Before the Toronto Maple Leafs decided on hiring John Chayka and Mats Sundin as the GM and senior executive advisor of hockey operations, respectively, MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley conducted his search to find new leadership in the franchise's front office.
Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger was one of the candidates who was interviewed for a role in the organization's hockey operations department.
As a guest on TSN's OverDrive, Pronger explained the process of meeting with the Maple Leafs and what his conversation with Pelley was like, as well as with Neil Glasberg, who led the firm that supplied candidates for MLSE.
"Just had a good, frank conversation about the team, about the direction, my thoughts on what they needed, in the front office and on the ice, with respect to the players," Pronger said on OverDrive
Pronger does have some experience as an executive in the NHL. Beginning in 2017-18, he was a senior advisor for the Florida Panthers for three seasons, which is similar to the role Sundin has with the Leafs now. Pronger was also named senior VP of hockey operations in 2019-20, and hasn't had a role since, according to eliteprospects.com.
After a conversation with Pelley and Glasberg that lasted about a couple of hours, Toronto obviously didn't go through with hiring Pronger.
"I got good feedback on my conversation with them, but they were going in a different direction," Pronger said.
The former Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks was asked about the Maple Leafs' defense in comparison to the teams remaining in the playoffs, including the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens.
"When you have no-move clauses, and limited no-trade clauses and all the rest of that, you have to find the perfect fit," he said. "It's one thing to move off a player, but what is coming back? You still got to fill holes."
Pronger further expressed that the makeup of the Maple Leafs' D-core is inadequate, and he believes Toronto's blueline needs an overhaul to some degree.
They got to get faster on the back end, they got to get more puck-movers," Pronger explained. "If you want to play an up-tempo, offensive game, you've got to have defensemen that can transition the puck and get it up the ice quick, get retrievals quicker… there's a lot that kind of goes into the nuances of the transition game."
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CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: AJ Dybantsa looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Thanks to some lottery luck, the Washington Wizards own the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft for the first time in 16 years.
John Wall, the team’s top selection in 2010, was considered by many as the consensus No. 1 pick. So it came as no surprise when Washington made Wall the franchise’s centerpiece.
Sixteen years later, Washington is faced with a more complex situation surrounding their choice at No. 1.
Will it be AJ Dybantsa, the high-flying BYU product who led college basketball in scoring with 25.5 points per game and is currently -390 to be the No. 1 pick, according to FanDuel Sportsbook?
Does Washington instead opt for the draft class’s top guard prospect in Darryn Peterson, Kansas’s talented scorer who averaged 20.2 points per game on 38.2% 3PT as a freshman? Or will the Wizards surprise everyone by selecting Cameron Boozer, the 2026 Naismith Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year who some have labeled the top prospect in the 2026 draft class?
Below is an overview of which prospect several NBA Draft experts believe the Wizards will select at No. 1.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Reports have emerged that the Suns would like to trade into the first round. John Doehass at Bright Side of the Sun also proposed five potential trades for the 17th, 26th, 29th, 30th, and 31st picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. I have written several articles in the past looking at who the Suns might acquire with the 47th pick in the second round. Some of the players I identified previously have risen in mock drafts to become potential first round draft picks, including Henri Veesaar, Ebuka Okorie, Joshua Jefferson, and Zuby Ejiofor.
However, my previous analyses didn’t look at players I thought had no chance of falling to 47, particularly players showing up routinely in the late teens. Therefore, I’m putting together three articles over the next few days that will look at three classes of players that I haven’t already covered: guys whom the Suns should look at if they have the 17th pick, ones who will be available at 26 (but probably not by 29), and late first/early second (29-31) prospects.
I looked at and statistically analyzed 16 of the top mock drafts to identify who the Suns should focus on at each of these three draft areas. The players listed here all meet a team need: I did not include players who play positions or roles the Suns already have filled (shooting guard, small forward, centers who can’t shoot the three).
Prospects at 17
The players in this section are ones who realistically might be there at 17, which would happen if the Suns traded with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently possess the 12th and 17th picks. There’s almost no chance they’d still be around at 26. This includes four players: Hannes Steinbach, Morez Johnson, Jr., Bennett Stirtz, and Chris Cenac Jr. If the Suns are set on acquiring an athletic power forward, and Morez, Jr. is off the board, Chris Cenac would still be a good consolation prize at 17, given there’s only modest odds (17%) he’ll still be available at 26.
Morez Johnson, Jr. (Michigan, Sophomore, PF)
Morez Johnson Jr. is a physically imposing, high-motor big man and key anchor for the Michigan Wolverines. Standing 6’9” barefoot with an elite 7’3″ wingspan and weighing 250 pounds, he possesses excellent lateral mobility and defensive switchability.
Defensive Versatility: Possesses the rare ability to switch 1-through-5. His nimble footwork and core strength allow him to contain smaller, quicker guards on the perimeter.
Rebounding: An elite, high-effort rebounder who controls the glass through determined positioning, length, and strength.
Interior Offense: Highly efficient finisher around the rim, operating as an excellent lob threat and playing well above the rim. He also projects as a high-quality screener who rolls effectively in pick-and-roll.
High Motor: Known as the “heart and soul” of his team, bringing consistent energy, toughness, and defensive instincts to every possession.
Weaknesses
Offensive Hub Limitations: He does not possess a true perimeter scoring package yet. He rarely attempts jump shots and relies primarily on put-backs, lobs, and interior dump-offs rather than self-creation.
Raw Passing & Playmaking: His playmaking upside remains limited, often forcing turnovers or lacking playmaking vision when forced to distribute from the high post.
Undersized Center Profile: While his wingspan allows him to play bigger, he still lacks the pure height of a traditional back-to-the-basket NBA center, meaning he will need to rely heavily on his leaping and positioning to protect the rim.
Draft Range
Between 12 and 25, with an average of 17.4 and a median of 17. 55% chance he will still be available at 17.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
I’m not going to lie: of all the players I’ve looked at in the draft so far, Morez Jr. is the one I’d most like to see land on the Suns. He ticks all the boxes: absolutely killed it on the measurements, vertical athleticism, and agility at the combine. He’s done well against the top competition in the nation. Shoots the three well, and his high free-throw percentage suggests that he will get even better.
Young enough that substantial improvement is possible. He’s “got that dawg in him” metaphorically, and is “aligned” with the hustle and heart that underlie the team concept of the Suns. The only tepid criticisms I can offer are that he’s still raw enough that he won’t immediately come in and lead the Suns to the second round, but he’s also instantly the team’s starting power forward.
Isaiah Stewart, Aaron Gordon, and Patrick Patterson
Hannes Steinbach (Washington, Freshman, PF)
Hannes Steinbach is a highly coveted 2026 NBA Draft prospect and elite rebounding big man. Following a stellar freshman season at Washington, the 6’10.25″ (barefoot) 248-pound forward averaged 18.5 points and a nation-leading 11.8 rebounds per game, solidifying his status as a probable lottery or first-round selection.
Elite Rebounding: His rebounding is widely considered the best in the 2026 draft class. Averaging 11.8 boards (including an elite 4.2 offensive), he pairs an aggressive motor with a massive wingspan and remarkably large hands to secure the ball at its apex.
Soft Touch & Catch Radius: Steinbach catches almost everything thrown his way and is an exceptionally efficient finisher inside. He converts at a high rate on hook shots, push runners, and leaners.
Fluid Movement: He runs the floor effortlessly for a big man. He handles the ball well in transition, allowing him to snake around defenders and face up in space.
Weaknesses
Rim Protection: He relies more on positioning and energy than explosive vertical leaping. His low block rate raises slight concerns about his ability to function as a traditional, heavy-minute rim-protecting center.
Defensive Versatility: Translating his interior presence to the next level requires proving he can either anchor the paint or effectively slide over to defend the power forward position in modern, switch-heavy lineups.
Draft Range
Between 11 and 29, with an average of 16.3 and a median of 15. There is a 44% chance he will still be available at 17 if the Suns pick there.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
The Suns really don’t have a reliable PF/C who can both rebound, defend, and space the floor. It’s not hard to imagine slotting Steinbach in alongside Fleming, Williams, Oso, or Maluach. He’s a much better positional defender than Sabonis, and there’s a strong chance his three-point percentage will continue to improve.
His athleticism and measurements are excellent, but not elite like Cenac, Johnson, Jr., and Brazile. The biggest red flag is that aside from rebounding, none of his stats show him to have any elite skills. He’s above average in many, below average in only one (defensive rating, which is a red flag), but the best players need more than one elite skill.
All in all, Steinbach looks to have the tools, size, and athleticism to carve out a long NBA career.
NBA Comparisons
Domatis Sabonis with a three-point shot. Nikola Vučević, Drew Gooden. Worst case: Frank Kaminsky
Bennett Stirtz (Iowa, Senior, PG/SG)
Bennett Stirtz is a crafty, highly efficient 6’4” 184-pound guard known for his elite basketball IQ, outstanding shooting, and steady playmaking. Originally a standout at the Division II level who transferred to Drake before finishing his college career in Iowa, Stirtz profiles as a high-floor, plug-and-play rotational guard.
Elite Shooting: A deadeye marksman who is especially dangerous in catch-and-shoot scenarios. He creates separation comfortably using a lethal step-back jumper and shows deep range.
High-Level Decision Making: Possesses a phenomenal assist-to-turnover ratio. He is a calculated pick-and-roll orchestrator who plays at his own pace and rarely forces bad shots.
Crafty Finisher: Though he relies more on touch and angles than raw vertical athleticism, he is incredibly efficient scoring in the paint. He utilizes a high-arcing floater and scores well with either hand.
Off-Ball Intelligence: Excels at relocating for open looks and reading defender habits, making him a dangerous cutter.
Weaknesses
Physical Profile: Firmly average by NBA standards in terms of vertical and horizontal athleticism. He does not blow past defenders and is mostly a below-the-rim player.
Defensive Questions: Stirtz’s lack of elite length or lateral quickness can lead to struggles when isolated against quicker NBA guards.
Shot Creation Against Elite Size: Against top-tier, long-armed defenders, he can occasionally struggle to get his shot off or finish inside the arc without drawing fouls.
Draft Range
Between 17 and 28, with an average of 21.1 and a median of 19. There is an 88% chance he will still be available at 17 if the Suns pick there.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
There is strong consensus that Stirtz is a mid-to-late first round pick, and 10 out of 16 mocks have him going in the late teens. He’s a great shooter, a slightly above-average athlete according to combine results, and has a great basketball IQ. The downsides are his defense, rebounding, and fit with the current roster. He also seems to lack a skill or quality you can point to that is elite rather than just “very good” (like his shooting, particularly from the corner).
The biggest question I have with Stirtz is his fit next to Booker. The general opinion is he’s a tweener guard who can play either position, but he’s not a true point guard, and may be better suited to a secondary initiator role. How close is this to Gillespie? Jalen Green? It’s hard to say, but the Suns should be wary of adding what amounts to a 5th shooting guard to the roster behind Booker, Green, Goodwin, and Allen.
NBA Comparisons
Payton Pritchard, Landry Shamet, and Jeff Hornacek
Chris Cenac (Houston, Freshman, PF/C)
Chris Cenac Jr. is an elite, modern frontcourt prospect. Standing 6’11” with an impressive 7’5″ wingspan, the former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, where he is projected as a first-round selection.
Physical Profile & Mobility: Cenac possesses rare athletic fluidity for a 6’11” big man. He runs the floor with long strides in transition, boasts a 37-inch vertical leap, and possesses excellent second-jump capabilities.
At-Rim & Roll Finishing: He is highly efficient as a play-finisher, placing in the 97th percentile in at-rim efficiency. He serves as an elite lob threat and frequently capitalizes on weakside putbacks, logging an impressive 9.8% offensive rebounding percentage.
Stretch Potential: Unlike traditional rim-bound bigs, Cenac displays a clean, smooth, and repeatable shooting motion. Shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc on notable volume provides an intriguing foundation as a pick-and-pop floor spacer.
Rebounding Production: He has a natural knack for tracking the ball off the rim. He led Houston in rebounding as a freshman—becoming the first freshman to do so for the program since 2012—and recorded standout double-doubles, including a 17-point, 17-rebound showing against Kansas.
Weaknesses
Physicality & Post Strength: Despite a 240-pound frame, Cenac can play tentatively when absorbing contact in the paint. Stronger, more physical low-post centers occasionally out-muscled and pushed him out of position during his collegiate tenure.
Interior Defense Discipline: While his perimeter switchability and footwork allow him to contest wings effectively on the outside, his interior paint protection is an ongoing work in progress. He has a tendency to bite on pump fakes and pick up premature fouls.
Offensive Creation: He is primarily a complementary, off-the-ball scorer. When forced to create his own shot in isolation, he can become overly reliant on settling for difficult mid-range jumpers rather than attacking the rim.
Draft Range
Between 16 and 32, with an average of 21.9 and a median of 22. There is an 17% chance he will still be available at 17 if the Suns pick there.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Cenac projects as an athletic PF/C with a reach and wingspan nearly identical to Rasheer Fleming, but better hops and agility. He’s only a freshman, and projects well as a rebounder and defender. He shot 33.3% from three in college and did well in the three-point star drill at the NBA draft combine. However, his corner three numbers there left a lot to be desired (near the bottom at 9 of 25).
However, he’s still very raw, and the nuances of the game are still coming to him. He doesn’t really move the ball well (his assist numbers are abysmal, and his low turnover rate is because he doesn’t pass much either), and he doesn’t move well with the ball. Even more than Fleming, he’s a long-term investment for whatever franchise picks him. If he by some chance falls to 26, he’s fallen and likely won’t fall much further. The Suns seem to be taking a more patient approach now, and Chris Cenac would be a great insurance policy on the development of Fleming and provide some depth and versatility at PF/C.
However, between Cenac, Steinbach, and Morez, I would pick Morez over Steinbach, which is why Chris Cenac fell to this tier.
NBA Comparisons
Jaren Jackson Jr., Naz Reid, and Kel’el Ware
Coming tomorrow, players available if the Suns were to trade up into the 26th pick with the Denver Nuggets.
Dec 30, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
The 2026 NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and the playoffs always have a way of revealing what’s actually most important in high leverage games. Our instant mock draft immediately following the lottery tried to take a stab at how the picks will actually come off the board when the first-round begins on June 23.
Now, here’s a mock draft based on what I would do with every pick.
Boozer is the top player on my draft board, and in my estimation he’s the obvious No. 1 pick. I’ve been chronicling Boozer’s brilliance since he was in high school, and all he did as a freshman was win national player of the year in a nearly unanimous vote (59 out of 61). The Wizards should not be making team-building decisions with Anthony Davis in mind. Boozer was only four years old when AD was drafted. Washington needs shot-creation, shooting, and rebounding, and Boozer provides all of that at a high level. Alex Sarr should be a nice defensive complement to him in the frontcourt. This really shouldn’t be that hard.
2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
I had Peterson over Dybantsa on my preseason board and my midseason board, and while I thought about moving off that take at times during Peterson’s bizarre freshman year, I’m sticking with it now. Peterson is just a better fit for what the Jazz need, and I do think Utah is potentially good enough for next season to be thinking about fit. Keyonte George needs a defensive-minded off-guard with volume three-point shooting next to him, and that can be Peterson. Of course, Peterson can also be so much more than that if he fully recovers from the strange soft tissue and cramping injuries that plagued his time at Kansas. Dybantsa would have some overlap with Ace Bailey if he’s the pick here. I like a lineup of George-Peterson-Bailey-Lauri Markkanen-Jaren Jackson Jr. with Walker Kessler off the bench. That feels like a playoff team with some real upside to me.
3. Memphis Grizzlies – AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
Dybantsa probably won’t still be on the board at No. 3 on draft night, but if he is it would set up a fascinating decision between him and Caleb Wilson for Memphis. I give Dybantsa the edge simply because of his shot-creation ability. There just aren’t many players in the world this size — 6’8.5 barefoot, 217 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan — who can create shots for themselves and others like Dybantsa. I’d love to see him take a little more pride in his defense and up his three-point volume, but he’d be a wonderful addition to Memphis’ rebuild.
4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Wilson is the obvious ‘best player available’ choice for the Bulls here. This draft has been defined by a ‘big three’ since these players were in high school, but Wilson was so good at North Carolina that it can now credibly be called a ‘big four.’ Wilson is a bit of an odd fit on the Bulls’ current roster with some overlap with Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Leonard Miller — the team’s three most appealing young players. Ultimately, that doesn’t matter. There’s a strong chance that Wilson is better than any of them, and Buzelis has developed as a shooter enough to play the three. Take Wilson and figure out the rest later.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – Aday Mara, C, Michigan
This is the first big decision of the draft. I’m torn between Mikel Brown Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg, and Mara, but ultimately it’s harder to find a 7’3 center with a 7’7 wingspan than point guards or forwards. Mara was the single biggest riser of March Madness, but I’ve been on him as a potential top-10 pick since he was entering UCLA out of Spain. His size is a game-changer in the middle, and he also has ridiculous passing feel for someone so big. I know the Clippers drafted Yanic Konan Niederhäuser at the end of the first-round last year, but I was never too high on him. After trading Ivica Zubac to the Pacers for this pick, the Clippers find their center of the future.
6. Brooklyn Nets – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Yeah, the Nets took four pseudo point guards in the first-round last year, but that can’t stop one of the league’s worst rosters from drafting the best available player. Brown fits that description to me as the highest-upside prospect still on the board. The Louisville guard brings super-high volume three-point shooting, creative passing, and some downhill attacking ability to an offense desperately in need of juice. Brown’s frame is very thin and he doesn’t even have hair on his face yet, but the Nets need to be thinking long-term, and Brown is oozing with potential over time.
The Kings falling to No. 7 in the lottery is a huge bummer, but the upside is that the team really wanted a point guard, and there will be multiple great ones to choose from here. There’s already rumors that Sacramento has a preference for Darius Acuff, and that would be fine, but I like Flemings more. The Houston guard is a lot more disruptive defensively off the ball, and I give him a slight edge as a live-dribble playmaker. KINGSton Flemings to the Kings would be a very good fit for both the player and team.
8. Atlanta Hawks – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
The key to modern basketball is the intersection of positional size, shooting touch, and IQ. Wagler checks all three boxes while also having worst in class explosion and length for a point guard. How does a 6’6, one-and-done lottery pick finish the season with zero dunks? This will be the first time it’s ever happened, at least for as far back as the statistics go. The Hawks have had some trouble with smaller guards, so Wagler is at least tall while having the ability to play on or off the ball. His pull-up shooting would be really good next to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson, and the first two guys there could help insulate him defensively. He’ll probably go higher than this, but I like the fit in Atlanta.
I will have Lendeborg higher than No. 9 on my personal board, and I seriously considered him at No. 5 for the Clippers. I didn’t love his fit in Brooklyn, Sacramento, or Atlanta, but I do think he makes plenty of sense for the Mavs. Dallas should be ready to accelerate this thing around Cooper Flagg pretty quickly, in part because they don’t control their first-round pick from 2027-2030. Lendeborg will be a 24-year-old rookie, but he has unique strengths as a massive wing who can play on the perimeter or bang down low for some small ball five minutes. Critics of this pick will say Dallas already has PJ Washington, but he can be traded. Yaxel is four years younger, would be on a cost controlled deal, and in my opinion should be better pretty quickly. I like the idea of pairing Flagg with a defensive-minded forward who can stretch the floor and give the Mavs positional versatility.
I thought Quaintance would be a top-5 pick coming into the season. Instead, he rushed back from a torn ACL, and shut it down after only four underwhelming games at Kentucky. Quaintance explained his decision to end his season early to me at the combine. If he’s healthy, he has a case as the best defensive player in the class. While he’s a tad short for an NBA five at 6’9 barefoot, JQ measured well with a hulking 253-pound frame and 7’5+ wingspan. His offense is a huge question mark, but his defense should be bankable if he can stay healthy. Assuming the Bucks finally trade Giannis this summer, they will need a new identity long-term, and Quaintance can help that start on the defensive end.
11. Golden State Warriors – Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington
The Warriors could really go in any direction here, and I remain intrigued by the Mara fit from my instant mock if he’s still on the board. Given the way this draft goes, Steinbach feels like he would be a good choice to add some physicality and rebounding to the frontcourt. Steinbach’s offensive rebounding is potentially the single best skill in this draft class (behind Cameron Boozer’s brain), and he could feast off misses from Steph Curry and Brandin Podziemski to generate extra possessions.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Morez Johnson Jr., F/C, Michigan
Johnson is the best kind of tweener with the ability to be additive on both ends at either the four or the five. The 6’9 big man has a hulking 250-pound frame with 7’3.5 wingspan and boundless athleticism. He’s one of the best defenders in the class with the strength to wall up inside, the quickness to switch some screens, and outstanding ability to patrol the backline as a low man. I think he’s going to be shoot long-term, and if you agree, he has to be a lottery pick.
13. Miami Heat – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas
I have questions about Acuff’s scoring process and worry that he might be the worst defensive player in the NBA, but at a certain point he’s too productive to continue passing on. This pick would absolutely be in play in a potential Giannis trade.
14. Charlotte Hornets – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
The Hornets really need some beef inside, but this class just isn’t very deep in big men after Motiejus Krvias and Patrick Ngongba pulled out. I’ve liked Swain for a while as a bouncy wing stopper who made big offensive strides as a slasher and shooter during his junior season at Texas, but he wasn’t too impressive with his measurements or play at the combine. Still, this feels like a plug-and-play rotation piece for what should be an excellent team in the East next season.
15. Chicago Bulls – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
I’d prefer Morez Johnson or possibly Jayden Quaintance here, but both are off the board in this mock. Burries will likely be long gone by the time Chicago comes on the clock at No. 15, but he would add two-way physicality to the backcourt with good shooting projection. I don’t think Burries has the shot-creation or the playmaking to be in an on-ball role that would give him star upside, but he checks a lot of boxes as a role player. He’s a player who feels like he’s pretty good everywhere but without a signature skill to fall back on.
16. Memphis Grizzlies – Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
Stirtz is a high-volume creator who doesn’t turn the ball over and also offers floor spacing potential with a quick and accurate trigger from three-point range. He’s not the biggest lead guard and he’s likely to have some issues defending at the point of attack, but he’s such an additive player offensively that he can work in a variety of roles. I’m curious what Stirtz would look like in a faster system and more scaled down role after creating every advantage and playing nearly every minute for Iowa during his senior season.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Ament couldn’t live up to the top-5 hype in the preseason he as struggled with physicality and failed to score efficiently from any part of the floor. Still, there’s a reason he was so highly touted entering the year, and it’s easy to see the outline of an athletic, two-way four man who can still impact the game in a more scaled down offensive role. Ament’s 29 percent usage rate was tops on Tennessee, and giving him that much offensive responsibility on a team without great spacing was always too much to ask. I’d like to see what he looks like as a more of a fourth option on offense who can space the floor and attack closeouts while using his 6’10 frame to alter shots defensively.
18. Charlotte Hornets – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston
The Hornets have to come away with a big, and Cenac is the best available at this slot. While he’s likely a couple years away from making an impact, Cenac has elite physical tools at 6’10+, 240 pounds with a 7’5 wingspan. He has a confident shooting stroke from deep, and could be a valuable stretch five (or a four in bigger lineups) who also crushes the defensive glass down the line. He’s a bit raw right now and can struggle with his feel for the game, but the idealized version of Cenac would be a great piece for Charlotte as it continues to build a contender in the East.
19. Toronto Raptors – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon could inject some much needed juice into the Raptors’ halfcourt offense, which ranked No. 13 in efficiency during the regular season but struggled badly in the playoffs. The Alabama guard is super shifty off the bounce and will thrive in an NBA drive-and-kick game, and he offers scoring ability inside the arc with his floater. His three-point shot made a big leap this season (from 31.5 percent to 40 percent from deep while nearly doubling his volume), but there are some questions about how sustainable that is with a lower release point. Philon is very skinny and will probably never be a good defender, but this would be a very good value at this slot for a potential high-octane creator.
20. San Antonio Spurs – Cameron Carr, G, Baylor
For a 6’5 wing, Carr is extremely long (7’1 wingspan), highly explosive (44 dunks), and a really good spot-up shooter who hit 37.6 percent behind the arc on 205 attempts. There’s a case for him to go much higher than this, but his limited creation ability, shaky passing vision, and thin frame gives me some pause.
21. Detroit Pistons – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
No one expected Okorie to be a one-and-done entering the year as a recruit ranked outside the top-100, but his creation flashes made it undeniable while playing for a middling Stanford team. Okorie has the best first-step in the class and the acceleration to separate once he gains the initial advantage. He’s more of a scorer than a playmaker right now, which isn’t ideal for a 6’2 guard. Still, his ability to create his own offense while limiting turnovers and showing a solid three-point stroke gives him real upside in this part of the draft. I’d like to see what Cade Cunningham looks like in a more off-ball role at times, and Okorie can get him there.
22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Graves would fill a position of need for the Sixers at power forward while also offering two-way upside if he can cut down on fouling. The redshirt freshman from Santa Clara forced turnovers at an incredible rate this season while also shooting 40 percent from three, but his aggressive play led to a lot of hacking that kept him in a sixth man role. Graves isn’t the best athlete, but this area of the draft feels right for an analytics darling who measured well at the combine (7-foot wingspan and 225-pound frame) and has some real skill flashes.
23. Atlanta Hawks – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
Lopez is a big forward who can play with the ball in his hands, but there are questions about his shooting and off-ball defense. He can look good attacking in a straight line as a driver, but he’s a bit stiff athletically when he’s in need of counters. His frame and downhill ability are worth betting on at this point, and he could offer quite a bit of upside if he figures out his spot-up three-pointer.
24. New York Knicks – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
Jefferson’s ability to play with physicality on both ends while also bringing connective offensive traits makes him one of the best seniors in this year’s draft. I had Jefferson as the third best player in college basketball this year. While I doubt he’ll have quite as much creation equity at the next level, his reps in a high usage, more on-ball role at ISU will serve him well in the NBA when the ball swings to him. It feels like he fits the Knicks’ ethos well,.
25. Los Angeles Lakers – Henri Veesar, C, North Carolina
Veesar is one of the only stretch five options in this class, but he does a lot more offensively than just shoot. The 7-footer thrived in a high-low game with Caleb Wilson by showing good passing touch and efficient scoring inside the arc. He won’t be a plus defensively at center, but giving Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves a pick-and-pop big man with good feel offensively would be a nice choice after this range of the draft was thinned out by NIL.
26. Denver Nuggets – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
It’s hard to find a place for all the small guards in this draft given the way the league is trending, and that means someone like Anderson could be a major steal. The Texas Tech point guard is one of the very best shooters in this draft class, and also a solid playmaker who won’t rack up turnovers. While he measured pretty small at the combine, he does have a 6’6+ wingspan that at least gives him a chance defensively.
27. Boston Celtics – Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt
Tanner might be destined to return to college after being one of the most divisive players in this year’s class. He was one of the very best players in college basketball as a sophomore, but he’s just so small at a tick under 5’11 barefoot and 167 pounds with a 6’4.25 wingspan. He definitely plays bigger than his size on both ends with a sixth sense for forcing turnovers and a rare ability to dunk on your head for such a tiny guard. I have questions about his three-point shooting and creation ability at the next level. He’d be a great flier in this range.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves – Koa Peat, F, Arizona
The NBA seems to think Peat should return for his sophomore year, and it’s hard to blame them. He looks more like a run-stopping defensive end than an NBA power forward, but there’s still some potential here for a defensive wing stopper with short-roll playmaking and some play-finishing ability. His outside shot is broken and he lacks lateral quickness or agility, but he would be a fine flier in this range.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John’s
Ejiofor is a rugged big man who can help wall off the paint defensively while adding some impressive connective passing traits in the frontcourt. He’s a disruptive defender who plays with a high motor and does all the little things good role players need to do. He’s a tad small for a five at 6’7.5 barefoot with a 7’2 wingspan and 245 pound frame, but he’ll find a way to make it work with an impressive combo of physicality and feel.
30. Dallas Mavericks – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
Thomas can fill it up from outside as a microwave scorer while also not making stupid decisions with the ball. He should be able to defend a little bit better than most players in his archetype. The Mavs could stand to add some off-ball offensive firepower off the bench in this slot.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 25: Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tyrese Proctor’s rookie season came to an end Monday night as the New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 130-93, sweeping the series, 4-0.
Proctor, who rarely got off the bench in the playoffs, got 9 minutes here. He didn’t score, but he got 1 rebound and 2 assists.
The Knicks move on and will play either the San Antonio Spurs, with Mason Plumlee, or the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Jared McCain, in the finals.
The Philadelphia Flyers have made clear their willingness to make an upgrade on defense this offseason, and while a power play quarterback is the top priority, they could go in other directions, too.
Despite the Flyers' best defense prospects all being right-shot defenders, the most popular names linked to the Flyers ahead of free agency are, of course, all right-shot defenders.
Veterans like John Carlson, Rasmus Andersson, and Darren Raddysh all come with varying degrees of short- and long-term appeal, but two of the three would block a prospect like Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, or Carter Amico from an NHL roster spot for several years.
But, because the Flyers are fortunate enough to be working from a position of strength on the right, they can continue utilizing their effective strategy of drafting for value and signing for need.
And because they have very little coming up on the left side of the defense, they can sign for need without worry.
This offseason's top dog at the position, who I have long believed to be a fit for the Flyers even before he became set to hit the open market, is none other than San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.
Ferraro, 27, is actually one of the youngest unrestricted free agents on the market this year, and he comes with a lot of upside relative to his role and what the Flyers need.
Over the course of their rebuild, following the departures of Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, the Sharks have typecast Ferraro as a No. 1 defenseman, a role he is not suited for but took on head-first nonetheless.
The former second-round pick has a career-high of 23 points, set this past season, and has recorded no fewer than 125 blocked shots and 124 hits in each of his last four seasons.
So, while he is 5-foot-11, Ferraro does play the rugged game required of a player with his skillset, and that is actually something the Flyers will need more of going forward.
And with the Flyers, he wouldn't need to continue playing the absolute most difficult minutes his coaching staff has to offer to him.
Third-pair defenseman Nick Seeler, who will turn 33 next week, is starting to slow down, and he already offers little in the way of skating, passing, and transition play.
Those are some of Ferraro's strengths, even if the point totals don't fully reflect that.
Should the Flyers end up moving on from Rasmus Ristolainen and/or incorporating David Jiricek into the lineup full-time, they'll need an experienced veteran with some juice in his legs, especially to cover Jiricek's warts as he continues to develop as an NHLer.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman via his "32 Thoughts" podcast, Ferraro is "likely" to hit the open market, and that is a situation that has been trending this way for quite some time now.
By extension, that means the Flyers will have other teams competing with them to secure Ferraro's services should they be interested, even though they'll have the requisite cap space to manage such a situation.
The only part where things get tricky is that Ferraro is coming off a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25 million AAV) with no trade protection, and his next deal could be even longer and doubly expensive.
For the Flyers, that might effectively look like resetting the clock on Seeler, who will be 35 when his current contract expires.
Ferraro, with a six-year deal, will be 33 when it expires, and it's important to keep in mind Seeler's age and regression with the similar physical, shot-blocking playstyles, even if Ferraro is a better puck transporter with his legs and stick.
With that in mind, though, the Flyers have little else to spend their boatloads of cap space on, and Ferraro is a worth successor and upgrade on Seeler who can play up and down the lineup if and when called upon.
The longtime Sharks defenseman has the skills and athleticism to complement someone like Jiricek, or even Jamie Drysdale, and that should be an attractive sell to a Flyers team looking to take another step forward in 2026-27.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 26: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on May 26, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ten years ago today, it was a coming out party of sorts for Bryan Rust with two big goals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Penguins had rallied back from a 3-2 deficit in the series to send things back to Pittsburgh for a seventh game and the energy at PPG Paints Arena was tight, to say the least.
A scoreless opening period had things feeling even tighter as the game went to the second period tied 0-0.
Just under two minutes into the second period, Bryan Rust scored one of the prettiest goals you can imagine, picking the corner of the net to beat Andrei Vasilevskiy and making it 1-0 Pittsburgh.
Jonathan Drouin scored his fifth goal of the playoffs just before the midway mark of the period, tying things up at 1-1, but Bryan Rust wasn’t done yet.
Rust scored just 30 seconds after Drouin’s equalizer to put the Penguins back on top.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on against the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The leap between being a great team and being a championship-caliber one is the hardest to make. This series shows that the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of work to do before they can say they’re on that level.
This was supposed to be a somewhat even matchup with the New York Knicks, but it wasn’t.
The Knicks dominated every aspect of the series since the fourth quarter of Game 1. That continued as they completed their sweep with a 37-point victory in Game 4.
The ending to this season was always going to be messy, but this was much worse than anyone could’ve reasonably expected.
This series, and the playoffs as a whole, were a referendum on Donovan Mitchell.
This group was constructed around Mitchell. Each player was brought here because they either cover up a weakness or accent one of Mitchell’s skills. So when Mitchell isn’t playing at a star level, things can get sideways quickly.
It’s not impossible for elite playoff teams to gameplan around a 6’2” guard who can only score at a high level. We’ve seen this throughout his four postseason runs in Cleveland, and did so again here.
Each team the Cavs ran into this postseason was able to take Mitchell out of his comfort zone.
The Toronto Raptors were physical at the point of attack and able to switch every on-ball screen. The Detroit Pistons put one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, Ausar Thompson, on Mitchell, making it difficult for him to get to his spots. And then the Knicks just crowded the paint, making it difficult to get anything going inside.
This all added up to Mitchell accumulating his lowest point total and the least efficiency in his last three postseason runs.
Throughout the playoffs, the Cavs were better with Mitchell off the court than they were with him on. They lost the minutes he’s played in 12 of the 18 postseason games. This includes every matchup against the Knicks.
Mitchell had good moments — including an impressive Game 7 in Detroit — but they made it to this point despite his play on the court, not because of it. That’s a problem.
Game 4 showed this again.
It was a four-point game when James Harden subbed out with three minutes left in the first quarter. Evan Mobley and Mitchell anchored a hybrid bench lineup without him. And by the time Harden came back into the game, it was a 12-point game.
This had been happening all postseason. Mitchell couldn’t elevate groups when Harden isn’t on the court, even when he’s going up against other teams’ bench units. As a result, the Cavs are losing the minutes Mitchell plays without Harden by 9.4 points per 100 possessions going into Game 4. Overall, the Cavs were outscored in when Mitchell is on the court by 1.4 points per 100 possessions.
It’s fair to wonder if the Mitchell and Harden pairing can ever work in the postseason. Far too often, the flaws of the backcourt — mostly on the defensive end — came through while their strengths didn’t. Those lineups weren’t outstanding offensively, and didn’t hold up well on the other end.
The duo didn’t have much time to gel in the regular season. Figuring out an entirely new playing style with under 1,000 regular-season possessions is nearly impossible. That alone could give you hope that they could improve.
“He’s helped this group and myself get somewhere we’ve never been,” Mitchell said of Harden. “And that’s with three months of work, three months of prep, three months of whatever. Now, you have a full summer of conversations, of film, of working out together, training, you have a whole year now.”
All that said, banking on them doing so is far from a guarantee, given both players’ track record in the postseason and Harden’s age.
For as inconsistent as this postseason was, the Cavs don’t get to this point without Mitchell.
This regular season was a disaster in so many ways. A combination of injuries to key players, the offseason acquisitions not living up to their standards, and a general step backward from most of the remaining pieces resulted in this team being 17-16 just after Christmas. For context, they didn’t lose the 16th game of the season before until the beginning of April.
This could’ve, and honestly, should’ve been a lost season. However, it wasn’t.
“He’s the number one reason we went to the conference finals,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of Mitchell. “He took it to another level. Led even better than he did the year before. Adapted to a new roster. … With his communication, his leadership, he kind of made that work on the fly.”
For as frustrating as it ended, you don’t accidentally make it to the conference finals. That’s something you have to earn, and the Cavs proved something that they haven’t previously during this postseason run. However, just getting to the conference finals wasn’t the end goal, and there’s no guarantee that you will get back to that point.
This all makes deciding what they should do in the summer so much more difficult.
The argument for making a drastic change is straightforward. We’ve seen this group not play up to their standards in too many postseasons to run back the same basic two guard, two big structure and expect the result to be different.
Figuring out the perfect move that gets them over the hump isn’t.
Do you try to make a big swing for a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo? This would require giving up multiple key players and draft picks to do so, and then you’d have to figure out a way to retool the roster around a new number one.
Would doing everything you could to convince LeBron James to return for one more go around turn them into championship contenders?
Is there a way to retool and get younger, while not losing your standing in the conference?
There is still merit to wanting to avoid shaking things up too much. After all, this run showed that they can have postseason success. If they handle business quicker and shoot better against New York, this would be a very different conversation. A full offseason with Harden trying to figure out a more concrete playing style on both ends of the floor should help as well.
“I have no doubts that this group can get there,” Mitchell said. “I’ve said this all year. I think the biggest thing is you use this as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know. … This team that we faced had to go through this. They’ve been together and had to go through this tough experience. So this is our turn.
“And I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland, for it to be like this, a sweep, like, that’s ass. But I told y’all last year, and I’ll say it again, we’ll be ready, and we’ll be hungry, and be locked in.”
The Detroit Tigers got a much-needed breather on Memorial Day after playing 13 straight games, winning just twice in that span. The good news is that they finished the stretch with a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday behind Troy Melton’s first start of the 2026 campaign.
AJ Hinch and Co. will look to build on that victory back at home in the comfortable confines of Comerica Park starting on Tuesday against one of the few MLB teams that has been worse than them this season: the Los Angeles Angels. The Halos are one game worse in the standings than the Olde English D but have been much better of late, coming off a three-game home sweep of the Texas Rangers last weekend.
The Tigers turn to right-hander Keider Montero to try and string a couple of wins together for the first time since taking the final two games of the Rangers series at home at the beginning of the month. The 25-year-old was perfectly mid, allowing three runs on two hits (one home run) and four walks while striking out one in five frames of work in a no-decision loss to the Cleveland Guardians.
Montero has faced the American League Los Angeles team just once before back on Aug. 29, 2024, putting up almost a mirror image stat line of his last outing — three runs on five hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out five over five innings for a loss in Detroit.
The Angels will send fellow righty Jack Kochanowicz to the bump to do battle coming off his fifth quality start of the season against the Athletics in Anaheim. Also 25 years old, the third-year hurler threw six innings of three-run, three-hit ball while walking four, intentionally walking one and striking out seven in a game his team lost in extra innings.
Kochanowicz faced Detroit twice last year, getting bombed both times by the Motor City Kitties. Particularly in his second outing on Aug. 10, when he surrendered seven runs (six earned) on nine hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out one in just three innings of work; he took the loss in the 9-5 final that day.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers (21-33) vs. Los Angeles Angels (20-34)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site: N/A Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 55: RHP Keider Montero (2-3, 3.83 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.55 ERA)
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 25: Colton Cowser #17 of the Baltimore Orioles beats the tag by Nick Fortes #40 of the Tampa Bay Rays at home plate to score on a Gunnar Henderson #2 fielder's choice in the 12th inning of the baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 25, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! And what a happy Tuesday it is after yesterday’s wild extra-innings win. The back-and-forth game went on for over four hours, but when the dust settled, Colton Cowser was the hero once again. He tied the game with a fantastic slide in the 12th inning, then sent the Orioles fans home happy with another walk-off home run in the 13th.
You can read all of the details of yesterday’s win over the Rays in Paul Folkemer’s game recap.
It’s been an incredible few days for Cowser, who has been disappointing since his ROY runner-up season in 2024. It’s hard to look back at the excitement we felt at his future back then, now that we know what was coming next. He missed time last year and we later learned he played through broken ribs. When he was on the field, he underperformed. And it seemed like all he did was strike out. Just strike outs, as far as the eye can see.
This year, Cowser has continued to struggle at the plate and has lost his place as a primary starter. He went from up-and-coming young player to fourth outfielder faster than we could process.
And don’t get me wrong, he deserves to have lost his spot. But when you look around at the other outfielders on the team, is he really the guy who should be sitting on the bench? Taylor Ward and Leody Taveras have earned their spots in this underwhelming outfield, but Cowser should have that third spot regularly. Maybe things would be different if Dylan Beavers wasn’t injured, but I don’t know when we’ll see him again.
Tyler O’Neill is a righty batter who was signed to hit lefties. Cowser is a lefty batter. But for me, at this point, why is O’Neill starting over anyone regardless of what side of the plate they hit from? As Tyler Young wrote yesterday, something has got to give with him. His OPS is .498. That’s horrendous. Against lefties, it’s .191. His OPS, not his batting average!
This is a small sample size alert, but Cowser has shown life at the plate over the last week when he actually gets the chance to play. I’m not suggesting he’s going to turn some corner and great, but surely he can be better than O’Neill. If the Orioles are trying to win games, it seems like he’s a better option than O’Neill in every situation.
I am sure that I am just wearing my Cowser-tinted glasses after he hit two walk-off home runs in two days. But I remember 2024 Colton Cowser. If he is healthy, he should be the regular right fielder. Maybe he’ll continue to strike out and remind us all that he doesn’t deserve it. But it’s not like there are any better options at the moment, and maybe he’ll surprise us.
Tonight the Orioles will try to win their series against the Rays with former Ray Shane Baz on the mound. Baz was pretty good his last go round, also against the Rays. If he can go six innings with just one run allowed again, maybe the Orioles can win a second game in a row.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies, all pitchers. Gabriel Ynoa (33) pitched for the Orioles in 2017 and 2019; John O’Donoghue (57) appeared in 11 games with the 1993 team; and Stacy Jones (59) had four appearances in 1991. But his name is Stacy! That’s really cool. Would be cooler with an E.
Not much Orioles history on this day, but here are some other fun baseball facts, courtesy of Baseball Reference:
In 1959, Harvey Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings for the Pirates. 36 up, 36 down. It was broken up in the 13th inning on an error, of all things. The Pirates lost to the Braves, 1-0.
In 1969, Hank Aaron hit his 500th double, becoming just the third player at that time to have 500 doubles and 500 home runs.
In 1995, Ken Griffey Jr. made one of the finest catches you’ll ever see to rob Kevin Bass of the Orioles. Unfortunately, it resulted in a broken wrist and Griffey missed three months.
In 1997, Sammy Sosa of the Cubs and Tony Womack of the Pirates hit inside-the-park home runs in the same inning!
And on this day last year, the Orioles defeated the Cardinals 5-2. Charlie Morton pitched six innings and allowed both runs. Félix Bautista pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save. Ryan O’Hearn had three hits, and Dylan Carlson hit his second home run. Remember Dylan Carlson?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 25: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on May 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back at .500, once again. Is this our new barometer for now? Is this the thing the Phillies need to keep accomplishing to make this season feel better?
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 09: Max Rajcic (68) of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the Houston Astros on March 09, 2026 at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cardinals are doing their best to keep their heads above water in May, going 11-9 in their 20 games played thus far. As we approach the 1/3 point of the season, once you cross that threshold, it’s no longer early anymore. At that point, they’re in it, and the “it’s early” qualifiers begin to drop off, and this group just keeps their heads down and tries to do the right thing at the right moment, and then looks up at the end of 9 innings to see where they stand. For what it’s worth, projection models are still hesitant to buy into the team. Fangraphs still has the Cardinals at only a 30% chance of making the playoffs, and they only outpace the Cincinnati Reds at this point in the division in that regard.
It would be natural, at this point, to start identifying areas of the roster that could use some additional help if the Cardinals hope to sustain into the later stages of the season. In 2025, Kyle Leahy emerged as the multi-inning bridge to Romero-Maton-Helsley, and he was highly effective in that spot. Pitching in 62 games, he posted a 3.07 ERA in 88 IP. His 3.04 FIP also speaks highly to his performance, combining to accrue 1.4 fWAR as a reliever. Among 23 primary right-handed relievers who pitched a minimum of 70 innings in 2025, Kyle Leahy ranked 9th in baseball in WPA+ (Win Probability Added). So, he was one of the 10 most positively influential relievers in baseball.
This season, since Leahy transitioned to the rotation, the Cardinals have been searching for a replacement for the vacancy he left once moving up. Matt Svanson was supposed to fill that role, and it’s been an ugly go of it for him so far. Gordon Graceffo has done an admirable job of coming into games, throwing strikes, getting quick outs, and preserving the game where it is, for the most part, but he hasn’t generated the type of swing and miss a modern relief pitcher is expected to generate. When he spoke to us on the podcast earlier this month, he referenced that and mentioned they were looking into how to get more of that out of his game. There is, however, a multi inning reliever tearing it up at AAA Memphis currently that could be an immediate solution…
Max Rajcic.
A former starter-turned reliever has been money for the Memphis Redbirds in 2026, and in almost 30 IP this season, the sample size is getting harder and harder to ignore the more season that passes. Just like Leahy, in shorter stints, the stuff is playing up, Rajcic has 5+ pitches to turn to, and his sweeper is his true out pitch. All of those things you can say about Kyle Leahy are also applicable to Rajcic. The other interesting part to this is that Rajcic is still only 24 years old, even after being drafted 4 seasons ago in the 6th round out of UCLA.
The Cardinals have already swapped out their most glaring hole in the bullpen by optioning Matt Svanson on Sunday, opting for Ryan Fernandez, who appears back to 2024 form. They also dropped Chris Roycroft back to Memphis at the beginning of April, and that has not gone any better for Roycroft since his demotion. I continue to wonder how transferable Roycroft’s 40-man spot is and if the Cardinals would swap Rajcic for Roycroft, given that Rajcic is performing at the upper minors, is younger, has more actionable pitches, and would have the full flexibility to continue to option up and down for seasons to come, whereas Roycroft is closing in on an expiration of optionablity without waivers.
The Cardinals over the last 2-3 seasons have really made hay by featuring an effective bullpen, with multiple unique weapons, at Manager Oli Marmol’s disposal. If the Cardinals can manage to continue what they have started in the early portion of the season, they will likely start to act with a little more urgency and aggression when it comes to addressing weak points on the roster that aren’t performing. It isn’t a secret that the Cardinals’ low-leverage relievers are gettable, and eliminating those areas in favor of other young ascending pieces with more upside would seem to make too much sense. Hopefully, Rajcic can get his chance soon and contribute to a Cardinals roster in need of a couple of new elements in the bullpen.
Brewers third base prospect Andrew Fischer throws to first base during spring training workouts Sunday, February 15, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds (30-20)
Opponent this week: Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays)
Record this week: 4-1
Standout performances:
Luis Lara (No. 5): 7-for-18, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K Luis Matos: 5-for-13, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K Akil Baddoo: 4-for-16, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K Tyson Hardin (No. 17): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K Thomas Pannone: 8 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 8 K Coleman Crow (No. 25): 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Tyson Hardin, who was promoted to Triple-A Nashville last Sunday, had another great start in his second appearance with Biloxi. Hardin has now pitched 12 2/3 innings with the Shuckers, allowing just two earned runs and 13 strikeouts while walking six. If you want to nitpick, he’s given out too many walks thus far, but he only walked 1.59 batters per nine innings in 21 starts last season. Given the rest of his numbers, it’s hard to ask for anything better from the 24-year-old righty as he adjusts to Triple-A.
Start #2 in AAA for Hardin
5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K, 1 ER
Really nice to see that much whiff against the four-seam this time out. Command has been spotty in both starts, but it's still great to see him start this well at the level. https://t.co/Hdvp5mZlFkpic.twitter.com/9tENoOlGMS
Coleman Crow made another start for Nashville, allowing six hits and three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Not a perfect line by any means, but Crow has impressed in his two appearances with Milwaukee. His performance next time he makes a spot start in Milwaukee will say more about his long-term potential than his Triple-A outings.
Thomas Pannone, who made one appearance for the Brewers back in 2023, pitched eight innings this week. He allowed four runs, so his ERA doesn’t look great, but he didn’t walk a batter while striking out eight.
The Sounds’ lineup this week was led by the Luises. Matos is now slashing .367/.457/.500 since clearing waivers and being outrighted to Nashville. Lara has continued to rake in Triple-A, and at this point, there might be no keeping him down. Brewers manager Pat Murphy has said that Lara won’t be up until there’s regular playing time, but if there’s any room for him in the lineup, he should be the first outfielder called up.
The other consideration with Lara is the “Super Two” deadline, which is quickly approaching. Normally, players need three years of service time before becoming eligible for salary arbitration. However, players who rank in the top 22% of service time among those with between two and three years of service qualify for “Super Two” status, allowing them to become arbitration-eligible a year early. Because of this, the Brewers are somewhat incentivized to keep Lara in Triple-A until they’re confident he won’t qualify.
Cooper Pratt (No. 4) only went 4-for-20, but hit a no-doubt home run. Jett Williams (No. 3) went 5-for-26 and struck out 10 times. Despite the off weeks, both prospects still have OPSes over .900 for the last month. Luis Rengifo currently has the fourth-worst OPS among qualifying batters, while Joey Ortiz would rank fifth if he qualified, so I’d keep an eye on these two (and Eddys Leonard: see video below). Pratt has already signed an extension, so Super Two status isn’t a factor for him. Williams, meanwhile, feels like a strong candidate to arrive shortly after the deadline passes.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) May 21, 2026
Jeferson Quero went 4-for-14 with a pair of RBIs, although none of his four hits went for extra bases. Brock Wilken went 3-for-17 with a double and nine strikeouts. Akil Baddoo, who was activated yesterday from the IL after starting a rehab assignment on May 15, hit two home runs in 16 at-bats.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) May 22, 2026
Next week’s opponent: Gwinnett Stripers (Atlanta Braves)
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers (23-21)
Opponent this week: Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox)
Record this week: 6-0
Standout performances:
Dylan O’Rae: 11-for-22, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 3 K Jesús Made (No. 1): 10-for-28, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Blake Burke (No. 16): 7-for-23, 2 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K Jaron DeBerry: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K Manuel Rodriguez: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
After a few relatively lackluster weeks, No. 1 overall prospect Jesús Made produced eye-popping numbers once again with a 13-RBI week. For context, Dylan O’Rae — who leads the Shuckers in hits and batting average — has 13 RBIs all season. Made now leads the entire Southern League in RBIs, with 35, and is slashing .277/.353/.452. Guess who ranks second in the Southern League? Blake Burke, with 33.
Burke has found another level since being promoted to Double-A at the end of last year. He’s tied for the Southern League lead with 12 home runs and has an OPS of .866. He profiles as a 1B/DH in the majors, so with Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, and Gary Sánchez all healthy, there’s no reason to rush him through the farm system. Still, if he keeps this up, he’ll end up in Nashville sometime soon.
Jaron DeBerry continues to do nothing but rack up strikeouts. He’s now punched out 49 batters in 41 1/3 innings, but the rest of his profile remains uneven. DeBerry owns a 5.66 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, largely because he’s been extremely volatile: four very rough blow-up outings have inflated his numbers, but he’s held opponents to two runs or fewer in his other five appearances. The right-hander could very well become a useful major league pitcher, but he’ll need to find more consistency to do so.
Jaron DeBerry's Last 3 Starts ⤵️
19.0ip, 3.79 ERA, 5bb, 27k, .162 AVG
DeBerry is also the 1st BLX pitcher w/ 6.0+ip and 8+k in 3 consecutive starts since Brandon Woodruff in 2016 💪 pic.twitter.com/VV9wo3OkR4
Finally, Manuel Rodriguez had another good outing this week. His ERA is still near 5.00, but he’s only allowed two earned runs in each of his last three outings.
Next week’s opponent: Columbus Clingstones (Atlanta Braves)
High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (20-16)
Opponent this week: Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Record this week: 3-2
Standout performances:
Josiah Ragsdale: 9-for-20, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K Andrew Fischer (No. 6): 7-for-19, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K Josh Adamczewski (No. 10): 4-for-15, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 8 BB, 4 K Marco Dinges (No. 9): 4-for-16, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K Wande Torres: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Braylon Owens: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
A 2025 seventh-round pick, Josiah Ragsdale spent his first weeks as a member of the Brewers organization in Low-A, but started this season in Wisconsin and has quietly been one of the Timber Rattlers’ best players. After this week’s 9-for-20 showing, Ragsdale is now slashing .292/.423/.442 with three home runs and 17 stolen bases, good for fifth in the Midwest League.
.@JosiahRagsdale brings home Alastre with a single in the 2nd🔥
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 23, 2026
Braylon Payne now ranks second in the Midwest League with 10 home runs, behind only Andrew Fischer. As a reminder, Payne hit eight home runs in nearly 300 at-bats last season in Single-A. His batting average is up 20 points, to .260, while his OPS (.569) is also up in a major way (nearly 200 points). These are clear signs of development, which is exactly what you want to see from a 19-year-old prospect who has all of the athletic tools to succeed at the big-league level someday.
With Fischer, Payne, Josh Adamczewski, and Luis Peña on the roster, some of the Timber Rattlers’ other players have flown a bit under the radar. One of those guys is catcher Marco Dinges. Even after a breakout 2025 season, Dinges — the Brewers’ No. 9 prospect — doesn’t get quite as much coverage as some of the other prospects on the roster.
This may be because, unlike Fischer, Adamczewski, Peña, and even Ragsdale, he rarely puts together huge statistical weeks. However, Dinges has been remarkably consistent all season, putting together a .261/.397/.468 slash line with six home runs.
Speaking of Peña, he started his rehab assignment in rookie ball over the weekend. In five at-bats over two games, he’s recorded a single, double, and RBI.
Pitchers Wande Torres and Braylon Owens, both of whom have made multiple appearances in this column, had the two best outings among Wisconsin pitchers. Ethan Dorchies (No. 18) has had a rough start to his season, but bounced back this week, pitching three innings and allowing two hits and a lone earned run.
Next week’s opponent: Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals)
Single-A Wilson Warbirds (23-21)
Opponent this week: Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles)
Record this week: 4-2
Standout performances:
Brady Ebel (No. 13): 9-for-22, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Juan Ortuno: 6-for-19, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 3 K Pedro Ibarguen: 4-for-13, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K Jarrette Bonet: 6 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Carlos Carra: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Brady Ebel, a 2025 first-round compensatory pick, has now had 16 hits over his last two weeks, including nine this week. Ebel had a scholarship offer from LSU, but instead chose to sign with Milwaukee. The 18-year-old shortstop got off to a bit of a slow start, but after a strong two-week stretch, his slash line is up to .242/.388/.362 — a mark that looks even more impressive when you remember he could still be in his first college season.
Brady Ebel earned the Carolina League Player of the Week award🏅getting on base at a .500 clip and collecting 5 XBH including his first 2 professional home runs for the @wilsonwarbirds 🔥#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/TWYEOUuJRq
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) May 25, 2026
In last week’s column, I mentioned Pedro Ibarguen had been hitting .353/.433/.510 over the last month in his first full season in Single-A. He didn’t slow down much this week, adding a pair of doubles and walking more than he struck out. Juan Ortuno has also been steadily producing for the Warbirds, and this week wasn’t an exception.
Jarrette Bonet, who was named the Brewers organization’s Pitcher of the Month back in April, had allowed at least four earned runs in each of his three starts in May. He bounced back in a big way with his best start of the year, going 6 1/3 one-hit innings while striking out six and walking one. Carlos Carra (6.63 ERA) also had a quality start.
Jarrette Bonet has been named the Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April 🎖️
Bonet started his professional career strong with a 26:9 K:BB ratio over 23.1 IP and struck out at least 5 batters in all but one of his outings while running his 4-Seam up to 96.6 mph🔥… pic.twitter.com/mp7lTTvhgK
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) May 8, 2026
Next week’s opponent: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs)
Player of the Week
My heart wanted to give this week’s award to Ragsdale, but Andrew Fischer just continues to produce. By “produce,” I mean on the stat sheet, but he also produces more than his fair share of highlights.
Andrew Fischer’s 13th homer of the year is a MOONSHOT for the High-A @TimberRattlers 💪
The @Brewers’ No. 6 prospect has homered in four of his past six games and sports an 1.089 OPS in the month of May: pic.twitter.com/YNALXvIpZA
Fischer had more hits than strikeouts this week and added three more home runs — the most in the Brewers’ organization — to bring him to a Midwest League-leading 13 for the year. The strikeouts are concerning, and will be until he manages to string together a few weeks with lower whiff totals, but at some point, you have to trust that the guy with a .266 batting average and 1.012 OPS in his first professional season can figure it out eventually.
Andrew Fischer hit his 12th HR of the season a moment ago
Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 3-8 (7) at FCL Blue Jays
1B Richard Matic 2-2, 2B, 2 BB — perfect day at the plate RF Wilberson De Pena 0-3, HBP C Queni Pineda 1-2, 2 BB, K, SB, picked off 3B Leni Done 0-3, BB, 2 K SS Dexters Peralta 1-4, 2 RBI, 3 K — since the first run scored on a wild pitch, his two-run single in the third marked FCL Yanks’ only ribbies on the afternoon LF Estivenzon Montero 2-3, K, picked off DH Austin Green 1-3 2B Christofer Reyes 0-3, K, SB CF Isael Arias 0-3
Stanly Alcantara 3.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, HR, WP, 2 balks — difficult to hit but primarily because he had no idea where the ball was going Sunayro Martina 1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (5 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, HR, HBP (loss) — the flip side is that this is just, uh, bad despite zero walks; turned a 3-3 ballgame in the fifth into a comfortable 8-3 lead for FCL Jays, capped by Brock Tibbitts’ three-run bomb Marco Manzano 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, HBP — pitching savior of the day
Ty Madden and Sawyer Gipson-Long split this Memorial Day start and the Hens rallied late to walk off the Clippers.
Madden started things off firing three clean innings before giving up a double and an RBI single in the fourth. Drew Sommers took over to finish the fifth and then it was Gipson-Long’s turn. Eduardo Valencia launched a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to tie things up 1-1. It was Valencia’s ninth homer of the season.
Eduardo Valencia with a monster solo blast to left to tie the game for Toledo. It’s his 9th home run of the year, and it left his bat at 108.3 and went 435 feet. pic.twitter.com/es4JKOviKW
Gipson-Long struck out CJ Kayfus and Stuart Fairchild to start the sixth, and got a good young Guardians infield prospect in Angel Genao to ground out. He cruised through the seventh before giving up a one-out double in the eighth and then walking Kayfus. Gipson-Long bore down and got Fairchild to fly out and Genao to slap a routine grounder to second base to escape.
In the ninth, the Clippers got a leadoff single from Kody Huff, who stole second base. A ground out from Milan Tolentino moved Huff to third where he scored on a sac fly for a 2-1 lead.
However, Max Clark drew a leadoff walk from Tanner Burns in the bottom half and took second on a wild pitch. Valencia and Jace Jung both drew walks as well, with Max Burt pinch-running for Valencia. Corey Julks struck out but Burns then hit Tyler Gentry to score Clark. Cal Stevenson stepped in and drilled a ball to right field that was dropped as the right fielder leapt against the wall to pull it in. That scored Burt and sent the Hens home crowd home happy.
🚨Mud Hens Walk-Off Win🚨
Cal Stevenson with a deep fly ball to right to bring home Max Burt and give Toledo a 3-2 win. pic.twitter.com/eEfqy2ZC4v
20-year-old lefty Carlos Rodriguez led the way with a solid outing for the Tigers in this one. Along with right-hander Jhonan Coba, Rodriguez is the other young international free agent pitcher most likely to join Kelvis Salcedo with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, although it may wait until Salcedo, Malachi Witherspoon move up to West Michigan. Rodriguez allowed a run on two hits and two walks, punching out three over 4 1/3 innings of work.
Rodriguez allowed his lone run in the top of the second. In the bottom of the third, Tigers’ first baseman Martin Tamara led off with a walk and took second on a wild pickoff throw. Angel de los Santos, another key name to watch down here, struck out, as did Jack Penney who began a rehab assignment on Monday. Another wild pitch advanced Tamara, and Cris Rodriguez walked and stole second base. A rehabbing Woody Hadeen singled in both runs and Cristian Perez doubled in Hadeen to make it 3-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rodriguez and Hadeen singled and advanced to second and third. Catching prospect Enderson Delgado singled them both in to make it 5-1.
Johnathan Rogers took over from Carlos Rodriguez with one out in the fifth. Rogers was the Tigers’ 20th rounder back in 2023. He actually showed potential before an injury shut him down and he eventually left the organization before re-signing last week. Rogers is just stretching out so he cleaned up the fifth before turning things over to the bullpen.
The bullpen had a pretty easy time of it as the Tigers tacked on three more runs in the sixth. Cris Rodriguez and Hadeen both doubled with two outs, and Cristian Perez, playing right field in this one, jumped on the first pitch he saw and smashed a three-run shot to left field. That 8-1 lead held up.
Rodriguez and Perez continue to lead the FCL Tigers with an .873 and 1.129 OPS respectively. Hadeen should be back to West Michigan pretty soon.
Report: Maple Leafs And Auston Matthews 'In A Good Place' After Online MeetingThe Toronto Maple Leafs' front office of John Chayka and Mats Sundin has reportedly had a lengthy conversation with captain Auston Matthews over a Zoom call, marking the first time the two parties had a notable chat.
