away his best outing since joining the organization, as he struck out all 3 batters he faced. He’s been struggling a bit lately, but he has some excellent strikeout stuff.
Just as Davidson was showing off his prospect status in AAA, shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) was doing the same in AA. Last year’s 1st-round pick has adapted to life in the Eastern League brilliantly following a promotion last month, but yesterday was his best day yet. The lefty from Tennessee was an on-base machine, hitting 3-4 with not 1, but 2 triples, plus a double and a walk. The only stains on an otherwise perfect day were a strikeout and a caught stealing.
Gavin Kilen drilled 3 XBHs for Richmond tonight. Now hitting .330 in Double-A
Kilen appears to have put his development in overdrive. You hope for players to come close to matching their numbers at lower levels as they move up the Minor League chain, yet Kilen has improved his across the line from his 1st half performance in High-A. His average is up (.282 to .330). His on-base percentage is up (.350 to .375). His slugging percentage is up (.462 to .527). His isolated slugging is up (.179 to .198). His OPS is up (.811 to .902). His wRC+ is up (114 to 133). His stolen bases are up (0 to 1, so technically true!).
The only things that haven’t improved are his strikeout and walk rates, which have both worsened by what amounts to a rounding error. It’s been a sensational adjustment to AA and, if he keeps this up, he’ll likely start the 2027 Minor League season in AAA, with an eye towards an MLB debut.
A pair of 3-hit days for prospects who have struggled to find hits, as second baseman Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) and first baseman Sabin Ceballos both hit 3-5. Ahuna, a 4th-round pick in 2023, and Ceballos, a 3rd-round pick in 2023 (by the Braves) both have strong defensive chops and flash some good power, but are struggling to collect hits. The 24-year old Ahuna, who also stole 2 bases in this game, has just a .227 average and a 30.3% strikeout rate in his AA debut, leading to a .691 OPS and a 90 wRC+. Ceballos, who turns 24 in a few days and is in his 2nd AA campaign, has a lowly .222 average despite just an 18.2% strikeout rate. He has a .726 OPS and a 100 wRC+ on the year.
A really excellent start for RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL), who was overpowering for 5 innings. Marte needed a lot of pitches (97) to get through those 5 innings, but otherwise was sensational, giving up just 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run, while striking out 7 batters. What an outing!
Marte, who turned 23 over the weekend, has been hot and cold since getting promoted to AA at the start of June, and has a 4.32 ERA and a 4.20 FIP. He’s still allowing too many hits and homers (though none of the latter in this game), but he has 10.0 strikeouts to 3.2 walks per 9 innings, and those are stellar numbers for someone as young and electric as he is.
RHP Ben Peterson pitched brilliantly as well, giving up a walk and no hits in 1.1 scoreless innings, with 3 strikeouts. The 24-year old UDFA, who is in his 2nd season, has just a 4.00 ERA and a 4.84 FIP since getting promoted to AA, but has racked up 31 strikeouts in just 18 innings.
High-A Eugene (66-44)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops (Mariners) 9-1 Box score
The hottest hitter in the system is staying hot! Yes, it was another lovely day for center fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), who just won’t stop hitting the ball over the fence. Diaz only hit 1-5 in this game, but he didn’t strike out, he stole a base, and he smashed a lovely solo home run.
💣 2️⃣0️⃣ 💣
Lisbel Diaz is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now. His 20th NWL HR extends his hitting streak to 14 games.#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/P8v5Xp9SO5
It was the Diaz’s 4th home run in his last 5 games, his 5th in his last 7, and his farm-leading 23rd big fly of the season. He has a staggering .795 slugging percentage in August, after a .635 mark in July. Not bad for a center fielder who, having just turned 21, is about 2.5 years younger than his average peer in the Northwest League.
The lack of walks — he’s drawn just 12 with Eugene, in nearly 350 plate appearances — are keeping his wRC+ down, but it’s still a 113 mark to accompany his .839 OPS, with some really solid defense and 9 stolen bases (though he’s been caught 7 times). But Diaz has really been a different beast entirely since the summer rolled around: since June 28 (a stretch that includes 6 games with Low-A San Jose), the Cuban has hit 50-150 with 14 home runs, 1 triple, 8 doubles, 7 walks, and just 24 strikeouts. He probbly should be getting a little bit more attention!
A trio of other hitters also had lovely games: left fielder Zander Darby hit 3-4 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout, boosting his OPS to .823 and his wRC+ to 117; shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) went 3-5 with a strikeout, raising his OPS to .844 and his wRC+ to 123; and catcher Onil Perez hit 2-4 with a double and a strikeout, and now has a .726 OPS and a 92 wRC+.
For all of Diaz’s brilliance, the star of the day came on the mound, where LHP Henry LaLane made his second appearance with the organization. A 6’7 22-year old who came to the Giants in the Heliot Ramos trade a few weeks ago, LaLane is a massively intriguing talent, and that was on display Thursday, when he really shut down Hillsboro’s lineup. LaLane went 6 innings into this game, while throwing just 83 pitches, and gave up less than a baserunner per inning, ceding just 4 hits (all singles), 1 walk, and 1 run. It’s pretty clear from those numbers that hitters were not at all comfortable against him, and it certainly looked that way.
LaLane only had 2 strikeouts, which is uncharacteristic, and certainly nothing to worry about. He’s certainly had no issue with strikeouts on the year, as he has 105 in 88.2 innings on the year. His starts are becoming must-watch TV, and even though he’s spent most of the year in Low-A, it seems likely that he’ll be in AA when the 2027 season opens up.
RHP Ubert Mejias had a nice game, allowing just 1 walk in 2 no-hit innings, with a strikeout. Mejias, a 25-year old, has a pretty hilarious profile through 11 appearances since getting promoted. He is absolutely brilliant from a strikeout and walk perspective, but awful from a hits standpoint: in 25.1 innings with the Emeralds, he’s registered 29 strikeouts with just 5 walks … but allowed 35 hits, including 6 home runs.
Low-A San Jose (61-50)
San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 5-0 Box score
A fantastic pitching performance in this one, by a trio of pitchers who have been having fairly difficult years: RHPs Ben Bybee and Dylan Carter, and LHP Ricardo Estrada.
Bybee, last year’s 8th-round pick, got the start and had one of his best outings of the season, giving up just 3 hits and 1 walk in 4.1 scoreless frames, while striking out 3 batters. That was quite a nice bounce back, after he gave up 4 runs in 4 innings with 0 strikeouts in his prior start. Bybee has had a tough debut year, with a 4.96 ERA and a 5.41 FIP, and he’s only striking out 7.4 batters per 9 innings.
Estrada pitched next, and struck out 5 batters in 3.2 innings, while allowing just 2 hits, 1 walk, and 0 runs. That came after 9 runs in just 1 inning his last time out! Other than that blowup outing, Estrada has been much better lately. After posting an 11.70 ERA in April, Estrada settled into a 2.86 May ERA, a 2.53 June ERA, and a 1.77 July ERA. That tough month and his last outing are still really impacting his overall numbers, though, as he has a 4.48 ERA and a 5.99 FIP.
Finishing it out was Carter, an undrafted free agent last year who retired all 3 batters he faced. Carter only has a 5.65 ERA and a 5.14 FIP, but this was his 3rd straight outing without an earned run.
Strong days for the top prospects in San Jose, as second baseman Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) both had strong games. González, who has thoroughly dominated the Cal League during his short stint, hit 1-4 with a triple and a walk, while Hernández, who has struggled adapting to the new level, went 2-5 with a strikeout.
González, an 18-year old switch-hitter, has a 1.014 OPS and a 151 wRC+ through 13 games at the level, while Hernández, a 17-year old right-hander, has a .599 OPS and a 48 wRC+ through 15 games.
Right fielder Tanner Mally continues to look oh so comfortable, as he hit 2-4 with a double. The righty, who turns 22 next week, is still the only player from the team’s 2026 draft class who has debuted. The 17th-rounder has hit safely in all 6 games as a pro, going 10-23 with 3 extra-base hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Quite a first impression!
DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Rockies 9-7 Box score
Bit of a funny start from RHP Simon Colmenares, a 20-year old from Venezuela in his 2nd season. For better and for worse, Colmenares barely let anybody put the ball in play: he pitched 4.1 innings and struck out 7 batters without allowing a single hit … but also walked 4 batters and hit 2, which ultimately put 2 runs on his ledger. That’s been quite an issue for Colmenares, as he’s allowed 21 walks and 8 hit batters in 35.1 innings this year, en route to a 7.64 ERA and a 6.13 FIP.
Right fielder Rainer Espinoza, who turns 18 next week, is starting to find his groove, as he hit 3-4 with a double. Espinoza, who had a solid debut season last year, has been limited to just 9 games due to injury, and in the 1st 7 of those 9, he hit just 1-18 with 0 extra-base hits. But this nice game came after smashing a home run on Tuesday, so he’s moving in the right direction!
17-year old shortstop Joniel Hernandez, one of the stars of the deadline deals for the Giants, hit 2-5 with a stolen base and a strikeout, giving him a .941 OPS, a 126 wRC+, and 9 stolen bases in his debut season. Catcher Luis Padron, a lefty in his debut season who turns 17 next week, went 0-2 but drew 2 walks and stole 2 bases. Through 14 career games, he has an .850 OPS, a 104 wRC+, and 3 stolen bases.
Dominican Summer League Orange (28-23)
DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Pirates Black 8-1 (7 innings) Box score
It was a very DSL game, as highlighted by the fact that the Giants Orange squad scored 8 runs in 7 innings without a single extra-base hit. That’s not easy to do at other levels!
The star on offense was shortstop Israel Alfonse, a 17-year old who started his debut season on the 60-Day IL, but recently debuted. The left-handed hitter from the DR hit 3-4 in this game, with a stolen base, and through 5 career outings is 6-16 with 1 home run, 4 strikeouts, and 2 stolen bases. Not a bad beginning to his career!
A nice outing from 20-year old RHP Frainer Mejias, who tossed 1.2 scoreless innings with 1 hit and 3 strikeouts. It was Mejias’ 4th straight game without allowing a run, and during that time he’s thrown 3.2 innings and given up just 2 hits and 1 walk, with 5 strikeouts. That said, he has just a 4.71 ERA and a 7.05 FIP on the year, and this is his 4th pro season.
Home run tracker
23 — Lisbel Diaz — [20 in High-A; 3 in Low-A] 21 — Bo Davidson — [2 in AAA; 19 in AA] 4 — Marcelo Mayer — [3 in MLB; 1 in AAA]
Friday schedule
Sacramento: 7:05 p.m. PT at Las Vegas (SP: TBD) Richmond: 4:00 p.m. PT at Harrisburg (SP: Charlie McDaniel) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Hillsboro (SP: Niko Mazza) San Jose: 7:00 p.m. PT vs. Fresno (SP: TBD)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 20: Tre Mann #23 of the Charlotte Hornets drives by Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of a basketball game at Spectrum Center on February 20, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for 6’4” guard Tre Mann.
Mann is 25 years old and has played five seasons in the NBA, including a stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 5.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists last year for Charlotte.
The Cavs accomplish a few goals here.
First, they get off of Schroder’s $14.8 million contract. Something they’ve been looking to achieve all summer. Charlotte has been linked to Cleveland throughout the process as a team that both has the cap space to absorb Schroder, but could also use his veteran experience on the bench.
Trading Schroder has been on Cleveland’s checklist. They need financial flexibility more than they need a backup point guard. It was assumed that the Cavs might need to attach a pick to Schroder just to get off of his deal.
Getting off of Schroder’s deal without giving up a pick and while receiving an asset in return is a better outcome than expected.
The Cavs save $6.8 million by trading for Mann. They push themselves $29 million under the first apron and $42 million below the second apron.
This gives the Cavs enough wiggle room to pursue Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson on the sign-and-trade market while also keeping space for James Harden to return to Cleveland on a team-friendly deal.
Mann comes with flaws. He shot just 36% from the floor last season and 32% from downtown. That’s a huge concern for a backcourt player in 2026. His athleticism can only make up for so much.
There is reason to believe in Mann’s development. He has shot better from deep in previous seasons, including a 40% season just a year ago. He’ll get better opportunities in Cleveland and might even slot in as a point-of-attack defender.
Then, of course, there’s the potential that Mann doesn’t even suit up for Cleveland.
The Cavs remain engaged in talks for Watson and Kuminga. Mann may factor into this as a trade chip or someone who could be stretched and waived to clear up additional cap space.
Cleveland’s next move is unknown. For now, they’ve taken the first step towards making other things happen. Buckle up and prepare for more.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 20: A view of the Kyrie x ANTA shoes of KJ Simpson #25 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game against the Sacramento Kings at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hornets defeated the Kings 83-78. 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. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Caden Scarborough #11 of the Texas Rangers on the American League Team sits in the dugout at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospect list has been updated as of yesterday, and the Texas Rangers have three — that’s right, three — players in the top 100.
Infielder Sebastian Walcott, who is back in game action and hitting (if not yet playing in the field) after internal brace surgery during spring training, is at #9 on the list. He appears to be none the worse for wear, slashing .328/.379/.607 in 66 plate appearances over 15 games at AA Frisco while handling DH duties. I would imagine he will move up to AAA in the next week or two, and if he can show that he can handle Pacific Coast League pitchers, it puts him in a strong position to fight for a spot on the 2027 Opening Day roster for the Rangers.
Righthanded pitcher Caden Scarborough, who was also on the shelf at the beginning of the year — in his case due to treatment for a malignant melanoma, which was surgically treated in early February — checks in at #77. He has put up a 3.18 ERA in 39.2 innings for Hub City since his return from the injured list, with 46 Ks against 14 walks.
Finally, Gio Rojas, the righthanded pitcher that the Rangers took #16 overall in July out of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is #97 on the top 100 list. He is one of 10 players drafted in July who made the list.
MLB Pipeline also updated their top 30 prospect list for the Texas Rangers. Of note, Dalton Pence’s very solid 2026 season has seen him move up to #10. Connor Comeau and Brody Bumila, the team’s (above-slot) second and third round 2026 picks, are #7 and #11, respectively. Hector Osorio has made an impression with his breakout 2026 campaign, slotting in at #14, right behind Dylan Dreiling. And John Taylor and Marco Argudin, who were not on anyone’s radar at the beginning of the season, both make it on the back half of the list.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies slides home to score against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on July 12, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 Giants are still tracking behind the 100-loss 1985 Giants, suggesting that they won’t reach 100 losses this season. I still think it’s in play now that the pitching staff is depleted and whoever’s left, outside of Logan Webb, is about to hit innings numbers rarely/ever seen, but I’m happy to be wrong. What’s harder to know is where the Giants will wind up relative to the Rockies by season’s end. Is it a sure thing that the Rockies will finish with a worse record?
Right now, the Rockies and Giants are 9th and 10th, respectively, on the list of toughest schedules remaining. But that ranking is based on the present win percentages of each team. The Rockies have “easy opponents” in the Mariners (x3), Orioles (x3), Guardians (x3) and Tigers (x3), but all of those teams are either within 3 games of the Wild Card or have a postseason slot already (Detroit leads the AL Central, currently); so, it’s a much more difficult schedule from that perspective.
Also, the Rockies have the third-worst lineup in the sport (91 wRC+) and the sixth-worst pitching staff (6.1 fWAR). They are 26-35 since June 1st, too, which is just a little worse than the Giants’ record of 27-35. They moved three players at the trade deadline, too, which could help accelerate their losing down the stretch.
Outfielder Brenton Doyle (.701 OPS vs. the Giants) went to the White Sox. Frequent foil starter-turned-reliever Antonio Senzatela (6-4, 4.93 career ERA vs. Giants) isnow with the Brewers; and reliever Victor Vodnik (14 K in 15 IP vs. Giants, 4.20 ERA, 2-0 record) is now a Marlin.
Connor Norby is the primary return from all these trades (received in the Marlins deal) and he’s just 0-for-5 with 2 strikeouts. In 52 career PA against the Giants, he’s slashing just .208/.250/.354, too with 17 strikeouts and just 3 walks. But! He does have 2 homers in 8 career games at Oracle Park, slashing .233/.294/.433 in 34 PA.
Since July 1st, their best hitters have been Hunter Goodman (128 wRC+), Kyle Karros (123 — currently on concussion IL), Jake McCarthy (122), and Cole Carrigg (121). Mickey Moniak (108) has 6 homers in his last 32 games (122 PA) but a 4.9 BB% to 26.2 K%. Still the Rockies just signed him to a 2-year extension worth $16.25 million.
Kyle Freeland has been a Rocky his entire career and the ace of the staff most of that time. There were rumblings that he was destined to be traded at the deadline, too. That didn’t happen, so, the 33-year old will get the chance to make his 30th career start against the Giants as a member of the Rockies. He’s 8-10 with a 4.41 ERA across 153 IP. He’s just 2-6 but a 3.84 ERA in 12 career starts at Oracle Park.
Meanwhile, Logan Webb will try to continue this hot August. Here is his monthly splits for the season:
Jonah Cox will return to the roster for this series and so it’ll be interesting to see how he and Victor Bericoto get playing time. The Giants haven’t had many great hitters since the start of August, with just three hitting at or better than the league average: Osleivis Basabe (112 wRC+), Rafael Devers (107), and Jung Hoo Lee (100).
Series Overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (50-71) vs. Colorado Rockies (48-73) Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California When: Friday at 7:15pm PT, Saturday at 1:05pm PT, Sunday at 1:05pm PT National broadcasts: None
Projected starters Friday: Landen Roupp (RHP 7-11, 4.22 ERA) vs. Kyle Freeland (LHP 3-10, 6.63 ERA) Saturday: Logan Webb (RHP 7-7, 3.59 ERA) vs. Michael Lorenzen (RHP 3-10, 6.83 ERA) Sunday: Blade Tidwell (RHP 0-0, 2.78 ERA) vs. Gabriel Hughes (RHP 0-4, 5.61 ERA)
Former MetButch Huskey has died at the age of 54, the team announced Friday afternoon.
Huskey first landed in the Big Apple as a seventh-round pick in the 1989 MLB Draft.
After spending five seasons grinding his way through the minor leagues, the righty-hitting slugger was called up to make his big-league debut during the 1993 season.
Huskey went on to spend parts of five seasons with the Mets, racking up 55 HRs and 214 RBI.
Steve Phillips traded him to the Mariners following the 1998 campaign, but he appeared in just 74 games with them before being flipped again, this time to Boston.
Huskey split his final big-league season between the Twins and Rockies.
He finished his time in the majors as a career .267 hitter with 98 doubles, 86 HR, 336 RBI, and a .760 OPS.
Huskey is also the penultimate Met to wear the No. 42, as he was wearing it when MLB announced it was retired league-wide in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1997.
The Dodgers lost the first game of this possible postseason preview in exasperating fashion and now look to even up the series on Friday night.
The Dodgers have the right pitcher on the mound to achieve that goal. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound after a good outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday, allowing only three hits and no earned runs, in the only game the Dodgers won in their 1-8 skid to start the month. The Dodgers barely scored enough runs in that game to win 2-1, in what is a common theme in Yamamoto starts.
Robert Gasser takes the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers. The lefty is 3-4 on the season with a 4.57 ERA. He also pitched last Saturday, getting a no-decision, allowing three earned runs in just 4.2 innings. Gasser faced the Dodgers in May in Milwaukee, where he went 4.1 innings allowing four earned runs on four hits, garnering his first loss of the season. All of those Dodgers run came in the fourth inning.
It felt like the Dodgers struggled to score four in Thursday night’s game, continuing the trend of the offense showing up in bits and drabs. Gasser has not been going long into games so perhaps the Dodgers could get into the Brewers bullpen to finally do some damage. Antonio Senzatela, DL Hall, and Trevor Magill all look to be down in the bullpen so if there’s a game this series to get the offense going, this one is it. Jacob Misiorowski looms for Saturday’s game.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 27: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees runs after hitting a single against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field on July 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country.
Although the New York Yankees had a somewhat-reserved Trade Deadline in only bringing aboard Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos, they did find another way to shake up the roster.
By adding Ramos, they had to demote an outfielder, and down went former top prospect Jasson Domínguez, whose underwhelming .650 OPS on the season was also accompanied by bad defense. They also made a change at the six, calling up acclaimed shortstop George Lombard Jr. and sending down the man who had previously been annointed the shortstop of the future, Anthony Volpe, who had just one homer in 194 trips to the plate and was tracking for his fourth consecutive season with an OPS in the mid-.600s.
So for this week’s Reacts survey, we were curious if Yankees fans had an inkling on which of the two fallen prospects would have more of an impact on next year’s team. Injuries are of course still unfortunately a possibility, so each player could still make their mark on 2026, but we’re considering the future. The Yankees might have decisions to make on these guys, who were already in trade rumors prior to their demotions.
Here are the results:
It wasn’t a decisive vote and Domínguez didn’t even garner the majority, but easily he led the 181 votes with 46 percent. Volpe was 14 percentage points behind, and 22 percent said that neither would be on the club in 2027. That is certainly a possibility, and I think 4:1 odds are fair of both departing during the offseason.
Offseason status is one of the reasons why I would lean toward Domínguez over Volpe in this exercise (if not only because they may need the outfield depth). The CBA negotiations between the league and the players’ union could affect the status quo, but as of now, Domínguez would only be entering his first year of arbitration in 2027, whereas Volpe would be in year two. The latter is making a little under $3.5 million this year, and arb salaries never go down, so the Yankees will have to decide if they want to pay him somewhere in the range of $4-5 million next year with no clear role. At minimum, he is a non-tender candidate.
There were only a handful of comments on this survey (we always love to hear from you, don’t be shy!), but I do want to shout out Jerry_Terry, who voted Volpe with a decent defense.
The Yankees are working to get Volpe more work at the keystone in the minors to increase his versatility, and it is true that they will need to figure out second base in 2027 with Jazz Chisholm Jr. likely out the door (unless he receives and accepts a qualifying offer). And though Volpe is a nontender candidate, the Yankees didn’t have a problem giving $5 million to Trent Grisham after 2024 in a similar nontender situation. I don’t expect Volpe to go off nearly to the same degree that Grisham did in 2025—I just don’t his bat is going to come around—but it speaks to the light value of depth. The Yankees still rave about Volpe’s work ethic, so while they’re less high on him than they used to be, it would indeed not be shocking to see him back in 2027.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after being called for a foul against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic at Golden 1 Center on July 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re now in the dog days of summer with little-to-no Nets related news to chat about. So, this week, we turned our attention to you, the fans and listeners of the show. In this MAILBAG SPECIAL, we answer a variety of fan-submitted questions, naming our favorite Nets we’ve gotten to interview on the beat, MPJ’s future with the team, Drake Powell’s positioning on it, and the potential of a Durant, Irving, and Harden reunion in Brooklyn…sort of.
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we also touch on:
The newly dropped 2026-27 season schedule
What needs to happen for this year to be a “success”
The appeal of a Michael Porter Jr. extension
You can also check out the episode for free on Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to follow us on X, Instagram, and TikTok as well. Our Rajon Rondo signature giveaway is still live, but will close next week, so make sure to like and follow to enter!
MPJ has team chemistry on the rise in Brooklyn. He was that kind of guy for the Nuggets too 📈 🔥
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 02: John J. Sherman, Chairman and CEO, Kansas City Royals Baseball Club, speaks onstage during "Future Proofing the Sports Economy: Inside the Owner’s Suite" panel at day 2 of the 2025 HOPE Global Forum at Signia by Hilton Atlanta on December 02, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, we asked you to tell us how confident you were in the Royals competing in 2027
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, I guess, that 69% (nice) of fans voted that Sherman’s Q&A with Josh Vernier did nothing to convince them that the Royals would be able to compete next year. Indeed, I expected the majority of respondents to vote that way. But I was curious just how much of a majority, and, well, that’s more than 2/3 of you. That’s a pretty hefty majority.
Coming in second place was “Neutral” at only 13%, less than 1/5 of the number of people who lack any confidence at all in this team competing next year. I guess it could happen. The Royals allegedly have a lot less salary committed for next season and should therefore be able to spend big in free agency without spending much more on the team than they have this year.
However, it’s still not clear to me how they can make it work without hitting on at least one premium free agent plus a few smaller ones. They need two high-quality starting pitchers plus depth and multiple relievers. Are they really going to go get Skubal plus the rest of the guys they need? Or will they continue the tradition of adding Jonathan India- and Carlos Estévez-like players who cost more than the minimum to provide a certain floor, but offer almost nothing in terms of a ceiling?
If I may, let me do a slight tangent on Jonathan India for a moment. The Royals gave him $8 million this past offseason in order to get most of the playing time at second base before he was hurt early in the season. Some people have pointed out that $8 million for a guy of India’s caliber isn’t a team that is “cheap”. But I’d argue it’s the definition of a cheap team. Let me explain.
When I was working part-time at a grocery store, I spent way more money on shoes than I do now, as a software developer. Some of that, of course, is because I was on my feet more often. But a lot of it was the fact that I couldn’t afford to get a really nice pair of shoes, and so they were constantly wearing out. When you’ve got the money to buy higher-quality, you can sometimes spend less overall because the higher-quality stuff just works better. (This is a real-life example of the Sam Vimes theory of socioeconomic unfairness).
A team that spends $8 on Jonathan India is doing so because they can’t or won’t spend more on a higher-quality player, but knows they need to get somebody to do the job. If they were willing to actually be a not-cheap team, they could have added a Cody Bellinger or someone who could have made more of an impact. The upfront price would have been more, but the return would also have been more, leading to less spent (in terms of $/WAR and perhaps even in profitability if the team performed better and drew more fans) in the long run. The Royals won’t buy the nice shoes that will last a long time, so it’s cheap behavior, even if they’re spending more than some of the other cheap clubs.
Anyway, I hope I’m wrong, and the Royals can compete again next year because, honestly, this year has not been very fun at all.
Brandon Pfaadt during Game 7 of the NLCS against the Phillies. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Even the worst teams in baseball win a third of their games. But if you’re a playoff contender and facing one of those worst teams in baseball, letting them take two out of three with just a few dozen games left to play is devestating. If the Diamondbacks end up losing a playoff spot by a game or two, it will not be hard at all to point at the two easily winable games that they dropped to the Rockies this week. Following those losses and the completion of the other team’s games on the Diamondbacks off day, they have fallen out of a playoff position, are half a game behind the Phillies, and a full game behind the surging Padres
The Braves are cruising to a playoff spot, and nothing short of a 30-for-30 level collapse is going to prevent them from getting it. They’re up nine games over the Phillies and have won seven of their last ten. This is just as big a test for them as the Dodgers’ series was, and their only realistic hope of making the playoffs is being successful here.
At the time of writing, the Braves had not announced any of their starting pitchers for the series yet, but here is what I can tell you. They are fourth in baseball in ERA+, fifth in traditional ERA, and eighth in WHIP. It’s not going to be easy, folks, but the saving grace might be we’ve got our best pitchers going up against them…
Game 1 — 8/14, 4:15 PM: Brandon Pfaadt (1.3 bWAR, 6-1, 3.36 ERA/125 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP) vs. TBD
Pfaadt did everything he was asked to and more last time out against the Dodgers. Seven shut out innings, with only two hits and two walks is a great start against anyone, but to put up those numbers against the Dodgers is even more impressive. Now, he has not given up an earned run in his last three starts, and only gave up a single unearned run against the Padres on 8/3. Since returning from the minors, he has yet to give up more than two earned runs and his ERA in that time period has been a sterling 1.32. In case you’re worried about regression, his FIP is only 2.89, which would also be a perfectly acceptable number from him. The Diamondbacks will need to see the greatness continue.
Game 2 — 8/15, 4:15 PM: Eduardo Rodriguez (4.2 bWAR, 11-4, 2.70 ERA/156 ERA+, 1.22 WHIP) vs. TBD
There have been cracks in Rodriguez’ armor showing in recent games. In addition to the five he gave up in 2 2/3 inning against St. Louis back on the 19th, he gave up another seven to the Padres two starts ago. He bounced back, however, and put up a strong performance against the Dodgers to compliment Pfaadt’s, going seven innings, only giving up two earned runs, and throwing a nearly unheard of 115 pitches. That may or may not be something to watch, as he has now thrown over 100 pitches in three straight games. Once upon a time, that would have been a normal thing and not worth commenting on, but these days, one has to wonder if there might be a bit of arm fatigue he’ll be facing this time around.
Game 3 — 8/16, 10:35 AM: Michael Soroka (2.3 bWAR, 8-3, 2.92 ERA/144 ERA+, 1.10 WHIP) vs. TBD
Soroka made his long awaited return from the IL in his last start against the Rockies, and it went about as well as could have been hoped. He held them scoreless for 4 1/3 innings, before a pitch limit reeled him back into the dugout. It’s hard to argue with scoreless, but the three walks were the same as he had delivered in his last four starts combined, so a slight concern. Probably just rust, but something to keep an eye on.
Conclusion
It’s weird to say after losing a series to the Rockies, but I do like our chances. We have our three best starters taking the mound, and while our offense this season is no where near as good as it was in 24/25, it still doesn’t lay dormant for long typically. Combine those two things, and I think the Diamondbacks have a good shot of taking the series and getting back into a playoff spot.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 08: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Whether Cincinnati Reds ace Chase Burns is simply slowing down or if the Reds themselves are throttling him a bit we likely won’t ever truly know. That said, he’s only made it through 6.0 IP in 3 of his last 7 starts, and he’s thrown fewer than 90 pitches in 3 of those, too – all while pitching to a mostly un-Burns like 3.99 ERA across 38.1 total IP.
That’s not poor work, by any means, but it’s a departure from the guy we saw before that. That Burns pitched to a 2.00 ERA with 102/29 K/BB in 85.2 IP, much more impactful than the 41/17 K/BB we’ve seen across those most recent 7 starts.
After throwing 43.1 IP at the big league level last season (on top of 66.0 across the minors), Burns has reached 124.0 IP so far in 2026. And with the Reds still mired in the dumps of the National League Wild Card chase and without co-ace Hunter Greene, the odds of them completing some miracle, final week comeback to make a postseason run seem about as long as an Adam Dunn homer. So, there really doesn’t seem to be a need to keep rolling Burns out there every fifth day until the last gasp of the season, especially as the Reds now have him under contract for the long-term and need to manage that as much as each win this season.
An innings limit is inevitable, if not a shutdown altogether.
When I asked you about how many IP the Reds should try to put on Burns this season earlier in the week, you all seemed to think the 150 IP mark was the right threshold for the Reds and Burns to hit.
Notably, 75% of those who responded opted for 140 or 150 IP, with 160 (and more than 160) getting just 25% of the support. In other words, 3 out of 4 of you think it’s best that Burns get about 4 or 5 more typical starts before the Reds put him on ice for the winter.
It’s a slippery slope of a decision, to be sure. You obviously don’t want to see them push him too far this year and risk overworking him, but you also want to see them push him far enough so that, in theory, stretching him out further next year will actually keep him ready for a September playoff push. Teams do typically try to build on these things with their planning, and it sure would be nice to see them planning on trying to make the playoffs in 2027, wouldn’t it?
Regardless, we’ve reached the time in this mostly lost season that we need to cherish watching the Reds new ace each time he takes the bump, since we’re likely down to his last few outings before next spring.
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